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For me, the problem with movies like Coal Miner's Daughter, Sweet Dreams and the other biopics, it's hard separating my feelings for the movie from my feelings for the music.
Musical Artist Movie Hall of Fame
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For me, the problem with movies like Coal Miner's Daughter, Sweet Dreams and the other biopics, it's hard separating my feelings for the movie from my feelings for the music.
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I mean not every rock n roller was a bad boy. Here's a real pic of Ritchie, he looks like a good kid to me.
IMO Patsy Kline had better songs than Loretta Lynn...but Coal Miner's Daughter was a better film than Sweet Dreams.
We're getting pretty close to the reveal of who won. I wonder which movie?
), but it isn't so much of a lead that it is guaranteed to win this HoF, to be honest. So I am very curious to see how (if) the other lists will affect it.
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I didn't see Ritchie's bother as "bad boy" either, just someone who felt like they would never live up to his brother and their mother's love and acted out because of it.
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I am still waiting on 4 lists. Destiny and Clazor have both told me that they should be sending theirs in very soon, too, and both will also be commenting on the films that they have watched. I know what is leading (of course! ), but it isn't so much of a lead that it is guaranteed to win this HoF, to be honest. So I am very curious to see how (if) the other lists will affect it.
), but it isn't so much of a lead that it is guaranteed to win this HoF, to be honest. So I am very curious to see how (if) the other lists will affect it.I should have my list done early next week. I just want to rewatch a couple of the biopics before I finalize my list.
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I should have my list done early next week. I just want to rewatch a couple of the biopics before I finalize my list.
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I didn't see Ritchie's bother as "bad boy" either, just someone who felt like they would never live up to his brother and their mother's love and acted out because of it.
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Fantastic performance by Esai Morales though...best thing about the movie IMO.
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La Bamba
Again? On the same damn plane?
I liked the cast in this movie. Bob was played well by Esai Morales, and though most of the dialouge was executed by shouting (and this goes for the entire cast), he manages to come off as a well-meaning douchbag. He's 99% douchbag, and he's a total ass, but you get the sense that he could've been an ok guy if he wasn't always drunk or high...and beating his girlfriend... and raping said girfriend...and smuggeling drugs...and stealing his brother's girl...
I might just be wrong, come to think of it.
But all faults aside, he does seem to love his family. What few quiet moments Bob and Richie share, they do act as brothers. The resolution they come to at the very end did strike me as a moment of honesty and heartfelt love for each other.
As for Richie Valenzuela, portrayed by Lou Diamond Phillips...eh, he's the straight man of the story. It's his job to calm down situations rather than to provoke them. As such, he does come off as more bland and stoic, especially when compared to his firecracker of a mother and brother. They are the ones who gets to emote, to shout and scream and explode into fits of yelling and arguments. Rosanna DeSoto does a fine job as Connie Valenzuela, part manager for her son, part provider for her four (or maybe five? Can't remember exactly) children. She's a tough one, not afraid to dig in and take charge when she deems that her son's not getting the room he deserves. But back to Richie. I thought the first solo number he did at the bar shows off how much of a born musician he is. He knows straight rock won't do for the audience, so he tunes it to suit the moment, ripping off a rock/western combo that gets the partons going and still expresses what he deems to be his style of music. He does the same with the mexican folk song La Bamba, he puts a spin on it and makes it his own.
Speaking of the music, I think I'll have to look into Los Lobos, cause I really liked what I heard. Granted, it's Richie's music, but if they're even close to the same sound, I'm interested.
Overall, a fine choice for the HoF. Great music, a main character that, while a bit stiff, still gets across how much his music/family means to him and that he won't stop for anything.
Nice pick, CR!
Again? On the same damn plane?
I liked the cast in this movie. Bob was played well by Esai Morales, and though most of the dialouge was executed by shouting (and this goes for the entire cast), he manages to come off as a well-meaning douchbag. He's 99% douchbag, and he's a total ass, but you get the sense that he could've been an ok guy if he wasn't always drunk or high...and beating his girlfriend... and raping said girfriend...and smuggeling drugs...and stealing his brother's girl...
