Encore’s Birthday Marathon: Day 16

Part of my ongoing Birthday Marathon (four days to go until D-Day. And my birthday is on D-Day.)
   
After I finished my poetry course this semester I gave my lecturer a copy of Bright Star. Keats was one of the 19th century poets we were studying so I considered it apt. Bright Star, after multiple viewings, still leaves me entrance and I’d wager that it’s not just because of the excellent cinematography. Cinema might be my biggest love, but literature was my first. So, even if it doesn’t retain primary residence in my heart anymore it does have irrevocable tenancy. This is why I’m so fond of films where the two coalesce.

            

ours, Even though Bright Star is hardly Keats’ story – not exclusively, at least, Campion still manages to retain that saturation of bliss that I’ve come to think of when I remember the Romantic era. It reminds me of that other gem on a literary figure – Shakespeare in Love.It’s odd, like Bright Star there are moments when Shakespeare in Love seems more fascinated by its heroine that the great man behind her (or in front of her?). Fanny and Viola both get the juiciest bits of the film and both films end with them taking a walk of solitude. Abbie might not have gotten an Oscar nomination (she and the film were egregiously absent from the awards that year) but her performance like tends to endure much more than Whishaw’s in the same way that almost everyone seems top have forgotten how brilliant Fiennes was. Unfortunately.

         

I love The Hours and I think that the triage of women dole out some of their finest performances but like any film which has the narratives divvied up, I can’t help but pick a favourite and it’s Virginia’s portion which I find most appealing. You’d think that something like writing a novel would make for a tedious viewing experience but Stephen Daldry (shamefully underrated, despite those three Oscar nods) some keen visionary concepts on making it work.

        

I’m willing to bet that any assiduous director could make a fine piece on some literary stalwarts. (Just as there are some which are less than exemplary.) I’m not certain as to the precise shortcoming of Becoming Jane but it’s an incredibly turgid experience. I’m almost certain that any target audience of such a film would be a literary fanatic and Becoming Jane seems to have forgotten that (which is a shame, because Austen seems like a capital woman). Even though it’s hardly an impeccable cinematic entity the honesty with which Richard Eyre approaches the life of Iris Murdoch makes for an earnest (if occasionally docile) tale. And he manages to churn out three excellent performances. So, kudos there.

        

Whatever became of that F. Scott Fitzgerald movie? I could probably put forth a host of literary folk I’d like to get their cinematic treatment, beginning with Tennessee Williams. What say you?

"L'amour."

The young....

and the old...

Decade in Review, Revisited: 25 Tear Jerking Scenes (Part Two) - Overdue

So, 2011 is here and I still have outstanding posts from 2010. So just because I just have to complete the list I’ll give it now, even though it’s dreadfully overdue. I gave you fifteen runners up a couple of months ago – tear jerking moments of the aughts. Here are the final ten. Sometimes it’s difficult to pinpoint the actual cause of tears shed vicariously for cinematic creations, but these ten are most salient.

Potentially Heavy Spoilers ahead: Be Warned

                       

#10: Brokeback Mountain: “I Swear” (Guilty Party: Heath Ledger)

The more I see Brokeback Mountain the less I like it, Michelle Williams is still the only thing I find egregiously poor about it – and it’s still a fine film, just not one I’d go crazy over. I’m never even that convinced of the brilliance that is Heath Ledger’s performance in it (I’d probably pick Jake for best in show); well until the last few moments, that is. The older his character grows the better grip Ledger seems to have on himand that line at the end of the film is just a brilliant line reading. It’s sort of an encapsulation of all the things about the film and Heath makes it work brilliantly. Depressingly.

#9: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: “Some People Dance...” (Guilty Party: David Fincher)

The entire closing monologue of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a well handled tearjerker. I’d say it’s prosaic, and I wouldn’t mean it as insult. It’s a bit like a role-call of sorts and seeing all the persons who’ve played a role in Benjamin’s life makes me teary eyed for some reason. And, of course, it’s that final line for Daisy that’s the cinch. Fincher’s epic, of sorts, will continue to be polarising but I’ll continue to be a big fan of it.

#8: Bright Star: Departure (Guilty Party: Ben Whishaw and Abbie Cornish)

I’ll be honest, sometimes Bright Star is just a lesson in poetic sadness. It’s that much more brilliant because it’s moving even when it’s just being glib about it. The final scene that Ben and Abbie share together comes to mind immediately. The two have had a fairytale romance of sorts (unconsummated) and both know that he’s going to die in Italy. They lie on the bed, their bodies making a heart, and talk about the future that will never happen. I deliberately avoid romances like these, but I don’t what it is that makes Jane Campion’s tale so brilliant – it’s a “you had to be there” experience”. It’s easily the saddest part of the film for me…a relationship heading nowhere, and fast.

