Revolutionary Road
2008, dir. Sam Mendes. 1 hour 59 minutes
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Michael Shannon, Kathy Bates
In 1999, British theatre director made his film debut with American Beauty, a film about, among other things, suburban ennui. The film won the Academy Award for Best Picture, and since then, suburban ennui has been seedy ground for many a film, from We Don't Live Here Anymore to Life As A House to The Ice Storm to Little Children. It's said that original book that started this whole genre in Richard Yates' 1961 novel Revolutionary Road, which has now been made into a film by none other than Sam Mendes.
Leo and Kate, in their first appearance together since Titanic 11 years ago, star as a young couple who start out with dreams of high life, but end up in the Connecticut suburbs with a cookie cutter house and cookie cutter lives, just like every one else.
The happy facade has slowly fallen away over the course of almost a decade, and they decide to move to Paris. They even have passage booked on a steamboat (not that anyone wants to be on a boat with DiCaprio and Winslet), but as often happens, best laid plans ...
The two leads give as good performances you're going to see this year, but the film is just so relenting in its misery that it's hard to feel good about what you're watching. It's likely than everyone watching will be uncomfortable because either a) they don't want to become like this couple, or b) they're worried they already are. The best performance comes from Michael Shannon, who plays a young man from a mental institution who tries to befriend the couple. His character is only person in the film who is perceived as not normal within the world of the story, yet it is only her who can truly articulate the obvious truths of every other character. In any year that Heath Ledger hadn't accidentally killed himself AND played The Joker, Michael Shannon would be winning an Academy Award. If you can stomach it, this is a film to see, but it's not a good time, and probably not a date movie.
4 stars out of 5.
Saw Sunday night with Steph and Paddy at the World Exchange.
Showing posts with label winslet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label winslet. Show all posts
Monday, January 19, 2009
Monday, January 12, 2009
Golden Globes Results
FILM
Best Picture, Drama: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Picture, Comedy Musical: Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Best Director: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Best Actor, Drama: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
Best Actress, Drama: Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road
Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Best Supporting Actress: Kate Winslet, The Reader
Best Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Foreign Language Film: Waltz With Bashir
Best Animated Feature: WALL·E
Best Actor, Musical/Comedy: Colin Farrell
Best Actress, Musical/Comedy: Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky
Best Original Score: A.R. Rahman, Slumdog Millonaire
Best Original Song: Bruce Springsteen, The Wrestler
Steph got 10 of 14 correct, whereas I only got 5, so props to her.
Best Picture, Drama: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Picture, Comedy Musical: Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Best Director: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Best Actor, Drama: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
Best Actress, Drama: Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road
Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Best Supporting Actress: Kate Winslet, The Reader
Best Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Foreign Language Film: Waltz With Bashir
Best Animated Feature: WALL·E
Best Actor, Musical/Comedy: Colin Farrell
Best Actress, Musical/Comedy: Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky
Best Original Score: A.R. Rahman, Slumdog Millonaire
Best Original Song: Bruce Springsteen, The Wrestler
Steph got 10 of 14 correct, whereas I only got 5, so props to her.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
How Wrong Could You Be?
The Reader
2008, dir. Stephen Daldry.
star. David Kross, Ralph Fiennes, Kate Winslet, Bruno Ganz, Lena Olin
2 hours 6 minutes
Contnuing the Nazi theme of the season (having just seen Valkyrie, and a preview for Defiance played in front of both films), Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes star in The Reader, based on the novel by Bernhard Schlink. David Kross stars as Michael, a young german teenager in 1858 who falls ill as is helped by a strange older woman Hanna, played by Winslet. They conduct an affair, but then without warning, Hanna disappears. Ten years later, Michael is studying law and ends up at a war crimes trial where one of the defendants turns out to be Hanna herself. Michael could help exonnerate her (at least partially), but refuses to do so out off secrecy, as does Winslet, who admits to actions she did not do out of shame for her own secret.
In a similar vein to Valkyrie, The Reader examines to collective guilt of the German people with regard to the holocaust, and asks whether or not or not there are different levels of that guilt. My issue with The Reader, however, is that Hanna's actions do not make sense to her. Without giving it away, I can tell you I do not share Hanna's secret shame; that said, if the choice were revealing that secret or facing a life sentence in prison, I would reveal the shameful truth in a heartbeat, not matter how embarassing it might seem. But as I said, that may be easier for me to say, considering I'm not in that position.
Winslet is great as always as Hanna, and will probably nab another Oscar nomination for the role. The best performances, though, are Kross and Fiennes sharing the role of Michael. Fiennes gives what I think is his best work since The English Patient, and certainly his most subdued. Kross is equally strong as the younger Michael, and hopefully will show up in a lot more work. The great strength of the two actors is that their portrayals blend seamlessly into each other, and it feels like one whole character, rather than two separate ones.
3 1/2 stars out of 5.
saw Saturday afternoon at Silvercity with Paddy, my aunt Susan, and Steve. had a can of Coke Zero and some popcorn.
2008, dir. Stephen Daldry.
star. David Kross, Ralph Fiennes, Kate Winslet, Bruno Ganz, Lena Olin
2 hours 6 minutes
Contnuing the Nazi theme of the season (having just seen Valkyrie, and a preview for Defiance played in front of both films), Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes star in The Reader, based on the novel by Bernhard Schlink. David Kross stars as Michael, a young german teenager in 1858 who falls ill as is helped by a strange older woman Hanna, played by Winslet. They conduct an affair, but then without warning, Hanna disappears. Ten years later, Michael is studying law and ends up at a war crimes trial where one of the defendants turns out to be Hanna herself. Michael could help exonnerate her (at least partially), but refuses to do so out off secrecy, as does Winslet, who admits to actions she did not do out of shame for her own secret.
