1. Lost in Translation
2. Pulp Fiction
3. Forgetting Sarah Marshall
4. Enchanted
Yeahhhh. I have interesting taste.
Showing posts with label lost in translation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lost in translation. Show all posts
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Monday, February 02, 2009
and a funny thing about Rachel Getting Married
If I had to pick one film it reminded me of, it would almost certainly be Lost in Translation. They both had a small and almost forced intimate feel, and both were funny but achingly melancholy overall. However, as I gave Rachel Getting Married a C+ and Lost in Translation something along the lines of an A++++++++++++, clearly there's a difference.
I think Lost in Translation achieved its goals much better. It was funnier, and it was certainly more heart-wrenching. I recognized that the two main characters had an assload of flaws, but at the same time I palpably felt for them. Sure, there were a lot of scenes where you might have wondered "well, where is this going?" but they always ended up proving a point, whether it was to demonstrate something about the Japanese society or simply to be funny. Rachel Getting Married, I think the editor was in love with every second of film shot and could not let go of any of it. Like, if RGM's editing standard was applied to LiT, they would have shown the non-Bob and Charlotte characters singing for twenty minutes, not ten seconds.
Speaking of the karaoke scene... have you worshipped this movie enough lately?
Perfection. Rachel Getting Married, um, not so much, but not a total waste of your time either.
I think Lost in Translation achieved its goals much better. It was funnier, and it was certainly more heart-wrenching. I recognized that the two main characters had an assload of flaws, but at the same time I palpably felt for them. Sure, there were a lot of scenes where you might have wondered "well, where is this going?" but they always ended up proving a point, whether it was to demonstrate something about the Japanese society or simply to be funny. Rachel Getting Married, I think the editor was in love with every second of film shot and could not let go of any of it. Like, if RGM's editing standard was applied to LiT, they would have shown the non-Bob and Charlotte characters singing for twenty minutes, not ten seconds.
Speaking of the karaoke scene... have you worshipped this movie enough lately?
Perfection. Rachel Getting Married, um, not so much, but not a total waste of your time either.
Friday, June 27, 2008
is it sad...
...that when, on aol.com today, the top celebrity news was Bill Murray divorcing, and the one right under that was Obama denying he was having an e-mail "affair" with Scarlett Johansson, I thought of Lost in Translation and got all excited?
Sunday, May 18, 2008
I love SNL right now.
Ricky Gervais! Japanese Office! DAWESOME. Okay, some of the other skits were lame, but... Japanese Office!!!! Oh, and the part where they were dancing in the conference room reminded me of Lost in Translation and I was just tickled pink. Ahhh wonderful.
(my dad on AIM) (12:03:44 AM): the guy who did jim really nailed him
- Oh, how I was tempted to throw out a "that's what she said"...
and the cut to a black guy playing a crossword puzzle KILLED ME.
Also, Carol! And John Effing McCain! I'm not voting for him, but at least he's funny.
(my dad on AIM) (12:03:44 AM): the guy who did jim really nailed him
- Oh, how I was tempted to throw out a "that's what she said"...
and the cut to a black guy playing a crossword puzzle KILLED ME.
Also, Carol! And John Effing McCain! I'm not voting for him, but at least he's funny.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Happy birthday Sofia Coppola!
She's quite possibly the best female director in history, even with only three films under her belt. Lost in Translation is still my all-time favorite movie, and it's just full of her own gorgeous (yes, I suppose stereotypically "feminine") sensibility that adds to, not detracts from, the film. It's perfect in every way. Plus, I want to hang out with her and meet her dad and steal her CD collection and all that.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Pink wigs.
Yeah, I know I can't shut up about Lost in Translation, but there's just something devastatingly beautiful about that second picture.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
You know you want it.
Hey, Academy. Remember that time you gave Jennifer Connelly the Oscar over four performances that completely towered over her, while she was Razzie-worthy? And remember how you didn't give Martin Scorsese an Oscar until 2006? And remember how you didn't give Spike Lee an Oscar ever? And remember how you only gave Lost in Translation and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Best Original Screenplay? And remember how Bill Murray didn't win for the former? And how Scarlett Johansson wasn't even nominated? Well, if you do this little favor for me, I will forgive you for all this shit.
PS. Christie will do too.
PPS. Or Page, too. I guess.
PPPS. Please, not Marion. (Though I'm prepared to accept it.)
PPPPS. If Cate Blanchett upsets here, I am officially throwing something at the TV.
PS. Christie will do too.
PPS. Or Page, too. I guess.
PPPS. Please, not Marion. (Though I'm prepared to accept it.)
PPPPS. If Cate Blanchett upsets here, I am officially throwing something at the TV.
Friday, February 01, 2008
If drinking coffee is your idea of really cool, you can't expect no crazy chick to notice you.
So I'm thinking about this thing where I put my IPod on shuffle, then post a song lyric at the top and a picture of the movie it reminds me of on the bottom. The only problem...I lack creativity and everything reminds me of Lost in Translation.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
you're so ambitious for a juvenile. but then if you're so smart, tell me, why are you still so afraid?
It's not that Scarlett Johansson isn't a good actress, or that she doesn't give one of the best performances I've ever seen in Lost in Translation, but to think about what she would have been like in the silent era boggles the mind. The girl was born for it.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
hah!
