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OMG Squeeeee
Thursday, September 15th, 2005 01:35 pmWent to see The Constant Gardener yesterday, which is quite an interesting and absorbing film, with beautiful performances. I've been rather in awe of Ralph Fiennes since I (and everybody else) first saw him in Schindler's List. It's not liking so much as pure astonishment at what he can pull off onscreen. He does things in this film that just floor me. The guy has incredible subtlety to him - I've rarely seen such deep and specific acting as in the scene where he hears about his wife's death. O_o It's a must-see, and everyone else - Rachel Weisz (without makeup!) and Bill Nighy among them - is utterly wonderful as well. And the story is way tragic and enraging in its depiction of the callousness of wealth and privilege, and the fact that those who try to do something to help are viewed as enemies to be crushed, no matter how right they may be.
My one real complaint is that I found the visual style of the film tiring. The jiggery-pokery with the color levels and washouts was a bit heavy-handed, giving it a film-school vibe. And damn, am I fucking tired of handheld? Yes, I fucking am. No movie should be shot exclusively on handheld. Its best use is as an effect to enhance the movement of a particular scene; just like ellipses or one-sentence paragraphs in writing, if you use handheld too much you strip it of its effect, and it just becomes an annoying trait. There's no sin in locking a camera down, damnit. It doesn't make you less real, it simply avoids headaches for the audience. Because you know what? My own vision doesn't look like that, so handheld does not look realistic to me, just wannabe realistic. So either lock it down or go to Steadicam, guys.
But all of this is not why I'm squeeing!
I'm certain very few of you will vibrate with delight the way I did when I saw this trailer before the movie, but those of you who will, will squee hard. Damn, this looks good. Great cast, great story, and boy do we need it now. It'll be released next month, and has been getting great festival press and word-of-mouth. I love this kind of film, and am so looking forward!
Take a look at the clip that opens the website splash page. *pants*
However, I was disapointed that although a poster at the theater proclaimed that the Brokeback Mountain trailer would air with CG, it didn't. Poop.
ETA: OMG I WANT THIS SOUNDTRACK!! On the GNGL splash page, click on "soundtrack" over on the left and you'll get music clips playing of the songs. Gorgeous jazz/blues sung mostly by Diane Reeves (not only a wonderful singer but a participant in an old family drama of ours). I am deeply miffed that I can't buy it yet. But when I do, I will upload for y'all!
My one real complaint is that I found the visual style of the film tiring. The jiggery-pokery with the color levels and washouts was a bit heavy-handed, giving it a film-school vibe. And damn, am I fucking tired of handheld? Yes, I fucking am. No movie should be shot exclusively on handheld. Its best use is as an effect to enhance the movement of a particular scene; just like ellipses or one-sentence paragraphs in writing, if you use handheld too much you strip it of its effect, and it just becomes an annoying trait. There's no sin in locking a camera down, damnit. It doesn't make you less real, it simply avoids headaches for the audience. Because you know what? My own vision doesn't look like that, so handheld does not look realistic to me, just wannabe realistic. So either lock it down or go to Steadicam, guys.
But all of this is not why I'm squeeing!
I'm certain very few of you will vibrate with delight the way I did when I saw this trailer before the movie, but those of you who will, will squee hard. Damn, this looks good. Great cast, great story, and boy do we need it now. It'll be released next month, and has been getting great festival press and word-of-mouth. I love this kind of film, and am so looking forward!
Take a look at the clip that opens the website splash page. *pants*
However, I was disapointed that although a poster at the theater proclaimed that the Brokeback Mountain trailer would air with CG, it didn't. Poop.
ETA: OMG I WANT THIS SOUNDTRACK!! On the GNGL splash page, click on "soundtrack" over on the left and you'll get music clips playing of the songs. Gorgeous jazz/blues sung mostly by Diane Reeves (not only a wonderful singer but a participant in an old family drama of ours). I am deeply miffed that I can't buy it yet. But when I do, I will upload for y'all!
