... to justify that equation. Meaning I don't feel up to writing any proper reviews right now. But for the moment, not long after watching these two movies, it's feeling right.
It might be a case of my expectations - high for Milk, low for Australia - messing with my
reaction proper. But I had a lot of fun with Australia - it is indeed too long, and sloppy, but highly entertaining all the same, and I need to be in a Hugh Jackman and David Wenham sandwich NOW - while I found Milk (despite some fine performances and a story I want every person in America to be forced to see) to be rather ho-hum.
Right now I have them both sitting at B grades, but that might change. Especially with Milk, which with every passing day sits a little less substantially in my mind. It didn't help that I watched a bit of the amazing doc The Times of Harvey Milk yesterday - that is not a comparison that puts Milk in the brightest of lights.
And to continue with this post's theme of contrariness, I thought that Josh Brolin and Diego Luna gave the best performances in Van Sant's film.
I liked Sean Penn as Harvey just fine, for the record. I just was never wholly bowled over. Ooh, he smiles a bunch! That's so unlike him! Blah. James Franco has never looked hotter, but I didn't think he had a lot to do, and I thought he was actually kind of lousy in his final scene. Emile Hirsch just danced funny whenever the camera was on him. Alison Pill was great but again, not a lot to do.
Luna is going to be this year's version of me defending Christina Ricci in Monster I can already tell. But he did "the unlikeable and pathetic lover" like nobody's business! And Josh Brolin was fucking incredible in (AGAIN) a part that was terrifically underwritten. I'm preemptively annoyed at screen-writer Dustin Lance Black's probable slew of awards attention already.
It might be a case of my expectations - high for Milk, low for Australia - messing with my
reaction proper. But I had a lot of fun with Australia - it is indeed too long, and sloppy, but highly entertaining all the same, and I need to be in a Hugh Jackman and David Wenham sandwich NOW - while I found Milk (despite some fine performances and a story I want every person in America to be forced to see) to be rather ho-hum.Right now I have them both sitting at B grades, but that might change. Especially with Milk, which with every passing day sits a little less substantially in my mind. It didn't help that I watched a bit of the amazing doc The Times of Harvey Milk yesterday - that is not a comparison that puts Milk in the brightest of lights.
And to continue with this post's theme of contrariness, I thought that Josh Brolin and Diego Luna gave the best performances in Van Sant's film.
I liked Sean Penn as Harvey just fine, for the record. I just was never wholly bowled over. Ooh, he smiles a bunch! That's so unlike him! Blah. James Franco has never looked hotter, but I didn't think he had a lot to do, and I thought he was actually kind of lousy in his final scene. Emile Hirsch just danced funny whenever the camera was on him. Alison Pill was great but again, not a lot to do.
Luna is going to be this year's version of me defending Christina Ricci in Monster I can already tell. But he did "the unlikeable and pathetic lover" like nobody's business! And Josh Brolin was fucking incredible in (AGAIN) a part that was terrifically underwritten. I'm preemptively annoyed at screen-writer Dustin Lance Black's probable slew of awards attention already.
So there! Here's the proof - I's crazy!
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8 comments:
Wow! That’s the first real acclaim I’ve read for Luna. And citing both him and Brolin above Penn!!!???!!???
I was actually disappointed in Brolin. Perhaps he was too subtle? I’m curious, what and where specifically do you see this as a great performance? Maybe I missed something.
As for the other boys; Penn blew me away and I was even impressed w/ Hirsch- particularly during that couch recollection scene… which brings me to Franco and my confusion/irritation as to why Sant and Black didn’t give him more to do… not even one “big acting scene”. And yet, I still found Franco to be the affective supporting player. He kisses Penn like he means it and subtly shows us all the affection- and frustration- Scott has for Harvey.
Consider the scene where Harvey is tending to Scott’s head-wound: Penn demonstrates tenderness while all the while going on about politics and elections. Meanwhile Franco’s expression says it all: “I love you… your kinda crazy… but your kinda cute too…” etc. And all without speaking a word.
You bring up a good point regarding Black’s screenplay- one that I’ve been in denial about: while the structure and details on Harvey are excellent, all the supporting roles are so underwritten. It’s a shame because the acting talent was defiantly there.
Overall, I still think MILK will end up one of 2008’s best films.
I'm not going to say Brolin was "too subtle" because I feel like that reads as some sort of slam to those who don't get my love for the perf - Oh you just don't GET it, and all - but yeah, I do think he took a severely underwritten part and worked magic with the few moments he had to get across what that guy was all about. The awkwardness of the drunken scene; the moments when he's just watching Harvey... I just saw a lot going on in Brolin's eyes. They were so heavy and tired and angry in every shot after he felt he was betrayed by Harvey. He was small and sad and pathetic in all the right doses I thought.
To be fair with regards to Sean Penn, I never like him very much. So mostly liking him is a Herculean effort of him to have managed.
Franco had moments, but I really didn't get the choices he made in that phone conversation with Harvey at the end. I guess he was supposed to be half-asleep since he'd gotten woken up but it just read, to me, as totally blank and disaffecting, when it was supposed to be an emotional highlight.
Australia > Milk? WTF? Your Hugh Jackman boner may be draining a bit of blood from your brain, my boy.
That was 3 hours of melodramatic, manipulative, shallow claptrap that made me angry to be alive.
Which is another way to say ... let's agree to disagree.
With all due respect to my Hugh Jackman boner (hee) I found Australia to be "3 hours of melodramatic, manipulative, shallow claptrap" that made me enjoy being alive. So yes, agree to disagree I guess. ;-)
Your Hugh Jackman boner gets huge respect ... mad props even. :)
I've already kept my Australia-hatin' on the down low b/c my boyfriend was in tears with the whole Drover saves Nutella (or whatever his name was) scene, while I was cracking blow job jokes.
To be fair ... I am also the only homo I know who wanted to cut off his own head after watching Moulin Rouge.
I was just having a Moulin Rouge discussion yesterday, Tim; I admitted that while I love Ewan in it I am otherwise not that huge fan of the film. There are large sections of it that I find nearly unwatchable. Still, I admire Baz's chutzpah and that keeps me seeing his movies.
Oh and my boyfriend HATES Moulin Rouge with the power of a billion suns so you are indeed not alone.
I am just going to post to see if my cool Squirm WOrm Face photo comes up
Sweet!
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