One blog. Two opinions. One zillion films.

.Dav-

Yep, most of us are in the same rowboat this year. Flying blind.  Glad you scored Frozen River, and I know you’ll let me know what you think.

I know you won’t have the WASPs-being-boring-and-insipid problem!

Ok.  I’m picking my picks I feel particularly partial about picking:

*Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire

Best Actor: Mickey Rourke

Best Actress: It may be Streep, but I hope it’s Melissa Leo

( It’s the new austerity, as you once noted.  I think too many portrayals of famous men and women have won Best awards in recent years.  These two acting turns reverse that. )

*Best Directing: Danny Boyle/Slumdog

*Best Supporting Actor:  Heath Ledger. And this is tough, because I’ve enjoyed three other performances very much.  But I’m not deserting Heath now.  And he should have won for Brokeback.  -

Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis.

Best Original Screenplay:  I’ll pick Frozen River.

Best Screenplay Adaptation: Frost/Nixon

Best Visual Effects:  Iron Man

*Best Editing: Slumdog

Best Art Direction: I’ve never been sure what this means.  I’ll pick Dark Knight.

*Best Costume Design: The Duchess

Best Original Song: WAll-E

*Best Cinematography: Slumdog

1/2 *Best Original Score: Button  ( Doh!  I was right the first time! Slumdog!)

*Best Animated Film: WAll-E

Best Sound Editing: Dark Knight

1/2 *Best Makeup: Hellboy II: The Golden Army. ( Because Heath’s makeup was the only real stand out in Dark Knight, and Benjamin Button was just weird…maybe they’ll toss B.B. the bone, though.)

Tam

I’m regretting, just a tad, my blow-down of this tortured, robotic Bond.  I like that there’s a new bit of Bond’s psychology being explored and brought to the surface.  He’s a Bond for our time, and he’s futuristic; this angle could end up engaging us.   I hope, though, that this side of his soul does not darken future Bond-ventures as “Q. of S.” is darkened.  Let there be light.  Perhaps he should take a Malibu mini-break at Iron Man’s pad.

Nick & Nora’s Infinite Playlist has arrived at the Teton Theater, but in the meantime…

Let there be wonderful Thanksgivings for all, filled with Love, Appreciation, Hope, Family and Pie(s)!

Tammy

Male here. Gwenyth good.

I recall her scampering over a fire-breathing metal grate, in spike heels and with great style.

Pepper was competent (which is the new sexy) and not a heart-on-sleeve piner. I liked her just fine but am not sure if Gwenyth was going for enigmatic or, in keeping with this sort of movie, playing to comic book depth.

Iron Man might be the best superhero flick yet.

dav

So, David–Ms. Whaley wants to know what we thought of Ms. Paltrow’s performance in “Iron Man.”

A prevailing opinion is that it was so-so.  Or, it wasn’t so-so, Paltrow just didn’t have enough to do in the film.

This role could not have been much of a stretch for Gwenyth.  Why was she chosen to play Pepper Potts?   She exudes a certain class, a certain “proper lady who serves tea” aura.  And that personality provides great contrast to Downey’s  excessive, “anything, any cocktail and any tail”  Tony Stark.   So Gwenyth is the quiet, reliable constant, a foil.  A straight man to his comic.  She quietly recedes as needed, and allows him to be big.

I think that what some are writing off as a non-performance is actually quite strong.  I would have liked a bit more acerbic wit from Pepper Potts, a bit more sarcasm.  But not too much.  That would cheapen her.   And, the lines weren’t there.

I also like the fact that she never betrayed any jealous feelings she may have had over Tony’s conquests.  She just hands them their coat.  And she never screamed.

I did not love the dress with the low back.  It just wasn’t a superior dress, and she looked angular in it.  But it was sexily classic, like Pepper.

T.

Dear David–Why do I always fake that I speak French?

Oh, my.  My movie blogging has fallen off, and I apologize.  As you suggested, I believe this historic election beamed us all up.  It beamed me up for weeks; unfortunately so has the economic crisis.  Oh, and there was that wild trip to Pittsburgh; I made my gal pal watch “Iron Man” so I could watch it again.   Along with much of the rest of the world I’ve been doing my (as Andy Schwartz would say) “mainstream Tammy thing” of re-assessing and being buried in finding my way out of this rabbit hole without the aid of any foreign films.

If one is not a rabbit, rabbit holes can be dark, tight and the opposite of a safe place, like they are for rabbits.  Lots of wriggling.

As a child living in Malibu, I witnessed “Alex in Wonderland” being filmed on the beach.  Wow.

I interviewed my two rabbits, Minnie & Pearl, for this article.

Isn’t it rich?
Isn’t it queer,
Losing my timing this late
In my career?
And where are the clowns?
There ought to be clowns.
Well, maybe next year.

I’m still high on Obama’s election; there’s the light at the end of the rabbit hole!    Experiencing this huge, huge history is transcendental.  Nice party at Hard Drive, eh?   You took some pics, where are the pics?

Don’t you have film?
I saw you snap film.
I thought that you’d shoot lots;
Sorry, my dear.
But where are the pics?
Quick, send in the pics.
Please bother, they’re near.

Oh, MOVIES!!!  There haven’t been too many movies I’ve wanted to see in the past few weeks.  But Bond is coming, Bond is coming!   Oooooooooh.  James Bond. Did you know that Ian Fleming found the name for his spy hero on a guide to bird watching?  I believe the book focused on hummingbirds, and the ornithologist author’s name was James Bond.

I suggest a “Quantum of Solace” group movie viewing.

T.