#7: Moulin Rouge: The Death (Guilty Party: Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor)

Is there anything more of a killer in 19th century literature than consumption? It’s weird – we already know Satine is dying but Baz distracts us with the elephant medley so that Satine’s death manages to still be surprising and even more ridiculously depressing

#6: The Hours: Crying (Guilty Party: Meryl Streep)

I singled out Clarissa Vaughn as my favourite Streep performance of the past decade. She has many moments of brilliance – a number of them opposite Ed Harris; but it’s a solitary scene opposite Jeff Daniels that fits the bill here. The two are reminiscing about their mutual friend and Clarissa gets too caught up in the pass, it’s an odd moment – and probably difficult to pull off. She moves from lucid to snivelling in almost a split second. Her line reading of “Don’t come any closer” is a favourite of mine. I’ve said it before, I don’t always love Streep but when she impresses me it’s brilliant.

#5: The Constant Gardener: Returning Ghosts (Guilty Party: Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz)

I don’t know if it’s just me, but for some reason Fernando Mereilles’ 2005 tour de force (says me) The Constant Gardener doesn’t seem to get the appreciation it deserves. It’s impeccably helmed by Mereilles and despite occasional snatches of incongruity the brilliant performances of Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz make up for it. The Constant Gardener is many things in one – a love story, a thriller, an espionage tale...on and on. In the final moments of the film we may have realised the “whodunit” of the entire thing but there’s no closure until the ghost of Tessa shows up to lead Justin away. It sounds so very schmaltzy but there’s some honest and wonderful about it. Weisz and Fiennes really work excellently together and that (imagined) reunion is just a fine bit of emotion, well played.

#4: Atonement: Monologue (Guilty Party: Joe Wright)

Why is the end of Atonement so sad? I can’t say; it just is. Unfulfilled dreams are always depressing, and Vanessa Redgrave is all kinds of brilliant (but that’s a given). She only needs a few moments to make me gloomy, and with the camera on her alone for so much of that monologue she delivers completely. Bring on the waterworks.

#3: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings “My Captain” (Guilty Party: Sean Bean Viggo Mortensen)

We see a number of deaths in The Lord of the Rings series, but it’s the first (main) one that I find the most striking. Sean Bean’s Boromir is unfortunately forgotten, but he’s excellent. He has the tough task of playing the anti-Aragorn character and his final moments are probably the most moving part of the first film. It’s when he tells Aragorn, “I would have followed you, my captain” that’s the cinch though. Mortensen’s facial response is golden.

#2: Revolutionary Road: Running (Guilty Party: Leonardo DiCaprio)

Revolutionary Road would definitely easily make it on any list of most depressing films of the aughts, well ever to be honest. Depressing, though it is (really, this was one of the most emotionally draining films of the aughts for me), I still can’t help admiring it. It’s a tug-of-war as to who comes out on top – Kate or Leo. They both do excellent work and Kate’s final scenes already make you a little tearful, but as far as tear jerking goes it’s all Leo. When he finds out about April death’s it’s the film’s most harrowing moment (and that’s saying a lot). It all culminates in him running (and crying), from the hospital, from April from the mistakes. It’s a nice bit of direction from Mendes and it’s a brilliant moment for Leo.

#1: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King: Credits (Guilty Party: Peter Jackson)

The biggest tearjerker of the decade for me wasn’t even any singular moment of sadness – it was just the culmination of hours upon hours of epic fantasy. I was never a big fan of Frodo (Tolkien’s Frodo or Jackson’s) but the final moments of the film as he makes his way away from the Shire as Sam makes his way back works well in its simplicity. But it’s when Annie Lennox’s “Into the West” comes on that the sadness really sinks in. I’m not sure if it’s sadness per se but it’s something akin – okay, maybe it was exhaustion. Still, it’s definitely the biggest reason for waterworks this past decade, for me.

                 

So, it’s terribly late – but am I the only who went teary at these moments of cinematic sadness?

Decade in Review, Revisited: 25 Tear Jerking Scenes (Part One)

I got the inspiration for this post months ago from here. I promised to followup since then, and then the meme made me remember how much I cry at movies. I can’t remember the last time I cried in real life (I’m an emotional cripple), but I’m happy to share pain vicariously with fictional characters. It would be too much to trudge through all the films I’ve seen, I’ll stick to the last decade. Today, bottom fifteen in alphabetical order. Next time, the top ten.

Each entry has the potential to be a  spoiler-ish entry, if you haven’t seen it don’t read.
           
Atonement: Tete a tete, En Francais (Guilty Party: Romola Garai)

Briony’s adeptness in what she refers to as “school French” never fails to elicit an eye roll from me. Nonetheless, Atonement I’m already a big fan of Romola here and she’s responsible for one of Atonement’s most moving scenes. The conversation with the soldier seems odd at first, and perhaps it still is, but it works simply because Romola puts so much effort into it. Her eyes are always at work, and though it could be a bit too on the nose it’s still a brilliant moment of poignancy.
          
