list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Atonement on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Atonement/284367/default.aspx Title: Atonement
Year: 2007
Director: Joe Wright
Plot: A mischievous girl accuses her older sister's lover of a crime he did not commit, only to find that her words have irrevocably and permanently changed the lives of all involved in a film that re-teams the filmmakers behind Pride & Prejudice to adapt the best-selling 2002 novel by author Ian McEwan. The year is 1935, and as the summer heat takes hold, 13-year-old fledgling writer Briony Tallis watches her older sister, Cecilia (Keira Knightley), get undressed and go frolicking in the garden fountain on her family's country estate. The housekeeper's son, Robbie (James McAvoy), a childhood friend and recent Cambridge graduate, also witnesses the innocent act. When Robbie and Cecilia subsequently cross a particularly sensitive boundary and the scheming Briony accuses Robbie of an unspeakable transgression for which the boy is wholly innocent, the repercussions of her unfounded claim threaten to affect all three for decades to come. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 42
Number of Lists: 41
Number of blog posts: 25
Number of discussion threads: 5
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:36:03 GMTAtonement2007Joe WrightA mischievous girl accuses her older sister's lover of a crime he did not commit, only to find that her words have irrevocably and permanently changed the lives of all involved in a film that re-teams the filmmakers behind Pride & Prejudice to adapt the best-selling 2002 novel by author Ian McEwan. The year is 1935, and as the summer heat takes hold, 13-year-old fledgling writer Briony Tallis watches her older sister, Cecilia (<a href="/players/P___339282/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Keira Knightley</a>), get undressed and go frolicking in the garden fountain on her family's country estate. The housekeeper's son, Robbie (<a href="/players/P___357725/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>James McAvoy</a>), a childhood friend and recent Cambridge graduate, also witnesses the innocent act. When Robbie and Cecilia subsequently cross a particularly sensitive boundary and the scheming Briony accuses Robbie of an unspeakable transgression for which the boy is wholly innocent, the repercussions of her unfounded claim threaten to affect all three for decades to come. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide42Tag Target (>10)412553http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s284367.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Atonement/284367/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/rebelprince89/archive/2009/4/24/41730.aspx Post By: rebelprince89
Post To: rebelprince89 Blog
Post Date: 4/24/2009 2:37:35 PM
Body: "Atonement" is an epic, wildly romantic period drama. It is a project with fantastic actors, a great screenplay, an innovative director and pitch-perfect photography. The story starts in an English country house one hot summer. Briony Tallis (Saoirse Ronan), an imaginative 12 year-old is busy finishing her first play and trying desperately to get someone to act it out or even listen to her. Her older sister Cecilia is walking through the house not noticing anyone, especially not Briony, busy thinking about the housekeeper's son Robbie Turner (James McAvoy), who is obviously in love with her. A series of unfortunate events leads Briony to jealously tell a lie - a lie that will bring utter unhappiness to all three characters. Once separated, we follow these three through World War II, and watch as the story unfolds into unexpected directions. There is no real star of "Atonement" - everyone, absolutely everyone involved in the project is pitch-perfect. Be it young Briony, played with perfection by the newcomer Ronan - her performance is so natural, yet complex, she single-handedly draws you into the movie during the first few minutes. Knightley and McAvoy are a couple perfect for this kind of movie ("Atonement" is, after all, the most romantic film of the year), sharing that old Hollywood glamour that has recently been forgotten - Knightley's Cecilia is your regular romantic heroine, especially during the intense, early scenes at the mansion, when she slides around in a silky green dress, detached from the environment by her own beauty and attitude. McAvoy, on the other hand, brings an emotional performance that we like to see in our romantic heroes. The movie features one strong, emotional scene after another. Everything is backed up by an amazing soundtrack - rarely do I remember them, but this one was so original and powerful, with the typewriter beating differently in different scenes... "Atonement" is an old-fashioned, flat out romance, and it's pretty spectacular!
]]>Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:37:35 GMTrebelprince89rebelprince89 Blog4/24/2009 2:37:35 PM"Atonement" is an epic, wildly romantic period drama. It is a project with fantastic actors, a great screenplay, an innovative director and pitch-perfect photography. The story starts in an English country house one hot summer. Briony Tallis (Saoirse Ronan), an imaginative 12 year-old is busy finishing her first play and trying desperately to get someone to act it out or even listen to her. Her older sister Cecilia is walking through the house not noticing anyone, especially not Briony, busy thinking about the housekeeper's son Robbie Turner (James McAvoy), who is obviously in love with her. A series of unfortunate events leads Briony to jealously tell a lie - a lie that will bring utter unhappiness to all three characters. Once separated, we follow these three through World War II, and watch as the story unfolds into unexpected directions. There is no real star of "Atonement" - everyone, absolutely everyone involved in the project is pitch-perfect. Be it young Briony, played with perfection by the newcomer Ronan - her performance is so natural, yet complex, she single-handedly draws you into the movie during the first few minutes. Knightley and McAvoy are a couple perfect for this kind of movie ("Atonement" is, after all, the most romantic film of the year), sharing that old Hollywood glamour that has recently been forgotten - Knightley's Cecilia is your regular romantic heroine, especially during the intense, early scenes at the mansion, when she slides around in a silky green dress, detached from the environment by her own beauty and attitude. McAvoy, on the other hand, brings an emotional performance that we like to see in our romantic heroes. The movie features one strong, emotional scene after another. Everything is backed up by an amazing soundtrack - rarely do I remember them, but this one was so original and powerful, with the typewriter beating differently in different scenes... "Atonement" is an old-fashioned, flat out romance, and it's pretty spectacular! http://www.spout.com/groups/Coming_Soon/Holiday_DVDs_12_23_12_30_Wes_Anderson_Johnny/216/38864/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: spout
