The Watercooler: 9/22/08
I crammed all my movies into Sunday evening and it’s late and I’m tired so I’m going to keep my half of this short. Let’s just say It wasn’t exactly a movie going weekend for the record books, but it could’ve been a lot worse.
First up was Ricky Gervais, Greg Kinnear and Téa Leoni in Ghost Town and I have to say it was 47% better than I thought it would be. Ricky Gervais toned down his Office/Extras persona a bit so it played better over the course of a feature length movie. It’s not a comedy classic, but it offered a few laughs and a few smiles. It also managed to have a little heart without being too forced. Fans of Gervais should like it.
Next was a second viewing of Burn After Reading. Not quite as funny the second time around, but still solid. A middle tier Coen movie is still better than the best from many others.
Finally was The Duchess with Keira Knightley. It took about 45 minutes, but I have to say I kind of warmed up to it, primarily because of Knightley’s performance. At first it was just another costume drama with corsets and wigs about how horrible it is to be an obscenely wealthy woman in the 18th century, but Keira won me over. Ralph Fiennes was good as The Jerk and Hayley Atwell (Brideshead Rivisited) was also solid as The Friend. This one is supposed to open wide this weekend and it’s worth a look for fans of the genre. For those of you who already know you don’t like this kind of thing, there’s nothing new to see here. I don’t think it’ll make much of an Oscar splash (which is why it was made), though Knightley and the costumes could get a little love.
I saw the trailer for Milk on the big screen for the first time and it plays even better than on the computer. I’m really looking forward to this one. I also saw a second trailer for W which worked a lot better than the other one. In this newer one, it isn’t clear right away that it’s about Bush (if you aren’t aware of the movie already). It’s also more intense and looks less like a TV sitcom. I guess it’s official. I’m on board this one now.
That’s all from Los Angeles. What’s happening on your end of the Internet?
Filed under: Watercooler
Tags: Burn After Reading, Coen Brothers, Ghost Town, Greg Kinnear, Hayley Atwell, Keira Knightley, Milk, Ralph Fiennes, Ricky Gervais, Tea Leoni, The Duchess, W.
Related Posts: - Split Opinion on ‘Duchess’
- Movies You May Have Missed: 12/27/08
- The Watercooler: 5/5/08
- Poster: Gran Torino
- Weekend Forecast: 9/7/07
Well, Friday night I watched this enjoyable noir of sorts, FBI Girl from 1951. Cesar Romero, George Brent, Audrey Totter and Raymond Burr are all to varying degrees fairly entertaining in this, especially Burr who ostensibly never tired of playing the same role of the big baddie, or at least he never made it appear he tired of it. Then Tough Assignment, a rather forgettable Don ‘Red’ Barry, a movie that seemed to want to be a crime drama, modern western and silly comedy all at the same time. Eh.
Saturday, it was all about finally seeing Burn After Reading. I’m saddened to hear that you found it less funny the second go around, Craig. Late that evening I saw Archie Mayo’s Moontide, which was pleasant, at least with the duo of Jean Gabin and Ida Lupino. I then watched Visconti’s The Leopard and for that I thank a certain Mr. Juliano!! Wonderful… magnificent film, one I will forever treasure.
Sunday, Chimes at Midnight, which I hadn’t seen in a good long while. While I disagree with those who consider it to be Welles’ foremost accomplishment, I do think it’s quite the gem regardless, and some tremendous filmmaking on his part. Then Gance’s j’Accuse… uh, thanks again, Mr. Juliano! Tremendous. Then Kansas City Confidential, another I hadn’t seen in a few years. Wow, even better the third time. Then I watched Leaves from Satan’s Book on Turner Classic Movies, Carl Theodor Dreyer’s silent masterpiece, and now Ingmar Bergman’s The Seventh Seal is on the same channel and I’m getting sucked into it, watching it as I type so excuse any typos. Bye!
Okay, so I was obviously busy with other stuff besides movies this weekend, but I did catch Steve McQueen’s “Hunger” on Saturday, which was really good. My review of it is buried somewhere underneath my mammoth-sized Emmy post. Its easy to lose. On Sunday I finally saw “Hellboy II” which I found better than the first one, but not as great as I had hoped. Might review it, might not, who knows.
I need sleep.
I want to see Hunger too, the press screening is tomorrow… but I can’t go, because I’m working. Sleep tight, Nicky.
