2009 in film. A disappointment?

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Something I noticed, and was botherd by, this year had a lot of movies not getting wide releases. At least ones I wanted to see. The Hurt Locker, Moon, A Serious Man, The Road. These are movies I would have gone to the theater to see, but they never made their way to my area.

I completely agree!

[Sponge-worthy]

I don't know that 2009 is/was especially disappointing moreso than 2008 was just unusually enjoyable.

Recommends this year:
The Hangover
District 9
Star Trek: was decent.

Still haven't seen The Hurt Locker, so that might be in there also.


Disappointments:
Funny People: narratively, the film is just a mess from front to back.
Moon: Sam Rockwell gives a fantastic performance, but the story just isn't very strong. The reveal comes fairly early in, and there really aren't any surprises beyond it.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Revolutionary Road has no business being rated higher than Doubt, Elegy or The Wrestler. NONE. IMO

haha you are certainly entitled to your opinion, but saying it has "no business" being ranked higher is a bit harsh.

Doubt's ending reduced the film's value. The Wrestler was a bit one-note. And Elegy had some issues that reduced its value, as well.

For the record, Cruz should have won for Elegy and NOT for Vicky Cristina, although both were among the best supp. actress performances of last year.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by Wolverine1980

I haven't seen Doubt but I agree on Wrestler. Mickey Rourke is one of the best actors I've ever seen and his performance in that movie would make his career even if he hadn't had any good performances before it. Truly one of the best blind buys I've ever made, seeing Marisa Tomei nude was just icing on the cake.

He's one of the best actors you've ever seen

His performance is one of the better ones I've seen in a very long time, but one performance doesn't make up for all of his bad ones. I am interested to see the future roles he takes; roles that are not so close to reality for him.

[CZAR]

Originally Posted by Wolverine1980

I haven't seen Doubt but I agree on Wrestler. Mickey Rourke is one of the best actors I've ever seen and his performance in that movie would make his career even if he hadn't had any good performances before it. Truly one of the best blind buys I've ever made, seeing Marisa Tomei nude was just icing on the cake.

That movie came on Directv this weekend and I cant bring myself to watch it. Got Em!!

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

I disagree. I think with time, Slumdog and Ben Button have the potential to become classics.

The Wrestler is the best film of 2008 imo, but I also have a biased opinion toward movies built around character development and depth.

I agree in that it is tough to predict what will and will not become classics. You really never know until time has passed (i.e. Blade Runner). That being said, I highly doubt Benj. Button will become a classic because its story, at least imo, is completely uninvolving and I felt no emotional attachment. Its technical achievements, however, were incredible.

[jhiggy23]

One thing that is tough though, Squid, is having to order them like that. There are some films that to me are obviously better than others, but the ones in the top 10 are very difficult to order because I don't think there is much separating them and I just had to go based on gut feeling

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

I agree in that it is tough to predict what will and will not become classics. You really never know until time has passed (i.e. Blade Runner). That being said, I highly doubt Benj. Button will become a classic because its story, at least imo, is completely uninvolving and I felt no emotional attachment. Its technical achievements, however, were incredible.

YES! Curious Case of Benjamin Button was a technical marvel and obviously well-done but good GOD if the story didn't just about put me to sleep. Then again I felt the same about Slumdog Millionaire and Milk so what do I know?

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by CZAR

That movie came on Directv this weekend and I cant bring myself to watch it. Got Em!!

I can understand what you mean Czar, as it took a lot for me to see it too. However, it is an excellent film with a great acting performance by Rourke (although not as good as Penn in Milk, imo) and a very good supporting actress performance by Tomei (one of the most underrated actresses of her generation). Plus, Tomei is nude! That should be reason enough

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

haha you are certainly entitled to your opinion, but saying it has "no business" being ranked higher is a bit harsh.

Doubt's ending reduced the film's value. The Wrestler was a bit one-note. And Elegy had some issues that reduced its value, as well.

