2003 Film List - Page 18

Seth Paxton · 02-01-2004, 01:10 AM

I agree Nick. I mean it happens throughout the script. I don't even blame the acting because while I saw no great efforts I do think they could have pulled off the challenge of having decent lines.

I mean at every turn the script breaks the hierarchy of knowledge that it just created, ie where the audience knows things that the characters don't, which when used correctly adds tension in good films.

It's like why didn't you just let them find this info out instead of hiding it from them, YOU'RE WRITING IT. It's not like they recorded reality and are trying to fix the tricky spot it put them in.

The Cooler
8 of 10
Sounds like I may be semi-alone on this one since I've seen many less flattering reviews on the film. But there are those people out there who do admit to liking it at least.

I thought it was a very solid film, direction, script, and acting are all pretty good. Maybe its just the idea of what the story is that many people don't like. Me, I bought into that and then enjoyed how it was presented to me. I put more about it in the Cooler thread.

Adam_S · 02-01-2004, 01:39 AM

Tripletts of Belleville -

(of four)

If the entirety of Tripletts were as good as the first five minutes, this would be one of the greatest animated films ever. Unfortunately, the rest of the movie drags quite often. It's brilliantly done, but just a little too laconic for me (at times). The film has so many brilliant moments, almost everyone centered around the dog.

Adam

Edwin Pereyra · 02-01-2004, 09:14 AM

Carl Franklin's Out of Time – Denzel Washington plays a cop who is in way over his head in this romantic thriller. For much of its running time, most of the events that happens in this thriller seems plausible until the filmmakers decide the push the realm of believability a little further that it puts the entire film over the edge.

That is too bad as this could have been easily rectified if not for that 3-minute Hollywood ending. Still, it’s a nice diversion.

At Bat: Something's Gotta Give

~Edwin

Brook K · 02-02-2004, 02:34 AM

I gave FvJ a B+ as it delivered exactly what I hoped for. A funny, gory, knock-down drag out between our two beloved characters with everything else being completely superflous as it was in basically every Jason movie excepting the original and all but maybe 3 of the Freddy movies. I could care less about the premise or how they got the characters together, the series has never been a paragon of writing or in many cases, competent filmmaking. The entire draw is the iconic characters. All I needed was for them to get the showdown right, and they definitely did that.

I'm probably the biggest fan of The Cooler on the forum. Its in my top 10. But I love to gamble and I love Vegas, I'm the target audience.

The Triplets of Belleville - Love the visual look of the film and the animation; a fusion of geometric and exaggerated realism. Also love the lack of dialogue. Its told almost completely visually. Other than the song, there might be 5 lines of dialogue, reminding those who may have forgotten that movies don't need words. It has a terrific sense of humor. Simply a delightfully funny and visually impressive film that's strengths lie in its simplicity of character, drawing, story, and conflict. I would agree that the energy of the opening 20-30m flags a bit when the Triplets are re-introduced, but not enough to harm my overall enjoyment. A-

Next Up: Fog Of War or Wonderland

Dana Fillhart · 02-05-2004, 10:03 PM

Updated my list with Open Range (80%), Swimming Pool (85%), and Les Triplettes de Belleville (85%).

Seth Paxton · 02-06-2004, 01:29 AM

Open Range
7.5 of 10
Great production values, good story idea, strong acting from Duvall as always. Costner and Bennett are decent.

Script is terrible at times, especially as it awkwardly tries to wedge in a romance plot. The last 4 scenes are the exact same exchange between characters. I mean they are actually talking to each other like the scene before didn't even occur. There are other troubled spots too, but the end is the worst. The direction follows suit with some dreadful choices in the area of slow motion, and in general is less than what the story warranted.

Terrific production/design of the main shootout with a much more authentic, interesting, and dramatic unfolding. The film definitely deserves respect in that area.

American Splendor
9.5 of 10
Just a terrific adaptation of a comic style and a personality to the screen. The film utilizes Pekar's love of jazz with a wonderful jazz score (very nice choices on that) and a jazzy/comic style of direction. The film is unafraid to mix the real people with the actors, and not in a gimmicky way but rather in a humanistic character study way. Just great filmmaking to go with an outstanding script. Giamatti continues his work as a strong screen presence not to mention some fine acting. His name belongs in the circle of the years best actors.

Thirteen
8 of 10
I think I liked this film better when it was called Crazy/Beautiful or White Oleander. It's nicely directed, though nothing remarkable either. Script is solid and provides a fair treatment for all the major characters, nothing is glossed over for Hollywood's sake. Still, the main drawback is that it does follow other recent films so closely that it almost becomes pointless artistically speaking. Hunter and Wood are fine though Hunter is much better. I would only consider Hunter for an acting award however.

House of Sand and Fog
9 of 10
A very powerful drama following in the footsteps of Changing Lanes a little bit, except now the battle is over a house and the players are far more innocent. Similar to Changing Lanes each side finds themselves taking actions and/or stands that are reasonable enough and yet are also perpetuating the situation. It's a great story of real life spinning out of control in an honest manner. Kingsley is outstanding as is Connelly. Kingsley got his nomination, but I'd say that without having seen Keaton's effort I just suspect that Connelly was far more deserving. I'll have to see Something's Got to Give before final judgement on that one. Shohreh Aghdashloo at least gets the Supporting nomination, also deserved.

Unlike Changing Lanes this film is slower, more in line with the tone/tempo of something like The Deep End. Deakin's cinematography gives Seabiscuit (Schwartzman) a run for its money, I'm not sure how he missed the nomination. I would swap him for Serra having seen all 5 cinematography nominees now. His composition is well beyond the direction of Perelman.

Horner's score is also very strong, well-deserving of its Oscar nomination. I'm a bit surprised that Perelman didn't get a nomination for the script, just because it plays so honestly. It really earns it's tensions and emotions.

Matt Stone · 02-06-2004, 04:36 AM

Updated with Lost in Translation (*****/*****) and The Last Samurai (****/*****).

Arman · 02-06-2004, 09:39 PM

Jason Seaver · 02-07-2004, 02:34 AM

Updated with Cold Mountain (

¾), which is no threat to my top 10.

Seth Paxton · 02-07-2004, 01:24 PM

In America
10 of 10
A wonderful script that is acted out by 5 terrific performances, including the sisters playing the 2 daughters. Morton got her nom but somehow Paddy Considine didn't get his, yet his character has to deal with more emotional range and got many of the best lines.

The dialog and situations found in the script represent the best of the year to me, in both Adapted and Original, and I would expect it to get the Oscar over Coppola if I didn't think she was going to get it as a make-up award. LiT had better direction but not better writing, IMO.

Much of the script is based on true events though some of how they are woven together is fiction (like the dead son was really Sheridan's dead brother, thus the tribute to him to start the credits). I think this is the biggest reason why the writing is so good.

So while Sophia is up there accepting her writing award I will be wishing it had been Sheridan and his 2 daughters.

Also, I have bumped M&C up from a 9.5 to a 10 on further comparison with the other films I rated as 9, 9.5 and 10.