I maintain that, whether you're in a bad mood or not, one of the absolute best things to do for entertainment is to go and read comments under IMDb "Hated It" for your favorite movies. This is hilarious. Especially if Lost in Translation ranks up there among your favorite movies, as the criticism for this movie is so misguided. Because I have no life (I head off to Spain in a little less than a week for study abroad, whee, but I've got nothing to do until then) I collected stuff from just the first 7 pages... oh, the hilarity.
What actually happens? I had a day like this 3 weeks ago.
that's kind of the point of the movie
It reminded me of the worst excesses of 60's French New Wave. Long stretches of people staring. Long stretches of silence and monosyllables. More long stretches of loud noise and incomprehensible voices. Short cut-in scenes that advanced the story (what there was of it) and characters not a bit.
they're really not that bad. if you saw all that much french new wave, you should easily be able to deal with lost in translation.
Can I believe in a young woman who's supposed to be a recent philosophy graduate of Yale, who can't think of anything to do with her time but stare out the window of her expensive hotel?
sure you can. my boyfriend just graduated, and he totally connects to just... despite the fact that he's gotten a great education and he's got a job and what not, he just feels lost. I can't put that feeling in more articulate words. but most recent college graduates, even those that have jobs and whatnot, feel more than a little lost sometimes.
You're in a different country - go out, go sightseeing, try the local food, go shopping, learn about the country, or even go and spend the day at the hotel pool, reading a good book - don't sit there feeling sorry for yourself and look for someone to cheat with.
errr... they do all that. a lot.
Bill Murray looks utterly lost as if he has not been paid his salary for playing the part in the film.
um, that's kinda the point of his performance
directed with bland nothingness by a girl who, had she had different parents, nobody would blink twice about.
oh how i love this criticism. it's so legitimate.
The film shows two Americans having trouble relating to Japanese culture, perhaps this is because Japan IS A DIFFERENT CULTURE!!!! This film could have taken place in any country that doesn't speak English and the same feeling of isolation would have been prevalant.
well, yeah. that's one of the strengths of the film - it's so specific and personal yet feels like it could apply to anyone. look, i'm not saying i don't like it more because i do feel a connection to it, at times. but the fact that it works on both those levels is a miracle.
And by the way I went to Yale myself so there!
good for you. (go harvard)
I challenge somebody to find any shot in this movie of a japanese person (or perhaps apes in japanese costumes) who isn't acting silly or over the top, as part of a joke, a joke in which the japanese are the being punched by the line.
there are plenty, like the woman who tries to help charlotte with the flowers. the film treads the line with those L-R jokes, but it manages to err on the side of good taste. other than that? charlotte and bill are different. that's the point. they see things differently. i bet there could be a companion movie from the point of view of charlotte's japanese friends, in which charlotte and bob would look like bumbling fools.
This film just further proves that I simply do not understand film critics. Lost in Translation is horrible. What exactly is this thing supposed to be about? Nothing happens. The characters do not develop, change, or even engage in anything relatively interesting. I don't need a movie to enjoy a "snippet of life", all I have to do is look around me.
THE POINT.
Having two leads who speak English, but cant be bothered to say anything because there so depressed is ridiculous.
they don't say anything...?
If anyone here thinks that Godfather C's daughter isn't going to have all of hollywood praising her (whether she makes a good movie or not), they need to go see Tony Soprano's shrink. This praise that's sweeping the country is purely political to make the old man happy. I'm sure he has the power in tinseltown to make anybody have a bad day.
again, i just love this criticism. it's even better when applied to marie-antoinette.
That's my first major criticism of the movie; it settles into itself to a point where after a while you forget you're watching a movie, and it just seems like you're simply watching a fish bowl with two people in it; and although this is good in terms of realism, and I don't doubt that Sofia intended it that way; movies are supposed to be an escape from reality, and although some people would disagree; movies are also meant to be entertaining, and I for one don't watch movies to not be entertained; Lost in Translation fails in both of those respects.
for one thing, i don't really understand what this person is going on about, but if what i think is correct... well, yes. movies can be an escape from reality. but sometimes, movies try to emulate reality. that was lost in translation's goal, and it totally succeeded. as far as entertaining, well, that's everyone's own point-of-view, but i sure as hell thought it was.
And she, wandering around in her philosophical haze, could have come up with something more dramatic than visiting a Buddhist temple a couple times. How about a suicide attempt? A big fight with her husband when he's sucking up to the hot, blonde starlet? Something, anything!
the point of the movie isn't BIG EMOTIONS!!!!!, at least not in the usual oscarish way. yeah, these characters have strong feelings, but they deal with them in a totally normal way. people hold in their anger every day. people feel unsatisfied but certainly not depressed enough to commit suicide every day. arguments like this only add to lost in translation's strength.
Can't understand the enthusiasm for this boring travel log.I like Bill Murry in other films 'Ground Hog Day" ect. but this was so boring, watching someone pick his nose and comb his hair in a hotel room was, well, just too little. snore
a. again, THE POINT.
b. did he even do either of those?