Anyway, despite spending almost every minute of the weekend that I wasn’t working with my boyfriend being disgustingly lazy (seriously, our one achievement on Sunday was baking pepernoten), I did manage to see two movies. On Saturday, I picked something from my DVD collection and introduced him to the world of the spaghetti westerns with A Fistful of Dollars. His comment? “cool, this is like Rambo, but old-fashioned”.
Then, on Sunday night, by myself, I immersed myself in Du Rififi Chez Les Hommes, which I absolutely loved. Seriously, I think I’m going to try to use the word “Rififi” in conversation as often as I can in the coming week or so. It’s marvelous, and I’m trying to get my hands on more of Dassin’s work as we speak. Despite its lack of Delon, I think I like it better than Le Cercle Rouge.
The program for tonight? Well, it’s his turn to choose a flick, and it’s going to be…. Commando.
I kind of can’t wait. That ought to be full of Rififi ;-)
Craig, it seems you had yet another revearsal on “Burn After Reading” after you had seemingly implied during the days after you had first seen it that perhaps the four-star rating you gave it may not have been enough. I must say I am most interested myself in how this will hold up on second viewing, but as is I am impressed with it. It’s no wonder Keira Knightley did it with you as far as “The Dutchess” is concerned, she is quite a force to be reckoned with.
Alexander, that is wonderful news about “The Leopard,” and although “Chimes” is not Welles’ greatest film (”Citizen Kane” is, followed by “The Magnificent Ambersons”) it is one of the greatest of all Shakespeare adaptations.
Nick, I can’t wait to read your review of “Hunger.” I will be over to Fataculture today.
Hedwig, what was your opinion of the original “Rififi” by Jules Dassin, if I might ask?
My own theatrical moviegoing this week was torrid (like Craig’s) but I must confess that the week’s highlight was non-movie related. I attended the last day yesterday afternoon of the glorious exhibit of J.W.W. Turner’s paintings at the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan. This well-publicized exhibition ran for two months. Turner is the greatest painter in British history and one of the central figured in landscape canvasas. This was an awe-inspiring experience, enhanced by the appreciation of the kids, and a souvenir calandar and DVD.
In the movie theatres I saw the following:
The Pool **** (Monday)
Towelhead * 1/2 (Tuesday)
Appalloosa ** (Friday)
Taking Father Home *** 1/2 (Saturday)
A Thousand Years of Good Prayers *** 1/2 (Sunday)
Ghost Town *** 1/2 (Sunday)
The best of the six was the first one, “The Pool,” directed by the American Chris Smith, but filmed in Hindi in the tradition of the great Satiyat Ray. The most astonishing aspect of this thinly veiled coming-of-age story is that an American went further than perhaps any native Indian filmaker could. This was a product of the school of neo-realism. I am tempted to give it 4 and a half.
“Towelhead” to quote Craig Kennedy, is ‘wretched trash.’ All the characters are unlikeable, and a number of scenes are reprehensible by any barometer of measurement. Only the young actress who plays the lead survives this debacle. I’ll save teh rest of my vitrol for a review.
“Appalossa” for me was a standard traditional western with no chemistry, bad acting by most, and a retread screenplay, replete with bad dialogue and predictable narrative turns. “Jesse James,” and “3:10 To Yuma” is is not, even if it wasn’t trying to be.
“Taking Father Home” is a video camcorder film that cost only $5,000 to make and was recorded on pale stock, yet for all its primitive machinations, it was an acutely observed and altogether involving film of Chinese cultural turmoil as seen through the eyes of a young man searching for his wayward father. All things considered, a formidable achievement.
“A Thousand Years of Good Prayers” is in my opinion the best film Wayne Wang has ever made. It’s filmed in the U.S. in Mandarin with English titles, and it concerns familial crisis between an aging father and his modern-age daughter, and long suppressed secrets. There are some exceptional scenes, even if the film was almost ‘too modest’ as Craig suggests in his outstanding review.
The week’s big surprise movie-wise is that “Ghost Town” was not an abomination. In fact it was a modestly engaging (I read where K. Bowen said it was ‘ordinary,’ but in this sense ordinary translates to a successful work of entertainment in a year with lame comedies and contrived commercial projects) and surprisingly touching, especially during teh final half-hour. I always liked Ricky Gervais, especially from his “The Office” tenure.
Great, I’m definitely looking forward to The Pool, Sam, so that star rating is promising. “The week’s big surprise movie-wise is that “Ghost Town” was not an abomination.” LOL, I love when that’s the reaction to any movie.