Post To: Coming Soon
Post Date: 12/26/2008 4:58:29 PM
Body: Did you get gift cards for Christmas? Here's how to spend them over the next two weeks. SkyPIlot's Top 3 December DVD Picks 1. Bottle Rocket is in the Criterion Collection! Watch the trailer. For those who haven't seen Bottle Rocket, it's a quirky slacker comedy/heist flick, like...Reality Bites meets Ocean's 13. No wait, is there really anything like early Wes Anderson (except later Wes Anderson)? This edition has loads of special features including eleven deleted scenes and the original 13-minute, b&w Bottle Rocket short from 1992. 2. Burn After Reading -- Watch the trailer. It won't convert any unbelievers into the Coen cult, but a lot of it's worth watching over and over again (especially the parts with Brad Pitt). 3. And it goes without saying that everyone should pick up one copy of The Dark Knight, a second copy to keep in your glove box, and a third to keep in your hope chest. Watch the trailer. Check out Kevin Kelly's DVD gift guide for documentary and box set recommendations. Dec. 23 DVD releases 1. The Johnny Depp Triple Feature -- It's just one of those cheapie 3-sets, like the ones you find at Target, but get a load of this playlist: Edward Scissorhands -- Watch the trailer. Wow, I was not ready for this when I was 9 years old. Benny & Joon -- Watch the trailer. Looks funny, sweet, and sad. From Hell -- Watch the trailer. In this gritty, hallucinatory murder mystery, Depp is an opium-addicted detective on the trail of Jack the Ripper. Dark stuff, but worth a look. 2. The Jake Gyllenhaal Triple Feature is definitely worth some consideration as well. Donnie Darko -- Watch the trailer. The movie that made befuddled teens everywhere watch a film commentary for the first time, Donnie Darko is charming, touching, and strange. Very good, but in my opinion the real gem of this set is the The Good Girl. The Good Girl -- Watch the trailer. In this very under-appreciated dark comedy, Gyllenhall is a sensitive teen obsessed with J.D. Salinger (what sensitive teen isn't?) and has a short-lived affair with Jennifer Aniston. Aniston is unhappily married to a pot-smoking John C. Reilly. Great minor role from Tim Blake Nelson. The Day After Tomorrow -- Watch the trailer. Bombastic and boring, but hey--two good films out of three ain't bad! Other new triple features: Gene Hackman (The French Connection, Hoosiers, Mississippi Burning), Tom Hanks (Bachelor Party, The Man With One Red Shoe, That Thing You Do!), Kevin Costner (Bull Durham, Dances With Wolves, No Way Out). 3. Hamlet 2 -- Watch the trailer. Steve Coogan is really talented, but the trailer doesn't quite sell me on it. Does anyone recommend it? 4. Death Race -- Watch the trailer. Jason Statham, as usual, is threatening and very watchable, but this fair car action thriller doesn't come close to matching the crazed, exhilarating original -- Death Race 2000. Watch the trailer to Death Race 2000. Dec 30 releases 1. Towelhead -- Watch the trailer. In this coming-of-age story, 13 year old Jasira has to deal with American racism and the romantic attentions of Aaron Eckhart (yikes!). It's written by the author of American Beauty, and it looks really good. 2. Strangers With Candy -- Watch the trailer. This is a big-screen prequel to the mind-bending comedy series that starred Amy Sedaris and a pre-fame Stephen Colbert. (He played the science teacher Mr. Noblet, remember?) 3. Ghost Town -- Watch the trailer. Ricky Gervais (of The Office and Extras) can see ghosts, and one of them is Greg Kinnear. I've heard some good things about this film. 4. Bangkok Dangerous -- Watch the trailer. This is the one where Nic Cage uses a boat propellor to cut off a guy's hand. 5. An American Carol -- Watch the trailer. Kelsey Grammar plays the Scrooge character in this spoof of the classic Christmas tale. 6. Babylon A.D. -- Watch the trailer. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Michelle Yeoh would kick Vin Diesel's butt. 7. The Love Guru -- Watch the trailer. Paul Moore saw this Mike Meyers vehicle, and Paul said that although it's not bad per se, we've seen all these jokes before in the Austin Powers series. Re-releases 1. Lost in Translation (limited edition) -- Watch the trailer. Includes deleted scenes, a conversation with Bill Murray and Sofia Coppola, plus the "City Girl" music video from Kevin Shields. 2. Atonement (limited edition) -- Watch the trailer. Includes some making-of featurettes and commentary from director Joe Wright. I haven't seen this one yet. 3. A Beautiful Mind (limited edition) -- Watch the trailer. I still haven't seen this one yet either! Includes deleted scenes with commentary from director Ron Howard, plus feature commentaries from Howard and screenwriter Akiva Goldman. 4. History of Ninja, Volume 1 -- Ten ninja movies on three discs means over 15 hours of "entertainment." Contents: Ninjitsu, Ninja, Ninja Hunt, Purple Hood Ninja, Purple Hood Ninja 2, The Hero of Swallow, Ninja Power Force, Ninja Kids Phantom Force, Golden Ninja Invasion, and last but not least, Cyber Ninja. I like how you can just switch around the words in the titles to get ideas for new ninja movies: Phantom Cyber Force, Golden Hood Hunt, Ninja Kids Invasion, Golden Hunt of the Purple Cyber Swallow. If we're lucky, those will appear in History of Ninja, Volume 2. By the way, Cyber Ninja reminds me of Dr. Ronald Chevalier, author of all ten Cyborg Harpy trilogies. Watch Dr. Chevalier's tips on inspiration.