I feel Sofia went above and beyond to make herself look like a victim when in fact she made herself look like an overly-sensitive snooty ivy leaguer whose problems are dwarfed by the average person's. "Oh no, I graduated from Yale but don't know what I want to do so I'll just follow my rich and successful husband to Japan and hang out there." Yeah, try getting laid off from your job and having to go home to your wife and kids. Try losing a loved one to a drunk driving accident. Try working two jobs to put yourself through community college. There are so many greater things to be upset about, but you don't see these people grasping for sympathy.
uh... sofia is never trying to say "what's happening to the protagonists in this movie is the absolute worst thing that could ever happen to a person." they don't even think it is, they're just not happy where they are. does this make them seem a little self-centered at times? yes, but it also helps in character development. it makes them (far) more realistic as people to not be happy perfect little chipmunks.
how on earth Copolla won Best Original Screenplay for a film without dialogue is beyond me
i think you should exaggerate some more
What actually happens? I had a day like this 3 weeks ago.
that's kind of the point of the movie
It reminded me of the worst excesses of 60's French New Wave. Long stretches of people staring. Long stretches of silence and monosyllables. More long stretches of loud noise and incomprehensible voices. Short cut-in scenes that advanced the story (what there was of it) and characters not a bit.
they're really not that bad. if you saw all that much french new wave, you should easily be able to deal with lost in translation.
Can I believe in a young woman who's supposed to be a recent philosophy graduate of Yale, who can't think of anything to do with her time but stare out the window of her expensive hotel?
sure you can. my boyfriend just graduated, and he totally connects to just... despite the fact that he's gotten a great education and he's got a job and what not, he just feels lost. I can't put that feeling in more articulate words. but most recent college graduates, even those that have jobs and whatnot, feel more than a little lost sometimes.
You're in a different country - go out, go sightseeing, try the local food, go shopping, learn about the country, or even go and spend the day at the hotel pool, reading a good book - don't sit there feeling sorry for yourself and look for someone to cheat with.
errr... they do all that. a lot.
Bill Murray looks utterly lost as if he has not been paid his salary for playing the part in the film.
um, that's kinda the point of his performance
directed with bland nothingness by a girl who, had she had different parents, nobody would blink twice about.
oh how i love this criticism. it's so legitimate.
The film shows two Americans having trouble relating to Japanese culture, perhaps this is because Japan IS A DIFFERENT CULTURE!!!! This film could have taken place in any country that doesn't speak English and the same feeling of isolation would have been prevalant.
well, yeah. that's one of the strengths of the film - it's so specific and personal yet feels like it could apply to anyone. look, i'm not saying i don't like it more because i do feel a connection to it, at times. but the fact that it works on both those levels is a miracle.
And by the way I went to Yale myself so there!
good for you. (go harvard)
I challenge somebody to find any shot in this movie of a japanese person (or perhaps apes in japanese costumes) who isn't acting silly or over the top, as part of a joke, a joke in which the japanese are the being punched by the line.
there are plenty, like the woman who tries to help charlotte with the flowers. the film treads the line with those L-R jokes, but it manages to err on the side of good taste. other than that? charlotte and bill are different. that's the point. they see things differently. i bet there could be a companion movie from the point of view of charlotte's japanese friends, in which charlotte and bob would look like bumbling fools.
This film just further proves that I simply do not understand film critics. Lost in Translation is horrible. What exactly is this thing supposed to be about? Nothing happens. The characters do not develop, change, or even engage in anything relatively interesting. I don't need a movie to enjoy a "snippet of life", all I have to do is look around me.
THE POINT.
Having two leads who speak English, but cant be bothered to say anything because there so depressed is ridiculous.
they don't say anything...?
If anyone here thinks that Godfather C's daughter isn't going to have all of hollywood praising her (whether she makes a good movie or not), they need to go see Tony Soprano's shrink. This praise that's sweeping the country is purely political to make the old man happy. I'm sure he has the power in tinseltown to make anybody have a bad day.
again, i just love this criticism. it's even better when applied to marie-antoinette.
That's my first major criticism of the movie; it settles into itself to a point where after a while you forget you're watching a movie, and it just seems like you're simply watching a fish bowl with two people in it; and although this is good in terms of realism, and I don't doubt that Sofia intended it that way; movies are supposed to be an escape from reality, and although some people would disagree; movies are also meant to be entertaining, and I for one don't watch movies to not be entertained; Lost in Translation fails in both of those respects.
for one thing, i don't really understand what this person is going on about, but if what i think is correct... well, yes. movies can be an escape from reality. but sometimes, movies try to emulate reality. that was lost in translation's goal, and it totally succeeded. as far as entertaining, well, that's everyone's own point-of-view, but i sure as hell thought it was.
And she, wandering around in her philosophical haze, could have come up with something more dramatic than visiting a Buddhist temple a couple times. How about a suicide attempt? A big fight with her husband when he's sucking up to the hot, blonde starlet? Something, anything!
the point of the movie isn't BIG EMOTIONS!!!!!, at least not in the usual oscarish way. yeah, these characters have strong feelings, but they deal with them in a totally normal way. people hold in their anger every day. people feel unsatisfied but certainly not depressed enough to commit suicide every day. arguments like this only add to lost in translation's strength.