Avatar: Graces Dies (Guilty Party: James Cameron and Sigourney Weaver)
Call it what you will, but cold would be a dubious accusation to mete out to Avatar. The death of Grace is the most poignant. Maybe it’s because it’s Sigourney, the film’s strongest “actor”…maybe it’s just the realisation of the scope of the destruction that has occurred. Either way, her death is the film’s most moving moment (more than the burning of the tree) and a definite tearjerker.

Away From Her: “Forsaken” (Guilty Party: Julie Christie)
I’m still not certain on how I feel about Away From Her. It seems so manipulative at times, and then starkly honest at others. Either way, I like Julie Christie in it. The moment in the film that always causes me to tear up is the ending. What will happen with Fiona and Grant? Has she really regained lucidity? Alzheimer’s is just a thoroughly depressing disease throughout and Christie just makes it all the more sad.

Babel: Confession (Guilty Party:Boubker Ait El Caid)
Babel had a number of poignant moments, but the most moving came from the arc’s that’s usually most forgotten. The plot point of the two brother’s inadvertent foray into crime fails to hit home at times, but the climax makes it worth it. Boubker Ait El Caid’s confession is brilliant (for a child actor and for an adult) and yes, the words are overly precise. But it doesn’t matter. It’s too distressing for me to care.

Big Fish: The Funeral (Guilty Party: Tim Burton)
Burton gets called out for being too irreverent. Pity those detractors didn’t see Big Fish, one of the decade’s strongest films. The moment where Billy Crudup lifts his father into the water surrounded by all the “characters” we’ve met is the film’s most brilliant scene and it’s oh, so moving. It’s a tribute to parents and it goes to show that Tim Burton really can do anything, perhaps not as prolific as some, but in his own way – still excellent.

Bright Star: Crying (Guilty Party: Abbie Cornish)
It’s Abbie’s strongest moment, which is odd considering that her Fanny is built on keeping her emotions in check. We know John will die, she knows John will die and yet… It’s one of those rare bouts of crying on screen that’s realistic. Even as she says lines like “I can’t breathe” there’s no doubt that she really can’t breathe. It’s the sort of blunt sadness Jane Campion isn’t averse to showing and Abbie rises to the occasion, brilliantly. More of this.

Cold Mountain: Death (Guilty Party: Nicole Kidman)
Although I’d hardly attribute Nicole’s talents to solely being a good reactor, her brilliance in Cold Mountain (yes, brilliance) comprises her stellar ability to the more overt acting of her cast members and make her Ada Munroe work. She has already reacted to a death earlier in the film (her father), but of course it’s Inman’s death that’s the emotional juggernaut. I do think Jude Law is rather good here, but this moment is all Nicole.

Finding Neverland: The Performance (Guilty Party: Kate Winslet)
I have a soft spot for Finding Neverland and though it gets too saccharine at times I’m willing to cut it some slack, particularly in the final moments of Kate’s performance. “Peter Pan” has always been a distressing tale in its own right, and juxtaposed with the eventual death of Sylvia it only becomes more so.

Gosford Park: “Don’t cry, they’ll hear.” (Guilty Parties: Helen Mirren and Eileen Atkins)
I think, at the end of the day Gosford Park is a comedy, but that doesn’t stop Helen from eliciting a few tears. We don’t expect to get so caught up in the revelations of paternity and such, and Helen “perfect servant” Mirren’s confession doesn’t seem that emotional. Of course, she’s putting on a mask. Her stilted entry into the room, and then Eileen’s quiet line reading is just so painful (yet brilliant) to watch.

I’ve Loved You So Long: Confession (Guilty Party: Kristin Scott Thomas)
I’ve Loved You So Long is, in its way, as emotionally manipulative as many. Kristin makes me forget about that. It’s all leading up to inevitable revelation and though it’s just a trifle odd it doesn’t make it any less sad. 2008 was not as poor a film year as many think, a number of gems were just unjustly ignored.

Little Miss Sunshine: A Hug (Guilty Party: Paul Dano)

I still marvel at Paul Dano’s brilliance in Little Miss Sunshine. The scene in question is probably my favourite scene of the film. Dwayne has just had his freak-out with his parents and leaves the bus angrily to sit on the road. Olive comes up behind and gives him a hug that’s so unexpected, and yet do realistic. It’s just one of the many reasons Little Miss Sunshine is as good as we think it is.

A Mighty Heart: Crying (Guilty Party: Angelina Jolie)
Hopefully this will go down as one of the forgotten gems of the last decade. Like Abbie’s moment this is important for the crying, though it’s more a scream than a cry. From the moment Marianne learns of her husband’s death we anticipate waterworks, but the way the waterworks come is so unexpected, almost as if we’re watching something we shouldn’t be privy to. Angelina is so bloody brilliant here.

Mona Lisa Smile: Bicycles (Guilty Party: Kristin Dunst)

Who hasn’t been touched by a teacher in their lives? Mona Lisa Smile has its problems (the cast, though, isn’t one of them). The ending of the film sees the student cast riding bicycles as Julia Roberts’ bohemian teacher departs in the car. It’s Kristin Dunst who steals the moment though. She was the toughest student to win over and her frantic refusal to stop riding (you’re on a bicycle, damn it) is post ridiculous and sad. Letting go just isn’t that simple.

