Watched Atonement last night and I was ready to tout it as the best of last year's best picture nominees, until the ending...which was wretched.So wretched in fact, that it nearly made me forget about the exceptional story of Ian McEwan or the excellent performances from James McAvoy and Keira Knightly.
My relationship with Atonement has been heavy-handed, after the NYT named it book of the year in 06., I tried to read it, twice, and neither time did I make it past the scenes from Brioney's play. I would imagine that McEwan's novel ends the same way as the film. Does anyone know for sure?
For those counting, here's how I rate last year's Best Picture nominees...a nice thought heading into this year's festivities...please comment the same if you have seen them all:
1. I would've given the Oscar to Juno
2. followed closely by Michael Clayton
3. There Will Be Blood
4. Atonement
5. No Country for Old Men (If you checked, I wouldn't be surprised to find that this is possibly the EXACT opposite of the way the films finished in the actual voting)
Juno, upon multiple viewings, isn't as good as I once thought. Maybe I just tired myself of it, I don't know.
ReplyDeleteunfortunately, I didn't see Atonement or Michael Clayton. I'm not really able to provide much insight on rankings involving those.
Between those I've seen, however, it would be
There Will Be Blood
No Country for Old Men
Juno
Well Atonement is the only Oscar Best Picture Nominee that I didn't see. Though like James said Juno slowly lost it's magic. I saw it in theaters 3 times and by that third time it wasn't bouncing with joy and life. There were a few parts where I said "wow I still love this shot" but over all definitely not the best film.
ReplyDeleteFor me I'd have to make this list as such-
1. No Country for Old Men- This is one just leaves me breathless when I watch it. It's like magic on screen. The acting is so great and it feels so much like a Clint Eastwood movie with a dose of Hitchcock. It's too ingenious for it's own good and I love it.
2. Juno- It might have lost it's magic but it still was great. Not nearly as amazing for me as No Country. And since I haven't watch There Will Be Blood more I can't say it'll carry the magic for me.
3. There Will Be Blood- I loved it. But too much talk not enough action. I'm going to have to revisit it a few more times to truly make my final say but I love P.T. Anderson and his films always need a few more going throughs to see all the gold it's hiding.
4. Atonement- Haven't seen yet
5. Micheal Clayton- It felt like last year must have been slow or something because this movie made the list. I'm sorry I watched and left with this feeling that with all that talent I could have made a better film. It felt like The Insider mixed with some Sidney Lumet, a bit of conspiracy theory/ CIA babble, and absolutly nothing going on while things are going on. I really was upset with this movie because at most I could say it was shot well and the acting was good but the story was just not engaging. I would have given it 3 or 3 1/2 stars at most. I think I left Eastern Promises feeling a bit happier about my viewing experience despite not loving that story either. I almost wish Viggo Mortensen had got the Best Actor Oscar for that movie.
My favorite movies of '07:
ReplyDelete-RZ's "HALLOWEEN"
-"Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
-"Across the Universe"
-"No Country for Old Men"
-"Juno"
-"The Mist"
-"Grindhouse"
-"Black Snake Moan"
-"Hot Fuzz"
-"Bug"
-"Them
...I have alot of favorites...
No Country for Old Men leaves me flat. I can acknowledge the power of Bardem's performance. Icy and deeply disturbing, but that's about it. I don't get the hype for the rest of it. Maybe it's because I watched it on the bus on the way to whatever the heck we were going...New York? I really think where you see a movie is a huge factor.
ReplyDeleteAlex...I like you, but I despised a good number of the movies on your list...1, 3, 7 & 8 especially.
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ReplyDeleteI haven't seen "There will be Blood" or "Michael Clayton" yet, but I am anxious to see "there will be blood" more than "Michael".
ReplyDeleteI never finished "Atonement", but I intend to at some point.
Costal, I agree with your comment about where you watch a film, because if I had never seen "No Country for Old Men" before that bus ride, I'm sure I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much as I did.
No, it's not the Coen's best ever(I don't think anything will ever top "Fargo", honestly), but I still found it to be one of last year's best movies.
true, alex and I meant that I hated #9 (hot fuzz) I never saw black snake moan.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you didn't like No Country for Old Men either, Costal. It was one of those movies that left me with nothing afterward. I felt like I had just watched a movie, and that was it. It was a good piece of cinematic art, but it did nothing to move me. I just didn't like it.
ReplyDeleteI've seen Juno, NCfOM, and TWBB. I'd have to place NCfOM last, and the other two would be a toss-up. Nothing really moved me last year.
i enjoyed the first 15 minutes of 'juno', but after that, the hip-hop, web-based slang was too much for me to handle. in my opinion, 'juno' is a bit obnoxious and a lot overrated.
ReplyDeletei think 'no country' is deserving of its awards. 'there will be blood' was my favorite film of the nominations last year--even though there was an extensive amount of talking, it was worth sitting through. daniel day-lewis was phenomenal, and the ending, i thought, was perfect.
well said, Drew...you really captured my exact feelings.
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