This morning I saw Carol, starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara.
There's a chronic ache one endures when love is unrequited. A pain detected by others only when looking deep into the afflicted's eyes. Carol (Blanchett), the subject of this film, feels this pain. She is on the verge of divorcing her husband Harge (Kyle Chandler) and is smitten with a young shop girl she met while searching for her daughter's Christmas gift.
As fate would have it, Carol accidentally left her gloves behind at the department store when purchasing said gift, so the shop girl, Therese (Mara) has them sent back to her. To show her gratitude for the gesture, she treats Therese to a fancy lunch and a new friendship is formed.
Meanwhile, Therese is somewhat confused about where she wants life to take her. She has a solid job at the store, but her passion is photography. She has a devoted boyfriend, but another friend likes her and also wants to be with her. Therese has little interest in either of them.
As Carol progresses with her separation, an ex-girlfriend, Abby (Sarah Paulson), helps her deal. But her association with Abby makes Harge believe she's going back to her—though she's not—so he begins proceedings to keep Carol from seeing their daughter. This drives Carol to quickly seek comfort in Therese's friendship and explore where it will go.
Did I mention it's the early 50s? And it's not okay to be an 'out' lesbian in the early 50s?
The whole film centers around this repression, despite the fact Carol seems very comfortable in who she is and makes no apologies for her feelings. It's one of those films where very little happens, yet everything does change.
If you're looking for a fast-paced love story, this is not the film for you, but if you have the cinema patience for quiet scenes, sexual frustration and longing looks, you may find yourself satisfied by its undercurrent.
Cate Blanchett is fantastic as always, as the cold, yet compassionate Carol. Mara didn't impress me as much with her deer-in-headlights glances and wooden dialog delivery, but Kyle Chandler playing against type as a jackass was fun to see.
I'm glad I checked this one off my list, even if it's not as flashy as competing films in this year's Oscar race.
~~~
Showing posts with label Cate Blanchett. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cate Blanchett. Show all posts
Sunday, January 03, 2016
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Cinderella
Today I saw Cinderella, starring Lily James and Cate Blanchett.
The story of Cinderella is sewn so tightly into the fabric of our collective memories that the plot doesn't need repeating, so instead I'll just highlight the pros and cons of this live action rendition:
~~~
The story of Cinderella is sewn so tightly into the fabric of our collective memories that the plot doesn't need repeating, so instead I'll just highlight the pros and cons of this live action rendition:
- I missed the music. I like a little Bibbidi-Bobbiti-Boo with my fairy Godmothering and the fact there was only a drop of song here and there was disappointing.
- I loved the cast of ladies. Lily James was convincingly sweet as the star and Blanchett equally so as the villain. Helena Bonham Carter too.
- The pace was a little slow. Knowing every step of the story going in is an obvious disadvantage, but it's exaggerated when things don't move swiftly.
- The costumes and scenery were gorgeous. I loved getting lost in that forest and dancing across that ballroom.
- I wish there had been more of the stepsisters. Nasty as they were, they brought great comic relief to the story. But they were hardly there.
- The overall theme of kindness was well executed. The screenwriter did a beautiful job of capturing the true spirit of the fairy tale, sending the message that good people finish first.
~~~
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Blue Jasmine
Yesterday I saw Blue Jasmine, starring Cate Blanchett and Sally Hawkins.
Jeanette (Blanchette) changed her name to Jasmine years ago because her given name wasn't elegant enough. It seems everything in her life needs to be coated in luxury for her to feel normal.
She meets Hal (Alec Baldwin), a wealthy businessman, marries him and lives a charmed life in Manhattan until her world falls out from under her when he's arrested for a white collar crime.
Broke and directionless, she attempts to start over in San Francisco where her sister Ginger (Hawkins) lives a much more middle class life.
A black comedy with the darkest of undertones, the absurdity of Jasmine's grief often gets the biggest laughs, as her mourning focuses more on the material things she lost than the husband she loved.