]]>Fri, 26 Dec 2008 21:58:29 GMTspoutComing Soon12/26/2008 4:58:29 PM Did you get gift cards for Christmas? Here's how to spend them over the next two weeks. SkyPIlot's Top 3 December DVD Picks 1. Bottle Rocket is in the Criterion Collection! Watch the trailer. For those who haven't seen Bottle Rocket, it's a quirky slacker comedy/heist flick, like...Reality Bites meets Ocean's 13. No wait, is there really anything like early Wes Anderson (except later Wes Anderson)? This edition has loads of special features including eleven deleted scenes and the original 13-minute, b&amp;w Bottle Rocket short from 1992. 2. Burn After Reading -- Watch the trailer. It won't convert any unbelievers into the Coen cult, but a lot of it's worth watching over and over again (especially the parts with Brad Pitt). 3. And it goes without saying that everyone should pick up one copy of The Dark Knight, a second copy to keep in your glove box, and a third to keep in your hope chest. Watch the trailer. Check out Kevin Kelly's DVD gift guide for documentary and box set recommendations. Dec. 23 DVD releases 1. The Johnny Depp Triple Feature -- It's just one of those cheapie 3-sets, like the ones you find at Target, but get a load of this playlist: Edward Scissorhands -- Watch the trailer. Wow, I was not ready for this when I was 9 years old. Benny &amp; Joon -- Watch the trailer. Looks funny, sweet, and sad. From Hell -- Watch the trailer. In this gritty, hallucinatory murder mystery, Depp is an opium-addicted detective on the trail of Jack the Ripper. Dark stuff, but worth a look. 2. The Jake Gyllenhaal Triple Feature is definitely worth some consideration as well. Donnie Darko -- Watch the trailer. The movie that made befuddled teens everywhere watch a film commentary for the first time, Donnie Darko is charming, touching, and strange. Very good, but in my opinion the real gem of this set is the The Good Girl. The Good Girl -- Watch the trailer. In this very under-appreciated dark comedy, Gyllenhall is a sensitive teen obsessed with J.D. Salinger (what sensitive teen isn't?) and has a short-lived affair with Jennifer Aniston. Aniston is unhappily married to a pot-smoking John C. Reilly. Great minor role from Tim Blake Nelson. The Day After Tomorrow -- Watch the trailer. Bombastic and boring, but hey--two good films out of three ain't bad! Other new triple features: Gene Hackman (The French Connection, Hoosiers, Mississippi Burning), Tom Hanks (Bachelor Party, The Man With One Red Shoe, That Thing You Do!), Kevin Costner (Bull Durham, Dances With Wolves, No Way Out). 3. Hamlet 2 -- Watch the trailer. Steve Coogan is really talented, but the trailer doesn't quite sell me on it. Does anyone recommend it? 4. Death Race -- Watch the trailer. Jason Statham, as usual, is threatening and very watchable, but this fair car action thriller doesn't come close to matching the crazed, exhilarating original -- Death Race 2000. Watch the trailer to Death Race 2000. Dec 30 releases 1. Towelhead -- Watch the trailer. In this coming-of-age story, 13 year old Jasira has to deal with American racism and the romantic attentions of Aaron Eckhart (yikes!). It's written by the author of American Beauty, and it looks really good. 2. Strangers With Candy -- Watch the trailer. This is a big-screen prequel to the mind-bending comedy series that starred Amy Sedaris and a pre-fame Stephen Colbert. (He played the science teacher Mr. Noblet, remember?) 3. Ghost Town -- Watch the trailer. Ricky Gervais (of The Office and Extras) can see ghosts, and one of them is Greg Kinnear. I've heard some good things about this film. 4. Bangkok Dangerous -- Watch the trailer. This is the one where Nic Cage uses a boat propellor to cut off a guy's hand. 5. An American Carol -- Watch the trailer. Kelsey Grammar plays the Scrooge character in this spoof of the classic Christmas tale. 6. Babylon A.D. -- Watch the trailer. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Michelle Yeoh would kick Vin Diesel's butt. 7. The Love Guru -- Watch the trailer. Paul Moore saw this Mike Meyers vehicle, and Paul said that although it's not bad per se, we've seen all these jokes before in the Austin Powers series. Re-releases 1. Lost in Translation (limited edition) -- Watch the trailer. Includes deleted scenes, a conversation with Bill Murray and Sofia Coppola, plus the "City Girl" music video from Kevin Shields. 2. Atonement (limited edition) -- Watch the trailer. Includes some making-of featurettes and commentary from director Joe Wright. I haven't seen this one yet. 3. A Beautiful Mind (limited edition) -- Watch the trailer. I still haven't seen this one yet either! Includes deleted scenes with commentary from director Ron Howard, plus feature commentaries from Howard and screenwriter Akiva Goldman. 4. History of Ninja, Volume 1 -- Ten ninja movies on three discs means over 15 hours of "entertainment." Contents: Ninjitsu, Ninja, Ninja Hunt, Purple Hood Ninja, Purple Hood Ninja 2, The Hero of Swallow, Ninja Power Force, Ninja Kids Phantom Force, Golden Ninja Invasion, and last but not least, Cyber Ninja. I like how you can just switch around the words in the titles to get ideas for new ninja movies: Phantom Cyber Force, Golden Hood Hunt, Ninja Kids Invasion, Golden Hunt of the Purple Cyber Swallow. If we're lucky, those will appear in History of Ninja, Volume 2. By the way, Cyber Ninja reminds me of Dr. Ronald Chevalier, author of all ten Cyborg Harpy trilogies. Watch Dr. Chevalier's tips on inspiration. http://www.spout.com/blogs/edwa8698/archive/2008/10/20/36505.aspx Post By: edwa8698
Post To: edwa8698 Blog
Post Date: 10/20/2008 12:52:15 AM
Body: Joe Wright is the acclaimed director of the 2005 masterpiece Pride and Prejudice when I saw that I knew his next film would be just as vast and just as emotional. All I can say is that Atonement is all of those things and more, it is beautiful to look at and has a heart wrenching love story. James McAvoy and Keira Knightley are great as the two lovers and all of the other performances are very note worthy as well. One thing I feel I must comment on is the way this film was shot, every frame and every angle was perfectly crafted and executed I could watch it again just to see the beauty of the picture. I was pleasantly surprised by the story and how sweeping it turned out to be, the first time I saw the trailer I thought it looked simple and predictable I was wrong on both counts. Just see this wonderful film and you will be reminded of the power of love, and the power of film.
]]>Mon, 20 Oct 2008 04:52:15 GMTedwa8698edwa8698 Blog10/20/2008 12:52:15 AMJoe Wright is the acclaimed director of the 2005 masterpiece Pride and Prejudice when I saw that I knew his next film would be just as vast and just as emotional. All I can say is that Atonement is all of those things and more, it is beautiful to look at and has a heart wrenching love story. James McAvoy and Keira Knightley are great as the two lovers and all of the other performances are very note worthy as well. One thing I feel I must comment on is the way this film was shot, every frame and every angle was perfectly crafted and executed I could watch it again just to see the beauty of the picture. I was pleasantly surprised by the story and how sweeping it turned out to be, the first time I saw the trailer I thought it looked simple and predictable I was wrong on both counts. Just see this wonderful film and you will be reminded of the power of love, and the power of film. http://www.spout.com/blogs/qflw/archive/2008/9/27/35648.aspx Post By: QFLW
Post To: QFLW Blog
Post Date: 9/27/2008 11:05:25 PM
Body: Even for the pre-viewed price of $5. Really should have rented it, but there it was in the supermarket and I'd been wanting to see it for awhile. Part of me knew better: Kiera Knightley is almost never worth watching and the movie had gotten a lot of gushy hype, which more often than not is a signal that the film will disappoint. It did, despite the engaging James McAvoy. The writing is cold and clipped; the characters cold and clipped; the story unsatisfying on any level. Made me think of The English Patient, another gushed-over, remote disappointment, apart from the delightful Juliette Binoche. Ah well. You pays yer money and you takes yer chance.
