varundelpiero
Joined Oct 2008
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varundelpiero's rating
I intentionally waited a long time to see CHANGELING (as long as three months after its release) due in large part to the lukewarm reviews it received. I now believe that such reviews were given due to Clint Eastwood's long list of recent successes. While CHANGELING is not quite as good as his latest offerings, it is still a worthwhile and memorable watch.
The style of CHANGELING (reminiscent of the 'early decades of the 20th century' style used in L.A. CONFIDENTIAL, CHICAGO and CHINATOWN) is visually stunning, and Eastwood manages to infuse an element of film noir into the Motion Picture that I happen to really admire.
The story is a quite compelling and engrossing one, as expected of films of this nature, but in my opinion, there was too much focus on the secondary story and not enough on the primary one.
Angelina Jolie's acting is not as outstanding as many make it out to be, but it is still a fine piece of work. It's just that she seems lost in the role (not in a good way) and comes off as uncomfortable with such a difficult character to portray. Her Best Actress nomination seemed undeserved when compared to other strong performances that year that didn't make the final cut (most notably Kate Winslet in REVOLUTIONARY ROAD). The rest of the acting is quite excellent, as even the secondary characters deliver solid performances, and manage to outshine Jolie in many instances.
All I'm saying is that CHANGELING deserves a chance, regardless of its reviews. If you are a fan of CHINATOWN-styled film noir, you'll probably appreciate this. 9/10. 3.5 stars (out of 4). Should just about enter my Top 200 at 198. Highly recommended.
The style of CHANGELING (reminiscent of the 'early decades of the 20th century' style used in L.A. CONFIDENTIAL, CHICAGO and CHINATOWN) is visually stunning, and Eastwood manages to infuse an element of film noir into the Motion Picture that I happen to really admire.
The story is a quite compelling and engrossing one, as expected of films of this nature, but in my opinion, there was too much focus on the secondary story and not enough on the primary one.
Angelina Jolie's acting is not as outstanding as many make it out to be, but it is still a fine piece of work. It's just that she seems lost in the role (not in a good way) and comes off as uncomfortable with such a difficult character to portray. Her Best Actress nomination seemed undeserved when compared to other strong performances that year that didn't make the final cut (most notably Kate Winslet in REVOLUTIONARY ROAD). The rest of the acting is quite excellent, as even the secondary characters deliver solid performances, and manage to outshine Jolie in many instances.
All I'm saying is that CHANGELING deserves a chance, regardless of its reviews. If you are a fan of CHINATOWN-styled film noir, you'll probably appreciate this. 9/10. 3.5 stars (out of 4). Should just about enter my Top 200 at 198. Highly recommended.
Stephen Daldry's THE READER is another fine showcase of the acting range of Kate Winslet. Her performance here is breathtakingly wonderful as she manages to portray one of the most complex cinematic characters of 2008 in fine fashion. It is no real wonder she won the (long-overdue) Oscar for Lead Actress, but in my opinion, the award would have probably been more suited for her much under-appreciated work in the widely snubbed-for-no-real-reason REVOLUTIONARY ROAD.
THE READER's nomination for Best Picture came as a bit of a surprise but upon closer inspection one would realise that the direction, screenplay, and story were simply top-notch. Some credit must also go to young David Kross who performed his role admirably well. Ralph Fiennes is also as solid and reliable as ever.
My only real problem with THE READER was the way in which the story was told; in my opinion, there was no real need for the non-chronological, fragmented approach, as it would have been just as effective (and less annoying) if it was told in a more straightforward manner. Moreover, the film starts to lose its initial appeal after the first 2/3.While the events that occur in the last third of the film are somewhat important, they do little to progress the story. What was done in 35 minutes could have been achieved in about 15-20.
THE READER is a rare gem of a Motion Picture. Worth watching even if it's only for Kate Winslet's stunning performance. 8/10. 3.5 stars (out of 4). Should enter my Top 250 at 232. Highly recommended.
THE READER's nomination for Best Picture came as a bit of a surprise but upon closer inspection one would realise that the direction, screenplay, and story were simply top-notch. Some credit must also go to young David Kross who performed his role admirably well. Ralph Fiennes is also as solid and reliable as ever.
My only real problem with THE READER was the way in which the story was told; in my opinion, there was no real need for the non-chronological, fragmented approach, as it would have been just as effective (and less annoying) if it was told in a more straightforward manner. Moreover, the film starts to lose its initial appeal after the first 2/3.While the events that occur in the last third of the film are somewhat important, they do little to progress the story. What was done in 35 minutes could have been achieved in about 15-20.
THE READER is a rare gem of a Motion Picture. Worth watching even if it's only for Kate Winslet's stunning performance. 8/10. 3.5 stars (out of 4). Should enter my Top 250 at 232. Highly recommended.
Guy Ritchie burst onto the scene with the fast-paced and amazingly brilliant LOCK, STOCK, AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS, followed by the equally impressive SNATCH. Both films rank highly in my Top 20, and for that reason I absolutely adored, admired, and praised Guy Ritchie. Then came Madonna. And she ruined everything. Guy Ritchie was never the same after the marriage, directing the monstrosity that was SWEPT AWAY (with Madonna in the lead role, no less), followed by the garbled mess that was REVOLVER. ROCKNROLLA is supposed to represent Ritchie's return to his roots following the high-profile divorce, but it feels more forced and contrived than free-flowing and natural. Too much of the script feels borrowed and clichéd. It just doesn't live up to the promise of the first 10 minutes or so.
Nonetheless, it is a step in the right direction, and is something to build on. There was simply too much focus on the uninteresting sub-characters. The sub-characters in LOCK, STOCK, AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS and SNATCH. were at least interesting and captivating, and invoked a genuine cause for concern. That is not the case here. There is just not enough screen-time for Gerard Butler, Tom Wilkinson, or the stunning Thandie Newton. Rocknrolla himself is not well-developed, save for a few scenes mildly reminiscent of the style of the Guy Ritchie of old.
Again, the movie seems unnatural and forced. The ending is unsatisfactory and there is no real catharsis a movie like this may warrant. It's nowhere near as brilliant as his first two. But it's nowhere near as sickening as his previous two. 7/10 is quite generous, but I remain optimistic about what the future holds for Ritchie, now that he has gotten rid of the old (the very old) ball-and-chain. 2.5 stars. May appear on my Honourable Mention list. Maybe not. Hopefully, in the absence of Madonna, Ritchie can use this film as a stepping stone in the right direction. Rumours of a sequel cause me to salivate...but not much...
Nonetheless, it is a step in the right direction, and is something to build on. There was simply too much focus on the uninteresting sub-characters. The sub-characters in LOCK, STOCK, AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS and SNATCH. were at least interesting and captivating, and invoked a genuine cause for concern. That is not the case here. There is just not enough screen-time for Gerard Butler, Tom Wilkinson, or the stunning Thandie Newton. Rocknrolla himself is not well-developed, save for a few scenes mildly reminiscent of the style of the Guy Ritchie of old.
Again, the movie seems unnatural and forced. The ending is unsatisfactory and there is no real catharsis a movie like this may warrant. It's nowhere near as brilliant as his first two. But it's nowhere near as sickening as his previous two. 7/10 is quite generous, but I remain optimistic about what the future holds for Ritchie, now that he has gotten rid of the old (the very old) ball-and-chain. 2.5 stars. May appear on my Honourable Mention list. Maybe not. Hopefully, in the absence of Madonna, Ritchie can use this film as a stepping stone in the right direction. Rumours of a sequel cause me to salivate...but not much...