Blanchett gives an Oscar-worthy performance as a woman on the brink of cracking, popping pills and offering a healthy amount of product placement for Stoli vodka. She's both funny and tragic; ridiculous in most scenes, but still genuine enough to garner sympathy from the audience.
The supporting cast is nothing short of brilliant as well—Hawkins is a down-to-earth sister with more patience for her sibling than most would have; Bobby Cannavale and Louis C.K. prove appropriately comical as her suitors. As usual, Baldwin is perfectly cast as the slimy former husband.
Allen is on a roll—Midnight in Paris, To Rome with Love and now this. Satisfying, delightful stories with colorful characters coming to life.
~~~
Jeanette (Blanchette) changed her name to Jasmine years ago because her given name wasn't elegant enough. It seems everything in her life needs to be coated in luxury for her to feel normal.
She meets Hal (Alec Baldwin), a wealthy businessman, marries him and lives a charmed life in Manhattan until her world falls out from under her when he's arrested for a white collar crime.
Broke and directionless, she attempts to start over in San Francisco where her sister Ginger (Hawkins) lives a much more middle class life.
A black comedy with the darkest of undertones, the absurdity of Jasmine's grief often gets the biggest laughs, as her mourning focuses more on the material things she lost than the husband she loved.
Blanchett gives an Oscar-worthy performance as a woman on the brink of cracking, popping pills and offering a healthy amount of product placement for Stoli vodka. She's both funny and tragic; ridiculous in most scenes, but still genuine enough to garner sympathy from the audience.
The supporting cast is nothing short of brilliant as well—Hawkins is a down-to-earth sister with more patience for her sibling than most would have; Bobby Cannavale and Louis C.K. prove appropriately comical as her suitors. As usual, Baldwin is perfectly cast as the slimy former husband.
Allen is on a roll—Midnight in Paris, To Rome with Love and now this. Satisfying, delightful stories with colorful characters coming to life.
~~~
Saturday, February 02, 2008
I'm Not There
This morning I saw I'm Not There, starring Cate Blanchett and Heath Ledger.
It's an avant garde approach to Bob Dylan's life, told through a series of sequences that feature a number of different actors portraying the folk legend. Really, it's over two hours of hits and misses.
The hits come in the performances, first and foremost. Blanchett is clearly the standout, brilliantly adapting the mannerisms, sound and look of the star while placing her own charismatic stamp on the story. The more we see from her, the more we can't help but wish the entire movie was only her. She could've easily pulled off all of the complexities the filmmakers were trying to convey. Particularly hilarious is a scene of her frolicking with "The Beatles."
Also great is the late Heath Ledger. He plays Dylan with a combination of sexiness and swagger that goes way beyond the charm of the real man. While vastly different from Dylan in both physique and spirit, Ledger manages to convince us in his first few moments on screen, just "which" Bob we're watching.
In addition to the major players, there are also a sprinkling of supporting characters that infuse great amounts of life into the narrative. Namely, Julianne Moore and Michelle Williams.
The beauty of the way the film is shot also contributes to its successes—the Dylans, etc. move freely between grainy black-and-white 'footage' and gorgeous, full-color frames. At no point does this become distracting or confusing, in fact, it actually helps move the story along.
And that's where the misses come in. As someone who is not much of a Dylan fan, I went into the film hoping to learn more about why he rose to fame (and stayed there). Unfortunately, this doesn't tell me much. I already knew he was a philosopher, a liar, a poet, a rebel, etc. but what I didn't know was why?
Although elements of his character are exhibited by the various actors (some miscast, by the way: Christian Bale), the movie seems so caught up in its artsyness that it can't quite connect to its purpose.
And the more I think about it, maybe that's why I'm not much of a Dylan fan.
It's an avant garde approach to Bob Dylan's life, told through a series of sequences that feature a number of different actors portraying the folk legend. Really, it's over two hours of hits and misses.
The hits come in the performances, first and foremost. Blanchett is clearly the standout, brilliantly adapting the mannerisms, sound and look of the star while placing her own charismatic stamp on the story. The more we see from her, the more we can't help but wish the entire movie was only her. She could've easily pulled off all of the complexities the filmmakers were trying to convey. Particularly hilarious is a scene of her frolicking with "The Beatles."
