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crispsevans · 6 years ago

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Films in 2019

It’s been a while again. Maybe I should make this review-thing a monthly thing LOL. My current count is at 33/150 for 2019, 18 out of 33 seen in theatre.

filmpage - filmlist - suggest a film

CAN CONTAIN SPOILERS. ( I review Endgame in this post, there are Endgame spoilers in this so don’t read, if you haven’t seen it yet.)

Hidden Figures (2016)

streamed on Amazon Prime Germany production country: USA OV: english seen version: OV Starring: Taraji B. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe Director: Theodore Melfi Plot summary: The story of a team of female African-American mathematicians who served a vital role in NASA during the early years of the U.S. space program.

Review: 99ct Prime Deal movie. So glad it was on the list of the deals, because I’ve been dying to see this one ever since it came out. But as always I had no one to watch it with and I waited a little too long.

Finally saw it and what can I say - I loved it very much. What a great and important movie.

My favourite part is probably where Janelle Monáe’s character fights for her right in court aspiring to be the first african-american woman to attend a white school in order to get higher education to qualify for a better position. LOVED IT. She slayed. Rating: 4/5

The Big Short (2015)

streamed on Amazon Prime Germany production country: USA OV: english seen version: german Starring: Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling, Steve Carell Director: Adam McKay Plot summary: In 2006-7 a group of investors bet against the US mortgage market. In their research they discover how flawed and corrupt the market is.

Review: 99ct Prime Deal movie number 3. I was a huge fan of Vice so I really needed to see this one.

To be honest this one was a bit harder to understand, because you have to have a little knowledge about economics and how they work - esp. on Wall Street. I mean, I took an A-Level class in Social Sciences and Economics so it was okay for me, even though I didn’t fully understand everything, but I just put it into context. They try to explain it in an easy way, but just make sure to pay attention :)

Shocking reveal of the real estate market and how things went downhill in 2007 causing the global financial crisis that affected my family in a really bad way.

Though I have to say it didn’t involve me as much as Vice, I felt like it was a little bit like chewing gum in between the scenes. Maybe I had to watch it in theatre to love it as much as I love Vice. Rating: 3,5/5

Spotlight (2015)

streamed on Amazon Prime Germany production country: USA OV: english seen version: german Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams Director: Tom McCarthy Plot summary: The true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core.

Review: 99ct Prime Deal movie number 4. Hands down - THE BEST out of all of them.

What a movie. Very emotional, very dramatic, very captivating, very important.

I have nothing more to say except for: WATCH IT IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY. What a shame that it took me so long to actually see it. Outstanding cast, Mark Ruffalo and Rachel McAdams are killing it! Rating: 5/5

Serenity (2019)

seen in theatre production country: USA OV: english seen version: german Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jason Clarke Director: Steven Knight Plot summary: A fishing boat captain (McConaughey) juggles facing his mysterious past and finding himself ensnared in a reality where nothing is what it seems.

Review: #sneakmonday movie. I was hoping they’d sneak it and I was so happy when they did, even though this movie kinda was a let down considering the cast of the movie.

It was a decent movie with decent acting, liked McConaughey and Clarke in it, Hathaway (even though I love her very much) didn’t deliver her best performance here.

I liked the plot twist mid-through the movie that made you rethink the entire thing. It was a little too surreal for me though. I’ve seen worse but I’ve also seen a lot better than this. Rating: 2,5/5

Independence Day: Resurgence (2016)

streamed on Netflix Germany production country: USA OV: english seen version: OV Starring: Liam Hemsworth, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman Director: Roland Emmerich Plot summary: Two decades after the first Independence Day invasion, Earth is faced with a new extra-Solar threat. But will mankind's new space defenses be enough?

Review: This never happened to me before. In one of my previous review post I reviewed ‘Independence Day’ and I didn’t like it that much. Now THIS ONE, the sequel, IS SOOOOOOOO MUCH BETTER! I freaking LOVED it.

I really don’t know if it’s the new CGI (which is obviously 10000 times better than in the 1996 version) or the storyline or whatever it is - it’s way better than the first one. It really caught my attention and I just love Jeff Goldblum - he’s such a class act. Rating: 4/5

Greta (2019)

seen in theatre production country: USA / Ireland OV: english seen version: german Starring: Isabelle Huppert, Chloë Grace Moretz, Maika Monroe Director: Neil Jordan Plot summary: A young woman (Moretz) befriends a lonely widow (Huppert) who's harboring a dark and deadly agenda toward her.

Review: #sneakmonday movie.

Can I just say I really love obsessive lover/stalker movies?! I know I’m weird and it’s nothing you should fancy, but the movies about this topic always get me. They keep me on the edge and sunken in my seat until the movie’s over.

I was pleasantly surprised by this movie, I thought it was really good most of the time - also something I haven’t seen before. The performances by Huppert and Moretz are really convincing.

It just really lacks in some of the decisions Moretz character makes. Sometimes it drifts off into a B-Lister movie, which this clearly shouldn’t be, but the lines and decisions of the character make it seem like a weird thriller horror thing. No one is really that stupid, but they wrote her character that naive. I didn’t like that.

But all in all it’s a good one, I enjoyed it very much. Rating: 3,5/5

The Collini Case / Der Fall Collini (2019)

seen in theatre production country: Germany OV: german / italian seen version: OV Starring: Elyas M’Barek, Alexandra Maria Lara, Franco Nero Director: Marco Kreuzpaintner Plot summary: A young lawyer (M’Barek) stumbles upon a vast conspiracy while investigating a brutal murder case.

Review: #sneakmonday movie. This is a german movie.

Elyas M’Barek is usually a comedy-actor. A little bit like Jennifer Aniston but as a male and in german. I never saw him as a guy who’d play a serious role. But here we go and I was pleasantly surprised by his performance. Never thought he’d do this good.

Interesting story, very captivating and not too revealing. It takes quite a while until the movie really lifts off and the storyline begins to paint a picture and you understand what’s going on, but the reveal is very tragic and very emotional. I loved the screenplay and also the cinematography in certain points.

But whoever directed the music in this movie, please reconsider your job. It was a disaster, really. The score itself was good, but the usage was so out of place most of the times, it bothered me SO MUCH.

German produced movies try to be so much like Hollywood Blockbusters, but they’re not and this is another example for it. But it’s one of the better ones. Rating: 4/5

The Perfect Date (2019)

streamed on Netflix Germany production country: USA OV: english seen version: OV Starring: Noah Centineo, Laura Marano Director: Chris Nelson Plot summary: To save up for college, Brooks Rattigan (Centineo) creates an app where anyone can pay him to play the perfect stand-in boyfriend for any occasion.

Review: I don’t know what I was expecting from a Netflix RomCom, but this kinda let me down yet again (just like ‘Isn’t it romantic?’).

It was okay and kinda cute in some places, but nothing fancy and a lack of entertainment for me. Overall it was okay and it’s a movie to watch before you go to sleep or when you’re sick. Rating: 3/5

Overdrive (2017)

streamed on Sky Cinema Germany production country: France / Belgium / USA OV: english / french seen version: OV Starring: Scott Eastwood, Freddie Thorp, Ana de Armas Director: Antonio Negret Plot summary: Two car thief brothers (Eastwood, Thorp), who journey to the south of France for new opportunities, wind up in the cross hairs of the local crime boss.

Review: I literally just watched this for Scott Eastwood LOL. It’s such a cringe movie, I just couldn’t.

I know Scott can do better than this. The character-writing was so damn flat and so was the entire screenplay. I’m not a huge Fast & Furious Fan, maybe this movie is for people who love those movies - at least you get to see some really nice cars.

But really, this is such a cringe movie. My rating is for Scott (because DAMN) and the beautiful (!!!!!!) landscape cinematography of South France! Rating: 2,5/5

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

seen in theatre (soon thrice) production country: USA OV: english seen version: german (soon OV) Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Josh Brolin AND SO MANY MORE. Director: Joe and Anthony Russo Plot summary: After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the universe is in ruins. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers assemble once more in order to undo Thanos' actions and restore order to the universe.

Review: ... here we go.

I went to see it on the first screening of the day when it came out over here in Germany. I know Europe was blessed with being two days ahead of the US. I literally cried for 3 hours. The entire 3 hours OKAY. Sitting through the credits because I couldn’t believe what I just saw.

It took me a few days to completely understand what I had watched.

There are so many things wrong with this movie, but also so many good things about this movie I JUST DON’T KNOW.

When I went to see it the second time I liked it a LOT better and with every day and every clip I see and listening to the score more and more I grow to love this movie more.

And against the mainly common opinion in disliking the ending of this movie, I loved it - even though it may makes no sense in a scientific way. Hate me all you want, but you can read HERE why I loved Steve’s ending, Becka wrote a beautiful piece.

Also Tony Stark. Let’s talk about Tony Stark. What is there left to say though? His actions speak louder than words. He basically did ALL OF IT for PETER FREAKING PARKER. How beautiful. He did it for him, because he missed him, because he couldn’t live with the thought of losing him. And sacrificing himself for Peter, for the rest of the Avengers, for the entire universe, WHAT A MOVE.

Now let’s move on to Natasha Romanoff, because she doesn’t get enough credit. First female Avenger, the glue, heart and soul of the Avengers, the mom that held everything together, that kept the world a safe place after the snap and Thanos being dead in 2023 like. She still cared, she cared about her family (the original 6 more than anyone else really) and she kept looking for Clint (DON’T GET ME STARTED ON CLINTASHA) and.. I just.. and then she sacrificed herself and her life, for her family. FOR THEM. FOR LOVE. FOR CLINT. SO THEY COULD SEE THE SUN AGAIN (to put it in Loki’s words). I JUST....

It started with Tony and Nat and it ended with Tony and Nat and I just... I just can’t. Literally I CAN’T. Still not over it.

P.S. America’s ass. Rating: 4/5

Fighting With My Family (2019)

seen in theatre production country: UK / USA OV: english seen version: german Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Florence Pugh, Vince Vaughn Director: Stephen Merchant Plot summary: A former wrestler and his family make a living performing at small venues around the country while his kids dream of joining World Wrestling Entertainment.

Review: #sneakmonday movie. Based on a true story. I had no expectations, really. I gotta say, I’m not into Wrestling AT ALL. And I don’t really want to be. So this was a bummer for me.

But nonetheless this is a cute family movie. The bond between the siblings and the entire family is really beautiful to see and so is the character development of Paige’s brother Zak.

Also the interaction with all these kids learning how to wrestle is really just beautiful. Kids from all ages, different backgrounds, different identities, sizes and also a blind kid - they all come together and become friends through Wrestling. That’s really beautiful.

It’s just not my cup of tea, because of the Wrestling topic. It’s a decent movie though. Rating: 2,5/5

Journal 64 (2019)

seen in theatre production country: Denmark / Germany OV: danish / arabic / spanish / german seen version: german Starring: Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Fares Fares, Johanne Louise Schmidt Director: Christoffer Boe Plot summary: A series of mysterious disappearances in 2006 are eerily connected to the same institution.

Review: #sneakmonday movie. Based on a crime thriller by Jussi Adler-Olson.

Scandinavian films are so good, really. They are SO DAMN GOOD. Especially crime thrillers - they’re just really good at not only writing them as books but also making them into movies and TV shows. I don’t know how they do it. Norwegian/Swedish/Danish crime thrillers are kinda dark most of the times, this one had a nice comedic effect, though, because the main character is a blatantly honest person and drops a lot of bricks, but is still a very charismatic character.

Really liked this one. Very dramatic story, there should be a trigger warning though (tw: rape / tw: abuse / tw: abortion). So keep that in mind, if you decide to watch it.

Rating: 4/5

#films2019 #reviews

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citrus-mag · 4 years ago

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SLEEPYTIME TEA: A COMFORTING FILM LIST

COLUMBUS (2017)

We’re going to be completely upfront here and admit that this film list is just an excuse to recommend FIRST COW and really emphasize how everyone should go and watch FIRST COW right now, immediately.

HOWEVER, the rest of the movies on this list are inspired by the same feeling FIRST COW gives us. We’ve been having a certain craving since the start of quarantine — not for adventure, or action, or romantic drama — but quiet normalcy and everyday life. The comfort of our pre-quarantine routines. Smiling at strangers in the grocery stores, recognizing people at our daily coffee shop.

All of these movies are quietly brilliant, and are the equivalent of a cup of sleepytime tea after a nice sunset walk with your phone on airplane mode. For all their quietude, the films all have unique and strong emotional connections amongst their characters and settings and just give you that subtle warm and fuzzy feeling in your heart. In all of these films, character is placed above plot and incident, and ambiguity and sense of place are favored over explicit exposition. These films linger where others would cut away, and practice patience with their characters and relationships. Nothing drastic happens in these films, but they embrace you with their long, easy shots and tender, but brief, dialogue. Let them embrace you, too — and pine after normalcy with us.

Read the full film list below — and note that almost all films are available for checking out at the Eugene Public Library!

FIRST COW (and Kelly Reichardt’s entire filmography)

This is THE most comforting movie of all time — the purest, most precious— and it takes place in Oregon, as many of Kelly Reichardt’s films do. FIRST COW can be best described as a heist movie with a wholesome dairy twist, but the rest of the details are best saved for your first viewing. Taking place in the early rough n tough days of the Oregon Territory, Reichardt carves a place for tender emotion and warm bonds and baking sweet treats. OK, that’s all we’ll say. Trust us and watch it, and then follow up with Reichardt’s equally brilliant CERTAIN WOMEN.

FIRST COW is available for rental and purchase at the sites listed here.

COLUMBUS

A rarity in the genre, COLUMBUS is a soft and gentle kind of coming-of-age movie, with no overt romantic subplot nor overarching tragedy or angst. Rather, it highlights how unique and brief friendships and companions can guide us in our lives, and how our paths form in front us when we least expect it. It feels like everyday life, but more beautiful, and the quietude and contemplative filmmaking style of COLUMBUS feels almost like going to therapy.

COLUMBUS is free to watch on Kanopy with a Eugene Public Library card, or rentable on Amazon Prime, iTunes, or with a Criterion Channel subscription.

BEGINNERS and 20th CENTURY WOMEN

Mike Mills, the director of both of these films, has a special kind of filmmaking style that makes you feel like you’re reliving memories — some scenes are so close to the heart they feel like your own, and the soft palette of the films give us a warm, fuzzy feeling in our chests. Both films have different subject matter (20th CENTURY WOMEN is solidly a coming-of-age story, BEGINNERS features adults) yet both are tributes to his parents and feel deeply personal. Voiceover narrations and flashing, colorful Power Point style character introductions contextualize characters in the time they grew up in. Mills makes a point to show how characters’ surroundings and upbringings imprint on their lives and personalities, and makes us wonder about what kind of events and images would flash in our lives if we were introduced in the same style. The films are slow-paced and feel like normal, every-day life, and convey emotional depth unique to the kind of human connection we’ve been deprived of lately.

20th CENTURY WOMEN is free to watch with a Netflix subscription, and BEGINNERS is rentable on Amazon Prime and iTunes, and is free to watch with a Starz subscription.

THE BREAKFAST CLUB

We’re not even close to being the first people to point out the special kind of feeling you get in a high school after hours — walking down empty hallways, the strange lighting the fluorescent bulbs take on once the sun starts to dip, and the new feeling of the library when you’re there to return a book at 4pm and you’re the only one there. It feels kind of like a dream, like maybe reality has paused for a bit, and THE BREAKFAST CLUB captures this feeling exactly. Not only does it give us the school vibes we’re pining for 6 months into quarantine, but it’s quiet and tender and emotional, and gives us that same kind of special feeling that being at school at 5 o’clock for newspaper deadline or to hang up posters or decorate for a dance gives us.

THE BREAKFAST CLUB is rentable on Amazon Prime and iTunes, and is free to watch with a Starz subscription.

THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO

Like many of the films on this list, THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO is visually stunning and a deeply personal film. In some ways, it also feels like a coming of age film, but transcends the typical thematic material of the genre. It is a film with life and love and light stitched into every seam, and reflects on storytelling and its power. Watch this film — you won’t regret it.

THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO is free to watch with an Amazon Prime subscription, or rentable on iTunes.

THE APARTMENT

THE APARTMENT may be an outlier in this list — it’s older, a bit more lighthearted in tone thanks to the screenwriting and directing stamp of Billy Wilder and acting work of Jack Lemmon, yet it’s images of city life — such as a cramped elevator or crowded office party, with strangers kissing strangers, reminds me of everything I miss of pre-quarantine life, and always leaves me with a feeling of renewed life post-viewing. Beautiful, tender human connections and emotions lie at the heart of the movie, and makes for easy, but not mindless, viewing.

THE APARTMENT is free to watch with an Amazon Prime subscription, or rentable on iTunes.

THINGS TO COME

THINGS TO COME is a coming-of-age story of sorts, except the person coming of age is a French 50-something philosophy professor played by Isabelle Huppert, who is facing a rebirth of sorts after separating from her husband and after the death of her elderly mother. Unfussy and unstylized filmmaking gives us a sense of peeking into someone’s actual everyday life, and shows us that there are always things to come — no matter what stage in life.

THINGS TO COME is free to watch on Amazon Prime Video, Kanopy, Criterion Channel with subscriptions.

CHUNGKING EXPRESS

A less melancholy installment in Wong Kar-wai’s filmography, CHUNGKING EXPRESS is a movie about love, and connection, in dense city life. His shots are human emotion and life distilled, and place you with some grander feeling that you can only get when you connect with another living being.

CHUNGKING EXPRESS is available with a Criterion Channel subscription, or on DVD at the Eugene Public Library.

PATERSON

PATERSON is a unique kind of film in which almost nothing happens — but it takes you into the inner world of an everyday William Carlos Williams-esque poet. Adam Driver plays a bus driver in Paterson, New Jersey, who turns his everyday life into simple but potent prose poems, amidst his quiet life in his quiet home that he shares with his wife. You’ll get lost in PATERSON because of this — it almost feels like you’re living alongside him, day-by-day.

PATERSON is free to watch with an Amazon Prime subscription.

BROOKLYN

BROOKLYN is a quiet, tender movie about identity, love, growth, and starting over — again and again. It’s warm, both in its relationships and story, as well as in the actual imagery of the film, and takes you through dark and tragic moments of life with a kind of unhurried airiness. It also kind of makes you want to walk down Coney Island’s boardwalk with some cotton candy in hand.

BROOKYLN is available to rent or purchase on Amazon Prime Video and iTunes.

MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO (and other Studio Ghibli films)

And finally, the films that need almost no recommendation or explanation, but this list would not be complete without. Studio Ghibli movies make you forget about every real-world problem, deadline, and news headline and takes you to a place you never want to leave — all without rush or hurry, nor with removing real emotion or connection. The watercolors and beautiful art create specific worlds you’ll get lost in.

#film list #movies and tv #writing

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awed-frog · 7 years ago

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SPN WISHLIST

Okay, so it’s not like I spent a lot of time thinking about this or anything, more like the socially appropriate amount of time, but generally what I want to see on Supernatural before they close up shop is -

A human!Impala episode, and I’m gonna be generous about this - it can be a badass lady complaining about Dean getting all handsy on her, it can be John Barrowman being an outrageous flirt with everybody, it can be someone randomly saying they prefer Cas because he never eats in the car and making Dean seethe with jealousy - anything.

A decent bodyswap.

An episode where at least one person is genderbent.

Cas possessing either Sam or Dean, possibly because he’s about to die and that’s the only way he can be saved, but then, of course, things get (unnecessarily) weird.

More 1980s/1990s flashbacks.

A Jane the Virgin/Supernatural crossover. I need this like fucking air.

Sam gets to confront Lucifer and stab the hell out of him.