Can't understand the enthusiasm for this boring travel log.I like Bill Murry in other films 'Ground Hog Day" ect. but this was so boring, watching someone pick his nose and comb his hair in a hotel room was, well, just too little. snore
a. again, THE POINT.
b. did he even do either of those?
I feel Sofia went above and beyond to make herself look like a victim when in fact she made herself look like an overly-sensitive snooty ivy leaguer whose problems are dwarfed by the average person's. "Oh no, I graduated from Yale but don't know what I want to do so I'll just follow my rich and successful husband to Japan and hang out there." Yeah, try getting laid off from your job and having to go home to your wife and kids. Try losing a loved one to a drunk driving accident. Try working two jobs to put yourself through community college. There are so many greater things to be upset about, but you don't see these people grasping for sympathy.
uh... sofia is never trying to say "what's happening to the protagonists in this movie is the absolute worst thing that could ever happen to a person." they don't even think it is, they're just not happy where they are. does this make them seem a little self-centered at times? yes, but it also helps in character development. it makes them (far) more realistic as people to not be happy perfect little chipmunks.
how on earth Copolla won Best Original Screenplay for a film without dialogue is beyond me
i think you should exaggerate some more
Monday, August 27, 2007
the "kinda missed the point, didn't you?" quotes of the day
"Dennis Hopper [Christian Bale] was so over-the-top in Blue Velvet [American Psycho]. He was utterly ludicrous!"
"My God, Lost in Translation is boring. Nothing happens in that movie."
"My God, Lost in Translation is boring. Nothing happens in that movie."
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
oh, Scarlett.
(ignore the talentless thing on the right)
Scarlett, you know I'll love you forever. All it took was Lost in Translation. But, take it from one of your most ardent supporters: you were so much better when you were an actress and not a product of hype, like here in the despicable Ghost World (in which you were great). Your performances in Scoop and The Prestige were hardly bad, but when you're in 230580584698 movies like you were last year, I'd expect Girl with a Pearl Earring-level brilliance in at least one of them...
Scarlett, you know I'll love you forever. All it took was Lost in Translation. But, take it from one of your most ardent supporters: you were so much better when you were an actress and not a product of hype, like here in the despicable Ghost World (in which you were great). Your performances in Scoop and The Prestige were hardly bad, but when you're in 230580584698 movies like you were last year, I'd expect Girl with a Pearl Earring-level brilliance in at least one of them...
Monday, August 20, 2007
Those poor things known as "the nominations for musical/comedy"
So we can all agree that Musical/Comedy is a pretty ignored category through the years. So, here are my personal nominations in that category for every year. Note: I was pretty broad with my definition of "musical/comedy..." Here is where I'm willing to call utter fraud (Ray ain't a comedy, and it isn't really a musical, but... Lost in Translation's status as a comedy can be debated, but...). In order of preference.
2000
Best Picture
Best in Show
Wonder Boys
Nurse Betty
Dancer in the Dark
American Psycho (some kind of crazy and demented comedy, but a comedy.)
Best Actor
Christian Bale, American Psycho
Michael Douglas, Wonder Boys
George Clooney, O Brother, Where Art Thou?
John Cusack, High Fidelity
Samuel L. Jackson, Shaft (err...it's sort of a comedy, no?)
Best Actress
Renee Zellweger, Nurse Betty
There are no other okay candidates. Seriously. Bjork was awful.
Best Supporting Actor
Willem Dafoe, Shadow of the Vampire
Jeffrey Wright, Shaft (he should have been on my Gods of Acting post from yesterday. I'M SORRY, JEFF! :( )
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Almost Famous
Jack Black, High Fidelity
Robert Downey Jr., Wonder Boys
Best Supporting Actress
Parker Posey, Best in Show
Catherine Deneuve, Dancer in the Dark
Frances McDormand, Almost Famous
Frances McDormand, Wonder Boys
Kate Hudson, Almost Famous
2001
Best Picture
Moulin Rouge!
Gosford Park
Shrek
Zoolander
Bridget Jones' Diary
Best Actor
Ewan McGregor, Moulin Rouge!
Gene Hackman, The Royal Tenenbaums
John Cameron Mitchell, Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Ben Stiller, Zoolander
Ray Winstone, Sexy Beast (pitch-black comedy...)
Best Actress
Nicole Kidman, Moulin Rouge!
Renee Zellweger, Bridget Jones' Diary
Reese Witherspoon, Legally Blonde
Piper Perabo, Lost and Delirious (comedy...?)
Kirsten Dunst, The Cat's Meow
Best Supporting Actor
Ben Kingsley, Sexy Beast
Steve Buscemi, Ghost World
Jim Broadbent, Moulin Rouge!
Will Ferrell, Zoolander
Luke Wilson, The Royal Tenenbaums
Best Supporting Actress
Gwyneth Paltrow, The Royal Tenenbaums
Helen Mirren, Gosford Park
Maggie Smith, Gosford Park
Scarlett Johansson, Ghost World
Emily Watson, Gosford Park
2002
Best Picture
Chicago
Adaptation.
About Schmidt
Catch Me If You Can (another debatable comedy)
Secretary
Best Actor
Jack Nicholson, About Schmidt
Campbell Scott, Roger Dodger
Nicolas Cage, Adaptation.