Also great is the late Heath Ledger. He plays Dylan with a combination of sexiness and swagger that goes way beyond the charm of the real man. While vastly different from Dylan in both physique and spirit, Ledger manages to convince us in his first few moments on screen, just "which" Bob we're watching.
In addition to the major players, there are also a sprinkling of supporting characters that infuse great amounts of life into the narrative. Namely, Julianne Moore and Michelle Williams.
The beauty of the way the film is shot also contributes to its successes—the Dylans, etc. move freely between grainy black-and-white 'footage' and gorgeous, full-color frames. At no point does this become distracting or confusing, in fact, it actually helps move the story along.
And that's where the misses come in. As someone who is not much of a Dylan fan, I went into the film hoping to learn more about why he rose to fame (and stayed there). Unfortunately, this doesn't tell me much. I already knew he was a philosopher, a liar, a poet, a rebel, etc. but what I didn't know was why?
Although elements of his character are exhibited by the various actors (some miscast, by the way: Christian Bale), the movie seems so caught up in its artsyness that it can't quite connect to its purpose.
And the more I think about it, maybe that's why I'm not much of a Dylan fan.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Today I saw Elizabeth: The Golden Age, starring Cate Blanchett and Clive Owen.
When I saw the first Elizabeth during Oscar® season of 1998, I remember being blown away by its intensity and glory. This time, I remained impressed by the acting and the cinematography, but the pace left me bored throughout.
The story of how the famous virgin Queen, played pitch-perfectly yet again by Blanchett, comes to form an attraction to Sir Walter Raleigh (Owen, who is equally fantastic) is the core of the narrative and undoubtedly spawns the most exciting scenes in the film. The two lead actors couldn't be more electric in one another's presence and watching their cat-and-mouse game is nothing short of tension-filled—in a good way.
The problem is, there's a whole lot of traditional 'period piece' yammering that happens in between all of the juice that has you begging for them to get on with it.
Sure, there are bright spots found in the wicked Mary Stuart, played convincingly by Samantha Morton, and also the delicate affair between Raleigh and the other Elizabeth, portrayed by an especially voluptuous Abbie Cornish. But overall it felt like we were jumping from bit to bit with only hints of excitement at each pit stop.
The singular saving grace (aside from the excellent performances) would be the scenery. The film is shot beautifully, from the long elegant hallways and candle-filled rooms inside the castle to the stormy golden-age sea, boasting magnificent ships on the majestic waters.
What was missing was the emotional presence of the first, which truly showed us how this leader was ruled by and ruled with her fragile heart.
When I saw the first Elizabeth during Oscar® season of 1998, I remember being blown away by its intensity and glory. This time, I remained impressed by the acting and the cinematography, but the pace left me bored throughout.
The story of how the famous virgin Queen, played pitch-perfectly yet again by Blanchett, comes to form an attraction to Sir Walter Raleigh (Owen, who is equally fantastic) is the core of the narrative and undoubtedly spawns the most exciting scenes in the film. The two lead actors couldn't be more electric in one another's presence and watching their cat-and-mouse game is nothing short of tension-filled—in a good way.
The problem is, there's a whole lot of traditional 'period piece' yammering that happens in between all of the juice that has you begging for them to get on with it.
Sure, there are bright spots found in the wicked Mary Stuart, played convincingly by Samantha Morton, and also the delicate affair between Raleigh and the other Elizabeth, portrayed by an especially voluptuous Abbie Cornish. But overall it felt like we were jumping from bit to bit with only hints of excitement at each pit stop.
The singular saving grace (aside from the excellent performances) would be the scenery. The film is shot beautifully, from the long elegant hallways and candle-filled rooms inside the castle to the stormy golden-age sea, boasting magnificent ships on the majestic waters.
What was missing was the emotional presence of the first, which truly showed us how this leader was ruled by and ruled with her fragile heart.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Babel
This morning I saw Babel, starring Brad Pitt and Adriana Barraza.
