list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Leatherheads 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/Leatherheads/296460/default.aspx Title: Leatherheads
Year: 2007
Director: George Clooney
Plot: Good Night, and Good Luck director George Clooney pulls double duty once again in this sports-oriented romantic comedy set against the formation of professional football in the 1920s. Dodge Connolly (Clooney) is a brash and handsome gridiron giant who is equally comfortable leading his team in a barroom brawl, or charging for a touchdown in a packed stadium. But when Connolly's team loses their sponsor and the entire league appears set to collapse, the quick thinking jock attempts a creative late game comeback. If Connolly can convince former college football star and decorated war hero Carter Rutherford (John Krasinski) to join the team, there may be hope for the ill-fated team after all. Back in World War I, Rutherford single handedly forced the surrender of multiple German soldiers - a feat that firmly established the dashing young soldier as America's favorite son. Not only that, but Rutherford's unparalleled speed makes him a valuable asset to the team. To cub reporter Lexie Littleton (Renee Zellweger) Rutherford seems simply too good to be true, and she's determined to prove that her theory is correct. As Littleton digs deep into Rutherford's past, the two teammates enter into a fierce competition for her erratic affections. Now, as Connolly's plan begins to work better than he ever could have anticipated, the rowdy sport he always loved starts to take on a whole new look and feel. In the midst of holding his team together and simultaneously charming the girl of his dreams, Connolly discovers he may be able to use the same strategies he does to win on the field to win in love. Of course there may be a few fouls as this game enters the fourth quarter, but like every good player, Connolly knows the value of always having a secret play to fall back on before the final score is called. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 18
Number of Lists: 6
Number of blog posts: 7
SpoutRating: 2
]]>Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:57:37 GMTLeatherheads2007George ClooneyGood Night, and Good Luck director <a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P____13722/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>George Clooney</a> pulls double duty once again in this sports-oriented romantic comedy set against the formation of professional football in the 1920s. Dodge Connolly (Clooney) is a brash and handsome gridiron giant who is equally comfortable leading his team in a barroom brawl, or charging for a touchdown in a packed stadium. But when Connolly's team loses their sponsor and the entire league appears set to collapse, the quick thinking jock attempts a creative late game comeback. If Connolly can convince former college football star and decorated war hero Carter Rutherford (<a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P___418679/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>John Krasinski</a>) to join the team, there may be hope for the ill-fated team after all. Back in World War I, Rutherford single handedly forced the surrender of multiple German soldiers - a feat that firmly established the dashing young soldier as America's favorite son. Not only that, but Rutherford's unparalleled speed makes him a valuable asset to the team. To cub reporter Lexie Littleton (Renee Zellweger) Rutherford seems simply too good to be true, and she's determined to prove that her theory is correct. As Littleton digs deep into Rutherford's past, the two teammates enter into a fierce competition for her erratic affections. Now, as Connolly's plan begins to work better than he ever could have anticipated, the rowdy sport he always loved starts to take on a whole new look and feel. In the midst of holding his team together and simultaneously charming the girl of his dreams, Connolly discovers he may be able to use the same strategies he does to win on the field to win in love. Of course there may be a few fouls as this game enters the fourth quarter, but like every good player, Connolly knows the value of always having a secret play to fall back on before the final score is called. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide18Tag Target (>10)672http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s296460.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Leatherheads/296460/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/gerosimov/archive/2009/6/14/42645.aspx Post By: Gerosimov
Post To: Gerosimov Blog
Post Date: 6/14/2009 2:36:09 AM
Body: Leatherheads has the feel of a 30s and 40s screwball comedy, which I love. George Clooney fits right in there and Renee Zellweger does a great performance.
