Tag: Actors

Before Midnight, Man of Steel, & ST: Into Darkness

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Before Midnight

Jesse (Ethan Hawke) & Celine (Julie Delpy)
Jesse (Ethan Hawke) & Celine (Julie Delpy)

It’s almost impossible to talk about this film w/o giving things away, but I highly recommend it (as w/ the previous 2 films)!  Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) are now a middle-aged (WOW!) couple raising 2 adorable young daughters (twins) in Paris.  This film takes place in Greece, where they’ve been vacationing.  Jesse is feeling bad after his son from his marriage, Hank, leaves to go back to Chicago.  

It takes three: Richard Linklater, Delpy, & Hawke at 2013 Tribeca Film Festival
It takes three: Richard Linklater, Delpy, & Hawke at 2013 Tribeca Film Festival

There are other actors (playing their friends/acquaintances) here, too, who are pitch perfect in their roles.  “They got serious!”  The young lady sitting beside my friend commented.   This is a film about grown-up life and real situations, and it’s refreshing to see (for a change). 

Man of Steel

Jor-El (Russell Crowe) with his baby son Kal-El
Jor-El (Russell Crowe) with his baby son Kal-El

First of all, this film is much better than Superman Returns (a debacle of a film I saw while visiting some cousins).  I don’t remember much that happened.  Secondly, that’s not high praise.  This film is about 75% action/special effects and 25% acting/dialogue.  Russell Crowe (an actor I usually love watching) does as well as he can w/ what he’s given. 

SVU fans (like me) were pleased to see Chris Meloni
SVU fans (like me) were pleased to see Chris Meloni

I also felt bad for Kevin Costner and Diane Lane, who’ve been out of the spotlight for several years now.  They barely have anything to do in this film- what a waste of talent.  Hey, Hollywood, if you want viewers to care about characters (esp. iconic ones), you need to put in more development.  We’re not all 12 y.o. old boys! 

Jonathan (Kevin Costner) & Martha Kent (Diane Lane)
Jonathan (Kevin Costner) & Martha Kent (Diane Lane)

Star Trek: Into Darkness

Spock (Zachary Quinto)
Spock (Zachary Quinto)

There’s something about Zachary Quinto (and it’s not just his large, expressive eyes)!  I noticed him first in Margin Call (a movie about Wall St. that I didn’t fully understand) a few months back.  He created a very well-rounded character- a young analyst (w/ a science background) who was bright, ambitious, yet honest.  I haven’t seen the first ST reboot film, but hope to in the near future.      

Benedict Cumberbatch
Benedict Cumberbatch

I was VERY excited to see Benedict Cumberbatch (one of my fave Brit actors) on the big screen again.  (He was in Atonement, playing another sort of villain, but that wasn’t a meaty role.)  This film was pretty good (exceeded my expectations).  Cumberbatch has some great dialogue, and just makes you feel for him/his people.  (Our “enemies” are NOT one-dimensional, after all.)  As for the action stuff, I esp. liked the scene where they navigate the asteroid field.  Check this film out.   

A critical piece on the casting of Cumberbatch

The Great Gatsby (2013)

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Gatsby's mansion on Long Island (as imagined by director Baz Luhrmann)
Gatsby’s mansion on Long Island (as imagined by director Baz Luhrmann)

Most critics say that The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a nearly un-filmable book.  You can’t translate the words (loved by many readers of all ages) into a typical movie.  Onscreen, Gatsby’s dialogue is stilted and comes off as fake.  (It’s supposed to be like that, as he’s playing a role he wasn’t born into.  Jay Gatz’s roots are very humble.)

Tom, Myrtle, & Nick party in NYC hotel
Tom, Myrtle, & Nick party in NYC hotel

Nick (Tobey Maguire), a bit younger and more naïve than the other character, is drawn into Gatsby’s world of glittering parties, beautiful/famous women, and freely flowing alcohol.  After WWI (“The Roaring 20s”), Nick wants to be a writer, but ends up taking a job on Wall Street (stockbroker).  He rents a little cottage beside Gatsby’s opulent mansion and wonders what’s going on inside.  Finally, he gets to meet Jay Gatsby, who has a strong/emotional connection to his cousin Daisy (Carey Mulligan).

Gatsby waits nervously for Daisy's arrival at tea.
Gatsby waits nervously for Daisy’s arrival at tea

As readers know, everything Gatsby has done has been to be worthy in the eyes of Daisy, who hails from one of the “old families” of Kentucky.  They met several years ago, when Gatsby’s roots were hidden under his soldier’s uniform (“a great equalizer”).  She’s now married to a former polo player from old money, Tom Buchanan (Joel Edgerton).  However, Tom is cheating on her with Myrtle Wilson (Isla Fisher), the wife of his mechanic.

Not even a box-office powerhouse like Leonardo DiCaprio can save this film!  It’s too much- too bright/colorful, noisy, and doesn’t really go anywhere.  “It looked like Disney Land- cartoonish,” one viewer commented after the screening.  Maguire does what he can with what he’s given.  Edgerton makes Tom a blowhard and jerk (as needed), but it’s pretty much a one-note performance.  Mulligan’s talents are wasted here; she has zero chemistry with DiCaprio.  For those who came to see Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan- he doesn’t have much to do, but looks cool in those period outfits.