One episode where some serious shit goes down and Sam and Dean don’t even notice. Like, Sam drags Dean somewhere because there’s a Haneke retrospective or something and as they’re stuck in the theatre and hanging out in the lobby and Sam fangirls over Isabelle Huppert a group of local kids (MAYBE THOSE FROM STRANGER THINGS, BECAUSE LET’S DREAM BIG) discover, and deal with, a supernatural phenomenon while Dean bitches about things.

Dean reading books.

We find out what happened to Adam.

We find out what happened to Jesse.

A Gabriel cameo.

Cas doing something smart and badass and scaring the shit out of everybody, because, man, angels are supposed to be terrifying, okay, and shut up.

A Hellboy crossover, or anything that pays homage to Guillermo del Toro because he’s seriously the best and fight me.

Acknowledgement that Dean is, in fact, bi or some well-thought-out explanation for all the weirdass moments we’ve seen in twelve years - like, maybe Dean’s been followed everywhere by a gay shapeshifter and/or he’s been given a secret mission by his dying father and/or just really wants to advance the progressive agenda because he’s got a personal beef with Mike Pence etc etc.

One episode where Sam and Dean are randomly British, French, German, Japanese or whatever else and it’s never explained in any way, everybody just - rolls with it.

Some kind of dinner party where they actually have fun for bloody once, and Dean gets to cook and Sam makes a mess of everything and is chased out of the kitchen.

BAMF ladies.

Selkies.

At least one more ‘people are the real monsters’ episode because you can never have too many of those.

If we’re headed for a tragedy ending, a djinn dream or AU world or similar where Sam and Dean are happy and out of the life and have a bunch of kids who’re played by J2′s kids.

Mark P drops out to build an evil island without health insurance for his Friedman cult followers and Lucifer is played by Betty White.

Sam and Dean keeping their friends in the loop when Something Bad is about to destroy the world, and generally keeping in touch with people and sharing the Bunker’s library with other hunters and being Adjusted and Decent persons.

AU!Eileen falls in love with our Sam, cue happy ending and puppies.

AU!Cas wears dirty jeans low on his hips and has lots of cool tattoos and eyeliner and is much too close to endverse!Cas for comfort and Dean very nearly has a heart attack and fucking dies.

One episode that’s completely external POV - maybe we follow some kind of journalist, or a police agent, or even another hunter - I don’t care, just gimme.

Jesse and Cesar’s ranch, and Dean riding horses, possibly shirtless.

Some resolution for Mary, and a serious talk about their past and John and whatever else - something honest that’s not inside a dreamscape or drug-fuelled or one of those things where people shout uncomfortable half-truths before leaving the room.

We see what Bela’s like as a demon.

ANGEL WINGS

CAS’ TRUE FORM

A beach episode.

Canon Destiel, which doesn’t mean they’re together or happy or anything - if they want to keep them apart forever and ever, I’ll probably go sob in a corner but whatever, as long as it’s coherent and well-written, it’s fine - I just want it freaking acknowledged and out of the subtext.

#spn season 13 #spn season 14 #spn wishlist #destiel #dean is bi #also #give sam a fucking dog #and dean a baby #seriously #come on #and please don't go for the true blood ending #pleeeeease #let them be happy #or kill everyone #no compromises #blaze of glory #or slice of pie #FEEL FREE TO REBLOG AND ADD YOUR OWN

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avanneman · 6 years ago

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TV or not TV? Isn’t there a third option?

I’ve already argued that the pickings at the multiplex are pretty slim, nor am I a fan of what I have labeled “Heavy TV”, disliking it so much I had to write a sequel to my original putdown.1 My appetite, such as it was, for the doings of sadistic serial killers is pretty much exhausted, and I’m generally either afraid of “The Dark” or bored by it. So is nothing acceptable? Fortunately, there are a few old favorites that are still holding up, and a few other odds and ends—shows that have come and gone that I’m just discovering.

Archer, suave secret agent/dick (both private and public), about whom I’ve raved in the past, on my own blog and for the Bright Lights Film Journal, still functioning, and still tolerably funny in its ninth season, is preparing for its tenth and last on FX. Earlier seasons are no longer available on Netflix (except on DVD) and Amazon Prime makes you pay extra even for Season 1, which strikes me as exceptionally bitchy (or Archery). I’m sure the kids have figured out a way to watch it for free, but I haven’t, so I’m DVDing it.

The third season of Call My Agent!, aka Dix Pour Cent, a semi-favorite of mine is up on Netflix, chronicling the frenzied adventures of the ever-endangered ASK talent agency in Paris. I complained about the excessive coziness of Saison Deux, but I’m glad to report that Saison Trois is both more dry and more droll. As I expected, the cliffhanger from Saison Deux, that big-hearted, big-nosed lesbian Andréa (Camille Cottin) would be shipped off to New York, didn’t happen, allowing her to have her baby (by boss Hicham Janowski, played by Assaad Bouab) in the safety and sanctity of the French medical system. My big complaint in the past was the show’s star-struck approach to stars, showing them as vain and temperamental (at first) but, after a few complications, emerging as gallant thoroughbreds who always come through under pressure and save the day. This time, instead of a handful of European stars entirely unknown to me, we have a true international star, Isabelle Huppert. Isabelle isn’t “bad”, of course. If anything, she’s too generous and hard-working. The thing is, she’s signed a contract with—wait for it—Americans! Who want her exclusively and, mercenary monsters that they are, would foreclose on Versailles and ship it to LA if they don’t get their way!

Fortunately, ASK has both the sangfroid and the savoir faire to hose the Yanks, though it takes quite a bit of frantic behind the scenes running around to carry the whole thing off. Along the way, there’s a funny side plot, wherein the sweet gay guy, whose name I still don’t know and can’t determine, gets a chance to move up to be an actual agent instead of an assistant! Because sweet not-gay Camille (Fanny Sidney) thinks she’s so busy she should be two people, sweet gay guy becomes her, for a day. And then he meets this really cute waiter who wants to be a star, and so sweet gay guy arranges for an audition for him! Both their dreams are going to come true! Well, how else does one celebrate such an occasion, eh, mon ami? But then, well, really cute waiter gets sent to the wrong audition, and he’s terrible, and the studio wants to know why ASK is sending them boyfriends instead of actors, and SGG has to 1) catch shit from Camille for endangering the agency, 2) tell RCW that he isn’t star material, and 3) take shit from RCW, to wit: “You only took me on because you wanted to fuck me! Well, mission accomplished, bitch! Because now I’m totally fucked!” And all because he wanted to make people’s dreams come true! Agents suffer!

A past hidden gem that I’m just discovering is Blandings, a mere 12 thirty-minute episodes from Britain, but I’m lovin’ ‘em. “Blandings”, available on Amazon, is ultimately from the pen of P. G. Wodehouse, the grandmaster of silly ass Englishman light fiction. I’ve previously discussed a series dating from the early 90s, Jeeves and Wooster, devoted to Wodehouse’s supreme creation, the saga of Bertie Wooster and his man Jeeves, which ran through dozens of short stories and perhaps a dozen novels, from the early twenties through 1970. Devotees/obsessives like myself marinated for decades in Bertie’s inimitable rococo narration of Jeeves’ inimitable rococo machinations, all in the service of the inimitable truth, that Amor Vincit Omnia, though not without considerable assistance from Jeeves.

It was surely inevitable that Jeeves and Wooster would fall below the mark unconsciously set for it by aficionados like myself. Despite the ineffable lightness of Wodehouse’s prose, both Bertie and Jeeves were quite complex characters, doppelgangers for Wodehouse himself. “Plum”, as everyone (apparently) called him, was quite unhappy as a boy, but immensely happy at his “public” school—what we Americans would call a prep school—“Dulwich College”. The moral he seemed to take away from it all was that happiness, though possible, is not “natural”—it must be consciously achieved. Furthermore, it is most often achieved in the company of the privileged, and it can best be achieved by holding the world at arm’s length.

In the early short stories, Bertie is always either falling in love or getting engaged, or both, but always to the “wrong woman”—though, in sharp contrast to the American “rom com”, there is no right one.2 As Jeeves repeatedly makes clear, the only way to avoid the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune is to abstain from the fury and mire of human veins. By the mid-thirties, when Wodehouse had largely switched from short stories to novels, Bertie was as skeptical of affairs of the heart as Jeeves. The turning point was Brinkley Manor, aka What Ho, Jeeves (1934), which set in motion a collection of entangled and star-crossed lovers who, thanks to Jeeves, all married happily, though the consummations were delayed for a good thirty years. The Epicurean Roman poet Lucretius notoriously found it pleasing to stand safely on the shore and watch the sufferings of those at sea tormented by the storm.3 Both Jeeves and Bertie are made of softer stuff, and, confronted as they invariably are by victims of internal rather than external weather, always strive to intervene—Bertie ingenuously and disastrously, Jeeves with the effortless hand of the Creator (or the Author). But in both cases, intervention is only possible if one is one’s self immune to the tempest within.4

Jeeves and Bertie are scarcely three-dimensional characters, and the supporting cast distinctly less so, but over the decades that he wrote about them, Wodehouse rang the changes on the limited notes available to him so ingeniously that—for the addicted, at least—they remained ever fresh and vivid. The result is that, I suspect, all true devotees have a “perfect” Aunt Dahlia and a “perfect” Madelaine Bassett, not to mention a perfect Bertie and a perfect Jeeves, already fixed in their heads, so that the poor actors and actresses (if I can use such a term) who portray them almost invariably appear as disappointments or even frauds, for the perfect is always the enemy of the good.

In the “Blandings” stories, revolving around Lord Emsworth and his kin, and most particularly his prize pig, the “Empress” and set in the “eternal Twenties” of Wodehouse’s imagination,5 the perfect rarely intrudes The few I read from the series struck me as a distinctly lesser creation, stories that Wodehouse wrote as a sort of vacation from the Wooster/Jeeves high-wire act. Without Bertie’s perfect voice—the Blandings stories are written the third person—and without Jeeves perfect schemes, we have little more than a stock company road show of silly ass Englishmen, good-hearted chorus girls, good-natured, big-bellied, empty-headed lords, imperious dames, and sherry-slurping butlers, all wandering around the sort of enormous country estate that drove me half bonkers in the unspeakably wretched Downton Abbey.6 But at Blandings, it works.

Rather remarkably, given the degenerate nature of our time, the producers of the show made no attempt to position themselves as superior to the material, no effort to show what life was “really” like in those bad old days, which was in fact pretty horrible for everyone below stairs and for half of those above it. Wodehouse deconstructed would be a sorry sight indeed, and we don’t get it. The only updating that has been done is pretty much limited to the occasional pig fart, and (probably) more “muck” jokes (manure) than P. G. would have allowed himself. Instead, we have the amiable Lord Emsworth (Timothy Spall), sporting a thoroughly “English” set of teeth, his amiable son Freddie Threepwood (Jack Farthing), his unamiable sister Lady Constance (Jennifer Saunders), and his stout butler Beach (played first by Mark Williams in the first season and by Tim Vine in the second), all cavorting and disporting themselves in a suitably Wodehousian manner. Freed from the burden of perfection, and avoiding on its own the burden of pretense, it’s pretty damned good road show all around, and I’m sorry it didn’t get a longer run.

Another invigorating look at the Roaring Twenties with a British accent—more substantial, this time around—comes from Down Under in the form of Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, three full seasons of hour long treats on both Netflix and ABC that make Sydney, Australia look surprisingly like London—and sound like it too, because all the leads have surprisingly (to me) posh accents.7 Miss Fisher, played by the charming Essie Davis, is unsurprisingly and unchronologically up to date in all her attitudes, being (of course) independent and quite capable of clambering over walls and scaling buildings in pursuit of evil-doers, even in high heels. Phryne, as her first name is, has a sweet companion, Dorothy Williams (Ashleigh Cummings), somewhat lower down on the social scale and naturally a bit intimidated by Phryne’s upper class lack of inhibition. Both gals have steady Eddies, in the form of Chief Inspector John Robinson (Nathan Page) for Phryne and Constable Hugh Collins (Hugo Johnstone-Burt) for Dorothy. The Chief Inspector, virtually a walking Rock of Gibraltar and a titan of middle-class inhibitions, is naturally entranced by the wicked Miss Fisher, who keeps his Herculean physique tightly wrapped around her little finger for all three seasons, and it must be said that Constable Collins’ fate is only a little less circumscribed.

As should be obvious, Miss Fisher is largely a chick show, of particular interest, I would say, to women who worry about their boyfriends’ hair, because both the Chief Inspector and the Constable have coifs that are, invariably, perfect. Some of the “backstory” for the show—the bitterness many Australians felt at the way the “Mother Country” used them for its own purposes in World War 1, for example—shows some real thought. There is, unsurprisingly, a gaping omission when it comes to the subject of race, and the position of the “aborigines”, which in the twenties was entirely deplorable. Most unattractive is the difference in the treatment of two of Miss Fisher’s many lovers, one Chinese and one “black”. The Chinese lover comes from a prominent family, speaks excellent English, and has come to Australia to flee an arranged marriage in order to marry the woman he loves, whose father is a communist. The black lover is an extra in a film, has not a single line, and clearly functions as a one-night stud. Naughty, yes, but not very nice.

For now, that's it. So don't say nothing's on. Say almost nothing's on.

Latest and worst heavy TV of all is the execrable Game of Thrones. The sappy English accents alone make it unwatchable, not to mention the entire fur coats, tits, and bloody murder ethos of the damn show. Livin’ in the Age o’ Trump is already terrible, but this show makes it worse. ↩︎

As a young man, Wodehouse wrote “straight” rom com novels like Mike in the City and Leave it to Psmith!, whose heroes were impecunious public school men, rather like Wodehouse himself, ↩︎

The opening stanza of Book II of De Rerum Natura, aka “The Nature of Things”—a Roman catchphrase. People are always taking a look at rerum natura. ↩︎

Wodehouse did marry, Ethel May Wayman, an English widow. They had no children, but Wodehouse adopted Wayman’s daughter, to whom he was quite devoted. Supposedly, Ethel was the Jeeves to Plum’s Bertie. ↩︎

“First and last,” I squealed in impotent and ineffectual rage, “I was overwhelmingly put off by the idea that it’s okay, in any sense of the word, for five people to be knocking about in a house the size of Grand Central Station, with two or three dozen menials rushing about night and day to keep everything looking just so.” Blandings rather shamelessly elides the issue by pretending that Lord Emworth’s immense estate is cared for by a handful of servants, who spend most of their time either feeding cake to pigs or drinking sherry. ↩︎

Actually, Wodehouse’s stock characters are really pre-World War I, as George Orwell explains. Orwell’s essay discusses Wodehouse’s early work in some detail, on its way to giving what I found to be too much deference to Wodehouse’s unthinking behavior when captured by the German Army in France in 1940. Wodehouse gave a radio broadcast making it sound as though being imprisoned by the Germans was rather jolly. Wodehouse’s wife was also a prisoner, so it’s not surprising that he wanted to cooperate, but there’s a difference between cooperating and being coopted. I suspect that Wodehouse, like many rich people, hoped that the Nazis wouldn’t be so bad. ↩︎

A contemporary Australian series, Rake, also available on Netflix, which I gave up on because it kept expecting me to identify with a coke addict, features noticeably less posh accents. ↩︎

#tv #Archer #Call My Agent!#Blandings #Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries #Jeeves

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mrmichaelchadler · 6 years ago

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I Don’t Want to See An Actor Onscreen: Franz Rogowski on Transit, Happy End, Victoria and More

German auteur Christian Petzold’s new film, “Transit,” takes an entrancing look at the ghosts that walk among us, searching for people who may no longer exist. Set in a Marseilles overtaken by fascist forces, the line between past and present is obscured in a way that feels eerily prescient. Petzold’s brilliant script, adapted from Anna Seghers’ novel, reflects how fanatic nationalism continues to rise across the world, popularizing forms of intolerance that had once appeared to have no future apart from collecting dust in history books. Our protagonist is Georg (Franz Rogowski), a man attempting to outwit Nazis by posing as a dead author, hoping the new identity will assist him in escaping France. His emotions become complicated, to say the least, when he finds himself repeatedly encountering the author’s wife (Paula Beer, star of the Oscar-nominated “Never Look Away”). The film’s elegant portrayal of a deliberately jumbled narrative is best described by one of its own lines, “a confused story in immaculate handwriting.”

“Transit” also serves as the latest triumph in the career of Rogowski, who’s quickly gaining an international reputation as one of the leading talents of his generation. From his breakout roles under the direction of Jakob Lass (“Frontalwatte,” “Love Steaks,” “Tiger Girl”) to his staggering showcase in Sebastian Schipper’s one-take wonder, “Victoria,” the 33-year-old German actor has mesmerized viewers with his humor, raw magnetism and startling vulnerability. He easily walked away with his scenes in Michael Haneke’s “Happy End,” going toe-to-toe with the great Isabelle Huppert, inhabiting the role of her troubled son, Pierre. During my conversation with Lass at the Chicago International Film Festival, he noted that “an important quality to have in improvisation is you can’t be afraid that your character will possibly end up as the loser of the situation. Franz does that with such grace, and it’s so much fun to watch.”

I recounted this quote to Rogowski during a Q&A at CIFF last fall, and he provided a memorable response. “As an actor, I like to put myself in a position where I could lose,” he told me. “It’s nice because you always want a dialogue with your partner in front of the camera. You want something to happen. By putting yourself in that vulnerable position, you are allowing the other person to crash or smash you, or protect and save you. It’s very nice to damage your own character without breaking it. It’s one of my favorite things.” Earlier that day, Rogowski spoke with me about his background in dance, his love of Sia’s “Chandelier” music video and the painstaking challenge of capturing an entire film in a single take.

Tell me about your origins in choreography, which predated your work as an actor.

The start of it all, I think, was a bad experience in high school. I needed to do something that wasn’t based on reading books or sitting on a chair and just repeating what someone tells you to do. For me personally, at the end of the day, I am looking for a certain, specific form that enables me to transform life into art, more or less, and for all my life, that has been the performing arts. It started with theatre and then turned into contemporary dance. I was interested in authorship, so I started to choreograph and collaborate with directors.

Then I decided to change fields and started doing movies with people like Jakob, people who were studying directing. At that time, I was enrolled at a university in Berlin, and Jakob became one of the first directors that would give me a role—a role as a choreographer, interestingly. The first work I had on a film set was choreographing a bunch of amateurs in the background. Then one of the actors didn’t show up, so I got this small part, which just required me to read a newspaper on a bench. He liked what I did, so in the next movie, he offered me a main role.

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Jakob told me that you stole the show, despite your brief screen time in this short film.

It was a little love story between a man and a woman. They’re strangers sitting on this bench when they begin to look at each other. Unfortunately, my character is in between them reading a newspaper, and he is so interested in it that he constantly moves his head in such a way that he makes them unable to see each other. I just tried to do it in a good way, but I was quite innocent, I guess. Maybe that was the reason why it worked. It is good to be innocent.

Has your training in dance enabled you to be more intuitive in knowing when and when not to be in control of your physicality?

When working with directors like Jakob or Terrence Malick, whose films rely a lot on improv, every scene is based on the moment, regardless of how much you prepare. It helps to feel your body and know a bit about your body, but there’s also the danger to know too much about your body and to be too aware, and you see that. I think dancers are the worst party people because they cannot let go and are aware of everything. They’re like, “Move the hips, relax the pelvis more,” and you cannot really have fun like that. So I think intuition is important, but to be intuitive, you need to know certain things in order to create a space without fear, where you can trust yourself.

Whenever I see you in a movie, I feel like I could meet your characters on the street. It’s not “acting with a capital A.”

Yeah, I try to be person or a creature, but I don’t try to be an actor. I really don’t want to see an actor onscreen. I want to see a person.

In Jakob’s films, “Love Steaks” and “Tiger Girl,” I am especially struck by the use of the female gaze, resulting in the men being stripped down rather than the women.

I live in a bubble, as most artists do. My home is in Berlin, which is quite queer-aware and experimental. In my bubble, it’s kind of normal to show vulnerability, and it would be very weird to be the kind of man who feels strong in a group of males that drink beer. I don’t really know these people.