]]>Sun, 14 Jun 2009 06:36:09 GMTGerosimovGerosimov Blog6/14/2009 2:36:09 AMLeatherheads has the feel of a 30s and 40s screwball comedy, which I love. George Clooney fits right in there and Renee Zellweger does a great performance. http://www.spout.com/blogs/pippin06/archive/2009/1/4/39068.aspx Post By: pippin06
Post To: Reel Thoughts
Post Date: 1/4/2009 12:18:12 PM
Body: Like that football-punny title? I'm proud of myself for coming up with that, you know. Let it be known that football is the only sport I really enjoy and can talk intelligently about. So, I was more than game for a movie with George Clooney (love him because he's charismatic, interesting, and a fine, fine man), Renee Zellweger (love her because she will always be Bridget Jones to me), and John Krasinski (love him because he is Jim from The Office and is also adorable) that also happened to be about football. I was at the fam's for a New Years' Day gathering that included less-than-normal football--since, if you hadn't heard, the Michigan Wolverines (my alma mater) tanked spectacularly this year, though not quite as spectacularly as the Detroit Lions, but I digress. Also, my dad had made his first use of the Netflix subscription I gave him for Christmas, and one of the films he rented was this one. So, watching Leatherheads seemed like the thing to do. Clooney directed and starred in this film, playing a professional football player in the 1920s named Dodge Connolly. Back before there was a football commissioner, numerous and complicated rules to contend with, and decent injury-preventing equipment, football consisted of a bunch of men playing the game any old way they felt like and helmets made of leather (hence the title). That is, until the weight of the Great Depression and a lack of interest in the sport started bankrupting teams like the Duluth Bulldogs, for which Dodge plays. The trouble is, Dodge has made football his career, and he doesn't know how to do anything else. While down on his luck and considering his options, he hears of a star quarterback at Yale University named Carter Rutherford (Krasinski), nicknamed "The Bullett," who's a phenom at the game and is garnering a steady following and hordes of media attention. In fact, the media has branded him a war hero for single-handedly saving his battalion in World War I by forcing an attacking German force to surrender only to him, and they're selling that story like hotcakes. The story, however, seems too good to be true to the editor of the Chicago Tribune and his star cub reporter Lexie Littleton (Zellweger), who are determined to mete out the real truth behind the Bullett. While Lexie is waiting to meet Carter and his agent (Jonathan Pryce) for an interview, Dodge, who has concocted a scheme to get his football team back on track, decides to show up and insert himself into the proceedings, much to the chagrin of wisecracking, woman-in-a-man's-world Lexie. Yet, Dodge is able to convince Carter and his agent to come play for the Bulldogs, and Carter's notoriety and unquestionable skill begins to boost the sport's popularity, helped along by a few filler stories from Lexie. As Lexie digs deeper, however, Dodge and Carter begin vying for her affections, and as Carter's popularity grows, Dodge begins to realize that he might have created a monster, as the entire game of football begins to change substantially. Dodge finds he must come to grips with those changes while trying to hold onto the girl of his dreams. Leatherheads was an interesting exploration in filmmaking and storytelling concepts that didn't quite achieve what they were aiming for. On the one hand, it's a romantic comedy, following the same semi-predictable formula of boy meets girl, boy likes girl, boy spends movie trying to get girl, boy finally gets girl (or flip the roles around, but it's all the same). To Clooney and his screenwriters' credit, the filmmakers attempted to tweak that concept by hearkening back to films from the classic era and transforming the same old romcom formula into a screwball farce, complete with snappy, intelligent dialogue volleyed at lightning-fast pace and some absurd, even slapstick comedic scenes. Of course, this romantic situation was set against the backdrop of the development of professional football, which should make this a (wait for it) guys' romance but then, as Clooney has consistently done in films he's directed, there is a subtle exploration of how the media can create heroes and monsters by glorifying or villifying the right celebrity. If Clooney had put more focus into any one of these concepts, the film might have been better in the end, but the fact is, thrown into a giant mixing bowl of story as they are, the result is sort of a messy goo that has its good points and its not so good points. Even if I were wont not to consider this movie as an exercise in art, with an intelligent and competent director like Clooney at its helm (because he's made some good flicks in the past, such as Good Night, and Good Luck), as strictly entertainment, the film falters. I laughed at points, like when Carter's arm caught on fire, but for the most part, I sat with a bemused smile on my face or was just a little bored. It's not that the jokes weren't funny; on the contrary, they might have been hysterical with better timing or better scenarios concocted for their execution. I think George as the actor was trying to bring back some of the elements of his performance in O Brother, Where Are Thou?, only with a bit more savvy and focus on his chosen profession, but either because he should have gone a different direction or because being a comedic actor and a director at the same time is hard, he didn't quite pull it off. He was probably the worst part of the film, and All Movie Guide's suggestion that there was some mugging on Clooney's part was on point. Renee did a good job as she nearly always does, giving the Lexie character a sassy, glamorous wash (Rosalind Russell is a good comparison). John Krasinski played his Carter as predominantly the straight man to good effect, and some of the supporting players, like a drunken reporter played by Stephen Root, were fun to watch, but for the most part, the film didn't leave me laughing. And the truth is, there are some elements of the film that give it artistic sensibility and credibility. The cinematography and visual effects, including a sepia-hued camera tone that lent an old photograph feel, in addition to actual sepia photographs of the main characters used in the opening and closing credis, invoked a palpable days-bygone mood. There's a great visual effect of a 1920s version of downtown Chicago seen at a distance that was really cool, and the art direction, complete with automobiles and classically decorated hotel interiors, and the costume design truly helped to immerse the viewer in the period. Also, Clooney chose his soundtrack quite lovingly with some familiar and not-so-familiar but perfectly chosen ditties from the decade; the entire audio-visual experience was a cut above the rest and really helped to bring me back in time and suspend my disbelief about these modern-day actors. Unfortunately, the film wasn't that funny to me, and it is ultimatley supposed to be a comedy. The romance was trite and predictable and not nearly as satisfying as it could have been. The screwball element is lost on some awkward timing, and the more serious and subtle commentary on the effects of the media was buried by all the other layers that didn't quite pan out. The only effective story told was how we arrived at the football of today, with its massively complicated rule structure. Still, I enjoyed some elements of the film, not the least of which included some fine-looking men, and I laughed occasionally, which was why I'm inspired to give the movie a 6 for being cute but mediocre because that rating exactly encapsulates what I feel. As for the test, I don't see it passing. I might watch it again if it comes on cable, only because I rarely pass up a chance to see John Krasinski if I can help it, but it would not be watched if I bought it for my personal movie collection. The bottom line is that Leatherheads has some good plays in its playbook, but none of them are executed well enough to earn the movie that touchdown (see, I did it again!).