Here are ten things I learned by watching it:
1. Don't go on vacation to an undesirable place just because your spouse wants to go.
2. Don't leave children unattended with rifles.
3. Seek counseling for any person who finds the dead body of their suicidal parent.
4. Being deaf is difficult.
5. If you're an immigrant and you want to work in the United States, become a legal citizen.
6. Don't drink and drive.
7. Don't provoke border guards.
8. Don't stand for political red tape getting in the way of your welfare when traveling abroad.
9. Always have a backup babysitter.
10. Don't run from your problems, even if they're difficult to deal with (i.e. accidental death of a child).
What's funny is that I knew all of the above before I sat through this movie.
We're all supposed to learn how to communicate with one another to achieve harmony in this world. Point taken.
This better not win Best Picture.
Here are ten things I learned by watching it:
1. Don't go on vacation to an undesirable place just because your spouse wants to go.
2. Don't leave children unattended with rifles.
3. Seek counseling for any person who finds the dead body of their suicidal parent.
4. Being deaf is difficult.
5. If you're an immigrant and you want to work in the United States, become a legal citizen.
6. Don't drink and drive.
7. Don't provoke border guards.
8. Don't stand for political red tape getting in the way of your welfare when traveling abroad.
9. Always have a backup babysitter.
10. Don't run from your problems, even if they're difficult to deal with (i.e. accidental death of a child).
What's funny is that I knew all of the above before I sat through this movie.
We're all supposed to learn how to communicate with one another to achieve harmony in this world. Point taken.
This better not win Best Picture.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Notes on a Scandal
Yesterday I saw the thriller Notes on a Scandal, starring Dame Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett.
I was left with mixed emotions.
The story centers around Sheba (Blanchett), who has spent ten years caring for her family—specifically her son with Down's Syndrome—and finds herself ready to branch out and start a career. As a result, she becomes a somewhat scattered art teacher at a high school. A veteran instructor, Barbara (Dench), who lacks companions of her own, quickly befriends Sheba and keeps a detailed diary of their friendship.
As the story progresses, Sheba gets caught having an affair with one of her students by Barbara, who then blackmails Sheba for attention in return for her secrecy.
Dench is apparently a lesbian who is attracted to the younger teacher with a questionable past that only unfolds near the end of the film.
The pace of the movie is great—everything happens quickly and believably, as it would in real-life. The performances are flawless (even the supporting cast is great) and the ending is fine.
The main problems I had with it were the dialogue (wait until you see Sheba scream "Here I am!" in one of the key scenes near the end) and the intrusive score, which often drowned out the cheesy dialogue. Oh wait—maybe the score was good after all.
Anyway—I'd be lying if I didn't say I was entertained during this one. It's a fun, if not predictable ride.
And with Mirren and Winslet all but confirmed for Oscar nods, Dench just may make the Best Actress race a three-way Battle of the Brits with her performance here.
I was left with mixed emotions.
The story centers around Sheba (Blanchett), who has spent ten years caring for her family—specifically her son with Down's Syndrome—and finds herself ready to branch out and start a career. As a result, she becomes a somewhat scattered art teacher at a high school. A veteran instructor, Barbara (Dench), who lacks companions of her own, quickly befriends Sheba and keeps a detailed diary of their friendship.
As the story progresses, Sheba gets caught having an affair with one of her students by Barbara, who then blackmails Sheba for attention in return for her secrecy.
Dench is apparently a lesbian who is attracted to the younger teacher with a questionable past that only unfolds near the end of the film.
The pace of the movie is great—everything happens quickly and believably, as it would in real-life. The performances are flawless (even the supporting cast is great) and the ending is fine.
The main problems I had with it were the dialogue (wait until you see Sheba scream "Here I am!" in one of the key scenes near the end) and the intrusive score, which often drowned out the cheesy dialogue. Oh wait—maybe the score was good after all.
Anyway—I'd be lying if I didn't say I was entertained during this one. It's a fun, if not predictable ride.
And with Mirren and Winslet all but confirmed for Oscar nods, Dench just may make the Best Actress race a three-way Battle of the Brits with her performance here.
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