Me neither. [laughs]

I know they go to the soccer game, and I know where it is, but I live in a different zone. I agree that Jakob’s work is fantastic because of the fact that he gives this classic element of violent behavior to a female character. Sometimes there’s not even a reason for it, such as when the women in “Tiger Girl” destroy a car with a baseball bat. They just like to do it, and he doesn’t have to comment on it. It’s just cool, and it’s very interesting that when the film was released in Germany, people were writing about how violent the film was. If the characters had been men, nothing critical would’ve been written about it. That’s what I love a lot about that movie. It empowered women.

Even in “Love Steaks,” it is the woman (played by Lana Cooper) who is pursuing your character.

Yeah, she is the aggressive one, and is a very aggressive person in real life. She’s a great actress.

Was it empowering for you to be made so vulnerable, both physically and emotionally, in your earliest movie roles?

I love to do it as a person and also as a actor. I also love to put myself in a vulnerable position to see what the other person will do in the scene. When you act, there is always this power shift that occurs. Keith Johnstone wrote some interesting books about improvisation and interaction, and Jakob is working a lot with that. He wanted to craft a dynamic where my character is weaker than Lana’s, and at the end, it shifts. As an actor, I love to propose vulnerability and then see how somebody deals with it in a scene, because it allows your partner to take care of you or to really put you down. It’s interesting to risk your own strength in front of the camera.

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I wrote a piece for the Goethe-Institut about how “Tiger Girl” serves as a female spin on “Fight Club,” where the two female leads could be interpreted as each other’s alter ego. It straddles the line between empowering and cautionary.

It’s a reflection of the part of the world that we live in. Our neighborhood is in the area of Berlin known as Kreuzberg, and the perspective that Jakob expresses is quite normal there. I think it’s true what he said to you that he wasn’t intending to make a super-political movie. He just likes the sort of woman who can beat up a man, and he’s sensitive at the same time. Maybe that’s just his taste, and a flavor that we are used to.

My mind boggles at the thought of how director Sebastian Schipper went about choreographing “Victoria,” shot in a single astonishing take that runs well over two hours. For you and the other actors, it must’ve felt like a dance.

Yes, it was very physical. My dance has always been based on pedestrian moves and gestures. I would just look at what’s behind me rather than spiral my spine. The dances I choreographed were always based on very concrete decisions and a concrete world, so “Victoria” absolutely felt like dance. The fact that it’s a one-take movie requires a one-take wonder, and to get one on film is quite a lot of pressure. We were all in the same boat, we all took the same risks, and that united us. It turned us into somewhat of a Fight Club.

What do you do during the moments when the camera isn’t on you during the two-hour-plus take?

That is the hardest part, because you cannot just make a break. There are scenes where we aren’t onscreen for 15 minutes or so, and those are the most difficult moments. We would smoke six cigarettes in 15 minutes, and just hit our chest to stay in the role. When the camera’s there, everything feels more real, as an actor. You’re just in it. Then once you are offscreen, and you have a break that runs for 20 minutes, it is very challenging.

It must be all about keeping yourself in the zone, as if you are an extra.

When you aren’t the main character, it also means that 60 percent of the time, you are not really onscreen, but you have to be in the moment all the time.

How many takes were filmed?

We did three big takes. Before that, we had ten nights where we’d rehearse a tenth of the movie each day. So the first night, we would be trying to get in the club, and then walking to the corner. The next night, we’d be at the corner with the police car, and then get some beer. And then the night after that, we’d be going up on the rooftop, and figuring out how to deal with the mirrors in the elevator, for example. By the end, we had all the materials that we needed, and we could have edited it together, but we knew that we wanted it all to be done in one take. So we had three nights over the course of three or four weeks to do it. It was always on a Sunday night going into Monday morning, from 2am to 6am.

We chose an area to film where there are no people at night, because all that is located there are offices. It’s not like in New York, where the nightlife never ends. There is no Wall Street, and the offices are closed during the night. It was still kind of risky, though, because if you have someone in the frame who looks in the camera, it’s over. The first time we filmed the take, it was good and safe. Sebastian said, “We did it! We did everything. Now you have to take a risk.” On the second take, we took a risk, and Sebastian said, “Man, it’s bad,” especially regarding me and Burak Yigit, one of the other actors. We had to come to his apartment and he asked us, “Guys, what’s wrong with you?”

What was the problem?

I don’t know, I think he was missing some necessities. He needed more sweat, more fever, more fear, and he didn’t really feel it. I don’t know why. We were already so scared before the second take, so prior to the third one, we didn’t sleep for three nights. I was smoking two packs a day. We really did everything we could on that third take because it was the last chance we had, and that’s the one that comprises the whole movie. It really is one take. There is no editing in the image. The sound, however, is edited. In the elevator, for example, we are muted, and other sounds are added, such as gunshots. It’s interesting that this movie is edited on an acoustic level.

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You earned perhaps the biggest laugh in any Michael Haneke movie when your character, Pierre, mimics Ryan Heffington’s now-iconic choreography for Sia’s “Chandelier” music video in “Happy End.” It’s both hilarious and painful to watch your character, a struggling addict, attempt to replicate the moves of a song about alcoholism.

In the original script, this scene doesn’t exist. Michael was casting for a French person to play Pierre, so when he decided to cast me, he had to reconsider the character a bit. In terms of the text, I would speak in German and it would be dubbed, because I am a French guy in the movie. Then Michael came up with the idea of adding this scene in order to give my character something physical to do, and then he let me come up with the song.

I made some proposals, and he chose the one he wanted. I also loved the song because of the content, the choreography and then Pierre’s interpretation of it. He must have seen the music video several times at home, lost and drunk in that apartment that his mom bought for him. He’d watch it over and over again on YouTube. It’s kind of hilarious that he prepares this choreography and then when he is drunk enough to do it, he does it in that way. [laughs] I love my character for doing this scene.

What did you find appealing about the original music video?

I enjoy the performance of the girl [Maddie Ziegler] a lot. I think this girl in combination with that song and the way she expresses herself through these movements is very touching, and also somehow new. I’ve never seen dance quite like this before. It’s so beautiful to see a girl who went through this ballet education manage to still be free and wild. This combination is really rare, and I think that’s what everybody loved about the video.

Pierre comes from a background that is not ballet, but it is certainly bourgeois at his house, and he wants to break free of it. He is like a teenager, even though he is 26 or 27. He wants something else. The problem is that he doesn’t know what that something is, and he doesn’t know where to go. He just knows that he wants to run away, and that’s very exhausting. It’s like puberty. It’s a very exhausting state of mind, and that’s why I felt this song fit him perfectly.

I was also amused by the sudden act of violence that occurs after you invite the refugees to your mother’s dinner.

I definitely sensed the humor in the dance scene, and felt it a little bit in the moment you just mentioned. Michael really knows what he wants. He sharpens the knife until it cuts, and the slightest detail out of place could disturb the scene. My character’s speech in that scene, when he brings in the refugees to the dinner, was one of the toughest shooting experiences in my entire life. I think it was the most expensive scene of the movie because we had an entire studio filled with people dressed in designer clothes. Because of everything that occurs in that scene, including my speech, we shot it 45 or so times over the course of one and a half days.

What distinguishes Christian Petzold, the director of “Transit,” from the other great filmmakers you have worked with in the past?

What is very specific about him is that he is a walking encyclopedia of cinema. He has a movie quote for every kind of life situation or acting moment. If you have any questions, he could come up with a quote, a reference, a book, a movie scene, and he would just give you all the materials you need in order to be inspired. The preparation also consists of watching movies together, and talking about the scenes. We would rehearse onset without technicians, without lighting, nothing—just us and him, as if it were a theatre production, and we would rehearse.

Then while we would prepare and go to the makeup and costume people, the set would be built up in the meantime. We would come back and do one take, literally one take—for technical reasons, sometimes a second take—but there was no working hard onset. It would be a very careful preparation, and then we would just do it once and go home. It was a very specific, special approach paired with this careful preparation and all his knowledge. It has been an incredible experience.

To what degree did the narration detailing Georg’s inner thoughts guide your approach to the character?

I tried to be in the moments that you see onscreen. I thought it would not be a good decision to embody the thoughts while you can hear them. It’s often boring to hear and see things that are conveying the same ideas. I prefer a podcast or pantomime, but not all at once. Sometimes Christian describes things that you can see onscreen, so it is a literal description, and sometimes he describes things that you don’t see. That creates a space for the audience to find their own perspective.

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When I interviewed your “Tiger Girl” co-star, Maria Dragus, she spoke of her belief in the “need for integration” and the importance of not pushing away everything that is new. Films like “Transit” illustrate how art can prove to be a humanizing force, as conveyed by the line, “the complexities of people that annoyed him in life make them compelling on the page.”

Absolutely. One of the main reasons why I wanted to make this film with Christian was that we are dealing with immigrants coming into Europe every day. Marseilles is a city on the edge of Europe, and our history has been all about our efforts to leave Europe while being trapped in bureaucratic hell. Today, the same thing is happening, it’s just the other way around. I think it is very important not to forget about that reality.

The fact that we don’t comment on Marseilles being modern day Marseilles, with televisions and phones coexisting next to this ghostly vision of the 30s, was very interesting to me. When I read that, I thought, ‘I should meet Christian.’ He wrote an incredible script, and I wanted to work with him and with Paula. This movie enables people to reflect on some things that are essential for our society today.

The wrenching moment when a mother is dragged from her children reminded me of the families being separated at the U.S.-Mexico border. This story can apply to so many places in the world today.

Very true, though I must admit that since I live in a bubble of making art and being an actor, the reason why I wanted to be in “Transit” was not because it is dealing with the refugees. To be honest, eight out of ten scripts that I read have some refugees in it, just to be political, and I think that’s also a problem. I love cinematographic art for the sake of being art, for the sake of creating great movies. The main reason why I agreed to make the film was because I thought it could become a great movie. The refugee part is important too, but what made me fall in love with the story was my meeting with Christian, and the script itself.

The very final shot of Georg’s face provides us with just enough hope to heighten our intrigue.

That’s exactly what we intended to do. Paula, Christian and I all have different endings in our fantasies.

Header photo credit: Franz Rogowski in Christian Petzold’s “Transit.” Courtesy of Music Box Films.

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savetopnow · 7 years ago

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2018-03-21 10 MOVIE now

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Birth. Movies. Death.

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Daily Podcast: The Best Films & TV Of SXSW 2018, Shia LaBeouf, John Musker, Chopping Mall, Weinstein & Justice League

Sequel Bits: ‘Tomb Raider 2’, ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’, ‘Incredibles 2’, ‘Rampage’, ‘Godzilla’, ‘Bumblebee’

‘Chopping Mall’ Remake Won’t Feature Killer Robots, Does the World Even Make Sense Anymore?

‘Can You Ever Forgive Me?’ Trailer: Melissa McCarthy Stretches Her Dramatic Chops in True-Life Forgery Drama

Michael B. Jordan to Produce ‘The Liberators,’ a World War II Drama About Black Combat Unit

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ahouseoflies · 8 years ago

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The Best Films of 2016, Part I

Rodrigo Perez of The Playlist posted his best-of list on January 15 and spent the introduction whipping himself for it being too late to be relevant. That was over two weeks ago, and here I am. But who can feel caught up if an actual critic doesn’t? Even now, at a point when I have to turn the page, I haven’t seen Toni Erdmann, Paterson, Things to Come, or Jack Reacher: Never Go Back. Aside from pretending that my thoughts on movies are worth something to other people, I’m just a regular guy living in a film market that is not L.A. or New York, and the system for movie release schedules is broken for all of us. Most of the year is trash if we can’t go to festivals. Then we hear about interesting stuff from the critics’ top ten lists that bubble up in early December. Because the press machine follows an old model, interviews and commercials and dates on posters are timed to promote a film while it is technically on about six screens. In the case of, say, 20th Century Women, it opens in my area on January 20th. By that time it has already been judged a failure because it had to share the airspace with dozens of other pictures released in a one-month window. And Hollywood wonders why a) they lose $75 million on Live by Night or b) regular people pirate the product. Forgive those hicks for wanting to see the thing you’re selling. This pattern repeats every year, and no one learns anything because exactly two movies end up being financial successes. I hate movies. Because I hate movies, I watched 124 of them in 2016, which is a 3% decline from my viewing last year. (In consolation, my balance between classic films and contemporary ones was better.) As usual, I have ranked all 124 and divided them into the tiers of Garbage, Admirable Failures, Endearing Curiosities with Big Flaws, Pretty Good Movies, Good Movies, Great Movies, and Instant Classics. As Isabelle Huppert probably said in Things to Come, “Allons-y!” GARBAGE 124. The Bronze (Bryan Buckley) I'm reading an hour and forty minutes as the running time on imdb, but I could have sworn this laborious movie was at least five hours. The main problem here, besides profanity being a joke in and of itself, is that the film is never sure how much empathy it has toward its characters. It judges them for cheap laughs, then turns right back around and tries to wring emotion by taking them seriously. Juggling both of those modes isn't impossible, but The Bronze proves how difficult it is. I rented this on a weekend when my baby had diarrhea, which really took the viewing experience up a notch. 123. Equals (Drake Doremus) What a snoozefest of a perfume ad this is. I liked Doremus's Like Crazy a lot, but I found little nuance or invention in his world-building here, for a setting that needed something new to separate it from the emotionless dystopias we've seen before. Kristen Stewart is at watch-everything-she's-in status for me, but even her whispery performance is paint-by-numbers.

122. Dirty Grandpa (Dan Mazer) I'm mostly angry with myself because I thought I had gotten trash like this out of my system. You can learn a lot from bad movies, but I learned all I could by seeing whatever two movies were playing every Friday of high school. I had been making such better choices. I hope, at the very least, that one of Robert De Niro's failing TriBeCa restaurants was able to hire additional bartenders as a result of this. The experience is a bit like spending time with a child who has just learned how to use the F-word, but also if that child had a deeply-ingrained sense of misogyny? God bless Jason Mantzoukas for at least trying in all of these red-band write-offs. By the way, same diarrhea weekend. 121. Sausage Party (Conrad Vernon, Greg Tiernen) Up until now, the Rogen-Goldberg aesthetic has been "genre/premise...but it's filthy." Sausage Party, more of a brand management lark than anything else, seems to stretch the high concept side and the filthy side until the whole thing breaks. The atheism allegory stalls halfway through. (So there is a God, but that God is evil? Is death being expired or is death being taken home? How can the device be so heavy-handed and so muddy at the same time?) The villain (a literal douche) is adequately motivated, but the screenplay drops him for a huge stretch of time. In the end, I needed more than hot dogs cursing. I wouldn't recommend this movie, but I would recommend the three following things in it: 1. Tha god Edward Norton as Sammy Bagel Jr. 2. The epilogue is clever! Where was that kind of thinking the whole time? 3. The one joke that I liked, then felt dumb for liking: A lavash lamenting that he won't get thirty-seven extra virgin olive oils. 120. The BFG (Steven Spielberg) If you drink every time you hear "Bee-Eff-GeeeeEEEE," then you'll die. And you might be better off than a person asking "who cares?" to the ether for almost two hours.Now that his style is so solidified, a brand of its own even thirty years ago, Spielberg has trouble merging his voice with anyone else's. You could argue that he did it with The Color Purple or Empire of the Sun, but Minority Report feels nothing like a Philip K. Dick work by the end as Anderton rubs the pregnant belly of the wife he's back together with. In Jurassic Park he casts a literal cartoon to yada-yada the science that Michael Crichton was fascinated with. And here he tries to wrap himself around Roald Dahl, a man who was simultaneously way sillier and way more cynical than Spielberg. Here's something that happens about a dozen times: The BFG doesn't speak English well, despite hearing all the whispers of the world and being alive since the beginning of time. So Dahl creates malapropisms and nonsense words for him. He calls someone "a human bean," and the girl corrects him with "Bee-Eff-GeeeEEEE, it's human BEING." And that's the film in a nutshell: Someone toying with the wacky only to yoke himself back to this boring world. 119. Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising (Nicholas Stoller) Compared to the first movie--not a masterpiece by any stretch--this one has no stakes at all. It's always a bad sign when characters have to keep repeating what their short-term goals are as the film goes on. If (when) you look really closely at Efron's abs, you can almost make out the "lol nothing matters" gif. 118. Wiener Dog (Todd Solondz) Todd Solondz hasn't made a good movie since the first half of Storytelling, and he hasn't made a financially successful movie ever. Yet here he is in 2016, getting more chances to spray the same pointless contempt. All of his movies are mean, but they're also weirdly toothless. My mistake that I thought the people who deserved scorn were venal billionaires and hypocritical authority figures. It's actually slightly materialistic middle-class people and college kids who need to be taken down a peg. Go get 'em, Todd! Danny DeVito comes close to saving his misshapen segment, injecting pathos into a character who is a self-loathing mouthpiece for Solondz. Fewer people fit the bill of "sad-sack" more than DeVito, and he wears his character's anxiety on his slumped shoulders. I had almost forgotten about this observant, reserved side of DeVito, and he takes over until the film shuffles along to another half-scene--you know, before we, God forbid, get attached to someone.There's a reason that Solondz's best scenes take place in schools, and there's a reason why he keeps returning to his younger stand-in Dawn Weiner, his only character that rises above a type. It's because Todd Solondz is still the weird kid in the back of the classroom giggling to himself. Then, when the teacher asks what he's laughing at, he looks down and says, "Nothing."

