I really like him. I'm watching East of Eden right now and am planning on watching Giant either tonight or tomorrow.. From what i've seen so far, in RwaC, he had the potential to be a force in the movie industry.. He had the talent, he was incredibly handsome, and he had a certain charm to him. It seemed like he was one of those "woman want him/men wanna be him" type of guys.
In Rebel, his performance seemed so genuine and real.. The way he yelled, while drunk, "You're tearing me apart!" was fantastic. It wasn't over the top like a lot of "drunk" performances.. And later on after the "chicken" race how he's explaining he should go to the cops, and then starts yelling at his parents.. James played a teenager the way a real teenager was!! I suppose it helps that he was in his early-20's at the time, so the teenage days were still fresh for him..
I really liked the way he carried himself.. He had a certain style to himself that I think will never be doubled.. Despite only 3 major films, he'll go down in history as one of the best..
To chime in with my two cents, along with Marlon Brando in Last Tango in Paris and Oskar Werner in Jules and Jim, Dean's work in Rebel without a Cause makes the short list of my favourite performances ever.
To chime in with my two cents, along with Marlon Brando in Last Tango in Paris and Oskar Werner in Jules and Jim, Dean's work in Rebel without a Cause makes the short list of my favourite performances ever.
What film(s) would you suggest by Brando to someone who hasn't watched many of his? I've seen The Godfather (was good, but I went into it expecting too much and was super let-down) and The Wild One. Considering people calling him one of, if not the, greatest actors ever... what best shows his abilities?
Anna Karenina really, really, really didn't work for me at all. I think it failed from its very foundation: the relationship between Anna and Vronsky. Those two performers have ZERO chemistry, which I pin much more on the incredibly dull Johnson than I do on the capable Knightley. This leads to the film having no spark, no life. There was no reason to believe that this relationship was so amazing and passionate that she's willing to throw her life away. Joe Wright seemed much more interested in his own visual style than he did on properly developing his story, and makes Tolstoy seem like its on par with Stephanie Meyers novels as far as source material goes (it does share something with the Twilight series: a young lady who is head over heels for a man with no pulse). I did think Jude Law was good, I often forget how talented he is.
What film(s) would you suggest by Brando to someone who hasn't watched many of his? I've seen The Godfather (was good, but I went into it expecting too much and was super let-down) and The Wild One. Considering people calling him one of, if not the, greatest actors ever... what best shows his abilities?
What film(s) would you suggest by Brando to someone who hasn't watched many of his? I've seen The Godfather (was good, but I went into it expecting too much and was super let-down) and The Wild One. Considering people calling him one of, if not the, greatest actors ever... what best shows his abilities?
Like already mentioned, watch On the Waterfront. It's easily my 2nd favorite movie ever. Brando is on point in this one, as is the entire rest of the cast.
Like already mentioned, watch On the Waterfront. It's easily my 2nd favorite movie ever. Brando is on point in this one, as is the entire rest of the cast.
Thanks to both for the feedback. On the Waterfront is currently downloading (yes, it's illegal.. I know, get over it).. and is at 79%. I look forward to watching it.. I want to like Marlon Brando.. but The Godfather just didn't do it for me! It's not that it was bad, I enjoyed the movie, but I just went into it with such high expectations that there was no way they could be met.. I can honestly say that I enjoyed him more in The Wild One than in The Godfather.. Perhaps when I re-watch it, without the legacy in my mind, i'll change my mind.