In a similar vein to Valkyrie, The Reader examines to collective guilt of the German people with regard to the holocaust, and asks whether or not or not there are different levels of that guilt. My issue with The Reader, however, is that Hanna's actions do not make sense to her. Without giving it away, I can tell you I do not share Hanna's secret shame; that said, if the choice were revealing that secret or facing a life sentence in prison, I would reveal the shameful truth in a heartbeat, not matter how embarassing it might seem. But as I said, that may be easier for me to say, considering I'm not in that position.
Winslet is great as always as Hanna, and will probably nab another Oscar nomination for the role. The best performances, though, are Kross and Fiennes sharing the role of Michael. Fiennes gives what I think is his best work since The English Patient, and certainly his most subdued. Kross is equally strong as the younger Michael, and hopefully will show up in a lot more work. The great strength of the two actors is that their portrayals blend seamlessly into each other, and it feels like one whole character, rather than two separate ones.
3 1/2 stars out of 5.
saw Saturday afternoon at Silvercity with Paddy, my aunt Susan, and Steve. had a can of Coke Zero and some popcorn.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Upcoming movies in the next week
Welcome to the holiday edition of Upcoming Movies, and on this Christmas weekend, there are a bunch:
Tomorrow, Christmas Day. If your family is starting to annoy you and you want to escape to the movies, you have no less than 7 new movies opening in Ottawa tomorrow. Here are your choices:
The Reader
This adapation of the bestselling German novel (and Oprha's Book Club pick) is about a man who discovers that the older woman he had as a lover when he was young might have a terrible secret in her past. Psst .... the secret involves Nazis. Directed by Stephen Daldry (The Hours) and starring Kate Winslet, Ralph Fiennes, Brune Ganz and my favorite Romanian actress, Alexandra Maria Lara (this is the 3rd film in 4 years with Ganz and Lara, all of which involved Nazis).
The Spirit
Comic Book writer Frank Miller directs this comic book adapatation, which is getting some downright awful reviews. Stars Samuel L. Jackson, Eva Mendes, Scarlett Johansson.
Bedtime Stories
From Disney comes this Adam Sandler movie where he tells stories to his nephews, and the stories come to life. Sarcastic Yay!
Doubt
This new film is about a power struggle between a head nun and a young idealist priest in a New York parish in the 1960s. The play was a huge hit on Broadway, and teh film has garnered lots of awards attention already. Stars Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis. Opens on Christmas Day, but also heads to the Bytowne a week later on New Years Day if you want to support your local independent theatre.
Valkyrie
Want more Nazis? Instead of Oprah's Book Club pick The Reader, you can have Oprah's Couch Club pick Tom Cruise in Valyrie, where Cruise must single-handedly assasinate Adolph Hitler in order to restore Scientology as the dominant force in Germany. From director Bryan Singer, and also starring Kenneth Branagh, Terence Stamp, and Bill Nighy.
Marley & Me
Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston adopt the worst puppy ever, but grow to love it. If you want to see a real bad dog, rent White Dog.
And my pick for a Christmas movie this year, David Fincher's
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Brad Pitt stars as a a baby born as an old man who then ages backwards, while the world keeps going forward. The movie looks fantastic, and I encoruage everyone to check it out. Also stars Cate Blanchett and Tilda Swinton.
I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas.
Tomorrow, Christmas Day. If your family is starting to annoy you and you want to escape to the movies, you have no less than 7 new movies opening in Ottawa tomorrow. Here are your choices:
The Reader
This adapation of the bestselling German novel (and Oprha's Book Club pick) is about a man who discovers that the older woman he had as a lover when he was young might have a terrible secret in her past. Psst .... the secret involves Nazis. Directed by Stephen Daldry (The Hours) and starring Kate Winslet, Ralph Fiennes, Brune Ganz and my favorite Romanian actress, Alexandra Maria Lara (this is the 3rd film in 4 years with Ganz and Lara, all of which involved Nazis).
The Spirit
Comic Book writer Frank Miller directs this comic book adapatation, which is getting some downright awful reviews. Stars Samuel L. Jackson, Eva Mendes, Scarlett Johansson.
Bedtime Stories
From Disney comes this Adam Sandler movie where he tells stories to his nephews, and the stories come to life. Sarcastic Yay!
Doubt
This new film is about a power struggle between a head nun and a young idealist priest in a New York parish in the 1960s. The play was a huge hit on Broadway, and teh film has garnered lots of awards attention already. Stars Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis. Opens on Christmas Day, but also heads to the Bytowne a week later on New Years Day if you want to support your local independent theatre.
Valkyrie
Want more Nazis? Instead of Oprah's Book Club pick The Reader, you can have Oprah's Couch Club pick Tom Cruise in Valyrie, where Cruise must single-handedly assasinate Adolph Hitler in order to restore Scientology as the dominant force in Germany. From director Bryan Singer, and also starring Kenneth Branagh, Terence Stamp, and Bill Nighy.
Marley & Me
Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston adopt the worst puppy ever, but grow to love it. If you want to see a real bad dog, rent White Dog.
And my pick for a Christmas movie this year, David Fincher's
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Brad Pitt stars as a a baby born as an old man who then ages backwards, while the world keeps going forward. The movie looks fantastic, and I encoruage everyone to check it out. Also stars Cate Blanchett and Tilda Swinton.
I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas.
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