For the record, Cruz should have won for Elegy and NOT for Vicky Cristina, although both were among the best supp. actress performances of last year.

i couldn't imagine a different ending. it perfectly reinforced

[Show spoiler] the underyling theme of doubt with regard to the priests guilt that was the main focus of the entire film. not a popular ending perhaps as its open-ended, but as is life and our self-doubt (ie. in 99.999% of cases, we never find out if our actions were correct or not)

. i'd also take doubt, wrestler and gran torino over Revolutionary Road. for whatever reason, the relationship dynamics (gender-wise) in Revoluationary Road were not realisitic for the 1950's, so i couldn't take the movie very seriously.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by Wolverine1980

YES! Curious Case of Benjamin Button was a technical marvel and obviously well-done but good GOD if the story didn't just about put me to sleep. Then again I felt the same about Slumdog Millionaire and Milk so what do I know?

You are not alone. Those three films are not universally enjoyable. I was very attached and moved by Slumdog, but I know a lot of ppl that weren't. Milk was a very good film but could have been better (Luna and Franco should have been nominated over Brolin). And like Ebert and some others, I have no idea how Benj. Button moved ppl or allowed for any sort of emotional attachment. It should have stayed a comical short story, instead of being transformed into a romance and drama.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

One thing that is tough though, Squid, is having to order them like that. There are some films that to me are obviously better than others, but the ones in the top 10 are very difficult to order because I don't think there is much separating them and I just had to go based on gut feeling

I understand. Plus, you clarified that it was an attempt to order them objectively, not subjectively. I know my rankings of films would vary significantly between what I thought were well executed productions and what I was entertained by. I am very able to enjoy a bad movie and to dislike a well made one.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

i couldn't imagine a different ending. it perfectly reinforced

[Show spoiler] the underyling theme of doubt with regard to the priests guilt that was the main focus of the entire film. not a popular ending perhaps as its open-ended, but as is life and our self-doubt (ie. in 99.999% of cases, we never find out if our actions were correct or not)

. i'd also take doubt, wrestler and gran torino over Revolutionary Road. for whatever reason, the relationship dynamics (gender-wise) in Revoluationary Road were not realisitic for the 1950's, so i couldn't take the movie very seriously.

Fair enough, as always I respect your well-thought out opinions. I agree with what you said about Doubt in that it def reinforces the main theme of the film (presented in the opening sermon). It just felt a bit flat to me, even though like you, I have no idea how else it could have ended.

I also agree that the gender dynamics for Rev. Road were not completely realistic based on my understanding, but I just felt involved in the story despite not liking the characters, which to me is a rare thing. You really could mix up the order of my top 11, except #1, and I would be completely okay with it.

[CZAR]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

I can understand what you mean Czar, as it took a lot for me to see it too. However, it is an excellent film with a great acting performance by Rourke (although not as good as Penn in Milk, imo) and a very good supporting actress performance by Tomei (one of the most underrated actresses of her generation). Plus, Tomei is nude! That should be reason enough

Yea the film looks so cheap to me whenever I see previews etc....it just looks unappealing and i have heard great things about it. I dont know maybe Ill get the nerve to watch. Especially with Tomei getting nude! Got Em!!

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by CZAR

Yea the film looks so cheap to me whenever I see previews etc....it just looks unappealing and i have heard great things about it. I dont know maybe Ill get the nerve to watch. Especially with Tomei getting nude! Got Em!!

That gritty/cheap look is intentional, it adds to the mood/setting of the movie and I think that's a good thing. The movie as a whole is very moving and depressing but worth seeing at least once. I may see it again soon myself, who knows?

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

i couldn't imagine a different ending. it perfectly reinforced

[Show spoiler] the underyling theme of doubt with regard to the priests guilt that was the main focus of the entire film. not a popular ending perhaps as its open-ended, but as is life and our self-doubt (ie. in 99.999% of cases, we never find out if our actions were correct or not)

. i'd also take doubt, wrestler and gran torino over Revolutionary Road. for whatever reason, the relationship dynamics (gender-wise) in Revoluationary Road were not realisitic for the 1950's, so i couldn't take the movie very seriously.