Mystic River: Parade (Guilty Parade: Marcia Gay Harden)

I will forever tout Mystic River as Clint Eastwood’s (lone) masterpiece. Evocative, provocative and poignant. The thing is, I’m never inclined to get teary eyed through out the machination of the main three (even Sean’s bloodcurdling scream or Tim’s moving “confession”). It's as if I’m seeing it, but not feeling it…until the end. When Marcia walks frantically through the street at that dismal parade it’s as if all the drama finally reaches it’s peak and we realise how morose the lives of these people are. And Marcia does it all without uttering a single word. brilliant? I think so too.

You Can Count On Me: Ending (Guilty Parties: Laura Linney and Mark Ruffalo)

I mentioned my allegiance to this sibling pairing a few days ago. It’s the only ending that would have worked for You Can Count On Me, but it doesn’t make Terry’s departure any less sad. What’s the lesson we learned? Sometimes it’s easier to love from afar? I don’t know. Who does? The departure is real though, it works and Laura and Mark delivering brilliant performances is a significant part of that.

   

Have you shed a tear for any of these scenes?
           
(Care to wager which ten films make my top ten? Hints: a quasi stranger in a kitchen, a sexless goodbye in a bedroom, running through the streets, end credits, return of a “ghost”, death of a warrior, voiceover, revelation of truths, montage of characters, a lover’s promise, death of a star. Those are the clues…)

Movie Meme, Day 21: Favourite Romantic Couple

So, Kate somewhat monopolised the whole thing…(ALL FOR THE MEME)

Decade in Review, Revisited: Filial Love

The Family Stone was regarded as something of a flop when it opened at the end of 2005. I have a wan appreciation for the film, even with its egregious faults (it is a bit too prosaic at times, no?). One of the things it does manage to pull off, for the most part, is the rapport between siblings. I’m still most impressed with Diane Keaton’s somewhat acerbic mother-bear, but The Family Stone is most interesting when it takes a look at the sibling pairings, even if I don’t understand them. Claire Danes and Sarah Jessica Parker must be two of the oddest cinematic sisters I can recall. Their relation, despite it’s nicety, is a bit problematic though. The film sees Parker’s Meredith being left out of her prospective fiancé’s family gathering. For some inexplicable the family however falls head over heels in love with Meredith’s sister. Even odder, despite their apparent loathing of Meredith they easily acquiesce to Meredith’s eventual dalliance with his bohemian brother. Odd indeed. But I forgive them their contrivances, because it’s all so sincerely acted. I like seeing siblings onscreen, it’s rarely seen as the A-plot, though.

BROTHER / SISTER

I’ve never been fond of Rachel McAdams – she doesn’t strike me as particularly talented. But her cantankerous Amy is just right without being exaggerated. I hate that she and Mulroney have so little screen time with each other; they do have that peculiar bit of chemistry that works as siblings. It reminds me of Keira Knightley and Patrick Kennedy in Atonement. Yes, Atonement is remembered for its sister/sister pairing, but that moment when Cecilia comes running down the stairs to hug her brother (“I’ve been going doolally here, without you.” She says.) is nicely played. Atonement finds its charm in never giving us more information than necessary, but I do wonder if Cee really did never speak to him again. It’s a bit of a find to see a brother and sister who don’t hate each other. Much of Freaky Friday encompasses Anna fostering a misguided loathing of her brother. I still don’t really understand people who loathe their siblings…but I suppose being on the same wavelength with a sibling is weird. If I could call any 2006 movie a guilty pleasure it might be Nancy Meyers’ The Holiday. One of my favourite random moments come midway through the film when an incensed Iris (Kate Winslet) realises that her brother, Graham (Jude Law), has slept with her house guest. I recent Meyers just a little for pairing Jude and Kate in a movie with hardly any contact, but the strange niceness of the conversation is a treat – in its way. It’s random, but believable. It’s a bit like the relationship of the siblings in another Meyers film – It’s Complicated – another rare treat where siblings (gasp) actually don’t hate each other. A comment on IMDB amused me, a fan said he doubted the film’s realism because the siblings were just too close. Zoe Kazan still annoys me to no end (like she did in The Private Lives of Pippa Lee), but the connection among the Hunter Parrish, Lake Bell and even Kazan is a key part of why the movie charms me, even if I still don’t love it.

