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Tuesday, 6 July 2010
Yes, I'm back with this again. It's really a never ending feature, though I wrapped up with my favourite casts, actors, actresses, music and costumes the sky is the limit and there's more I could ruminate on...and with nothing to do, why not?
Dan’s own list has inspired me to revisit my Decade in Review feature. I did have some categories I didn’t touch on, and what better time to reassess? The question of memorable characters is a tough one…my guess is as flawed as yours, but here goes…what makes them memorable for me? It’s not really the performances, though I’d say each performer does a good job. It’s really about how ready I am to recall the character as a complete entity with just the slightest hint – like a key phrase…or an article of clothing, a wisp of hair or an important weapon.
Runners Up: Fifteen (Aragorn, Elizabeth Bennett, Erin Brockovich, Deirdre Burroughs, Benjamin Button, Frank Costello, Bob Dylan, Robert Ford, Katharine Hepburn, Bridget Jones, Velma Kelly, Clementine Kruzinski, Mrs. Lovett, Tessa Quayle, Briony Tallis)
#10: Hans Landa (played by Christoph Waltz)
Key Token: Proficiency in language (and other things) which is, naturally, “a bingo”
See how objective I am? Though I’m neither here nor there on Inglourious Basterds, I’m not so fickle to leave Waltz’s Landa off the list. It’s difficult with recent characters to decide whether or not they’ll endure, and I suppose there’s a possibility he won’t. I was tempted to put Helen Von Bismarck on the list instead of him, but I knew that was just nepotism for Kruger’s excellent performance and not really any objective longevity precipitated by her character’s brilliance.
#9: Tom Stall (played by Viggo Mortensen)
Key Token: The gun (but, of course)
I find it so difficult to believe this man has been acting since the mid eighties. He just burst on to the scene with The Lord of the Rings and has just been improving consistently. Still, it’s this 2005 performance that stands above his other creations (and above a majority of actors). It’s two men, and yet it’s one man. They’re both deliberate, they’re both smart and they both have a way with guns.
#8: The Bride (played by Uma Thurman)
Key Token: The costume
Yes, Tarantino again. Ironic, since I’m less than fond of him. I will admit that I consider Kill Bill to be his strongest venture and a considerable amount of that lies in Uma’s Bride. Of course it’s more than Uma’s performance; the Bride has just endured as one of those iconic characters – from the jumpsuit, to the moves to the van.
#7: Sweeney Todd (played by Johnny Depp)
Key Token: The hair
Apparently the tuft of white hair was Depp’s decision, which doesn’t surprise me. From the guttural growl to the permanent scowl it’s all very individual (and judging from the videos I've seen unlike any characterisation of Sweeney Todd before). Depp is not as unoriginal performer as many have decided.
#6: Bill the Butcher (played by Daniel Day Lewis)
Key Token: The voice
Perhaps it’s because I have not internalised There Will be Blood as much as Gangs of New York or perhaps it’s because Bill’s bloody ways scare me more than Plainview. Either way, I consider this to be Day Lewis’ most iconic role. The violence, the determination, the patriotism – no matter how misguided, and of course that voice. He played a lover, and then a butcher (both excellently) – I want a third Scorsese pairing.
#5: Satine (played by Nicole Kidman)
Key Token: The hair
Nicole back when she was a redhead. I was tempted to note the pale skin, or her long legs or perhaps even her voice but it’s the long red tresses that remind me of Satine the most...and I just love that look on Nicole's face above.
#4: Jack Sparrow (played by Johnny Depp)
Key Token: Drunkenness
A bit of an obvious choice, but that’s why it’s iconic.
#3: Miranda Priestley (played by Meryl Streep)
Key Token: “That’s all”
Oh, Streep. Her ubiquity exasperates me, but she was served up a delicious role here and milked it for all it was worth. I do love my comedy subtle and though she’s not my favourite performance in the film, she is the character we return to time and time again. Whether we remember her well tended hair, her immaculate wardrobe or her imperious glance, she was a true woman of the ages. That’s all.
#2: Shrek (voiced by Mike Myers)
Key Token: Skin colour
Must I really justify this? A franchise that has worn thin? Surely. But Shrek is an iconic, not the best animated character of the last decade but easily the most memorable for me.