Leonardo DiCaprio, Catch Me If You Can
Hugh Grant, About a Boy
Best Actress
Maggie Gyllenhaal, Secretary
Renee Zellweger, Chicago
Catherine Keener, Lovely and Amazing
Jennifer Aniston, The Good Girl
Jennifer Westfeldt, Kissing Jessica Stein
Best Supporting Actor
Chris Cooper, Adaptation.
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Punch-Drunk Love
Christopher Walken, Catch Me If You Can
John C. Reilly, Chicago
Ian Somerhalder, Rules of Attraction
Best Supporting Actress
Catherine Zeta-Jones, Chicago
Meryl Streep, Adaptation.
Emily Watson, Punch-Drunk Love
Emily Mortimer, Lovely and Amazing
Toni Collette, About a Boy
2003
Best Picture
Lost in Translation
Finding Nemo
Big Fish
Love Actually
The Company ("musical")
Best Actor
Bill Murray, Lost in Translation
Robert Downey Jr., The Singing Detective
Paul Giamatti, American Splendor
Jack Black, School of Rock
George Clooney, Intolerable Cruelty
Best Actress
Scarlett Johansson, Lost in Translation
Jamie Lee Curtis, Freaky Friday
Renee Zellweger, Down with Love
Helen Mirren, Calendar Girls
Diane Lane, Under the Tuscan Sun
Best Supporting Actor
Bill Nighy, Love Actually
Hugh Grant, Love Actually
Albert Finney, Big Fish
Colin Firth, Love Actually
Geoffrey Rush, Pirates of the Carribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl
Best Supporting Actress
Catherine O'Hara, A Mighty Wind
Ellen DeGeneres, Finding Nemo
Emma Thompson, Love Actually
Laura Linney, Love Actually
Anna Faris, Lost in Translation
2004
Best Picture
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Mean Girls
Sideways
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
Anchorman
Best Actor
Paul Giamatti, Sideways
Jamie Foxx, Ray
Jim Carrey, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Bill Murray, The Life Aquatic...
Will Ferrell, Anchorman
Best Actress
Kate Winslet, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Laura Linney, P.S. (comedy?)
Jennifer Garner, 13 Going on 30
Lindsay Lohan, Mean Girls
Holly Hunter, The Incredibles
Best Supporting Actor
Jude Law, I Heart Huckabees
Steve Carell, Anchorman
Thomas Haden Church, Sideways
Tom Wilkinson, Eternal Sunshine...
Topher Grace, In Good Company
2000
Best Picture
Best in Show
Wonder Boys
Nurse Betty
Dancer in the Dark
American Psycho (some kind of crazy and demented comedy, but a comedy.)
Best Actor
Christian Bale, American Psycho
Michael Douglas, Wonder Boys
George Clooney, O Brother, Where Art Thou?
John Cusack, High Fidelity
Samuel L. Jackson, Shaft (err...it's sort of a comedy, no?)
Best Actress
Renee Zellweger, Nurse Betty
There are no other okay candidates. Seriously. Bjork was awful.
Best Supporting Actor
Willem Dafoe, Shadow of the Vampire
Jeffrey Wright, Shaft (he should have been on my Gods of Acting post from yesterday. I'M SORRY, JEFF! :( )
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Almost Famous
Jack Black, High Fidelity
Robert Downey Jr., Wonder Boys
Best Supporting Actress
Parker Posey, Best in Show
Catherine Deneuve, Dancer in the Dark
Frances McDormand, Almost Famous
Frances McDormand, Wonder Boys
Kate Hudson, Almost Famous
2001
Best Picture
Moulin Rouge!
Gosford Park
Shrek
Zoolander
Bridget Jones' Diary
Best Actor
Ewan McGregor, Moulin Rouge!
Gene Hackman, The Royal Tenenbaums
John Cameron Mitchell, Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Ben Stiller, Zoolander
Ray Winstone, Sexy Beast (pitch-black comedy...)
Best Actress
Nicole Kidman, Moulin Rouge!
Renee Zellweger, Bridget Jones' Diary
Reese Witherspoon, Legally Blonde
Piper Perabo, Lost and Delirious (comedy...?)
Kirsten Dunst, The Cat's Meow
Best Supporting Actor
Ben Kingsley, Sexy Beast
Steve Buscemi, Ghost World
Jim Broadbent, Moulin Rouge!
Will Ferrell, Zoolander
Luke Wilson, The Royal Tenenbaums
Best Supporting Actress
Gwyneth Paltrow, The Royal Tenenbaums
Helen Mirren, Gosford Park
Maggie Smith, Gosford Park
Scarlett Johansson, Ghost World
Emily Watson, Gosford Park
2002
Best Picture
Chicago
Adaptation.
About Schmidt
Catch Me If You Can (another debatable comedy)
Secretary
Best Actor
Jack Nicholson, About Schmidt
Campbell Scott, Roger Dodger
Nicolas Cage, Adaptation.
Leonardo DiCaprio, Catch Me If You Can
Hugh Grant, About a Boy
Best Actress
Maggie Gyllenhaal, Secretary
Renee Zellweger, Chicago
Catherine Keener, Lovely and Amazing
Jennifer Aniston, The Good Girl
Jennifer Westfeldt, Kissing Jessica Stein
Best Supporting Actor
Chris Cooper, Adaptation.
