Comments | one_11: Oscar Cliffs Notes.

one_11

Oscar Cliffs Notes.

Feb 05, 2007 12:16

OK, so I've been using my WGA card to full advatage and scoping as many Oscar-nominated films as possible over the last few weeks -- for free! And thank God they were free, because lemme tell you, overall I'm far less impressed than I thought I would be. I can't remember an Oscar season when so many movies got such great buzz AS "SERIOUS films" ( Read more... )

Comments 32

ctd February 5 2007, 22:18:27 UTC

I saw just the end of Little Miss Sunshine on a plane (from where whasname finds out he's colorblind to the credits), and was disappointed. I've been told the ending is a good payoff for the earlier part, but alone it is just a temper tantrum - the family defining themselves with "fuck you, pageant people!" instead of on their own terms.

one_11 February 5 2007, 22:39:38 UTC

It is, in a way, on their own terms, but almost accidentally. I think maybe you do gotta see the first part to fully get it.

Overall, in a way, it was a pretty good year for movies. I think more movies -- more than we give Hollywood credit for, anyway -- strived to be more than fluff. I just think a lot of critics are giving undiluted raves to films that fall short of greatness. It's okay for a movie to fall short of greatness, I DO give points for trying, I just think critics have inexplicably lowered the bar on these films, while raising it unaccountably high for more interesting films like, for instance, "Vendetta."

walktheplank February 5 2007, 22:31:16 UTC

Not his best film, but I thought that The Departed was even better than the original (and I HATE remakes).

one_11 February 5 2007, 22:44:37 UTC

Didn't see the original, but I agree the movie was good. I liked it a lot, in fact. It's just a lot "easier" and less rich a movie than so many of his other films. Also a lot more cynical. Even in his most vicious and violent films, Scorcese seemed to me to have a romantic soul -- but not here. Maybe that's a sign of the times.

walktheplank February 5 2007, 23:43:57 UTC

Oddly enough, the Hollywood ending is even more depressing than the ending of the original Hong Kong version.

go_west February 5 2007, 22:37:40 UTC

I just saw little miss sunshine, and as much as I enjoyed the movie, and the little parts where the family was, y'know, a family, the structure of the movie seemed to be simply, "everyone takes turns at being humiliated!" Well, except the mom.

You know how poorly I deal with watching characters get embarrassed or humiliated on screen, so it was all I could do to not leave the room during the scenes in the gas station. Yes, even though I was watching it alone.

one_11 February 5 2007, 22:50:47 UTC

Cripes, yeah, it must've been a nightmare for you! But I still liked it. I really feel the ending justified the whole movie and is why it stands out among some very similar American indie flicks ("Slums of Beverly Hills" comes to mind, for instance).

broncochick February 6 2007, 04:32:43 UTC

On a superficial level, LMS was good. It helped to illuminate the perversity of teeny-bopper beauty pageants and it minced the idea of the American family as a haven of sanity and goodness. It was also entertaining and funny. On a deeper level, however, I found the film to be quite disturbing. Although it ridicules the overt sexualization of beauty pageant contestants--strutting 10 year olds should not be sexy--the film actually celebrates the innocent/natural sexuality of little girls ( ... )

one_11 February 6 2007, 17:47:39 UTC

You wrote:

It helped to illuminate the perversity of teeny-bopper beauty pageants

But you also complain that:

The little girl was sexualized by her grandfather without her consent and without her awarenessThe problems with your argument are ( ... )

puplet_loaf February 7 2007, 02:33:14 UTC

FWIW, I *did* notice the ass shot, and my reaction was a bit taken aback: "How did they let the camera crew / director / whoever dictates these things get away with that?" It just seemed...out of place.

one_11 February 7 2007, 19:06:38 UTC

I'd have to go back and look at it again to comment, but it didn't have the impact on me it seems to have had on others. Actually, that moment in the movie, with the girl comforting her brother -- though nicely acted -- is one of my least favorite parts of the film. His realization that he's colorblind seems too pat.

Thread 15

mamaspell February 6 2007, 20:08:37 UTC

Regarding NOTES:

In hindsight, wouldn't you really have welcomed some fellow audience member's inappropriate giggling throughout the movie? Embraced, even?

??? flw February 7 2007, 03:51:46 UTC

Are you going to go visit one_11 in Los Angeles?

Re: ??? mamaspell February 7 2007, 04:21:14 UTC

I'm still in LA, and we visited last week.

Re: ??? flw February 7 2007, 04:36:34 UTC

Ah. That's great. I really wish I was there so I could get to see you and hang out. I'd show you the real Los Angeles! Which consists of Libraries, and Orange Groves. But still, it's very real.

Thread 7