Nick, can you fill us in on the details of the festivities?
Haha, I’d love to see if you can keep that up, Hedwig!
Turns out I saw nothing. The Righteous Kill/Lakeview Terrace doubleheader fell through, and now I’m wondering if I’ll end up seeing either. At this point I would probably choose Lakeview and actually turn down a Pacino/De Niro movie.
I hope to catch up on Trouble the Water and King of England sometime this week. Ghost Town is getting more and more unlikely, but from what you guys say I feel like I might regret not seeing it if I have a chance. I didn’t realize Kinnear was in it, too. That reminds me, I saw Flash of Genius last week, haha. Yeah, it was pretty forgettable.
I saw Trouble the Water and urge others to do so if they haven’t. But please listen to Craig’s advice and sick toward the rear of the theater so your eyes can adjust better to the amateur camera work.
OK Hedwig, you’ve got me wondering: What is pepernoten?
Went camping, that went well, and I have nothing movie-ish to report. But you’re all intriguing me with your viewings this weekend. My list of options is growing.
Sam, I think Burn has just lost that New Car smell. I will re-estimate it when it comes to DVD.
Ghost Town was the big surprise for me this weekend. Well not ‘big’, but considering I was about to write it off as junk, the fact it entertained me is no small feat.
Hedwig, did you bring enough pepermoten for all of us?
For the record I like Appaloosa a bit more than Sam. A review should be forthcoming.
Daniel, that’s kind of too bad about Flash of Genius. I wanted it to be good, but it’s hard to get up for a movie about windshield wipers.
Nick, I can’t read your Hunger review until I get to see the movie for myself, but I’ll be back…
Alexander, that’s a crapload of movies. You might win the prize this week for sheer volume. I take it Burn After Reading lived up to your expectations?
Pepernoten are tiny Dutch cookies, more like bites, actually, that are traditionally made in the month or so before Sinterklaas (December 5th). I usually boycott them until late October at least (they appear in stores punctually on September 1st nowadays), but well, the lovely b/f felt like them and I love making them (and yes, I made enough for all of us), so yeah.
The recipe is ridiculously simple: take some flour (preferably the self-rising kind, or else add baking powder), add half of the weight of the flour in brown sugar, half the weight of the flour in butter, some salt, and a few spoonfuls of milk to make everything consistent. Also add the crucial ingredient, which is a special spice-mix called “speculaaskruiden”, which you can buy ready-made here and which includes cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, crushed cloves, aniseed, and koriander. Then made pea-sized balls (that’s the fun part, especially if done with friends and/or family), bake them for ten minutes, and try not to eat all of the dough!
Not very rififi, perhaps, but delicious ;-)
I am actually considering watching Burn After Reading again before I review it. The dilemma is that it would actually be as expensive (due to the cost of travelling to Amsterdam without my student card) as buying a ticket, so I might just wait until I can go with friends.
As for [i]Rififi[/i], as I said, I loved it, and can gladly announce I’ve now gotten a gold of Night and the City and Topkapi, which I’m looking forward to seeing (after Commando, of course).
I was still stuck home on Friday and Saturday, so I didn’t get out to the cinema then. On Friday I caught Jose Ferrer in Cyrano de Bergerac which is quite an extraordinary film. An example where the acting is almost too theatrical for film but needed to be. One of the great stories in existence, beautifully made and Ferrer is excellent.
On Saturday I watched two movies. First up was Anatomy of a Murder with James Stewart, which is a gripping courtroom drama, even if it is unrealistic. I love Jimmy Stewart and George C. Scott was terrific as usual. Second was a Cate Blanchett film that they showed on the Ovation station called Little Fish, directed by Rowan Wood, which I never saw before. A tragic and sad little film with an excellent cast. Every time I see Cate in a film I’m more and more convinced of her awesomeness.
Finally I got out on Sunday and saw Burn After Reading! I really enjoyed it. It was hilarious, the cast was great all around and to quote Craig it’s pure Coen Brothers. Brad Pitt was a riot and really does nearly steal the show.
I’ll definitely have to check out the movies that Sam recommends - he has very discerning taste in films. Hopefully this week I can catch Taking Father Home and The Pool. I’m also really interested in A Thousand Years of Good Prayers. I’m a big Wayne Wang fan, and Craig also recommended this one.
Thanks for that recipe, Hedwig! Those sound great.
mmmm…bite sized morsels of Dutch goodness.