]]>Sun, 28 Sep 2008 03:05:25 GMTQFLWQFLW Blog9/27/2008 11:05:25 PMEven for the pre-viewed price of $5. Really should have rented it, but there it was in the supermarket and I'd been wanting to see it for awhile. Part of me knew better: Kiera Knightley is almost never worth watching and the movie had gotten a lot of gushy hype, which more often than not is a signal that the film will disappoint. It did, despite the engaging James McAvoy. The writing is cold and clipped; the characters cold and clipped; the story unsatisfying on any level. Made me think of The English Patient, another gushed-over, remote disappointment, apart from the delightful Juliette Binoche. Ah well. You pays yer money and you takes yer chance. http://www.spout.com/groups/Filmgaming/Re_Cast_BATMAN_3/563/33686/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: forticus
Post To: Filmgaming
Post Date: 8/7/2008 9:13:08 AM
Body: The Joker was brilliant in Dark Knight so lets all wait a movie or two for his better half -Harley Quinn.Although if you can't resist how about casting Keira Knightley? Lets put a smile on that Face. Domino and Atonement .
]]>Thu, 07 Aug 2008 13:13:08 GMTforticusFilmgaming8/7/2008 9:13:08 AMThe Joker was brilliant in Dark Knight so lets all wait a movie or two for his better half -Harley Quinn.Although if you can't resist how about casting Keira Knightley? Lets put a smile on that Face. Domino and Atonement . http://www.spout.com/blogs/smooth_j/archive/2008/7/28/33178.aspx Post By: Smooth_J
Post To: Smooth_J Blog
Post Date: 7/28/2008 2:21:02 PM
Body: The idea for this analysis came to mind when I recently saw Bergman's The Seventh Seal. While I was not quite as blown away by the film as most accolades of the film would suggest, I still found it to be an excellent movie, and could see very clearly the influence it has had on so many films that have come after it. The one scene that I especially noticed a direct legacy in later films was a short, almost gimmicky little snippet during the medieval religious cult scene in the town--where the drums are beating loudly, people are screaming in agony as whips crack, and monks and other repenters are carrying enormous crosses on their backs. There is a short string of profile shots: Antonius, Jons, and "The Girl" (the only specific name I could find for her anywhere on the internet). The cuts between the faces are done with the beats of the drums; they are perfectly centered, with mist or smoke rising in the backgrounds, adding to each image's raw, black-and-white imagery; and each face perfectly describes what each character is feeling in the specific scene. Antonius stares onward at the happenings, in the middle of an intense existential dilemma, scrutinizing the scene and attempting to sort out what it all could mean. Jons observes with amused (yet somewhat disturbed) contempt for not only the people of the scene, but for all of humanity. And The Girl stares ahead in fear, the only one of them who truly realizes the oncoming apocalypse at such an early stage. At first glance, it seems like an empty trick thrown in for effect by Bergman. But such use of tone and the profile shot have been used countless times, seemingly originated by Bergman and his equals at this time of cinematic experimentation. For example, this technique of switching profiles to the beat of something is used pretty much verbatum in the film I'm Not There, where Todd Haynes switches between all the faces of Bob Dylan to the sound of gunshots--all in misty black-and-white photography. What makes a profile shot so effective is that (sorry for this cliche...) every face tells a story, and it only takes a skilled actor, a good director, and a camera with the right film to turn it into a work of art. But I mean, portraits and sculpture dating back to prehistoric times make use of the nuances of the human face, from Egyptian sculptures of pharaohs, the stone heads of Easter Island, and technically even Native American tikis. Different societies and different mediums of art have used the face for various forms of expression, and it is probably one of the most common depictions in art. Look at the Mona Lisa--it's one of the most famous works of art ever created, and it is a painting of a woman's face. It's the mystery behind her expressions, her features, her true identity that makes the work so timeless and so debatable. However, there's something about seeing the human face framed in a camera--especially on a black-and-white one--that is so beautiful and so perfect. In my mind, who cares about Joe Wright's five minute tracking shot. Hundreds of extras, thousands of dollars, all to capture a vast expanse of imagery without any empathy involved. For a well-done profile shot, all one needs an actor, a director, and a camera--nothing else. I'm not necessarily saying that a tracking shot would not be a work of art, since it is one in itself, but I feel as though such broadness cannot capture the undeniable intimacy of human emotion that is shown on any person's face. Even one's eyes, shifting crazily during a "trip" through time and space (2001: A Space Odyssey) have the ability to captivate a viewer, and give them a glimpse into a character's psyche. Last night, while running through this topic in my head, I came up with several movies and genres that utilize the human profile extensively. The first that came to mind was the film-noir genre, with its fims' personal, close feel. Who can forget the faces of the tortured heroes of these films, driving around puffing on their ever-present cigarettes? While my knowledge of this genre is pretty limited, I know enough to recognize the faces of the classic noir heroes. Neo-noir and crime films have taken up these techniques, especially films like Pulp Fiction (and other Tarantino) and Chinatown (which is pretty much classic noir). Another film that really sticks out in my mind is The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, with its infamous final shoot-out of only profile shots and guns. Leone had a gift for the small touches of the human face, as he also demonstrates his penchant for this in Once Upon a Time in the West. He perfectly illustrates the dirtiness and inherent wickedness in a lot of his characters through perfectly staged shots of their sweaty, grizzled faces. Kubrick was an auteur in many ways, and one that I have especially noticed is his perfect use of a framed, still camera shot. One of my favorites occurs in Dr. Strangelove, with the shot of General Jack Ripper during one of his monologues, where the camera is beneath his face and it basically looking right up his nose at a crooked angle. Just the staging of this shot gives the viewer a perfect sense of how unhinged the man really is. It's hilarity through just good direction. Now, I hate to stray off of my established topic, but I feel as though I can't discuss the profile shot without talking about its cinematic opposite, the subjective shot. While not nearly as popular, in the right hands, it can be nearly as effective as the human profile. David Lynch has pretty much mastered this craft, and he uses it flawlessly to create almost unbearable terror in Inland Empire. One of the most terrifying experiences I've every had while watching a movie happened when I watched Mulholland Dr. for the first time, when the man in the restaraunt is walking to face the monster in the alley--Lynch uses the man's point of view to emphasize the horror being faced. I pretty much shit my pants. Did that aspect of the film really serve much of a purpose? No, not really. But