#1: Gandalf the Grey, then White (played by Ian McKellen)
Key Token: The hair
This was too easy really. I did cite the performance as one of the decade’s best, and after a while it became difficult to say where the brilliance of McKellen’s performance ended and the iconicity of Gandalf began. From his quotable lines, to his enigmatic stares, his magical prowess and his commanding voice no character from the last decade leaves such a lasting impression on me as Gandalf, whether he be Grey or White.
aka. It's not just me. Head over to read this short note from Nathaniel and another one from Stacia. I thought it was just me, but apparently blogger does a problem with the commenting, which is why I've not been commenting as much (incidentally, I'm able to comment on some blogger blogs). And a number of comments for two of my latest posts have been swallowed, strangely they're in my email just not on the blog. Odd. Still, we may not be able to comment - but we still can read, so let me link you.
I'm not overly fond of The Silence of the Lambs (it does not crack my top 5 of favourite films of 1991) but it's loved by many. Yojimbo offers up a review of it.
I couldn't help but feel underwhelmed by It's Complicated, though it did remind me of my family in a few ways (not the divorced parents having sex aspect, the sibling aspect) but resident Streep lover Luke offers up a nice look at it. It did have its moments...
Which of these movies are worth watching? Wild Celtic has to watch them all...which should she see first? I made my pick.
I can't be the only one LOVING these new posters for Woody Allen's You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger? Just sublime....
Agora is still my favourite film of the year. The Mad Hatter takes a look at it, he does not love it but discussion is always encouraged, and his thoughts are good.
Rachel gives us an interesting look at celebrating the anniversary of the red-white-blue country (not Britain). I'm a national of neither, though.
Despite its many flaws I was strangely drawn to The Private Lives of Pippa Lee last year (Wright Penn did make my top 5 actresses). The Flick Chick takes an honest look at it.
...oh, and off movies for a while. NADAL WON!!!! Thank you.
(I hope blogger gets its issues sorted out soon)
I first heard of Unthinkable via Jim from Movie Mobsters. It seemed like a good, if rudimentary, action flick. I was wrong. Describing Unthinkable is a bit of a difficulty. I suppose it is an action flick though the actual action in it is slight and fleeting. It would probably like to think of itself as a psychological drama, but it’s too obtuse to be given than moniker. Samuel L. Jackson stars as H a man specialising in torture of alleged terrorists who makes them confess. The job, in reality and on film is harrowing and not one that makes for easy watching. Yet, it’s not the premise of Unthinkable that prevents it from being enjoyable. Regardless of my reservations on Tarantino’s violence porn in Inglourious Basterds the man knows to make the distressing irreverent. Gregor Jordan doesn’t. In fact, I don’t think he wants to make Unthinkable fun because he seems to be directing the film in earnest.
Potential spoilers
The conflict of the film arises in Yusuf, an alleged terrorist who may or may not have planted some nuclear bombs in various malls. I’m unsure of the filmmaker’s intent in having Michael Sheen – who does not strike me as a Muslim Iraqi, Iranian or Indian – play this role. Has Islam turned this man crazy? Was he always like this? I’ve been waiting for Sheen to get the role that takes him from the diverting “that guy” to a legitimate star. This is not it. Not that he doesn’t try, but there is only so much one can do with such a histrionic role in a film that’s so disturbing and not at all well intentioned (from where I’m sitting at least). I’m unsure if the writers were trying to make some larger statement by having Yusuf be the de facto villain immediately because of his Muslim roots, although it's possible I'm overthinking the dynamic. Still, their work seems largely uninspired.* Even in rare moments of lucidity when Yusuf identifies that his alleged actions are no worse than America’s it feels like a narrative thread that has already been milked for all its worth. In this confusing sequence Carrie Anne Moss is left to be the moral compass of the film, which is an unenviable task when we’re unsure what its intent is. Luckily, Moss does a good job. Of the three leads she’s given the most inconsistent role but easily outshines all – which is a bigger compliment than it seems in such a film.
It has been said of another pseudo thriller this year, Green Zone (pity how that credible effort has become forgotten), that it would have been better if it had excised the Middle East plotline and worked as a simple thriller. The same could be said of Unthinkable. It’s not smart enough to be taken seriously, but it’s too disturbing to be considered irreverent. It commits one of those cardinal movie sins in thinking that it has more to offer than it does because when the number of dead bodies are counted and all the booms have ceased you’re left there wondering – what’s the point? Perhaps in some effort to leave us with a feeling of anxiety Jordan misguidedly chooses to leave the audience hanging with an interesting closing shot.** But by that time, I wonder if anyone really cares what happens.
D
* Sadly it seems it was written by the same Oren Moverman who penned I'm Not There and the excellent The Messenger.
