Resurrecting the Movies thread...

[Scott6373]

"United 93" was brilliant.  "The Departed" was also quite good, but just because if the star-studded cast dosen't mean it is the best.  "Cars", was awfully good as well.

[ednbarby]

I agree about The Departed, Scott.  Actually, if anything, the weak links in it were Jack Nicholson and Martin Sheen.  I believed Jack well enough, but I thought a couple of the scenes were overindulging him.  Martin Sheen I barely believed at all.  I kept seeing President Whats-It from The West Wing.  But I thought it was overall a well-structured movie and compelling story, well-done for the most part.

I'm looking (strangely) forward to seeing United 93, now.  I see it's at the top of most critics' Top Ten lists.  I just put it at numero uno on my Netflix queue.  My bonehead husband got to the queue first and put (gag) Hostel there, so that's what we're getting tonight.  I have news for him:  He'll be watching that one alone.  He may tell me the same about United 93.  I hope not, though, because in that case he'll be missing probably a great movie.

[Kd5000]

I think I will remember this cinematic year for the number of disappointments. I was looking fwd to RUNNING WITH SCISSORS.  It wasn't up to par.  THE FOUNTAIN directed by the guy who did REQUIEM FOR THE DREAM had beautiful imagery, good score, but very, very confusing narrative. THE BLACK DHALIA was no L.A. CONFIDENTIAL. 

THE QUEEN was the movie I most enjoyed watching this year. Saw it at a film fest. Got a standing ovation.   

I didn't see THE DEPARTED. For some reason, couldn't get motivated to go see it.   I rather Scorsese when he does movies like THE AGE OF INNOCENCE or THE AVIATOR as oppose to gangster films.  I might be seeing CHILDREN OF MEN (a dystopic future sci-fi film) this weekend.

Abstaining from THE OSCARS won't be hard for me this year as I think it was a rather mediocre year in cinema.

Good look with watching UNITED 93.  The local critic picked that as his favorite movie.  I just don't think I'm ready for it.

[Scott6373]

"United 93" wasn't that tough to watch.  It was so well done.  Everyone should see it.  "World Trade Center" was garbage in comaprison.  I liked "The Queen", and Helen deserves some award (besides there were no other noteworthy female performances this year).

[MaineWriter]

Remember when rt was here and telling us all (begging us, actually) to go see United 93? He said it was that good? Obviously, he was right since it is landing on lots of top ten lists.

I have said it before and I'll said it again, The Departed was good, but GoodFellas was better. And Barb and I have already agreed that Mark Wahlberg stole the show.

All of the Oscar watch predictions have Helen Mirren lock, stock, and barrel for Best Actress. Meryl Streep may get nominated for The Devil Wears Prada.  Who else? Nothing comes quickly to mind. Maybe the woman from Little Miss Sunshine (blanking right now...Toni Collette?).

A movie I enjoyed that is not getting much press is The Prestige.

Leslie

[ednbarby]

I sure do remember rt talking about United 93, Leslie.  He'd laugh if he could see us talking about it now, like, "Hel-LO!  I told you guys about this six months ago!"  (But in a good-natured way, of course.)

I'm sure it's WAY better than World Trade Center.  I thought that one sucked out loud (except for Maggie's, as always, riveting part in it).  Sorry, but it was a total bust other than that.  I swear Oliver Stone has been invaded by the Bush Administration Soul Snatchers.  Did he just get way too rich and now he's a Republican?  I don't get it.  Way dumbed down for the masses, if you ask me.

I really liked The Queen, too.  Actually, there's starting to be a lot of talk about Judi Dench in Notes on a Scandal and Kate Winslet in Little Children, both of which I hope to see this weekend.  They're about my favorite actors, so it's all good.  I guess I'd have to go see who else was nominated for Golden Globes.  I think Toni Collette might have been.  And maybe Meryl Streep.

Yeah, it was a pretty random fiesta as far as movies went this year (so far).  Like I say, I still have high hopes for Letters From Iwo Jima - it'll be something to see that story told from the Japanese point of view (and not have them - or us - portrayed as monsters, but just people involved in a very unfortunate situation).

[Meryl]

Did anyone see "The Good Shepherd"?  I saw it last night and thought it was respectable.  It follows the career of a bigwig in the CIA (Matt Damon) from when he was a child to the time following the Bay of Pigs invasion in the 60's.  There are tons of flashbacks, which after a while made me pretty confused, but the performances are good.  Don't expect lots of action, though.  It's mostly a character study of a very private, conflicted man.  Robert DeNiro directed it and played a small part, and I totally missed noticing Keir Dullea in a small role as the Senator who is Angelina Jolie's character's father.

It really is anybody's guess what movies will emerge as Oscar nominees.  The NY Times critics published their choices today, and only one movie was chosen by all three: "Letters from Iwo Jima."  Two chose "Pan's Labyrinth."  The rest were all different.  Not one of them chose "The Departed" or "United 93."  Out of all the acting categories, all three agreed only one person: Helen Mirren for "The Queen."

[ednbarby]

I saw The Good Shepherd.  And at the risk of sounding just like one of those idiots on the IMDb board with their usual list of complaints about BBM, I thought it was way too long and overall pretty forgettable.  Two weeks later, I can't remember a single one of the character's names except Clover/Margaret (Angelina Jolie).  That tells you something (in my case, anyway).  And what was Robert DeNiro's purpose to be in it, other than to indulge himself?  His character was completely disposable.  Another thing that bugged me was that Matt Damon's character didn't age, like, a minute in 22 years.  I mean, it's like no attempt was even made.

Maybe I just had too high expectations for it, but it really let me down.

I saw Dreamgirls yesterday.  It had a couple of thrilling moments - mostly when Jennifer Hudson sang - but otherwise was just eh.  Jamie Foxx basically phoned it in.  He was by far the most blah I've ever seen him.  Eddie Murphy was tremendous, though.  It was worth the price of admission for him and Hudson alone.  I'd give it a 6 1/2 on the Barb-O-Meter was just being way too uneven and for the couple of unintentionally funny moments where the songs were so cheesy it was almost painful to watch/listen to them.

[Lynne]

I haven't seen a lot of new movies this year.  Seeing BBM 21 times and a bunch of the older recommended films has taken a lot of time.  I really want to see The Departed.

But to rank what I managed to see besides BBM that was released - here's the order - and I have a tie for #1.

1) Babel
1) Bobby
2) A Scanner Darkly
3) The Good Shepherd
4) The Lake House
5) Clerks II
7) The Holiday
8) The Devil Wears Prada
9) Casino Royale
10) Something New

I think that's it...and if it makes me fluffly, I don't care...I've been loving Keanu since Point Break and I don't see that changing!

[ednbarby]

I like Keanu.  He was Africa hot in "Speed."  Liked him in My Own Private Idaho a lot.

I have a story about him (do I ever not have a story?).  Absolutely true.  About seven years ago, I worked with this guy who had studied filmmaking at the University of Miami, of all places, and whose wife Barbara had studied at the all-powerful USC.  In so doing, she had worked with a few big name actors and still kept in touch with a few of them.  Around the time Keanu was playing in his band (Dogstar, wasn't it?), the phone rings one day, my co-worker answers and someone says, "Yeah, can I speak to Barbara, please?"  He says, "She's not in right now, can I take a message?"  He goes, "Yeah.  Just tell her Keanu called."  We laughed about that, like, imagine if he said, "Keanu who?"  Turns out he was calling her to invite her to see Dogstar play at a local club (in Miami) that night.  Both of them ended up going, naturally, and they were out until 4 a.m.  He said he was "a really cool guy - just acted like a regular guy you've grown up with, or something."