it has an undeniable finesse and effectiveness that makes it essential to the overall tone of the movie. Another film that uses the subjective point of view to enhance horror is one that I watched recently, Dreyer's Vampyr. It is a short scene in which it is used, but creates a great sense of claustrophic fear. A couple of films that go hand-in-hand in terms of use of POV are Being John Malkovich and Diving Bell and the Butterfly. BJM flawlessly portrays being inside the head of someone else, from the sound effects to the imagery. You ARE walking around in someone else's shoes, and it's amazing. DB&tB also uses this technique of seeing the world through someone else's eyes. Schnabel meticulously recreates the feeling of being confined within one's mind, with no escape and no possible sense of escape. It is a beautiful technique used in an absolutely beautiful film, and it heightens the unending and unavoidable sadness of the film. In a convoluted way, the film also makes great use of the profile shot--from the eyes of Bauby. The lighting and camera effects used illustrate the beauty of his nurse's faces unlike anything I have ever seen, framing them in his one eye with the foggy edges. The camera examines their features as though you are Bauby, longing to reach out and touch them, but you can't and it is near torture. For the most part, it is foreign directors that use these sort of simple shots to greatest effect--I feel as though they typically can emphasize beauty better than any American director ever could, not only through profile and POV but also through beauty of landscapes. Now, I know I must address that nearly every movie uses these sorts of methods, and my film repertoire may not permit me to do a full elucidation on such topics. However, I have always been taken aback by the immense possibilities of film-making. As I have dreams of becoming a film-maker, I can't help but analyze such things when I watch movies, and take them to mind when imagining camera angles and writing ideas. And the things that I have always marveled at are the simple things that can be done by anyone with an idea, a camera, and subject. That's where the true beauty of film-making lies, in its simplest artistry.
]]>Mon, 28 Jul 2008 18:21:02 GMTSmooth_JSmooth_J Blog7/28/2008 2:21:02 PMThe idea for this analysis came to mind when I recently saw Bergman's The Seventh Seal. While I was not quite as blown away by the film as most accolades of the film would suggest, I still found it to be an excellent movie, and could see very clearly the influence it has had on so many films that have come after it. The one scene that I especially noticed a direct legacy in later films was a short, almost gimmicky little snippet during the medieval religious cult scene in the town--where the drums are beating loudly, people are screaming in agony as whips crack, and monks and other repenters are carrying enormous crosses on their backs. There is a short string of profile shots: Antonius, Jons, and "The Girl" (the only specific name I could find for her anywhere on the internet). The cuts between the faces are done with the beats of the drums; they are perfectly centered, with mist or smoke rising in the backgrounds, adding to each image's raw, black-and-white imagery; and each face perfectly describes what each character is feeling in the specific scene. Antonius stares onward at the happenings, in the middle of an intense existential dilemma, scrutinizing the scene and attempting to sort out what it all could mean. Jons observes with amused (yet somewhat disturbed) contempt for not only the people of the scene, but for all of humanity. And The Girl stares ahead in fear, the only one of them who truly realizes the oncoming apocalypse at such an early stage. At first glance, it seems like an empty trick thrown in for effect by Bergman. But such use of tone and the profile shot have been used countless times, seemingly originated by Bergman and his equals at this time of cinematic experimentation. For example, this technique of switching profiles to the beat of something is used pretty much verbatum in the film I'm Not There, where Todd Haynes switches between all the faces of Bob Dylan to the sound of gunshots--all in misty black-and-white photography. What makes a profile shot so effective is that (sorry for this cliche...) every face tells a story, and it only takes a skilled actor, a good director, and a camera with the right film to turn it into a work of art. But I mean, portraits and sculpture dating back to prehistoric times make use of the nuances of the human face, from Egyptian sculptures of pharaohs, the stone heads of Easter Island, and technically even Native American tikis. Different societies and different mediums of art have used the face for various forms of expression, and it is probably one of the most common depictions in art. Look at the Mona Lisa--it's one of the most famous works of art ever created, and it is a painting of a woman's face. It's the mystery behind her expressions, her features, her true identity that makes the work so timeless and so debatable. However, there's something about seeing the human face framed in a camera--especially on a black-and-white one--that is so beautiful and so perfect. In my mind, who cares about Joe Wright's five minute tracking shot. Hundreds of extras, thousands of dollars, all to capture a vast expanse of imagery without any empathy involved. For a well-done profile shot, all one needs an actor, a director, and a camera--nothing else. I'm not necessarily saying that a tracking shot would not be a work of art, since it is one in itself, but I feel as though such broadness cannot capture the undeniable intimacy of human emotion that is shown on any person's face. Even one's eyes, shifting crazily during a "trip" through time and space (2001: A Space Odyssey) have the ability to captivate a viewer, and give them a glimpse into a character's psyche. Last night, while running through this topic in my head, I came up with several movies and genres that utilize the human profile extensively. The first that came to mind was the film-noir genre, with its fims' personal, close feel. Who can forget the faces of the tortured heroes of these films, driving around puffing on their ever-present cigarettes? While my knowledge of this genre is pretty limited, I know enough to recognize the faces of the classic noir heroes. Neo-noir and crime films have taken up these techniques, especially films like Pulp Fiction (and other Tarantino) and Chinatown (which is pretty much classic noir). Another film that really sticks out in my mind is The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, with its infamous final shoot-out of only profile shots and guns. Leone had a gift for the small touches of the human face, as he also demonstrates his penchant for this in Once Upon a Time in the West. He perfectly illustrates the dirtiness and inherent wickedness in a lot of his characters through perfectly staged shots of their sweaty, grizzled faces. Kubrick was an auteur in many ways, and one that I have especially noticed is his perfect use of a framed, still camera shot. One of my favorites occurs in Dr. Strangelove, with the shot of General Jack Ripper during one of his monologues, where the camera is beneath his face and it basically looking right up his nose at a crooked angle. Just the staging of this shot gives the viewer a perfect sense of how unhinged the man really is. It's hilarity through just good direction. Now, I hate to stray off of my established topic, but