August Osage County

[Jondalar]

I just saw this movie today. It's a "slice of life" movie. It's about a very dysfunctional family. Meryl Streep deserves another Academy Award Nomination. I liked the rest of cast, especially Juliet Lewis who sort of plays a sexy flake.

I thought this movie was decent. I didn't love it or hate it. I would recommend it because of the performances and some of the revelations from family members are good. This movie is not a happy one though. In a way, it reminded me of a dark Woody Allen movie like Interiors with a little humor. Or think Virginia Wolf.

[olive]

I plan on seeing it , But I just saw Nebraska last night amazing little film

[TrueFaith77]

13 BEST MOVIES OF 2013 (https://rateyourmusic.com/list/johndemetry/13_best_movies_of_2013/)
1. THE GRANDMASTER (http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/weinstein/thegrandmaster/) (Wong Kar-Wai)
2. CAUGHT IN THE WEB (http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/caughtintheweb/) (Chen Kaige)
3. BYZANTIUM (http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/byzantium/) (Neil Jordan)
4. YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHING YET (http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/youaintseennothinyet/) (Alain Resnais)
5. YOSSI (http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/yossi/) (Eytan Fox)
6. BULLET TO THE HEAD (http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/wb/bullettothehead/) (Walter Hill)
7. THE GARDENER (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vcTTl6dwHk) (Mohsen Makhmalbaf)
8. MAN OF STEEL (http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/wb/manofsteel/) (Zack Snyder)
9. 42 (http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/wb/42/) (Brian Helgeland)
10. PAIN & GAIN (http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/paramount/paingain/) (Michael Bay)
11. PRISONERS (http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/wb/prisoners/)(Denis Villeneuve)
12. THE WE AND THE I (https://vimeo.com/42196182) (Michel Gondry)
13. OUR PARADISE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkTfoXW5vH0) (Gael Morel)

[Jondalar]

13 BEST MOVIES OF 2013 (https://rateyourmusic.com/list/johndemetry/13_best_movies_of_2013/)
1. THE GRANDMASTER (http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/weinstein/thegrandmaster/) (Wong Kar-Wai)
2. CAUGHT IN THE WEB (http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/caughtintheweb/) (Chen Kaige)
3. BYZANTIUM (http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/byzantium/) (Neil Jordan)
4. YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHING YET (http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/youaintseennothinyet/) (Alain Resnais)
5. YOSSI (http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/yossi/) (Eytan Fox)
6. BULLET TO THE HEAD (http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/wb/bullettothehead/) (Walter Hill)
7. THE GARDENER (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vcTTl6dwHk) (Mohsen Makhmalbaf)
8. MAN OF STEEL (http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/wb/manofsteel/) (Zack Snyder)
9. 42 (http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/wb/42/) (Brian Helgeland)
10. PAIN & GAIN (http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/paramount/paingain/) (Michael Bay)
11. PRISONERS (http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/wb/prisoners/)(Denis Villeneuve)
12. THE WE AND THE I (https://vimeo.com/42196182) (Michel Gondry)
13. OUR PARADISE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkTfoXW5vH0) (Gael Morel)

huh????? don't get this response

[TrueFaith77]

Just as olive enthused over Nebraska in his/her response, I offered up my own recommendations for movies 2013.

[WatchChain]

I just saw AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY on Friday. I was somewhat hesitant, due to the lukewarm reviews. However, I LOVED THE FILM! It was painful to watch, at times. I've never been a huge fan of her, but this may be the best performance of Julia Roberts' career. Juliette Lewis is fun to watch.

This film shares a lot of similarities with another amazing film called "Nebraska" directed by Alexander Payne. "Nebraska" may actually be the better of the two. Bruce Dern should win the Academy Award for his dark portrayal of Woody. June Squibb is a revelation and will surely be nominated for an Oscar on Thursday.

[WatchChain]

Top 10 Films of 2013

12 Years A Slave
Dallas Buyers Club
Philomena
Nebraska
August: Osage County
Before Midnight
American Hustle
Blue Jasmine
Sal
Frances Ha

[Jondalar]

She got another oscar nomination for Best Actress for August Osage County. It's her 18th nomination. She deserved it. Her performance was excellent.

[TrueFaith77]

If I ran the Oscars, this would be my ballot:

My 2013 Critics Ballot:

Best Picture: THE GRANDMASTER

Best Director: Wong Kar-Wai, THE GRANDMASTER

Best Actor: Tony Leung, THE GRANDMASTER

Best Actress: Gemma Arterton, BYZANTIUM

Best Supporting Actor: Harrison Ford, 42

Best Supporting Actress: Chen Hong, CAUGHT IN THE WEB

Best Screenplay: CAUGHT IN THE WEB (Danian Tang, Chen Kaige)

Best Cinematography: THE GRANDMASTER (Philippe Le Sourd)

Best Editing: CAUGHT IN THE WEB

Best Score: BULLET TO THE HEAD (Steve Mazzaro)

Best Art Direction, Costumes, Special Effects, Sound, Sound Editing: MAN OF STEEL

Best Documentary: THE GARDENER (Mohsen Makhmalbaf)

Best American Film: BULLET TO THE HEAD (Walter Hill)


Only one of these even got nominated (Le Sourd). The Oscars are pathetic. Ok, Ok, Amy Adams and JLaw were VERY close to taking their respective categories even on my ballot.