117. The Neon Demon (Nicolas Winding Refn) Bukowski wrote: "An intellectual says a simple thing in a hard way. An artist says a hard thing in a simple way." Of course, he didn't live to see any of Nicolas Winding Refn's movies, which challenge that notion. It's hard for me to reject something crafted so meticulously--I won't be able to unsee some of these shots--but I suspect that Refn dresses these things up so luridly because he isn't saying much. (Shout-out to your best movie being the only one you didn't write.) And he falls back on provocation because he doesn't have as much confidence in us as he has in himself. That's reductive I guess. "There's no difference between text and subtext" might be closer than "not saying much." Take the bathroom scene, for example, where the labored rhythm of the dialogue really takes hold. The Jena Malone character says that lipsticks have names that conjure images of food or sex, and she asks the Elle Fanning character what her lipstick name would be. In other words, "Are you food, something devoured by others, or sex, something you are active in for your own pleasure?" Luckily, the character doesn't answer her, but the movie spends another hour and a half clinging to the line between predator and prey. (Unless it's literally placing a predator into the character's motel room to force the issue, a moment as magical as it is didactic.) Beauty is something as pure as it is ephemeral. So if beauty becomes a currency, and one is forced to use her beauty as a transaction, can it ever really survive? Is its innocence lost then? Alternately, if a truly beautiful thing enters a realm of ugliness, doesn't it become a poisoning element that corrupts that environment? Isn't beauty, in that sense.../puffs joint/...ugliness? I think I'm pretty close, but you be the judge. The Neon Demon reminded me of Under the Skin, another film I did not like, because they both spell out obvious ideas, thinking that the genuinely artful visuals will complicate that text. (And the camera loves Elle Fanning as much as it does Scarlett Johansson. None of this is her fault.) Both films could probably be played at double-speed without missing much, but then they wouldn't be fables or dreams or other things I don't like. I feel as if I get what both of them are saying but...so? Both films suggest something blinding and poetic on the margins just beyond our view, but there's nothing there. Their beauty is empty. 116. Mascots (Christopher Guest) "Hi, I'm Laci." "What's your name?" "Laci." That's the time I laughed. I could have used maybe ten fewer characters--though please keep Parker Posey and her heretofore unseen physical comedy. Eerily reminiscent of the Netflix season of Arrested Development in which none of the stars were in the same room at the same time. Do I have to go back now and make sure those other Christopher Guest movies are actually good? 115. Zoolander 2 (Ben Stiller) The first Zoolander was silly fun, and I didn't expect much more from the follow-up. But man, Zoolander 2, separated by fifteen years from its predecessor, feels stale. And it isn't tonally desperate in the way that many of these belated follow-ups are; it's just an idea that culture has zipped past, more of a satire of the fashion world of the first film than anything relevant now. I laughed a scattered handful of times, but the final third is rough. My biggest takeaway: Will Ferrell must be a loyal friend to have signed back up. ADMIRABLE FAILURES 114. Tale of Tales (Matteo Garrone) I appreciate Garrone's visual ambition: There's a shot that is manicured to look exactly like John William Waterhouse's Lady of Shalott. No two films of his look the same either. But I paused this movie to go to the bathroom, and I got really upset when I saw that there were forty-five minutes left. Most of the stories of this fractured fairy tale collection start off interestingly enough, but they all become bloody, sometimes unresolved messes that assert, well, I have no idea what I was supposed to take away actually. Violence makes the world go round? 113. Swiss Army Man (Daniels) Most reviews of Swiss Army Man start with the "what"--desperate castaway finds flatulent dead body and pals around with him--and move on to the "how"--it's actually about friendship and living life to the fullest and so forth. I'm going to flip that. I'll buy the "why," the semi-animated corpse as a device. I appreciated that it served to highlight a type of person we don't normally see on screen: sort of educated but rides the bus, social problems but resists being emo, family problems but has worked through them enough. No, the "what" is the problem. It was clear where the line between fantasy and reality was, but the filmmakers were inconsistent with that logic once the action moved into the real world. I feel as if I gave the movie the benefit of the doubt for its entire tedious second act, then it repaid me with, well, not much. 112. Elvis & Nixon (Liza Johnson) Team Shannon 4-Ever, but I think this worked better as a photograph. 111. Ghostbusters (Paul Feig) I would say that Ghostbusters was a mess, but the word "mess" implies risk-taking that went wrong. A much rarer breed, this remake is actually a safe mess. It hews closely to the original, slavishly incorporating cameos from the original cast and hitting all of the same beats. But it's also uniquely incoherent. For example, when the ghosts are released into Times Square, the lady busters can't shoot at the car Slimer is driving because "it would be like a nuclear reactor." So that problem disappears, and now the problem is that the ghosts have taken the form of a Thanksgiving Day parade? But our heroes extinguish that threat, so now everyone is possessed by the garbage villain into disco dancing? And now the ghosts are all huge again? By trying to up the stakes, the film can't even decide on what the obstacle for the characters should be. That sort of muddiness would be understandable if the film felt edited to shreds, but I watched the two hour and fourteen minute extended cut, and it still felt like that. Most of the cast is game, but Kate McKinnon is the standout, injecting weirdness (and, separately, queerness) wherever she can. It seems as if Holtzmann is the only member of the team who actually sciences, and McKinnon's mugging is just as indispensable to the team. The few shots that the film takes at protective nerds are funny, so I wish that the script had more of that bitterness. Or any tone of its own at all.

110. A Hologram for the King (Tom Tykwer) Spoiler: Tom Hanks gets wi-fi for his team. There isn't much "there" there in yet another low stakes tale of a White guy lolwutting a foreign culture. To be fair, Tykwer doesn't other the Saudis as much as most films of this type, but even with that respect, this feels like a movie we've seen before. Without Tykwer's surreal touches and without an actor that has built up so much goodwill, the film wouldn't have worked at all. 109. Amanda Knox (Brian McGinn, Rod Blackhurst) The recent true crime works that prompted Netflix to snatch up this one have been objective and gripping, reaching past their tawdry roots to reveal something about our own prurient interest in the subjects. Amanda Knox, on the other hand, can't get past tawdry. It exhibits just as much sensationalism as it decries in others. It is nice to hear Foxy Knoxy in her own words for once though. (For the record, I would have had enough reasonable doubt to acquit her.) 108. Jason Bourne (Paul Greengrass) Even the title makes it seem as if there's no reason for this movie to exist, so the least I can do is provide alternate titles: 1. The Bourne Pickpocket 2. Bourne: Folder Labeled "Black Ops" 3. Bourne: Last of the Jump Drives 4. The Bourne Cable-Knit Sweater 5. The Bourne Daddy (That one is accurate and true to the The Bourne ____ structure, plus you get a millenial hashtag.) I think Greengrass knew what he had with that trill car chase at the end, so everything else could be rote. Jason Bourne felt like returning to the house you grew up in and going, "Oh, they turned my bedroom into an office." 107. Money Monster (Jodie Foster) Dumb in small ways--a billionaire didn't hear about a national news story involving his company because he was on a plane?--and fairly big ways--dropping threads left and right and failing to give resolution to one of its main characters. Films involving finance are often too complex, but Money Monster isn't complex enough; it's missing a B story. If you think about the best possible version of a movie like this, it's probably Dog Day Afternoon. That film works because we care about Sonny just as much as we do about the boyfriend on the other end of the phone. There's no equivalent for Money Monster, though it could have been the cop, it could have been the girlfriend, it could have been the code-writers. There are a few surprises, good intentions, and Foster has a deft hand for the pacing. But any time the script asked me to care about these characters as people, I felt like it was faking. Maybe the smartest, most modern touch is the suggestion that becoming a meme on Vine is a deeper indignity that going on trial for breaking international law. 106. Jane Got a Gun (Gavin O’Connor) Jane Got a Gun makes sense as a vanity project for Natalie Portman because it allows her to play a lot of qualities she never has: steely, street-smart, matronly. The problem is that she doesn't play any of those particularly well, and the title character is not the most interesting or active one in the piece.That designation would go to Joel Edgerton's Dan Frost (not the woefully miscast Ewan McGregor). When the movie works, it's because he's selling the doomed nature of the Dan-Jane love affair, tugging at his own pride. But just as the film is cresting to an elegiac place, it pulls into the final shootout station. All of these movies end with the same twenty minutes, and if you aren't invested in the characters, that last leg can go on forever. 105. April and the Extraordinary World (Franck Ekinci, Christian Desmares) Like anything steampunk, April and the Extraordinary World has at least one dumb thing for each cool thing. I think the problem is that it can't decide how much of a mystery it wants to be; that is, which elements are unexplained to engage the viewer and which elements are unexplained because the filmmakers don't feel like explaining them. The art direction has so many tiny ingenious touches that define this alternate past in Paris, so of course the movie leaves Paris for a fake jungle created by sentient lizards. The animation does have some cell-shaded, Ghibli charm though. I almost forgot how water splashing looked for ninety years. 104. Florence Foster Jenkins (Stephen Frears) Meryl Streep is in this, I guess, so feel free to throw any awards you want its way. It would be impossible for Stephen Frears, Streep, and Grant to turn in something less than competent, but, other than normalizing adultery, I don't know what Florence Foster Jenkins is doing that is novel or unsafe. Here's something: Has any review mentioned that at least fifteen minutes of running time is made up of someone singing poorly? Not a starting-to-sing and we cut away after a few reaction shots. We're riding out full performances that are--such is the premise of the film--supposed to be unlistenable. Customize your back speakers to really steer into that piercing quality on minute eight of the Carnegie Hall performance. We got the point in the first half-hour, but let's really make it unpleasant. If you like this movie, it probably reminds you of splashy, unchallenging pictures that used to get made for adults. But, as a story about a person of privilege who is coddled to absurd, harmful degrees to hide her from an undeniable objective truth, it might be the most 2016 film I saw all year. 103. Cemetery of Splendor (Apichatpong Weerasethakul) If you say so. I still don't really get this guy. Part of the point is that these mystical things are happening all around us: goddesses chopping it up at picnic tables, intermediaries taking over dead bodies and going on dream walks. And all of that is written with deadpan certainty. But if the supernatural is always presented in that nonchalant way, then is it noteworthy? At the risk of sounding like an ugly American, what else is there if the film is about a bizarre sleeping illness, but we aren't meant to believe that the condition is bizarre or an illness at all? From a directing standpoint, other than a graceful dissolve at the halfway point (and who can't do graceful dissolves?), it's just full two-shots for the length of scenes--even simpler than the composition of Uncle Boonme Can Recall His Past Lives. The last five minutes play out like an observational music video, and I think I would prefer a music video from Weerasethakul to another film.

102. Elle (Paul Verhoeven) It's useless to think about what a movie is not, but it would have been interesting to gauge the reception of this film if it didn't have the imprimatur of an interesting director and a truly great actress. Because what we get is tawdry on the level of a Cinemax feature, despite the handheld trappings of art cinema. People who laugh with the film instead of at it might point to Michele's job as a video game designer as layered: She's in the business of devising fantasies publicly, and that's often what drives her privately. But the dialogue in that space--"This is our one chance with Activision," "given your publishing and literary background..."--is too clunky and artificial to seem lived-in. (That’s what happens when a novel is written in French, the screenplay is written in English, the screenplay is translated into French, and French is the director’s third language.) And, at the most basic level, the character just doesn't seem to know what she's doing. There's one specific plot thread that I found ridiculous, but in general the screenplay seems to confuse lots of stuff happening to the character with the character authentically developing. I can see what the filmmakers were trying to do by refusing to make Michele traditionally sympathetic, but I'm out on this. 101. The Fits (Anna Rose Holmer) For a debut film, The Fits is visually decisive and polished, but it's as thin as its 72-minute runtime might suggest. The girls in the movie, for reasons no one can figure out, fall victim to fits, and those seizures become a metaphor for the inexplicable, almost mournful dread of becoming a woman. It's rare that a movie of this type works on the level of metaphor but fails as a slice-of-life thriller--the thriller tropes are kind of the easy part. I liked how locked into the setting we were, but there wasn't enough meat on the bone for me. 100. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (Gareth Edwards) The first Star Wars film that doesn't feel like an event, Rogue One has one interesting thing (what we learn about the retro-conned nature of something that happens at the end of A New Hope) and one cool thing (Darth Vader smoking some dudes). Ben Mendelsohn avails himself well I guess. But mostly the film feels like bloodless, sexless information in search of any type of humanity. What's weird, considering that A New Hope is one of the most mythologically sound films ever made, is that there isn't a lot of care spent on setting the scene. Can we see a bit more of the type of evil the Deathstar can wreak to build some stakes? Can we stay in one location for more than a few minutes? Can we not have a location named Jedah because it sounds too much like Jedi and makes me confused for a split second every time it's mentioned? I don't think I can say it any better than A.O. Scott, who considers Rogue One "a schoolbook exercise in a course of study that has no useful application and that will never end."

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sowhatisthisfor · 8 years ago

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Movies 2017

List of films I watched in 2017 from best to worst.

Updated soon after I’ve seen them.

Lady Bird [Greta Gerwig, 2017, United States] Small scale with great impact. It's the type that doesn't want to make you cry but makes you cry anyway. I love it with all my heart. 10/10

Call Me By Your Name [Luca Guadagnino, 2017, Italy, Brazil, France, United States] Its authenticity is incredibly palpable, I can taste it in my mouth. Something made with much love, my heart aches. Timothée Chalamet is remarkable. That last frame is unforgettable. 10/10

Bliss [Jerrold Tarog, 2017, Philippines] Touches the fine line between dreamland and reality, and examines dreams or aspirations as mere illusions. It is wicked. It’s well-crafted. It’s a mindfuck. It’s deeply, as in deeply affecting 10/10

Your Name [Makoto Shinkai, 2016, Japan] Star-crossed love at its smartest, warmest, and vividly-made anime. Something highly satisfying, I have no words. 10/10

Arrival [Denis Villanueve, 2016, United States] An admirable sci-fi thriller where aliens teach humans about humanity. 10/10

Salvage [Sherad Sanchez, 2017, Philippines] A film that’s meant to look like a found footage, with one single camera perspective. It used unconventional, long continuous odd angles and silence that made it feel so raw and real, it’s haunting. 10/10

Moonlight [Barry Jenkins, 2017, United States] A rare impressionistic film on a man’s struggle to finding himself, something so rich in poetry and visual excellence, it’s spell-binding. 10/10

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri [Martin McDonagh, 2017, United States] Too much hate and too much heart both at the same time. It is as shocking as it is enchanting. 10/10

About Elly [Asghar Farhadi, 2009, Iran] Its narration of a mystery is already engaging but its inner observation of truth and convictions is even more captivating. 10/10

Respeto [Treb Montreras II, 2017, Philippines] Uses the power of words to compare past and present. Shows the cycle of oppression in a well-crafted film of bewitching artistry. 10/10

Beats Per Minute (BPM) [Robin Campillo, 2017, France] Goosebumps. This is a film clear of its objective, it is exhilarating and exhausting in the good kind of way. 10/10

Thelma [Joaquim Trier, 2017, Norway] Meticulously-crafted film that questions fundamentalism as a basis for joy and purity. I yearn for films as poetic as this. 9.5/10

On Body and Soul [Ildikó Enyedi, 2017, Hungary] Too cold yet too heartfelt in all its complexity. 9.5/10

Manchester by the Sea [Kenneth Lonergan, 2016, United States] a quiet yet profound drama narrated too effectively resulting to a mournful yet beautiful symphony. A film that brings the kind of sadness that is both painful and alluring. 9.5/10

La La Land [Damien Chazelle, 2016, United States] Is really technically excellent, but is also really disconnected. Kind of something you adore rather than love. 9.5/10

Bad Genius [Nattawut Poonpiriya, 2017, Thailand] Brimming with excellent editing and direction, it is a thriller and an ingenius commentary on how social class inequalities lead to inevitable corruption. Brilliant. 9.5/10

Les Innocentes [Anne Fontaine, 2016, France] a battle between religious order and moral conscience, one whose importance cannot be omitted. 9.5/10

L’enfant [Luc Dardenne, Pierre Dardenne, 2005, France] It offers the kind of suspense that attacks your soul rather than just your senses. 9.5/10

First Girl I Loved [Kerem Sanga, 2016, United States] a tender coming-of-age drama that tackles discovering self-identity and the fear that comes with that realization. So raw, it’s thrilling. 9.5/10

Birdshot [Mikhail Red, 2017, Philippines] Beautifully shot, it swims along two storylines at par -- both in search for impunity in a corrupted society. Too relevant. 9.5/10

Grave of the Fireflies [Isao Takahata, 1988, Japan] Save your fragile heart, this isn’t for the emotionally weak. 9.5/10

One Week Friends [Masanori Murakami, 2017, Japan] There’s a good reason for my sunken eyes right now, right? 9/10

Vertigo [Alfred Hitchcock, 1958, 2012 restoration, United States] Where obsession leads to objectification of love and desire. 9/10

El Acompanante [Pavel Giroud, 2016, Cuba] Distinct character pairing in an equally distinctive tales of adversity. 8/10

Battle of the Sexes [Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris, 2017, United States] Makes me feel bad for not being alive yet when it happened. Ace. 8/10

Love You to the Stars and Back [Antoinette Jadaone, 2017, Philippines] Kind of wants to make you believe in destiny, kind of succeeds in that sense. A tender take on teenage love and loss, so pure, it’s precious. 8/10

The Killing of a Sacred Deer [Yorgos Lanthimos, 2017 Greece, UK , US] Yet another solid psychological thriller by the master of contemporary enigma. 8/10

If Cats Disappeared From the World [Akira Nagai, 2016, Japan] a tearjerker drama that examines the essence of living as opposed to just merely existing. 8/10

Coco [Lee Unkrich, 2017, United States] Understands what La La Land doesn’t -- relationships shouldn’t suffer when achieving our dreams. 8/10

Changing Partners [Dan Villegas, 2017, Philippines] uses strong dialogues and character play that makes it rare and magical. 8/10

Paterson [Jim Jarmusch, 2016, United States] Poetic is an understatement. 8/10

Chemi Bednieri Ojakhi (My Happy Family) [Nana Ekvtimishvili, Georgia, 2017] Paints quite vividly a life of a woman in a patriarchal society. Remarkable. 8/10

Beach Rats [Eliza Hittman, 2017, United States] Overall, a substantial commentary on the stigma of homosexuality and its effect on why people choose to hide. 8/10

Krigen [Tobias Lindholm, 2016, Denmark] Feels a little rushed in the end, but affecting overall. 8/10

Little White Lies [Guillaume Canet, 2010, France] I love these characters too much to the point of wanting them to be real. 8/10

Paki [Giancarlo Abrahan, 2017, Philippines] an illustration of how even the most prosaic narrative could be weighty through the power of storytelling and good direction. 8/10

A Gift [Jira Maligool, 2017, Thailand] One of those films that could effortlessly make you laugh and cry. Charming. Very very charming -- definitely a favourite. 8/10

Personal Shopper [Olivier Assayas, 2017, France] A subtle but dreary take on grief. Slow but rewarding in the end. 8/10

Moglie e Morito [Simone Godano, 2017, Italy] Could be the funniest film I have watched this year. 8/10

Hacksaw Ridge [Mel Gibson, 2016, United States] Is one of those war films that stand out. 8/10

Hidden Figures [Ted Melfi, 2017, United States] For those questioning the existence of women figures in history, here’s a good start for you. 8/10

D'Ardennen [Robin Pront, 2016, Belgium] Just about the right amount of violence and grim unpredictability paced quite effectively. 8/10

Mother! [Darren Aronofsky, 2017, United States] It wore me thin down to the core then ended quite brilliantly. My social anxiety is triggered, I am petrified and annoyed both at the same time. 8/10

Blade Runner 2049 [Dennis Villanueve, 2017, United States] Despite its cringe-worthy attack on my feminist self, it actually has a rich cinematic vision of a bewildered 2049. 8/10

Ang Larawan [Loy Arcenas, 2017, Philippines] Has such polished musicality that it overwhelms you to the point of it defying the flaws. 8/10

Lipstick Under my Burkha [Alankrita Shrivastava, 2016, India] Comes with great intentions but lacks the powerful female characters the film supposed to have. 8/10

L’Avenir [Mia Hansen-Love, 2016, France] At this point, everyone should know that there is nothing Isabelle Huppert cannot do. 8/10

Nocturnal Animals [Tom Ford, 2016, United States] This is how a writer dies, and this is how a writer comes back with a kill. 8/10

La Tortue Rogue [Michael Dudok De Wit, 2017, France, Japan] A dialogue-less animation that proves that silence speaks a thousand words and could even provoke deep thinking. 8/10

Everybody Loves Somebody [Catalina Aguilar Mastretta, 2017, Mexico] Nothing much is special and new about it which is why I don’t understand why I love it to a great extent. 8/10

Baby Driver [Edgar Wright, 2017, United States] The ending blew it, but I had so much fun anyhow. 7.5/10

Loving Vincent [Dorota Kobiela, Hugh Welchman, 2017, Poland-UK] Focused too much on visual mastery, wasn't impactful, narrative-wise. 7.5/10

I, Tonya [Craig Gillespie, 2017, United States] Despite Robbie's knockout portrayal, I still need to connect more with Tonya Harding. 7.5/10

Dunkirk [Christopher Nolan, 2017, United States] Boasts Nolan's technical superiority. 7.5/10

Tu Pug Imatuy [Arbi Barbarona, 2017, Philippines] Great. Everything here feels authentic, it’s powerful. 7.5/10

Wonder Woman [Patty Jenkins, 2017, United States] More than it being a feminist is it being human and that I think is more important. 7.5/10

That’s Not Us [William Sullivan, 2015, United States] Very real and natural, I’m nostalgic for reasons I cannot explain. 7.5/10

Other People [Chris Kelly, 2016, United States] So subtly-made, yet is filled with so much emotions. I have much respect for this. 7.5/10

Logan [James Mangold, 2017, United States] Could be the marvel movie that made me feel the saddest. 7.5/10

Kita Kita [Sigrid Andrea Bernardo, 2017, Philippines] I have a problem with what it's trying to romanticize, but I still find it romantic, I'm conflicted. I don't know but i tend to like films/books that border on finding comfort in loneliness. Kita Kita understands that concept pretty well. 7.5/10

