So I finally saw The Departed (since it's now at the 75 cents theater) and was pretty disappointed. Maybe if I had gone in knowing that it was just a good suspense film I would have been happier. Up until a few years ago I hadn't really kept up with awards shows like the Oscars, so when I see that something wins the title "best motion picture of the year" I assume that means something besides "we should finally give this poor over-nominated-but-never-wins-director something to put in his trophy case." I guess I was incorrect. Now I can join the crowd that thinks the Oscars are just some political silliness. All because I saw The Departed the other night for seventy-five cents.
I guess I was holding it in comparison to Babel which was the other film I had seen that was nominated and it was pretty amazing. I couldn't stop thinking about it. Even after I saw The Departed I was riding home thinking about Babel again and what it meant. The Departed was full of suspense, it was a fairly good story that kept you wanting to see what would happen next, it was well acted but that just wasn't enough. I want a story that I don't forget about by the time I've hung my keys up at home. I want a question or two to be lingering in my mind over the next week. I want to see a woman who represents more than just somebody who looks nice in her panties. With this film, that was asking too much. It was just good entertainment for a couple of hours and that's all.
Departing from that subject. Eric just closed The Last Night of Ballyhoo with Georgia Ensemble Theatre. He pretty much rocked the hiz-ouse with his role. It's closed now, so you missed it. Here's his review from the AJC so you can feel like you were kind of there (Please note that Eric's character was only on during the second act but he gets more newspaper time than a lot of the characters that were on the whole time... I'm a little proud). Next he'll be doing Horton Foote's The Chase with Theatrical Outfit which you should make a trip to Atlanta to see. Come on. Just do it.
Hazel Evelyn Cross is now in the outside of the womb world and is two weeks old today. I just love her. I'll be seeing her in less than two weeks and am counting, counting, counting.
If you've never listened to "This American Life" on public radio, you should. It's just wonderful and lovely. Stories are told around a certain theme that you wouldn't normally put together but they fit into three distinct but unified acts somehow. They've recently made a new TV show out of it. I was pretty skeptical about that idea but the first episode which you can watch on their website is pretty stinkin' nifty. It's even worth watching on the little screen if you asked me. Check that out too.
Daffodils are in bloom. I have taken some from this pathway near our apartment that nobody walks on to put on our table and by the window (I left a lot there, just in case somebody else does walk there). Yellow daffodils make the world taste good.
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christmas time
13 years ago
10 comments:
I really liked The Departed for various reasons, none of them being that it was the best film to come out in the past year, and I can agree with a lot of what you are saying.
However, I have been meaning to see Babel for quite some time now, and after reading this entry I finally went out, rented it, and watched it. I was terribly dissapointed. Not to say, necesarily, that it is far inferior a film to The Departed. I think, perhaps (like you with the departed), I may have had too high hopes approaching it. I have not been plagued by thoughts of it after watching it (only last night) other than little tidbits of criticism that keep popping up making me ask "why?" And not of the message, but of the writing, of the film.
I would love to hear your thoughts/impressions of it.
How very interesting. It's funny, last fall Eric and I went to see "Mrs. Warren's Profession" at the Alliance Theatre (the Atlanta theatre with all the money). We sat right next to each other in the theatre on the same night with the same audience members and had the same basic expectations going into it and... while we both enjoyed the production (on a scale of 1-10 we probably would've put it at a 7ish) we had entirely different opinions of specific scenes and actors. Of the two leading ladies, I thought the older one was fantastic and the younger one paled in comparison. Eric, on the other hand, immensly enjoyed the younger lady's performance and couldn't stand the older one. There were certain scenes also that I loved and he hated or he loved and I hated. All that to say, it's very interesting to me how different pairs of eyes viewing the same exact thing can see them in such different ways.
Babel: I really liked the story. Maybe I haven't seen enought movies (which is highly likely) but I'd never seen such an intricate story so beautifully woven together like that. Because of the title, I went in looking for biblical themes and that's probably what I thought the most about afterwards. The idea of showing the effects of Babel with four different cultures and five different languages but showing that they aren't by any means isolated from one another, I thought was really well done. There are other little things which I've been mulling over to find the exact meaning of. The main one would probably be the "innocent" brother being killed and only then does the "guilty" one confess. The idea of guilt and innocence is also a theme throughout the film that had me thinking.