Dreamgirls has an entire subplot of sorts dedicated to the brother/sister turmoil. I don’t exactly buy it, Hudson’s skill of a drama actress is…well, sparse. Effie is a bit of a bully, so I don’t exactly blame C. C. for his actions, though I would have liked if they’d kept the number “Effie, Sing My Song”. It wasn’t as authentic as other sibling pairings, but the attempt was poignant in its own way. I think of Paul Dano and Abigail Breslin in Little Miss Sunshine and I always smile (the former of which I’d have given an Oscar or something akin). That single moment where Olive comes out of the bus to hug him on the grass erases any disbelief I would usually have at the craziness (albeit hilarity) of the film; she probably got it from her mother who's letting her brother stay with the family, despite his mental drama. Of course, when it comes to brothers and sisters no films resonate as much as You Can Count on Me and The Savages, incidentally both starring Laura Linney. I’m more in love with the former, but the profundity of sibling relationships is handled brilliantly in both. It’s not often we see such a relationship on screen, but few moments of the decade were as honestly emotional as those last few in You Can Count on Me

BROTHER/BROTHER

For some reasons, brothers don’t always have each others’ back When I think of brothers this past decade I immediately think of Philip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke in Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead – and that’s not a pleasant picture of sibling relationships.  I suppose Richard Kind and Michael Stuhlberg in A Serious Man are a step up, but they're not ideal either. I’m still conflicted on the film, and even the relationship between the brothers confuses me at times, Larry’s dream seems just a little too fanciful and pat for me to take it at face value. It’s the same way I still don’t believe Wilson’s Ben and Mulroney’s Everett can really be that close of brothers when the credits role for the The Family Stone, but maybe that’s just me. Eric Bana spends the entire of Troy fighting a battle for his brother, a battle I don’t think he believes. That’s a rare bit of brotherly love right there. I like Troy, so does Heather so I’m not alone, I like Orlando Bloom in it too (I wish he’d do something more before having to resort to a life as Legolas). I’m much less wont to accept that Tommy’s good deeds in Brothers are because of his devotion to his brother, although I’m probably cynical like that. I still wish the film had examined a little more of the relationship between the two, Maguire and Gylenhaal are quite believable as brothers.

Casting is important with siblings, I believe in the siblings in Finding Neverland, even though they never really have any significant amount of interaction. I believe in Heather Ledger and Matt Damon in The Brothers’ Grimm too. It’s one of many films that suffered from a misleading ad campaign, but I like it – in its way. I don’t like Matt’s other brother/brother pairing, Stuck On You. The film leaves me with a bad taste in the mouth. I suppose brothers are better as antagonists than being joined at the hip. Who could forget William Hurt and Viggo Mortenson in A History of Violence? Not I. They meet for a few moments, but I’m damned if it isn’t the strongest portion of an already strong film. Am I the only one who’d be interested in a prequel of them back in their heyday as gangsters?

       

SISTER/SISTER

Antagonistic sisters are just as common, though I still wonder if Briony ever harboured any hate towards her sister. Those few minutes at the beginning of Atonement where Keira and Saoirse lounge on the grass are so well played. I suppose, in her way, Briony thought she was helping – but there’s something so disingenuous about her, especially in Ronan’s characterisation. It’s why I cling all the more to the older Briony’s meeting with her. I’m won over to easily by Romola, but still. Keira and she work well together, even though it’s mere moments. But who doesn’t Keira work well with? Pride & Prejudice is still so enjoyable simply because those five actresses make a believable quintet of sisters. Rosamund and Keira gossiping in their bedroom after the first meeting with Darcy Bingley retains all the ease of Austen’s prose, and that alone is difficult. I’m even willing to believe Elizabeth would be so strong (and hard) headed about a vicarious thrill at seeing her sister happily married. Let me revert to Romola, though. I didn’t enjoy I Capture the Castle, even though it proves that Romola is more than worthy of a leading role. I’m mixed on what I think of Rose Byrne, though. The two work but then again they don’t. It’s a bit like Cameron Diaz and Toni Collette in In Her Shoes. I always find that pairing unequivocally odd every time I think of it. It just doesn’t seem logical, even though the film is sweet in its bauble like way (and Shirley MacLaine is always a plus). Sisters at odds with each other will forever pervade, though. Like Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman in The Other Boleyn – a film I despise as much as it’s horrible source. There’s something just too pedestrian about having Anne and Mary battle for the king’s affection. Natalie rules the film’s first half, and Scarlett the second – though neither of them (or a nice bit role from Kristin Scott Thomas) can salvage the film.

