That Schwartzbaum review is transparent. She seems hung up on the Awards buzz and hype, mentioning it not once but several times, and clearly it clouded her perspective watching the film. She also admits to hating the stage musical in her final paragraph. So it didn't stand a chance with her.
EDIT: I admit to chuckling over her "Captn. Crunch" comment about Crowe's wardrobe, though. Hey, that was the style back then ... for both Javert and Crunch!
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
Unfortunately for these negative reviewers, they're not the ones voting for awards. Critics Choice, SAG, and now the Golden Globes have given the film nominations in all the big categories. The Oscars will be no different.
Wow, that EW review was awful. Absolutely nothing but snark, and not even funny snark at that. I respect that she didn't like it, but she never even explained WHY. Why bother writing a review if you can't at least give some reasons?
This is why I stay away from reading most reviews. As an English major, I'm all about the necessity of 'why.' :-p
There's enough "why she didn't like it" in there ... barely ... but you have to dig for it among the repetitive incensed reactions to the Awards hype (which has nothing to do with the movie itself and a critic should be smarter than that) and her bias in hating the stage show, which she should have mentioned up front, not in the very last paragraph.
It was a weak review, weak opinion, and badly written as well.
Still, it's her opinion. She didn't like it. So be it.
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
She’s a crummy critic to begin with. There may be loads of valid complaints about the movie, but I’m certainly not taking any of her observations with less salt that I put in my oatmeal this morning. (I put way too much salt in my oatmeal this morning; I’m not sure what that does to the metaphor.)
CHURCH DOOR TOUCAN GAY MARKETING PUPPIES MUSICAL THEATER STAPLES PERIOD OIL BITCHY SNARK HOLES
Jordan, your post almost put me in a diabetic coma. Six packs?!
Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae
Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra
Salve, Salve Regina
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Eva
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
O clemens O pia
Tim Burton was nominated for a Golden Globe and won the National Board of Review Award for Sweeney Todd, yet was not nominated for the Oscar. Anything's possible.
"Sing the words, Patti!!!!" Stephen Sondheim to Patti LuPone.
I really think the top Oscar is between LINCOLN, ZERO DARK, and ARGO. I think at this point, the critics are a little too divided over LES MIZ. But if it proves to be a huge sort of "last minute" box office hit of 2012, it could turn around.
I wonder if it'll win the Golden Globe. I'm guessing yes, since the GGs love musicals and love any movie that is ridiculously larger than life, which LES MIZ seems to be.
I agree, madbrian. I haven't seen Silver Linings PLaybook although I've heard great things, but I assumed it was drama for some reason. Before the announcements this morning, I thought Les Miz had Picture Musical/Comedy and Actor Musical/Comedy in the bag, but SLP and Cooper could give them a run for their money.
Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae
Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra
Salve, Salve Regina
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Eva
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
O clemens O pia
If I had to use my power to see the future, I'd say Les Miz will get expected Oscar nominations for Picture, Actor, Supporting Actress, Art Direction, Costumes, Sound, Sound Mixing, Editing, Song, and Makeup. And maybe .... director.
I think it stands a good chance of winning Supporting Actress and Sound.
I would throw in Art Direction, but I have a feeling that will be the sole award for Anna Karenina ... with a possible second win for Costumes (but I think Lincoln will take that one).
EDIT: And that is based on hype, word of mouth, and hype, and also hype. Which is how the Oscars work.
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
The complaints in this thread about Lincoln being long and talky remind me of the dilettante Emperor's complaint in Amadeus: "Too many notes!"
The movie is long, and the characters do talk; it's also a fascinating and well-done work about a fascinating person and period in our history (usually taught reductively in our schools, in order to be quickly and easily digested by tiny children).
When exactly did "long" and "talky" become only bad?
Besty, that's what is so impressive about LINCOLN, the script, direction and acting were so engaging that I never felt like it was a long movie (until the last 10 minutes of the film or so), it just works so well. It felt like watching an amazing play, I was too enthralled to check my watch. And I completely agree, there's films that are less than 90 minutes and they feel eternal, I wanted to claw my eyes out watching CARNAGE, it felt like I was watching a 5 hour movie, nothing about it worked. From these reviews LES MIZ looks like it'll be a nominee in some categories, but it's certainly not going to receive the kind of accolades LINCOLN, ARGO and even SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
It does seem that the predictions of many, based solely upon early trailers, that Les Miz would be the Second Coming of Chicago were perhaps a bit premature.
Although I've little-to-no doubt that it will be better than those Phantom or Rent movies.
LINCOLN is what Kushner does best: take political thought and deliberation and turn that into action.
Ever since reading Bright Room Called Day, I've been fascinated by political theater in which the debate is the driving force. It's not everyone's cup of tea, but in the hands of a master (and I would argue that Kushner is THE master of this particular type of writing) it becomes far more thrilling than any action film.
The film should have faded slowly to black as he walked down the stairs after his last line. That was a beautiful moment and a perfect, bittersweet, and profound way to do it.
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
i 've seen SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, and i think it is a wonderfully acted movie, but i was checking my cell phone time many times during the movie...***SPOILER ALERT****...i knew from the very first moment they met that they would get together by the end...it was only a matter of time...
so i do not see it getting BEST FILM over LES MIZ...the GLOBES love musicals more than comedy...for god's sake they gave SWEENEY TODD the BEST FILM award in it's catagory...