MCP's Top Movies of 2006: #5 & 4
We break on through to the bottom 5...
5. The Prestige
The twist ending has almost become a cliché in the last 8 years. Sometimes it feels like it could become its own genre. Audiences have learned to look for and expect them.
That’s what I love about “The Prestige”. In the very first scene of the film that Narrator tells you that:
A. There is going to be a twist.
B. The twist you think you’ve figured out is just a ploy.
C. You won’t see the real twist coming.
When I saw that first scene, I was totally convinced I could figure it out. But then two things happened. First, I got really wrapped up in the story and characters that I had trouble pulling myself out of the film to really search for clues. And secondly, the twist I did catch onto and thought was real was just the ploy.
The funny thing in retrospect was that I accidentally caught onto the real twist, but brushed it off as a small continuity error.
And just like that I find myself as Christopher Nolan’s bitch again.
In just six years, Nolan has cemented himself as one of my all time favorite film makers. I've fallen heads over heels for each of his five films. I even prefer his version of “Insomnia” to the original Norwegian film. The man is truly becoming a master of cinema. The fact that he is often compared to Hitchcock is, while not accurate, a testament to how far he has come in a short period of time.
But enough about Nolan...onto the movie! The easy review is to say: It’s Batman vs. Wolverine, co-starring Ziggy Stardust and Gollum! How could it be bad? And as dorky as that sounds, it’s partially right. The acting in this movie is top notch. The two leads are played to perfection. The second film starring Hugh Jackman just reinforces how good this guy is (and almost makes up for X-men 3...almost.). And let’s be honest: Has Christian Bale ever been bad in anything? The rivalry these two characters develop over the course of the film comes off so real and visceral, you actually find yourself relating, on a certain level, to their obsession.
Beyond the leads, you really have a genuinely stellar supporting cast. It’s always a treat to see David Bowie, and he really is a treat as Nikola Tesla. Michael Caine’s role as the magician’s mentor is stellar, as are the roles of Andy Serkis and Scarlett Johansson (in a somewhat thankless role).
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 73%
4. The Departed
All right, I’m going to say it, even though it’s not going to be a popular opinion:
This is a better film than Infernal Affairs. A much better film, in fact.
That’s not to say the original isn’t a great film, but “The Departed” is simply Scorsese at his best. And when he’s at his best, very few filmmakers can compete. And I’ll even go so far as to say that I’ll be shocked if Scorsese doesn’t finally win an Oscar.
This movie is everything you could hope for in a cop drama. Big name ensemble casts don’t always work, but this one doesn’t make a wrong move. It’s funny, it’s intense, it’s emotional, it’s sad and everything in between. And what’s impressive is that it’s so balanced that the film never loses its groove.
It’s hard to single out any performances, because they’re all top notch. Jack Nicholson brings out
the kind of performance we haven’t seen in ages. This is classic Jack. It is performances like this that have earned him the reputation he has. DiCaprio is stellar. He looks damaged from his first scene and you can’t help but find yourself waiting for him to crack. You really empathize for him. Damon really wowed me. You know from the beginning that he’s the bad guy, yet he’s just so damn likeable. You never really hate him.
The rest of the cast, I have nothing but praise for. Mark Whalberg was brutal, but mesmerizing. Alec Baldwin stole every scene he was in...Someone get this guy an Oscar nomination! Martin Sheen was solid in a role that didn’t allow for any showing off. And I really have to point out new comer Vera Farmiga. She got thrown in a movie with the biggest of the big and she really held her own and delivered a memorable performance.
But at the end of the day this movie is on my list because of Martin Scorsese. Watching this film, I got the sense that this would be a movie I’d talk about seeing in the theaters 10-20 years from now. Just like the way people talk about their impression the first time they saw Taxi Driver or Raging Bull. This is a master showing everyone else just how it’s done.
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 93%
5. The PrestigeThe twist ending has almost become a cliché in the last 8 years. Sometimes it feels like it could become its own genre. Audiences have learned to look for and expect them.
That’s what I love about “The Prestige”. In the very first scene of the film that Narrator tells you that:
A. There is going to be a twist.
B. The twist you think you’ve figured out is just a ploy.
C. You won’t see the real twist coming.
When I saw that first scene, I was totally convinced I could figure it out. But then two things happened. First, I got really wrapped up in the story and characters that I had trouble pulling myself out of the film to really search for clues. And secondly, the twist I did catch onto and thought was real was just the ploy.
The funny thing in retrospect was that I accidentally caught onto the real twist, but brushed it off as a small continuity error.
And just like that I find myself as Christopher Nolan’s bitch again.In just six years, Nolan has cemented himself as one of my all time favorite film makers. I've fallen heads over heels for each of his five films. I even prefer his version of “Insomnia” to the original Norwegian film. The man is truly becoming a master of cinema. The fact that he is often compared to Hitchcock is, while not accurate, a testament to how far he has come in a short period of time.