I might just be wrong, come to think of it.
But all faults aside, he does seem to love his family. What few quiet moments Bob and Richie share, they do act as brothers. The resolution they come to at the very end did strike me as a moment of honesty and heartfelt love for each other.
As for Richie Valenzuela, portrayed by Lou Diamond Phillips...eh, he's the straight man of the story. It's his job to calm down situations rather than to provoke them. As such, he does come off as more bland and stoic, especially when compared to his firecracker of a mother and brother. They are the ones who gets to emote, to shout and scream and explode into fits of yelling and arguments. Rosanna DeSoto does a fine job as Connie Valenzuela, part manager for her son, part provider for her four (or maybe five? Can't remember exactly) children. She's a tough one, not afraid to dig in and take charge when she deems that her son's not getting the room he deserves. But back to Richie. I thought the first solo number he did at the bar shows off how much of a born musician he is. He knows straight rock won't do for the audience, so he tunes it to suit the moment, ripping off a rock/western combo that gets the partons going and still expresses what he deems to be his style of music. He does the same with the mexican folk song La Bamba, he puts a spin on it and makes it his own.
Speaking of the music, I think I'll have to look into Los Lobos, cause I really liked what I heard. Granted, it's Richie's music, but if they're even close to the same sound, I'm interested.
Overall, a fine choice for the HoF. Great music, a main character that, while a bit stiff, still gets across how much his music/family means to him and that he won't stop for anything.
Nice pick, CR!
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Why not just kill them? I'll do it! I'll run up to Paris - bam, bam, bam, bam. I'm back before week's end. We spend the treasure. How is this a bad plan?
Why not just kill them? I'll do it! I'll run up to Paris - bam, bam, bam, bam. I'm back before week's end. We spend the treasure. How is this a bad plan?
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The Commitments
Can a movie about a band put too much focus on that band performing?
I felt like they did, even if the story is told in a way that uses what happens during their performances to fuel the ever-present arguing within the group. Normally I'd say that three or four apperances would be standard for a two hour movie, but then it's rarely more than one song, and deffinetly not several songs performed completely. For me at least, they should've paired the length of the performances down, getting the plot relevant stuff down and then moved on, rather than drag them out for as long a time as they did. That said, the music is very good (not surprising, as they mix classic soul and rock).
As far as the characters went, I actually liked most of them and would've wanted to see more of them rather than watching another set. "The Lips" was probably my favourite, and I liked how they almost jokingly went round and round with wether or not he was who he said he was. Not giving a straight answer was way more entertaining than coming right out and telling us would've been. I was also surprised to see Andrew Strong as the lead singer of the band. I wasn't sure it was him at first, but as he started singing I realized it was. Didn't know he was irish though.
A bit much with the sets, as I said, but overall a fun and well done film. I liked it and aplaude the nomination. Good choice, Vamp!
Can a movie about a band put too much focus on that band performing?
I felt like they did, even if the story is told in a way that uses what happens during their performances to fuel the ever-present arguing within the group. Normally I'd say that three or four apperances would be standard for a two hour movie, but then it's rarely more than one song, and deffinetly not several songs performed completely. For me at least, they should've paired the length of the performances down, getting the plot relevant stuff down and then moved on, rather than drag them out for as long a time as they did. That said, the music is very good (not surprising, as they mix classic soul and rock).
As far as the characters went, I actually liked most of them and would've wanted to see more of them rather than watching another set. "The Lips" was probably my favourite, and I liked how they almost jokingly went round and round with wether or not he was who he said he was. Not giving a straight answer was way more entertaining than coming right out and telling us would've been. I was also surprised to see Andrew Strong as the lead singer of the band. I wasn't sure it was him at first, but as he started singing I realized it was. Didn't know he was irish though.
A bit much with the sets, as I said, but overall a fun and well done film. I liked it and aplaude the nomination. Good choice, Vamp!