Daisy sees Gatsby's house for the first time.
Daisy sees Gatsby’s house for the first time.

The director’s vision comes across (very obviously), but it’s style over substance.  The disjointed (modern) music may be the biggest flaw of all!  Laughs were elicited by the audience at some un-funny moments, I recall.  I was wondering: Where is this all going?  Some of my friends loved the book, so they may re-read it.  There are so many themes to explore in this little story, but I fear this film won’t inspire the younger generation to look into the book.  If you want to see Luhrmann’s best film, check out his debut work- Strictly Ballroom. 

A few thoughts on GoT: S3, E8

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SPOILERS: Don’t read this review if you have not yet seen or don’t want to know details from this episode of Game of Thrones.

Queen Cersei and Lady Margaery
Never were such devious “sisters”- LOL!

Didn’t you love the scene between Cersei and Margaery?  Not only did we learn the cautionary tale of the Rains of Castamere (a long-dead/upstart noble family that rivaled the Lannisters), more was revealed about these two wonderful/layered/complex characters.  (Check out a fun tee for ladies who love Margaery and her machinations: Blossom Queen T-shirt.)

King Joffrey walks Lady Sansa down the aisle
Yet another indignity for Sansa- being given away by Joffrey

I thought that Sansa handled herself with class during a very tough situation, which happened to be her wedding.  Joffrey was more horrid (than usual), esp. after the ceremony.  UGH, I can’t wait until something horrible happens to him!  (The music seemed funereal, but not overly so, in this whole section.)

Lord Tyrion cloaks Sansa during wedding ceremony
Sansa will now be under Tyrion’s protection

Since Joff took away the step stool, Tyrion (looking so forlorn) had to ask Sansa to bend down during the cloaking.  Notice how one glare from Tywin hushed up the guests?  We know who’s really in charge!

Tyrion raises a toast to Ser Loras
Tyrion raises a toast to Ser Loras (in balcony above)
Tywin and Tyrion
Lord Tywin confronts Tyrion about his behavior

Tywin (who doesn’t change his dark clothes) is disgusted once again by his son’s behavior.  He expounds on duty, telling Tyrion that he must have a child with Sansa ASAP.  But when Tyrion lashes out at Joff (a no-no), Tywin calmly comes to his son’s aid.  This scene was very well done! 

After the wedding, Sansa and Tyrion go off to his chamber.  Tyrion admires and comments upon her long neck.  He’s shocked to learn that she’s only 14 (though Sophie Turner is actually 17).  He decides that he doesn’t want to be with her until she agrees.  Peter Dinklage- what MORE can we say about his talents!? 

The Hound and Arya ride toward The Twins
Arya learns that The Hound is taking her to relatives.

Arya tries to bash in his head w/ a rock, but The Hound is actually trying to help her.  He tells her that he’s taking her to The Twins (where her uncle will soon be wed to one of the Frey girls) and not to King’s Landing.

Ser Davos counsels Lord Stannis
Even behind bars, Davos is a great counselor.

Finally, we get to see Ser Davos (how I missed him)!  I love how he’s learning to read, too.  Stannis, who (deep down) doesn’t want to see his kin dead, goes to get Davos’ opinion.  Melisandre wanted to kill the young blacksmith- a sacrifice to The Lord of Light.  The Onion Knight talks freely w/ his lord, unafraid of the consequences.  Stannis listens to Davos, as he respects and trusts him. 

Melisandre with Gendry
Melisandre gets her leeches into Gendry- EWWW!

The Mel and Gendry seduction scene was also very well done.  (I liked Joe Dempsie’s low-key approach.)  Gendry is the ordinary man put into a very weird situation b/c of his parentage.   I was quite worried for Gendry for a minute there! 

Spying on The Second Sons
Jorah talks about the sellswords- The Second Sons
Daenerys turns to address Daario
Dany and Daario have GREAT chemistry already!
Daario Naharis
Daario does what he likes, we learn.
Dany
Dany has a new ally (and perhaps more?) in Daario.

Dany’s story takes an interesting turn- she meets three leaders of The Second Sons, who command 2,000 skilled sellswords.  One of the finest warriors, Daario Naharis (Ed Skrein), is young, handsome, and very confident.  Later that night, he presents her w/ the heads of the two leaders who wanted her dead.  Instead of killing her, he pledges himself to Dany.   (This actor’s looks and demeanor remind me of Jonathan Rhys Myers.)  Dany gets out of the bathtub and reveals herself to him fully.  This is a power move, not only a show of romantic interest. 

Game of Thrones – “The Rains of Castamere”

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Myles McNutt's avatarCultural Learnings

GameOfThronesTitle2

“The Rains of Castamere”

June 2nd, 2013

“The closer you get, the worse the fear gets.”

Every season of Game of Thrones has built to a big event in the season’s ninth episode. As a result, the end of each season has continually created a conflict between those who have read the books and those who haven’t: the pattern means that both parties know the season is building to something major, but only those who have read the books know what that is. This wouldn’t be as much of a problem if those people didn’t really, really want to talk about it.

In the first season, I would say fans mostly tried to keep quiet about Ned Stark’s death. The first season hinged on Ned’s story, and the initial shock of his beheading gave the show its big hook that could make casual viewers into fans and help sustain…

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