You’re Ugly Too [Mark Noonan, 2015, Ireland] An engaging journey of two unusual characters thrown together infused with a great sense of authenticity. 7.5/10

The Beguiled [Sofia Coppola, 2017, United States] Powerhouse cast in one of their most memorable performances. 7.5/10

Star Wars: The Last Jedi [Rian Johnson, 2017, United States] I like how it understands the inevitability of war, and how good and evil coexists. 7.5/10

Singing in Graveyards [Bradley Liew, 2017 Philippines, Malaysia] It’s the things that it did not say that made this movie stirring. 7.5/10

Kiko Boksingero [Thop Nazareno, 2017, Philippines] A small movie with lots of charm. A film about longing and finding satisfaction from things that are there all along. 7.5/10

Haunted: A Last Visit to the Red House [Phyllis Grande, 2017, Philippines] a quiet little gem. I would have want to cut it shorter though. 7.5/10

I Saw the Devil [Kim Jee-Woon, 2011, South Korea] A traumatic examination of how a monster is made. Creepy yet insightful. 7.5/10

Bagahe [Zig Dulay, 2017, Philippines] Proves that mental disturbance hits my emotions more than seeing physical violence. Affecting once digested. 7.5/10

Baconaua [Joseph Israel Laban, 2017, Philippines] Hypnotizing. A small-town tale with profound ideologies buried under its simplicity. 7.5/10

Alipato: The Very Brief Life of an Ember [Khavn, 2016, Philippines] An enjoyable mix of weird artistry, whimsical storytelling, significant animation. Ridiculous but ridiculously exceptional. 7.5/10

Jackie [Pablo Larrain, United States, 2016] Portman delivered a warm performance in what could be a cold memoir. 7.5/10

Italian for Beginners [Lone Scherfig, 2001, Denmark] an enjoyable character-driven story of adults finding love in the most unexpected moments. 7.5/10

Backstory [Joschka Laukeninks, 2017, Germany] Insightful in all its vehemence. 7/10

Heartland [Maura Anderson, 2017, United States] A lot of technical expertise is lacking but it's heartbreaking just the same. 7/10

The Hitman’s Bodyguard [Patrick Hughes, 2017, United States] To hell with that, I enjoyed it. A lot. 7/10

The Journey [Chiu Keng Guan, 2014, Malaysia] Gives you a glimpse of Chinese culture against the backdrop of the beautiful Malaysian landscapes. I really had fun. 7/10

I’m Drunk, I Love You [JP Habac, 2017, Philippines] Makes you feel so much. Something too relatable, it’s terrific. If only for its music scoring, it’s already worth the watch. 7/10

Vince & Kath & James [Theodore Boborol, 2016, Philippines] wait taym pers, bakit ampogi nung bagets? 7/10

The Girl King [Mika Kaurismaki, 2015, Sweden, Finland] has a strong female character who does not dare conform to society’s truths. 7/10

Captain Fantastic [Matt Ross, 2016, United States] a thoroughly-observed film that asks too many radical questions that can only be answered by contradicting its own philosophy. Quite a realization that balance is the key to life. 7/10

La Pazza Gioia [Paolo Virzi, 2016, Italy] The chemistry and the friendship formed between Beatrice and Donatella is a delightful box full of surprises. 7/10

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time [Mamoru Hosoda, 2006, Japan] an entertaining anime on time travel done with slick sensitivity. 7/10

The Write Moment [Dominic Lim, 2017, Philippines] Incredibly funny. Unfamiliar yet relatable. 7/10

Baka Bukas [Samantha Lee, 2017] A realistic take on coming out and drifting apart. 7/10

The Battleship Island [Seung-wan Ryoo, 2017, South Korea] Kind of an upset for a big-budget film. It was entertaining anyhow. 7/10

One Day [Banjong Pisanthanakun, 2016, Thailand] I could buy the romance here but I wouldn’t. Still quite good though. 7/10

Hunt for the Wilderpeople [Taika Waititi, 2016, New Zealand] Boasts really funny puns, and spectacular landscapes. All fun. 7/10

Nabubulok [Sonny Calvento, 2017, Philippines] With how much I read and watch crime and legal thrillers, I find this film very problematic in more ways than one. Still worth a watch though. 7/10

Cafe. Waiting. Love [Jiang Jin Lin, 2014, Taiwan] Better if cut into two different films. Says something important somewhere. 7/10

Instalado [Jason Paul Laxamana, 2017, Philippines] Has a creative approach in showing education as a privilege in a world of Insta-everything. Clever, it resembles the paranoia Margaret Atwood gives, and the subtle societal dysfunctions Yorgos Lanthimos offers. 7/10

High Tide [Tara Illenberger, Philippines, 2017] There’s something beautiful behind this film’s innocence. Too slow for my taste though. 7/10

Sa Gabing Nananahimik ang mga Kuliglig [Iar Lionel Arondaing, 2017, Philippines] Experimental with its cinematography and is probably its greatest strength. It’s 4:3 frame explains the film pretty well. 7/10

The Edge of Seventeen [Kelly Fremon Craig, 2016, United States] Full of hypothetical teenage angst, and coming of age romance. Was okay. 7/10

Certain Women [Kelly Reichardt, 2016, United States] It takes patience to watch this, but in the end, the winning silences and subtleties are worth it. 7/10

Atomic Blonde [David Leitch, 2017, United States] I love it. I hate that they killed the part of her that makes her human, but I love it. 6.5/10

Siargao [Paul Soriano, 2017, Philippines] Succeeds as a promotional movie for the island’s tourism but falls short on its storytelling of a narrative that should have been affecting. 6/10

Tisay [Borgy Torre, 2017, Philippines] Has an interesting turn of events and neat filmmaking to back it up, but it isn’t as effective as I hope it to be. 6/10

All Of You [Dan Villegas, 2017, Philippines] Why is it so hard to give Jennylyn Mercado a character that's likable? 6/10

Medusae [Pam Miras, 2017, Philippines] A lot of potential but felt a bit crammed. 6/10

The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister [James Kent, 2010, United Kingdom] Anne Lister in eighteen hundreds is interestingly and impressively way ahead of her time. 6/10

Death Note [Adam Wingard, 2017, United States] First 40 minutes was awesome. Last hour is spent deciding whether to finish it or not. 6/10

The Other Half [Joey Klein, 2017, Canada] Finds perfect balance in its two leads whose portrayals of self-destructive individuals are astounding and believable. Maslany is a gem. 6/10

La Lengua de las Mariposas [José Luis Cuerda, 2000, Spain] A bittersweet take on patriotism and cowardice powered by its distinct simplicity. 6/10

The Neon Demon [Nicolas Winding Refn, 2016, United States] It was doing pretty well before it tried too hard to be grotesque. 6/10

Water Lilies [Céline Sciamma, 2007, France] A little bit pretentious and typical. An exploration of sexuality with nothing much else to offer. 6/10

Split [M. Night Shyamalan, 2017, United States] James McAvoy is good. Aside from that, this film is trash and extremely flawed. [6/10]

Past Life [Avi Nesher, 2017, Israel] Clattered and unfocused with a number of things happening all at once. 6/10

Lady Macbeth [William Oldroyd, 2017, United States] As empowering as that should be, I had a hard time liking her character as a feminist. 6/10

100 Tula Para Kay Stella [Jason Paul Laxamana, 2017, Philippines] I’d like it to be more poetic, I’d like it to be more heartfelt. It’s inconsistent production design and sloppy editing is also kind of distracting. 6/10

Bar Boys [Kip Oebanda, 2017, Philippines] Nothing more than just watching a movie about men in law school. 6/10

KFC [Le Binh Giang, 2017, Viet Nam] Wicked. A reverse perspective of how life would be if we are animals. Interesting to be honest. 6/10

My Cousin Rachel [Roger Michell, 2017, United States] Perhaps its strength is how well it makes us delve into its characters without knowing who’s side to favour. 6/10

The Girl With All the Gifts [Colm McCarthy, 2016, United Kingdom] Whatever I say about this film is a biased opinion for being madly in love with the book. That said, I have higher expectations than what was delivered. 6/10

Les Chansons d’amour [Christophe Honoré, 2008, France] Has an interesting take on love, intimacy, and sexual desires, but has an ensemble of half-baked characters to make it work. 6/10

Passengers [Morten Tyldum, 2016, United States] I kind of find problematic as a sci-fi, kind of find it okay as a romance. 6/10

Almost Adults [Sarah Rotella, 2016, United States] Even with its uneven acting, I really find it entertaining. 6/10

Lila Says [Ziad Doueiri, 2005, France] Anything involving cross-culture captures my attention intently. 6/10

Our Love Story [Lee Hyun-ju, 2017, South Korea] I would love to have liked it but the chemistry doesn’t work for me. 6/10

El Jugador de Ajedrez [Luis Oliveros, 2017, Spain] With its precise and slick storytelling, it’s hard to pinpoint what went wrong. 6/10

It [Andy Muschietti, 2017, United States] A good take on trauma, a boring horror. 6/10

Confessions [Tetsuya Nakashima, 2010, Japan] Just another revenge thriller in a not just another cinematic style. 6/10

Jamais Contente [Emilie Deleuze, 2017, France] It was charming but wasn’t anything more than that. 6/10

Eight [Peter Blackburn, 2017, Australia] That has got to be the most exhausting film I have watched. 6/10

Little Sister [Zach Clark, 2016, United States] A quiet and sentimental journey to realizing one’s growth. 6/10

Beauty and the Beast [Bill Condon, 2017, United States] I am just not made for this. 6/10

Creepy [Kiyoshi Kurosawa, 2016, Japan] Cliche, and because you expect it not to be cliche, it’s not cliche being cliche. 6/10

La Vie en Rose (La Mome) [Olivier Dahan, 2007, France] Despite Marion Cotillard’s amazing portrayal of Edith Piaf, the narration is kinda dragging that you find yourself exhausted halfway to the end. 6/10

High Art [Lisa Cholodenko, 1998, United States] Solid, sexy, crafted characters. a psychological rollercoaster. 6/10

My Egg Boy [Tien Yu Fu, 2017, Taiwan] Problematic for my feminist standards, a little bit entertaining still. 5/10

Einmal Bitte Alles [Helena Hufnagel, 2017, Germany] One of those films that refuse to grow up. 5/10

The View From Here [Kellen Garner, 2017, United States] The lack of chemistry is distracting. I like Garner's performance tho. 5/10

Can’t Help Falling in Love [Mae Czarina Cruz, 2017, Philippines] There’s cuteness there somewhere, it’s just lacking a believable story. 5/10

Breathe [Andy Serkis, 2017, United States] It bores me, then it gets me. Then it bores me again. 5/10

Before I Fall [Ry Russo-Young, 2017, United States] Well that's a major disappointment. 5/10

Maestra [Lemuel Lorca, 2017, Philippines] Has something good to tell but wasn’t executed good enough to make it great. If not for Angeli Bayani and her effective portrayal of an Aeta teacher who walks 5 hours to reach school, I would have given this a failing grade. 5/10

Bhoy Intsik [Joel Lamangan, 2017, Philippines] Good intent but done in mediocre filmmaking. 5/10

Above it All [Anysay Keola, 2015, Laos] a glimpse of Laotian culture and familial traditions that surprisingly still exist. It was okay. 5/10

Below Her Mouth [April Mullen, 2017, United States] Besides the sexual chemistry between its two characters, nothing much is in there. Just another erotic lesbian film that's already bordering on soft porn. Not buying the "love" there. 5/10

The Autopsy of Jane Doe [André Ovredal, 2016, United States] I most love it for its suspense, I most hate it for its horror. 5/10

Slumber [Jonathan Hopkins, 2017, United States] A sleep doctor who uses wikipedia for research ruined it. bahaha 5/10

Heart Attack [Puri Jagannadh, 2014, India] Kind of too long for something that’s going nowhere. 5/10

Collateral Beauty [David Frankel, 2017, United States] Wow, what a waste of powerhouse talents. 4/10

Requited [Nerissa Picadizo, 2017, Philippines] Should have been boring but its bad sound design made me more frantic than bored. 4/10

Tell Me How I Die [DJ Viola, 2016, United States] Something that could be interesting, only it fails miserably. 4/10

Ang Pamilyang Hindi Lumuluha [Mes De Guzman, 2017, Philippines] Somewhat funny, somewhat just another film you enjoy while it lasts. 3/10

Olaf's Frozen Adventure [Deters, 2017, United States] Kind of wasted my time, really. 3/10

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer [Tom Tykwer, 2006, United States] Dragging and fabricated. Materializes women, mis-manufactures beauty, and misunderstands love. I hate it with passion. 3/10

Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse [Christopher Landon, 2015, United States] It’s full of laughs and nothing else. 3/10

Mr Church [Bruce Beresford, 2016, United States] Shouldn’t be as boring and disconnected as it is if it was written better. 3/10

Better Off Single [Benjamin Cox, 2016, United States] Let’s just say if this film is the only man left on earth, I’m still gonna be better off single. 3/10

Where’s Sydney [Marsh Allen, 2017, United States] Where is it going? Nowhere really. 3/10

The Painter’s View [Kim Hee Chul, South Korea, 2017] Too short at 66 minutes but too long to keep me interested. 3/10

Mujeres con Pelotas [Ginger Gentile, Gabriel Balanovsky, 2014, Argentina] Doesn’t quite hit the senses, couldn’t engage enough. 3/10

Liebmann [Jules Herrmann, 2016. France, Germany] Has a nice backstory to offer but is somewhat trapped in the present. 3/10

Everything, Everything [Stella Meghie, 2017, United States] a lousy stupid story of a girl who needs saving by a boy. Yuck. 2/10

Voice from the Stone [Eric Howell, 2017, United States] a slow nonsensical thriller that goes nowhere. 2/10

Poolside Man [Hirobumi Watanabe, 2017, Japan] I would blame this for losing my sleep at night cos I napped during this afternoon screening. 2/10

Marry Me at Christmas [Terry Ingram, 2017, United States] Rachel Skarsten is the only reason how I got through it. 1/10

Ang Guro Kong ‘Di Marunong Magbasa [Perry Escano, 2017, Philippines] If there is one film to avoid this year, make it this one. The kids were good but they’re in unbelievably wrong hands. 0.5/10

Kamandag ng Droga [Carlo J Caparas, 2017, Philippines] I absolutely don’t know why I watched this. Help me unsee. 0/10

#movies #films

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cinephilebella · 5 years ago

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Why I’m Seeing What I’m Seeing at TIFF19

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (dir. Céline Sciamma)

A Sapphic French love story set in the 1700s made by one of the best filmmakers currently working? How could I possibly refuse? Sciamma’s fourth feature film has been lauded for its distinct, erotic aesthetics that are marked by haunting and longing. In May, Cannes awarded the film with the Queer Palm, a triumph previously achieved by the likes of Xavier Dolan and Todd Haynes. This is one of my most anticipated films of the fest, and I’m in complete awe that it kicks off my TIFF19.

Blackbird (dir. Roger Michell)

Depressing, brooding family dramas have my name written all over them (re: KRISHA). On the precipice of death, a matriarch gathers her disjointed family for one last weekend together. I gravitate towards chaos that is different from action or adventure movies: I like small-scale strife that hits home, feels more personal than Tom Cruise flying over the Andes to save the world from god-knows-what. Plus, Kate Winslet is a goddess.

Military Wives (dir. Peter Cattaneo)

Kristin. Scott. Fucking. Thomas. Earlier this week I had a dream that I met her and she liked me because I could speak French to her – very wishful thinking. Films that centre on female collectives make me feel warm and gooey, thankful to have my own girls to call home. Military Wives looks heartfelt and kindred, a movie that I’ll eventually buy on DVD and watch whenever I need to cry (à la Steel Magnolias).

Dolemite is my Name (dir. Craig Brewer)

I figured we might sprinkle some dramedy into the mix of our viewings (my TIFF squad is definitely tired of me dragging them along to really sad shit). This isn’t a film that I’d usually see (read as: I only watch boring movies), which is why I liked it when my neighbour suggested it. I’m excited to watch this with an audience and feel the energy of the room come to life.

My Zoe (dir. Julie Delpy)

It’s Julie Delpy, bitch! My artistically gifted, spiritually inclined favourite French queen (I say that loosely because I have a multitude of French queens). I’ve seen every movie Delpy has made – 2 Days in Paris, the one about Elizabeth Bathory, Lolo – everything. I’m just a massive fan of the way her mind works, her sardonic sense of humour and dialogue, and her effortless performances. She is as hardworking and devoted as they come, and I couldn’t do this fest without watching her new one-woman-show.

The Goldfinch (dir. John Crowley)

Sometimes at TIFF, I get a little too invested in the hype. The Goldfinch is a perfect example of my need to be first to everything that’s popular. This looks good – I mean, it’s Nicole Kidman so of course it’s good (I also said that about Boy Erased last year) – but I’m more interested in the experience of the night. I’m ready to be pleasantly surprised!

The Audition (dir. Ina Weisse)

Nina Hoss is of the top 5 most talented actresses alive. Please quote me on that. The Audition appears reminiscent of La Pianiste – one of my all-time faves. Ever since I watched Phoenix, I knew I had to see Nina Hoss act on the big screen before I died. I’m looking forward to some bleak, German brooding and angst.

Mrs. Fletcher (dir. Nicole Holofcener)

I am, without question, Kathryn Hahn’s biggest fan and I don’t care to argue. I will support her in whatever she chooses to do, and lucky for me, she picks great movies. Mrs. Fletcher is a TV show written by Tom Perrotta – the same man who wrote The Leftovers (yes he’s a genius, but let’s move on). Even without Hahn, this series is up my alley: a middle aged woman going through an identity crisis that is mirrored by her son’s coming of age story. All the pieces are there for pure HBO magic.

Frankie (dir. Ira Sachs)

Isabelle Huppert! And Marisa Tomei! Directed by Ira Sachs! Seeing this film announced at the fest gave me the most immediate, natural body high I’ve ever felt in my life. I’m a huge fan of Sachs (his intimacy and deep reflection give me chills) and Huppert is the end all be all of acting. I think this film will be something special and unforgettable.

Clemency (dir. Chinonye Chukwu)

After all the buzz this got at Sundance, I knew I had to make it my priority at TIFF. Alfre Woodard is a masterclass performer, and I can only imagine how meaty and intense this role is. Clemency tells the story of a prison warden in charge of executions. CHILLING, I know. It’s the type of story you’d never think to tell, which is why it seems particularly haunting.

Radioactive (dir. Marjane Satrapi)

Yes, yes, YES to celebrating great women in history! This film is based on the life of Marie Curie, played by none other than Rosamund fucking Pike. Admittedly, I don’t know much about the famed scientist which is likely equal parts mine and the education system’s faults. Cinema has taught me more about women’s contributions to society than school has, and i’m hoping that Radioactive is an example of that.

Saint Maud (dir. Alice Glass)

Hello Jennifer Ehle! My indie queen! My underrated God! I began to notice Ehle when she would pop up in all of these movies that I found remarkable, ultimately meaning that she has a knack for starring in divine films. Saint Maud looks like a mix of indie horror drama that I cannot live without. This is sincerely my most anticipated film of the whole festival, and I haven’t even seen a trailer!

I’m so ready to dive into TIFF19.

#tiff #tiff19 #film #cinema #text

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auskalnytekine-blog · 7 years ago

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„Kino pavasario“ pusė A: amerikos, mėnuliai, moterys, disfunkcinės šeimos

Visi festivaliai turi dvi puses – kaip kasetės. Vienoje pusėje yra filmai, kuriuos žmonės nori matyti, kitoje – tie, kurių matyti nenori. Ir nieko nepadarysi, jei nenori – net jeigu skelbiama, kad po filmo bus susitikimas su režisieriumi, to susitikimo gali ir nebūti, jei kažkur gale liko tik vienas žiūrovas. Tas vienas žiūrovas yra svarbus, net jeigu ir miega. Kadaise Carlas Gustavas Jungas užmigo skaitydamas Jamesą Joyce’ą, jam bemiegant atsivėrė pasąmonė ir jis suprato „Ulisą“. Šis straipsnis ne apie „Ulisą“, jis apie tuos „Kino pavasario“ filmus, kurie žmonėms įdomūs.

