sasnow
Joined Feb 2001
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Reviews4
sasnow's rating
"De-Lovely" is an expansive, enveloping, highly engaging salute to the life of Cole Porter. If you enjoy Cole's inventive and irreverent songs, and appreciate the talents of Kevin Kline, this film should be pure pleasure.
The story of Cole's life is told as a flashback in tableau style . This device has been criticized but it worked for me, especially as the film progressed. Special kudos go to the work of the cinematographer, the costume designers, and particularly the make-up crew whose work as the characters aged is superb.
Vignettes from Cole's life in Paris, Venice, Hollywood are mixed with various performers singing Cole's songs, each with their own interpretative styles. Where were "I Get a Kick Out of You" and "I've Got You Under My Skin"? And I fear Cole would shudder to hear Sheryl Crow's "Begin the Beguine" - the beat was such an important part of his music.
The intimate supportive relationship of Cole and Linda, his wife of 35 years, is at the heart of this story. She gives him the stability and the encouragement he craves. Cole's need for men in his life is accepted by Linda, until he tests her limits. Ashley Judd as Linda is surprisingly good and she looks stunning in the wardrobe designed for her.
What more can be said about the talents of Kevin Kline? His singing, dancing, piano playing add layers to the richness of this film. Kevin's charms are Cole's charms. Porter was also somewhat aloof, conflicted, possessed of a certain sadness, and his songs with all of their gaiety also reflect an undertow of sorrow and unrequited passion. Kevin portrayed Cole as exuberant, honest, open, vulnerable, bitter. He is absolutely perfect as Cole.
Applause followed the screening I saw. All of my friends have loved this film. And stay for the credits, you will hear Cole himself singing "You're The Top"!!
The story of Cole's life is told as a flashback in tableau style . This device has been criticized but it worked for me, especially as the film progressed. Special kudos go to the work of the cinematographer, the costume designers, and particularly the make-up crew whose work as the characters aged is superb.
Vignettes from Cole's life in Paris, Venice, Hollywood are mixed with various performers singing Cole's songs, each with their own interpretative styles. Where were "I Get a Kick Out of You" and "I've Got You Under My Skin"? And I fear Cole would shudder to hear Sheryl Crow's "Begin the Beguine" - the beat was such an important part of his music.
The intimate supportive relationship of Cole and Linda, his wife of 35 years, is at the heart of this story. She gives him the stability and the encouragement he craves. Cole's need for men in his life is accepted by Linda, until he tests her limits. Ashley Judd as Linda is surprisingly good and she looks stunning in the wardrobe designed for her.
What more can be said about the talents of Kevin Kline? His singing, dancing, piano playing add layers to the richness of this film. Kevin's charms are Cole's charms. Porter was also somewhat aloof, conflicted, possessed of a certain sadness, and his songs with all of their gaiety also reflect an undertow of sorrow and unrequited passion. Kevin portrayed Cole as exuberant, honest, open, vulnerable, bitter. He is absolutely perfect as Cole.
Applause followed the screening I saw. All of my friends have loved this film. And stay for the credits, you will hear Cole himself singing "You're The Top"!!
I'm not sure just where in the USA this Brazilian film has been released but I'm grateful that it came to my small city...
I saw "City of God" and was mesmerized by its raw power and its characters struggling with their sordid lives of hopelessness. But "The Man of the Year" I had to see twice. Everything about this film appealed to me. Murilo Benicio as Maiquel is nothing less than brilliant as a quiet middle class loser - vain, smug, angry, brooding, thoughtful, remorseful, duped, and with a special fondness for a baby pig that is handed him as a gift. Many twists and turns of fate cause his life to take on dimensions similar to a Greek tragedy. The two women in his life are equally well-cast, along with just about everyone in the entire film. Maiquel struggles with two jealous women, life-long friendships, and along with his new job as a hit-man, he has more than enough to keep him brooding, on edge, questioning his actions, his fate. I could sense his desperation in every scene. And always, you empathize with him.
What made this movie especially powerful for me was the way it was filmed. I read that it is the first movie of director Jose Enrique Fonseca - this man has a real future! The beginning panorama of Rio at night, Murilo's apartment and the pet shop, the wedding, a dose of religion, the final round of killings, the Rave - these and other scenes were filmed with such beauty and panache, propelling the plot with momentum, vigor, color, even tenderness as the Murilo's life changes bigtime. There are touches of humor - being in the dentist's chair, bathing a baby pig, ranting about the pitfalls of marriage. The musical score added immensely to the film, and the camera angles and overall cinematography were expert.