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Punch-Drunk Love
Christopher Walken, Catch Me If You Can
John C. Reilly, Chicago
Ian Somerhalder, Rules of Attraction
Best Supporting Actress
Catherine Zeta-Jones, Chicago
Meryl Streep, Adaptation.
Emily Watson, Punch-Drunk Love
Emily Mortimer, Lovely and Amazing
Toni Collette, About a Boy
2003
Best Picture
Lost in Translation
Finding Nemo
Big Fish
Love Actually
The Company ("musical")
Best Actor
Bill Murray, Lost in Translation
Robert Downey Jr., The Singing Detective
Paul Giamatti, American Splendor
Jack Black, School of Rock
George Clooney, Intolerable Cruelty
Best Actress
Scarlett Johansson, Lost in Translation
Jamie Lee Curtis, Freaky Friday
Renee Zellweger, Down with Love
Helen Mirren, Calendar Girls
Diane Lane, Under the Tuscan Sun
Best Supporting Actor
Bill Nighy, Love Actually
Hugh Grant, Love Actually
Albert Finney, Big Fish
Colin Firth, Love Actually
Geoffrey Rush, Pirates of the Carribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl
Best Supporting Actress
Catherine O'Hara, A Mighty Wind
Ellen DeGeneres, Finding Nemo
Emma Thompson, Love Actually
Laura Linney, Love Actually
Anna Faris, Lost in Translation
2004
Best Picture
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Mean Girls
Sideways
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
Anchorman
Best Actor
Paul Giamatti, Sideways
Jamie Foxx, Ray
Jim Carrey, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Bill Murray, The Life Aquatic...
Will Ferrell, Anchorman
Best Actress
Kate Winslet, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Laura Linney, P.S. (comedy?)
Jennifer Garner, 13 Going on 30
Lindsay Lohan, Mean Girls
Holly Hunter, The Incredibles
Best Supporting Actor
Jude Law, I Heart Huckabees
Steve Carell, Anchorman
Thomas Haden Church, Sideways
Tom Wilkinson, Eternal Sunshine...
Topher Grace, In Good Company
Best Supporting Actress
Virginia Madsen, Sideways
Kirsten Dunst, Eternal Sunshine...
Rachel McAdams, Mean Girls
Natalie Portman, Garden State
Lacey Chabert, Mean Girls
2005
Best Picture
Pride and Prejudice
The Squid and the Whale
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Wedding Crashers
Broken Flowers
Best Actor
Steve Carell, The 40-Year-Old Virgin
Robert Downey Jr., Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Bill Murray, Broken Flowers
Terrence Howard, Hustle and Flow ("musical")
Joaquin Phoenix, Walk the Line
Best Actress
Reese Witherspoon, Walk the Line
Keira Knightley, Pride and Prejudice
Lisa Kudrow, Happy Endings
Toni Collette, In Her Shoes
Radha Mitchell, Melinda and Melinda (half comedy's good enough, huh ;) )
Best Supporting Actor
Jesse L. Martin, Rent
Donald Sutherland, Pride and Prejudice
Jeff Daniels, The Squid and the Whale
Vince Vaughn, Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Jeffrey Wright, Broken Flowers
Best Supporting Actress
Laura Linney, The Squid and the Whale
Rosario Dawson, Rent
Maggie Gyllenhaal, Happy Endings
Isla Fisher, Wedding Crashers
Catherine Keener, The 40-Year-Old Virgin
2006
Best Picture
Marie-Antoinette ("comedy")
Borat
Dreamgirls
Volver
Little Miss Sunshine
Best Actor
Sacha Baron Cohen, Borat
Peter O'Toole, Venus
Aaron Eckhart, Thank You For Smoking
Joe Cross, Running with Scissors
Will Ferrell, Stranger than Fiction
Best Actress
Meryl Streep, The Devil Wears Prada
Kirsten Dunst, Marie-Antoinette
Melinda Page Hamilton, Sleeping Dogs Lie
Catherine O'Hara, For Your Consideration
Jennifer Hudson, Dreamgirls
Best Supporting Actor
Steve Carell, Little Miss Sunshine
Eddie Murphy, Dreamgirls
Greg Kinnear, Little Miss Sunshine
Stanley Tucci, The Devil Wears Prada
Woody Allen, Scoop
Best Supporting Actress (suck it Emily Blunt)
Maggie Gyllenhaal, Stranger than Fiction
Toni Collette, Little Miss Sunshine
Abigail Breslin, Little Miss Sunshine
Kate Winslet, Romance and Cigarettes
Emma Thompson, Stranger than Fiction
YAY, DONE. And yes, I had to scrape the bottom of the barrel for some of these, but some are actually better than the corresponding categories in drama (Best Supporting Actress 04)
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Yay, Toni!!
I'm sure ya'll are aware, but the woman who rocks at playing mothers (and everything else) is pregnant. Yay!
(I'm all alone while the boyf goes to work. boo. I'm like ScarJo in Lost in Translation. No, that's not what we're like at all, and the fact that he actually made that comparison, jokingly, proves that it was meant to be. Huzzah.)
Sunday, June 24, 2007
In praise of Bill Murray
being worshipped by two goddesses as he should be.