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Coal Miner's Daughter
The story of Loretta Lynn and her rise to fame.
I had some trouble bying Sissy Spacek was playing a thirteen year old girl (at 30) and Tommy Lee Jones acting the part of a 20-25 year old (more likely at 33, but still not buying it). That pulled me right out of the movie (at the time) but still had me feeling uncomfortable as an thirteen year old girl got raped on her wedding night. That said, both Spacek and Jones played the parts well, jumping into something neither one of them had any clue how to do (their characters, rather). Jones's character knew what was expected of her as a wife, while not seeming to have any idea what to do as a husband to keep his wife happy. Spacek's character on her end seems to have gone through her life without picking up any of the skills of a woman living in the 40's/50's. Eventually though, they seem to work everything out (more or less) and we move forward to the establishing of Loretta's musical career... which leads to even more fighting between them in the end.
I must say, they make the quarreling between Loretta and Doo sound authentic. They sound like a couple who argue constantly, while making it so that they still seem to like one another. Compare their fights to the super loud and hateful verbal abuse seen in La Bamba between Bob and Rosie. There is nothing about these fights that tells you they actually care for another; at this point, they hate each other. With Loretta and Doo (while they do get loud), there's a foundation of airing out their issues rather than just yelling. They're talking, telling the other what's wrong as they see it, and in the end they can agree on something and close the matter while still being able to be around each other.
Doo, being supported by Loretta's career and income, feels like he's got nothing to do after he's been running around helping her spread her music, so he drinks and flirts with other women untill Loretta finds him. They argue and the result is Doo getting a job as a mechanic so he can feel productive.
Another example is the new house: Doo surprises Loretta with plans to build her a new house and shows her how he planed the layout. Loretta gets frustrated after year of being told how Doo plans to do things, never getting to be a part of the decission, and they argue again. There's no over-dramatic throwing of kitchen ware or insults, but a venting of concerns between partners. It's a real couple, arguing over everyday stuff, done convinsingly, which I find to be a refreshingly realistic take on a marriage not often found in cinema.
In the end, their acting in this movie is what I think will stick with me above anything else. The music was fine, but maybe not as memorable as the performances.
A very nice movie and a good pick from Destiny!
The story of Loretta Lynn and her rise to fame.
I had some trouble bying Sissy Spacek was playing a thirteen year old girl (at 30) and Tommy Lee Jones acting the part of a 20-25 year old (more likely at 33, but still not buying it). That pulled me right out of the movie (at the time) but still had me feeling uncomfortable as an thirteen year old girl got raped on her wedding night. That said, both Spacek and Jones played the parts well, jumping into something neither one of them had any clue how to do (their characters, rather). Jones's character knew what was expected of her as a wife, while not seeming to have any idea what to do as a husband to keep his wife happy. Spacek's character on her end seems to have gone through her life without picking up any of the skills of a woman living in the 40's/50's. Eventually though, they seem to work everything out (more or less) and we move forward to the establishing of Loretta's musical career... which leads to even more fighting between them in the end.
I must say, they make the quarreling between Loretta and Doo sound authentic. They sound like a couple who argue constantly, while making it so that they still seem to like one another. Compare their fights to the super loud and hateful verbal abuse seen in La Bamba between Bob and Rosie. There is nothing about these fights that tells you they actually care for another; at this point, they hate each other. With Loretta and Doo (while they do get loud), there's a foundation of airing out their issues rather than just yelling. They're talking, telling the other what's wrong as they see it, and in the end they can agree on something and close the matter while still being able to be around each other.
Doo, being supported by Loretta's career and income, feels like he's got nothing to do after he's been running around helping her spread her music, so he drinks and flirts with other women untill Loretta finds him. They argue and the result is Doo getting a job as a mechanic so he can feel productive.
Another example is the new house: Doo surprises Loretta with plans to build her a new house and shows her how he planed the layout. Loretta gets frustrated after year of being told how Doo plans to do things, never getting to be a part of the decission, and they argue again. There's no over-dramatic throwing of kitchen ware or insults, but a venting of concerns between partners. It's a real couple, arguing over everyday stuff, done convinsingly, which I find to be a refreshingly realistic take on a marriage not often found in cinema.
