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Tuesday, 31 May 2011
Labels: Clint Eastwood, Mystic River
Saturday, 21 August 2010
Each entry has the potential to be a spoiler-ish entry, if you haven’t seen it don’t read.
Atonement: Tete a tete, En Francais (Guilty Party: Romola Garai)
Briony’s adeptness in what she refers to as “school French” never fails to elicit an eye roll from me. Nonetheless, Atonement I’m already a big fan of Romola here and she’s responsible for one of Atonement’s most moving scenes. The conversation with the soldier seems odd at first, and perhaps it still is, but it works simply because Romola puts so much effort into it. Her eyes are always at work, and though it could be a bit too on the nose it’s still a brilliant moment of poignancy.
Avatar: Graces Dies (Guilty Party: James Cameron and Sigourney Weaver)
Call it what you will, but cold would be a dubious accusation to mete out to Avatar. The death of Grace is the most poignant. Maybe it’s because it’s Sigourney, the film’s strongest “actor”…maybe it’s just the realisation of the scope of the destruction that has occurred. Either way, her death is the film’s most moving moment (more than the burning of the tree) and a definite tearjerker.
Away From Her: “Forsaken” (Guilty Party: Julie Christie)
I’m still not certain on how I feel about Away From Her. It seems so manipulative at times, and then starkly honest at others. Either way, I like Julie Christie in it. The moment in the film that always causes me to tear up is the ending. What will happen with Fiona and Grant? Has she really regained lucidity? Alzheimer’s is just a thoroughly depressing disease throughout and Christie just makes it all the more sad.
Babel: Confession (Guilty Party:Boubker Ait El Caid)
Babel had a number of poignant moments, but the most moving came from the arc’s that’s usually most forgotten. The plot point of the two brother’s inadvertent foray into crime fails to hit home at times, but the climax makes it worth it. Boubker Ait El Caid’s confession is brilliant (for a child actor and for an adult) and yes, the words are overly precise. But it doesn’t matter. It’s too distressing for me to care.
Big Fish: The Funeral (Guilty Party: Tim Burton)
Burton gets called out for being too irreverent. Pity those detractors didn’t see Big Fish, one of the decade’s strongest films. The moment where Billy Crudup lifts his father into the water surrounded by all the “characters” we’ve met is the film’s most brilliant scene and it’s oh, so moving. It’s a tribute to parents and it goes to show that Tim Burton really can do anything, perhaps not as prolific as some, but in his own way – still excellent.
Bright Star: Crying (Guilty Party: Abbie Cornish)
It’s Abbie’s strongest moment, which is odd considering that her Fanny is built on keeping her emotions in check. We know John will die, she knows John will die and yet… It’s one of those rare bouts of crying on screen that’s realistic. Even as she says lines like “I can’t breathe” there’s no doubt that she really can’t breathe. It’s the sort of blunt sadness Jane Campion isn’t averse to showing and Abbie rises to the occasion, brilliantly. More of this.
Cold Mountain: Death (Guilty Party: Nicole Kidman)
Although I’d hardly attribute Nicole’s talents to solely being a good reactor, her brilliance in Cold Mountain (yes, brilliance) comprises her stellar ability to the more overt acting of her cast members and make her Ada Munroe work. She has already reacted to a death earlier in the film (her father), but of course it’s Inman’s death that’s the emotional juggernaut. I do think Jude Law is rather good here, but this moment is all Nicole.
Finding Neverland: The Performance (Guilty Party: Kate Winslet)
I have a soft spot for Finding Neverland and though it gets too saccharine at times I’m willing to cut it some slack, particularly in the final moments of Kate’s performance. “Peter Pan” has always been a distressing tale in its own right, and juxtaposed with the eventual death of Sylvia it only becomes more so.
Gosford Park: “Don’t cry, they’ll hear.” (Guilty Parties: Helen Mirren and Eileen Atkins)
I think, at the end of the day Gosford Park is a comedy, but that doesn’t stop Helen from eliciting a few tears. We don’t expect to get so caught up in the revelations of paternity and such, and Helen “perfect servant” Mirren’s confession doesn’t seem that emotional. Of course, she’s putting on a mask. Her stilted entry into the room, and then Eileen’s quiet line reading is just so painful (yet brilliant) to watch.
I’ve Loved You So Long: Confession (Guilty Party: Kristin Scott Thomas)
I’ve Loved You So Long is, in its way, as emotionally manipulative as many. Kristin makes me forget about that. It’s all leading up to inevitable revelation and though it’s just a trifle odd it doesn’t make it any less sad. 2008 was not as poor a film year as many think, a number of gems were just unjustly ignored.
Little Miss Sunshine: A Hug (Guilty Party: Paul Dano)
I still marvel at Paul Dano’s brilliance in Little Miss Sunshine. The scene in question is probably my favourite scene of the film. Dwayne has just had his freak-out with his parents and leaves the bus angrily to sit on the road. Olive comes up behind and gives him a hug that’s so unexpected, and yet do realistic. It’s just one of the many reasons Little Miss Sunshine is as good as we think it is.
