The Limitless Awesomeness of Bradley Cooper
Bradley Cooper has officially become my Favorite New Actor To Watch.
On Friday I watched Limitless with arancia. Everything about this movie was amazing and this has nothing to do with me having a low expectation on the movie. I did have a low expectation for it (because I didn't have time to check any reviews or read any articles about the movie before it opened) but it was one hell of a movie that I loved it purely for its own wonderful qualities.
So I thought Limitless was going to be some regular Hollywood action movie but this is the most stylish movie that I've watched so far this year and by "stylish", I mean there are plenty amazing camera works and interesting camera angles. The accompanying music and the unexpected twists in the story, as well as some unthinkable yet clever action from Bradley Cooper's character Eddie Morra, made the story all the better. I love how the director, Neil Burger, presents the story - he's definitely one to watch in the future. (Later on I found out Burger made The Illusionist and that was one of the movies I remember liking quite a lot as well, although not as much as I like this one.)
Anyway, Burger's vision made it possible for Bradley Cooper to look even cooler than he already is. I mean, I know he's more than a decent actor. I've always been impressed by his linguistic skills and I always enjoy reading his interviews because this is one intelligent man... but I've never before seen him act the way he did in this movie. And his acting here is simply SPECTACULAR. He's shown that he's the perfect leading man - entertaining to watch but also capable to bring depth into his character. I'm totally sold on Eddie Morra's character; Cooper made me believe that Morra existed and that he would be changing the world. Cooper also has that ability to make you love his character and yet get exasperated with him at the same time. But in the end, he'll make you champion his character because he makes the guy he's playing sympathetic enough to adore.
I firmly believe movies like The Hangover and its sequel and Valentine's Day are not worthy of the talents of Bradley Cooper. He deserves to be in bigger projects than this. Case in point: I watched The A-Team Extended Version on DVD (I couldn't finish watching everything on one night so I started it last night and continued again this morning after I woke up) and Cooper's Peck was so, so much deeper than the one we saw in the Theatrical Version. It was like, the theatrical version only had that fun-loving Peck - the face of Face - who is awesome but only skin-deep. But the extended version had the real Peck - the heart of Face - the real hero of the Alpha Team. Suddenly he wasn't just there to be Liam Neeson's sidekick; he became the real star of the show.
So you see, it was pretty damn amazing to see what Cooper can do with the proper script and direction in a movie. I want him to get heavier and meatier roles. In a way, I'm glad he didn't get the Green Lantern gig and that role instead went to Ryan Reynolds. Green Lantern might be the break Cooper needs to make it big in the industry but I want to see him in a more substantial dramatic role now. If he gets the right project, Cooper will go far. As far as the Academy Awards sphere. I believe this. And I believe in him.
You'll have to excuse me if I sound "gushy" about Cooper - he's just endlessly awesome. Even if he doesn't sound utterly sexy speaking French and Italian (which he does in Limitless), I would still believe in his talent and skills. I seriously can't wait to see more of him anywhere.
(And yes, I'm creating a tag for him.)
On Friday I watched Limitless with arancia. Everything about this movie was amazing and this has nothing to do with me having a low expectation on the movie. I did have a low expectation for it (because I didn't have time to check any reviews or read any articles about the movie before it opened) but it was one hell of a movie that I loved it purely for its own wonderful qualities.
So I thought Limitless was going to be some regular Hollywood action movie but this is the most stylish movie that I've watched so far this year and by "stylish", I mean there are plenty amazing camera works and interesting camera angles. The accompanying music and the unexpected twists in the story, as well as some unthinkable yet clever action from Bradley Cooper's character Eddie Morra, made the story all the better. I love how the director, Neil Burger, presents the story - he's definitely one to watch in the future. (Later on I found out Burger made The Illusionist and that was one of the movies I remember liking quite a lot as well, although not as much as I like this one.)
Anyway, Burger's vision made it possible for Bradley Cooper to look even cooler than he already is. I mean, I know he's more than a decent actor. I've always been impressed by his linguistic skills and I always enjoy reading his interviews because this is one intelligent man... but I've never before seen him act the way he did in this movie. And his acting here is simply SPECTACULAR. He's shown that he's the perfect leading man - entertaining to watch but also capable to bring depth into his character. I'm totally sold on Eddie Morra's character; Cooper made me believe that Morra existed and that he would be changing the world. Cooper also has that ability to make you love his character and yet get exasperated with him at the same time. But in the end, he'll make you champion his character because he makes the guy he's playing sympathetic enough to adore.
I firmly believe movies like The Hangover and its sequel and Valentine's Day are not worthy of the talents of Bradley Cooper. He deserves to be in bigger projects than this. Case in point: I watched The A-Team Extended Version on DVD (I couldn't finish watching everything on one night so I started it last night and continued again this morning after I woke up) and Cooper's Peck was so, so much deeper than the one we saw in the Theatrical Version. It was like, the theatrical version only had that fun-loving Peck - the face of Face - who is awesome but only skin-deep. But the extended version had the real Peck - the heart of Face - the real hero of the Alpha Team. Suddenly he wasn't just there to be Liam Neeson's sidekick; he became the real star of the show.
So you see, it was pretty damn amazing to see what Cooper can do with the proper script and direction in a movie. I want him to get heavier and meatier roles. In a way, I'm glad he didn't get the Green Lantern gig and that role instead went to Ryan Reynolds. Green Lantern might be the break Cooper needs to make it big in the industry but I want to see him in a more substantial dramatic role now. If he gets the right project, Cooper will go far. As far as the Academy Awards sphere. I believe this. And I believe in him.
You'll have to excuse me if I sound "gushy" about Cooper - he's just endlessly awesome. Even if he doesn't sound utterly sexy speaking French and Italian (which he does in Limitless), I would still believe in his talent and skills. I seriously can't wait to see more of him anywhere.
(And yes, I'm creating a tag for him.)