]]>Sun, 04 Jan 2009 17:18:12 GMTpippin06Reel Thoughts1/4/2009 12:18:12 PMLike that football-punny title? I'm proud of myself for coming up with that, you know. Let it be known that football is the only sport I really enjoy and can talk intelligently about. So, I was more than game for a movie with George Clooney (love him because he's charismatic, interesting, and a fine, fine man), Renee Zellweger (love her because she will always be Bridget Jones to me), and John Krasinski (love him because he is Jim from The Office and is also adorable) that also happened to be about football. I was at the fam's for a New Years' Day gathering that included less-than-normal football--since, if you hadn't heard, the Michigan Wolverines (my alma mater) tanked spectacularly this year, though not quite as spectacularly as the Detroit Lions, but I digress. Also, my dad had made his first use of the Netflix subscription I gave him for Christmas, and one of the films he rented was this one. So, watching Leatherheads seemed like the thing to do. Clooney directed and starred in this film, playing a professional football player in the 1920s named Dodge Connolly. Back before there was a football commissioner, numerous and complicated rules to contend with, and decent injury-preventing equipment, football consisted of a bunch of men playing the game any old way they felt like and helmets made of leather (hence the title). That is, until the weight of the Great Depression and a lack of interest in the sport started bankrupting teams like the Duluth Bulldogs, for which Dodge plays. The trouble is, Dodge has made football his career, and he doesn't know how to do anything else. While down on his luck and considering his options, he hears of a star quarterback at Yale University named Carter Rutherford (Krasinski), nicknamed "The Bullett," who's a phenom at the game and is garnering a steady following and hordes of media attention. In fact, the media has branded him a war hero for single-handedly saving his battalion in World War I by forcing an attacking German force to surrender only to him, and they're selling that story like hotcakes. The story, however, seems too good to be true to the editor of the Chicago Tribune and his star cub reporter Lexie Littleton (Zellweger), who are determined to mete out the real truth behind the Bullett. While Lexie is waiting to meet Carter and his agent (Jonathan Pryce) for an interview, Dodge, who has concocted a scheme to get his football team back on track, decides to show up and insert himself into the proceedings, much to the chagrin of wisecracking, woman-in-a-man's-world Lexie. Yet, Dodge is able to convince Carter and his agent to come play for the Bulldogs, and Carter's notoriety and unquestionable skill begins to boost the sport's popularity, helped along by a few filler stories from Lexie. As Lexie digs deeper, however, Dodge and Carter begin vying for her affections, and as Carter's popularity grows, Dodge begins to realize that he might have created a monster, as the entire game of football begins to change substantially. Dodge finds he must come to grips with those changes while trying to hold onto the girl of his dreams. Leatherheads was an interesting exploration in filmmaking and storytelling concepts that didn't quite achieve what they were aiming for. On the one hand, it's a romantic comedy, following the same semi-predictable formula of boy meets girl, boy likes girl, boy spends movie trying to get girl, boy finally gets girl (or flip the roles around, but it's all the same). To Clooney and his screenwriters' credit, the filmmakers attempted to tweak that concept by hearkening back to films from the classic era and transforming the same old romcom formula into a screwball farce, complete with snappy, intelligent dialogue volleyed at lightning-fast pace and some absurd, even slapstick comedic scenes. Of course, this romantic situation was set against the backdrop of the development of professional football, which should make this a (wait for it) guys' romance but then, as Clooney has consistently done in films he's directed, there is a subtle exploration of how the media can create heroes and monsters by glorifying or villifying the right celebrity. If Clooney had put more focus into any one of these concepts, the film might have been better in the end, but the fact is, thrown into a giant mixing bowl of story as they are, the result is sort of a messy goo that has its good points and its not so good points. Even if I were wont not to consider this movie as an exercise in art, with an intelligent and competent director like Clooney at its helm (because he's made some good flicks in the past, such as Good Night, and Good Luck), as strictly entertainment, the film falters. I laughed at points, like when Carter's arm caught