In the end, their acting in this movie is what I think will stick with me above anything else. The music was fine, but maybe not as memorable as the performances.
A very nice movie and a good pick from Destiny!
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The Idolmaker
A bit hit and miss for me with this one. The main character is a bit bland at times, but for the moments where he gets frustrated with any of his two singers. The rightious verbal hiding he gives Tommy was a nice bit of acting, letting loose on the shmuck after he tries to molest a high schooler (while just minutes before complaining about performing in front of a bunch of babies; consistency, what's that?). Also, he gets better whenever he tries to mentor Cesare, showing him how to move or act. You can see he has fun in those segments, while he gets the best scene when he threatens to call poor Cesare's grandmother and tell her that Cesare got caught by the police for a DUI. Cesare goes from angry and cocky to completly submissive and frightend, mostly from fear that his grandmother, a strict italian catholic that seemingly raised him, would get angry and feel ashamed of him. Vincent uses this as a threat to get Cesare to uphold his image as a teen heart-throb to his fans.
It's a very pessimistic movie, stemming from our main character's outlook on life and the music buisness. Everything that matter, Vincent claimes, is the face. If you got a pretty face, the hard part is done. Talent comes second, as it can be taught well enough later. Vincent himself is quite talented, but as he lacks a pretty face, he sees himself as a lost cause before even trying. As such, he focuses on another aspect of show buisness: Managing. His dream now becomes to find and promote the next big star, but it must be done his way.
Besides Ray Sharkey, one of the few people who stood out to me was Tovah Feldshuh, playing the magazine CEO Brenda Roberts. They have some real chemistry between them that makes them very entertaining to watch on screen. Her seasoned nose for what sells causes both headaches and good fortune for Vincent and his talents, but in the end his dream of managing a star gets the best of him.
As for the rest, Joey Pants does another apperance, which is allways appriciated. He plays Vincent's partner and song writer, acting as somewhat of a moral center as the movie goes on. He does a good job with what he gets, but it's a more subdued role than what I'm used to see him in. I'd guessed he'd be the sleazy promoter guy, just as he was in Eddie and the cruisers. That said, I liked his character here alot more than in the previous film. He's a quiet guy, keeping himself in the background until he feel he has to step in to stop Vincent from destroying his chances with Cesare and possibly crush his own dream. In the end, he stays with Vincent and helps him find another dream to aim for.
A strong movie, if a little shakey now and then, with mostly good people in the roles. Not the best I've seen so far, but it ain't bad.
Good pick, GB!
A bit hit and miss for me with this one. The main character is a bit bland at times, but for the moments where he gets frustrated with any of his two singers. The rightious verbal hiding he gives Tommy was a nice bit of acting, letting loose on the shmuck after he tries to molest a high schooler (while just minutes before complaining about performing in front of a bunch of babies; consistency, what's that?). Also, he gets better whenever he tries to mentor Cesare, showing him how to move or act. You can see he has fun in those segments, while he gets the best scene when he threatens to call poor Cesare's grandmother and tell her that Cesare got caught by the police for a DUI. Cesare goes from angry and cocky to completly submissive and frightend, mostly from fear that his grandmother, a strict italian catholic that seemingly raised him, would get angry and feel ashamed of him. Vincent uses this as a threat to get Cesare to uphold his image as a teen heart-throb to his fans.
It's a very pessimistic movie, stemming from our main character's outlook on life and the music buisness. Everything that matter, Vincent claimes, is the face. If you got a pretty face, the hard part is done. Talent comes second, as it can be taught well enough later. Vincent himself is quite talented, but as he lacks a pretty face, he sees himself as a lost cause before even trying. As such, he focuses on another aspect of show buisness: Managing. His dream now becomes to find and promote the next big star, but it must be done his way.