But enough about Nolan...onto the movie! The easy review is to say: It’s Batman vs. Wolverine, co-starring Ziggy Stardust and Gollum! How could it be bad? And as dorky as that sounds, it’s partially right. The acting in this movie is top notch. The two leads are played to perfection. The second film starring Hugh Jackman just reinforces how good this guy is (and almost makes up for X-men 3...almost.). And let’s be honest: Has Christian Bale ever been bad in anything? The rivalry these two characters develop over the course of the film comes off so real and visceral, you actually find yourself relating, on a certain level, to their obsession.
Beyond the leads, you really have a genuinely stellar supporting cast. It’s always a treat to see David Bowie, and he really is a treat as Nikola Tesla. Michael Caine’s role as the magician’s mentor is stellar, as are the roles of Andy Serkis and Scarlett Johansson (in a somewhat thankless role).
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 73%
4. The DepartedAll right, I’m going to say it, even though it’s not going to be a popular opinion:
This is a better film than Infernal Affairs. A much better film, in fact.
That’s not to say the original isn’t a great film, but “The Departed” is simply Scorsese at his best. And when he’s at his best, very few filmmakers can compete. And I’ll even go so far as to say that I’ll be shocked if Scorsese doesn’t finally win an Oscar.
This movie is everything you could hope for in a cop drama. Big name ensemble casts don’t always work, but this one doesn’t make a wrong move. It’s funny, it’s intense, it’s emotional, it’s sad and everything in between. And what’s impressive is that it’s so balanced that the film never loses its groove.
It’s hard to single out any performances, because they’re all top notch. Jack Nicholson brings out
the kind of performance we haven’t seen in ages. This is classic Jack. It is performances like this that have earned him the reputation he has. DiCaprio is stellar. He looks damaged from his first scene and you can’t help but find yourself waiting for him to crack. You really empathize for him. Damon really wowed me. You know from the beginning that he’s the bad guy, yet he’s just so damn likeable. You never really hate him.The rest of the cast, I have nothing but praise for. Mark Whalberg was brutal, but mesmerizing. Alec Baldwin stole every scene he was in...Someone get this guy an Oscar nomination! Martin Sheen was solid in a role that didn’t allow for any showing off. And I really have to point out new comer Vera Farmiga. She got thrown in a movie with the biggest of the big and she really held her own and delivered a memorable performance.But at the end of the day this movie is on my list because of Martin Scorsese. Watching this film, I got the sense that this would be a movie I’d talk about seeing in the theaters 10-20 years from now. Just like the way people talk about their impression the first time they saw Taxi Driver or Raging Bull. This is a master showing everyone else just how it’s done.
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 93%
posted by Casey at 3:19 PM
5 Comments:
The fact that you claim Scorsese's take is a "much better film" than Infernal Affairs proves everything Goose said in jest. Unbelieveable. I loved the movie too... but to claim it was a "much better film" is borderline retarded. And saying that Jack's performance was classic is true... but it was over-the-top. Very true to the form you've displayed all week, Casey. Kudos.
I'm sorry...but personally, comparing them side by side, I just don't see how Infernal Affairs is superior.
Infernal Affairs is a great movie. But Departed is better.
I think you're fooling yourself if you're dismissing Jack's performance as "over the top". Is it anymore over the top than Randle McMurphy in Cuckoo's Nest? I would argue no.
And don't be a douche bag and bring up the Goose thing. If you want to get into a pissing match too, great. But bringing that up is just being a grade A ass.
btw, Train predicted your response almost word for word. Are you that predictible?
amazing...while I hate to do it...I have to agree with 2.0 about Internal Affairs...besides Baldwin and Damon...I really didn't see the performances that you're talking about...as good as Jack was, he's at a point were that's not really acting, if you followed him around for a day....I be a good majority of that day would be in the Departed character...
I liked Departed, although it didn't really stick with me...and is a long way from a "classic" film...sorry MCP...I'm going to have to go ahead and disagree with you on this one...although I look forward to catching The Prestige...
Disagreeing I have no issue with (Jimbo). Being an Ass is another thing (2.0).
The Jack argument I can point to one scene that really drew me in performance wise: The scene w/Him & Leo discussing who the snitch could possible be. I probably bit off half of my fingernails in that scene alone.
Personally I just found Departed to be a lot more emotionally centered that Infernal Affairs.
The one area I didn't praise in my write up that I should of, was the editing. Thelma Schoonmaker has worked on just about every film Scorsese has made and she probably deserves a lot of the credit. I don't think there's a single wasted frame in that flick.
I have no Comment
Post a Comment
<< Home