Tuesday, February 19, 2013
amour
"AMOUR"
This is a beautiful, painful, touching film.
It is about the twilight years of a long-time married couple, and the declining health of the wife. The collaboration of the two leading actors and the director is inspiring and truly shows when there is trust in the material and all those trying to bring something special and truthful to the screen---miraculous things can happen.
First....the two actors: Both, longtime stars in the French Cinema, Emmanuelle Riva and Jean-Louis Trintignant....are sublime!
What they bring to this extraordinary film is a history of performance and an understanding that goes way beyond being actors. It is who they are as people----the weight and depth of who they are and who they were, 'back in the day'. To cast these two people was genius, on the part of Writer/Director Michael Haneke!
Emmanuelle Riva was best known in America for the great great film, "Hiroshima, Mon Amour"
And Jean-Louis Trintignant was known here in The United States for "A Man And A Woman", as well as a number of other films: "Umberto D" and "The Conformist".....
And this film is a true work of Art!
Everything about it is perfection. It is deep and thoughtful and filled with love and what it means to love.
Part of the great beauty of this film is the economy of movement that the director has chosen in which to tell his story.
The way the film is shot, he often leaves the camera in one place for an entire scene. The result of this is an intimacy that makes you feel that you are sitting in the room, with them.
This film is up for Best Picture and Best Foreign Film, as well----it deserves both these Awards, and Emmanuelle Riva is up for Best Actress---at 85 years old, the oldest Nominee, ever! (She turns 86 on Oscar Sunday, February 24th....I hope she wins!)
Part of the great beauty of this film is the economy of movement that the director has chosen in which to tell his story.
The way the film is shot, he often leaves the camera in one place for an entire scene. The result of this is an intimacy that makes you feel that you are sitting in the room, with them.
The great Michael Haneke is Nominated for Best Director as well as for his Original Screenplay.
"AMOUR" won the highest honor at The Cannes Film Festival and it has garnered many other Awards, including, Ms. Riva winning the Best Actress at the BAFTA'S, just days ago.
This is not an easy picture to watch in many respects because it deals with very hard and painful things.
I urge you to see it in spite of that. The rewards are great. "AMOUR" is all about Life and Love and Loyalty.
You can't go wrong with these precious things.
More To Come.......
This is not an easy picture to watch in many respects because it deals with very hard and painful things.
I urge you to see it in spite of that. The rewards are great. "AMOUR" is all about Life and Love and Loyalty.
You can't go wrong with these precious things.
| posted by OldLady Of The Hills at 12:12:00 AM
Thursday, February 14, 2013
lincoln
"LINCOLN" is a very important film in many ways....Historically speaking, it covers just that portion of Lincoln's life and legacy that involves the 13th Amendment to the Constitution----the abolishing of Slavery. This Amendment was, in my view, and in many people's view, one of the most important in our Nations history
The film was based on historian Doris Kearns Goodwin's book about Abraham Lincoln and the Screenplay is by Tony Kushner, most well known for his epoch "Angels In America".
The film was directed by Steven Speilberg and the brilliantly talented Daniel Day-Lewis, plays Mr. Lincoln. One might say, he IS Abraham Lincoln.
It is a stunning performance.
My personal feelings about the film are mixed. There is no doubt that it is a very moving and important film, but I found it rather 'dry'. It is talkie and at times I found myself zoning out. Maybe seeing it on the small screen---(I saw everything on DVD's at home because of my health issues---) takes something away from the film; I don't know that. But, I watched it twice to make sure I didn't miss anything....
My biggest problem with the film started just a few moments into it.
There was a scene at the very beginning that seemed false to me---something I believe never would have happened---and that set a certain tone that took a lot away from the film, for me. That scene was not truthful, in my view, so that made me unsure of everything else that followed----NOT the passing of the Amendment itself, but all that led up to it, and how it actually was able to be passed. I think that was really unfortunate. And leaving out that one scene at the beginning would have changed everything about the honesty of the whole picture, for me, and I believe without that one false note, this would have been a much better film.
There are some truly wonderful performances in this film. Some say that Daniel Day-Lewis is a shoe-in for Best Actor---And it is a great performance, but....you never know.
Besides Daniel Day-Lewis, there is Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln, in a performance that shows why she is a two tine Oscar winner already..
And, Tommy Lee Jones, who was wonderful as well. In fact all the actors are exemplary.
This is going to be a very interesting Academy Awards. There are so very many truly wonderful and varied films and so very many extraordinary performances.