Besides Ray Sharkey, one of the few people who stood out to me was Tovah Feldshuh, playing the magazine CEO Brenda Roberts. They have some real chemistry between them that makes them very entertaining to watch on screen. Her seasoned nose for what sells causes both headaches and good fortune for Vincent and his talents, but in the end his dream of managing a star gets the best of him.
As for the rest, Joey Pants does another apperance, which is allways appriciated. He plays Vincent's partner and song writer, acting as somewhat of a moral center as the movie goes on. He does a good job with what he gets, but it's a more subdued role than what I'm used to see him in. I'd guessed he'd be the sleazy promoter guy, just as he was in Eddie and the cruisers. That said, I liked his character here alot more than in the previous film. He's a quiet guy, keeping himself in the background until he feel he has to step in to stop Vincent from destroying his chances with Cesare and possibly crush his own dream. In the end, he stays with Vincent and helps him find another dream to aim for.
A strong movie, if a little shakey now and then, with mostly good people in the roles. Not the best I've seen so far, but it ain't bad.
Good pick, GB!
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I had some trouble bying Sissy Spacek was playing a thirteen year old girl (at 30) and Tommy Lee Jones acting the part of a 20-25 year old (more likely at 33, but still not buying it).
Then again, I don't honestly know what Doo looked like (I don't think I have ever seen him). Maybe he was one of those kind of people that always looked so much older than his age (I swear the world is full of nothing but that nowadays!). If that was the case, then Tommy Lee Jones could slide. I still don't think they should've used Sissy Spacek when Loretta Lynn was supposed to be 13. There is a 30 year-old actress somewhere out there who could pass for being 10 years younger (not that that would've looked 13 either, but it would've helped). I don't know why they didn't just search for someone else to play the younger version.
If it were a play, we could let it go, but in a movie, it is just less believable.
Nevertheless, the performances were good, though. And I think, overall, Sissy Spacek was a good choice to play Loretta Lynn.
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Amadeus
It seems to me that F. Murray Abraham is part of the select group who have a nack for narration. First in The Grand Budapest and now here in Amadeus he's shown a talent for grabbing his audience and pulling them into a story. He has the technique and the voice to lure you in and to captivate you until you suddenly realize you haven't moved for two hours. Add to that an ability to act which is difficult to top (both in the younger version and the old) and he seems to possess the entire package.
As to the double roll as both older and younger Salieri, Abraham plays the younger with more restraint, while still getting the deeply felt emotions through. They are then expressed without holding anything back by the older Salieri; both fury and regret are pushed through the make-up and displayed in full after (as he says) 32 year of growing deeper and stronger. It's the two sides of a coin, the one deepning and strengthening the other. It's a very well done performance, the only other one coming close is that of Tom Hulce, portraying Mozart.
If the younger Salieri is stoic, then Mozart is the total opposite; loud, boastful, frivolous and with a very high oppinion of himself and his work. And that's the only thing he does take seriously, his composing. If I'm honest I preferred him in his later state; more composed, more tired and serious. The best scenes were those he shared with Abraham, as he tended to be more grave and discussing his problems with what he assumed was a friend/colleague. His work made him focus and removed the slightly (to me) irritating silliness and the annoying cackle.
I also thought that Elizabeth Berridge did a great job as Constanze; she was something of an ankerpoint for Mozart, keeping him from going too far as well as doing alot of things for him that he was too proud to do himself. I caught myself wondering about the scene where she returned from wherever she'd gone after leaving Mozart and finding Salieri in their bedroom. Had she never seen him once since the time she tried to convince him to push for Mozart teaching the Emperor's niece? Whatever the case, she was a strong woman in a movie bereft of such women, and her presence was welcome in a movie where all the other major roles were filled by male actors.
The music was a surprisingly varied combo of different classical pieces. I've never listened to much of the great composers, but for some reason I'd got it my head that Mozart delt with mostly somber works, and never these lighter melodies that mostly dominated the movie. Might be I've confused him with some of the later composers, maybe Beethoven or Bach, perhaps. Anyway, I found them very versatile, as I said, with the music set to Don Giovanni being the music that struck me as the most bombastic and the first piece we hear as Salieri first meets Mozart being the lightest and airiest.