Hedwig, a small warning. I was a little let down by Night and the City the first time I saw it post-Rififi. I’ve wised up since, but my original expectations were off. There’s nothing quite…well…Rififi as Rififi.
Glad you liked Burn Alison (and glad you’re sounding better). I had a feeling you would, but one never knows about these things. I haven’t seen Anatomy since college probably. Loves me some Stewart and Scott though.
Huge fan of Gervais here, and you’re right in your assessment (at least in my case); I thoroughly enjoyed the film. Nothing earth-shattering and nowhere near as perfect as “The Office” or “Extras” (but then again, what is? what could?), but a nice time out at the movies. Kirsten Wiig alone made the ticket price worth all $12.50 and then some.
Wonderful news Dorothy on your nice time at GHOST TOWN, and glad to be in agreement with you on Mr. Gervais (as well as Kirsten Wiig)
Thanks again Dan for the response to my viewings, I bet you will get to some of these this week.
Alison, I positively adore the Jose Ferrer CYRANO, and have made it a practice through my life to remember many o fthe lines for humorous interchange. I am happy to be again on the same page with you.
Hedwig, I think I am losing it,, you actually did review RIFIFI at “Cool as a Fruitstand.”
Pierre: I had the misfortune of sitting in the front for my own screening of TROUBLE THE WATER, so I did get that amateur camerwork head on. LOL. Very happy you liked the film.
A camping weekend actually trumps all else Joel, and Alexander, I am expecting nothing less than a magisterial review of Gance’s J’ACCUSE sometime in the near future at Coleman’s Corner in Cinema.
Nick, your review of HUNGER at Fataculture was absolutely brilliant. I know many of us can’t wait for that film.
Dorothy, as a fan of Gervais, were you a little disappointed they softened his character a little bit and the film actually was rather sweet?
Honestly, no. In fact, that is definitely the Gervais persona (in my humble opinion). Here’s what I mean: both David Brent and Andy Millman have unlikeable qualities (especially the former), but they end up redeeming themselves when everything is said and done. I’m thinking back to Brent in The Office series finale — he goes through hell (due to his own crazy behavior) but then finds this ray of light and, yes, hope. Same thing for Millman, whose final monologue in the Extras series finale is one of the most moving things I’ve ever seen. This is the core of Gervais (and Merchant’s) humor — to find the good in a deceptively unlikeable character. I guess what I’m trying to say is that Bertram Pincus is closer to Brent and Millman than he may initially appear to be.
…and the unlikeableness is just a cover for insecurity.
It totally worked on me, but Pincus seemed a tad less misanthropic than Brent or Millman. But then I haven’t seen all the Office or Extras episodes.
I think he’s a hybrid of the two. Closer to Millman as far as misanthropy goes. Millman could only really engage with Maggie — he was annoyed by practically every single person (from Darren, the Agent, down to that extra for the Sam Jackson movie) he crossed paths with. Brent was just well, annoying, but he did enjoy people and desperately wants approval and admiration.
You know what, just thinking about it a little bit more, I’d go as far as saying that Pincus was even more misanthropic than either Brent or Millman. Pincus did not have one friend. Brent had Finchy and Gareth. Even Millman had Maggie. Pincus was a complete misanthrope, void of friends, annoyed by everyone around him (for no discernible reason). Then he slowly begins his transformation after meeting Leoni. But up until the last half an hour or so, we don’t really see much warmth emanating from Pincus.
I would add to this marvelous scholarly discourse that Pincus is a modern day version of Dickens’ SCROOGE, as his metamorphosis in the end is quite complete in that sense.
Hear, hear, Sam. I hadn’t thought of the “A Christmas Carol” parallel, but it makes quite a bit of sense.
Another thing about Pincus is that many of the people he hated were quite nice, whereas many of his targets in the TV show were complete prats.
Good comparison, Sam.
That’s a very, very good point, Craig.
I’ve gotta say, I wasn’t expecting much from it, and I was actually ready to call bullshit on the whole thing during the opening credits, but goddamnit it won me over.
I’m a sucker for humor with a little bit of soul to it.
I haven’t seen Ghost Town, but I would add that where as Brent seeks approval he also assumes and believes he’s smarter and better than everyone around him when it’s painfully obvious that the exact opposite is true. In fact, the only people he may be better than on any level are his two “friends,” Finchy and Gareth, and that’s only because each is completely self-involved where as Brent is occasionally aware (after the fact) that’s he’s not as exceptional as he wants to believe. Finchy and Gareth are never self-aware on this level.