THE TOWN http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0840361/ OPINION: I thought it was just okay. I've never been much of a guy for guns, gangs, etc. As a lot of people know I don't like the Godfather movies at all. This obviously isn't the exact same, but it gave me the same vibe. It's a solid flick with some suberb acting by Affleck, Lively, and Renner. I hated Rebecca Hall's character and it made little sense to me - but what do I know about love, I guess. Breaks down to great acting, but not a movie that pulled me in as much as I thought it would having heard the reviews. RATING: **1/4
THE BOURNE LEGACY http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1194173/ OPINION: Unlike The Town, the reviews for this film were weaker. And I hated the previous Bourne films. So I think that worked to my advantage because I fell in love with this flick. I felt that Cross was a more interesting character because he still felt human because he didn't have full power for the entire movie. It felt like he could be beaten if he wasn't smart and that really worked and made this feel fresh. I loved this. RATING: ****1/4
THE HURT LOCKER http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0887912/ OPINION: I've had this movie in my collection for years but never got around to watching it. My friend kept bugging me to watch it but I always ignored him. In my movie spree the other day, I pulled it out. Great flick, but it had some problems. Big problems. But I enjoyed it and it was definitely an intense movie and a gritty look at war. My grandpa who is a war veteran also really liked this, so I felt like that gives the movie even more of a boost. Good, solid flick. RATING: ***1/2
THE DAY http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1756799/ OPINION: Probably the best WWE film release to date. The movie was gritty, bleak, and at the same time very fun. There were some parts where you could tell that the director was new, but the director redeemed himself quite nicely after his previous attempt back in 2000. I enjoyed this film from start to end but at the same time I'm a huge fan of post-apocalyptic features. The Road is one of my favourite films ever. RATING: ***1/2
BRAVE http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1217209/ OPINION: Awesome, awesome, awesome. I watched it in the theater and watched it again on bluray. Amazing. Love this movie so much. RATING: *****
This may be off topic but did anyone notice that James Franco looks like James Dean
He actually played him in a tv biopic back in 2001! It turned out really well, and Franco won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV Film.
I'll have to re-watch this movie another time.. The phone kept ringing, and I didn't want to give half-attention to the film, so I paused it. I never got to fully capture it as a film.. From what I did see, James Dean gave a fantastic performance once again. He's 2/2 in my book so far, hopefully "Giant" will be a good film!!
What film(s) would you suggest by Brando to someone who hasn't watched many of his? I've seen The Godfather (was good, but I went into it expecting too much and was super let-down) and The Wild One. Considering people calling him one of, if not the, greatest actors ever... what best shows his abilities?
The Wild One is a good bench mark to have under your belt because it is representative of the early Brando. And I agree with the others that On the Waterfront is the crown jewel of the young Brando's work. The best way to approach his work is probably in chronological order. So:
The Men (sort of the calling card of a huge new talent) A Streetcar Named Desire (really essential) The Wild One (which you have already seen) On the Waterfront (an iconic performance) The Young Lions (one of the few pay-the-rent movies where he's really paying attention--not dazzling, just interesting) One-Eyed Jacks (very underrated performance in a perversely fascinating and uncomfortable movie) Mutiny on the Bounty (where he is beginning to **** around, but still a very memorable interpretation of Fletcher Christian)
then comes the long, mediocre slog, until:
The Night of the Following Day (minor work, but interestingly low key) The Godfather (both the performance and the movie seem overrated to me) Last Tango in Paris (for my money, his greatest performance) The Missouri Breaks (right after Last Tango, and his most flamboyantly outrageous performance, so much so that it is hard to know what to compare it to. I always thought it destroyed co-star Jack Nicholson for years because Nicholson started to become ultra-expressive and over-the-top himself after watching Brando chew up the scenery in this film) Apocalypse Now (a small role, but probably his last great performance--and a distillation of the method acting approach that he started his career with and, for good or ill, never abandoned)
Festen (The Celebration) (1998)
How it took me this long to watch Festen I don't know, but I'm glad I finally did it. Directed by Thomas Vinterberg this movie shows that you don't need a big budget or extravagant special effects to make a good movie, what you need is a great script, great acting and a director that knows how to use those two tools. And in this movie Thomas Vinterberg has those to things at his disposal and uses them magnificently.
Ulrich Thomsen in the lead role is a great actor, one of the best in Denmark, and on his best days he is just as good as Mads Mikkelsen. This movie is one of his best days in a very tough role. The movie stands and falls by his performance, if he doesn't nail it the movie falls flat, luckily he nails it every time. Thomas Bo Larsen and Paprika Steen as the two siblings, play themselves, as they always do, but in this movie they play a very good version of themselves.