As a final note, the costumes were very well done. I was surprise at the large veriaty of styles that stood to be found, from the dresses and masks at the party where Mozart took his father, to the more proper robements of the Vienna court, everything had such details and thought behind it. One could spent a viewing of the movie just inspecting the costume departments additions to the movie, such was the intricacy.
All in all, a very good and entertaining movie that I'm sure will finish among the top three if not at the top. A very good pick Ed!
It seems to me that F. Murray Abraham is part of the select group who have a nack for narration. First in The Grand Budapest and now here in Amadeus he's shown a talent for grabbing his audience and pulling them into a story. He has the technique and the voice to lure you in and to captivate you until you suddenly realize you haven't moved for two hours. Add to that an ability to act which is difficult to top (both in the younger version and the old) and he seems to possess the entire package.
As to the double roll as both older and younger Salieri, Abraham plays the younger with more restraint, while still getting the deeply felt emotions through. They are then expressed without holding anything back by the older Salieri; both fury and regret are pushed through the make-up and displayed in full after (as he says) 32 year of growing deeper and stronger. It's the two sides of a coin, the one deepning and strengthening the other. It's a very well done performance, the only other one coming close is that of Tom Hulce, portraying Mozart.
If the younger Salieri is stoic, then Mozart is the total opposite; loud, boastful, frivolous and with a very high oppinion of himself and his work. And that's the only thing he does take seriously, his composing. If I'm honest I preferred him in his later state; more composed, more tired and serious. The best scenes were those he shared with Abraham, as he tended to be more grave and discussing his problems with what he assumed was a friend/colleague. His work made him focus and removed the slightly (to me) irritating silliness and the annoying cackle.
I also thought that Elizabeth Berridge did a great job as Constanze; she was something of an ankerpoint for Mozart, keeping him from going too far as well as doing alot of things for him that he was too proud to do himself. I caught myself wondering about the scene where she returned from wherever she'd gone after leaving Mozart and finding Salieri in their bedroom. Had she never seen him once since the time she tried to convince him to push for Mozart teaching the Emperor's niece? Whatever the case, she was a strong woman in a movie bereft of such women, and her presence was welcome in a movie where all the other major roles were filled by male actors.
The music was a surprisingly varied combo of different classical pieces. I've never listened to much of the great composers, but for some reason I'd got it my head that Mozart delt with mostly somber works, and never these lighter melodies that mostly dominated the movie. Might be I've confused him with some of the later composers, maybe Beethoven or Bach, perhaps. Anyway, I found them very versatile, as I said, with the music set to Don Giovanni being the music that struck me as the most bombastic and the first piece we hear as Salieri first meets Mozart being the lightest and airiest.
As a final note, the costumes were very well done. I was surprise at the large veriaty of styles that stood to be found, from the dresses and masks at the party where Mozart took his father, to the more proper robements of the Vienna court, everything had such details and thought behind it. One could spent a viewing of the movie just inspecting the costume departments additions to the movie, such was the intricacy.
All in all, a very good and entertaining movie that I'm sure will finish among the top three if not at the top. A very good pick Ed!
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Nevertheless, the performances were good, though. And I think, overall, Sissy Spacek was a good choice to play Loretta Lynn.
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Oh yes, absolutely a good cast. But I agree, couldn't they found someone just to play the first part as 13 year old Loretta and then switch over when they did the time jump?
Of course it can't be helped a lot of times. But here I preferred Sissy Spacek playing her younger 13 year old self, I bought it. Besides unknown to Sissy she was actually playing a 16 year old, ha.
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Sweet Dreams
Another country/western singers rise to fame, unfortunatley not with such a happy ending this time around.