**Apparently this particular ending was not shown for the Americans. Go figure.
Monday, 5 July 2010
Weeks ago when I wrote my final post on Forgotten Characters (for the time being) I promised you a new feature. Well, I’m still working on that, but I’ve still decided on another feature (I know, lofty ideals and all). By now you probably know I have my weird idiosyncrasies when it comes to irrational loathing of some actors, but sometimes it’s more than just irrational – they’ve just done nothing to make them worthwhile. So, every now and then I’ll focus on one of them. And it’s too easy to pass up on one of the most obvious choices when the feature’s title is begging me to mention him. And who am I to ignore the obvious?
One career that has failed to launch, with me at least? Matthew Matthew McConaughey
Prosecution, Exhibit A: The Wedding Planner
Against my better judgement I’m rather fond of Jennifer Lopez, the actress. She’s not amazingly talented, but she is personable. It’s weird, she’s doing her best to play a romantic comedy lead in The Wedding Planner and everything’s working with her except her co-lead, Mr. Matthew McConaughey. I’ll be honest, the one thing I particularly treasure in The Wedding Planner is Justin Chambers. He’s donning a faux Italian accent and he’s playing someone completely different to his congenial bastard on Grey’s Anatomy. It’s like the riddle of the sphinx with these romantic comedies, why does the leading lady always go for the prick of a man? I don’t know if Matthew McConaughey’s trying but he’s doing such a good job of making me despise him that The Wedding Planner just leaves a horrid taste in my mouth – not one for repeat viewing.
Prosecution, Exhibit B: How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days
This is actually a key bit of evidence used in people’s hatred of Kate Hudson. Poor Kate, she’s much better than she’s given credit for but even she can’t make this sinking ship work. Once again, a leading lady who’s trying and Matthew McConaughey just seems to be going through the motion. Surprise, surprise – he’s (once again) playing a grating character. I don’t know if that points to his range or not (or lack thereof). The film is an utter plod, but it would have been nice if he could have at least tied. Ugh.
Prosecution, Exhibit C: Failure to Launch
Defence, Exhibit A: A Time to Kill
Verdict: I say he’s failed, irrefutably. But what you do think? Which side are you on? Has Matthew McConaughey proved his talents or do you, like me, think his career has failed to launch? What are your thoughts on the new feature?
Cut songs and all (where was the rest of "God That's Good") I do love Tim Burton's adaptation of Sondheim's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. A bit too short, but entertaining and well made. True to my weird nature my favourite moment in the film is one that is often forgotten. True, I've never actually seen a live incarnation of the piece but even though Depp and Bonham Carter were not the belters associated with the roles their soft voices paid off - especially in this scene. "My Friends" along with "Johanna" is the only love song in the musical, and it's writren so wonderfully - but it's not Sondheim's lyrics that carry it through. Depp is, of course, entranced by his tools but it is Helena with that look of longing, even obsession, on her face that commands the screen (er, where exactly was her Oscar nomination)...and I do love it when actors sing in counterpoint.
Saturday, 3 July 2010
It’s so strange how we end up getting our own ideas of what films really mean. Even when it’s not some giant mindf*** like Von Trier or Lynch film there’s still – quite often – no telling who’s “right” and “who’s wrong” in the argument of what X film is about. The Graduate is the kind of film that could imply much. In 500 Days of Summer Tom confessed to a complete misreading of the film – and judging from his character, I suppose we can all assume what that was. Still, I’m never sure if The Graduate is as wholly cynical as it sometimes pretends to be.
Emmy winning sound-designer (I know, right?) Yojimbo of Let’s Not Talk About Movies offers some insight below.
"40 years after the fact, The Graduate is a better film than when first released. Taken apart from the flush of the “Summer of Love” and a naïve association with “revolutionary” “stick-it-to-the-Establishment” behavior, it can now be seen for what it is: two kids in the process of becoming their parents. Elaine Robinson, the object of Ben’s ADD affection, is the product of a marriage of convenience, her Mother abandoning her dreams for domesticity, and now Ben Braddock has whisked her off in a similar moment of heat without thought. Meet the new beau, same as the old beau. Brilliantly, Nichols holds on that last shot of the two rebels as the adrenaline seeps away and the 'Now what’s' sink in. The Graduate is better—and more relevant--than ever."
That’s a reading I wasn’t going to come up with by little own self, though that “now what” look at the end always roused me. Even in the original review for The Graduate I was harping on it. But, it’s the uncertainty – of their looks, and the meanings – that adds to the specialness of the ending. I really am whimsical and I like to think a little more positively than Yojimbo there. All evidence seems to imply that the two are headed down a loveless marriage, and then I think “Who knows?” Maybe they will be the unlikely success, and no better way to try that than away from their toxic parents. It’s weird that I end up starting with the ending, though. It’s not the first thing that’s thought of when persons hear of the The Graduate – is it?