on fire, but for the most part, I sat with a bemused smile on my face or was just a little bored. It's not that the jokes weren't funny; on the contrary, they might have been hysterical with better timing or better scenarios concocted for their execution. I think George as the actor was trying to bring back some of the elements of his performance in O Brother, Where Are Thou?, only with a bit more savvy and focus on his chosen profession, but either because he should have gone a different direction or because being a comedic actor and a director at the same time is hard, he didn't quite pull it off. He was probably the worst part of the film, and All Movie Guide's suggestion that there was some mugging on Clooney's part was on point. Renee did a good job as she nearly always does, giving the Lexie character a sassy, glamorous wash (Rosalind Russell is a good comparison). John Krasinski played his Carter as predominantly the straight man to good effect, and some of the supporting players, like a drunken reporter played by Stephen Root, were fun to watch, but for the most part, the film didn't leave me laughing. And the truth is, there are some elements of the film that give it artistic sensibility and credibility. The cinematography and visual effects, including a sepia-hued camera tone that lent an old photograph feel, in addition to actual sepia photographs of the main characters used in the opening and closing credis, invoked a palpable days-bygone mood. There's a great visual effect of a 1920s version of downtown Chicago seen at a distance that was really cool, and the art direction, complete with automobiles and classically decorated hotel interiors, and the costume design truly helped to immerse the viewer in the period. Also, Clooney chose his soundtrack quite lovingly with some familiar and not-so-familiar but perfectly chosen ditties from the decade; the entire audio-visual experience was a cut above the rest and really helped to bring me back in time and suspend my disbelief about these modern-day actors. Unfortunately, the film wasn't that funny to me, and it is ultimatley supposed to be a comedy. The romance was trite and predictable and not nearly as satisfying as it could have been. The screwball element is lost on some awkward timing, and the more serious and subtle commentary on the effects of the media was buried by all the other layers that didn't quite pan out. The only effective story told was how we arrived at the football of today, with its massively complicated rule structure. Still, I enjoyed some elements of the film, not the least of which included some fine-looking men, and I laughed occasionally, which was why I'm inspired to give the movie a 6 for being cute but mediocre because that rating exactly encapsulates what I feel. As for the test, I don't see it passing. I might watch it again if it comes on cable, only because I rarely pass up a chance to see John Krasinski if I can help it, but it would not be watched if I bought it for my personal movie collection. The bottom line is that Leatherheads has some good plays in its playbook, but none of them are executed well enough to earn the movie that touchdown (see, I did it again!). http://www.spout.com/blogs/seely/archive/2009/1/2/39042.aspx Post By: seely
Post To: seely
Post Date: 1/2/2009 12:27:13 PM
Body: Billed as a 'romantic comedy', Leatherheads had the bar set pretty low going into it. My expecations and preconcieved notions of the genre set me up for disappointment and a shallow, trite film with little to offer other than a few sophmoric chuckles at tired and cliched circumstances. In reality, Leatherheads is no more a romantic comedy than Jaws is a film about boating. Yes, there is romance, and yes--there is comedy but to call this film a romantic comedy sells it a bit short of its potential. The film is set in a post WWI/prohibition era, where soldiers returning from war are met with the reality that they have little education or skills outside of the military. The nation is coming off the high of victory overseas, and patriotism and nationalism are at an all time high. The nation turns its admiration towards Carter (John Krasinski), an educated bright young hero who single-handedly saved an entire platoon. However, there is a secret that only Carter and a handful of others know regarding that day's events. Renee Zellweger, annoying as always, and Clooney, fast-witted and cocky as always play their respective rolls well and provide some laughs along side Krasinki's relatively flat-but-functional performance. In the wake of the Iraq war, the film raises some questions of national pride and patriotism although perhaps a few years after its peak relevance. Overall, the film impressed with some good laughs, and a slightly deeper subtext than most films of its genre.
