Carole Lombard retrospective in NYC.
Ple, the article includes a particular appreciation for
Nothing Sacred.
Emmett and I saw
Quantum of Solace
yesterday. I enjoyed it and didn't have too much trouble following the plot. I am really enjoying how they're playing up the relationship between Bond and M. Craig and Dench have tremendous chemistry together and it's smart of them to exploit that.
I hate hate hate steadicam action sequences. I grew up on some of the most spectacular action sequences in movie history (Indiana Jones, Road Warrior, To Live and Die in L.A., even the Roger Moore Bond movies had some amazing bits) and despise directors who substitute jostled cameras for building an action sequence, with pace and editing and its own dramatic narrative.
::gives Paul Greengrass the stinkeye for general steadicam ruination::
Ultimately I enjoyed the movie because I love Craig as Bond. However, it didn't feel that much
like
a Bond movie. I don't need gimmicky spy gadgets, but I expect something more fun than a giant iPhone powerpoint presentation.
And, as has been noted, it's become a rather joyless Bond universe. I'm hoping the next one has a bit more joie and a bit less grim, and a whole lot less Bolivia (not an exotic place I need on my Bond travelogue).
I saw the OTHER teen vampire movie this weekend,
Let the Right One In.
[link]
It was amazing and wonderful. It's Swedish and the whole film takes place in a hushed snowy landscape, which adds to the generally melancholic atmosphere. Beautifully shot and directed--some of the images just hypnotize you. You should all defintely go!
We are watching The Mist.
There are really two strategies for disaster zombie/swarm/monster coping in the movies. Either "we have to get the hell out of here" or "we need to stay here and dig in".
I am definitely a "dig in" person. Especially if you're holed up in a shopping mall or supermarket.
I watched
The Savages
last night. Great performances by Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney. I felt like there was a deeper meaning than the struggle to deal with family issues that I wasn't latching onto. I kept feeling like small things were symbolic of a larger theme but that I wasn't understanding the theme. I watched the documentary afterward and they didn't say anything about symbolism so maybe I was reading too much into it.
Twilight made $70.6 million. That's bigger than the Bond opening.
It's also the biggest opening ever for a female director, so there's a bright side.
the biggest opening ever for a female director
That's cool. Bond is kicking the sparkly vampires' asses over here but they've got Twilight on four screens down the street so they're probably taking a lot of our business.
Ple, the article includes a particular appreciation for Nothing Sacred.
As is right and good!
Hec, I think we're on a similar place regarding QoS. I loved it, thought the acting and pacing were improved over all from the last one, but DAMN, it was grim and more Bourne than Bond.
New Moon was greenlighted as a result of the box office take this weekend.
DH's write-up of the Star Trek preview clips
So it sounds like they're completely ditching Robert April as the first captain of the Enterprise (which is fine, I guess, since his place in canon is debated) as well ditching as Number One as Pike's first officer, which is pretty lame, IMO.
::gives Paul Greengrass the stinkeye for general steadicam ruination::
If the camera is shaky it is by definition NOT steadicam. Sam Raimi perfected shaky cam in the Evil Dead movies, but NEITHER is what you're thinking of. Your talking about hand-held. BIG DIFFERENCE!
Examples of steadicam (or a similar equivalent) action sequences? See Children of Men.