Not alot to say about this one, as I didn't find this to be more than ok, with one or two points rising high over the rest. The two main leads where the highlights for me, with both Jessica Lange and Ed Harris doing very well as Patsy and Charlie. The scene at the hospital right after the carcrash was harrowing, and Lange really got some distress in her voice as she asked how her children was. A really heartfelt moment there. She also got some humor in her, and it seems to come out in the darndest places. Upon seeing how she looked after removing the bandages, she comment that it's something she has to deal with and more or less laughs it off. Tough woman, that one.
I thought the story draged a bit at times, but on the whole it wasn't bad. It's probably unfair to judge one movie against the other, but I think I enjoyed Coal Miner's Daughter more. A bit wierd that they didn't have a corresponding meeting with Loretta in this, but seeing as they came out only five years apart, I guess they didn't want it to look like they were just pulling ideas from CMD.
A mostly ok movie with some really good performances thrown in. Not my favourite but still a good pick, Gideon!
(Btw, was that a young John Goodman playing Otis?
*Checking IMDB*
Yes, it was! What do you know!)
Another country/western singers rise to fame, unfortunatley not with such a happy ending this time around.
Not alot to say about this one, as I didn't find this to be more than ok, with one or two points rising high over the rest. The two main leads where the highlights for me, with both Jessica Lange and Ed Harris doing very well as Patsy and Charlie. The scene at the hospital right after the carcrash was harrowing, and Lange really got some distress in her voice as she asked how her children was. A really heartfelt moment there. She also got some humor in her, and it seems to come out in the darndest places. Upon seeing how she looked after removing the bandages, she comment that it's something she has to deal with and more or less laughs it off. Tough woman, that one.
I thought the story draged a bit at times, but on the whole it wasn't bad. It's probably unfair to judge one movie against the other, but I think I enjoyed Coal Miner's Daughter more. A bit wierd that they didn't have a corresponding meeting with Loretta in this, but seeing as they came out only five years apart, I guess they didn't want it to look like they were just pulling ideas from CMD.
A mostly ok movie with some really good performances thrown in. Not my favourite but still a good pick, Gideon!
(Btw, was that a young John Goodman playing Otis?
*Checking IMDB*
Yes, it was! What do you know!)
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Ray
Another introduction to a famous singer/songwriter where I regonized a few song here and there but wasn't aware that the artist behind them was Ray Charles. And I'm very sad to say that for the most part, the songs I recognize come from commercials. It seems advertising agencies more often than not are responsible for introducing classics to the younger generations of today. I am happy to report that since wathing this I have taken a greater interest in his music and it's very good.
As for the film, I went through some clips while searching for it and it took me all of 24 seconds to be hooked. The interior of the club Charles reaches in Seattle had me interested the second I realized Warwick Davies was in this. He's always a contribution to whatever movie he's in and here he plays Oberon, the presenter of the talent on stage. Him and Ray seem to get on well, and in the end it's Oberon who let's Ray in on the fact that he's getting swindle out of his fair cut, which leads to Ray leaving his crooked partner and back-stabbing sugermama for a better living.
As for Ray himself, played very well by Jamie Fox, it's another case of a character that you grow to dislike as the movie goes on. It's not as bad as I thought Cash was, but you can deffinately go through this movie and start to resent him as much as his older friends does. It goes hand in hand with him accumelating more power and weath in the music industry, but it also showed earlier went he almost out of the gate started cheating on his wife while on the road.
As a performance, Fox does his usual high level of acting, but the voice he affects is something different. His usually smooth, deep voice gives way to a higher pitched, raspier sound that comes very close to the singer's if the songs are anything to judge by. Ray Charles himself recorded any new material that was needed, and all his songs were his own recordings, and as far as I heard, they sounded quite similar.
To be honest, I thought the entire cast did a very good job in this. All the major cast members put in at least a good performance, with special mentions going to both Kerry Washington and Regina King, as well as Aunjanue Ellis, Richard Schiff and Curtis Armstrong.
All in all a very good film with a cast full of very talented actors. A great pick, Gideon!
