Comments on: Pick the winners, win no prizes! http://blogs.e-rockford.com/movieman/2008/02/22/pick-the-winners-win-no-prizes/ When film critic Will Pfeifer isn’t watching movies, he’s reading about movies, talking about movies, thinking about movies or dreaming about movies. Now he shares that unhealthy obsession with you. From Hollywood hits to Japanese obscurities, from Oscar night to the summer season, he’s got movies on the brain — and on this blog. Sat, 19 Jul 2008 05:03:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.2.4 By: Jen Sensible http://blogs.e-rockford.com/movieman/2008/02/22/pick-the-winners-win-no-prizes/#comment-233 Jen Sensible Mon, 25 Feb 2008 20:32:10 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/movieman/2008/02/22/pick-the-winners-win-no-prizes/#comment-233 Schaper - How would you have wanted want the darn movie to end? With a shootout? As creepy and mysterious as Clayton was - do we know if he was, indeed, a lawyer? - you root for him. I think it's cool that movie ends with him standing on principle, even though you get the sense his hands aren't exactly clean. Schaper -
How would you have wanted want the darn movie to end? With a shootout?

As creepy and mysterious as Clayton was - do we know if he was, indeed, a lawyer? - you root for him. I think it’s cool that movie ends with him standing on principle, even though you get the sense his hands aren’t exactly clean.

]]> By: Bob Schaper - Assistant Metro Editor http://blogs.e-rockford.com/movieman/2008/02/22/pick-the-winners-win-no-prizes/#comment-221 Bob Schaper - Assistant Metro Editor Sun, 24 Feb 2008 21:22:57 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/movieman/2008/02/22/pick-the-winners-win-no-prizes/#comment-221 PC, I just watched Michael Clayton and I would have to agree with your choice of Tilda Swinton. She was good enough to make me mad every time she showed her pale, banal face on screen. How was the movie itself, you ask? It was excellent except for the ending, which actually spoiled the entire film. Let me be clear: This could have been one of the best movies of the last 10 years, the kind that defines an entire era in American history. And George Clooney's speech near the end ("I'm a fixer; you don't kill me, you buy me") could have become iconic. Instead, it all gets flushed down the Hollywood drain, leaving us with nothing but a slightly-darker version of The Firm. T'is a shame. PC, I just watched Michael Clayton and I would have to agree with your choice of Tilda Swinton. She was good enough to make me mad every time she showed her pale, banal face on screen.

How was the movie itself, you ask? It was excellent except for the ending, which actually spoiled the entire film. Let me be clear: This could have been one of the best movies of the last 10 years, the kind that defines an entire era in American history. And George Clooney’s speech near the end (”I’m a fixer; you don’t kill me, you buy me”) could have become iconic.

Instead, it all gets flushed down the Hollywood drain, leaving us with nothing but a slightly-darker version of The Firm. T’is a shame.

]]> By: Pat Cunningham http://blogs.e-rockford.com/movieman/2008/02/22/pick-the-winners-win-no-prizes/#comment-219 Pat Cunningham Sun, 24 Feb 2008 19:17:13 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/movieman/2008/02/22/pick-the-winners-win-no-prizes/#comment-219 OK, WillBob, here are your winners: Best Picture: No Country for Old Men. Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis. Best Actress: Ellen Page. Best Supporting Actor: Javier Bardem. Best Supporting Actress: Tilda Swinton. Best Director: The Coens. Best Original Screenplay: Juno. Best Adapted Screenplay: No Country for Old Men. OK, WillBob, here are your winners: Best Picture: No Country for Old Men. Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis. Best Actress: Ellen Page. Best Supporting Actor: Javier Bardem. Best Supporting Actress: Tilda Swinton. Best Director: The Coens. Best Original Screenplay: Juno. Best Adapted Screenplay: No Country for Old Men.

]]> By: elDizzle http://blogs.e-rockford.com/movieman/2008/02/22/pick-the-winners-win-no-prizes/#comment-212 elDizzle Sat, 23 Feb 2008 17:08:07 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/movieman/2008/02/22/pick-the-winners-win-no-prizes/#comment-212 "I agree, but should they sound like Garrison Keillor on lithium? I think not…." Bob Schaper If it's a cold blooded hitman who may or may not be Death himself, I'd say that's spot on. Death has no emotion. Great description, by the way. “I agree, but should they sound like Garrison Keillor on lithium? I think not….” Bob Schaper

If it’s a cold blooded hitman who may or may not be Death himself, I’d say that’s spot on. Death has no emotion.

Great description, by the way.

]]> By: Bob Schaper - Asst. Metro Editor http://blogs.e-rockford.com/movieman/2008/02/22/pick-the-winners-win-no-prizes/#comment-211 Bob Schaper - Asst. Metro Editor Sat, 23 Feb 2008 01:50:45 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/movieman/2008/02/22/pick-the-winners-win-no-prizes/#comment-211 "If you ask me, movies shouldn’t necessarily sound like real life, they should sound better." Movie Man I agree, but should they sound like Garrison Keillor on lithium? I think not.... “If you ask me, movies shouldn’t necessarily sound like real life, they should sound better.” Movie Man

I agree, but should they sound like Garrison Keillor on lithium? I think not….