Here's to filmmakers from Brazil, Mexico, and other countries in Central and South America! I hope this film has a wide release, it deserves it.
I saw "City of God" and was mesmerized by its raw power and its characters struggling with their sordid lives of hopelessness. But "The Man of the Year" I had to see twice. Everything about this film appealed to me. Murilo Benicio as Maiquel is nothing less than brilliant as a quiet middle class loser - vain, smug, angry, brooding, thoughtful, remorseful, duped, and with a special fondness for a baby pig that is handed him as a gift. Many twists and turns of fate cause his life to take on dimensions similar to a Greek tragedy. The two women in his life are equally well-cast, along with just about everyone in the entire film. Maiquel struggles with two jealous women, life-long friendships, and along with his new job as a hit-man, he has more than enough to keep him brooding, on edge, questioning his actions, his fate. I could sense his desperation in every scene. And always, you empathize with him.
What made this movie especially powerful for me was the way it was filmed. I read that it is the first movie of director Jose Enrique Fonseca - this man has a real future! The beginning panorama of Rio at night, Murilo's apartment and the pet shop, the wedding, a dose of religion, the final round of killings, the Rave - these and other scenes were filmed with such beauty and panache, propelling the plot with momentum, vigor, color, even tenderness as the Murilo's life changes bigtime. There are touches of humor - being in the dentist's chair, bathing a baby pig, ranting about the pitfalls of marriage. The musical score added immensely to the film, and the camera angles and overall cinematography were expert.
Here's to filmmakers from Brazil, Mexico, and other countries in Central and South America! I hope this film has a wide release, it deserves it.
The story of the Holocaust is one that needs to be told and retold. Tragically, it could happen again, to another group of people, to us or to our children. History too often repeats itself...
For me, "The Pianist" is one of the most moving and powerful films of my lifetime. Each person brings to a film a different life experience. I have been to Warsaw and seen the ghetto; I have been to Auschwitz. I will never forget the sadness I felt. It had to be a horrifying and hopeless time for Polish Jews, and for those few who were able to survive the Nazi occupation. The story of Wladyslaw Szpilman mesmerized me; I was close to tears throughout much of the film.
Polanski's filming of Szpilman's story is honest and unsentimental. All aspects of the film, especially the music of Chopin, add brilliantly to the whole. The actors are well-chosen - family members, friends, strangers who helped. Thomas Kretschmann as the German officer is perfect.
Yet it is Adrien Brody's performance that triumph's in "The Pianist". He portrays Szpilman as a man of many layers and moods - first smug and self-satisfied, next mystified and unwilling and unbelieving, finally strunggling to help his family survive. When he is cut off from those he loves, his music, his life, Brody is especially powerful. He shows us Szpilman's hopelessness, boredom, frustration, longing, fear, his desperate will to survive. I could not keep my eyes off his expressive eyes (and eyebrows). I will always cherish this compelling film depicting both our humanity and our inhumanity. I was ecstatic when a surprised Adrien Brody won Best Actor at the Oscars. Roman Polanski's well-earned win was also deserved. And for me, it WAS the best film of 2002. Congratulations to all who were a part of its making!
For me, "The Pianist" is one of the most moving and powerful films of my lifetime. Each person brings to a film a different life experience. I have been to Warsaw and seen the ghetto; I have been to Auschwitz. I will never forget the sadness I felt. It had to be a horrifying and hopeless time for Polish Jews, and for those few who were able to survive the Nazi occupation. The story of Wladyslaw Szpilman mesmerized me; I was close to tears throughout much of the film.
Polanski's filming of Szpilman's story is honest and unsentimental. All aspects of the film, especially the music of Chopin, add brilliantly to the whole. The actors are well-chosen - family members, friends, strangers who helped. Thomas Kretschmann as the German officer is perfect.
Yet it is Adrien Brody's performance that triumph's in "The Pianist". He portrays Szpilman as a man of many layers and moods - first smug and self-satisfied, next mystified and unwilling and unbelieving, finally strunggling to help his family survive. When he is cut off from those he loves, his music, his life, Brody is especially powerful. He shows us Szpilman's hopelessness, boredom, frustration, longing, fear, his desperate will to survive. I could not keep my eyes off his expressive eyes (and eyebrows). I will always cherish this compelling film depicting both our humanity and our inhumanity. I was ecstatic when a surprised Adrien Brody won Best Actor at the Oscars. Roman Polanski's well-earned win was also deserved. And for me, it WAS the best film of 2002. Congratulations to all who were a part of its making!