Millman idolizes being a successful actor (or really just a celebrity) and yet time and again discovers that the celebrities at the top of the game are immature, selfish, simple-minded, or in some cases just plain crazy (there are some rare exceptions too). I think it humanizes Millman a lot more than Brent ever was in The Office, even when Millman is being a sodding bastard.
you are no sucker at all Craig, this film got solid reviews, and the last half hour was truly magnificent.
Not seen nuthin’ onscreen.
Too busy putting together my protestploitation show for the Other Cinema in SF (plug plug) so I expect all bay area LIC groupies to show, Craig included. These movies are all fascinating and NONE are available on dvd. I’m addicted to THE PEOPLE NEXT DOOR.
But I did try to make it through SHOOT EM UP on blu-ray. My friend and I became offended by the film at the same time and turned it off. A good comic premise ruined by an excess of grotesque.
I finally got to see Man On Wire yesterday and thought it was one of the most beautiful and spellbinding films I’ve seen this year. It left me giddy with hope that dreams actually do come true … sometimes.
I’m making my way through Eyes Wide Shut again right now. I love the tension and raw stillness that permeate the whole film. Few films have been so all-enveloping for me — I begin to think that these things are actually happening despite many of them being strikingly absurd.
The scene in the mansion scares the crap out of me. Heck, Kubrick’s setting of tone in 2001 and The Shining do the same to me.
Kubrick really had it going on.
Phillip, you’re my hero today. First your response to MoW and then your appreciation of the under-loved EWS. I still say the latter is a flawed film, but on balance better than it’s given credit for.
When’s the show Christian? Unlikely I’ll make it, but that sounds great.
Do I get a “Watercooler Hero” pin? Or at least a tie tack?
If I ever make LiC t-shirts, you’ll be among the first in line.
Seriously though, whodathunk a movie about a dude walking on a wire between two buildings could pack an emotional wallop like that.
As I’ve said elsewhere, I still get a little misty-eyed just watching the trailer.
It’s true. What finally did it for me was Michael Nyman’s score surrendering to those two beautiful Gnossiennes by Erik Satie. The one in particular is so beautiful and winsome that my eyes couldn’t stay dry.
I also wanted to cry when I saw that horrid Nights in Rodanthe trailer before the film, but for the exact opposite reason. ;-)
lol, Philip!
I’ll take a T-shirt size L, please. I know you didn’t offer - I’m demanding.
Ooh, can I have a T-shirt too?
Yeah, the Satie was the kicker for me too.
Rodanthe looks wretched. One of those movies that makes me glad I’m single so I don’t have to worry about getting dragged to it.
You both can…when I find some clever person to design one for me.
I’m surprised that you’re so surprised about Ghost Town, Craig. I mean granted, the ads didn’t exactly make the film look masterful, but how often does a studio romantic comedy score an 87 at Rotten Tomatoes? I went in with legitimate expectations and wasn’t disappointed. I also feel like giving a tip of the cap to David Koepp. Since he took such a beating for Indy 4, it’s only fair to give him proper credit when his name’s on a good movie, and not heap all the praise on Gervais only.
I didn’t look at rotten tomatoes ahead of time or read any reviews so I had no idea what the critical consensus was.
On paper, it just seemed like a bland studio comedy that has been test marketed to within an inch of its creative life and I honestly though I could predict how it was all going to turn out within 10 or 15 minutes.
When the perky Beatles song kicked in at the beginning I though it was going to be horrible (nothing against the beatles, love ‘em, but use of 60s music in movies must be done with caution).
Turns out it really was a pretty mainstream romantic comedy, but it had a few edges and enough laughs to make it work and **SPoilers*** when the inevitable happy ending comes along, it didn’t work out exactly as I’d predicted and it felt earned instead of like a cop-out ***End Spoilers***
Someone else pointed out what a horrible title it was and I absolutely agree with that. It just shouted “bland studio comedy”. At best I was expecting it to be innoffensive, but I was surprised it was so likeable.
I didn’t see anything this weekend. At all. My computer is down and I just haven’t felt like going out. I have to take in LAKEVIEW TERRACE tonight though *shudder*
I did finally get my press screening mess cleared up. I hadn’t been invited to one since INDIANA JONES so I made some inquiries and apparently my email account was rejecting their emails. So I’m back on and ready for the upcoming CHANGELING screening, which I can’t wait to see.
That’s about it for my movie weekend. Maybe next weekend will be more fruitful.