That sort of antagonistic love among sisters occurs in Rachel Getting Married. Sooner or later I think I’ll have to review this film, I don’t love it and I don’t love Anne Hathaway in it – but I find Rosemarie DeWitt to be simply flawless. Overall, the hate/love between the two sisters works; like it does with Nicole Kidman and Jennifer Jason Leigh in Margot at the Wedding. I only now realise the similarities with the fuckup sister turning up for the other one’s wedding, although acerbic Margot would have the sly Kym for lunch, dessert even. Gosford Park never stays on one subject too long, but the sibling rivalry among Sylvia, Lavinia and Constance is too palpable to ignore – especially when Sylvia’s husband is much too fond of her sister. Kristin Scott Thomas’ other pairing with an actress is more lucrative (sibling wise). A significant portion of I’ve Loved You So Long’s beauty comprises the relationship between the two sisters, who make a tentative start for reunion. In retrospect Elsa Zylberstein is every bit as good as Kristin in her role, though sadly neither woman was really remembered that year. Speaking of ignored, Le Divorce harbours another beautiful sister/sister pairing – Naomi Watts and Kate Hudson – that went by ignored. Kate and Naomi are brilliant together; even in silly bits (a moment where the two imitate bowing swans is beautifully played). It’s the simple moments that make those filial bonds seem real, like in Bright Star Abbie Cornish’s random “I love you!” to her sister after reading one of Keats’ letter. I love that moment in the field, no less because Edie Martin is just an adorable child actor and her line reading of “Fanny wants a knife, to kill herself” never fails to amuse me. In the Upside of Anger the four sisters lay on the grass after their father has left. The four actresses look nothing like each other, and even less like their “mother” Joan Allen – but it all works because they have the believability thing going despite the obvious things working against them...and on the best of days, what more could we ask for?

I’m woefully enamoured by film that feature sibling love prominently, though it’s not all bad when they’re at each others throats. Which of the films featured stand out at you the most this past decade?

    

Featured Films (Alpha): Atonement (2007), Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007), Bright Star, Brothers (2009), The Brothers Grimm (2005), Le Divorce (2003), Dreamgirls (2006), The Family Stone (2005), Finding Neverland (2004), Freaky Friday (2003), Gosford Park (2001), A History of Violence (2005), The Holiday (2006), I Capture the Castle (2003), In Her Shoes (2005), It’s Complicated (2009), I’ve Loved You So Long (2008), Little Miss Sunshine (2006), Margot at the Wedding (2007), The Other Boleyn Girl (2008), Pride & Prejudice (2005), Rachel Getting Married (2008), The Savages (2007), A Serious Man (2009), Stuck On You (2003), Troy (2004), The Upside of Anger (2005), You Can Count On Me (2000)

Movie Meme, Day 3: Favourite Oscar Nominated Movie 2009 / 2010

No need to worry Carey...you're on the list...

This was another outrageously simple day in the meme. Anyone reading the blog from December to June would have seen me going all crazy for Carey Mulligan and An Education. It was my favourite film of the last season, although recently the #2 of the year has been edging closer and closer to the top spot. Right now it’d be a tough choice for me to choose which is my favourite – hence, I’m featuring both today.

...You too Ben...

I have a bit of an unusual appreciation of British films (or at least, British actors) so the #1/#2 status of An Education / Bright Star is not exactly astonishing, for me at least. In my extremely nepotistic (naturally) personal awards canon the two films were my favourite for acting (Whishaw and Schneider of Bright Star, Mulligan of An Education), writing (screenplays for both), song (An Education), score (Bright Star) and runner ups in a host of other ones (including Molina and Pike from An Education and Cornish from Bright Star). Just in case you don’t know what they’re about…

        

An Education (complicatedly, and inadequately, reviewed) is a coming-of-age pseudo drama about a 16 year old school girl in Twickenham, England. And Bright Star (semi-reviewed along with A Single Man and Crazy Heart) tells the story of the last few years of John Keats – poetic royalty – life. Both films garnered most notices (Oscar aside, grrr) for the performances of their leading ladies and considering that Carey and Abbie were one / two in my Actress profile of the last year – the accolades weren’t underserved. I mentioned Carey’s turn in my Performances of the Decade feature as I did with Ben Whishaw (as the eponymous Keats). Both actors have a knack for expert facial expressions. I’d love to see Abbie, Ben and Carey in a movie together.

Technically, there’s little that’s similar between the two – but it’s odd how Cara Seymour and Kerry Fox both give brilliant (albeit short) supporting turns as the mothers of our heroines, and Paul Schneider and Alfred Molina (#1/#2 on my Supporting Actor List) were unjustly ignored for performances that seemed overwrought but were more expertly executed than some seemed to realised. There’s also the fact that both pieces were directed by women. Sure, Kathryn Bigelow was the woman everyone was going wild for last year, but it’s a pity Scherfig and especially Jane Campion couldn’t be more appreciated for their contributions (Campion also wrote the screenplay).

I’ve gotten over Oscar’s fickleness, I'm okay with the fact that Bright Star managed to get only one Oscar nomination and that together the two films won 0. Right now, I'm just glad that 2009 offered two (and more) excellent films. whenever I do eventually revamp my top 100 list to include recent films I’m not sure if An Education or Bright Star would come out higher – but they’d both be there. I do love them both...

           

Which do you prefer?

       

And herein ends another day of the MEME…

“Beautiful”

I’m still on a semi-break (until tomorrow when most of the horrid exams will be done) but I couldn’t help but take up the baton from Jose and list ten beautiful screen-couples. He gave ten excellent ones, and challenged me to do the same. It’s a task that’s endless because there are so many options to choose from. Should I go only classic? Should I go only modern? Should I take acting into account? Should I include platonic relationships…? What to do…what to do…? Now would probably be the right time to tell you that I’m really neurotic about list making (and everything really, but more on that subsequently). The list is not spontaneous, I put some amount of thought into this – even though it’s very possible I’ve still missed out on a few. I considered beauty of the actors, beauty of the characters and all around loveliness.

