You know, I actually saw The Departed twice (my husband hadn't seen it with me the first time). And on my second viewing, I did appreciate Leonard DiCaprio's work much more. And Matt Damon's much less. The latter was really just playing Bad Will Hunting. The character was very charming, but then so was Will Hunting. Meanwhile, I didn't see any of Howard Hughes in Leo's Billy Costigan. At least he's capable of stretching.
I thoroughly enjoyed Flicka today. A bit predictable at times, but excellent performances throughout, and fairly true to the short story except it was a girl not a boy who tried to tame him. And all the horses were *gorgeous* - especially Flicka. He put Black Beauty to shame.
Tim McGraw was especially good. I'll tell you what - these country singers (for the most part) have got it going on. Dwight Yoakum blew me away in "Sling Blade," and McGraw was equally intimidating here, but in a much less violent way. It's funny - just looking at a still shot of McGraw doesn't do much for me, but he's so magnetic in these roles that you can't help but go... "Ooh."
I agree with you, Jura, about World Trade Center. I was pretty underwhelmed by it. The women were good, but there was way too little of them to allow you to really connect with them. And I think Oliver Stone (of all people) was trying too hard to be tasteful, and in so doing sacrificed an already compelling story. United 93 is the movie you want to see if you want to really get in touch with the magnitude of the loss we experienced that day. I still shudder thinking about a couple aspects of it.
I'm looking forward to The Good German (as opposed to The Good Shepherd - sorry - on Matt Damon overload lately - I might have to pass on that one). That's the one where Tobey Maguire actually plays a (mostly) bad guy. I know he's been on a couple of your most hated actors lists, but dammit, I think the boy can act. I love him in the Spider-Man movies - I love how really subtle he is, especially when he's first realizing the extent of his new-found powers in the first one. And I loved him in Pleasantville and The Ice Storm, too.
Speaking of horse movies again, I think Sea Biscuit was my favorite one of all time, mostly because it captured the extraordinary personality of that horse. And the race sequences were truly thrilling. That real-like jockey - what is his name? - stole the show. Talk about magnetic. I'm not usually one for really short men, but WOW.