So those are the main things I've been thinking about. It's certainly not from a film-making perspective, I am probably more comparing the stories and how they were pulled off. I'd like to hear your thoughts on both films. Maybe I missed something, I certainly wouldn't put it past myself. Also... what are your feelings on daffodils?
I really liked the Departed also... but I really wanted to leave a comment and tell you how ironic that you wrote me. I catch up on your blog from time to time and leave feeling like a failure at writing because I dont have the depth. I lack depth, Bethany. I'm deep like a frisbee.
How are you guys?! I've been trying to find you on Myspace (not in a stalker way). Although my comment is now long enough to qualify as "stalker". Great....so....yeah...I forget why I'm commenting
we saw the departed in the movie theater. i found it a very depressing experience because it was a couple hours of my life i spent watching an incredibly unoriginal story and about 10 minutes into it i knew what was going to happen... yup, a couple hours of my life i'll neeeever see again...
I'm not sure how much about plot/story I'm going to talk about, so just to be safe: ***SPOILERS***
The Departed:
I love Scorsese because he tells incredibly gritty stories with a very harsh but manageable sense of realism, along with the fact that his characters are not only some of the best ever (LaMotta, Cady, Bill the Butcher, Bickle, Doyle, Henry Hill) but are always superbly played. I will freely admit that The Departed was not his greatest work, nor does it really, truly nail, with absolute authority, either one of the two reasons I just presented for admiring his work. However, I thoroughly enjoyed it, despite the panties, because, although none of the characters were as tough as La Motta, or as gritty as Bickle, or as psychotic as Cady, they were an interesting mix, all fairly well written, and played strongly enough to push the competing storylines to a pretty exhilarating finish. Although, of the several things I was not a fan of, the final shot tops the list.
Babel:
From what I've seen, I'm a big fan of Iñárritu. Amorres Perros and 21 Grams were great examples of masterful storytelling with intriguing coincidences/connections and excellent subtleties. However, in Babel, too many things seemed forced to me. The connections in Amorres and Grams were very real and evident, whereas with Babel, they were so incredibly distant it made less and less sense as it went on. Not enough time was spent (in my opinion) on Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchette's characters, especially at the beginning. By the time the gunshot ripped into their lives we hardly knew anything about them. So the connection to the person that fired the shot, and the surrounding family, was very weak at best. Beyond that, when the connection was made to the man who supplied the gun, it really wasn't even a connection anymore. I kept asking myself why this Japanese girl was written into the script, even after the revelation of her father's "involvement" in the story. What little sympathy I had for Blanchette/Pitt was 100 times more than what I had for Cheiko (sp?). I certainly wasn't emotionally invested to the point of sympathizing with a woman emotionally and physically stripped to the point of nakedness. Nothing seemed developed, especially with her character, and what was there offered me the opposite of sympathy. Throughout the film - and granted there were moments, here and there, when I was completely taken in - I found myself frequently disengaging from the story. The most obvious example that comes to mind is the scene after Blanchette's wound is sewed up where she needs to relieve her bladder. From a very honest moment of embarrassment and intimacy as she explaines that she has soiled herself, comes this very awkward scene where I'm just sitting there pondering: did the writer just say to himself, "I need to write a 'love scene' unlike anything anyone’s ever seen... two people making out on a toilet... no, make it a third world country and a pot... a pot that the resident family eats out of!"... I don't know. I really enjoyed the Moroccan family, especially the father, and I'm a huge Gael Garcia Bernal fan (he should have had a bigger role). But nothing ever seemed resolved... or even, at least, justified. The kids/Mexican wedding storyline seemed completely inane, wandering at best.
As to the Biblical-ness... I have always seen the story of Babel as the story of humanity so lost in there own self-interest and cause for self-preservation that they seek to secure for themselves heaven itself by means of a great city constructed by all mankind. In doing so, they needn’t trust in God, but only each other. And God, seeing not only the sinful nature of such a mindset, but also the complete absurdity of such a plan, intervened in such a way as to prevent man from pursuing this rather reclusive path. I didn’t see any evidence of this in the film.
