| Subject: Re: Movie Chat |
Author:
Ken
| [ Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
Date Posted: 14:41:02 04/21/03 Mon
In reply to:
Jeff
's message, "Re: Movie Chat" on 10:24:19 12/09/02 Mon
I know this is an old thread, but what the hell. I figured I'd revive it since I finally got around to seeing some older movies and wanted to comment on them.
The Perfect Storm: George Clooney vehicle, a swordboat in this particular instance. I would love to blame Clooney for this, but it seems no one in this film can act, including Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, who I ordinarily don't hate. Diane Lane delivers a pretty solid performance, but the dialogue in this movie is so trite and predictable, it's impossible for any mere actor to rise above it. The film is based on a true story, but you'd never know it from the two-dimensional stock characters and situations festooning the watery thin plot. The ILM special effects steal the show, I'm afraid.
A Beautiful Mind: Okay, I was prepared to throw away two and half hours on this one just to watch Jennifer Connelly, who is beautiful, and it did win 4 Oscars after all. But Russell Crowe and (ulp) Ron Howard? {shudder} I have managed to miss (not on purpose) all of Crowe's work and therefore know nothing about him except that he likes to beat up paparazzi. It was Opie that gave me pause, though, as I hated Cocoon and Backdraft and just about everything he has ever done. His direction always seems so self-conscious and heavy-handed and pseudo-epic, like he's trying to outSpielberg Spielberg. In this case, I was very pleasantly surprised. It's a great story, well-dramatized, excellent dialog, beautifully shot, and the casting was spot on, especially Ed Harris as Black Ops Parcher. And Howard finally allows his characters to be real people free from the responsibilities of being superhuman archetypes writ large. He shifts gears kind of rough, but it works somehow, probably because of the unusual subject matter, and he has a light touch when it's called for. Russell Crowe is believable, if not riveting as John Nash. Ed Harris is solid as always. Christopher Plummer is, well, frigging Christopher Plummer! Towers over all of Howard's previous work, in my opinion.
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
] |
|
Feedback: 