I feel as though I can't discuss the profile shot without talking about its cinematic opposite, the subjective shot. While not nearly as popular, in the right hands, it can be nearly as effective as the human profile. David Lynch has pretty much mastered this craft, and he uses it flawlessly to create almost unbearable terror in Inland Empire. One of the most terrifying experiences I've every had while watching a movie happened when I watched Mulholland Dr. for the first time, when the man in the restaraunt is walking to face the monster in the alley--Lynch uses the man's point of view to emphasize the horror being faced. I pretty much shit my pants. Did that aspect of the film really serve much of a purpose? No, not really. But it has an undeniable finesse and effectiveness that makes it essential to the overall tone of the movie. Another film that uses the subjective point of view to enhance horror is one that I watched recently, Dreyer's Vampyr. It is a short scene in which it is used, but creates a great sense of claustrophic fear. A couple of films that go hand-in-hand in terms of use of POV are Being John Malkovich and Diving Bell and the Butterfly. BJM flawlessly portrays being inside the head of someone else, from the sound effects to the imagery. You ARE walking around in someone else's shoes, and it's amazing. DB&amp;tB also uses this technique of seeing the world through someone else's eyes. Schnabel meticulously recreates the feeling of being confined within one's mind, with no escape and no possible sense of escape. It is a beautiful technique used in an absolutely beautiful film, and it heightens the unending and unavoidable sadness of the film. In a convoluted way, the film also makes great use of the profile shot--from the eyes of Bauby. The lighting and camera effects used illustrate the beauty of his nurse's faces unlike anything I have ever seen, framing them in his one eye with the foggy edges. The camera examines their features as though you are Bauby, longing to reach out and touch them, but you can't and it is near torture. For the most part, it is foreign directors that use these sort of simple shots to greatest effect--I feel as though they typically can emphasize beauty better than any American director ever could, not only through profile and POV but also through beauty of landscapes. Now, I know I must address that nearly every movie uses these sorts of methods, and my film repertoire may not permit me to do a full elucidation on such topics. However, I have always been taken aback by the immense possibilities of film-making. As I have dreams of becoming a film-maker, I can't help but analyze such things when I watch movies, and take them to mind when imagining camera angles and writing ideas. And the things that I have always marveled at are the simple things that can be done by anyone with an idea, a camera, and subject. That's where the true beauty of film-making lies, in its simplest artistry. http://www.spout.com/blogs/usesoap/archive/2008/6/29/31880.aspx Post By: usesoap
Post To: usesoap Blog
Post Date: 6/29/2008 11:51:02 PM
Body: This is the “Dilbert” panel I've always wanted to see. A fed-up office drone, sick of the confines of his cubicle, unleashes holy hell on his condescending superiors and clocks a duplicitous colleague in the jaw with his keyboard and heads out for adventure with Angelina Jolie. While “Wanted's” lead Wesley (played by James McAvoy) does just that, his character is taken from a different comic altogether. It's comic origins (based on one by Mark Millar and J. G. Jones) are felt throughout the film's reality-relinquishing first hour, until it turns on itself in the final act and decides to play things with a straight face. If only Cat-bert could have sauntered in to slap some sense into him. Let's start with the good. Wesley's life is torn straight from the pages of “Office Space:” a patronizing supervisor takes special glee in the daily ass-chewing she gives the young man, a co-worker enjoys showing Wesley's girlfriend his “O” face (if that line makes no sense to you, please go rent the aforementioned comedy); and his anxiety level is suppressed only with the help of a bottomless prescription jar of medication. On a particular day to refill said meds, Wesley's found himself in the middle of a pharmacy shootout, aided by a slinky Angelina Jolie. One fabulously outrageous car chase later (in which Wesley is literally scooped up into her shiny red sports car), the young man is told that he is the son of a recently deceased world-famous assassin and who has been selected to step into his shoes. It's a cinematic flip-of-the-bird to any and all potential “blockbusters” this summer and, for a while, it revs along at such a high rate of speed that it could mean business. There are many reasons for this. Primarily, lead McAvoy (a British actor known best stateside in the original “Chronicles of Narnia” and “Atonement,” but whose range is best demonstrated in a little 80s-centric indie called “Starter for Ten”) is such an engaging host to this frenetic freak-out. As someone who starts off with as a whiny Zack Braff clone, he is heartily believable in his transformation into a hitman resembling a young Russel Crowe. In a film that defies all laws of physics, gravity and logic, his performance in an undercurrent of stability. Jolie takes her second role this month as a tigress – first, quite literally in “Kung Fu Panda,” and here as a felonious feline known only (and quite accurately) as Fox. Sure, it's a role she can do in her sleep, but, honestly, I have no problem watching anything Jolie does in her sleep. And, finally, step asideBorat. You are no longer the “it boy” of Kazakhstan. Those honors go to one Timur Bekmambetov, director of this otherworldly fever-dream of an action film. Lauded in his homeland for the candy-coated action vampire films “Night Watch” and “Day Watch” (and the upcoming “Twilight Watch”), Bekmambetov has come to the states to show that not all Kazakhstanis arrive in the summer sun sporting hideously green one-piece thongs. Very nice! High five-a! Well, almost. Once Wesley arrives for training, he's informed by the head assassin (played with the usual omnipotent solemnity by Morgan Freeman) that his pop was part of a group steeped in tradition handed down from ancient weavers. That's right, Wesley is a fruit of the loom. As part of his training, the young lad gets worked over by various other co-workers/thugs with names like “the Repairman” and “the Butcher,” (no sight of “the Candlestick-maker,” though), until he's ready for his first assignment – killing the man who toe-tagged his father. And while there are some stunning sights of bullet bending, train-hopping and skull-piercing, Bekmambetov drops the pitch-black humor that elevated the first half and shifts the film into a dour-faced, dime-a-dozen climax that runs out of gas far before the carnage-heavy conclusion. (There are only so many different ways to film a bullet being deflected mid-air by another bullet, and the director tries them all, with diminishing results.) Like all summer action sagas, it's best not to let the brain stew too long on the whole “moral” of the story, as it is one that takes Wesley from zero to hero by his creativity in killing random people for no reason other than being told to do so by an ancient weaving machine (somehow, that dog barking orders to the Son of Sam does not seem so unorthodox). But for a short while, “Wanted” does engage in some contagious calamity that keeps us locked and loaded for the next round.