The script tackles a very touch subject matter, which I won't mention because of spoilers. And it handles it perfectly. Others might have been compelled to throw in a joke or two about it in order to not make the movie too dark, but luckily Vinterberg stays away from that, as it would have undermined the whole movie. Instead he uses the dementia plagued granddad and the depressed uncle as a, still dark, comical relief without interfering with the main subject of the movie.
If you haven't seen Festen, don't be like me and put it off any longer, just watch it, and do it sooner rather than later, you won't be disappointed.
He actually played him in a tv biopic back in 2001! It turned out really well, and Franco won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV Film.
Currently watching “A Streetcar Named Desire“ and my goodness, Marlon Brando was dangerously handsome in his younger days!!
Anyways, im only 15 minutes in so I cant really say anything about it.. but I will say that I already cannot stand the character Blanche.. She is SO annoying.. and the fact that she just keeps bringing up that Stelle left Belle Reve just bugs me.. GET OVER IT.
The Golem, or How He Came Into the World: 7.5/10
I randomly downloaded this 1920 silent film from Paul Weneger years ago, and for some reason decided to watch it a couple of nights ago. It was pretty cool. It tells the story of a village elder/sorcerer in a Jewish ghetto in Poland who, reading the stars, foretells an impending disaster for the Jews. The sorcerer builds a golem out of clay in response, and various misadventures occur. It's interesting as an early example of horror, and some of the sets/towns/buildings look brilliantly gothic. The copy I watched was colored so certain scenes were "painted" a certain color (the sorcerer's lab is green, the town is yellow, blue at night, etc). Pretty neat all told.
I saw that movie, i enjoyed, and glad they chose Franco over those actors, even though Depp and Oldman would be good and Pitt, meh
I agree. While Depp may be my favourite actor of the last 25 years (and that isn‘t because of Pirates like it is for most...), Franco fits the part perfectly. The resemblence is uncanny!!
Gary Oldman is an amazing actor aswell. He played Sid Vicious in the biopic “Sid & Nancy“, and it was one of the best performances I have ever seen!! My favourite of his films will always be “Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead“ alongside Tim Roth and Richard Dreyfuss, both of who are tremendous actors. It was based off of two minor characters in Shakespeare‘s “Hamlet“. The comedic timing and the delivery of Oldman‘s lines are like none I‘ve seen before.
As for Pitt.. yeah he‘s made some big movies, but I‘ve never really enjoyed him as an actor. He‘s more famous for being good-looking than for anything else really.
The Golem, or How He Came Into the World: 7.5/10
I randomly downloaded this 1920 silent film from Paul Weneger years ago, and for some reason decided to watch it a couple of nights ago. It was pretty cool. It tells the story of a village elder/sorcerer in a Jewish ghetto in Poland who, reading the stars, foretells an impending disaster for the Jews. The sorcerer builds a golem out of clay in response, and various misadventures occur. It's interesting as an early example of horror, and some of the sets/towns/buildings look brilliantly gothic. The copy I watched was colored so certain scenes were "painted" a certain color (the sorcerer's lab is green, the town is yellow, blue at night, etc). Pretty neat all told.
It‘s actually 1 of 3 films Weneger made about the Golem. He made the one you watched in 1920, “The Golem“ in 1915, and “The Golem and the Dancing Girl“ in 1917. The most recent is a prequel to the first made, and the Dancing Girl one was actually a comedy! Both the first and second made are now lost films though, which sucks because I‘ve always wanted to see the Dancing Girl one..
Currently watching “A Streetcar Named Desire“ and my goodness, Marlon Brando was dangerously handsome in his younger days!!
Anyways, im only 15 minutes in so I cant really say anything about it.. but I will say that I already cannot stand the character Blanche.. She is SO annoying.. and the fact that she just keeps bringing up that Stelle left Belle Reve just bugs me.. GET OVER IT.
Okay, I take back some of what I said.. While Blanche is somewhat annoying, I think the character was meant to be that way.. She seems mentally fatigued and on the verge of a breakdown.. She doesn‘t seem to think straight, and it‘s causing her to just be annoying. I suppose you could say she‘s fragile.. everything that‘s happened with Belle Reve has cracked her, and she‘s trying so hard to not break..