It’s weird how Anne Bancroft has become, in a de facto way, the thing that many persons associate The Graduate with. That leg covered in that stocking (which wasn’t even hers to begin with) is certainly alluring, but as strong a performance as she gives Bancroft is just one of the many supporting characters revolving around Dustin Hoffman’s Benjamin Braddock.
Doesn’t that name read like something we’d get out of a comic book, a la Archie Andrews or Jughead Jones? I’ll always think of Benjamin as Hoffman’s magnum opus (we’ll be discussing the 67 race at the end of the month for The Actor Factor) Still, if I’m to take the words of the fellow cinephiles who’ve admitted to loving the The Graduate into account, it would seem that their thoughts are not far off from mine. The Mad Hatter of the consistently intuitive The Dark of the Matinee weighs in, and his thoughts are not a far cry from Yojimbo.
"What The Graduate does best, is tap into the restlessness that seeps into our conscience when we’re unsure of our next move. From a very young age, we’re taught the road map of life: 'Go to college, get a job, get married, have kids.'The problem is, if we complete one of those steps and find ourselves unsure of what to do next, we get antsy…and prone to some very bad decision-making. That’s what drives young Benjamin in this movie, and you can tell even he isn’t certain that he’s doing the right this. He drifts from scene-to-scene with a scared expression, and doesn’t live his life so much as he navigates it.The Graduate wants to teach us that there’s nothing wrong with not knowing the answer. Many of us get to one of these milestones in life – graduation, wedding, kids – and find ourselves thinking “now what?” (For a great example of this, pay attention to the final shot of the film). The trick is to take a moment to ourselves, and think things through. This introspection is what the film wants us to remember, and it’s something young Benjamin never seems to want to do."
I like Hatter’s thoughts on the film’s introspection. I’d still claim it as one of cinema’s brilliant comedies even if it’s more of a “things done funnily” that a “funny things done” situation. In fact, if you get too introspective you might find that The Graduate is too wistful underneath its wan setting and ridiculous characters. Nichols is probably not one we would call an auteur, but consider his film against his one from just a year before – Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. It’s another ostensibly ridiculous piece that has some disturbing connotations beneath. Just like Martha and George are keen on attaining diversions in their lives to ignore their obvious aches Benjamin prefers to meander from place to place instead of making a conscious effort to “do” something. After all, you can’t be inadvertently guilty of a crime? When The Graduate takes that turning point (the first of many) that has Benjamin pursuing Elaine I’m reminded of a Stephen Sondheim quote “I chose and my world was shaken, so what? The choice may have been mistaken…the choosing was not.” I think it’s the same with Benjamin. I’m still unsure if Benjamin’s choice was the “right” one, but there’s some credibility to be found in the fact that he does make a decision. Despite my general moroseness I’m not intent on approaching the situation as bleak as Yojimbo. It’s probably because Dustin Hoffman is so affable, but I’m rooting for Ben all the way. Like me, Dan leaves room for either side of the coin:
Part of the appeal of Mike Nichols The Graduate comes from when you first discover it. It has a timeless sensibility - life at a crossroads - and it beautifully encompasses the almost surreal realisation of living outside the comfort zone of childhood, of school institutions, of parents and teachers instructing you what to do. The Graduate is life when the warm, safe environment of childhood has disappeared, and adulthood has suddenly been thrust upon you. I suppose, for me, I felt like Ben Braddock when I first saw The Graduate. There’s a great shot of Dustin Hoffman floating in the pool. His father asks him what he is doing. Ben replies: “Well, I would say that I’m just drifting. Here in the pool.” “Why?” asks his father. “It’s very comfortable just to drift here,” says his son. The brilliance of Mike Nichols’ film is in how he offers that guiding light to this twenty-something conundrum. Enter Mrs Robinson.
I’ve only recently discovered Dan’s Top10Films.co.uk and it’s a blog that’s becoming a favourite. I love the way that both he and The Mad Hatter notice the drifting that’s going on with Ben. It makes me think that perhaps the jury isn’t really that split on what The Graduate is really about after all. I’m afraid I just can’t do it justice when it comes to a second review, but that doesn’t make it any less laudable. It’s still an excellent satire/comedy/social drama…or whatever the hell you want to call it.
Here it is at #9…coming closer to the top with 8 more to go. What do you remember when you think of the The Graduate?