]]>Fri, 02 Jan 2009 17:27:13 GMTseelyseely1/2/2009 12:27:13 PMBilled as a 'romantic comedy', Leatherheads had the bar set pretty low going into it. My expecations and preconcieved notions of the genre set me up for disappointment and a shallow, trite film with little to offer other than a few sophmoric chuckles at tired and cliched circumstances. In reality, Leatherheads is no more a romantic comedy than Jaws is a film about boating. Yes, there is romance, and yes--there is comedy but to call this film a romantic comedy sells it a bit short of its potential. The film is set in a post WWI/prohibition era, where soldiers returning from war are met with the reality that they have little education or skills outside of the military. The nation is coming off the high of victory overseas, and patriotism and nationalism are at an all time high. The nation turns its admiration towards Carter (John Krasinski), an educated bright young hero who single-handedly saved an entire platoon. However, there is a secret that only Carter and a handful of others know regarding that day's events. Renee Zellweger, annoying as always, and Clooney, fast-witted and cocky as always play their respective rolls well and provide some laughs along side Krasinki's relatively flat-but-functional performance. In the wake of the Iraq war, the film raises some questions of national pride and patriotism although perhaps a few years after its peak relevance. Overall, the film impressed with some good laughs, and a slightly deeper subtext than most films of its genre. http://www.spout.com/blogs/joem18b/archive/2008/9/28/35654.aspx Post By: joem18b
Post To: joem18b Blog
Post Date: 9/28/2008 1:47:56 AM
Body: Watching Kabluey the other night, I was delighted to see that Lisa Kudrow is letting the camera record her age (45), at least in this movie. Her part required her to look haggard and beaten down, but not necessarily mid-forties; in this business, it takes some guts to show your age, especially if you're female. Helen Hunt, born the same year, looks 45 in Then She Found Me, which is good, except that as the director, she cast herself as a 39-year-old trying to conceive. Does this mean that she thinks that she still looks 39 onscreen? I like Helen Hunt, so I hope that she isn't deluding herself. A while back I found I Could Never Be Your Woman unwatchable because Michelle Pfeiffer has had so much work done that I feel creepy looking at her. See, everybody should be in charge of their own body and if someone wants to get a little plastic surgery done, fine. Their perogative. But as a movie-goer, it's my perogative to choose not to go to films that creep me out. Sorry, Michelle. In the movie she's the October in a May/October relationship, which is good, but that face. Whew.And as soon as I say that, here comes Aging Gracefully with Michelle Pfeiffer.The common trope on women is: "Except for occasional supporting roles as mothers (who are never germane to the plot), Hollywood actresses disappear from the screen at about age 35 or certainly by 40. After of few years of exile, they turn up as has-been semi-celebrities on reality shows then disappear again until they age into grande dames like Helen Mirren, Judi Dench and Maggie Smith." (Ronni Bennett) Somehow I've been thinking that there are more women of middle age in the movies now than there used to be. True or false? Women who never stoped working, like Geneviève Bujold and Charlotte Rampling. Hmm. In their forties or older: Nicole Kidman, Lucy Liu, Laura Linney, Demi Moore, Julia Roberts, Holly Hunter, Meg Ryan, Mary-Louise Parker, Elizabeth Perkins, Mary McConnell, Felicity Huffman, Teri Hatcher, Alfre Woodward, Geena Davis, Stockard Channing, Frances Conroy, Glenn Close, Bette Midler, Susan Sarandon, Goldie Hawn. I keep thinking of more. Angelica Houston. Lily Tomlin. Sarah Palin. Debra Winger. Catherine Deneuve. Got to stop. Signorney Weaver, Isabella Rossallini, Juliette Binoche, Isabelle Adjani, Lili Taylor, Jane Curtain. Got... to... let... it... go. Janeane Garofalo. Julie Delpy. Sharon Stone. And by the way, Helen Mirren was never out of work, nor was Maggie Smith, nor was Dame Dench.I remember how pleased I was when Pacino let his age show, in movies like... hmm... when did he start looking ravaged? Heat? Scent of a Woman?. Not like Cary Grant in North By Northwest or Gable in Teacher's Pet - geezers romancing younger women. I like Grant and Gable but having them nuzzling young dishes in their late 50s... Ugh. To me, Gable and Doris Day in a clinch has not aged well. Meanwhile, my hat is off to Clint Eastwood for making Laura Linney his daughter instead of his squeeze in Absolute Power. He was pushing it with Streep in Madison County (she's 19 years younger than he is). And Redford and Deniro just throw their aging mugs up there onscreen without feathers. So too Woody Allen, but thank God he's finally stopping pairing himself with young women.Btw, Paul Newman. RIP. There was a guy who looked great all the way through.Burt Reynolds, once, just once, take off the rug. In Leatherheads, Renee Zellweger, 39, claims to be 29; does she mean it or was that just a character lying about her age? Stallone, ok, he's had so much work done that he's entered the realm of the weird but for some reason that doesn't bother me at all. There he is in the latest Rambo, totally unwrinkled and supposedly a guy living as a snake-catcher out in the bushes and that totally works for me. On the other hand, what is it with Mathew Broderick? I kept staring at him in Then She Found Me, trying to figure out what's strange about his face. He looks like a recovered burn victim. I googled his name along with "work done" and all I got were hits about his wife's plastic surgery (Sarah Jessica Parker's, that is).Bottom line: skip the lift. P.S.: Parker Posey, Maggie Cheung, Michelle Yeoh, Mary Kay Place, Dianne Weist.