Is "LINCOLN" worth seeing?
Absolutely!
In spite of my reservations----
This is film-making at it's finest.
More To Come
The film was based on historian Doris Kearns Goodwin's book about Abraham Lincoln and the Screenplay is by Tony Kushner, most well known for his epoch "Angels In America".
The film was directed by Steven Speilberg and the brilliantly talented Daniel Day-Lewis, plays Mr. Lincoln. One might say, he IS Abraham Lincoln.
It is a stunning performance.
My biggest problem with the film started just a few moments into it.
There was a scene at the very beginning that seemed false to me---something I believe never would have happened---and that set a certain tone that took a lot away from the film, for me. That scene was not truthful, in my view, so that made me unsure of everything else that followed----NOT the passing of the Amendment itself, but all that led up to it, and how it actually was able to be passed. I think that was really unfortunate. And leaving out that one scene at the beginning would have changed everything about the honesty of the whole picture, for me, and I believe without that one false note, this would have been a much better film.
This is going to be a very interesting Academy Awards. There are so very many truly wonderful and varied films and so very many extraordinary performances.
Is "LINCOLN" worth seeing?
Absolutely!
In spite of my reservations----
This is film-making at it's finest.
More To Come
-
NOTE: A Very Happy Valentines Day to all of you!
| posted by OldLady Of The Hills at 12:11:00 AM
Friday, February 08, 2013
silver linings playbook
I really loved this film! It has everything that a good film should have: A great story; wonderful actors; it makes you laugh and it makes you cry, and, it has a happy ending!
Hallelujah!
I love this picture because it is about flawed people---every person in it is flawed, just like 'real life'. They are all kind of crazy---to one degree or another----just like real life, and they are all lovable in their craziness and in their flawed-ness! And most importantly, this film is about love and the power of love.
"Silver Linings Playbook" has been nominated in 8 major categories: Best Picture, Best Director-David O. Russell & Best Adapted Screenplay-David O. Russell, Best Editing-Jay Cassiday and Crispin Struthers, AND, the four main actors--Bradley Cooper-Best Actor, Jennifer Lawrence-Best Actress, Robert DeNiro-Best Supporting Actor; Jacki Weaver-Best Supporting Actress, have all been nominated for an Oscar---this hasn't happened since....well, I'm not sure when....but it was a very long long time ago!
It is wonderful to see De Niro in a role that gives him the opportunity to show all his many extraordinary gifts as an actor. It reminds you of what a truly great great actor he is.....
And Jennifer Lawrence is such an incredibly talented actress---she has great power on the screen, and devastating vulnerability, as well, and she is a wonderful comedian, too! Plus, she is so very Beautiful to look at!
Bradley Cooper is incredibly attractive and proves in this film that he is an actor of great depth as well as being such a fine comedic performer. His is a very touching performance, and it is funny and real, too. (I have loved him since "Alias'!)
Jacki Weaver's performance is a very subtle one---I watched this film a second time and was stunned by the un-showy quality and the right-on-ness of her performance---a performance that could have easily been dismissed or overlooked by the Academy voters, but it wasn't. (I LOVE Actors--I really really do!)
If you haven't seen "Silver Linings Playbook" yet, do yourself a favor....Go see it or rent it, when you can. It is, in my view, a kind of perfect film. If you don't leave the theatre smiling with your heart, you are either a grouch or just too darn jaded!
More To Come......
Hallelujah!
I love this picture because it is about flawed people---every person in it is flawed, just like 'real life'. They are all kind of crazy---to one degree or another----just like real life, and they are all lovable in their craziness and in their flawed-ness! And most importantly, this film is about love and the power of love.
If you haven't seen "Silver Linings Playbook" yet, do yourself a favor....Go see it or rent it, when you can. It is, in my view, a kind of perfect film. If you don't leave the theatre smiling with your heart, you are either a grouch or just too darn jaded!
More To Come......
| posted by OldLady Of The Hills at 1:05:00 AM
Sunday, February 03, 2013
les mis
I may be alone in my feelings about "Les Mis", but as I have said, whatever I say is just my opinion.
As you can see from the top picture, I chose the logo's for both the Stage Show and the Film, which are shown, side by side.
I saw the show in it's pre-Broadway stop here in Los Angeles back in whenever that was. I liked it a lot, but I cannot say that it was ever a very favorite show of mine. I loved the people in it, and the story is epic, but I honestly was not crazy about the music, with some exceptions, of course. Basically Les Mis is really Opera, and that's fine, but it means you really have to have great voices to give this operatic score the justice it deserves.