You ended up in moderation for some reason Matthew. That sucks you were cut off from press screenings temporarily. Makes a guy feel unwanted…
You probably picked a good weekend to take a break, though as you can see Ghost Town is worth a look.
I made a last ditch effort to see Lakeview Terrace this evening, and…it wasn’t horrendous. A little over the top maybe, but the tension was pretty legitimate throughout. Call it a story with great potential damaged a bit by ambition and a fall-apart ending. Patrick Wilson actually does a lot of heavy lifting here - I liked him again.
We’ll see what Matthew says…
LAKEVIEW TERRACE didn’t turn out as badly as it expected. It’s not bad for most of the running time. A little slow perhaps but it has some interesting things going on, especially with its unique theme of reverse racism - a black man discriminating against an interracial couple.
However, it builds toward an unlikely and predictable violent finale, totally copping out on exploring the themes in a deeper, more meaningful way.
It’s a missed opportunity and a disappointing way to wrap things up, especially after being surprisingly compelling at first.
I saw “Lakeview Terrace” back in August, which I mentioned on the LiC Fall Preview thing for September, and I said that I thought Samuel L. Blackson was really good in it. That’s really all I can remember about the film, and I am not allowed to review it until it opens in SA, which is in October or something, I don’t know. Censorship bites.
Yup, we’re eye-to-eye there, Matthew. I give it an A for effort but a C for execution. Really important themes tossed aside for the sake of all-too-familiar cliches. I’m still warming it to it the more I think about it, though.
I do remember you mentioning that, Nick, and you were right as usual about Jackson. I think I was the least impressed by Kerry Washington.
Jackson is always watchable. Irritating though that they flirt with something big only to cave in to market forces and finish off with what sounds like a routine thriller.
Good to know it’s better than it sounds, but none of you have said anything to convince me I ought to take a look.
“I take it Burn After Reading lived up to your expectations?”
Well… This is a little complicated, I suppose. Overall it did, and I enjoyed it, and I’m still thinking about it a great deal, but as fun as it was, I couldn’t help but feel the slightest amount of disappointment, perhaps, mainly because it seems like it’s been so long since the Coens made one of their screwy comedies and no matter how familiar you are with their work you almost forget just how wacky and offbeat they can be. At the same time, I think arguably their greatest weakness can be that when they are in full-on screwball mode, they tend to be quite broad. For some reason, this always works for me from beginning to end with, say, Raising Arizona or The Big Lebowski, but there are parts of their other comedies, no matter how largely successful, that are almost begging someone to criticize them as “too much,” or possibly a bit too absurd for the film’s own good.
It’s not so much that I am inclined to agree with that contentious point, just that I do recognize it, and I acknowledge that their humor tends to be so difficult to pin down and categorize largely because it varies so greatly with tremendously different pitches from film to film.
Last night I had two free hours late at night after doing a lot of school work. I decided to watch Barton Fink. What struck me, among many other things–like, what a brilliant film–is how damned funny I find that film. I’ve always found it funny, but somehow seeing it again and again, I laugh more and more, despite the uneasy and eerie tone the film inspires for much of its running time.
The point is, I realized just how odd I must be, as I think the eccentric and idiosyncratic Barton Fink made me laugh more than the broader, but still at times quite weird Burn After Reading. Naturally, it’s an unfair comparison–I’ve lived with the other film much, much longer, so all of its beats hit me with finer definition, but nonetheless the moments of “broadness” in that film tend to more seamlessly complement the milieu of the main character (including his own rants about “The Common Man”), while Burn feels just a bit labored by comparison, with at least a few more scenes that seemed to be largely about actors milking a laugh from the audience (which I don’t mind with actors this good with a script and direction that terrific).
Or maybe Burn just feels weird without Roger Deakins.
If I ever get myself out of this pit of real-world obligations (life is such a merciless bitch sometimes) I’d love to review not just Burn After Reading but also Barton Fink.
That was probably a much longer answer than you ever wanted, haha. In a nutshell, yes, it lived up to my expectations–and one should adjust those for any Coen film, in a way, perhaps, something most moviegoers probably don’t, no offense to any of them–with everything that entails. For the most part, it’s a fine, funny, charming and characteristically unusual film, but I believe I probably need to see this one again before finding what I truly think of it, as part of the Coen canon and as simply a film.
Christian, you know I’ll be there!
Good answer.
