| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Airbolt |
Posted - 11/24/2006 : 22:54:47
After a long wait , I got to see Hollywoodland tonight. I pretty much had the cinema to myself ( hooray! ) as everyone was in Casino Royale.
Anyway , I really wanted this film to be Brilliant - especially after feeling a bit flat about " The Black Dahlia ". I suppose i shouldn't read read reviews but one of thems aid " there's half a Good film in here ".
Certainly the parts of the film featuring Ben Affleck, Diane Lane and the Agent were excellent. I thought Ben had a sort of wry charm that lets you forget he is essentially a kept man. Diane Lane is excellent too and lets the camera show her looking old when the film needs her to. This was the film i wanted to see.
However theres another film featuring Adrien Brody interspersed. I quickly grew tired of his mournful face and felt like his " personal voyage " was a distraction.
The production looked fantastic and the faded colours in certain scenes were just right.
There have been some fantastic period pieces based on West Coast Crime ( such as " LA Condidential " and " Chinatown" ). I'm not sure this film belongs up there with the Best.
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| 9 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| w22dheartlivie |
Posted - 11/27/2006 : 11:09:03
quote:
Originally posted by Salopian
quote:
Originally posted by wildhartlivie
I haven't seen it yet, I usually wait out the DVD releases, though I am curious about what conclusions the film draws about Reeves' death.
You'll have to wait and see... 
lol, yes I will, but I'm fairly good at patience |
| w22dheartlivie |
Posted - 11/27/2006 : 11:07:09
quote:
Re the Kevin Smith Connection , a pattern is emerging ....Jennifer Garner, Jennifer Schwalbach ....hmm - wonder if Jason Mewes is seeing a Jennifer?
If not now, then by all means, I'm sure he has at some point or will in the future. Mewes is a hound
And we can't forget, as tabloids would never allow it.. Jennifer Lopez |
| Demisemicenturian |
Posted - 11/27/2006 : 09:59:47
quote:
Originally posted by wildhartlivie
I haven't seen it yet, I usually wait out the DVD releases, though I am curious about what conclusions the film draws about Reeves' death.
You'll have to wait and see... |
| Airbolt |
Posted - 11/26/2006 : 23:26:43
quote:
Originally posted by GHcool
quote:
Originally posted by AIRBOLT
After a long wait , I got to see Hollywoodland tonight. I pretty much had the cinema to myself ( hooray! ) as everyone was in Casino Royale.
Anyway , I really wanted this film to be Brilliant - especially after feeling a bit flat about " The Black Dahlia ". I suppose i shouldn't read read reviews but one of thems aid " there's half a Good film in here ".
Certainly the parts of the film featuring Ben Affleck, Diane Lane and the Agent were excellent. I thought Ben had a sort of wry charm that lets you forget he is essentially a kept man. Diane Lane is excellent too and lets the camera show her looking old when the film needs her to. This was the film i wanted to see.
However theres another film featuring Adrien Brody interspersed. I quickly grew tired of his mournful face and felt like his " personal voyage " was a distraction.
The production looked fantastic and the faded colours in certain scenes were just right.
There have been some fantastic period pieces based on West Coast Crime ( such as " LA Condidential " and " Chinatown" ). I'm not sure this film belongs up there with the Best.
I agree that its no LA Confidential or Chinatown, but I think I liked it a little more than you did. And yes, I did like the Ben Affleck plot more than the Adrian Brody plot.
Just on a side note - I suppose its the cumulative effect of nearly a century of Hollywood but how glamorous does crime sound when you link it with LA and put it in the past?
I'm really not sure if Micky Cohen and Johnny Stompanato were that glamorous in real life but after lots of films and Books they seem to have acquired the mythic status of Al Capone or Bugsy Siegel.
Places like the Frolic Rooms or the Brown Derby have also acquired a patina through their depiction in films and Books.
I mean - what would the average person turn out for ? "LA Confidential " or " Pine Bluff Vice? " 
The Documentary " LA plays Itself" is a bit of a slog but it has some fascinating insights eg The area that Mike Hammer finds the Opera Singer in "Kiss Me Deadly" ( Bunker Hill ) was massively redeveloped and is now the Cultural Centre ( The Walt Disney Concert Hall sure looks like the Guggenheim in Bilbao )
Wandered off topic ! |
| Airbolt |
Posted - 11/26/2006 : 23:07:18
quote:
Originally posted by wildhartlivie
quote:
I agree that Ben Affleck comes across as being a charming fella in real life and that this was a part that he could inhabit easily. I have no illusions as to his acting range - he excels at charm and is well advised not to stray too far outside - allowing for the odd favour for Kevin Smith.
Having mentioned Kevin Smith , I must own up to being a Comic Book Geek - so I could have easily had more of the Superman Cameos
I haven't seen it yet, I usually wait out the DVD releases, though I am curious about what conclusions the film draws about Reeves' death. I hold no illusions regarding Ben Affleck's acting abilities, Matt Damon is well the better actor of the pair. However I do admire Ben's loyalty to his friends. He never turns Kevin Smith down. I'm a closet ViewAskew fan anyway. I'm pleased he's enough of a psychological exhibitionist that he allows us glimpses of him in his semi-autobiographical films (well, except for Dogma).