]]>Sun, 28 Sep 2008 05:47:56 GMTjoem18bjoem18b Blog9/28/2008 1:47:56 AMWatching Kabluey the other night, I was delighted to see that Lisa Kudrow is letting the camera record her age (45), at least in this movie. Her part required her to look haggard and beaten down, but not necessarily mid-forties; in this business, it takes some guts to show your age, especially if you're female. Helen Hunt, born the same year, looks 45 in Then She Found Me, which is good, except that as the director, she cast herself as a 39-year-old trying to conceive. Does this mean that she thinks that she still looks 39 onscreen? I like Helen Hunt, so I hope that she isn't deluding herself. A while back I found I Could Never Be Your Woman unwatchable because Michelle Pfeiffer has had so much work done that I feel creepy looking at her. See, everybody should be in charge of their own body and if someone wants to get a little plastic surgery done, fine. Their perogative. But as a movie-goer, it's my perogative to choose not to go to films that creep me out. Sorry, Michelle. In the movie she's the October in a May/October relationship, which is good, but that face. Whew.And as soon as I say that, here comes Aging Gracefully with Michelle Pfeiffer.The common trope on women is: "Except for occasional supporting roles as mothers (who are never germane to the plot), Hollywood actresses disappear from the screen at about age 35 or certainly by 40. After of few years of exile, they turn up as has-been semi-celebrities on reality shows then disappear again until they age into grande dames like Helen Mirren, Judi Dench and Maggie Smith." (Ronni Bennett) Somehow I've been thinking that there are more women of middle age in the movies now than there used to be. True or false? Women who never stoped working, like Genevi&egrave;ve Bujold and Charlotte Rampling. Hmm. In their forties or older: Nicole Kidman, Lucy Liu, Laura Linney, Demi Moore, Julia Roberts, Holly Hunter, Meg Ryan, Mary-Louise Parker, Elizabeth Perkins, Mary McConnell, Felicity Huffman, Teri Hatcher, Alfre Woodward, Geena Davis, Stockard Channing, Frances Conroy, Glenn Close, Bette Midler, Susan Sarandon, Goldie Hawn. I keep thinking of more. Angelica Houston. Lily Tomlin. Sarah Palin. Debra Winger. Catherine Deneuve. Got to stop. Signorney Weaver, Isabella Rossallini, Juliette Binoche, Isabelle Adjani, Lili Taylor, Jane Curtain. Got... to... let... it... go. Janeane Garofalo. Julie Delpy. Sharon Stone. And by the way, Helen Mirren was never out of work, nor was Maggie Smith, nor was Dame Dench.I remember how pleased I was when Pacino let his age show, in movies like... hmm... when did he start looking ravaged? Heat? Scent of a Woman?. Not like Cary Grant in North By Northwest or Gable in Teacher's Pet - geezers romancing younger women. I like Grant and Gable but having them nuzzling young dishes in their late 50s... Ugh. To me, Gable and Doris Day in a clinch has not aged well. Meanwhile, my hat is off to Clint Eastwood for making Laura Linney his daughter instead of his squeeze in Absolute Power. He was pushing it with Streep in Madison County (she's 19 years younger than he is). And Redford and Deniro just throw their aging mugs up there onscreen without feathers. So too Woody Allen, but thank God he's finally stopping pairing himself with young women.Btw, Paul Newman. RIP. There was a guy who looked great all the way through.Burt Reynolds, once, just once, take off the rug. In Leatherheads, Renee Zellweger, 39, claims to be 29; does she mean it or was that just a character lying about her age? Stallone, ok, he's had so much work done that he's entered the realm of the weird but for some reason that doesn't bother me at all. There he is in the latest Rambo, totally unwrinkled and supposedly a guy living as a snake-catcher out in the bushes and that totally works for me. On the other hand, what is it with Mathew Broderick? I kept staring at him in Then She Found Me, trying to figure out what's strange about his face. He looks like a recovered burn victim. I googled his name along with "work done" and all I got were hits about his wife's plastic surgery (Sarah Jessica Parker's, that is).Bottom line: skip the lift. P.S.: Parker Posey, Maggie Cheung, Michelle Yeoh, Mary Kay Place, Dianne Weist. http://www.spout.com/blogs/mythman/archive/2008/6/9/31026.aspx Post By: mythman
Post To: Watch Everything and Still See ONLY What Is Good
Post Date: 6/9/2008 9:01:09 PM
Body: 1pointsThe film is Leatherheads, basically a 'time passes by'-ode starring George Clooney. I don't want to give too-much of a SPOILER, which is my main complaint with the movie (you don't need to hear how wonderful it is ... George Clooney's in it!): the most-thrilling thing about it is that you don't know how it's going to end. read more Originally posted on:mythman's Xombyte
]]>Tue, 10 Jun 2008 01:01:09 GMTmythmanWatch Everything and Still See ONLY What Is Good6/9/2008 9:01:09 PM1pointsThe film is Leatherheads, basically a 'time passes by'-ode starring George Clooney. I don't want to give too-much of a SPOILER, which is my main complaint with the movie (you don't need to hear how wonderful it is ... George Clooney's in it!): the most-thrilling thing about it is that you don't know how it's going to end. read more Originally posted on:mythman's Xombyte http://www.spout.com/blogs/usesoap/archive/2008/4/7/27033.aspx Post By: usesoap
Post To: usesoap Blog
