tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811040.post7821670841860088810..comments2023-08-26T14:24:27.968-07:00Comments on soul food movies: The Films Of 2010 (MCN) Dec 24 third tallyRon Reedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05744783679902979376noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811040.post-32281784101159325622010-12-31T22:56:09.438-08:002010-12-31T22:56:09.438-08:00I may have to poke around some reviews and find ou...I may have to poke around some reviews and find out what people saw in GW. To my eye, Roman the Emperor has no clothes. <br /><br />I think what pushed "Geez, that was a dumb movie" over into a certain animosity was an interview with the screenwriter (probably Creative Screenwriting podcast) where he belaboured the point that Polanski's watchword throughout their entire script development process was plausibility, character motivation, that no character should ever behave in any way that didn't make sense. Where I had found the central character's choices from the very beginning completely implausible from any perspective of human motivation, but patently required to move the story forward and increase tension, risk and suspense. "Let's see: the last guy who did this job ended up dead. So I think I'll just tell anyone who asks all the details of whatever I suspect, even when it's likely to put me in the same jeopardy." When I say it was laughable, I'm not exaggerating: very early in the film I started laughing at the movie, talking to the screen - "Oh yeah good, tell HIM you think there's a deadly cover-up going on. HE'LL never tell anybody..." Gack.Ron Reedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05744783679902979376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811040.post-29789388271936942302010-12-31T13:49:00.735-08:002010-12-31T13:49:00.735-08:00Have you seen an critical argument FOR The Ghost W...Have you seen an critical argument FOR The Ghost Writer? I don't understand the love affair with it. I'm not going to say it's laughably had: I liked the look and feel, even though at times I *knew* I was watching a movie. But the end was soooo bad, that I just can't recommend it. But maybe I'm missing something. <br /><br />Hmmm... The American. My favourite of the last year. (Though I've yet to see Winter's Bone.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811040.post-62863157859518288542010-12-31T00:38:12.169-08:002010-12-31T00:38:12.169-08:00Completely agree on both counts, Jason. Maybe my o...Completely agree on both counts, Jason. Maybe my opinion of Ghost Writer was even lower than yours: I thought it was laughably bad. I also share your affection for The American, but am not surprised to find it ranking relatively low: even at the time, it wasn't a critical favourite. <br /><br />Silly critics.Ron Reedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05744783679902979376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811040.post-46667605822801580762010-12-30T10:38:27.968-08:002010-12-30T10:38:27.968-08:00I'm amazed at Ghost Writer being so high. It w...I'm amazed at Ghost Writer being so high. It was a gorgeous looking film, and intriguing at times, but the ending seemed like such a cop-out. And The American is SO LOW! Below Shutter Island?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811040.post-85398988388236292142010-12-28T16:10:10.926-08:002010-12-28T16:10:10.926-08:00Judging from the points given to the various "...Judging from the points given to the various "One Vote Wonders" at the bottom of the MCN tally (check it out via the link), it appears that a film gets 10 points for a #1 ranking, 1 point for a #10 ranking, etc.Ron Reedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05744783679902979376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811040.post-82324224466579689662010-12-27T21:51:44.824-08:002010-12-27T21:51:44.824-08:00How is this point system tallied?How is this point system tallied?The Graduatehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15189803470873872797noreply@blogger.com