Re the Kevin Smith Connection , a pattern is emerging ....Jennifer Garner, Jennifer Schwalbach ....hmm - wonder if Jason Mewes is seeing a Jennifer?
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| w22dheartlivie |
Posted - 11/26/2006 : 18:21:03
quote:
I agree that Ben Affleck comes across as being a charming fella in real life and that this was a part that he could inhabit easily. I have no illusions as to his acting range - he excels at charm and is well advised not to stray too far outside - allowing for the odd favour for Kevin Smith.
Having mentioned Kevin Smith , I must own up to being a Comic Book Geek - so I could have easily had more of the Superman Cameos
I haven't seen it yet, I usually wait out the DVD releases, though I am curious about what conclusions the film draws about Reeves' death. I hold no illusions regarding Ben Affleck's acting abilities, Matt Damon is well the better actor of the pair. However I do admire Ben's loyalty to his friends. He never turns Kevin Smith down. I'm a closet ViewAskew fan anyway. I'm pleased he's enough of a psychological exhibitionist that he allows us glimpses of him in his semi-autobiographical films (well, except for Dogma). |
| Airbolt |
Posted - 11/26/2006 : 13:06:02
quote:
Originally posted by Salopian
Saw it today.
quote:
Originally posted by AIRBOLT
Diane Lane lets the camera show her looking old when the film needs her to.
Yes, I thought so too. She looks natural both previously and at that point, but the difference is striking.
I'm barely ever actually disappointed with a film, but I almost was with this. There are certain things which I think it tries to present ambiguously at the beginning, but I found it a bit confused (or else this was completely unintentional and it was very confused).
You're completely right about Affleck's wry charm, but... this is just what he is best at in general, not even just in acting. He very much reminded me of how he came across in a recent Jonathan Ross interview (although for that I suppose one could say the character was on his mind).
I was fine with the Adrien Brody story, and since this surprised me by being the larger part, I was glad to see that he is credited first. I hate credits in fame order. That said, Lane precedes Affleck and Hoskins is fourth, neither of which is proportionate.
I agree that Ben Affleck comes across as being a charming fella in real life and that this was a part that he could inhabit easily. I have no illusions as to his acting range - he excels at charm and is well advised not to stray too far outside - allowing for the odd favour for Kevin Smith.
Having mentioned Kevin Smith , I must own up to being a Comic Book Geek - so I could have easily had more of the Superman Cameos
My problem with the PI part of the picture was the casting of Adrien Brody - for me he wan't right for it. Call me a traditionalist but i like my 50's PI's to have a bit more heft - like a Jim Rockford. Gregg Henry ( Payback ) would have been neat-o |
| Demisemicenturian |
Posted - 11/26/2006 : 02:16:16
Saw it today.
quote:
Originally posted by AIRBOLT
Diane Lane lets the camera show her looking old when the film needs her to.
Yes, I thought so too. She looks natural both previously and at that point, but the difference is striking.
I'm barely ever actually disappointed with a film, but I almost was with this. There are certain things which I think it tries to present ambiguously at the beginning, but I found it a bit confused (or else this was completely unintentional and it was very confused).
You're completely right about Affleck's wry charm, but... this is just what he is best at in general, not even just in acting. He very much reminded me of how he came across in a recent Jonathan Ross interview (although for that I suppose one could say the character was on his mind).
I was fine with the Adrien Brody story, and since this surprised me by being the larger part, I was glad to see that he is credited first. I hate credits in fame order. That said, Lane precedes Affleck and Hoskins is fourth, neither of which is proportionate. |
| GHcool |
Posted - 11/25/2006 : 18:45:27
quote:
Originally posted by AIRBOLT
After a long wait , I got to see Hollywoodland tonight. I pretty much had the cinema to myself ( hooray! ) as everyone was in Casino Royale.
Anyway , I really wanted this film to be Brilliant - especially after feeling a bit flat about " The Black Dahlia ". I suppose i shouldn't read read reviews but one of thems aid " there's half a Good film in here ".
Certainly the parts of the film featuring Ben Affleck, Diane Lane and the Agent were excellent. I thought Ben had a sort of wry charm that lets you forget he is essentially a kept man. Diane Lane is excellent too and lets the camera show her looking old when the film needs her to. This was the film i wanted to see.
However theres another film featuring Adrien Brody interspersed. I quickly grew tired of his mournful face and felt like his " personal voyage " was a distraction.
The production looked fantastic and the faded colours in certain scenes were just right.
There have been some fantastic period pieces based on West Coast Crime ( such as " LA Condidential " and " Chinatown" ). I'm not sure this film belongs up there with the Best.
I agree that its no LA Confidential or Chinatown, but I think I liked it a little more than you did. And yes, I did like the Ben Affleck plot more than the Adrian Brody plot. |
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