Post Date: 4/7/2008 10:47:59 AM
Body: “Leatherheads” has had a long a storied journey to the big screen, and has mutated into several incarnations in the process.It was once envisioned to be a historically accurate account of football’s earliest innovators, a blood-and-mud saga of gridiron gladiators, and a comedic take on colorful pigskin pioneers.It arrives in theaters as a screwball comedy throwback – cobbled together with romantic subplots, early growing pains of the game, and fictional glimpses into the lives of the sport’s bruising brotherhood.The result is a curious mix that is overstuffed with half-planned protractions of what might have been if director/star George Clooney had remained focused not on merely gaining yardage with small hand-offs of laughter, but on just where the goal line of his film was.Not screwy enough for screwball, not hard-hitting enough for a sports picture, and far-too-slight as a commentary on the souring of the game with all its “rules” and “regulations,” “Leatherheads merely scrambles in scene after scene, wearily winding down the clock.Clooney plays Dodge Connelly, the aging coach and player of the amateur Duluth Bulldogs, one of the last holdouts in a rapidly diminishing field of football teams in 1925.In order to boost sales and escape working in “the real world,” Connelly concocts a plan to enlist a star athlete who has returned from World War I a hero and whose ubiquitous visage is pimped out on more products than Michael Jordan is his prime.But there is a cloud that follows this young hero, Carter “The Bullet” Rutherford (played by “The Office’s” John Krasinski), as his military heroics might not be all that it appears.Enter Lexie Littleton (played by perma-puckering Renee Zellweger), a hard-edged moll who’s the ace reporter for the local paper intent on cracking the shell of this “Bullet.” Her presence sets up a rather static love triangle between her, the young rising star and the aging Donnelly. While there are moments of back-and-forth banter, a la “Philadelphia Story,” little of it lands with the impact Grant and Hepburn so successfully accomplished decades ago.The chemistry between its romantic leads is so week and predictable, it would be eclipsed by a grade school science fair.After veering from ensemble action comedy to bickering romance, the film takes yet another curious detour in its final act to comment on American values, the country’s need for heroes and how the formality of regulated sports drains the fun out of the game.Clooney has proven himself sure-footed when he’s behind the camera in his two previous outings, “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind” and “Good Night, and Good Luck.” But here, he feels completely off balance. It has moments of artistic flourish, but it gets dogpiled under the heft of so many extra slender subplots. In front of the lens, he’s as easygoing as ever, slightly summoning a variation on his deft comedic work in “O Brother, Where Art Thou,” and he takes more than a few good-natured jabs at his age, but he can do little to extract much from co-stars Zellweger and Krazinski, who seem unable to establish their footing from one scene to the next.“Leatherheads,” though infinitely more competent a film, shares much with Will Ferrell’s latest amateur-to-pro sports comedy, “Semi-Pro,” in which it suffers from jarring tonal shifts that ultimately hobble it at its knees. It’s light enough to keep audiences occupied with slight smirks, but like the players on the soggy field in the film’s final game, “Leatherheads” becomes too muddied with plot that we are really unable to distinguish just who these people are.
]]>Mon, 07 Apr 2008 14:47:59 GMTusesoapusesoap Blog4/7/2008 10:47:59 AM&ldquo;Leatherheads&rdquo; has had a long a storied journey to the big screen, and has mutated into several incarnations in the process.It was once envisioned to be a historically accurate account of football&rsquo;s earliest innovators, a blood-and-mud saga of gridiron gladiators, and a comedic take on colorful pigskin pioneers.It arrives in theaters as a screwball comedy throwback &ndash; cobbled together with romantic subplots, early growing pains of the game, and fictional glimpses into the lives of the sport&rsquo;s bruising brotherhood.The result is a curious mix that is overstuffed with half-planned protractions of what might have been if director/star George Clooney had remained focused not on merely gaining yardage with small hand-offs of laughter, but on just where the goal line of his film was.Not screwy enough for screwball, not hard-hitting enough for a sports picture, and far-too-slight as a commentary on the souring of the game with all its &ldquo;rules&rdquo; and &ldquo;regulations,&rdquo; &ldquo;Leatherheads merely scrambles in scene after scene, wearily winding down the clock.Clooney plays Dodge Connelly, the aging coach and player of the amateur Duluth Bulldogs, one of the last holdouts in a rapidly diminishing field of football teams in 1925.In order to boost sales and escape working in &ldquo;the real world,&rdquo; Connelly concocts a plan to enlist a star athlete who has returned from World War I a hero and whose ubiquitous visage is pimped out on more products than Michael Jordan is his prime.But there is a cloud that follows this young hero, Carter &ldquo;The Bullet&rdquo; Rutherford (played by &ldquo;The Office&rsquo;s&rdquo; John Krasinski), as his military heroics might not be all that it appears.Enter Lexie Littleton (played by perma-puckering Renee Zellweger), a hard-edged moll who&rsquo;s the ace reporter for the local paper intent on cracking the shell of this &ldquo;Bullet.