As to the film showing an example of how the world now remains after language was divided, I’m not really sure. Brad Pitt seemed to have some problem communicating with a few people immediately after Cate was shot – the bus driver, the man driving the truck/van – but very soon after, he was being escorted by a man who spoke perfect English and [whatever language that was] (how American of me). The children didn’t seem to have too much trouble understanding their nanny when she spoke in Spanish, and although there were certain cultural things that jumped out at them (the chicken), you didn’t really get a sense that they felt terribly out of place. Cheiko seemed to be the only one who had trouble communicating, and I mentioned how much I didn’t really care for her. So…
Again I fall back on, “I don’t know.” Perhaps the film spoke not to the story, but just to the word Babel – Confused. That I can see.
Chapter Two.
Just kidding.
Daffodils. I remember them from my childhood. Are the still around? I used to pretend they were little mythical woodland creatures and I’d pop their heads off. Man, that was fun.
SPOILERS
OK, so the Departed I thought was a good movie and you know he won because *HE'S* the man and not because that movie was the best film of the year, let's not kid ourselves. I'm not sure how much I liked the ending. Not the last ending, but the one with the elevator comin' down off the building. I was just like "wow, ok, there's that then." Seemed kinda like someone said, "Well, we've got everyone here, and I think everyone is too many. Less trim down the cast." But overall I really liked the film and I can't say enough good things about Jack because he is like a cinema god. Total movie-pimp. Oh, and I like panties.
Babel - I enjoyed greatly and contrary to the Rockel I thought the most compelling story was the Japanese girl. I thought her story was the best. Like Amores Perros, you have three stories all going on at once and are interrelated but the connectedness of the films isn't as subtle in Babel as in Amores Perros. So, with that, I thought, like in Amores Perros, that the "how" of the interconnectedness wasn't as important as how each stories plight was for a similar end. That end, I believe, was to be understood. Languages abound and people are living in a world where communication is a barrier but also situations arise that no one seems to understand or even care about. Cate struggles in getting Brad to understand her (psychotic) idiosyncraticies, Brad tries to convince the tourists and politicians that this is his wife and they would act like he if faced with the same struggle. Brad's struggle is reflected in the Spanish woman's plight where we all sympathize with her desire to see her son married but then she can't get the border patrol to understand that her life is in the US. And then, the japanese girl. (Sigh). She struggles the most of all the characters in her plight to be understood. She reaches out in just about every direction she can. Drugs, Sex, peers, older men, she pushes her father away because how can he possibly understand what it's like to walk in on your dead mother?! She is so empty by the end of the film and it's so beautiful. I thought she jumped! I did, and then she hadn't and then I wondered if she lied about her mom because she thought she was going to jump, too, but then changed her mind...I don't know but I loved it. And them him in the bar reading the letter! What did it say?! Was it her suicide note? I walked away from the film deep in thought about its stories and meanings. A friend of mine called it "Crash part 2" which I can see but only because he doesn't know much about good film. Of all the stories I think Cate/Brad's was weakest and I didn't really care that much about them. I cared second for the Spanish woman, then the boys third. And that club scene was one of the coolest I've seen in a movie in a long time.
And Rockel, I think you mean Dandelions, not daffodils. I like daffodils. They remind me of Alice in Wonderland and anything that can take me there is alright by me.
I have to definitely agree with both of you on the ending(s). It certainly wasn't what I thought would happen but not in that brilliant "where did they come up with that?!" kind of way. More in an "oh." kind of way. I didn't hate the film. But I don't really care to own it or see it again or recommend it as a "must see" by any means. I feel like for it to win such a title that it should at least fall into one of those categories. But I can also certainly appreciate it as not exactly my taste and probably somebody elses as opposed to just a "bad" film.
I have to agree with Ryan on Cheiko. I loved her and wanted to take her away. Suicide note? Hadn't thought of that, interesting. I think I would have liked that question answered, though. What was in the note?
Dandelions, Daffodils, whatever, I'm mad at all of them now. The daffodils are wilting in the heat and as if it weren't bad enough that we drive around a mini-van, it's now a yellow tinted mini-van.
Oh yeah... I like panties too. In fact, I like them so much I make it a top priority to wear them every day. I just appreciate films or anything, for that matter, that shows that a woman can ultimately be worth something without them. And I don't mean without them on at all. Because I know some would like that even better. I mean without having to be the-lady-that-looks-nice-no-great-no-hotter-than -hot-in-nothing-but-her-panties.