And there in lies the rub, for me, where the film is concerned.
With maybe one exception, (almost two)---no one in this film really has "the chops" to sing this complex Operatic score.
No one. Not even the fantastically talented Hugh Jackman---and brilliantly talented he is, for sure.
Eddie Redmayne (Marius) comes the closest, for me.
the rest....including the highly lauded Ms. Hathaway, just didn't do it for me. I know, I know---this is heresy....sorry, but this is how I feel.
And this was really brought home to me when by coincidence one of our PBS Stations here in L.A. showed, once again, the 25th Anniversary Concert of Les Mis, about a week after I watched the film. It was stunningly superb! Lea Salonga, playing 'Fantine', was sublime!
What can I say?
There was an opportunity making Les Miserables into a film, to open the story up and not be limited by the proscenium.....that just didn't happen.
The film is beautifully produced and beautiful to look at, but.....well, I found it a disappointment. ALL that singing in close-up....No. Not for me. This is not an intimate story.....It is a huge story with enormous things happening, with some very intimate moments within the whole....It had this Hugeness on the stage----the battle scene on stage was simply amazing and inventive....and that is ironic when you think of the limitations of seeing something on a stage. The film could have gone way beyond what was possible within the proscenium. And it didn't.
For me, the film of Les Mis was a big Mis Step!
More To Come.....
And there in lies the rub, for me, where the film is concerned.
With maybe one exception, (almost two)---no one in this film really has "the chops" to sing this complex Operatic score.
No one. Not even the fantastically talented Hugh Jackman---and brilliantly talented he is, for sure.
Eddie Redmayne (Marius) comes the closest, for me.
the rest....including the highly lauded Ms. Hathaway, just didn't do it for me. I know, I know---this is heresy....sorry, but this is how I feel.
And this was really brought home to me when by coincidence one of our PBS Stations here in L.A. showed, once again, the 25th Anniversary Concert of Les Mis, about a week after I watched the film. It was stunningly superb! Lea Salonga, playing 'Fantine', was sublime!
What can I say?
There was an opportunity making Les Miserables into a film, to open the story up and not be limited by the proscenium.....that just didn't happen.
The film is beautifully produced and beautiful to look at, but.....well, I found it a disappointment. ALL that singing in close-up....No. Not for me. This is not an intimate story.....It is a huge story with enormous things happening, with some very intimate moments within the whole....It had this Hugeness on the stage----the battle scene on stage was simply amazing and inventive....and that is ironic when you think of the limitations of seeing something on a stage. The film could have gone way beyond what was possible within the proscenium. And it didn't.
For me, the film of Les Mis was a big Mis Step!
More To Come.....
| posted by OldLady Of The Hills at 1:33:00 AM
Monday, January 28, 2013
life of pi
"LIFE OF PI"
This is a beautiful film. A "Special" picture, in every way....It is about survival, and love and belief in a higher power, and, it's about struggle--against all odds, too....and, believe it or not, it is quite funny, as well.
I was not familiar with the book so this film is my only knowledge of this truly wonderful story.....
Ang Lee directed this lovely inspiring film, and it is a real gem! I would say....do not walk to your nearest theatre---Run, to your nearest theatre----this film is not to be missed.
There is a reason that this film received 11 nominations from the Academy. And it deserves every one of them. Each branch of the Academy votes on their peer group....Writers for writing; Directors for directing, Editors for editing, and so on and so forth...the largest number of members are the Actors group and they vote on all the acting categories....then, the entire Academy Membership votes on Best Picture.
Frankly, I don't understand the vote counting process at all---and though I have read the explanation a number of times over these last few years, is sounds like Higher Calculus in Chinese, to me.....I am not a film Academy member, so it doesn't effect me and my voting in SAG.
What I do know is---IF I were able to vote for BEST PICTURE, "Life Of Pi" would be my choice. Nothing against the other eight Best Picture nominees, All of them are worthy---some more than others. For me, this is The One!
I've never seen another film like it, ever, ever.
I watched it twice.
I could watch it again, right now!
More To Come
Note: All that I am writing about involving the films I've seen over these last weeks is just my personal subjective opinion---yes, some of my opinions are based in experience and knowledge from working in the Theatre and Television as a writer, composer and actress, etc., etc., for over 60 years, but still it is a subjective opinion. And so other people may feel otherwise and I respect that! So, there you have it, my dears! Other reviews will follow....
| posted by OldLady Of The Hills at 1:39:00 AM
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