                       

I weighed whether or not to include any of Jose’s choices…but I decided not to: though Natalie and Warren in Splendor in the Grass would feature somewhere. So take a look at my un-impulsive list.

                   

#10: Montgomery Clift and Donna Reed in From Here to Eternity

REVIEWED

From Here to Eternity is more remembered for that other fateful pairing and their gyrations on the beach, thus Monty’s greatest performance is forgotten and so is Reed’s richly deserved Oscar win. He’s playing a soldier in World War II, and she’s playing a hooker with a heart of gold. Reed has got to be one of the most forgotten actors of her generations (and it’s not as if she didn’t star in popular films), though I suppose she doesn’t have that “individual” look of someone like, for example, Elizabeth Taylor. She pairs up excellently, with Clift (though of course, who doesn’t?) and though her arc is not the strongest of the film’s they do pull out good performances whilst looking good.

#9: Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

REVIEWED

The muted response to Benjamin Button only continues a year and a half after its release. I was, as I’ve intimated, a fan and though the film loves to lacerate both our stars in cakes of makeup when they finally do correspond in looks and age it is lovely to watch. It’s not just CGI as some of the more snarky dissenters have claimed, although if it is – it’s a flawless job. Cate is not conventionally pretty but she is beautiful to watch and though she’s not the most beautiful woman of her age bracket* (all things being subjective), she and Brad are just lovely to watch here.

#8: Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in Titanic

REVIEWED

Generic? You bet. What can I say, I’m like that. It’s very obvious, which I suppose makes it all the less inspired. Thank God Leo finally was able to cast off his “pretty boy status” (why is it bad for male actors to be good looking, but it’s a prerequisite with the women?). Kate Winslet is gorgeous here, red hair agrees with her and together the two are just beautiful to watch. It’s the sort of pairing that reeks of patency, but it’s still worth mentioning...I mean, how can I bet against them?

           

#7: Omar Sharif and Julie Christie in Doctor Zhivago

REVIEWED

I hate how Doctor Zhivago is rarely remembered seeing as I consider it to be one of the greatest pieces of the sixties (and my favourite piece from Lean). For me, Julie Christie is a softer version of Glenda Jackson (analogy: Jackson is to Blanchett as Christie is to Kidman). She doesn’t shy away from her looks, though. Notice how her iconic performances make ample use of her beautiful face (even when she’s past the conventional age of beauty). Omar Sharif has always had that very debonair charm that makes him seem to be a very personable man, and he sure has a distinctive face. The two seem as if they’d be an odd couple but in reality meld together so beautifully…hence their inclusion here.

#6: Joseph Fiennes and Gwyneth Paltrow in Shakespeare in Love

REVIEWED

Isn’t this another obvious choice? Maybe it’s the costumes from Sandy Powell that makes them all the more gorgeous…but they still look gorgeous together. Maybe, just maybe, I’m projecting residual Shakespeare love on to his screen incarnation and muse, but I don’t think so. How many ways can you write that they look gorgeous together? Not many. So just look…

#5: Ben Whishaw and Abbie Cornish in Bright Star

REVIEWED (sort of)

Ben Whishaw is almost too good-looking to be considered a man, and there are so many scenes where Cornish strikes me as a Nicole Kidman doppelganger, so it’s already on the list from that. I love Bright Star very much and it continues to grow on me as time goes by I cannot help but say that this is easily one of the most gorgeous young couples last decade. Young love is lovely to watch.

#4: Marlon Brando and Eva Marie Saint in On the Waterfront

REVIEWED

The reformed bad boy and the good Catholic girl is one of those romantic norms that continue to persist. Brando and Saint both won Oscars for their portrayals (deservedly so) and though they don't get romantic lighting or luminous costumes they bring out the essence of beauty. It's natural and it is always heartbreaking. That scene at the bar between the two is just a beauty.

#3: Ralph Fiennes and Kristin Scott Thomas in The English Patient

And another Fiennes…Katherine and Almasay are the type of couple that wouldn’t be out of place in a sixties classic and I suppose with Minghella's tendency to seem like Lean they wouldn't. Neither is as traditionally good looking as the cinema would have, but they are lovely especially Kristin whom I adore, and their pairing hear is just great. To think that Kristin almost lost the role...Minghella knew he was doing when he cast her.

#2: Leonardo Whiting and Olivia Hussey in Romeo & Juliet

REVIEWED

I always feel sad that this pair never went on to greater things. It is easily my favourite Shakespearean film and Zeffirelli’s choice of using actual youths (and newcomers) to portray the young couple is brilliant. It only strengthens their case when you notice the good performances that they give.