I'm not going to pretend that Bill Murray is the greatest actor in the world, but he's probably my favorite. Don't you wish he was your wisecracking uncle? I'd seen him in Rushmore, Lost in Translation, Ghostbusters, Caddyshack, and Groundhog Day and loved him there, but I never realized I liked him so much until The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. The movie is a mess, and has no point at all. Yet, I still really liked it. Why? Yeah, it had really great Costume Design and Art Direction, but I realized: it was the wonderful Bill. I caught up on pretty much the rest of his filmography after that. Yeah, it could be argued he plays the same sad clown in every movie, but I love it. Bill, please keep acting (and omigawd please not in any more Garfield movies, you are so much better than that). You are a total joy and you know you were robbed in '98 and '03.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
AFI's 100 Years, 100 Movies
yes, this is probably my only opportunity for an "I LOVE YOU!" moment tomorrow nightAs anyone reading this (anyone out there?) would probably know, AFI's 100 Years, 100 Movies series is being updated, and the new list will be revealed tomorrow! I am ridiculously excited. No, the AFI really doesn't make the best choices. They favor bland Best Picture winners over true originals and trailblazers (1996: Forrest Gump was #71. Pulp Fiction, 95. Ewww.). Still, if you're not at least interested, you're lying (I've got my eye on you, certain bloggers). I tried to find just a plain list of the movies and their ranking back in 1996; here's the Wikipedia page, which won't copy and paste correctly, grr. Anyway, my search made me realize just how much I hate filmsite.org, which whines about how OMG THERE ARE THREE MODERN CRIME MOVIES ON IT (yeah, at #84, 94, and 95.) AND THERE NEED TO BE MORE SILENT MOVIES OMG OMG OMG. Also, the, for lack of a better term, stupid fuckers said Amadeus could be replaced with "better movies." Yes, "stupid fuckers" are rather harsh terms, but insult Amadeus in front of me and THAT'S WHAT YOU GET. Anyway. Here are the post-1997 movies on the ballot:
American Beauty *
As Good As It Gets
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery -
The Aviator
A Beautiful Mind * (ew?)
Being John Malkovich -
Boogie Nights
Brokeback Mountain
Chicago
Crash
Erin Brockovich
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind -
Fight Club -
Finding Nemo
Gladiator
Good Night, and Good Luck
Good Will Hunting
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban -
Hotel Rwanda
The Hours
The Insider -
L. A. Confidential
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring *
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King *
Lost in Translation
The Matrix -
Memento -
Million Dollar Baby * (this will probably replace Unforgiven)
Moulin Rouge! -
Mystic River
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl -
Ray
Requiem for a Dream -
Rushmore -
Saving Private Ryan *
Shakespeare in Love
Shrek
Sideways
The Sixth Sense
Spider-Man 2 -
There’s Something About Mary -
Three Kings -
Titanic *
Traffic
I put dashes next to the movies that have no chance of making it onto the top 400, because they are just far too weird for AFI. I starred the ones with the very best chances. I'm amazed Three Kings even freaking made it onto the ballot. I would cry of happiness if Lost in Translation or Eternal Sunshine made it onto the list, but I doubt either of them will. Still, my third or so favorite movie on there, American Beauty, will make it onto the list, and quite high, I'm hoping. Saving Private Ryan will be on the list, and quite high, because they are so wet for Spielberg (a note: I love Spielberg. A post in defense of Spielberg is coming soon, because today at work I was reading his Wikipedia article [I work so hard], and the "criticism" section pissed me off so goddamn much. It reminds me of the reason why I refuse to interact with my fellow bloggers. But I'll get into that in another entry. But anyway, the AFI loves him EVEN MORE. Like, if they ever heard someone dissing him, they would KILL THAT PERSON.). Titanic will be the highest debut. At least one of the Lord of the Rings movies will be on there (Return of the King having the highest likelihood), but please God not two/three because I don't want that to clog the list. If Crash is on there I will be thrilled and laugh a lot, especially if it is above Brokeback Mountain (or if the latter isn't even on the list!).
As far as the movies that are on the list...
Things that will probably do better: Goodfellas, Schindler's List (there's no way it's getting ranked below The Graduate now), Pulp Fiction, Annie Hall, The Godfather Part II, Amadeus better go up in the rankings you assholes, Network because it's become more than just a great movie, it's become bizarrely prophetic, anything Eastwood because since 1996, he's gone from being Legendary Actor, Okay Director with One Really Really Good Movie to The Greatest Director Of Our Time (And By That, We Mean Ever). Though if Unforgiven drops off the list totally and Million Dollar Baby is on it fairly high up, I won't be surprised.
Things that will probably fall in the rankings: The Graduate (boohoo), Dances with Wolves, Giant, Tootsie (waaaah), The Sound of Music, The African Queen (this is the same case as The Graduate - ranked incredibly high, but nobody talks about it!)
Coming tomorrow: my ballot based on the 400 movies, for what it would be worth. And of course, bitchy commentary on the new list, and much more complaining about stupid filmsite.org.
* Entry disclaimer: I can't say I really like the Lord of the Rings movies, but I recognize that they are great-to-good movies.
American Beauty *
As Good As It Gets
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery -
The Aviator
A Beautiful Mind * (ew?)