A Mighty Heart: Crying (Guilty Party: Angelina Jolie)
Hopefully this will go down as one of the forgotten gems of the last decade. Like Abbie’s moment this is important for the crying, though it’s more a scream than a cry. From the moment Marianne learns of her husband’s death we anticipate waterworks, but the way the waterworks come is so unexpected, almost as if we’re watching something we shouldn’t be privy to. Angelina is so bloody brilliant here.
Mona Lisa Smile: Bicycles (Guilty Party: Kristin Dunst)
Who hasn’t been touched by a teacher in their lives? Mona Lisa Smile has its problems (the cast, though, isn’t one of them). The ending of the film sees the student cast riding bicycles as Julia Roberts’ bohemian teacher departs in the car. It’s Kristin Dunst who steals the moment though. She was the toughest student to win over and her frantic refusal to stop riding (you’re on a bicycle, damn it) is post ridiculous and sad. Letting go just isn’t that simple.
Mystic River: Parade (Guilty Parade: Marcia Gay Harden)
You Can Count On Me: Ending (Guilty Parties: Laura Linney and Mark Ruffalo)
Have you shed a tear for any of these scenes?
(Care to wager which ten films make my top ten? Hints: a quasi stranger in a kitchen, a sexless goodbye in a bedroom, running through the streets, end credits, return of a “ghost”, death of a warrior, voiceover, revelation of truths, montage of characters, a lover’s promise, death of a star. Those are the clues…)
Sunday, 14 March 2010
Labels: 00s in review, 2003, Gay Harden, Mystic River, Sean Penn, that Eastwood guy, Tim Robbins
Saturday, 13 March 2010
Labels: 00s in review, 2003, Gay Harden, Mystic River, Sean Penn, Tim Robbins
Thursday, 11 March 2010
Labels: 00s in review, 2003, Gay Harden, Mystic River, Sean Penn, that Eastwood guy, Tim Robbins
Thursday, 17 December 2009
Labels: 2003, Big Fish, Cold Mountain, LotR, Mystic River
P. J. Hogan, Peter Pan
Labels: 2003, Big Fish, LotR, Mystic River, Peter Jackson, that Eastwood guy, Tim Burton
So now it's on to the men. I suppose my picks are just about as strange as the men, but I stand by choices especially in the Supporting Actor category that was royally f***ed up. Okay not quite, but still - just saying...
Supporting Actor
Tier ThreeKevin Bacon, Mystic River
Billy Crudup, Big Fish
Djimon Honsou, In America
Derek Luke, Pieces of April
Viggo Mortenson, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Okay Viggo had done his best work of the trilogy in the second installment, but they could have thrown him a bone. I can't be too pissed at Honsou's nomination, I like him, but I really wasn't all that blown away. And what made Bacon's work in Mystic River so unimportant?
Tier TwoSean Astin, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Alec Baldwin, The Cooler
Ian McKellen, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Cold Mountain
Cillian Murphy, Girl With a Pearl Earring
I really was not heavy on Oscar buzz back in 2003, but I remember loads of people predicting Sean Astin. For the record I was not a fan of Sam, but damn he carried Frodo up the freakin' mountain and you can't even give him some love. Astin is really good here, depressing, but good. Cillian Murphy was one of the few things I could tolerate in Girl With a Pearl Earring, he is desperately in need of a good role. They could even have thrown a second nomination to Gandalf. Perhaps Hoffman wasn't any good in Cold Mountain. But then again, nah.
The NomineesBilly Boyd, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
David Hyde Pierce, Down With Love
The Actors
Tier ThreeAnthony Hopkins, The Human Stain
Tommy Lee Jones, Missing
Tobey MaGuire, Seabiscuit
Ewan McGregor, Down With Love
Jack Nicholson, Something’s Gotta Give
I probably should rewatch The Human Stain. I don't remember it fondly, but I do remember it with some respect. . McGregor and Tommy Lee Jones are the best of this lot...Ewan just had a great year and yet he was ignored like nobody's business. Gah!
Tier Two Collin Farrell, Phone Booth
Russell Crow, Master & Commander
Ben Kingsley, House of Sand & Fog
William H. Macy, The Cooler
Sean Penn, 21 Grams
Am I crazy with the love for Farrell? It's so weird how Russell picked up almost no traction - they've really fallen out of love with him. Sean Penn is someone else who had quite a year. Luckily they rewarded him for Mystic River. Not that 21 Grams would have been undeserving, but it would have been way too predictable. Kingsley was good of course, hr just didn't make my top 5.
The NomineesJohnny Depp, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of Black Pearl
Bill Murray, Lost in Translation
So what are your thoughts? McGregor, Law, Penn, Penn. Or, Robbins, Del Toro, Finney?
Labels: 2003, Big Fish, Cold Mountain, Ewan McGregor, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, LotR, Mystic River, Russel Crow, Sean Penn, Tim Robbins