Vienas tokių filmų – „Amerikietiška pastoralė“, surežisuotas aktoriaus Ewano McGregoro. Tai tas pats aktorius, išgarsėjęs „Traukinių žymėjime“ (rež. Danny Boyle’as) ir nuo tol vaidinęs visokiuose žvaigždžių karuose, angeluose ir demonuose, cunamių filmuose ir šiaip nemėgęs politikos1. Režisuoja Ewanas ne geriau nei Angelina Jolie, t. y. taip blogai, kad akimirkomis gali pasirodyti kiek avangardiška. Lyg jis būtų ėmęsis kurti filmą, tobulai atitinkantį popkino normas ir vaidybos klišes, bet ūmai, jo paties nuostabai, per visiškai keisto siužeto plyšius pradeda veržtis pati tikroji Nesąmonė – sudėtinga, paini, gąsdinanti filmo dezintegracija. Gal tai ir buvo Ewano sumanymas, visą gyvenimą paslapčiomis vykdyta visuomenės ir kino studija. Labiau tikėtinas variantas, kad painiavos į filmą įnešė Philipas Rothas, kurio to paties pavadinimo knyga ir yra paremtas filmas. Akivaizdus įrodymas, kad atsitiktinės ekranizacijos yra įsikūnijęs blogis. Tačiau jeigu Ewanas būtų dar šiek tiek atsipalaidavęs, įmetęs porą zombių, mažyčius, krentančius iš dangaus Donaldus Trumpus, o aktorių veidus dirbtinai užtušavęs Amerikos vėliavomis, galbūt dar kažkas būtų išėję. Dabar 8 „Kino pavasario“ seansai – šuniui ant uodegos.

Kalbant apie Ameriką, šis festivalis nepasibodėjo į repertuarą įtraukti ir „Oskarą“ už geriausią metų filmą gavusios „Mėnesienos“ (rež. Barry Jenkinsas). Po pernykščio #OscarSoWhite2 skandalo „Mėnesienoje“ nėra nė vieno baltaodžio. Štai taip tiesiogiai. Ir nieko čia tokio, tūkstantį kartų geriau kokioms nors visuomenės grupėms kažką sakanti „Mėnesiena“ nei vien tik smagūs smagumynai „La La Land“. Nes prizai nėra skirti nominantams, jie tam, kad diktuotų madas, draustų ir leistų, užtikrintų finansavimą ir perskirstytų lėšas. Dabar nors vienas doleris atitenka marginalizuotoms grupėms. Pati „Mėnesiena“, aišku, nėra įspūdinga, ji nukrypusi nuo Holivudo tik tiek, kiek jis pats leidžia išlaikydamas rankose pavadėlį. Tvarkingas, trijų segmentų pasakojimas apie vaiką-paauglį-jauną vyrą, gyvenantį narkotikų, skurdo ir smurto nukamuotame Amerikos gete, dvelkia kažkokia didinga popklasika. Gal ir tiesiogine prasme – dėl klasikinės muzikos garso takelyje. Homoseksualumas yra tik viena iš pasakojimo gijų, apskritai atspindinti jaunuolio bandymą atpažinti save, kiek kitokį (o gal kaip tik tokį pat, jeigu visi nusiimtų geto kaukes). Atstūmimo ir priėmimo karuselėje jis supasi nieko nesakydamas, stebėdamas, tikėdamasis mažai, laukdamas, kol surambės. Jokių didelių fokusų neįvyksta, išskyrus vieną pačią intymiausią ir romantiškiausią sceną. Ją žiūrėdami tik stuobriai nesusijaudintų.

Tikroji, laukinė, veržli juodaodė jėga pulsuoja „Felisitėje“ (rež. Alainas Gomisas). Amžių sankirtoje būta amerikietiško TV serialo „Felisitė“ apie trapią įsimylėjusią koledžo mergaitę. Yra ir daugiau bendravardžių, pavyzdžiui, 1978 m. „Felisitė“ – australiška erotinė drama. Patikrinkit internetuose. Tačiau visas ankstesnes Felisites sutrypia Alainas, senegaliečio ir prancūzės vaikas, atsinešantis išskirtinai gaivališką žvilgsnį į retai kine matomą Kongą ir retai kine matomą Moterį. Nuo pat filmo pradžios Felisitė pirmiausia yra veidas – toksai pats sunkiasvoris, atžagarus kaip „Mėnesienos“ herojaus, tačiau daug turtingesnis emociškai. Veide maišosi panieka, smalsulys, pasididžiavimas, pagieža, nuobodulys, nuovargis, geismas. Tik vėliau tos emocijos įgyja kontekstą – mes sekame Felisitės veiksmus, jai sužinojus apie į avariją patekusį sūnų, už kurio operaciją reikės susimokėti. Reikalingų pinigų moteris, žinoma, neturi. Detalus jos žingsnių, siekiant tuos pinigus surinkti, stebėjimas primena brolių Dardenne’ų socialinį realizmą – ypač filme „Dvi dienos ir viena naktis“. Tačiau Alaino filme gerokai daugiau atsvaros nevilčiai – ne siužete, o Kinšaso gatvių vaizdų poezijoje arba Felisitės balse, kai ji bare atlieka itin moderniai skambančią afrikietišką muziką3. Pats įdomumas prasideda filmui įpusėjus, kai socialinis realizmas subyra atsitrenkdamas į vienareikšmę socialinę neteisybę. Ir tada atrodo, kad Felisitė palūš. Normalus herojus turėtų palūžti. Tačiau Felisitė – nenormali, jos neįmanoma pažeminti, neįmanoma atimti jos tikėjimo pamatine savo verte. Ji visada laimi. Filmo struktūra šioje vietoje ryškiai sutrinka, t. y. gerokai nukrypsta nuo įprastinės arkos. Tarsi naktį ji eina per mišką. Kinšasos simfoninis orkestras atlieka Arvo Partą ant plastikinių kėdžių. Afrikietiškų ritmų pripildytas baras knibžda. Rytas. Vakaras. Vakaras. Naktis. Vakaras. Rytas. Rytas. Beveik neįmanoma suprasti, kas ką jaučia. Kinšasos gatvės toliau slysta pro akis. Visi lūkuriuoja kambaryje. Niekas nežino, kaip gyventi. Ir tada Felisitė vėl atsinaujina. Jeigu žiūrovas pasiruošęs, jis irgi atsinaujins.

„Ji“ (rež. Paulas Verhoevenas) tokiame „Kino pavasario“ kontekste (netgi būdama atidarymo filmu) keistai nublanksta. Nuoširdžiai nesuprantu, kaip lietuviams žiūrėti šitą filmą. Šalyje, kur geriausias metų filmas tėra „Amžinai kartu“ (rež. Lina Lužytė) su negrabiu stereotipų prisodrintu ir iš esmės niekiniu moters portretu. O jei ir jo nebūtų, tai liktų kokčiai primityvus lietuvių popkinas. Jeigu tokia kūrybėlė atspindi tautos mentalitetą, tautai žiūrėti tokius filmus kaip „Ji“ reikėtų uždrausti. Tautą turėtume trikdyti kokiais nors kitais metodais. Ne pasakojimu apie moterį, kurią jos namuose išprievartauja kaukėtas plėšikas ir kurio agresyvių apsilankymų galiausiai ji pati ima laukti. Kritikai nesutaria, ar tai ultimatyvus feminizmas, kadangi tokiu elgesiu ji atima prievartautojo galią, ar kaip tik ultimatyvus seksizmas (juk Verhoevenas – vyras). Žinoma, filme ji turi kontekstą – psichopatą žudiką tėvą, sėkmingą kompiuterinių žaidimų verslą ir pan. Tai galėtų būti medžiaga diskusijoms apie psichologiją. Tačiau filmas visai nėra tam skirtas. Veikiau šis filmas yra spec. efektas, nuotykis, reginys, prikolas, kurio redukavimas iki psichologinės dramos niekam neatneš naudos.

Panašiai atsitiktų, jeigu „Šviežieną“ (rež. Julia Docornau) pristatytume tik kaip nekaltos merginos pirmuosius žingsnius į laukinį suaugusiųjų gyvenimą. Taip, tokia perspektyva įmanoma, bet iš tikro tai prancūziška zombių ir vampyrų versija su gyvų žmonių ėdimu ir kitais silpnų nervų žiūrovams netinkamais vaizdais. Tai visų pirma yra kino šou, kuriuo galima mėgautis – jis atpalaiduoja ryšius su realybe, atgniaužia kultūros tabu, išvaduoja nuo nuolatinio savęs tramdymo, išleidžia užkaboriuose tūnančias fantazijas. Analogišką darbą atlieka ir „Ji“. Tik vienos talentingiausių pasaulyje aktorių – Isabelle Huppert – vaidyba gali retkarčiais apgauti, kad čia yra kai kas realistiška ir daugiasluoksniška.

Užtat ant tikro realizmo akmens pastatytos „Tikros moterys“ (rež. Kelly Reichardt). Tiesa, filmas, tiksliau verčiant, turėtų vadintis tam tikros moterys (orginale „Certain women“). Režisierė Kelly tikrai nesidomi daiktų esme, galutiniais apibrėžimais ar kokiais nors reikšmingais įvykiais. Štai viename garsiausių jos filmų, pastatytų prieš gerą dešimtmetį – „Senas džiaugsmas“ – du nelabai išvaizdūs draugai tiesiog vaikšto miške, kur išryškėja tam tikri jų požiūrių skirtumai.

Garsas režisierės filmuose visad prislopintas, vaizdas blankus, tačiau naujame filme nuobodulys sumažintas, tiksliau, padalytas iš trijų, kadangi vietoj vienos žiūrime tris skirtingas istorijas apie tris moteris, kasdieniškai kovojančias su kasdienėmis nesėkmėmis. Visos istorijos vyksta tame pačiame mieste, jų sankirta subtili, nors reikšminga. Filmą šiek tiek pakylėja ant pačios karjeros keteros levituojančios Kristen Stewart bei Davido Lyncho filmų žvaigždės Lauros Dern vaidyba. Jos abi trumpam prikausto žvilgsnį.

Visa laimė, kad festivalyje būta „šviežienos“ – kitaip moterų režisierių subtilumas pats sau galutinai pakištų koją. Ypač „Amerikos mylimosios“ (rež. Andrea Arnold) seansuose. Vis dėlto nėra nieko nuobodžiau už Ameriką. Ir filmus, kurie prasideda žodžiais amerikietiška. „Amerikos mylimoji“ trunka 2 valandas ir 38 minutes. Iš viso 1738 minutės pavasario Vilniuje. Akimis sekant dar vienos geto auklėtinės, Star, savivokos epopėją... Potencialo šitas filmas turėjo vien jau dėl to, kaip jame rodomi amerikietiški užkaboriai, skurdo ir turto kontrastai. Amerikoje, tiesa, šis turto-skurdo plyšys, skirtingai nei tikrai skurdžiose šalyse, yra įdomiai lankstus. Star tokį plyšį akimirksniu peržengia – prisijungia prie klajojančios jaunuolių grupės, kuri eina nuo durų prie durų ir pardavinėja žurnalus, o visą likusį laiką leidžia grubiai tūsindamasi. Grupė gana pavojinga, balansuojanti ant nusikalstamo pasaulio ribos, bet niekada nepadaranti tikro nusikaltimo, taip pat gana autoritarinė, bet niekada netampanti kokia nors pavojinga sekta. O ir pačios Star nuotykiai niekada nesibaigia blogai. Įsileisdama į kiną ryškias spalvas, muzikinius klipus primenančią scenografiją ir daug daug kietosmuzikos, sukeliančios adrenalino pliūpsnius, pati Arnold niekada neperžengia jokios ribos. Deja, „Laukinės atostogos“ (rež. Harmony Korine) jau sukurtos 2012 m. ir „Amerikos mylimoji“ po jų – tik studentiškas darbas. O jeigu būta vilčių kurti ne tik visuomenės kritikos šou, flirtuojantį su popkultūra, bet ir psichologinį ar bent realistinį portretą, tai reikėjo per pustrečios valandos nors šiek tiek išvystyti veikėjų charakterius. Tiesa, festivalio koridoriuose girdėjau nemažai susižavėjimo šiuo filmu šūksnių. Geriausias: man labai patiko filmas, nes niekada nežinojau, kad iš tikrųjų yra žmonių, kurie taip pardavinėja tuos žurnalus.

Filmas, beje, turi sielos brolį kitoje pasaulio pusėje, Butane. „Hema Hema: padainuok man, kol laukiu“ (rež. Khyentse Norbu) režisierius lygiai taip pat sudaužo savo ekstravagantiškas idėjas sukergdamas jas su lėkšta siužetine linija. Akimirką balansavęs ant ekstremalumo ribos, filmas lieka nykiu realybės skeletu.

O kaipgi „Kino pavasaris“ be Xavier Dolano? „Tai tik pasaulio pabaiga“, nepaisant daugybės pasišiaušusių kritikų, išlaiko tą patį lygį. Firminiu Dolano kino ženklu tapo popmuzikos naudojimas, čia pasiekiantis kulminaciją pasigirdus O’zone „Dragostea din tei“4. Po ilgų nesimatymo metų į šeimą grįžta garsus sūnus, mirštantis nuo AIDS, o šeimoje, žinoma, vyksta dramos. Vincent’as Casselis, Léa Seydoux, Marion Cotillard ir kiti aktoriai šėlsta savo vaidmenyse peržengdami padorumo ribas ir nesitvardydami. Visi išpilti siaubingo, pragariško prakaito. Neįmanoma žiūrint neprisiminti paskutinio Andrzejaus Żuławskio filmo „Kosmosas“. Neįmanoma nepagalvoti apie Pedro Almodovarą. Neįmanoma nepagalvoti apie savo šeimą, net jeigu tokios neturėjai – še tau kolektyvinė pasąmonė. Še plikas, paprastas, naivus gyvenimas. Še paukštukas, išskrendantis iš laikrodžio su gegute. Še išėjimo scena skambant Moby. Tokio filmo neverta analizuoti, jis gali ir neturėti ypatingo gylio – jis teikia malonumą savaime. Ir galbūt, taip sakydama, aš prieštarauju pati sau ar „Amerikos mylimosios“ teismui, bet ką padarysi – gyvenimas yra neteisingas. Neverta apsimesti, kad viskas, kas sakoma apie kiną, nėra subjektyvu.

Tiesa, kalbant apie šeimos dramas, ir Dolanas turi savo sielos brolį (o gal šiuo atveju – posovietinį pusbrolį) kitoje pasaulio pusėje – Rumunijoje. „Sieranevadoje“ (rež. Cristi Puiu) matome tokią pat apnuogintą šeimos istoriją, tačiau ji vyksta blokinio daugiabučio kambariuose ar bent jau klaustrofobiškose gatvėse, kuriose NĖRA VIETOS PRISIPARKUOTI, o prisiparkavus grasina susprogdinti tavo padangas, nes ta vieta buvo KIENO NORS KITO. Čia jau ne Dolanas, čia emocinio katarsio, žinoma, nėra ir numa numa nėra – čia yra tik vietos netekę religiniai aktai, negyjanti komunizmo žaizda, kasdieniškos bėdos, paslėptos po ilgiausiai aptariamomis rugsėjo 11-osios sąmokslo teorijomis ir susisprogdinimais, žiūrimais per planšetę, šimtą metų laukiant, kol išvirs balandėliai, o moterys, šimtą kartų atneš ir išneš indus, kurie irgi netekę prasmės, nes vyrai buvo neištikimi, nupirko du pakelius kūdikių maistelio vietoj vieno, o galiausiai ir pačioms moterims seniai nebeįdomu kalbinti vyrus apie jų baimes ir norus, geriau jau išbėgti vidury baliaus ant staigiųjųapsipirkti... Labai ilgas filmas, labai niūrus. Visai nepriskirtinas filmų, kuriuos žmonės nori pamatyti, kategorijai.

1 Vis dėlto išgelbėjo savo aktorišką sielą nuo amžinos pražūties suvaidinęs „Jaunajame Adome“ (rež. Davidas Mackenzie).

2 Liet. Vaje, kokie balti tie oskarai.

3 Véro Tshanda Beya Mputu, vaidinanti Felisitę, iš tikrųjų yra dainininkė.

4 2004 m. trijų rumuniškai dainuojančių Moldovos berniukų hitas, buvęs labai garsus ir Lietuvoje, išplitęs ir kaip populiarus pyptonas, ir kaip „Nokia“ skambučio tonas, ir kaip muzika, tinkama garsiai klausyti troleibuse.