Being John Malkovich -
Boogie Nights
Brokeback Mountain
Chicago
Crash
Erin Brockovich
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind -
Fight Club -
Finding Nemo
Gladiator
Good Night, and Good Luck
Good Will Hunting
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban -
Hotel Rwanda
The Hours
The Insider -
L. A. Confidential
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring *
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King *
Lost in Translation
The Matrix -
Memento -
Million Dollar Baby * (this will probably replace Unforgiven)
Moulin Rouge! -
Mystic River
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl -
Ray
Requiem for a Dream -
Rushmore -
Saving Private Ryan *
Shakespeare in Love
Shrek
Sideways
The Sixth Sense
Spider-Man 2 -
There’s Something About Mary -
Three Kings -
Titanic *
Traffic
I put dashes next to the movies that have no chance of making it onto the top 400, because they are just far too weird for AFI. I starred the ones with the very best chances. I'm amazed Three Kings even freaking made it onto the ballot. I would cry of happiness if Lost in Translation or Eternal Sunshine made it onto the list, but I doubt either of them will. Still, my third or so favorite movie on there, American Beauty, will make it onto the list, and quite high, I'm hoping. Saving Private Ryan will be on the list, and quite high, because they are so wet for Spielberg (a note: I love Spielberg. A post in defense of Spielberg is coming soon, because today at work I was reading his Wikipedia article [I work so hard], and the "criticism" section pissed me off so goddamn much. It reminds me of the reason why I refuse to interact with my fellow bloggers. But I'll get into that in another entry. But anyway, the AFI loves him EVEN MORE. Like, if they ever heard someone dissing him, they would KILL THAT PERSON.). Titanic will be the highest debut. At least one of the Lord of the Rings movies will be on there (Return of the King having the highest likelihood), but please God not two/three because I don't want that to clog the list. If Crash is on there I will be thrilled and laugh a lot, especially if it is above Brokeback Mountain (or if the latter isn't even on the list!).
As far as the movies that are on the list...
Things that will probably do better: Goodfellas, Schindler's List (there's no way it's getting ranked below The Graduate now), Pulp Fiction, Annie Hall, The Godfather Part II, Amadeus better go up in the rankings you assholes, Network because it's become more than just a great movie, it's become bizarrely prophetic, anything Eastwood because since 1996, he's gone from being Legendary Actor, Okay Director with One Really Really Good Movie to The Greatest Director Of Our Time (And By That, We Mean Ever). Though if Unforgiven drops off the list totally and Million Dollar Baby is on it fairly high up, I won't be surprised.
Things that will probably fall in the rankings: The Graduate (boohoo), Dances with Wolves, Giant, Tootsie (waaaah), The Sound of Music, The African Queen (this is the same case as The Graduate - ranked incredibly high, but nobody talks about it!)
Coming tomorrow: my ballot based on the 400 movies, for what it would be worth. And of course, bitchy commentary on the new list, and much more complaining about stupid filmsite.org.
* Entry disclaimer: I can't say I really like the Lord of the Rings movies, but I recognize that they are great-to-good movies.
Monday, May 28, 2007
god bless this movie.
"i don't want to leave."
"so don't. stay here with me. we'll start a jazz band."
"so don't. stay here with me. we'll start a jazz band."
Thursday, May 17, 2007
If you hate this movie, you're probably a Nazi.
Seriously.
I see how you could hate Pulp Fiction. It's got lots of cursing and blood and it's really stylized. I see how you could hate Lost in Translation. It's a little too much like real life, in that people actually have pauses in between when they talk and stuff. It's slow, too. I see how you could hate Magnolia. Like Pulp Fiction, it's incredibly stylized and long. I see how you could hate Moulin Rouge!. That movie is batshit insane. I see how you could hate Raging Bull. It's violent and hard to watch. I see how you can hate Manhattan. You...okay there's no real reason why you should ever hate Manhattan. But still.
Why the hell, though, would you EVER hate The Shawshank Redemption? Do you hate HOPE? Do you hate HUMANITY? Do you hate MORGAN FREEMAN? Only assholes hate Morgan Freeman. The Shawshank Redemption is not my favorite movie ever, but it is up there, and it is, in many ways, a perfect movie. It's just impossible to hate it.
UNLESS YOU'RE A NAZI! Or a person nobody likes.
I see how you could hate Pulp Fiction. It's got lots of cursing and blood and it's really stylized. I see how you could hate Lost in Translation. It's a little too much like real life, in that people actually have pauses in between when they talk and stuff. It's slow, too. I see how you could hate Magnolia. Like Pulp Fiction, it's incredibly stylized and long. I see how you could hate Moulin Rouge!. That movie is batshit insane. I see how you could hate Raging Bull. It's violent and hard to watch. I see how you can hate Manhattan. You...okay there's no real reason why you should ever hate Manhattan. But still.
Why the hell, though, would you EVER hate The Shawshank Redemption? Do you hate HOPE? Do you hate HUMANITY? Do you hate MORGAN FREEMAN? Only assholes hate Morgan Freeman. The Shawshank Redemption is not my favorite movie ever, but it is up there, and it is, in many ways, a perfect movie. It's just impossible to hate it.
UNLESS YOU'RE A NAZI! Or a person nobody likes.
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