Comments on: Whoa-ho-ho / It’s Magick! http://www.myfiveyearplan.net/archives/50 Stumbling Toward Cinema Since 2006... Tue, 06 Jan 2009 11:37:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Tram http://www.myfiveyearplan.net/archives/50/comment-page-1#comment-68 Tram Wed, 27 Sep 2006 07:04:36 +0000 http://www.myfiveyearplan.net/archives/50#comment-68 "I find it odd that this hasn’t really been picked up on, but the whole damn thing is an extended metaphor for the cinema - at one point the evil prince dude bellows angrily 'He’s manipulating the audience!' " Jonathan Rosenbaum did. Anyhoo, I'll probably check out The Illusionist on DVD or something. The Sundance buzz was meh at best. And I'm not really crazy over Norton or Giamatti as actors. “I find it odd that this hasn’t really been picked up on, but the whole damn thing is an extended metaphor for the cinema - at one point the evil prince dude bellows angrily ‘He’s manipulating the audience!’ ”
Jonathan Rosenbaum did.

Anyhoo, I’ll probably check out The Illusionist on DVD or something. The Sundance buzz was meh at best. And I’m not really crazy over Norton or Giamatti as actors.

]]> By: Brendon http://www.myfiveyearplan.net/archives/50/comment-page-1#comment-67 Brendon Wed, 27 Sep 2006 01:10:07 +0000 http://www.myfiveyearplan.net/archives/50#comment-67 You know - I had thoughts like this myself as I was watching it, but though I was mildly amused by the film's indulgent self-referentiality, I found its engagement with those issues about as mild and insignificant as the narrative itself. It's certainly an inoffensive film, and Norton is certainly fine in it (though Giamatti, looking here like a forgotten Civil War general, at times mercilessly overplays his hand - his jolly farty giggles in that final sequence were horribly embarrassing). I even enjoyed moments, but it's just hard for me to fathom how this became one of the few surprise hits of the summer. You know - I had thoughts like this myself as I was watching it, but though I was mildly amused by the film’s indulgent self-referentiality, I found its engagement with those issues about as mild and insignificant as the narrative itself. It’s certainly an inoffensive film, and Norton is certainly fine in it (though Giamatti, looking here like a forgotten Civil War general, at times mercilessly overplays his hand - his jolly farty giggles in that final sequence were horribly embarrassing). I even enjoyed moments, but it’s just hard for me to fathom how this became one of the few surprise hits of the summer.

]]> By: Max http://www.myfiveyearplan.net/archives/50/comment-page-1#comment-66 Max Tue, 26 Sep 2006 23:25:51 +0000 http://www.myfiveyearplan.net/archives/50#comment-66 I liked The Illusionist, actually, and not just because I like Philip Glass and, believe it or not, Ed Norton. I thought it was a well-constructued and entertaining film, but I appreciated it most as a movie about movies. I find it odd that this hasn't really been picked up on, but the whole damn thing is an extended metaphor for the cinema - at one point the evil prince dude bellows angrily "He's manipulating the audience!" The film comments on the power of cinema to manipulate even as it blatantly manipulates us, and thus subverts it's own mildly clever overdone flashback riddled twist-ending by being about the nature of that ending itself. It's a film constantly in the process of evaluating it's own cinematic machinations with a kind of twisted glee, and that's what I liked best. It's flawed, sure, and in the end still underwhelming, but it's a solidly entertaining flick with some interesting dialogue to produce. Worth seeing, methinks. And, on "Rome," I say go with your gut. I liked The Illusionist, actually, and not just because I like Philip Glass and, believe it or not, Ed Norton. I thought it was a well-constructued and entertaining film, but I appreciated it most as a movie about movies. I find it odd that this hasn’t really been picked up on, but the whole damn thing is an extended metaphor for the cinema - at one point the evil prince dude bellows angrily “He’s manipulating the audience!” The film comments on the power of cinema to manipulate even as it blatantly manipulates us, and thus subverts it’s own mildly clever overdone flashback riddled twist-ending by being about the nature of that ending itself. It’s a film constantly in the process of evaluating it’s own cinematic machinations with a kind of twisted glee, and that’s what I liked best. It’s flawed, sure, and in the end still underwhelming, but it’s a solidly entertaining flick with some interesting dialogue to produce. Worth seeing, methinks.

And, on “Rome,” I say go with your gut.

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