2017 04 07

Aurelija Auškalnytė

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malte1mj-blog · 7 years ago

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2009/2010 TV Awards

Best Drama Series: Breaking Bad Friday Night Lights Law & Order Mad Men Sons of Anarchy Treme HONORABLE MENTION: Big Love, Brothers and Sisters, Damages, Dexter, The Good Wife, Grey’s Anatomy, Justified, Lost, Men of a Certain Age, Parenthood, Southland, Treme, 24 Best Actor - Drama Series: Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights - "East of Dillon" Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad - "Fly" Michael C. Hall, Dexter - "The Getaway" Jon Hamm, Mad Men - "The Gypsy and the Hobo" Timothy Olyphant, Justified - "Fire in the Hole" Ray Romano, Men of a Certain Age - "Back in the Shit" HONORABLE MENTION: Matthew Fox, Lost; Charlie Hunnam, Sons of Anarchy; Peter Krause, Parenthood; Hugh Laurie, House; Denis Leary, Rescue Me; Ben McKenzie, Southland; Bill Paxton, Big Love; Wendell Pierce, Treme; Linus Roache, Law & Order; Jeremy Sisto, Law & Order; Kiefer Sutherland, 24; Steve Zahn, Treme Best Actress - Drama Series: Connie Britton, Friday Night Lights - "I Can't" Glenn Close, Damages - "The Next One's Gonna Go in Your Throat" Holly Hunter, Saving Grace - "Am I Going to Lose Her?" January Jones, Mad Men - "The Gypsy and the Hobo" Melissa Leo, Treme - "I'll Fly Away" Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife - "Pilot" HONORABLE MENTION: Patricia Arquette, Medium; Rose Byrne, Damages; Sally Field, Brothers and Sisters; Calista Flockhart, Brothers and Sisters; Ginnifer Goodwin, Big Love; Lauren Graham, Parenthood; Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; Regina King, Southland; Evangeline Lilly, Lost; Mary McCormack, In Plain Sight; Ellen Pompeo, Grey’s Anatomy; Chloe Sevigny, Big Love; Jeanne Tripplehorn, Big Love Best Supporting Actor - Drama Series: Zach Gilford, Friday Night Lights - "The Son" John Goodman, Treme - "All on a Mardi Gras Day" John Lithgow, Dexter - "Hungry Man" Dean Norris, Breaking Bad - "One Minute" Terry O'Quinn, Lost - "The Candidate" Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad - "Half Measures" HONORABLE MENTION: Anthony Anderson, Law & Order; Scott Bakula, Men of a Certain Age; Andre Braugher, Men of a Certain Age; Max Burkholder, Parenthood; Dayton Callie, Sons of Anarchy; Josh Charles, The Good Wife; Michael Cudlitz, Southland; Matt Czuchry, The Good Wife; Tate Donovan, Damages; Michael Emerson, Lost; Giancarlo Esposito, Breaking Bad; Walton Goggins, Justified; Jared Harris, Mad Men; Shawn Hatosy, Southland; Josh Holloway, Lost; Michael B. Jordan, Friday Night Lights; Vincent Kartheiser, Mad Men; Taylor Kitsch, Friday Night Lights; Matt Laurie, Friday Night Lights; Robert Morse, Mad Men; Craig T. Nelson, Parenthood; Bob Odenkirk, Breaking Bad; Steven Pasquale, Rescue Me; Ron Perlman, Sons of Anarchy; Clarke Peters, Treme; Martin Short, Damages; Alexander Skarsgard, True Blood; John Slattery, Mad Men Best Supporting Actress - Drama Series: Khandi Alexander, Treme - "All on a Mardi Gras Day" Kim Dickens, Treme - "Wish Someone Would Care" Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad - "I.F.T." Christina Hendricks, Mad Men - "Guy Walks Into an Advertising Agency" S. Epatha Merkerson, Law & Order - "Rubber Room" Katey Sagal, Sons of Anarchy - "Small Tears" HONORABLE MENTION: Christine Baranski, The Good Wife; Arija Bareikis, Southland; Betsy Brandt, Breaking Bad; Madison Burge, Friday Night Lights; Jessica Capshaw, Grey’s Anatomy; Jennifer Carpenter, Dexter; Alana de la Garza, Law & Order; Rachel Griffiths, Brothers and Sisters; Cherry Jones, 24; Yunjin Kim, Lost; Lucia Micarelli, Treme; Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men; Sandra Oh, Grey’s Anatomy; Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife; Sara Ramirez, Grey’s Anatomy; Maggie Siff, Sons of Anarchy; Jurnee Smollett, Friday Night Lights; Aimee Teegarden, Friday Night Lights; Lily Tomlin, Damages; Sofia Vassilieva, Medium; Rutina Wesley, True Blood; Mae Whitman, Parenthood; Chandra Wilson, Grey’s Anatomy; Deborah Ann Woll, True Blood; Natalie Zea, Justified Best Writing - Drama Series: Breaking Bad - "Kafkaesque" - Peter Gould & George Mastras Friday Night Lights - "The Son" - Rolin Jones Mad Men - "Guy Walks Into an Advertising Agency" - Robin Veith & Matthew Weiner Mad Men - "The Gypsy and the Hobo" - Cathryn Humphris, Marti Noxon & Matthew Weiner Mad Men - "Shut the Door, Have a Seat" - Erin Levy & Matthew Weiner Treme - "Do You Know What It Means" - Eric Overmeyer & David Simon HONORABLE MENTION: Big Love - “The Mighty and the Strong”; Breaking Bad - “Fly”; Breaking Bad - “Full Measure”; Breaking Bad - “Half Measures”; Breaking Bad - “One Minute”; Damages - “The Next One’s Gonna Go in Your Throat”; Dexter - “The Getaway”; Dexter - “Hungry Man”; Friday Night Lights - “East of Dillon”; Friday Night Lights - “I Can’t”; Friday Night Lights - “Thanksgiving”; The Good Wife - “Running”; Grey’s Anatomy - “Sanctuary”/“Death and All His Friends”; House - “Broken”; Justified - “Fathers and Sons”; Justified - “Fire in the Hole”; Law & Order - “Boy on Fire”; Law & Order - “Dignity”; Law & Order - “Fed”; Lost - “The End”; Mad Men - “The Fog”; Mad Men - “The Grown Ups”; Mad Men - “Love Among the Ruins”; Mad Men - “Seven Twenty Three”; Medium - “Time Keeps on Slipping”; Men of a Certain Age - “Back in the S#it”; Sons of Anarchy - “Balm”; Sons of Anarchy - “Small Tears”; Southland - “Phase Three”; Treme - “All on a Mardi Gras Day”; Treme - “I’ll Fly Away”; Treme - “Smoke My Peace Pipe”; True Blood - “Never Let Me Go” Best Directing - Drama Series: Breaking Bad - "Fly" - Rian Johnson Dexter - "Hungry Man" - John Dahl Mad Men - "Guy Walks Into an Advertising Agency" - Lesli Linka Glatter Mad Men - "Seven Twenty Three" - Daisy von Scherler Mayer Sons of Anarchy - "Small Tears" - Stephen Kay Treme - "All on a Mardi Gras Day" - Anthony Hemingway HONORABLE MENTION: Big Love - “The Mighty and the Strong”; Breaking Bad - “Full Measure”; Breaking Bad - “Half Measures”; Breaking Bad - “Kafkaesque”; Breaking Bad - “One Minute”; Damages - “The Next One’s Gonna Go in Your Throat”; Dexter - “The Getaway”; Dexter - “Lost Boys”; Friday Night Lights - “East of Dillon”; Friday Night Lights - “The Son”; Friday Night Lights - “Thanksgiving”; The Good Wife - “Running”; Grey’s Anatomy - “I Saw What I Saw”; Grey’s Anatomy - “Sanctuary”/“Death and All His Friends”; House - “Broken”; Justified - “Fathers and Sons”; Justified - “Fire in the Hole”; Law & Order - “Boy on Fire”; Law & Order - “Dignity”; Law & Order - “Rubber Room”; Lost - “The End”; Mad Men - “The Fog”; Mad Men - “The Grown Ups”; Mad Men - “The Gypsy and the Hobo”; Mad Men - “Shut the Door, Have a Seat”; Medium - “Time Keeps on Slipping”; Men of a Certain Age - “Back in the S#it”; Sons of Anarchy - “Balm”; Sons of Anarchy - “The Culling”; Southland - “Phase Three”; Treme - “Do You Know What It Means”; Treme - “Smoke My Peace Pipe”; 24 - “Day 8: 7:00 A.M. - 8:00 A.M.” Best Guest Actor - Drama Series: Raymond J. Barry, Justified - "The Lord of War and Thunder" Andre Braugher, House - "Broken, Parts 1 & 2" David Costabile, Breaking Bad - "Full Measure" M.C. Gainey, Justified - "Fathers and Sons" Robert Loggia, Men of a Certain Age - "Father's Fraternity" Chelcie Ross, Mad Men - "Shut the Door, Have a Seat" HONORABLE MENTION: F. Murray Abraham, Saving Grace; Naveen Andrews, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; Dylan Baker, The Good Wife; Dylan Baker, Law & Order: Criminal Intent; Craig Bierko, Damages; Jere Burns, Breaking Bad; Len Cariou, Damages; Keith Carradine, Dexter; Alan Cumming, The Good Wife; Ted Danson, Damages; Raul Esparza, Law & Order: Criminal Intent; Ernie Hudson, Law & Order; Gregory Itzin, 24; James Earl Jones, House; Rami Malek, 24; Lin-Manuel Miranda, House; Mark Moses, Mad Men; Clarke Peters, In Plain Sight; Stephen Root, Justified; Stephen Root, 24; Pablo Schreiber, Medium; Aaron Shaw, Law & Order; David Strathairn, House; John Terry, Lost Best Guest Actress - Drama Series: Isabelle Huppert, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - "Shattered" Christine Lahti, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - "Hammered" Martha Plimpton, The Good Wife - "Heart" Abigail Spencer, Mad Men - "The Color Blue" Maura Tierney, Rescue Me - "Jump" Debra Winger, Law & Order - "Boy on Fire" HONORABLE MENTION: Alison Brie, Mad Men; Kim Dickens, Friday Night Lights; Sadiah Arrika Ekulona, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; Kathy Griffin, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; Anna Gunn, Law & Order; Allison Janney, In Plain Sight; Allison Janney, Lost; Branka Katic, Big Love; Adriane Lenox, Law & Order; Rose McGowan, Nip/Tuck; Elizabeth Mitchell, Lost; Lena Olin, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; Sarah Paulson, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; Rosie Perez, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; Martha Plimpton, Grey’s Anatomy; Martha Plimpton, Medium; Carrie Preston, The Good Wife; Lynn Redgrave, Law & Order: Criminal Intent; Katey Sagal, Lost; Jill Scott, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; China Jesusita Shavers, House; Ally Walker, Sons of Anarchy Best Ensemble - Drama Series: Brothers and Sisters Friday Night Lights Grey's Anatomy Mad Men Sons of Anarchy Treme HONORABLE MENTION: Big Love, Breaking Bad, Damages, Dexter, The Good Wife, House, Justified, Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Lost, Men of a Certain Age, Parenthood, Rescue Me, True Blood, 24 Best New Drama Series: The Good Wife Justified Men of a Certain Age Parenthood Treme HONORABLE MENTION: Life Unexpected, Melrose Place, Royal Pains Best Comedy Series: Chuck Community Curb Your Enthusiasm Modern Family Parks and Recreation 30 Rock HONORABLE MENTION: Better Off Ted, The Big Bang Theory, Bored to Death, Glee, How I Met Your Mother, Hung, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The Middle, Nurse Jackie, The Office, Party Down, Ugly Betty, United States of Tara Best Actor - Comedy Series: Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock - "I Do Do" Steve Carell, The Office - "Niagara, Parts 1 & 2" Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm - "Denise Handicapped" Zachary Levi, Chuck - "Chuck Versus the Ring: Part II" Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory - "The Pants Alternative" Jason Schwartzman, Bored to Death - "The Case of the Missing Screenplay" HONORABLE MENTION: Bryan Greenberg, How to Make It in America; Jay Harrington, Better Off Ted; Thomas Jane, Hung; Ken Marino, Party Down; Joel McHale, Community; Cory Monteith, Glee; Matthew Morrison, Glee; Josh Radnor, How I Met Your Mother; Victor Rasuk, How to Make It in America; Adam Scott, Party Down; Tony Shalhoub, Monk Best Actress - Comedy Series: Toni Collette, United States of Tara - "Torando!" Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie - "Years of Service" America Ferrera, Ugly Betty - "Hello Goodbye" Tina Fey, 30 Rock - "Dealbreakers Talk Show #0001" Patricia Heaton, The Middle - "Pilot" Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation - "Pawnee Zoo" HONORABLE MENTION: Jane Adams, Hung; Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?; Lizzy Caplan, Party Down; Kaley Cuoco, The Big Bang Theory; Felicity Huffman, Desperate Housewives; Gillian Jacobs, Community; Julia Louis-Dreyfus, The New Adventures of Old Christine; Lea Michele, Glee; Eva Longoria Parker, Desperate Housewives; Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds; Billie Piper, Secret Diary of a Call Girl; Sarah Silverman, The Sarah Silverman Program; Yvonne Strahovski, Chuck Best Supporting Actor - Comedy Series: Ty Burrell, Modern Family - "The Bicycle Thief" Tracy Morgan, 30 Rock - "Into the Crevasse" Nick Offerman, Parks and Recreation - "The Stakeout" Danny Pudi, Community - "Contemporary American Poultry" Rico Rodriguez, Modern Family - "En Garde" Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family - "Fizbo" HONORABLE MENTION: Aziz Ansari, Parks and Recreation; Chris Colfer, Glee; John Corbett, United States of Tara; Ted Danson, Bored to Death; Charlie Day, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia; Peter Facinelli, Nurse Jackie; Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family; Neil Flynn, The Middle; Donald Glover, Community; Joshua Gomez, Chuck; Ryan Hansen, Party Down; Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother; Simon Helberg, The Big Bang Theory; Glenn Howerton, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia; Ken Jeong, Community; John Krasinski, The Office; Hamish Linklater, The New Adventures of Old Christine; Jack McBrayer, 30 Rock; Rob McElhenney, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia; Kevin McHale, Glee; Ed O’Neill, Modern Family; Chris Pratt, Parks and Recreation; Jason Segel, How I Met Your Mother; Martin Starr, Party Down; Michael Urie, Ugly Betty Best Supporting Actress - Comedy Series: Julie Bowen, Modern Family - "Family Portrait" Rosemarie DeWitt, United States of Tara - "From This Day Forward" Brie Larson, United States of Tara - "Explosive Diorama" Jane Lynch, Glee - "The Power of Madonna" Sofia Vergara, Modern Family - "Starry Night" Merritt Wever, Nurse Jackie - "Caregiver" HONORABLE MENTION: Andrea Anders, Better Off Ted; Eve Best, Nurse Jackie; Alison Brie, Community; Rebecca Creskoff, Hung; Portia de Rossi, Better Off Ted; Jenna Fischer, The Office; Alyson Hannigan, How I Met Your Mother; Rashida Jones, Parks and Recreation; Ellie Kemper, The Office; Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock; Judith Light, Ugly Betty; Megan Mullally, Party Down; Becki Newton, Ugly Betty; Kaitlin Olson, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia; Ana Ortiz, Ugly Betty; Aubrey Plaza, Parks and Recreation; Amber Riley, Glee; Eden Sher, The Middle; Cobie Smulders, How I Met Your Mother; Wanda Sykes, The New Adventures of Old Christine; Vanessa Williams, Ugly Betty Best Writing - Comedy Series: Bored to Death - "The Case of the Missing Screenplay" - Jonathan Ames Community - "Contemporary American Poultry" - Emily Cutler & Karey Dornetto Modern Family - "Airport 2010" - Dan O'Shannon & Bill Wrubel Modern Family - "Fizbo" - Paul Corrigan & Brad Walsh Parks and Recreation - "Pawnee Zoo" - Norm Hiscock 30 Rock - "Dealbreakers Talk Show #0001" - Kay Cannon HONORABLE MENTION: Better Off Ted - “The Impertence of Communicationizing”; The Big Bang Theory - “The Creepy Canding Coating Corollary”; Bored to Death - “Stockholm Syndrome”; Chuck - “Chuck Versus the Honeymooners”; Chuck - “Chuck Versus the Ring: Part II”; Community - “The Art of Discourse”; Community - “English as a Second Language”; Community - “Modern Warfare”; Glee - “Theatricality”; Glee - “Wheels”; How I Met Your Mother - “Say Cheese”; It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia - “Paddy’s Pub: Home of the Original Kitten Mittens”; The Middle - “Average Rules”; Modern Family - “The Bicycle Thief”; Modern Family - “Family Portrait”; Modern Family - “Starry Night”; Monk - “Mr. Monk and the End”; Nurse Jackie - “Pill-O-Matrix”; Nurse Jackie - “Years of Service”; The Office - “Niagara”; Parks and Recreation - “Freddy Spaghetti”; Parks and Recreation - “The Stakeout”; Party Down - “Party Down Company Picnic”; Party Down - “Steve Guttenberg’s Birthday”; 30 Rock - “Audition Day”; 30 Rock - “I Do Do”; 30 Rock - “Klaus and Greta”; Ugly Betty - “Fire and Nice”; Ugly Betty - “Hello Goodbye”; United States of Tara - “From This Day Forward” Best Directing - Comedy Series: Chuck - "Chuck Versus the Honeymooners" - Robert Duncan McNeill Community - "Modern Warfare" - Justin Lin Curb Your Enthusiasm - "Denise Handicapped" - David Mandel Curb Your Enthusiasm - "The Table Read" - Larry Charles Glee - "Wheels" - Paris Barclay Modern Family - "Family Portrait" - Jason Winer HONORABLE MENTION: Better Off Ted - “Beating a Dead Workforce”; The Big Bang Theory - “The Staircase Implementation”; Bored to Death - “The Case of the Missing Screenplay”; Chuck - “Chuck Versus First Class”; Chuck - “Chuck Versus the Ring: Part II”; Community - “The Art of Discourse”; Community - “Contemporary American Poultry”; Community - “Physical Education”; Curb Your Enthusiasm - “The Reunion”; Curb Your Enthusiasm - “Seinfeld”; Glee - “Sectionals”; Glee - “Theatricality”; How I Met Your Mother - “Say Cheese”; It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia - “Paddy’s Pub: Home of the Original Kitten Mittens”; The Middle - “Average Rules”; Modern Family - “Airport 2010”; Modern Family - “Fizbo”; Modern Family - “Hawaii”; Monk - “Mr. Monk and the End”; Nurse Jackie - “Pill-O-Matrix”; Nurse Jackie - “Pilot”; The Office - “Niagara”; Parks and Recreation - “Pawnee Zoo”; Parks and Recreation - “The Stakeout”; Party Down - “Constance Carmell Wedding”; Party Down - “Party Down Company Picnic”; Secret Diary of a Call Girl - “Episode 8”; 30 Rock - “Audition Day”; 30 Rock - “Dealbreakers Talk Show #0001”; 30 Rock - “Klaus and Greta”; Ugly Betty - “Hello Goodbye”; United States of Tara - “From This Day Forward” Best Guest Actor - Comedy Series: Jonathan Groff, Glee - "Journey to Regionals" Steve Guttenberg, Party Down - "Steve Guttenberg's Birthday" Neil Patrick Harris, Glee - "Dream On" Mike O'Malley, Glee - "Theatricality" Jerry Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm - "The Table Read" Fred Willard, Modern Family - "Travels with Scout" HONORABLE MENTION: Jason Alexander, Curb Your Enthusiasm; Will Arnett, Parks and Recreation; Will Arnett, 30 Rock; Scott Bakula, Chuck; Louis C.K., Parks and Recreation; Matt Damon, 30 Rock; Bob Einstein, Curb Your Enthusiasm; Chris Elliott, How I Met Your Mother; Harvey Fierstein, Nurse Jackie; Will Forte, 30 Rock; James Franco, 30 Rock; Seth Gabel, United States of Tara; Jon Hamm, 30 Rock; Jim Jarmusch, Bored to Death; Thomas Lennon, Party Down; John Oliver, Community; Oliver Platt, Bored to Death; Michael Richards, Curb Your Enthusiasm; Adam Scott, Parks and Recreation; Michael Sheen, 30 Rock; J.K. Simmons, Party Down; Jason Sudeikis, 30 Rock; Eli Wallach, Nurse Jackie; Fred Willard, Chuck Best Guest Actress - Comedy Series: Elizabeth Banks, 30 Rock - "I Do Do" Kristen Bell, Party Down - "Party Down Company Picnic" Kristin Chenoweth, Glee - "Home" Jennifer Jason Leigh, Weeds - "Su-Su-Sucio" Margo Martindale, Hung - "The Pickle Jar" Idina Menzel, Glee "Theatricality" HONORABLE MENTION: Elizabeth Banks, Modern Family; Christine Baranski, The Big Bang Theory; Barbara Barrie, Nurse Jackie; Kathy Bates, The Office; Lynn Cohen, Nurse Jackie; Viola Davis, United States of Tara; Mary Elizabeth Ellis, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia; Judy Greer, The Big Bang Theory; Judith Ivey, Nurse Jackie; Swoosie Kurtz, Chuck; Shelley Long, Modern Family; Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Curb Your Enthusiasm; Jane Lynch, Party Down; Laurie Metcalf, The Big Bang Theory; Julianne Moore, 30 Rock; Megan Mullally, Parks and Recreation; Rosie O’Donnell, Curb Your Enthusiasm; Pamela Reed, Parks and Recreation; Bitty Schram, Monk; Amy Sedaris, The Middle; Elaine Stritch, 30 Rock; Olivia Thirlby, Bored to Death; Betty White, The Middle; Kristen Wiig, Bored to Death; Natalie Zea, Hung Best Ensemble - Comedy Series: Community Glee Modern Family The Office Parks and Recreation 30 Rock HONORABLE MENTION: Better Off Ted, The Big Bang Theory, Chuck, Cougar Town, Desperate Housewives, Entourage, How I Met Your Mother, Hung, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The Middle, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Nurse Jackie, Party Down, Scrubs, Ugly Betty, United States of Tara, Weeds Best New Comedy Series: Archer Bored to Death Community Glee Modern Family Nurse Jackie HONORABLE MENTION: The Cleveland Show, Cougar Town, How to Make It in America, Hung, The Middle, The Ricky Gervais Show Best TV Movie/Miniseries: Emma The Pacific Temple Grandin Torchwood: Children of Earth You Don't Know Jack HONORABLE MENTION: Endgame, Georgia O’Keeffe, The Special Relationship Best Actor - TV Movie/Miniseries: James Badge Dale, The Pacific Joseph Mazzello, The Pacific Al Pacino, You Don't Know Jack Jon Seda, The Pacific Michael Sheen, The Special Relationship HONORABLE MENTION: John Barrowman, Torchwood: Children of Earth; Chiwetel Ejiofor, Endgame; William Hurt, Endgame; Jeremy Irons, Georgia O’Keeffe; Jonny Lee Miller, Emma; Dennis Quaid, The Special Relationship Best Actress - TV Movie/Miniseries: Joan Allen, Georgia O'Keeffe Claire Danes, Temple Grandin Romola Garai, Emma Eve Myles, Torchwood: Children of Earth Maggie Smith, Capturing Mary HONORABLE MENTION: Ruth Wilson, Capturing Mary Best Supporting Actor - TV Movie/Miniseries: Peter Capaldi, Torchwood: Children of Earth Michael Gambon, Emma Rami Malek, The Pacific Clarke Peters, Endgame David Strathairn, Temple Grandin HONORABLE MENTION: Jon Bernthal, The Pacific; Matt Craven, The Pacific; Rupert Evans, Emma; Scott Gibson, The Pacific; John Goodman, You Don’t Know Jack; Ashton Holmes, The Pacific; Danny Huston, You Don’t Know Jack; Jonny Lee Miller, Endgame; Jacob Pitts, The Pacific; Blake Ritson, Emma Best Supporting Actress - TV Movie/Miniseries: Hope Davis, The Special Relationship Julia Ormond, Temple Grandin Annie Parisse, The Pacific Susan Sarandon, You Don't Know Jack Brenda Vaccaro, You Don't Know Jack HONORABLE MENTION: Kathleen Chalfant, Georgia O’Keeffe; Tyne Daly, Georgia O’Keeffe; Louise Dylan, Emma; Tamsin Greig, Emma; Cush Jumbo, Torchwood: Children of Earth; Helen McCrory, The Special Relationship; Catherine O’Hara, Temple Grandin; Claire van der Boom, The Pacific Best Variety Series: The Colbert Report The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Late Show with David Letterman Real Time with Bill Maher The Soup The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien HONORABLE MENTION: Important Things with Demetri Martin, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Saturday Night Live, Tracey Ullman’s State of the Union Best Variety Special: Comedy Central Roast of Joan Rivers The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards Kathy Griffin: Balls of Steel The 63rd Annual Tony Awards Wanda Sykes: I'ma Be Me HONORABLE MENTION: The 82nd Annual Academy Awards, Beyonce: I Am…Yours, Bill Maher: …But I’m Not Wrong, Chess in Concert (Great Performances), Jennifer Hudson: I’ll Be Home for Christmas, Margaret Cho: Beautiful, The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, Robin Williams: Weapons of Self Destruction Best Male Performer - Variety Series/Special: Stephen Colbert, The Colbert Report Neil Patrick Harris, The 63rd Annual Tony Awards David Letterman, Late Show with David Letterman Conan O'Brien, The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien Jon Stewart, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart HONORABLE MENTION: Fred Armisen, Saturday Night Live; Zach Galifianakis, Saturday Night Live; Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Saturday Night Live; Josh Groban, Chess in Concert (Great Performances); Bill Hader, Saturday Night Live; Bill Maher, Real Time with Bill Maher; Demetri Martin, Important Things with Demetri Martin; Joel McHale, The Soup; Adam Pascal, Chess in Concert (Great Performances); Andy Samberg, Saturday Night Live; Jason Sudeikis, Saturday Night Live; Kenan Thompson, Saturday Night Live; Robin Williams, Robin Williams: Weapons of Self Destruction Best Female Performer - Variety Series/Special: Tina Fey, Saturday Night Live Wanda Sykes, Wanda Sykes: I'ma Be Me Tracey Ullman, Tracey Ullman's State of the Union Betty White, Saturday Night Live Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live HONORABLE MENTION: Beyonce, Beyonce: I Am…Yours; Beyonce, The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards; Margaret Cho, Margaret Cho: Beautiful; Kerry Ellis, Chess in Concert (Great Performances); Kathy Griffin, Kathy Griffin: Balls of Steel; Jennifer Hudson, Jennifer Hudson: I’ll Be Home for Christmas; Idina Menzel, Chess in Concert (Great Performances); Pink, The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards Best Animated Series: Archer The Life & Times of Tim The Ricky Gervais Show The Simpsons South Park HONORABLE MENTION: The Cleveland Show, Family Guy, King of the Hill Best Voice-Over Performer - Animated Series: H. Jon Benjamin, Archer - "Honeypot" Dan Castellaneta, The Simpsons - "Thursdays with Abie" Seth MacFarlane, Family Guy - "Brian and Stewie, Parts 1 & 2" Karl Pilkington, The Ricky Gervais Show - "Freaks" Kevin Michael Richardson, The Cleveland Show - "The One About Friends" Jessica Walter, Archer - "Job Offer" HONORABLE MENTION: Pamela Adlon, King of the Hill; Hank Azaria, The Simpsons; Alex Borstein, Family Guy; Nancy Cartwright, The Simpsons; Steve Dildarian, The Life & Times of Tim; Ricky Gervais, The Ricky Gervais Show; Mike Henry, The Cleveland Show; Mike Judge, King of the Hill; Nick Kroll, The Life & Times of Tim; Stephen Merchant, The Ricky Gervais Show; M.J. Otto, The Life & Times of Tim; Trey Parker, South Park; Yeardley Smith, The Simpsons; Matt Stone, South Park; Aisha Tyler, Archer Best Reality Series - Competition: The Amazing Race Project Runway RuPaul's Drag Race So You Think You Can Dance Survivor Top Chef HONORABLE MENTION: American Idol, America’s Next Top Model, Big Brother, The Celebrity Apprentice, Dancing with the Stars, Hell’s Kitchen, Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Fresh Meat II, Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins, Wipeout Best Reality Series - Non-Competition: Flipping Out Hoarders Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List Kitchen Nightmares The Real Housewives of New York City Who Do You Think You Are? HONORABLE MENTION: The City, The Hills, Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, NYC Prep, Shark Tank, Teen Mom, Undercover Boss, Wife Swap Breakthrough Male Performance: Max Burkholder, Parenthood Chris Colfer, Glee Matt Lauria, Friday Night Lights Danny Pudi, Community Rico Rodriguez, Modern Family HONORABLE MENTION: Donald Glover, Community; Nolan Gould, Modern Family; Kevin McHale, Glee; Scott Mescudi, How to Make It in America; Graham Phillips, The Good Wife; Mark Salling, Glee; Atticus Shaffer, The Middle Breakthrough Female Performance: Dianna Agron, Glee Madison Burge, Friday Night Lights Lucia Micarelli, Treme Amber Riley, Glee Ariel Winter, Modern Family HONORABLE MENTION: Kerry Bishe, Scrubs; Louise Dylan, Emma; India Ennenga, Treme; Gillian Jacobs, Community; Heather Morris, Glee; Nasim Pedrad, Saturday Night Live; Naya Rivera, Glee; Jenny Slate, Saturday Night Live; Erica Tazel, Justified; Gillian Zinser, 90210 Best Documentary Program: The Band That Wouldn't Die (30 for 30) - Barry Levinson By the People: The Election of Barack Obama - Amy Rice & Alicia Sams "Every Fucking Day of My Life" - Tommy Davis Guru of Go (30 for 30) - Bill Couturie Guys 'N Divas: Battle of the High School Musicals - Barry W. Blaustein Schmatta: Rags to Riches to Rags - Marc Levin Shouting Fire: Stories From the Edge of Free Speech - Liz Garbus Silly Little Game (30 for 30) - Lucas Jansen & Adam Kurland Small Potatoes: Who Killed the USFL? (30 for 30) - Mike Tollin Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. the New York Knicks (30 for 30) - Dan Klores HONORABLE MENTION: Boy Interrupted, Kings Ransom (30 for 30), The Last Truck: The Closing of a GM Plant, The Legend of Jimmy the Greek (30 for 30), Muhammad and Larry (30 for 30), No Crossover: The Trial of Allen Iverson (30 for 30), Prom Night in Mississippi, Run Ricky Run (30 for 30), Saturday Night Live in the 2000’s: Time and Again, The Simpsons: 20th Anniversary Special in 3-D! On Ice!, The 16th Men (30 for 30), Straight Outta L.A. (30 for 30), The U (30 for 30), Without Bias (30 for 30)