Another introduction to a famous singer/songwriter where I regonized a few song here and there but wasn't aware that the artist behind them was Ray Charles. And I'm very sad to say that for the most part, the songs I recognize come from commercials. It seems advertising agencies more often than not are responsible for introducing classics to the younger generations of today. I am happy to report that since wathing this I have taken a greater interest in his music and it's very good.
As for the film, I went through some clips while searching for it and it took me all of 24 seconds to be hooked. The interior of the club Charles reaches in Seattle had me interested the second I realized Warwick Davies was in this. He's always a contribution to whatever movie he's in and here he plays Oberon, the presenter of the talent on stage. Him and Ray seem to get on well, and in the end it's Oberon who let's Ray in on the fact that he's getting swindle out of his fair cut, which leads to Ray leaving his crooked partner and back-stabbing sugermama for a better living.
As for Ray himself, played very well by Jamie Fox, it's another case of a character that you grow to dislike as the movie goes on. It's not as bad as I thought Cash was, but you can deffinately go through this movie and start to resent him as much as his older friends does. It goes hand in hand with him accumelating more power and weath in the music industry, but it also showed earlier went he almost out of the gate started cheating on his wife while on the road.
As a performance, Fox does his usual high level of acting, but the voice he affects is something different. His usually smooth, deep voice gives way to a higher pitched, raspier sound that comes very close to the singer's if the songs are anything to judge by. Ray Charles himself recorded any new material that was needed, and all his songs were his own recordings, and as far as I heard, they sounded quite similar.
To be honest, I thought the entire cast did a very good job in this. All the major cast members put in at least a good performance, with special mentions going to both Kerry Washington and Regina King, as well as Aunjanue Ellis, Richard Schiff and Curtis Armstrong.
All in all a very good film with a cast full of very talented actors. A great pick, Gideon!
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Favorite Movies
The Jazz Singer
A really powerful score and songs performed by the artist himself, this is a movie where the music is at the center of things, even for a music centric movie. It's no surprise that Diamond is at his best when he's in a recording studio or at the mic in front of an audience, since he's a singer first, actor...264th?
I'm not saying he's that bad; to be honest he's totally fine, but you can tell he seems more comfortable when he sings.
A tangent, but just after he finishes singing "Love on the rocks" in the studio, a redheaded guy I can't remember the name of says something on the lines of: "Ok, now take yourself and those four clowns and get out of here. Rick, let's do this my way." It just cracked me up for some reason.
And now back to our regularly scheduled review.
Besides the music, Diamond also stepped up his game whenever Olivier and he had a confrontation (with the exception being the scene where Olivier yells about not having a son, where Diamond could've emoted a bit more in my opinion). If that is because Olivier is so good he brings Diamond up a notch or if it's just my imagination, I don't know, but I thought he was better at those points.
Not too much more to say about this from me. Lucie Arnaz did an admirable job as the manager, taking a man she sees potential in and
trying to guide him.
Maybe not a favourite, but I respect it very much. Good going, GB!
A really powerful score and songs performed by the artist himself, this is a movie where the music is at the center of things, even for a music centric movie. It's no surprise that Diamond is at his best when he's in a recording studio or at the mic in front of an audience, since he's a singer first, actor...264th?
I'm not saying he's that bad; to be honest he's totally fine, but you can tell he seems more comfortable when he sings.
A tangent, but just after he finishes singing "Love on the rocks" in the studio, a redheaded guy I can't remember the name of says something on the lines of: "Ok, now take yourself and those four clowns and get out of here. Rick, let's do this my way." It just cracked me up for some reason.
And now back to our regularly scheduled review.
Besides the music, Diamond also stepped up his game whenever Olivier and he had a confrontation (with the exception being the scene where Olivier yells about not having a son, where Diamond could've emoted a bit more in my opinion). If that is because Olivier is so good he brings Diamond up a notch or if it's just my imagination, I don't know, but I thought he was better at those points.
Not too much more to say about this from me. Lucie Arnaz did an admirable job as the manager, taking a man she sees potential in and
trying to guide him.
Maybe not a favourite, but I respect it very much. Good going, GB!
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