I hate to be this guy, but...

[thehefner]

HALF NELSON did absolutely nothing for me.

Once again, I'm in the extreme minority (how many top ten lists did this film make last year? All of them?), but man, this was just depressing. And not the good kind of depressing, where there's a strange sort of beauty to it, because if there weren't, why watch anything?

I never once cared about Ryan Gosling's character. Come to think of it, I didn't really care for or even like his character in LARS AND THE REAL GIRL, a movie I thoroughly dug. He's a good actor, but twice now, I just don't care about what happens to him. Now I really am very hesitant to check out THE BELIEVER.

I suppose it just comes down to the fact that I hate addicts. I have very little sympathy for them. I see REQUIEM FOR A DREAM as a black comedy, not a heartbreaking tragedy. It's a personal prejudice that I have for reasons that I suspect are understandable enough to you guys.

I dunno. Addicts, con artists, and vampires, I just really dislike 'em all on a gut level, and it takes a hell of a story to make me care about them. By all accounts, HALF NELSON shoulda been this film. Nope, sure wasn't.

Another one of those disheartening cases where I'm in the plebeian minority. Ah well, it's just a movie. And hey, I loved NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, so that proves I've still got some cred, right? ... right?

And while we're at it, I just rewatched SEVEN SAMURAI, and I really don't care for it as much as other Kurosawa films like RAN and DREAMS. I loved the samurai, but I just kinda hated the farmers. Perhaps that was the point?

Man, I'm in a sour mood at the moment. I need to end this on a higher note. Um... oh! I'm halfway through the novel of FIRST BLOOD, as I've never seen any of the Rambo movies and wanna be prepared for the new one. I'm really amazed by how good it is! So far, all the characters are pretty three-dimensional, and it's a fascinating story, so that's a good thing.

Comments

[fragmentedsky.livejournal.com]

Ryan Gosling has, for whatever reason, never managed to move me. Then again I've only ever seen him in movies I have no desire to see ever again, such as The Notebook (I have a grandfather with Alzheimer's and I'm female and I still hated that movie) and That Movie In Which Abby Mostly Stared at Ewan McGregor and Did Not Know/Care What Was Supposed To Be Going On. Technically the movie had a one-word title (I think; maybe it was two) but I cannot remember it.

I recognize that the man has talent, but he has only ever evoked apathy from me.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Yeah, THE NOTEBOOK, that's one I don't think I'll ever be seeing, much as I do enjoy Rachel McAdams. But why should your having a grandfather with Alzheimer's mean you should have liked that film?

Yeah, it's weird, but it's the same thing for me too. I can see he has talent, but I just... don't care! Maybe a different actor could have made HALF NELSON work for me, I dunno.

[fragmentedsky.livejournal.com]

Because in the end it turns out that OldLady!Rachel McAdams has some form of dementia so she doesn't remember any of the story, and then she miraculously does after OldDude!Ryan Gosling retells her the story of their romance, just for a moment. Or something. To be honest I wasn't paying too much attention by that point.

Rachel McAdams doesn't really move me, to be honest, although she was absolutely fantastic in Mean Girls. And I should know. Similarly - I know she can act (or I assume she can) but I've never cared about any of her characters.

I haven't seen Half Nelson so I couldn't tell you.

[deliapuppeh.livejournal.com]

Guy came into my store today. He looked almost exactly like you, 'cept he looked like he had a really bad run-in with pimples as a teenager and couldn't stop scratching them.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

How disconcerting. My evil doubles and alternate reality selves are increasing, I see. No doubt gathered for the express purpose to point and laugh at me.

[deliapuppeh.livejournal.com]

Eh, I don't know. This one seemed like he'd just smirk and stare smugly at you.

Weirdo minorities

[icewolf010.livejournal.com]

I know how you feel, but for opposite reasons.

I find most films to make any kind of year end "best" lists to be either 1.)depressing or 2.)sophomoric.

The first category I don't go to see and I don't miss seeing because I'm depressive, and films capture my imagination for days. I think you're seeing where this is going. The imbalance of chemicals in my brain does a fine job, thank you very much, and doesn't need help from the movies.

As for the second group, well, I'm a prude. I may as well come out and say it. For a long time I had issues with sex, and I don't find bodily functions funny. I think I have a Canadian sense of humor: I'm too literal to really love British comedy (sadly, many of Monty Python's later skits fly right over my head), and not into slapstick enough to thoroughly enjoy American comedy.

When you add that to my demand for intelligent writing and a straightforward storytelling experience (I do not go to the movies for a "cinematic experience." Tell me a story, dammit!), well, I don't get out to the movies very much. In fact, the last movie I saw in the theater was The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

*passes tissues for your inevitable weeping*

Re: Weirdo minorities

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Wow, I had no idea! It makes sense, though.

And yeah, let me tell you, I thoroughly sympathize with the "Tell me a story, dammit!" mentality. There are exceptions, sure, but sometimes that alone is what can put me in the weirdo minority position.

So... you gonna be seeing PRINCE CASPIAN in the theater?

Re: Weirdo minorities

[swimpenguin.livejournal.com]

Prince Caspian aka Narnia HARDCORE-cause Caspian was so a twenty something dreamboat for the girls. And not a kid. Nope. Nope.

[spacechild.livejournal.com]

Dude.. you still need to hurry up and watch the Rambo films.

You must do it before the 4th one comes out.

go on.. get to it!

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

I just finished FIRST BLOOD, the novel.

Dude. Dude. Dude. You need to read this.

I'm guessing... some things were changed for the movie. Put it to you this way: I think the Sheriff was the hero.

I have all three Rambo films on my Netflix queue and will blaze through 'em, rest assured. Because we totally gotta see RAMBO when it comes out.

[spacechild.livejournal.com]

Wow.. the sheriff?

Yes, we must.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Seriously.

Like, there is absolutely no clear hero nor villain here. In the movie, isn't Rambo actually beaten up by the cops? Not here. He's provoked, sure, but not nearly to the extent that justifies what he does (slaughtering dozens of cops, for a start), and a part of his fucked-up self knows it. But ultimately, though the Sheriff does have flaws, they're absolutely human and understandable flaws.

You need to read this. The book is fast, I promise. But look, if I'm gonna dig into the movies for the first time, then you gotta read the book too. So we can get on a totally equal footing come RAMBO together. I'll totally lend it to you.

[spacechild.livejournal.com]

I can read it, sure.