I hope this page can include comments from visitors to this site who have something they want to say about movies they’re working on or have seen or just have thoughts about. Meanwhile, I’ll fill the space with some of my own thoughts.
Why not start with a 2010 Top Ten list? A couple of reasons why not: I haven’t seen many of the fall releases and prior to this fall, it was a pretty crap year. So, I can’t really come up with a Top Ten for 2010 yet.
Another reason I can’t do that is because I’m an Academy voter and we’re supposed to keep our votes to ourselves. It wouldn’t violate AMPAS rules if I came up with a Worst 10. It would only risk future employment opportunities. Besides, as my wife can tell you, I’m not a real discriminating movie-goer. I find something to like about almost everything.
Still, there are movies you expect more from. You fall for the hype or someone you respect gives you a rave review. So, maybe I’ll start this blog with my (preliminary) list of 2010’s Biggest Disappointments. (I may never gonna get hired by these guys now but I’ll roll the dice on most of them never reading this.)
Beware: SPOILERS below, so read on at your own peril.
The Kids Are Alright – To all my gay and lesbian friends: I’m not a hater. I know this movie is a hit with you and with critics – and I came in with great expectations. But lemme make a case for straight people who already see gay families as normal: why would any of us care about this clichéd (overachiever married to unfulfilled housewife; two kookie kids) aggregate if you stripped away the gay? Nice ensemble acting; plot points you could see coming from a mile beyond the parking lot. And we’re all happy when she (spoiler alert) dumps the guy who offers her fulfillment to return to work things out in the dependent relationship she has with the overbearing partner who was a major factor in her depression to begin with? Tell me when it’s time to applaud.
I Am Love – I admit a bias here: I would rather sleep with Hillary Clinton than Tilda Swinton. Awright, you called my bluff. Point being, Tilda as an object of lust is a hard sell for me. Add an insipid story of betrayal and the bourgeoise… But we heard the photography was beautiful! Yeah, it was. Unfortunately, you have to sit through this movie to see it.
Shelter Island – Scorsese can’t channel Hitchcock, Fellini, Bergman, Serling, Kafka and Dr. Phil all at the same time. What’s the maximum number of themes a movie can sustain before it proves itself aimless? Scorsese’s most successful box office movie EVER? Now that’s scary.
I’d throw in Inception but, to be honest, I didn’t have really high expectations of that going in.
Next time we’ll talk about the movies that are turning the year respectable.
Send in your own opinions when ya can. - R
Why not start with a 2010 Top Ten list? A couple of reasons why not: I haven’t seen many of the fall releases and prior to this fall, it was a pretty crap year. So, I can’t really come up with a Top Ten for 2010 yet.
Another reason I can’t do that is because I’m an Academy voter and we’re supposed to keep our votes to ourselves. It wouldn’t violate AMPAS rules if I came up with a Worst 10. It would only risk future employment opportunities. Besides, as my wife can tell you, I’m not a real discriminating movie-goer. I find something to like about almost everything.
Still, there are movies you expect more from. You fall for the hype or someone you respect gives you a rave review. So, maybe I’ll start this blog with my (preliminary) list of 2010’s Biggest Disappointments. (I may never gonna get hired by these guys now but I’ll roll the dice on most of them never reading this.)
Beware: SPOILERS below, so read on at your own peril.
The Kids Are Alright – To all my gay and lesbian friends: I’m not a hater. I know this movie is a hit with you and with critics – and I came in with great expectations. But lemme make a case for straight people who already see gay families as normal: why would any of us care about this clichéd (overachiever married to unfulfilled housewife; two kookie kids) aggregate if you stripped away the gay? Nice ensemble acting; plot points you could see coming from a mile beyond the parking lot. And we’re all happy when she (spoiler alert) dumps the guy who offers her fulfillment to return to work things out in the dependent relationship she has with the overbearing partner who was a major factor in her depression to begin with? Tell me when it’s time to applaud.
I Am Love – I admit a bias here: I would rather sleep with Hillary Clinton than Tilda Swinton. Awright, you called my bluff. Point being, Tilda as an object of lust is a hard sell for me. Add an insipid story of betrayal and the bourgeoise… But we heard the photography was beautiful! Yeah, it was. Unfortunately, you have to sit through this movie to see it.
Shelter Island – Scorsese can’t channel Hitchcock, Fellini, Bergman, Serling, Kafka and Dr. Phil all at the same time. What’s the maximum number of themes a movie can sustain before it proves itself aimless? Scorsese’s most successful box office movie EVER? Now that’s scary.
I’d throw in Inception but, to be honest, I didn’t have really high expectations of that going in.
Next time we’ll talk about the movies that are turning the year respectable.
Send in your own opinions when ya can. - R