[TrueFaith77]

Great review of August: Osage County:

http://cityarts.info/2014/01/16/over-acting-out/

[Jondalar]

Anybody who describes Meryl's performance as overacting should not be reviewing movies. This movie review is ridiculous -- her performance is excellent as usual.

[TrueFaith77]

He's my hero, good friend, and editor of the paper for which I write.

Incidentally, I think the review is brilliant.

[iamnotafraid]

I have to say Osage is the most unappealing movie I've seen
advertise recently.

Louise and Fiona seem to think ugly means acting.

[TrueFaith77]

Meryl Streep-mania and Cate Blanchett-dementia bewilders me in a year that gave us these performances:

Gemma Arterton, Byzantium
Amy Adams, American Hustle
Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle
Barbara Sukowa, Hannah Arendt
Juliette Binoche, Camille Claudel 1915
Zhang Ziyi, The Grandmaster
Yuanyuan Gao, Caught in the Web
Chen Yao, Caught in the Web
Chen Hong, Caught in the Web
Saoirse Ronan, Byzantium
Sabine Azema, You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet
Ann Consigny, You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet
Toni Collette, Mental
Nicole Beharie, 42

[Jondalar]

Meryl Streep-mania and Cate Blanchett-dementia bewilders me in a year that gave us these performances:

Gemma Arterton, Byzantium
Amy Adams, American Hustle
Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle
Barbara Sukowa, Hannah Arendt
Juliette Binoche, Camille Claudel 1915
Zhang Ziyi, The Grandmaster
Yuanyuan Gao, Caught in the Web
Chen Yao, Caught in the Web
Chen Hong, Caught in the Web
Saoirse Ronan, Byzantium
Sabine Azema, You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet
Ann Consigny, You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet
Nicole Beharie, 42

I just saw American Hustle. It is the most overrated movie I have ever scene. No one I went with liked it. It is hard to follow and seems too staged. It's like a poor man's Goodfellas or The Grifters. Those were good movies. American Hustle is mediocre at best. Definitely style over substance. Amy Adams did not deserve her oscar nomination. She looks beautiful the but the movie is a mess and her part is not a stretch. She is getting pulled through because critics like the director, who directed Silver Lining's Playbook. 10 oscar nominations? What a joke! The Academy continues to embarrass itself.

And let's be honest, anybody who played Sandra Bullock's part in Gravity could of gotten nominated. Her performance is not special. She gets nominated for not giving bad performances, not for giving great ones. She is not a good actress.

[TrueFaith77]

And let's be honest, anybody who played Sandra Bullock's part in Gravity could of gotten nominated. Her performance is not special. She gets nominated for not giving bad performances, not for giving great ones. She is not a good actress.

I don't think that American Hustle is supposed to be like Goodfellas or The Grifters, neither of which I would consider to be "good movies." One glorifies violence, the other wallows in perversity. Both are trivial, if mostly well acted. American Hustle is a character study of, as its title suggests, American character and values. Amy Adams is so astonishingly present and heartbreaking in her role. JLaw gives a performance unlike any other I've seen (the "Live and Let Die" scene is worth its weight in Oscar gold alone). That said: It's not my favorite movie of the year (see list above).

As for Sandra Bullock, Gravity is not my favorite of hers. However, she's a very fine actress. That Thing Called Love, Crash, Infamous, and The Blide Side are her peak performances, each one couldn't be more different than the other.

[Jondalar]

I don't think that American Hustle is supposed to be like Goodfellas or The Grifters, neither of which I would consider to be "good movies." One glorifies violence, the other wallows in perversity. Both are trivial, if mostly well acted. American Hustle is a character study of, as its title suggests, American character and values. Amy Adams is so astonishingly present and heartbreaking in her role. JLaw gives a performance unlike any other I've seen (the "Live and Let Die" scene is worth its weight in Oscar gold alone). That said: It's not my favorite movie of the year (see list above).

As for Sandra Bullock, Gravity is not my favorite of hers. However, she's a very fine actress. That Thing Called Love, Crash, Infamous, and The Blide Side are her peak performances, each one couldn't be more different than the other.

Those movies are classics. American Hustle is a bad movie. Amy Adams is beautiful but there was nothing special for that role.

[TrueFaith77]

While Goodfellas influence has, unfortunately, endured and thus might be considered "classic," I don't think The Grifters has had any influence at all. Thank goodness.

EDIT: The great failure of the often-marvous The Family by Luc Besson was when the community screening of a "classic" film switched from the magnificent, truly classic, Some Came Running (by Minnelli) to Goodfellas. It signifies that modern film history--the critical approach to the "pantheon"--is all f'd up.

[TrueFaith77]

Caught up with 12 Years a Slave last night. It was wretched.

12 YEARS A SLAVE elicits no imaginative empathy, failing to make cinematic the distinct individuality/personality/imagination of its lead character--only to then expose director Steve McQueen's insidious Oscar-bait racism: that enduring disenfranchisement of Blacks is a consequence of BLACK GUILT for slavery!--an insane Obama-era fallacy then expunged with sentimentality and nihilism. The slavery of death remains.