Seriously, it's becoming physical.
Look, I have as much respect for Clint Eastwood as the next guy. The man delivered a wonderful modern tragedy in 'Mystic River' and I still stand by my belief that 'Million Dollar Baby' was a superb film, though it was nowhere near the brilliance of "The Aviator" or "Sideways". But neither "Mystic" nor "Million" were in my top ten of their respective years, yet I still hold the two in very high regard.
But "Flags Of Our Fathers" was a mess. The pacing of the piece was completely off, the performances mediocre... I liked what it was attempting to do, I'm not faulting it for its ambition, but I didn't feel it leveled up to its promise in execution. I left feeling as though I'd just seen a very rough cut of a promising motion picture.
I would've been alright with the film had it merely accepted its fate. We would've continued along our merry ways: me, continuing to view this years crop of films; it, into obscure celluloid oblivion, viewed as one of the lesser works of Mr. Eastwood. However, critics, for some reason that completely evades me, connected with the film. Praising it as if it were the Holy Gospel of cinema. The fact that audiences didn't connect with it thrilled me, I'm sorry to say, simply because any major award it won, I would feel it wasn't deserving of. The film was, for all intents and purposes, DOA.
...and now comes 'Letters from Iwo Jima'.
and Kris Tapley is predicting it to win Best Pic.
and David Poland will soon, surely follow.
I just, I... if your film dies, just let it. Go with your original plan. Don't resuscitate it and subject us in the community who found it to be bland and cliched tripe with a rehash of the situation from the Japanese perspective. If you have to, just do it after Scorsese wins the Oscar. Please.
I'm just getting physically ill thinking about it.
Sure, I've completely discounted the fact that "Letters from Iwo Jima" might actually be a good film. Who knows? I'd love it to be, personally. Trust me, nothing would give me so much pleasure as having to put my foot in my mouth. Unfortunately, that Japanese trailer instilled no sense of confidence in me. I was just, again, unmoved.
*sighs*
My apoligies for the rant, I don't want to come off as being a hater for the man who provided the world a few, truly great pictures. It's just that "Flags" wasn't one of them. And "Letters" doesn't look to be one either.
I realize we're all gay for a director. Mine happens to be Ingmar Bergman. Some persons, it's Clint. To each his own.
But even I'm willing to admit when Bergie has fowled up.
The same should be said for American critics.
But "Flags Of Our Fathers" was a mess. The pacing of the piece was completely off, the performances mediocre... I liked what it was attempting to do, I'm not faulting it for its ambition, but I didn't feel it leveled up to its promise in execution. I left feeling as though I'd just seen a very rough cut of a promising motion picture.
I would've been alright with the film had it merely accepted its fate. We would've continued along our merry ways: me, continuing to view this years crop of films; it, into obscure celluloid oblivion, viewed as one of the lesser works of Mr. Eastwood. However, critics, for some reason that completely evades me, connected with the film. Praising it as if it were the Holy Gospel of cinema. The fact that audiences didn't connect with it thrilled me, I'm sorry to say, simply because any major award it won, I would feel it wasn't deserving of. The film was, for all intents and purposes, DOA.
...and now comes 'Letters from Iwo Jima'.
and Kris Tapley is predicting it to win Best Pic.
and David Poland will soon, surely follow.
I just, I... if your film dies, just let it. Go with your original plan. Don't resuscitate it and subject us in the community who found it to be bland and cliched tripe with a rehash of the situation from the Japanese perspective. If you have to, just do it after Scorsese wins the Oscar. Please.
I'm just getting physically ill thinking about it.
Sure, I've completely discounted the fact that "Letters from Iwo Jima" might actually be a good film. Who knows? I'd love it to be, personally. Trust me, nothing would give me so much pleasure as having to put my foot in my mouth. Unfortunately, that Japanese trailer instilled no sense of confidence in me. I was just, again, unmoved.
*sighs*
My apoligies for the rant, I don't want to come off as being a hater for the man who provided the world a few, truly great pictures. It's just that "Flags" wasn't one of them. And "Letters" doesn't look to be one either.
I realize we're all gay for a director. Mine happens to be Ingmar Bergman. Some persons, it's Clint. To each his own.
But even I'm willing to admit when Bergie has fowled up.
The same should be said for American critics.
posted by Beau at 5:51 PM
2 Comments:
Agreed. I actually liked Flags of Our Fathers, but no way do I feel it is one of the best pictures of the year so far. I will wait for Letters to release before making any claims, but this Eastwood love is just going way too far. To think Scorsese might be upset AGAIN is pretty depressing; he shouldn't even bother showing up this year.
And I'm also pissed at WB for releasing Letters to save face on the box office failure of Flags. I guess if they released it in January as previously planned, it wouldn't last through to awards season.
Bah.
Bah indeed.
I'm not saying 'Letters' has no chance of being a great film, but the U.K. trailer just depressed me. I turned it on, watched it, and then rolled my eyes as it ended going, "THAT? THAT'S SUPPOSEDLY THE BEST FILM OF THE YEAR?"
And BOO to the NBR. No one should discount 'United 93', even for tripe (however enjoyable) like 'The Devil Wears Prada' and 'Little Miss Sunshine'.
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