I'm an LJ failboat right here
These...are weeks old. Other things have happened during that time that I failed to record. I will regret this.
#71: Blue Jasmine - A New York socialite, deeply troubled and in denial, arrives in San Francisco to impose upon her sister. She looks a million, but isn't bringing money, peace, or love... [imdb]
All you need to know is that Cate Blanchett is a glorious human being and an incandescent actor. Her character Jasmine in this movie defies the oversimplification of a "strong female character." She's a terminally weak and self-deluded person, and also, one of the more interesting persons you will see onscreen this year. Blanchett plays this complexity thoroughly.
Jasmine has a narrative for herself, and that narrative will not be denied, even when reality claims that it really, seriously should be. At first it all feels fun and sort of pitiable, and you think of other fish out of water stories and how their progression will be applied here. But Woody Allen doesn't give you that story, and it is an exciting and frustrating -- and correct -- choice, played to the extreme end.
The supporting cast is great, too. I didn't like anyone without reservation (that is praise). Also, this is the San Francisco stop on Allen's cityscape porn tour, so there was the fun of "Oh hey, I know where that is" spotting throughout. I heard some people found it to be a poor portrayal of SF but I don't get that. It's just scenery, too; any West Coast city would've worked in its place.
Definitely recommended viewing!
#72: Lee Daniels' The Butler (LOL, naming disputes) - As Cecil Gaines serves eight presidents during his tenure as a butler at the White House, the civil rights movement, Vietnam, and other major events affect this man's life, family, and American society. [imdb]
I wanted this to be better. I don't know if I had too high expectations or what, but I kind of felt like it gained all of its power or emotional pull from the subject matter. I am not sure it's even possible to make an unaffecting movie about the civil rights movement in the 20th century. Daniels, therefore, gets no props for that part.
He does get credit for the story of Cecil and his son. That's the best part of the film and I would've liked to have more of that -- there are lots of things that are just skipped over or alluded to -- and less of the presidential impersonators whose minds are implied to be changed on significant events just by a brief, private conversation with Cecil Gaines. The pattern of these sequences got sort of ridiculous after, you know, one time. (All of the actors playing said Presidents did a fine job but it was very gimmicky.) It kept bringing to mind Forrest Gump, which is a totally inaccurate thing in so many ways, but also not. They should've done more to avoid that comparison.
This is a good movie with very fine performances from Forest Whitaker and David Oyelowo in particular, but not a great one.
#71: Blue Jasmine - A New York socialite, deeply troubled and in denial, arrives in San Francisco to impose upon her sister. She looks a million, but isn't bringing money, peace, or love... [imdb]
All you need to know is that Cate Blanchett is a glorious human being and an incandescent actor. Her character Jasmine in this movie defies the oversimplification of a "strong female character." She's a terminally weak and self-deluded person, and also, one of the more interesting persons you will see onscreen this year. Blanchett plays this complexity thoroughly.
Jasmine has a narrative for herself, and that narrative will not be denied, even when reality claims that it really, seriously should be. At first it all feels fun and sort of pitiable, and you think of other fish out of water stories and how their progression will be applied here. But Woody Allen doesn't give you that story, and it is an exciting and frustrating -- and correct -- choice, played to the extreme end.
The supporting cast is great, too. I didn't like anyone without reservation (that is praise). Also, this is the San Francisco stop on Allen's cityscape porn tour, so there was the fun of "Oh hey, I know where that is" spotting throughout. I heard some people found it to be a poor portrayal of SF but I don't get that. It's just scenery, too; any West Coast city would've worked in its place.
Definitely recommended viewing!
#72: Lee Daniels' The Butler (LOL, naming disputes) - As Cecil Gaines serves eight presidents during his tenure as a butler at the White House, the civil rights movement, Vietnam, and other major events affect this man's life, family, and American society. [imdb]
I wanted this to be better. I don't know if I had too high expectations or what, but I kind of felt like it gained all of its power or emotional pull from the subject matter. I am not sure it's even possible to make an unaffecting movie about the civil rights movement in the 20th century. Daniels, therefore, gets no props for that part.
He does get credit for the story of Cecil and his son. That's the best part of the film and I would've liked to have more of that -- there are lots of things that are just skipped over or alluded to -- and less of the presidential impersonators whose minds are implied to be changed on significant events just by a brief, private conversation with Cecil Gaines. The pattern of these sequences got sort of ridiculous after, you know, one time. (All of the actors playing said Presidents did a fine job but it was very gimmicky.) It kept bringing to mind Forrest Gump, which is a totally inaccurate thing in so many ways, but also not. They should've done more to avoid that comparison.
This is a good movie with very fine performances from Forest Whitaker and David Oyelowo in particular, but not a great one.