Haven't really watched any movies since the beginning of the year, aside from batman and prometheus. I made a list of movies and started watching them recently to get caught up.
21 Jump street -- 7/10
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter -- 4/10
Act of Valor -- 4/10
Battleship --4/10
Brave -- 6/10
Chronicle -- 5/10
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo -- 7/10
Immortals -- 5/10
Men in Black 3 -- 6/10
Mission Impossible -- 7/10
Mission Impossible 2 -- 3/10
Mission Impossible 3 -- 4/10
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol -- 5.5/10
Prometheus -- 6/10
Biggest disappointment regarding movies I've had in a while.
Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows -- 7.5/10
Snow White and the Huntsman -- 1/10
Kristen Stewart gets relentless hate, I never really understood it since I haven't watched her movies before. I kinda understand it now, she's an awful actor.
Ted -- 7/10
The Amazing Spiderman -- 6.5/10
When are spiderman movies going to skip the "how peter becomes spiderman" introduction? Everyone knows this by now, and even though this is a different spiderman story, it's essentially the same, no need for 45mins to be dedicated to this character development.
The Avengers -- 8/10
My favorite movie of the year, found this to be enjoyable from start to finish, and as a superhero action movie that runs longer than 2hrs, that's pretty good. Great summer popcorn movie, I wish I saw this in theaters.
The Grey -- 4/10
Total Recall -- 5/10
For a movie that's set far in the future which gives you a lot of room for creativity regarding the action sequences, this movie ended up being very cookie-cutter. They should've set this movie in modern times, had the exact same action sequences and saved money on effects/post-production.
I honestly have no idea how Kate Beckinsale gets roles as much as she does, regardless of her aesthetic appeal, she's an awful actor.
Underworld: Awakening -- 4/10
When is this series going to end?
Warrior -- 6.5/10
Was expecting this to be a bomb... a movie about MMA... Wasn't nearly as bad as I expected, it became boring when it was obvious that the brothers would be fighting.
Haven't really watched any movies since the beginning of the year, aside from batman and prometheus. I made a list of movies and started watching them recently to get caught up.
21 Jump street -- 7/10
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter -- 4/10
Act of Valor -- 4/10
Battleship --4/10
Brave -- 6/10
Chronicle -- 5/10
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo -- 7/10
Immortals -- 5/10
Men in Black 3 -- 6/10
Mission Impossible -- 7/10
Mission Impossible 2 -- 3/10
Mission Impossible 3 -- 4/10
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol -- 5.5/10
Prometheus -- 6/10
Biggest disappointment regarding movies I've had in a while.
Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows -- 7.5/10
Snow White and the Huntsman -- 1/10
Kristen Stewart gets relentless hate, I never really understood it since I haven't watched her movies before. I kinda understand it now, she's an awful actor.
Ted -- 7/10
The Amazing Spiderman -- 6.5/10
When are spiderman movies going to skip the "how peter becomes spiderman" introduction? Everyone knows this by now, and even though this is a different spiderman story, it's essentially the same, no need for 45mins to be dedicated to this character development.
The Avengers -- 8/10
My favorite movie of the year, found this to be enjoyable from start to finish, and as a superhero action movie that runs longer than 2hrs, that's pretty good. Great summer popcorn movie, I wish I saw this in theaters.
The Grey -- 4/10
Total Recall -- 5/10
For a movie that's set far in the future which gives you a lot of room for creativity regarding the action sequences, this movie ended up being very cookie-cutter. They should've set this movie in modern times, had the exact same action sequences and saved money on effects/post-production.
I honestly have no idea how Kate Beckinsale gets roles as much as she does, regardless of her aesthetic appeal, she's an awful actor.
Underworld: Awakening -- 4/10
When is this series going to end?
Warrior -- 6.5/10
Was expecting this to be a bomb... a movie about MMA... Wasn't nearly as bad as I expected, it became boring when it was obvious that the brothers would be fighting.
With most of those scores, I'm thinkin' you just might be ready for movies with subtitles.