#1: Daniel Day Lewis and Michelle Pfeiffer in The Age of Innocence

REVIEWED

Now that they’re in their fifties and all sometimes we forget just how gorgeous this pair is. It was almost a case of too much beauty those moments between the two (though unconsumated) are just gorgeous to watch and when you realise they're doing some of their best work it becomes even more worthy of praise. They're not just looking like perfection...they are. This was the easiest choice on the list.

 * Incidentally, Nicole Kidman who is easily one of the most beautiful actresses is not here. Her pairing with Jude Law in the unfortunately maligned Cold Mountain (which I like) is #11...but I can't forgive it for acquiring two gorgeous thespians and covering them in mud.
              

PS. What do you think of my ten? Jose hates memes, but this is an excellent meme idea and I'm quite audacious so I'm extending an invitation, if you're interested submit your ten and link back to Jose.

Performances of the Decade (Male)

It’s usually logical that the more recent we’ve seen a film; the more likely we are to remember it. But, that doesn’t usually work for me. My favourites don’t always end up being my favourites instantaneously but grow into treasures after months (sometimes years) of careful perusal. I suppose, for this reason, I should have just excised 2009 performances from being eligible for consideration but it wouldn’t be performances of the decade with nine years. And I couldn’t leave out Carey or this inclusion, which is not merely coincidental but well deserved.
      
#10 Ben Whishaw in Bright Star (2009)

It’s anyone’s guess what the Bright Star of the title refers to. Is it just emulating the title of Keats’ work, is Keats’ talent a bright star or does it refer to Fanny Brawne? – The bright star in Keats’ life. It’s possible for it to be indicative of each of the previous and perhaps even more. Still, Bright Star is a story of an artist, a poet. Even though Bright Star exists more as a study of John Keats through the eyes of Ms. Brawne, I think of Whishaw’s pensive stare whenever I hear the film’s title, even though Abbie’s performance is laudable. I’ve commented on Whishaw’s performance before, and it’s not the typical performance that gains laurels, and Bright Star didn’t catch on with the awards’ bodies at all so his chances of getting recognition were small. But when have I ever been swayed by the awards?

The thing is: I can understand why this performance doesn’t leap out at you. Subtlety has been remembered by critics and audiences before but the entire of Bright Star is crafted in such a low key that save for Schneider’s excellent Mr. Brown no one has the obvious eye catching roles. Of course, that makes their performances so much more treasured. I find it interesting that Ben and Carey are the two 2009 performances that make my list since they have such similarities between them – and not just the British aspect. Something I find provocative in both their performances is their use of expression – the unreadable glances that we often see in people on the streets. And he does need to make good with his expressions because he doesn’t have much time to convince us with words. When Campion does give him the strong lines they’re never thoughts aloud but more symbolic, and the story does leave him to focus on Fanny for long periods. He needs to make his impression felt immediately, and he does – even though he says little. What does Keats think of Fanny on their first meeting as he studies her with his eyes? When he stumbles while reciting his poem at the Brawne home that almost unnoticeable glance at Fanny just before tells us all we need to know. Subtlety.

But he does deliver on his spoken lines too. “The point of diving in a lake is not immediately to swim to shore but to be in the lake, to luxuriate in the sense of water. You do not work out the lake; it is an experience beyond thought.” It’s my favourite line reading of the film, and though it holds potency as written word it becomes so much more profound when Ben says it. He pours so much into his lines and his expressions match. When he tells Fanny towards the end I have a conscience, it is not just a trivial line or steadfastness to some religious oath. We believe that Keats wouldn’t go to bed Fanny, and we don’t doubt or disprove him because for the period before we’ve come to know him – completely – all because of the excellent portrayal of Ben Whishaw. He had an unenviable task, playing a poet that we not only love, but sometimes worship. The saintly connotations are difficult to avoid, and Whishaw delivers.
        
Bright Star has not been wholly loved by you bloggers? And I suppose that it’s not really the story of Keats – but that doesn’t make the performance any less laudable. It’s good regardless of what category you place it in. Right?

Encore Awards: Results

Well, Oscars are tomorrow and I didn't want to post these after. It's my own edition of "If I Had A Ballot" - even if I'm not the best judge in some categories. Still, see what my picks look like in the MAIN CATEGORIES and the ARTISTIC AND TECH CATEGORIES.

Here's the rundown with who medalled the most.
Bright Star 11
Nine 7
An Education  6 
Avatar  6

The Messenger  3
Cheri 3
The Road  2


The Hurt Locker  2
The Fantastic Mr. Fox  2
Three Blind Mice  2
Coraline  2
Star Trek 2
Drag Me To Hell 2
In the Loop  1


The Lovely Bones 1

Moon  1
Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince 1

It's weird that something like The Hurt Locker which I liked only earned two medals, but oh well. Yay, for Bright Star though...thought it didn't win.
       
Tell me what you think? I want to hear your thoughts.

Decade in Review: Cinematic Romance