]]>Mon, 30 Jun 2008 03:51:02 GMTusesoapusesoap Blog6/29/2008 11:51:02 PMThis is the &ldquo;Dilbert&rdquo; panel I've always wanted to see. A fed-up office drone, sick of the confines of his cubicle, unleashes holy hell on his condescending superiors and clocks a duplicitous colleague in the jaw with his keyboard and heads out for adventure with Angelina Jolie. While &ldquo;Wanted's&rdquo; lead Wesley (played by James McAvoy) does just that, his character is taken from a different comic altogether. It's comic origins (based on one by Mark Millar and J. G. Jones) are felt throughout the film's reality-relinquishing first hour, until it turns on itself in the final act and decides to play things with a straight face. If only Cat-bert could have sauntered in to slap some sense into him. Let's start with the good. Wesley's life is torn straight from the pages of &ldquo;Office Space:&rdquo; a patronizing supervisor takes special glee in the daily ass-chewing she gives the young man, a co-worker enjoys showing Wesley's girlfriend his &ldquo;O&rdquo; face (if that line makes no sense to you, please go rent the aforementioned comedy); and his anxiety level is suppressed only with the help of a bottomless prescription jar of medication. On a particular day to refill said meds, Wesley's found himself in the middle of a pharmacy shootout, aided by a slinky Angelina Jolie. One fabulously outrageous car chase later (in which Wesley is literally scooped up into her shiny red sports car), the young man is told that he is the son of a recently deceased world-famous assassin and who has been selected to step into his shoes. It's a cinematic flip-of-the-bird to any and all potential &ldquo;blockbusters&rdquo; this summer and, for a while, it revs along at such a high rate of speed that it could mean business. There are many reasons for this. Primarily, lead McAvoy (a British actor known best stateside in the original &ldquo;Chronicles of Narnia&rdquo; and &ldquo;Atonement,&rdquo; but whose range is best demonstrated in a little 80s-centric indie called &ldquo;Starter for Ten&rdquo;) is such an engaging host to this frenetic freak-out. As someone who starts off with as a whiny Zack Braff clone, he is heartily believable in his transformation into a hitman resembling a young Russel Crowe. In a film that defies all laws of physics, gravity and logic, his performance in an undercurrent of stability. Jolie takes her second role this month as a tigress &ndash; first, quite literally in &ldquo;Kung Fu Panda,&rdquo; and here as a felonious feline known only (and quite accurately) as Fox. Sure, it's a role she can do in her sleep, but, honestly, I have no problem watching anything Jolie does in her sleep. And, finally, step asideBorat. You are no longer the &ldquo;it boy&rdquo; of Kazakhstan. Those honors go to one Timur Bekmambetov, director of this otherworldly fever-dream of an action film. Lauded in his homeland for the candy-coated action vampire films &ldquo;Night Watch&rdquo; and &ldquo;Day Watch&rdquo; (and the upcoming &ldquo;Twilight Watch&rdquo;), Bekmambetov has come to the states to show that not all Kazakhstanis arrive in the summer sun sporting hideously green one-piece thongs. Very nice! High five-a! Well, almost. Once Wesley arrives for training, he's informed by the head assassin (played with the usual omnipotent solemnity by Morgan Freeman) that his pop was part of a group steeped in tradition handed down from ancient weavers. That's right, Wesley is a fruit of the loom. As part of his training, the young lad gets worked over by various other co-workers/thugs with names like &ldquo;the Repairman&rdquo; and &ldquo;the Butcher,&rdquo; (no sight of &ldquo;the Candlestick-maker,&rdquo; though), until he's ready for his first assignment &ndash; killing the man who toe-tagged his father. And while there are some stunning sights of bullet bending, train-hopping and skull-piercing, Bekmambetov drops the pitch-black humor that elevated the first half and shifts the film into a dour-faced, dime-a-dozen climax that runs out of gas far before the carnage-heavy conclusion. (There are only so many different ways to film a bullet being deflected mid-air by another bullet, and the director tries them all, with diminishing results.) Like all summer action sagas, it's best not to let the brain stew too long on the whole &ldquo;moral&rdquo; of the story, as it is one that takes Wesley from zero to hero by his creativity in killing random people for no reason other than being told to do so by an ancient weaving machine (somehow, that dog barking orders to the Son of Sam does not seem so unorthodox). But for a short while, &ldquo;Wanted&rdquo; does engage in some contagious calamity that keeps us locked and loaded for the next round. http://www.spout.com/blogs/jimbell/archive/2008/6/25/31693.aspx Post By: JimBell
Post To: JimBell Blog
Post Date: 6/25/2008 4:56:03 PM
Body: Atonement (2007)Atonement (2007) is a strangely remote and unaffecting movie in spite of all the excellent acting. But, you may object, the film was hugely popular, with something like an 83% Fresh Tomato rating. Averages can be misleading. For example, if half the population is morbidly obese at 300 pounds and the other half of the population is starving to death at 100 pounds, it is not accurate to say that the citizens are hefty, healthy 200 pounders. Similarly, almost all reviews, no matter how favourable, have qualms about Atonement. The reviews have difficulty identifying why the film doesn’t quite work, so they resort to summaries such as “so boring,” or “so fussy . . . for women, and for a certain kind of woman,” or a good film “in spite of all the quibbles.” Atonement is remote because it is not primarily about the passionate romance between Cecelia and Robbie but about Briony, the girl and woman who has to atone for perjury and destroying their lives. But we don’t like Briony. As a child she is a bit nasty, manipulative, jealous . . . she has a cold, pale stare. As an 18-year-old nurse who wants to atone for her wrongs, Briony is realistically remote—as one of her nursing colleagues says, “mysterious.” She does seek out her Cecelia to apologize in a realistically constrained fashion, but she does not win our hearts for too little too late. So, when we see Briony as an old woman promoting her last novel, Atonement, we do not particularly care for her. So, when she reveals that, surprise, she did not actually apologize to Cecelia and Robbie for they were both killed in the War, we do not feel horrified empathy at the life-long burden of guilt this poor woman carried. Any concern we have for her suffering is remote and intellectual. With this serious shortcoming, it does not matter how stunning Keira Knightly (Cecelia) looks in her green gown, it does not matter how cleverly the sound track blends music and sound effects, and it does not matter that the unbroken tracking shot on the Dunkirk beach is 4 minutes long. Without pity for Briony’s burden and without regret at the inadequacy of her attempted atonement through literature, the movie remains remote.
