Dear Beltmann

[u2roolz]

An even better discussion to have is whether No Country For Old Men deserved Best Pic over There Will Be Blood.

As much as I love the Coen Bros., I really think PTA outdid himself on There Will Be Blood and made his Citizen Kane (cliched I know, but my jaw was on the floor for pretty much the whole film thanks to Daniel Day Lewis & the creepy dude from Radiohead's score - throw a rock).

I don't know what he's up to next.

Maybe redeeming pudding coupons to direct his next feature film.

[Winston Legthigh]

An even better discussion to have is whether No Country For Old Men deserved Best Pic over There Will Be Blood.

As much as I love the Coen Bros., I really think PTA outdid himself on There Will Be Blood and made his Citizen Kane (cliched I know, but my jaw was on the floor for pretty much the whole film thanks to Daniel Day Lewis & the creepy dude from Radiohead's score - throw a rock).

I don't know what he's up to next.

Maybe redeeming pudding coupons to direct his next feature film.

I didn't think there was an arc to DDL's character - started out greedy and nuts, and ended up greedy and nuts. The only change was the wealth that he accumulated. I loved his John Huston accent though. But, for a better John Huston, watch Clint in White Hunter Black Heart - a very underrated film.

 

But No Country? The visual storytelling in that movie is so well done that you could follow it with the sound off.

 

This essay really nails it for me.

 

Don't get me wrong - I think that There Will be Blood was a great movie as well - it just didn't hold me like No Country did.

[Dude]

An even better discussion to have is whether No Country For Old Men deserved Best Pic over There Will Be Blood.

As much as I love the Coen Bros., I really think PTA outdid himself on There Will Be Blood and made his Citizen Kane (cliched I know, but my jaw was on the floor for pretty much the whole film thanks to Daniel Day Lewis & the creepy dude from Radiohead's score - throw a rock).

 

Yeah, that's a great comparison that I indepdendently made myself between There Will Be Blood and Citizen Kane. Both create larger than life personae that are loosely based on real people.

[Atticus]

Speaking of - it's 2 "n"s, friendo.

 

cod damn you and your rightness

[u2roolz]

I don't think there was a need for a character arc for Daniel Plainview.

 

Although, he wanted to have a milk shake with Eli and then that ended up badly for him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypvLKFYcH0A

[Guest Runaway Jim]

And Kevin Spacey should be awarded another Oscar every single year for American Beauty.

 

X3 Spacey's performance in American Beauty is a classic. I can't imagine any other actor having done nearly as good a job in that role. He was perfect.

 

As for the No Country/Blood debate... I have wavered back and forth so many times I've just stopped caring which one is better. I think they're both supreme achievements. I would easily put them as my 1 & 2 of the decade. And we got them in the same year!

 

2007 was a fantastic year for movies. The best in a long, long time.

No Country for Old Men

There Will Be Blood

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Into the Wild

The Bourne Ultimatum

Juno

I'm Not There

In the Valley of Ellah

Eastern Promises

Zodiac

and I still haven't seen Michael Clayton, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly or Atonement.

 

Holy shit. Compared to '07, '09 is pathetic.

[u2roolz]

You can thank me later for telling you to skip out on Atonement.

 

Absolutely horrible!

 

Any film that has a type writer in its' score should be ashamed of itself. Ingratiating.

 

A beautiful tracking shot on a beach is the only thing worth remembering.

 

But to practice what I preach go ahead and see the film with an open mind and forget what I said about it.

[bleedorange]

X3 Spacey's performance in American Beauty is a classic. I can't imagine any other actor having done nearly as good a job in that role. He was perfect.

 

As for the No Country/Blood debate... I have wavered back and forth so many times I've just stopped caring which one is better. I think they're both supreme achievements. I would easily put them as my 1 & 2 of the decade. And we got them in the same year!

 

2007 was a fantastic year for movies. The best in a long, long time.

No Country for Old Men

There Will Be Blood

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Into the Wild

The Bourne Ultimatum

Juno

I'm Not There

In the Valley of Ellah

Eastern Promises

Zodiac

and I still haven't seen Michael Clayton, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly or Atonement.

 

Holy shit. Compared to '07, '09 is pathetic.

 

Michael Clayton is better than all of them, IMO.

[Dude]

A beautiful tracking shot on a beach is the only thing worth remembering.

 

I saw a rather long uninterrupted shot from this, I believe it was a WWI battle scene of some variety. I can't remember if a beach was involved though. It was a pretty scene but it didn't make me want to see the movie.

[Atticus]

michael clayton was fantastic

 

good point about 07. I guess I just feel like the overall caliber of the 09 oscar pics is pretty lacking...

[Guest Speed Racer]

There Will Be Blood was terrible. I just never got into it. Everyone said it was really awesome, and it was positively reviting, and I was holding my eyelids open about halfway through. I saw no character transformation on anyone's behalf; all that changed was the scenery (sometimes). Slow, dull, dark, about 2 hours and 20 minutes too long.

[Guest Runaway Jim]

good point about 07. I guess I just feel like the overall caliber of the 09 oscar pics is pretty lacking...

 

I do too, man. I know you hate, hate, hated Avatar, but I liked it. But that fact that I am not sure whether Avatar or The Hurt Locker should win BP is ridiculous. Neither of them hold a salt to the movies of '07 (or any other year really).

[Guest Runaway Jim]

There Will Be Blood was terrible. I just never got into it. Everyone said it was really awesome, and it was positively reviting, and I was holding my eyelids open about halfway through. I saw no character transformation on anyone's behalf; all that changed was the scenery (sometimes). Slow, dull, dark, about 2 hours and 20 minutes too long.

 

DUDE! First you don't like Taxi Driver. Now it's There Will Be Blood. You're crackers.