Friday, 2 July 2010
The title may be a bit misleading, so I’ll explain. A few weeks ago Heather of Movie Mobsters wrapped up her excellent feature counting down the fifty screen villains she considered most dastardly. She did them in bouts of them until the final leg. The blogosphere is the only place where unoriginality isn’t reviled so I’m making my own list of 50, but not of villains and not exactly the best voices actors. I always wonder if voice-work alone will ever be able to constitute an Academy Award nomination…probably not. Herein I’ll be counting down the fifty voice performances that have impressed me the most over the years. Essentially it’s all animated (save for three live-action films, which we’ll get to). Now obviously this list is as subjective as can be, so I’ll depending on you to weigh in and tell me how off the beam some of my choices are.
#50: Sacha Baron Cohen in Madagascar
as King Julian
“I like to move it, move it.”
I can’t confess any significant appreciation for Madagascar which is one of those implausibly successful children’s films that does little for me. In the midst of the most uninspired voice work and a turgid story Cohen’s insane King Julian was a delight. Cohen is known for his physical humour but he knows something about using his voice to full effect (see Pirelli) and his voice-work is easily the standout of the film.
#49: Joanne Woodward in The Age of Innocence
as The Narrator
“It invariably happened, as everything happened in those days, in the same way.”
Unlike many narrators, Joanne Woodward’s “character” is not a part of the film. She uses her voice only to give us little musings on New York society at the turn of the century. She is wry, she is affable and she is charming...really, she's almost a character herself.
#48: Woody Allen in Antz
as Z
“Actually, I generally just make belittling comments and snicker behind death's back.”
Woody Allen isn't noted for his voice and Antz is one of those animated films that has become easily forgotten. Still, Allen's dubious protagonist who (surprise, surprise) is just the slightest bit of a neurotic is an interesting change of pace for the icon.
#47: Glenn Close in Tarzan
as Kala
“And you will always be in my heart."
I'm not overly fond of Tarzan, it's really all been-there-done-that (and better), but Glenn Close's performance as the maternal Kala is a brilliant piece of voicework. Yes, she's given a number of overly sentimental lines (see above), but she makes them work and finds the sincerity in this slightly convoluted (albeit, diverting) film.
#46: Ralph Fiennes in Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were Rabbit
as Lord Victor Quartermaine
“You can hop, but you can't hide!”
When it comes to Ralph Fiennes talents, I remember him for his ability to act without using his voice. In that way he seems like an unlikely candidate for voicework, and I don't even like Wallace & Gromit. Yet, Fiennes carves a delightful stodgy villain (or should that be moulds) and provides the film with a good deal of laughs.
#45: Eddie Murphy in Mulan
As Mushu
“Hey! Dragon. *Dragon*, not lizard. I don't do that tongue thing.”
Eddie Murphy’s brand of, usually, broad humour is hit-and-miss for me, but like so many great comedians his knack for using his voice proved invaluable to success of Mulan. Mulan is another Disney flick of the late nineties that’s become somewhat forgotten, but it was an entertaining (if inaccurate) romp through history. As Mishu Murphy was the perfect sidekick.
#44: Robin Williams in Happy Feet
As Ramón
“Just a moment. I hear people wanting something... ME!”
Really...what is there to be said? Williams has a talent for adept voicework and Ramón in Happy Feet is over the top, he is theatrical and he is everything that Williams can do, excellently. It's ridiculous, but it is still enticing. And those line readings!
#43: Mike Myers in Shrek
as Shrek
“Donkey, two things okay? Shut... up.”
Shrek has reached a dismal end, and many forget the slice of delight it was back in 2001. I’ll admit, after the sequel, things headed down but Myers’ ogre was an amusing hero and Myers was able to bring the funny without going overboard. With an accent like that, it could not have been difficult but he kept Shrek realistic, but unbelievable at the same time.
Shrek has reached a dismal end, and many forget the slice of delight it was back in 2001. I’ll admit, after the sequel, things headed down but Myers’ ogre was an amusing hero and Myers was able to bring the funny without going overboard. With an accent like that, it could not have been difficult but he kept Shrek realistic, but unbelievable at the same time.
#42:Eleanor Audley in Cinderella
as Lady Tremaine
“Above all, self-control.”
Incidentally Cinderella is often forgotten - part of that must be attributed to its mostly forgettable score. Still, within everything Audley gives a thoroughly chilling performance as the Step Mother. She's so scary because she's always so calm and her voice is just scary.
#41: Peter Ustinov in Robin Hood
as King John (and King Richard)
“Mother... Mother always did like Richard best.”
Sure, this version is not Errol Flynn/Olivia de Havilland classic (or Men In Tights) but it's a diverting Disney romp and Ustinov's double role is a big part of that. Of course, it's the villianous John who gets those delicious one-liners and is responsible for showcasing Ustinov's talent. What is with villains?
There! The first round on the count to the top of memorable voice performances. What do you think of the first ten?
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