For me, I’m going to have to live with awhile before I decide how it fits into the bigger Coen picture. I know what you mean about BF being funny though, but then I find weird things funny about the Coens. Tony Shaloub for one thing rules. He’s also excellent in The Man Who Wasn’t There.
The overall point though is that you liked the movie. To what degree is the player to be named later in the deal. We’re probably on the same page.
I’d ditto everything Alexander said. I think my own reaction to the film has been caught up on trying to pin down the broadness of the humor in the context of the movie itself. I enjoyed it, I might enjoy it even more over time, but I know my immediate reaction to it was quite different from what it has been to other Coen films I truly love and initial responses to each of their movies have tended to hold up fairly accurately over time.
The only Coen film I can claim unquestioned adoration of from first viewing was No Country for Old Men…and even that one got better over time.
I was a little underwhelmed by both Raising Arizona and Big Lebowski the first time out…liked them better than the audiences I saw them with, but they didn’t feel like timeless classics to me.
Sometimes I’m a slow learner.
I second Craig’s comment. No Country for Old Men is the one movie that I adored from first viewing to last (to date).
kinda makes me want to watch it again right now…
Thanks, Craig.
One thing that has always held true is that every Coen film gets better for me with repeated viewings, so I’m inherently optimistic about Burn After Reading, but there is usually a limit to that.
No Country for Old Men was outstanding on first viewing, but a few other Coen films such as Raising Arizona, Barton Fink, Fargo and The Big Lebowski were as well.
And Tony Shaloub is awesome, no question.
I agree that I was blown away by NCFOM on both theater viewings. The second was great because it was a late night Monday even after the Oscars and there was hardly anyone there.
Not to move away from the Coens, but speaking of movies that are funnier than you remember, I found myself laughing quite a lot at the middle half hour of Uncle Buck last night. I don’t know what it is about John Candy that made all of his characters so likable despite their flaws: Uncle Buck, Summer Rental, Planes Trains, The Great Outdoors, and on and on. Loved that guy.
RIP John Candy.
Daniel, I recently caught the second half of Uncle Buck and I agree; John Candy was an amazing talent. The entire sequence where he’s in the elementary school bathroom alone is plain awesome.
As for NCFOM, I watched it last night as a matter of fact and it continues to reward my attention. The only Coen movie for me that has changed much at all in my estimation over repeat viewings is Miller’s Crossing, and that’s primarily because the complexity of the plot and the intricacies of the dialogue were a lot to grasp in one viewing. Still liked it quite a bit first time I saw it.
Lewbowski, Raising Arizona, Blood Simple, Fargo, No Country, and Fink all left me with major warm fuzzies on the first viewings. Of course, all of them have just burrowed farther into my heart over repeat viewings too.
Maybe I’m just weird.
I’ve watched No Country consecutively for the past two days on a loop.
Fargo is still my favourite, then The Big Lebowski, Raising Arizona and No Country.
FARGO remains my own top Coen too, Nick. I think NO COUNTRY may be the runner up. I am not a BIG LEBOWSKI fan, but I was long ago excommunicated from rational film discourse after that abominable opinion. #3 for me is: O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU?
Fargo is one of my favourite movies of all time. Lebowski has sentimental value for me, as does Arizona and No Country is just a flat out piece of unadulterated brilliance.
I, like most people in there here parts, have found something to like in all the Coen’s movies and I cherish a good number of them in my DVD collection, and those that I don’t have, I plan to get when someone decides to give me some freaking money. It’s like the best investment one can make in a cinephile.
Did I hear somebody making lists?
For me, it’s:
1. Fargo
2. Raising Arizona
3. No Country for Old Men
4. The Big Lebowski
5. Barton Fink
6. Burn After Reading
7. The Hudsucker Proxy
8. The Man Who Wasn’t There
9. O Brother Where Art Thou
10. Blood Simple
11. Miller’s Crossing
12. Intolerable Cruelty
13. The Ladykillers
Me and Jeff share the same top four and the same bottom two, we’re so cool.
I can’t make an entire ranking list. Too hard for my small brain.
If you made a middle seven, though, it would include the same titles, just probably in a different order.
hahahah…I’m not getting sucked into the inexorable power of The List this time…though I’ve made them before.
Hell no. I’ll take them all to my grave.
I absolutely despised O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU the first time I saw it, then on every subsequent viewing since. However it has been years since I saw it, and I plan on revisiting it soon. I borrowed a friend’s copy and it’s sitting on my coffee table just waiting on me to find the time.