]]>Wed, 25 Jun 2008 20:56:03 GMTJimBellJimBell Blog6/25/2008 4:56:03 PMAtonement (2007)Atonement (2007) is a strangely remote and unaffecting movie in spite of all the excellent acting. But, you may object, the film was hugely popular, with something like an 83% Fresh Tomato rating. Averages can be misleading. For example, if half the population is morbidly obese at 300 pounds and the other half of the population is starving to death at 100 pounds, it is not accurate to say that the citizens are hefty, healthy 200 pounders. Similarly, almost all reviews, no matter how favourable, have qualms about Atonement. The reviews have difficulty identifying why the film doesn&rsquo;t quite work, so they resort to summaries such as &ldquo;so boring,&rdquo; or &ldquo;so fussy . . . for women, and for a certain kind of woman,&rdquo; or a good film &ldquo;in spite of all the quibbles.&rdquo; Atonement is remote because it is not primarily about the passionate romance between Cecelia and Robbie but about Briony, the girl and woman who has to atone for perjury and destroying their lives. But we don&rsquo;t like Briony. As a child she is a bit nasty, manipulative, jealous . . . she has a cold, pale stare. As an 18-year-old nurse who wants to atone for her wrongs, Briony is realistically remote&mdash;as one of her nursing colleagues says, &ldquo;mysterious.&rdquo; She does seek out her Cecelia to apologize in a realistically constrained fashion, but she does not win our hearts for too little too late. So, when we see Briony as an old woman promoting her last novel, Atonement, we do not particularly care for her. So, when she reveals that, surprise, she did not actually apologize to Cecelia and Robbie for they were both killed in the War, we do not feel horrified empathy at the life-long burden of guilt this poor woman carried. Any concern we have for her suffering is remote and intellectual. With this serious shortcoming, it does not matter how stunning Keira Knightly (Cecelia) looks in her green gown, it does not matter how cleverly the sound track blends music and sound effects, and it does not matter that the unbroken tracking shot on the Dunkirk beach is 4 minutes long. Without pity for Briony&rsquo;s burden and without regret at the inadequacy of her attempted atonement through literature, the movie remains remote. http://www.spout.com/blogs/chrismorrell/archive/2008/6/23/31572.aspx Post By: chrismorrell
Post To: chrismorrell Blog
Post Date: 6/23/2008 6:12:30 PM
Body: Atonement is a classy piece of work. James McAvoy builds further on his excellent ,varied career ,with this .and Kiera Knightley is very effective and beautiful , not least in pure Wallace Simpson ensemble of white swimsuit and matching bathing cap. There is a terrible beauty in the Dunkirk evacuation scene,that just builds and builds . It might be a little too stylised for a mainstream audience to embrace wholeheartedly,but that's probably just the "film snob/geek" in me. There is a strong sense of the pages turning ,the chapter headings skipping backwards and forwards through the narrative,enhanced by the unique soundtrack,with it's typewriter percussion.. No spoilers here , the ending,jarres slightly,but remains faithful i would assume to the structure of the novel. It throws the whole story into relief , leaves you musing on the story structure and was satisfyingly melancholic for my tastes,.and surely a twist that involves Vanessa Redgrave can only be classy.
]]>Mon, 23 Jun 2008 22:12:30 GMTchrismorrellchrismorrell Blog6/23/2008 6:12:30 PMAtonement is a classy piece of work. James McAvoy builds further on his excellent ,varied career ,with this .and Kiera Knightley is very effective and beautiful , not least in pure Wallace Simpson ensemble of white swimsuit and matching bathing cap. There is a terrible beauty in the Dunkirk evacuation scene,that just builds and builds . It might be a little too stylised for a mainstream audience to embrace wholeheartedly,but that's probably just the "film snob/geek" in me. There is a strong sense of the pages turning ,the chapter headings skipping backwards and forwards through the narrative,enhanced by the unique soundtrack,with it's typewriter percussion.. No spoilers here , the ending,jarres slightly,but remains faithful i would assume to the structure of the novel. It throws the whole story into relief , leaves you musing on the story structure and was satisfyingly melancholic for my tastes,.and surely a twist that involves Vanessa Redgrave can only be classy. http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Re_Top_5_Everybody_Seems_To_Love_But_I_Hate/190/30509/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: nikolarulz
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 6/4/2008 5:18:58 PM
Body: Ok, so here's mine: 1. Madagascar - along with most other animated stuff people seem to not be able to get enough of, I'm pretty reserved. Honestly, I believe that the time of succesful animated movies, like the ones from the Disney era, has gone by. Now they seem to only be made for parents to entertain their children with something while they clean their house. As far as I'm concerned, anmation itself is not the only artistic merrit these movies should be judged by. 2. The Simpsons - I am actually very fond of the series, so I was very, very dissapointed by the movie. It really had nothing to offer, and although it had a few funny moments, it was mostly just boring. 3. The Notebook - Why everybody loves this film is beyond me. I find it cheap and pathetic. If you wanna see a truly great, artistic romance, see Atonement. 4. Wedding Crashers - This is just too dumb to watch. Even if it's a comedy, I cannot watch something that dumbs me down so much. These movies are simply made just to be box office hits, and for no other apparent reason. 5. Ocean's Twelve, Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous, and other ridiculous sequels of good movies.
]]>Wed, 04 Jun 2008 21:18:58 GMTnikolarulzTop 56/4/2008 5:18:58 PMOk, so here's mine: 1. Madagascar - along with most other animated stuff people seem to not be able to get enough of, I'm pretty reserved. Honestly, I believe that the time of succesful animated movies, like the ones from the Disney era, has gone by. Now they seem to only be made for parents to entertain their children with something while they clean their house. As far as I'm concerned, anmation itself is not the only artistic merrit these movies should be judged by. 2. The Simpsons - I am actually very fond of the series, so I was very, very dissapointed by the movie. It really had nothing to offer, and although it had a few funny moments, it was mostly just boring. 3. The Notebook - Why everybody loves this film is beyond me. I find it cheap and pathetic. If you wanna see a truly great, artistic romance, see Atonement. 4. Wedding Crashers - This is just too dumb to watch. Even if it's a comedy, I cannot watch something that dumbs me down so much. These movies are simply made just to be box office hits, and for no other apparent reason. 5. Ocean's Twelve, Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous, and other ridiculous sequels of good movies. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/love/MemberTagFilms.aspxlove
Number of films tagged: 12478

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]]>Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:51:56 GMT14592457Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/sexuality/MemberTagFilms.aspxsexuality
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