Oh, yay. I finally saw
The Prestige
a few weeks back, and then I dug up the original conversation here from when it was in theaters and I had totally meant to see it but never quite did. And the next weekend I got the book from the library and read it in an evening. I admire the movie more, but the book is way creepier.
I liked the movie more afterwards than while I was watching it. The more I thought about it, the more I liked it, for all the Nolan-y convolutions and mirroring. I actually watched most of it again last weekend when I stumbled upon it.
Yeah, the characters are horrible people, but it's been established that I don't care so much about that. I get why it's off-putting, though. There's something Kubrick-y about it, I suppose. "Here's a very precise movie about horrid people doing shitty things. Enjoy!"
I don't think Angier's "I did it for love" was meant to be a justification for everything he did. I think it was just... that was what was different about them. Angier wanted to be adored. Borden wanted to be the best. That's why for Borden, his own identity was secondary. It didn't matter to him/them who got the applause. But that was vital (ahem) to Angier.
I was mostly okay with the way they changed Angier's secret for the movie, except that, having done his trick once, he could now use Borden's secret
I think the above is why he couldn't have, though. (Plus, in the movie, until the end he was convinced that there was more to it.) And there was his experience with, um, whozit, the actor. I apologize, but this really is the wording that sprang to mind: He wouldn't have been able to live with himself.
Yeah. Angier's ego would have been in unresolvable conflict with even another version of himself, whereas to Borden sharing the credit—like sharing everything else—was as natural as breathing.
The more I thought about it, the more I liked it, for all the Nolan-y convolutions and mirroring.
That's how I felt too, Strega. Right after it was done, I felt a
little
underwhelmed based on all the hype, but once I started reading some discussions and unpacking it all, I liked it a lot more. Sort of like
Pan's Labyrinth.
Just started watching Hot Fuzz. Holy crap, this has everybody!
:: loves Strega's spicy brains in a non-zombieish fashion ::
Yeah, the characters are horrible people, but it's been established that I don't care so much about that. I get why it's off-putting, though. There's something Kubrick-y about it, I suppose. "Here's a very precise movie about horrid people doing shitty things. Enjoy!"
For me, it was more that I thought the movie wanted me to like the Borden at the end. I would have been happier if I felt that the movie was OK with me thinking they were all horrid.
Another thing: Lord Cadlow had a British accent, right? I noticed that Angier's American accent was more pronounced, almost caricaturish, when he was performing as The Great Danton, but otherwise Angier pretty consistently maintained an American accent.
Hot Fuzz was awesome.
And I counted two UK Office cameos, not counting Martin Freeman.
Also, since there were some references to the original Wicker Man, I'm now wondering what other films featuring Dalton, Nighy, um... what's his name... the guy who played Belloq in Raiders...., Broadbent, were referenced in the movie.
I just watched Children of Men.
How the FUCK did that film not win any Oscars?
Because the Academy doesn't know how to find its own ass with two hands?
CoM was my favourite film last year and in my head, it won all the awards it was nominated for and a bunch of others (like, oh, the Best Picture.) Honestly, I'm trying to remember which film won for Best Picture this year and drawing a complete blank.