Couldnt agree more about the ending of Doubt. I felt it enhanced the whole theme of the movie. Very satisfying for me.

I also agree about Rev Road. That is exactly what broke it for me. I felt the pacing at which the conflicts escalated was unrealistically accelerated. Her bipolaresque behavior was too introspective and not just symptomatic. I blame the director, not either of the leads though. The dysfunction didnt hae a "real" feeling to it.

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

You are not alone. Those three films are not universally enjoyable. I was very attached and moved by Slumdog, but I know a lot of ppl that weren't. Milk was a very good film but could have been better (Luna and Franco should have been nominated over Brolin). And like Ebert and some others, I have no idea how Benj. Button moved ppl or allowed for any sort of emotional attachment. It should have stayed a comical short story, instead of being transformed into a romance and drama.

agreed: Benjamin Button had great performances, but I couldn't identify with anything in the film. nothing. it was a mental concept at a distance, too far away to grasp or go on an emotional journey. I know it was kind of a fantasy/drama combo, which isn't easy to pull off (if its fantasy, how do i take it seriously?). Big Fish did pull this off, which is one of my favorite films.

Milk was a good movie, although not in my top list for that year. I thought it would have been better to break up into 2 parts: one part for Milk's personal life and the other for his political life/obstacles. By merging the two into one film, it just got muddled up IMO

[Sponge-worthy]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

i couldn't imagine a different ending. it perfectly reinforced

[Show spoiler] the underyling theme of doubt with regard to the priests guilt that was the main focus of the entire film. not a popular ending perhaps as its open-ended, but as is life and our self-doubt (ie. in 99.999% of cases, we never find out if our actions were correct or not)

. i'd also take doubt, wrestler and gran torino over Revolutionary Road. for whatever reason, the relationship dynamics (gender-wise) in Revoluationary Road were not realisitic for the 1950's, so i couldn't take the movie very seriously.

I have to side with jhiggy. I found the "theme" of doubt to be completely artificial.

[Show spoiler]Streep's character, throughout the film, was absolutely convinced as to the priest's behavior. The only 'doubt' to be had was on the part of the audience because the movie affirmatively avoided the issue at hand and only showed the sides of the characters it wanted us to see. So, Streep is totally convinced this priest is an abuser, but after he corners himself...then she has doubt? I just didn't get it. Was Streep's character shifting into the audience's place just at the end so she could cry over all the 'doubt' we were supposed to have? Did she mean 'doubt' in a more abstract sense as to life in general?

The movie was very contrived in structure, but enjoyable for what it was...that is, until the nonsense ending dragged it below the bar.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by Wolverine1980

That gritty/cheap look is intentional, it adds to the mood/setting of the movie and I think that's a good thing. The movie as a whole is very moving and depressing but worth seeing at least once. I may see it again soon myself, who knows?

+1


Although I haven't purchased it yet bc idk how much replay value it would have for me--it is draining.

[Sponge-worthy]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

agreed: Benjamin Button had great performances, but I couldn't identify with anything in the film. nothing. it was a mental concept at a distance, too far away to grasp or go on an emotional journey. I know it was kind of a fantasy/drama combo, which isn't easy to pull off (if its fantasy, how do i take it seriously?). Big Fish did pull this off, which is one of my favorite films.

Milk was a good movie, although not in my top list for that year. I thought it would have been better to break up into 2 parts: one part for Milk's personal life and the other for his political life/obstacles. By merging the two into one film, it just got muddled up IMO

I was offended at just how ineffective Button was on the whole...especially after all the hype it got. I liked Milk a lot, but I only wished that it would drawn out Brolin's character a little more, given how important his actions are in the story.