Saturday, November 24, 2007

Now Playing: Monsters, Princesses, Rock Stars

My Thanksgiving routine is highly unoriginal: I eat too much and then I veg out whilst watching movies. Today I binged on '55 with Rebel Without a Cause (love muchly), Marty (dated) and The Rose Tattoo (nutso!). Tomorrow I'll get to '07 and Enchanted.

L I M I T E D
I'm Not There - Todd Haynes experimental biopic on Bob Dylan is finally strumming and singing in select cities. I'm waiting with bated breath for Nick's reaction since he's a Haynes fanatic expert. (my feelings here)
Starting Out in the Evening a new drama starring Frank Langella and Lauren Ambrose as an writer and graduate student whose lives become intertwined

W I D E
<--- Enchanted -People keep saying that this is Amy Adams "star-making" role. I understand that only a few thousand people saw Junebug but after the hoopla surrounding that performance and the resulting frenzy of love and first Oscar nomination, "star making" feels a teensy redundant. But still: rock on Amy. When we think of you, this movie's title is more than appropriate.
Hitman -bang bang
Stephen King's The Mist -There's something out there in the mist. There's also something creepy inside from the looks of the trailer. Should I see it?
August Rush and This Christmas -Are there to meet your holiday quotient of treacle. It has its time and place. This is most definitely the time.

Did you see anything this weekend after stuffing your face? Or did you merely absorb "sports"? (people do that on holiday weekends, right?)

24 comments:

Michael B. said...

Now with the 14 million Enchanted took in yesterday and the 55 million+ 5 day total, millions of people will know who Amy Adams is and why she has potential to become one of the best.

Andy Scott said...

I was a little skeptical of Amy Adams going into "Enchanted" (the rave reviews were basically a set up for disappointment) but I thought she was absolutely enchanting, for lack of a better word. I'm 100% behind an Oscar nomination for her, as silly as it sounds.

And poor James Marsden. He deserves to be a much bigger star than he is. His voice...sigh.

Anonymous said...

Saw No Country for Old Men, and I plan on seeing Enchanted within the month.

Because, you know, they're so much like each other...

adam k. said...

Probably not a single little 12-year-old girl in the country knew who Amy Adams was before. But they do now.

She really wasn't a star yet.

And anyway, it's not like people are giving her "breakthrough" awards... yet.

What's sad about Amy Adams' new stardom, though, is that she just reads so YOUNG, and soon she won't be young anymore. She's not some 25-year-old ingenue (even if she does kinda look like one). I just have a hard time seeing her transition in to older women roles in the next couple decades. But thank god Enchanted came along when it did... I have a feeling this is what she'll be remembered for.

adam k. said...

Oh, and I am also seeing it tomorrow.

Deborah said...

I saw Stanley Kubrick's The Killing Thursday morning pre-face-stuffing. Amazing movie.

I think "nutso" is the perfect word for The Rose Tattoo. Say what?

Anonymous said...

None of these other films matter. "No Country For Old Men" wipes them all off the map.

Go see it NOW everyone!!!

J.D. said...

I re-watched Millions. It never fails to rekindle my faith in humanity.

Glenn Dunks said...

I saw Waitress on Friday night. It was... awkward. That is the word I keep coming back to. Awkward. Like, there'll be a scene with these two people being all slapstick and broad and then that will be followed by a scene of domestic violence :/

I saw an Aussie flick called September on Wednesday night, too. It was very good. They had obviously watched Days of Heaven before filming that one.

Anonymous said...

Saw both "I'm Not There" and "Enchanted"...loved both. I think I enjoy "I'm Not There" more as I think about the film. It's not a perfect movie, but the film certainly has its merits. (NOTE: I'm also a HUGE Dylan fan)

I look at Amy Adams in "Enchanted" as the same as Meryl Streep in "The Devil Wears Prada." Strong acting and awareness of the character made an OK part into a stunning turn.

Anonymous said...

Would be lovely to see both my runners-up in the '05 Actress/Supporting Actress (Knightley/Adams) categories snag a lead nomination this year. Although I have 9 women (so far) who'd I'd LOVE to see get nom'd and obviously there's no chance of that happening.

Those who think it's a weak actress year are Gnarls Barkley.

Anonymous said...

PS. Enchanted does what it says in the title, but my 6 year-old niece wasn't loving it as much as I was. Maybe it's actually more appealing to adults??...

Anonymous said...

