Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 6:16 am
You guys are merciless.
I happen to like Daldry's films even more than the Academy. I nominated Billy Elliot for pest picture and actor (Jamie Bell) in my own little awards as well as supporting actress and director. I nominated The Hours for Meryl Streep's performance in addition to those of Nicole Kidman, Ed Harris and Julianne Moore as well as best picture and director.
I liked Streep better in The Hours than in Adaptation, a film I didn't like, and Moore better in The Hours than Far From Heaven, another film I didn't like.
As for The Reader, I got that it was about German guilt and the banality of evil. I got the complexities within Winslet's character. What didn't work for me was Ralph Fiennes' character. Was he emotionally scarred because of the affair with Hanna (Winselt), her sudden leaving, what he later learned about her or what happened later? It's never made clear. I also didn't think the scene with Lena Olin at the end really worked. Still it was good enough for me to consider it the year's fourth best film behind Button, Slumdog and Milk.
Daldry may not be a great director, but he's a competent one who chooses interesting projects and interesting actors to play in them.
Greengrass belongs in a discussion with Michael Bay and McG, not Daldry. Todd Haynes gets an A for effort in my book, but his style overwhelms the substance in his films. Far From Heaven is beautiful to look at, but atrocious to listen to. The two Dennises (Quaid and Haysbert) do excellent work but Julianne Moore's affected vocal delivery is appalling and Patricia Clarkson is such a pale imitation of Agnes Moorehead in All That Heaven Allows that I've approached every film's she's been in since with trepidation, really liking her only in The Station Agent.
I happen to like Daldry's films even more than the Academy. I nominated Billy Elliot for pest picture and actor (Jamie Bell) in my own little awards as well as supporting actress and director. I nominated The Hours for Meryl Streep's performance in addition to those of Nicole Kidman, Ed Harris and Julianne Moore as well as best picture and director.
I liked Streep better in The Hours than in Adaptation, a film I didn't like, and Moore better in The Hours than Far From Heaven, another film I didn't like.
As for The Reader, I got that it was about German guilt and the banality of evil. I got the complexities within Winslet's character. What didn't work for me was Ralph Fiennes' character. Was he emotionally scarred because of the affair with Hanna (Winselt), her sudden leaving, what he later learned about her or what happened later? It's never made clear. I also didn't think the scene with Lena Olin at the end really worked. Still it was good enough for me to consider it the year's fourth best film behind Button, Slumdog and Milk.
Daldry may not be a great director, but he's a competent one who chooses interesting projects and interesting actors to play in them.
Greengrass belongs in a discussion with Michael Bay and McG, not Daldry. Todd Haynes gets an A for effort in my book, but his style overwhelms the substance in his films. Far From Heaven is beautiful to look at, but atrocious to listen to. The two Dennises (Quaid and Haysbert) do excellent work but Julianne Moore's affected vocal delivery is appalling and Patricia Clarkson is such a pale imitation of Agnes Moorehead in All That Heaven Allows that I've approached every film's she's been in since with trepidation, really liking her only in The Station Agent.
