Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; ratings

Zahveed · Post by **Zahveed** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 7:35 pm

Sabin wrote:Gangs of New York

Le gasp

Sabin · Post by **Sabin** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 7:24 pm

Ed Gonzalez describes Frozen River as being from the Paul Haggis playbook. It's certainly a more restrained slice of Haggis but Melissa Leo's racism feels ripped out of Screenwriting 101 to develop her arc as well as some of the most egregious logic flaws of the year (re: the Paki "customers" and their bag). Mainly I find myself giving Frozen River points for not being as bad as it could be. It's not that bad but it's really not that good.

WORST NOMINATED SCREENPLAYS OF THE DECADE:
Atonement
Babel
Crash
Frozen River
Gangs of New York
The Hours
Little Children
Little Miss Sunshine
Monster's Ball
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
...and Every Nominated Adapted Screenplay This Year save for The Reader which I have not seen.

THE FOLLOWING MOVIES HAVE COMPETENT SCREENPLAYS I FIND MORE LAME AND/OR WHOLLY UNEXCEPTIONAL THAN PROBLEMATIC: A Beautiful Mind, Chocolat, Finding Neverland

Post by **The Original BJ** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 7:03 pm

Frozen River is hideous. With a good performance by Melissa Leo.

But seriously, it's one of the least impressive original script nominees this decade.

Post by **Damien** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 6:57 pm

The Wrestler 5/10

barrybrooks8 · Post by **barrybrooks8** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 6:28 pm

Sabin wrote:Frozen River (dir. Courtney Hunt) - 5/10

Only a 5? It will likely be in my top 5 for the year!

Sabin · Post by **Sabin** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 3:19 pm

Frozen River (dir. Courtney Hunt) - 5/10

Post by **Precious Doll** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 6:32 am

California Dreamin' (2007) Crisgtian Nemescu 6/10

Dancing Mothers (1926) Herbert Brenon 4/10

Breakfast with Scot (2007) Laurie Lynd 4/10

88 Minutes (2008) Jon Avnet 1/10

Gran Torino (2008) Clint Eastwood 4/10

Sabin · Post by **Sabin** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 3:04 am

Waltz with Bashir - 6.5/10

Subject to change. It's a powerful depiction of post-traumatic stress disorder Israeli soldier mentality and ultimately as an act of understanding of such. As a documentary, it's uneven.

Post by **Franz Ferdinand** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 2:08 am

Full Metal Jacket (Stanley Kubrick) 8.5/10

A truly harrowing and vivid anti-war movie, I have nothing new to add to the list of discussion about this one except it's a must-see if you can stomach it.

Post by **Franz Ferdinand** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 2:04 am

The Terminator (James Cameron) 5/10

I regard its sequel as possibly the best action flick ever, and there is much to like about this gritty and low-budget original. However, there is an equal amount to dislike: Michael Biehn speaking Cameron's dialogue: horrid. The music is the same synth trash they used in any number of 80s action flicks, and the hair and costume? The less said the better. It seemed like Cameron really studied this first one in preparation for T2 and removed everything that dated this movie so hopelessly to make a timeless sequel.

Zahveed · Post by **Zahveed** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 6:06 pm

Hustler wrote:
flipp525 wrote:
cam wrote:Cruz will walk off with the Oscar.

She won't. She peaked too early and now it's almost anyone else's (even Magilla's diehard prediction of Henson is still in the running). I'm sticking with Davis.

Davis is a strong chance.

I'm going with Henson.

Post by **FilmFan720** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 5:38 pm

dws1982 wrote:The Duchess

Competently made, immaculately designed, with absolutely no reason at all for existing. Seriously, why? Keira Knightley tries to emote, and tries to convey the inner turmoil of someone trapped in a loveless marriage, but as Sonic once said, she comes off as Californian. As someone who keeps getting cast in these period dramas, she still seems too modern to feel authentic, and she seems about as convincing as a mother as I would as an NFL linebacker. Who the hell decided she was a movie star? Dominic Cooper is a good actor, but he has no real character to play, and doesn't exhibit any of the charisma or charm he showed in BBC's adaptation of Sense and Sensibility last year. And I'm sorry, but I'm pretty much over Ralph Fiennes. His whole brooding European routine, effective in some cases, is almost comical here (and, to a lesser extent, in The Reader), and the wrong way to play this character. Yes the costumes are good, and the sets are eye-catching. It has a nice romantic score, too. But it's all in service of something with the substance of a marshmallow.

I was just about to post about this, but I think you nailed it on the head Daniel. The costumes are gorgeous, and Rachel Portman puts out another wonderful score, but the film ultimately says little and has no point. I liked Knightley more than before, but I think it is more because the film suits her weaknesses a little better. She is supposed to feel out of place, and her performance brings out the idea of her being ahead of her time, but moments where she needs to push herself come off as strained. Another great Hayley Atwell performance, though.

Post by **Penelope** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 5:02 pm

And the fact that the writer's branch rightfully ignored Woody's inept script indicates that there's not a lot of support for the film.

Post by **Hustler** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 5:00 pm

flipp525 wrote:
cam wrote:Cruz will walk off with the Oscar.

She won't. She peaked too early and now it's almost anyone else's (even Magilla's diehard prediction of Henson is still in the running). I'm sticking with Davis.

Davis is a strong chance.

Post by **flipp525** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 4:42 pm

cam wrote:Cruz will walk off with the Oscar.

She won't. She peaked too early and now it's almost anyone else's (even Magilla's diehard prediction of Henson is still in the running). I'm sticking with Davis.

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Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; ratings