[Guest Jules]

We didn't get a chance to see Hurt Locker yet

don't bother.

[bleedorange]

Well, Up in the Air is fantastic. One of my favorites of the decade.

[u2roolz]

You can thank me later for telling you to skip out on Atonement.

 

Absolutely horrible!

 

Any film that has a type writer in its' score should be ashamed of itself. Ingratiating.

 

A beautiful tracking shot on a beach is the only thing worth remembering.

 

But to practice what I preach go ahead and see the film with an open mind and forget what I said about it.

 

 

I saw a rather long uninterrupted shot from this, I believe it was a WWI battle scene of some variety. I can't remember if a beach was involved though. It was a pretty scene but it didn't make me want to see the movie.

The Best 5 Minutes Of Atonement

 

RE: The 2007 Amazing Film List

 

I see one major omission, well 2 actually.

 

Eastern Promises (OK, I just noticed it now. Sorry)

Across The Universe (I still love and adore this film.)

[SarahC]

Well, Up in the Air is fantastic. One of my favorites of the decade.

Agreed. I hope it wins.

[Smokestack Joe]

where is beltmann? he is getting a shoutout and he hasnt show up for the party. fashionably late i suppose.

can't wait to read his reactions.

[Beltmann]

where is beltmann? he is getting a shoutout and he hasnt show up for the party. fashionably late i suppose.

can't wait to read his reactions.

I’m working about 75 hours a week this semester (no exaggeration). I haven’t seen a new film in a few weeks, which tells you a lot about my schedule. I can’t believe I haven’t had time to see Shutter Island yet. Speaking of Scorsese... all of you who rightly recognize The Aviator as one of Scorsese’s greats are welcome to join my Oscar party on Sunday night. Ballots are $5; winner takes the pot.

 

 

I guess my question is do you feel like ANY of the frontrunners deserves the award this year?

Well, I don't think that Avatar is one of the ten best movies of the year. But of course it deserves the Oscar, and here's why: The Oscars aren't really about recognizing enduring artistic merit; they are about giving Hollywood a big stage on which to congratulate itself and showcase its latest, buzziest, shiniest products. If that's what they are trying to reward, what's more deserving than Avatar?

 

 

should I just get over myself re the Oscars??? how do you cope???

Let me just paste in something I posted in a different thread (I'm lazy):

 

What's the difference, anyway? In the long run, it is critics, historians, and fanbases that are ultimately in charge of what gets remembered, not awards shows. I've been watching these shows for 25 years, and the only thing I've learned is that these shows come and go, and matter not a whit. My view? Enjoy the Oscars for what they are--crowdpleasing entertainment--and don’t bother giving them a moment’s thought or analysis. I stopped griping (and writing) about the Oscars a number of years ago because it finally seemed irredeemably silly; serious film writing exists in a universe far, far away from the Oscars.

 

Sure, it would be nice if the main function of the Oscars were to measure artistic merit, or at least showcase lesser-known, deserving works. But that clearly isn't their main function, and it never was. It's like complaining about the apple because it isn't an orange. I might prefer an orange, but rather than scold the apple I should instead look elsewhere for an orange. That’s far more fruitful.

 

I don’t find the faux-drama (or faux-outrage) very entertaining--it just seems cranky, petty, and rather toxic. When watching, I’d rather just enjoy the jokes, the happy faces, and the grateful speeches. For example, I watched the Globes this year, and no, I wouldn’t have voted for Sandra Bullock, and yes, her win is a crock. But I was entertained by her acceptance speech, and I was happy to see her have her moment, because it was real and human. When I watch awards shows--the apple--that’s all I expect.

 

When I want a serious film experience--the orange--I’ll turn to, say, the pages of FILM COMMENT and SIGHT & SOUND, because those outlets will offer something actually worth thinking about.

 

Does that sound cynical? I'd like to think it's the reverse of cynicism.

 

Regarding the nominees: I'm pleased that The Cove and In the Loop were remembered. Of the ten Best Picture nominees, I'd probably vote for Up in the Air. But if Avatar wins, I'll turn off the TV and sleep just fine.

 

 

(perhaps Bridges notwithstanding, because he was fantastic)

Yeah, Bridges was terrific. But does he out-compete the four other nominees? Who can tell? It’s acting, which means it’s art not sports. When I watch runners race, I know who was fastest, but when I watch actors perform, I don’t know who was the bestest—there’s no real way to measure the achievement against another achievement. Plus, we often mistake great roles for great acting. Half of any great performance is the role. Perhaps actors ought to share their Oscars with the screenwriter.

 

 

Beltmann, why was Rachel Getting Married such a self-indulgent wankfest? Should any of those people, excepting the tremendously tremendous Anne Hathaway, be allowed to ever appear in a talkie again?

I’ve always thought that if I had a dog, I would name it Talkie. But how do I feel about pets? Pretty much the same way I feel about Sandra Bullock movies.

 

 

Speaking of Ann Hathaway, what was she thinking when she made Havoc?

“Hey, I’d take off my top to work with the director of Harlan County U.S.A.!”

 

 

Speaking of - it's 2 "n"s, friendo.

I was at my job for three years before they got it right on my paychecks.

[mpolak21]

“Hey, I’d take off my top to work with the director of Harlan County U.S.A.!”

 

Same here, that's possibly my favorite documentary of all time. I have had nightmares about Basil Collins for years because of that film.

 

--Mike

[LouieB]

I thought Precious was very good.

 

LouieB

[M. (hristine]

I'm thinking I'll watch American Beauty instead of the Oscars tonight.

[M. (hristine]

I'm thinking I'll watch American Beauty instead of the Oscars tonight.

You're a goddam liar.