&rdquo; Her presence sets up a rather static love triangle between her, the young rising star and the aging Donnelly. While there are moments of back-and-forth banter, a la &ldquo;Philadelphia Story,&rdquo; little of it lands with the impact Grant and Hepburn so successfully accomplished decades ago.The chemistry between its romantic leads is so week and predictable, it would be eclipsed by a grade school science fair.After veering from ensemble action comedy to bickering romance, the film takes yet another curious detour in its final act to comment on American values, the country&rsquo;s need for heroes and how the formality of regulated sports drains the fun out of the game.Clooney has proven himself sure-footed when he&rsquo;s behind the camera in his two previous outings, &ldquo;Confessions of a Dangerous Mind&rdquo; and &ldquo;Good Night, and Good Luck.&rdquo; But here, he feels completely off balance. It has moments of artistic flourish, but it gets dogpiled under the heft of so many extra slender subplots. In front of the lens, he&rsquo;s as easygoing as ever, slightly summoning a variation on his deft comedic work in &ldquo;O Brother, Where Art Thou,&rdquo; and he takes more than a few good-natured jabs at his age, but he can do little to extract much from co-stars Zellweger and Krazinski, who seem unable to establish their footing from one scene to the next.&ldquo;Leatherheads,&rdquo; though infinitely more competent a film, shares much with Will Ferrell&rsquo;s latest amateur-to-pro sports comedy, &ldquo;Semi-Pro,&rdquo; in which it suffers from jarring tonal shifts that ultimately hobble it at its knees. It&rsquo;s light enough to keep audiences occupied with slight smirks, but like the players on the soggy field in the film&rsquo;s final game, &ldquo;Leatherheads&rdquo; becomes too muddied with plot that we are really unable to distinguish just who these people are. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2007/12/18/22918.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 12/18/2007 12:01:06 PM
Body: Leave it to George Clooney to make a football movie that actually looks good to people like me. And by people like me, I mean people with no interest in American football whatsoever (I attend Super Bowl parties exclusively for the 7-layer dip). Yahoo! is hosting the trailer for Leatherheads, Clooney’s much-anticipated directorial follow-up to Good Night, and Good Luck, and the romantic sports comedy looks like the most appealing football flick — particularly for women and also guys like me — ever produced. Part of the appeal for me, though, is those old uniforms, which bring me back (cinematicaly — I’m not that old) to the football fields of Horse Feathers, Harold Lloyd’s The Freshman and that famous still of Ronald Reagan from Knute Rockne All American. Then, of course, there’s the appeal of Clooney in old-timey clothes, ala O Brother Where Art Thou? Considering how much Clooney resembles Cary Grant in both appearance and acting style, it’s no wonder that I prefer him in stories that take him back to periods in which Grant was a big star. Okay, so Leatherheads is actually set in the 1920s, before Grant and his silly accent made it to the big screen, but I’m willing to ignore that little historical inaccuracy (just as the Coen Bros. ignored a lot of historical fact with O’ Brother). Had sound films come about earlier than they had, Cary Grant could have been wooed by Hollywood much sooner than he was. (more…) Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Tue, 18 Dec 2007 17:01:06 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com12/18/2007 12:01:06 PM Leave it to George Clooney to make a football movie that actually looks good to people like me. And by people like me, I mean people with no interest in American football whatsoever (I attend Super Bowl parties exclusively for the 7-layer dip). Yahoo! is hosting the trailer for Leatherheads, Clooney’s much-anticipated directorial follow-up to Good Night, and Good Luck, and the romantic sports comedy looks like the most appealing football flick — particularly for women and also guys like me — ever produced. Part of the appeal for me, though, is those old uniforms, which bring me back (cinematicaly — I’m not that old) to the football fields of Horse Feathers, Harold Lloyd’s The Freshman and that famous still of Ronald Reagan from Knute Rockne All American. Then, of course, there’s the appeal of Clooney in old-timey clothes, ala O Brother Where Art Thou? Considering how much Clooney resembles Cary Grant in both appearance and acting style, it’s no wonder that I prefer him in stories that take him back to periods in which Grant was a big star. Okay, so Leatherheads is actually set in the 1920s, before Grant and his silly accent made it to the big screen, but I’m willing to ignore that little historical inaccuracy (just as the Coen Bros. ignored a lot of historical fact with O’ Brother). Had sound films come about earlier than they had, Cary Grant could have been wooed by Hollywood much sooner than he was. (more…) Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/funny/MemberTagFilms.aspxfunny
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