Directors MORE DIRECTORS CHECKLIST SERIES - Volume #203 - THE FILMS OF NEIL LABUTE (1 Viewer)

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Volume #203 - Neil Labute

The Shape of Things (2003)
Possession (2002)
Bash: Latter-Day Plays (2000) (TV)
Nurse Betty (2000)
Tumble (2000)
Your Friends & Neighbors (1998)
In the Company of Men (1997)

Along with Paul Thomas Anderson, Neil LaBute is one of the best American directors to emerge in the last 10 years. Although his talents are clearly more in the realm of writer and he concentrates as much if not more on stagework, he has made some outstanding films and shown himself capable of capturing interesting visuals. Don't know what to make of his upcoming remake of The Wicker Man though. (it sucked)

*1. The Shape Of Things - A (best film of 2003, if this had been made in the 60's it would be hailed, but for the most part, even critcs aren't interested in films about art anymore)
*2. In The Company of Men - A (Stunning, I was affected for days after watching this for the 1st time)
*3. Your Friends And Neighbors - A (Took a couple of viewings to click with me, but now I count this as one of the best films of '98.)
4. Possession - B+ (Atypical romantic film is a winner thanks to strong writing and the charming performances of Aaron Eckhart and Gwyneth Paltrow)
5. Lakeview Terrace - B
6. Nurse Betty - B- (interesting ideas but doesn't quite come together.)

7. Death at a Funeral - C+
8. The Wicker Man - D

Own: 3

Tumble is a short. I'd love to see Bash.

Again, I've seen none. This leads me to have low expectations for his films.

Ratings out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


NEIL LABUTE (1963 - )

Sexting (2010)

Death at a Funeral (2010)

Lakeview Terrace (2008) :star: :star: 1/2
The Wicker Man (2006) :star:
The Shape of Things (2003)
Possession (2002)
Bash: Latter-Day Plays (2000)
Nurse Betty (2000)
Tumble (2000)
Your Friends & Neighbors (1998)
In the Company of Men (1997) :star: :star: :star:

Ratings from :star: to :star: :star: :star: :star: :star:


Lakeview Terrace (2008) :star: :star: :star:
The Wicker Man (2006) :star: :star: (Own the DVD)
The Shape of Things (2003) :star: :star: :star: :star: (Own the DVD)
Possession (2002) :star: :star:
Bash: Latter-Day Plays (2000) (TV)
Nurse Betty (2000) :star: :star: :star: :star: :star: (Own the DVD)
Tumble (2000)
Your Friends & Neighbors (1998) :star: :star: :star: :star: (Own the DVD)
In the Company of Men (1997) :star: :star: :star: (Own the DVD)

Seen 7
Own 5

Nurse Betty (2000) - A-
Your Friends & Neighbors (1998) - B
In the Company of Men (1997) - A

You might like Possession George, but I expect you'd pretty much hate the others. They are full of unsympathetic people being exceedingly cruel to one another. Exactly the kind of thing you can't stand, but it gibes nicely with my worldview and twisted sense of humor.

The Shape of Things (2003)
Possession (2002)
Bash: Latter-Day Plays (2000) (TV)
Nurse Betty (2000)
Tumble (2000)
Your Friends & Neighbors (1998)
In the Company of Men (1997)

Bolded films I've seen; been meaning to see YFAN.

Ranking:

1. The Shape of Things
2. Nurse Betty
3. In the Company of Men
4. Possession

In the Company of Men (1997)
Your Friends & Neighbors (1998)
Nurse Betty (2000)
The Shape of Things (2003)
Possession (2002)


Seen the above, listed in order of preference.
In the Company of Men is an AMAZING film.

Volume #203 - Neil Labute

The Shape of Things (2003) :star::star::star::star:
Possession (2002) :star::star::star:
In the Company of Men (1997) :star::star::star:
Your Friends & Neighbors (1998) :star::star::star:
Nurse Betty (2000) :star::star:

UPDATED:

The Wicker Man (2006) :star: :star:

Doesn't hold a candle to the original, many details have been changed for no particularly good reason, no singing, no erotic nude dancing, no Lord Summersisle, no Christianity vs Paganism.

Instead, we get an island full of mute men, Ellen Burstyn trying to be sinister, bee stings and unintentional laughs when Nic Cage punches several women in the face (as per audience reaction), and silly/pointless flashbacks that provide the film's only jumps/scares.

Nice widescreen photography though...

Seen 6
Own 4

No Lord Summersisle?!

This was what I was afraid of...I hope LaBute got a nice payday that will allow him to get back to more personal films.

In the Company of Men (1997) - 8/10
Possession (2002) - 7/10
Nurse Betty (2000) - 7/10
Your Friends & Neighbors (1998) - 6/10
The Shape of Things (2003) - 5/10

I almost saw Wicker Man out of morbid curiosity (the original is one of my favorites), but I think I'll wait for the DVD so that I can vomit at home.

The Wicker Man (2006) :star:
Nurse Betty (2000) :star: :star: :star:

Updated:

The Wicker Man - D

...well that was a complete waste of time.

ALL RATINGS OUT OF :star::star::star::star::star: (FIVE) STARS

Lakeview Terrace (2008) :star::star::star:
The Wicker Man (2006) :star:1/2
The Shape of Things (2003)
Possession (2002)
Bash: Latter-Day Plays (2000) (TV)
Nurse Betty (2000)
Tumble (2000)
Your Friends & Neighbors (1998) :star::star::star:
In the Company of Men (1997) :star::star::star::star: (OWN)

Didn't you at least get a few knee-slapping laughs out of the film, Brook?

I know I did...

Well, I suppose there are some laughs watch Nick lay the smack down on women and walking around in a bear suit or the way that the FX made it look like not only did they kill the seaplane pilot, gouge out his eyes and pull out his teeth, it looks as though rather than simply cutting off his hand, they flayed the skin off, removed the hand bones, and then sliced the forearm bones lengthwise?

But the pointlessness of the project and LaBute's hamfisted take on the script, plus the fact that I'm suffering a major allergy attack and stayed home from work that day didn't leave me in a laughing mood.

UPDATED:

Lakeview Terrace (2008) :star: :star: :star:

Seen 7
Own 5