]]> By: elDizzle http://blogs.e-rockford.com/movieman/2008/02/22/pick-the-winners-win-no-prizes/#comment-210 elDizzle Fri, 22 Feb 2008 22:27:22 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/movieman/2008/02/22/pick-the-winners-win-no-prizes/#comment-210 I 'm putting my money on No Country for Old Men for the Oscar. I thought it was fantastic and I loved that their was no soundtrack to speak of, just alot of ambient noise. Some of the scenes were perfect, I especially like the part when Tommy Lee Jones sits down in the trailer and pours himself a glass of milk. Juno was also great and I was a fan of the smart witty dialogue. I loved that smart, witty Juno had smart, witty parents. What a concept! I haven't seen There Will Be Blood yet. The best acting performance I personally saw amoung the nominees was George Clooney in Michael Clayton. I watched it and Valley of Ellah on back to back nights and would vote Clooney over Jones... I'd probably be in the minority there. I'm sure if I'd seen There Will Be Blood , I'd change that vote to Lewis, which is why I choose him for the contest. That's my four of five cents! I ‘m putting my money on No Country for Old Men for the Oscar. I thought it was fantastic and I loved that their was no soundtrack to speak of, just alot of ambient noise. Some of the scenes were perfect, I especially like the part when Tommy Lee Jones sits down in the trailer and pours himself a glass of milk.

Juno was also great and I was a fan of the smart witty dialogue. I loved that smart, witty Juno had smart, witty parents. What a concept!

I haven’t seen There Will Be Blood yet. The best acting performance I personally saw amoung the nominees was George Clooney in Michael Clayton. I watched it and Valley of Ellah on back to back nights and would vote Clooney over Jones… I’d probably be in the minority there. I’m sure if I’d seen There Will Be Blood , I’d change that vote to Lewis, which is why I choose him for the contest.

That’s my four of five cents!

]]> By: Will Pfeifer http://blogs.e-rockford.com/movieman/2008/02/22/pick-the-winners-win-no-prizes/#comment-206 Will Pfeifer Fri, 22 Feb 2008 20:36:43 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/movieman/2008/02/22/pick-the-winners-win-no-prizes/#comment-206 Bob -- I haven't seen JUNO yet (I know, I know, the Movie Man should at least see a few movies, right?) and I've heard good things. One negative thing I have heard, though, is that JUNO's dialogue sounds exactly like something that's been scripted, full of clever wordplay and hip references. I don't have a problem with that -- or with the speechifying in NO COUNTRY. If you ask me, movies shouldn't necessarily sound like real life, they should sound better. Adam -- I'm in complete agreement. Daniel Day Lewis was amazing (and he's going to win, too!) Bob — I haven’t seen JUNO yet (I know, I know, the Movie Man should at least see a few movies, right?) and I’ve heard good things. One negative thing I have heard, though, is that JUNO’s dialogue sounds exactly like something that’s been scripted, full of clever wordplay and hip references. I don’t have a problem with that — or with the speechifying in NO COUNTRY. If you ask me, movies shouldn’t necessarily sound like real life, they should sound better.

Adam — I’m in complete agreement. Daniel Day Lewis was amazing (and he’s going to win, too!)

]]> By: Adam http://blogs.e-rockford.com/movieman/2008/02/22/pick-the-winners-win-no-prizes/#comment-205 Adam Fri, 22 Feb 2008 18:48:52 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/movieman/2008/02/22/pick-the-winners-win-no-prizes/#comment-205 Daniel Day Lewis, Daniel Day Lewis, and Daniel Day Lewis! No one even comes close to his performance this year, should win and will win. Others Marion Cotillard should win but probably won't. Jesse James for cinematography but if Deakins gets it for No Country, at least he wins. I would give There Will Be Bood best picture, but No Counrty winning is fine with me. Daniel Day Lewis, Daniel Day Lewis, and Daniel Day Lewis! No one even comes close to his performance this year, should win and will win. Others Marion Cotillard should win but probably won’t. Jesse James for cinematography but if Deakins gets it for No Country, at least he wins. I would give There Will Be Bood best picture, but No Counrty winning is fine with me.

]]> By: Bob Schaper - Asst. Metro Editor http://blogs.e-rockford.com/movieman/2008/02/22/pick-the-winners-win-no-prizes/#comment-204 Bob Schaper - Asst. Metro Editor Fri, 22 Feb 2008 16:40:14 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/movieman/2008/02/22/pick-the-winners-win-no-prizes/#comment-204 I've only seen two of the Best Picture nominees, but Juno is far better than No Country. Juno is about humans, the kind who live next door and you went to high school with. Nobody drags an air tank around and kills people with a captive bolt pistol (the technical name for the cow-stunning thingie). When the characters in Juno talk, the dialog sounds genuine and not scripted. (When was the last time you heard somebody in real life give a long-winded speech without being interrupted? In No Country, EVERYBODY delivers long, softy-spoken soliloquies, the sort that are interrupted almost instantly by the person you're talking to.) At the same time, Juno's story is far more complex, though deceptively simple. Using teenage pregnancy as an entree, the movie explores all sorts of tricky subjects. Is it really possible to love somebody forever? Is maturity synonymous with age? What defines a good parent? Is it ethical to throw up in your step-mom's favorite urn? And though I've probably made it sound heavy, the movie is actually very sweet and funny at the same time. My vote goes to Juno. I’ve only seen two of the Best Picture nominees, but Juno is far better than No Country.

Juno is about humans, the kind who live next door and you went to high school with. Nobody drags an air tank around and kills people with a captive bolt pistol (the technical name for the cow-stunning thingie). When the characters in Juno talk, the dialog sounds genuine and not scripted. (When was the last time you heard somebody in real life give a long-winded speech without being interrupted? In No Country, EVERYBODY delivers long, softy-spoken soliloquies, the sort that are interrupted almost instantly by the person you’re talking to.)

At the same time, Juno’s story is far more complex, though deceptively simple. Using teenage pregnancy as an entree, the movie explores all sorts of tricky subjects. Is it really possible to love somebody forever? Is maturity synonymous with age? What defines a good parent? Is it ethical to throw up in your step-mom’s favorite urn?

And though I’ve probably made it sound heavy, the movie is actually very sweet and funny at the same time.

My vote goes to Juno.

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