Hello Everyone,
I only saw two film in their entirety today…I started a third, but I due to not connecting with the characters, I decided that a nap was in my best interest.
First off, I saw LOVE, MARILYN -a documentary about Marilyn Monroe – based on personal journals and personal letters that were recently discovered in storage (in addition to writings and interviews from friends and colleagues). Big stars – like Glenn Close, Ellen Burstyn, Hope Davis, Viola Davis, Ben Foster and Lindsay Lohan – read the letters. The movie reveals a tormented, insightful star who seemed to know exactly what was happening around her. That said, the performances of the readings were distracting. Instead of voice-over, the actors perform the pieces via green screen – and their images are transposed over backdrops, archival footage, etc. I found it to be rather annoying. However, the archival material and interviews seemed more organic and worth the ride.
PASSION, the latest film from Brian De Palma, is a laughable thriller based on the French film LOVE CRIME. The movie stars Rachel McAdams and Noomi Rapace, and it starts out very confusing. The two lead actresses look to be the same age – though one is the corporate boss and the other is an assistant. The chemistry between these two is rather flat, and the tone changes to camp rather quickly. The music cues and other cheap devices used to confuse the audience are abysmal. The movie is about how Rapace’s character plots revenge on her boss after she stole one of her ideas in order to advance with the company. In a word, this film is bad.
[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaSVR4pCKT4′]
In the evening, I went to see Madonna’s latest show at the Air Canada Center. It was a complete blast – and quite a brilliant display of cutting-edge stage craft and lighting.
2 more films tomorrow…and I’m looking forward to both!
Thanks for reading!
Jonathan