Hopefully I’ll get around to it soon and maybe my mind will be changed.
This doesn’t have anything to do with movies, but I thought this was worth seeing if you haven’t already. Peter DeFazio speaking today on the House floor:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANGsBNMY1_c
Sorry for hijacking the thread with something political, Craig.
Back to movies: while I don’t think O Brother Where Art Thou is anywhere near the Coen’s greatest film I did like it a lot, particularly the music.
Yeah the music of O Brother puts it over the top for me and Clooney and Tim Blake Nelson have some gems.
DeFazio! Finally someone calling for consequences for this mess.
I love when he holds up the 3-page report and the big key. So dramatic! :-)
Yeah, he’s one of the better Reps from Oregon as far as I know.
It is really scary that A) they want to rush into this with no discussion or planning and that B) they’ve known there was trouble for a year and a half, but done nothing. I know Paulsen is supposed to be a pretty smart guy, but he’s also a Wall Street insider who isn’t likely to care much about the effect a bail-out will have on taxpayers or the deficit.
If you listen closely, he and Bernanke keep mentioning regulators when they cite who’s to blame here but what both of them fail repeatedly to EVER mention is that massive deregulation left the regulators with little or no power to do anything. It’s like taking away the fire department’s fire trucks and then blaming them when your house burns down.
I love the key too, Alison.
There’s more detail and oversight in my $10,000 car loan than in that $700,000,000,000 bail-out request.
What’s funny is when regular people are hurting, they’re hard core capitalists, but when Wall Street takes it in the ass, they turn socialist.
When the big corporations are riding high, they don’t have to share their profits, but when they’re hurting, we all have to share the cost.
Exactly.
And Paulson is not the only Goldman Sachs guy to serve in a government position. Coincidence? I think not.
The funny part of all this is that most Republicans want to blame consumers for taking on mortgages they couldn’t afford, but they ignore all the shady lending practices and bad decisions made at the top that actually caused this massive calamity.
The irony here is that this devotion to unfettered free markets has caused a Republican administration to become socialist and expand the federal government more than any Democratic administration since Roosevelt.
To quote No Country: “Signs and wonders, signs and wonders.”
Good tie-in, Joel. :-)
I’ll go ahead and add “You can’t stop what’s coming.”
Unfortunately.
Ahhh….No Country put me back in my happy place.
I can think of a couple of people who could use the airgun treatment.
Hahaha - me too.
I’m glad the debate is turning toward the economy. Palin may be able to see Russia from her doorstep, but I don’t think she can see Wall Street.
I can see the sky from my door step but that doesn’t mean I’m a good choice to run the FAA.
Hey, what a coincidence, joel! I can see the sky from my door step too! :p
Speaking of scary Republicans, I saw RELIGULOUS last night. It was pretty interesting but Maher is still a smug pompous ass. And the documentary is loaded with edited cheap shots that would feel at home on any reality tv show. But the end result is to make you afeared for Palin getting close to that nookular button. Very scay.
You’ve described Religulous exactly the way I feared it would be. I’ll still see it. Was it at least funny and entertaining?
It was funny and I was interested, but it went on a li’l too long.
I’ll take funny, but it sounds like a missed opportunity.
I saw Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist last night. It was surprisingly fun, albeit it a little empty. There are a lot of esoteric references to NYC that most people won’t get, but that kind of adds to the charm (same with Peter Sollett’s last movie, Raising Victor Vargas, which I consider tragically underrated). There are some vomit and otherwise immature gags that could have been replaced with more dialogue scenes, but I actually left feeling mostly decent about the next generation of indie movie teens. Cera is Cera, as you can imagine. It works again. I know Kat Dennings was in The 40-Year Old Virgin but I can’t remember her in it. Anyway, she’s solid, too. Great little soundtrack to boot.
You’re so lucky Danny, I am dying to see that!
Funny, Nick. I actually tried to immediately edit my comment but was not allowed for some reason.
What I was trying to add was literally “I’m sure Nick and his peers will dig it big time.” Go for it, pal - you’re going to leave smiling warmly.
Yay, that sounds just awesome. So stoked, hopefully I’ll see it soon, I’m sure I will. And I’ll take all my friends (the ones that would care anyway). Should be fun.
That’s good to hear. I will take “fun but a little bit empty”
So I just got my press screening list for October, and I see Nick and Norah on the 14th, and Burn After Reading on the 21st (can you say ‘Finally!!!!’? – I can). So I’m stoked.