But then, I guess that's my little soap box. It's only a little dignity that half (or could it be the whole?) of the human race loses, after all.
obviously: ***SPOILERS***
yeah, i was totally thinking dandelions. daffodils suck. i'd much rather play with (i.e. destroy) a weed that masquerades as a flower.
cobra-
i can definitely see some of your points. and they're all good in theory. i think my hang up is that the film didn't follow thru:
"Cate struggles in getting Brad to understand her (psychotic) idiosyncraticies"
and does she ever succeed? or do we ever care?
"Brad tries to convince the tourists and politicians that this is his wife"
actually, this was something i thought of immediately after posting my most recent comment, and after a quick gander at the length, i decide to withhold. but here it goes now: politics and authority figures. the problem wasn't that brad couldn't get people to understand this was his wife and she needed help... they were sending help. they were sending an ambulance. but politics got in the way. actually, i think that's about as far as i got with my thought on politics before i ended up at authority figures. Amelia's story ended with the border patrol. the young Moroccan boy's (and father's) story ended before local police. Chieko's story ended with her attempting to connect to a police detective. and then brad/cate.... ok, 3 out of 4. anyway, all that to say, if i really wanted to see a movie about someone frustrated with the political movements surrounding him while in dire straights... i'm sure i could find much better films that fit... coming to mind is In the Name of the Father.
"plight where we all sympathize with her desire to see her son married but then she can't get the border patrol to understand that her life is in the US."
yes, her life is in the US... illegally... again, politics. again, no sympathy from me. maybe i'm a hard ass. although, i will say, in defense of my not-so-hard ass, that i was very sympathetic towards her character at the very beginning... when brad was being a dick. until she started going around to all these people she knew who were watching kids and nobody would help her... then i was like, does this woman not have any friends? i mean, she apparently knows these people well enough to ask them to watch these kids... and they're already watching kids... whatever, i lost some sympathy there... then i just kept shouting at the tv 'take the damn kids with you already'... then she figured it out.
"And then, the japanese girl."
yes. girl. there's the big mistake, i feel. yes, its interesting and devastating to write a young character whose mother has died... much more interesting than a - say - 50 year old whose mother has died... obviously. but she's a girl. a teenage, rebellious girl. the entire time i kept thinking, good god this girl needs help. serious, psychiatric help.
"Drugs, Sex, peers, older men,"
if i wanted to watch a movie about drugs, sex, or older men there's plenty others i could watch... if i wanted to watch an adolescent girl "reaching out" for drugs, sex, peers, and older men i'd just go down to the local high school.
"how can he[r father] possibly understand what it's like to walk in on your dead mother?!"
you're right. she should confide in someone who could comprehend the situation and her feelings better: a complete stranger whom she thinks is hot.
the club:
that was pretty alright. i almost had a seizure and i'm not epileptic. watch "It's All Gone, Pete Tong." excellent deaf-person-in-a-dance-club scene. plus all-around fun film.
the note:
i hoped she jumped. i wanted her to. for me it was the only thing that would have made her story somewhat interesting. then she didn't. not only that, she wrote a note to some guy and i didn't even get to know what it said. her story had absolutely nothing for me at its beginning, nothing throughout its development, and then there was literally no payoff.
quickly on the end of departed:
my big problem was the final shot. that is to say camera shot. that is to say, when the camera tilts up to the state building and you see A RAT walk across the railing. when i saw it i literally said aloud, "Come on, Scorsese. Seriously?" other than that, i really liked the coming down from the elevator scene because, like bethany, i was taken aback. and, like bethany, it wasn't, oh wow that was brilliant, but for me it was, "oh man, they just killed leo. just like that. look at him. he's not moving. know why? cuz he's dead. leo. dead." i mean, come on, all of those actors and the only one that survives is marky mark? 'scuse me... academy award nominee marky mark.
i don't know... for me: by far not scorsese's best, but jack, leo, and ray were awesome. i'll keep watching his stuff. not Iñárritu's best, but some great performances and cinematography. i'll keep watching his stuff.
I just wanted to add one more idea. Neither of these two movies that we're discussing should've won Best Picture based on the film alone. I thought Blood Diamond was better than both in just about every category (characters, acting, writing, filming, editing, and point). So, I haven't seen Letters from Iwo Jima nor The Queen, but yea, Blood Diamond, not even nominated, better than those two films.
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