I don't begrudge Amy Adams her success, b/c she can be incredible in the right role, but it's a huge disappointment that "Enchanted" will be the moment where the mainstream goes, "oh, I know who that girl is now", when that time should have happened with "Junebug". I mean, damn, she received an Oscar nomination for christsakes! It's like that means nothing to people anymore (the mainstream I mean). Even if you haven't been exposed to that film yet, the nomination should carry with it more respect to her abilities than it did.

All of the hype buildup about "Enchanted" lead me to being letdown just like I thought I would be. You can't say "here's the next Julie Andrews" and "Oscar lock for lead actress!" and then just come up with a "Shrek"-ish play on Disney pop culture staples and a charming, but surface lead actress role like that. If Amy Adams wins the Oscar over Marion Cotillard, I'll be furious. Even Julie Christie for that matter. That's not something I want to feel about Amy Adams, but the hype has led me to it. I wanted her to win for "Junebug", though Rachel Weisz was a close, close second.

Oh well, at least this should lead to more roles for her in the future. I hope that Amy Adams nails "Doubt" down next year.

Anonymous said...

Amy Adams is fabulous in Enchanted. I'm a sceptic and tend to get disappointed in films that are raved about by everyone, and I tried to resist, really I did, but alas, by the end of the film I was in love with both her and James Marsden. Who, btw, is much more deserving of the Supporting Actor Musical/Comedic nod than John Travolta.

c.p. iñor said...

My weekend was all about La Pfeiffer, I watched:

Again on DVD
Hairspray
What Lies Beneath

Again but on TV
The Witches of Eastwick
The Deep End of the Ocean

and for the FIRST time (DVD)
I Could Never Be Your Woman (Directly from Spain)

... a lot of Pfeiffer... haha.

NATHANIEL R said...

well she's got DOUBT's least interesting role so... i personally am not too excited about her part in that.

for me even the smallest part (the allegedly abused kid's mom) in Doubt is more fascinating than 'Sister James.'

and C.P. that's a lot of Pfeiffer in one weekend. Even I have never submerged myself that much ;)

gabrieloak said...

I saw Wristcutters: A Love Story and the play Things We Want this weekend while visiting New York. Wristcutters is a funny, surprising film that brings back Patrick Fugit to the screen in a role he's perfectly suited for. This really is a love story but never sappy because most of it takes place after the characters have "offed" themselves. Things We Want isn't much of a play but it gave me a chance to see Paul Dano, Josh Hamilton, Peter Dinklage and Zoe Kazan act their hearts out in the flesh.

Cengiz said...

This weekend was all about BSG:Razor. It was very good and it brought the series to another step. Simply amazing show and its going t be hard saying good-bye after season 4

NATHANIEL R said...

i actually forgot to watch BSG:Razor and am feeling hysteria about that right now.

but then i went and got the flu that one of my friends was wobbling through my thanskgiving festivities with (damn her!) so i still haven't seen enchanted either

Anonymous said...

Even if it's the least interesting role (I've read the play, and I didn't think that), b/c of Meryl, it'll be high on the Academy radar, and it has the potential of getting all four parts nominated (well, if they get Angela Bassett to play the boy's mother). It'll be easy for Amy Adams to ride that train if she's any good, especially with one nod (and possibly two) under her belt at that point.

adam k. said...

Oh PLEASE let them get Angela Bassett to play the mom. Or failing that, Alfre Woodard. Or the woman who played her in the play. Just not Halle Berry.

Just watch them get Halle Berry.

Anyway, I was a little bit disappointed with Enchanted. The film itself was just okay, though I did enjoy myself a lot. Amy shines, as do the two men. There are just too many CGI animals. They didn't know when to just stop.

Anonymous said...

HEAR AND READ IT PEOPLE!!!!!
ACCORDING TO OSCARWATCH, CATE BLANCHETT HAVE BEEN PUSHED TO LEAD CONTENDER IN "I'M NOT THERE".WHAT DO YOU THINK OF IT? I THINK SHE GOES THE SAME WAY AS KIDMAN IN "THE HOURS".

gabrieloak said...

I think if the Weinstein Company pushes Cate for the lead for I'm Not There, she will lose. I also don't think Oscar voters are going to put her in that category.

Anonymous said...

Say wha????

That's some slick as hell campaign strategy if it's true. With "Elizabeth 2" flopping, a weak best actress field, and the mad need for Cate Blanchett to have a lead actress Oscar, it could actually work to her advantage to get a lead nod for a showy supporting turn. It opens the door for a sixth contender in supporting actress to slide up to fifth position too.

Savvy planning, but Cate Blanchett better not win over Marion Cotillard.