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njawaidofficial · 7 years ago

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'Awards Chatter' Podcast — Stephen Colbert ('The Late Show With Stephen Colbert')

http://styleveryday.com/2017/08/20/awards-chatter-podcast-stephen-colbert-the-late-show-with-stephen-colbert/

'Awards Chatter' Podcast — Stephen Colbert ('The Late Show With Stephen Colbert')

“I wanted to change as a performer,” Stephen Colbert says as we sit down in the offices of CBS’ The Late Show, high above the Ed Sullivan Theater in Midtown Manhattan, on a “Pizza Tuesday” — a Tuesday when Colbert’s staff is treated to pizza because The Late Show topped the previous week’s ratings — and begin discussing why he agreed to say goodbye to “Stephen Colbert,” a character he perfected over 20 years on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, in order to succeed David Letterman as the host of the Tiffany Network’s late-night centerpiece. “I wanted to change what my responsibilities were on a daily basis,” he continues in an intervew with The Hollywood Reporter‘s Awards Chatter podcast. “I just wanted to go out there and do jokes for people.”

It’s been almost two years since Colbert’s debut as The Late Show‘s host. And it’s been almost one year since disappointing ratings, an Emmys snub and a general lack of buzz prompted some to begin writing off a man who had shared in two Peabody Awards and three writing Emmys during his tenure at The Daily Show (which won five Emmys for best variety series while he was there) and who subsequently had picked up another two Peabodys, four writing Emmys and two Emmys for best variety series at The Colbert Report. There even were suggestions that he would be asked to swap time slots with James Corden’s The Late Late Show — or be replaced altogether.

What a difference a year — and a presidential election — can make! This year, The Late Show, rather than NBC’s The Tonight Show, finished the season atop late-night ratings for the first time in 22 years; The Late Show, and not The Tonight Show, garnered a nom for best variety talk series (plus two others); Colbert’s election-night special for CBS’ sister cable network, Showtime, Stephen Colbert’s Live Election Night Democracy’s Series Finale: Who’s Going to Clean Up This Shit? received a nom for best variety special (plus two others); and Colbert himself is set to host the 69th Emmy Awards on Sept. 17. As “Stephen Colbert” might have asked, were he still around: great comeback, or greatest comeback?

(Click above to listen to this episode or here to access all of our 170 episodes via iTunes. Past guests include Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Meryl Streep, Eddie Murphy, Lady Gaga, Robert De Niro, Amy Schumer, Will Smith, Jennifer Lopez, Louis C.K., Emma Stone, Harvey Weinstein, Natalie Portman, Jerry Seinfeld, Jane Fonda, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Nicole Kidman, Aziz Ansari, Taraji P. Henson, J.J. Abrams, Helen Mirren, Justin Timberlake, Brie Larson, Ryan Reynolds, Alicia Vikander, Warren Beatty, Jessica Chastain, Samuel L. Jackson, Kate Winslet, Sting, Isabelle Huppert, Tyler Perry, Sally Field, Michael Moore, Lily Collins, Denzel Washington, Mandy Moore, Ricky Gervais, Kristen Stewart, James Corden, Sarah Silverman, Michael B. Jordan, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bill Maher, Lily Tomlin, Ryan Murphy, Allison Janney, Eddie Redmayne, Reese Witherspoon, Trevor Noah, Elisabeth Moss, Jay Leno, Kris Jenner, Rami Malek, Jill Soloway, Robert Pattinson, Kate Beckinsale and Jimmy Kimmel.)

Colbert, who is 53, was born in Washington, D.C., and raised in South Carolina, the youngest of 11 kids in a deeply observant Catholic family. At the age of 10, his life was rocked when his father and his two brothers closest in age to him were killed in the crash of Eastern Air Lines Flight 212. “I have said to myself more than once, ‘Gosh, I hope I live long enough to figure out what that did to me,’ ” he solemnly reflects. “It’s almost like that event created a labyrinth in my mind in which I could hide when I was younger — no one could find me if I went into the labyrinth of that experience — but I was also lost in there.” By that time, Colbert’s surviving siblings were out of the home, meaning that he and his mother largely were left to take care of each other. During his ensuing adolescent years, Colbert’s spirits were lifted by comedy albums that he listened to every night (“Comedy saved my life,” he says) and it was out of a desire to brighten his mother’s spirits that he increasingly gravitated toward performing comedy himself (“I wanted to make her laugh and feel better”).

After “barely” graduating from high school as a result of having neglected his studies in favor of reading for pleasure and playing Dungeons & Dragons, Colbert studied for two years at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, before transferring to Northwestern University in order to pursue a theater major. There, a drama teacher insisted that students drop their facades and open up about their innermost feelings, and, Colbert says decades later, “I think it was the first time in my life I started to reflect on what had happened to me and my family as a child.” While in Chicago, Colbert also met Del Close, one of the legendary gurus of improvisation, and began studying improv on the side, ultimately at fabled Second City, where he was hired to join the national touring company in 1988. (There, he understudied Steve Carell, whom he would later recommend for a job at The Daily Show, and became particularly close with Paul Dinello and Amy Sedaris, with whom he would later co-create, with Mitch Rouse, Strangers With Candy for Comedy Central.)

In 1994, Colbert left Second City and headed to New York, where he had been offered a job writing for the Comedy Central sketch-comedy series Exit 57 — which promptly was canceled. Following a brief return to Chicago, he, his wife and their newborn child moved to New York for good when he was hired to write for ABC’s The Dana Carvey Show (on which he and Carell also voiced the characters of Ace and Gary, respectively, in Robert Smigel‘s The Ambiguously Gay Duo cartoons, which they later reprised on Saturday Night Live). That show was canceled after only eight episodes had aired. Thus began for Colbert a “dark period” of “soul-crushing work,” stints on the unemployment rolls and general uncertainty about his future. Interestingly, it had been at The Dana Carvey Show that he first was asked to play a newsman (the episodes in which he did so never aired), and it was after its cancellation that he was hired, as one of many short-term gigs, to do the same in humorous segments for ABC’s Good Morning America (just two of those segments aired). That, in turn, brought him to the attention of The Daily Show, which he reluctantly joined as a field correspondent in 1997, when Craig Kilborn was still the anchor. He recalls, “I was like, ‘Oh, my God, I’m an actor, why am I going to be a correspondent?’ “

Two years later, Jon Stewart succeeded Kilborn, and Colbert — who had been splitting his time between The Daily Show and launching Strangers With Candy — couldn’t have been happier. “We hit it off immediately,” he says, explaining, “He was injecting the show with purpose and an editorial position, and when I came back, he invited us to put our own thoughts, our own feelings, our own editorial position in what we were doing. We weren’t widgets to him; we were creative partners.” One of the things that Colbert took upon himself to do was create “Stephen Colbert,” a self-important newsman “persona,” initially modeled after a local TV news reporter; then after an all-business pro like Stone Phillips; and ultimately after a selection of the talking-head pundits who were beginning to proliferate across TV at the time, but one, in particular: Bill O’Reilly. “I really do think that he’s a well-intentioned, poorly informed, high-status idiot,” Colbert says of the now-disgraced Fox News alum, “which was my model.”

By 2005, having become immensely popular over his years on The Daily Show, Colbert was ready to move on to his next adventure. “I really liked working with Jon, but I wanted to leave because there was only so much I could do,” he recalls. “Jon was always going to be the guy with the ball, as well he should be — there’s no greater runner, he’s the master — but I knew I could only do so much for him. It was a beautiful note, but it was only one note that I could do for him in his chorus of correspondents.” Colbert and Stewart pitched a sitcom to NBC, but the network passed, and then Comedy Central asked if they might like to create a Daily Show spinoff, starring “Stephen Colbert,” which would follow The Daily Show each evening. They bit, and for the next decade, The Daily Show and The Colbert Report arguably were television’s best — and certainly its funniest — one-two punch.

In April 2014, when it was announced that David Letterman would be vacating his job as host of The Late Show, few imagined that Colbert, who had been Letterman’s guest 10 times over the years, might replace him. But, Colbert says, “I had already decided I wasn’t gonna do the [Colbert Report] show anymore,” and when CBS approached him about the position, he began seriously considering it — largely because he thought his mother, who had died less than a year earlier, would have liked him to. “In some ways, all of this was for her,” he says. “She would absolutely have been so tickled.” Colbert realized that he would be trading in cable for broadcast, giving up four half-hour shows a week for five hourlong shows and, most significantly, retiring “Stephen Colbert” for Stephen Colbert even though, as he puts it, “No one ever knew that guy” — and he took the plunge. His first Late Show aired on Sept. 8, 2015.

Did Colbert make the right move? “I was an actor, and this is not acting,” he says. “This is a harder job. There’s a challenge to driving a car straight, as opposed to swerving all over the road.” Even though Colbert brought almost all of his Colbert Report staff — some 80 people — with him to the new job, and even though he had not had a showrunner before, it quickly became apparent that without one, he, “a control freak” who was hands-on with every detail of the show, from its set to its greenrooms to its comedy, was in trouble. “I lost my mind,” he acknowledges in hindsight. “I couldn’t sleep at night because clearly, aesthetically or in terms of having an editorial intention, the show was not coalescing. People didn’t know what they were gonna get — they didn’t know what it was about — because neither did I. I had thrown out the baby with the bathwater: In trying to not be my character, I also threw out my interests which led to the character.”

The first of two major turning points for the show came on April 2, 2016, after it already had been on the air for eight lackluster months, when CBS chief Les Moonves arranged a meeting between Colbert and Chris Licht, a producer who had helped a number of other shows on the network find their footing. Colbert recalls Licht’s proposal for a collaboration: “He said, ‘Any moment you’re not thinking about comedy, I’ve failed.’ And I said, ‘Let’s shake on it. Do you want the job?’ ” Ever since, Colbert asserts, he has gotten better about “letting go and just enjoying being onstage with the audience,” and he also has arrived at an understanding that “what works in one of these shows, at least in my experience, is, I’m gonna talk to you about the thing that you’ve already been talking about today, and we’re gonna give you our take on this thing that everybody’s talking about, to give you some context — and maybe calm you down about it.”

The second turning point came on Nov. 8, 2016, the night of the U.S. presidential election, when Colbert was hosting his live Showtime special, for which he and his team had planned all sorts of comedic material. But as it became apparent, to everyone’s disbelief, that Donald Trump actually was going to win, Licht approached Colbert with a piece of advice that the host says he took to heart. “He said, ‘No more bits. All the things we have planned, let’s just throw [them] out the window. Just go over there and talk to people.’ So that’s what the show became [that night], and we’ve tried to not let go of that.” Colbert continues, “That show changed us because it showed me the value of not pretending to feel some way you’re not.” In other words, rather than avoiding politics simply because it had been the bread and butter of “Stephen Colbert,” Colbert would tackle politics head-on because it was precisely what was on his mind — and therefore, in all likelihood, others’ minds, too. Two weeks after the election, Colbert’s Late Show topped the ratings for the first time, and it hasn’t looked back since.

“There’s a lot of things that have changed,” Colbert muses. “I have an even deeper respect for [ABC late-night host Jimmy] Kimmel and [NBC late-night host Jimmy] Fallon and [TBS’ current/NBC’s former late-night host] Conan [O’Brien] and the people who came before us. I always respected their comedy, but I really respect them professionally because I didn’t know what they were doing until I got here.” He hastens to add, “I’ve learned to trust my staff,” noting that he could not have done 17 live shows over the past year if he hadn’t. And, above all, at long last, he’s having fun. “I love this job,” he says with a big smile. “I couldn’t love it more. This feels, right now, like the first year of the old gig. There’s a sense of excitement, and I hope that is throughout the whole building — that people feel like they’ve created something new that wasn’t here a year ago.”

Stephen Colbert Primetime Emmy Awards The Daily Show

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