Comments on: Fake But Accurate http://gatewaycinephiles.com/2008/12/26/fake-but-accurate/ Appreciation and Criticism of Cinema Through Heartland Eyes Fri, 18 May 2012 09:40:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Sam Juliano http://gatewaycinephiles.com/2008/12/26/fake-but-accurate/comment-page-1/#comment-3575 Sam Juliano Mon, 19 Jan 2009 02:25:00 +0000 http://gatewaycinephiles.com/2008/12/26/449/#comment-3575 Andrew, that's certainly fair enough. You make a great case for the film in general, not to even mention this context. Andrew, that’s certainly fair enough. You make a great case for the film in general, not to even mention this context.

]]> By: Andrew http://gatewaycinephiles.com/2008/12/26/fake-but-accurate/comment-page-1/#comment-3571 Andrew Sun, 18 Jan 2009 23:21:30 +0000 http://gatewaycinephiles.com/2008/12/26/449/#comment-3571 Sam: "The Fountain" is absolutely underrated, in my opinion. I think it threw a lot of people for a loop with its reliance on iconography and implication rather than traditional narrative, and especially its complete absence of humor or irony. I still stand by my assertion that "The Wrestler" is a more emotionally intricate film, however. As personally draining as "The Fountain" was--I tend to respond strongly to films with a grave thematic treatment of death--there's still a distance in Jackman and Weisz' performances that inhibited a complete connection for me. Not so with Rourke and Tomei. YMMV. Sam:

“The Fountain” is absolutely underrated, in my opinion. I think it threw a lot of people for a loop with its reliance on iconography and implication rather than traditional narrative, and especially its complete absence of humor or irony. I still stand by my assertion that “The Wrestler” is a more emotionally intricate film, however. As personally draining as “The Fountain” was–I tend to respond strongly to films with a grave thematic treatment of death–there’s still a distance in Jackman and Weisz’ performances that inhibited a complete connection for me. Not so with Rourke and Tomei. YMMV.

]]> By: Sam Juliano http://gatewaycinephiles.com/2008/12/26/fake-but-accurate/comment-page-1/#comment-3565 Sam Juliano Sun, 18 Jan 2009 18:20:14 +0000 http://gatewaycinephiles.com/2008/12/26/449/#comment-3565 History haunts The Wrestler, so much sweeter and brighter than the rotten present. However, the bad luck and colossal cock-ups of the past also serve as walls boxing in the film’s characters. For Randy and Pam, Faulker’s aphorism is appropriate: “The past isn’t dead. It’s not even past.” Aronofsky’s preference for ambiguity in history’s calamities–ailments, vanished money, the hollow space where an ex- should be–might have been frustrating in another film. Here it bows to The Wrestler’s disciplined realism, coaxing both nuance and ferocity from the performers. In contrast to its cruel lingering on the the gruesome consequences of an “extreme” wrestling match, the film rarely fleshes out Randy or Pam’s back stories. A good thing too, as such gestures would prove both awkward and unnecessary. The film discovers its history via Rourke’s tears and rueful smiles, or the way Tomei’s breath catches and her eyes crinkle. This is a film that has grown on me, gradually awakening me to its gentle brilliance. More so than any of Aronofsky’s other films, The Wrestler is work that rewards rumination, offering an unexpected, pained study of the heart heart." That's brilliant stuff there andrew, and the entire review eloquently and with great insight sizes this compelling minimalist film quite impressively. I was thrilled to hear the you thought THE FOUNTAIN was underated, especially since I named it as my #1 film of 2006, and still convince people to watch it on my plasma. But, aside from your perceptive view in paragraph 1 that there are visible connections despite the disparity of subjects and thmes, I must politely but firmly disagree with you when you say that THE WRESTLER is "the most emotionally intricate of all his films." THE FOUNTAIN, helped along by Clint Mansell's piercingly beautiful score is the most emotionally overwhelming film of the last several years, as it's resonance haunts long after. THE WRESTLER, while a raw, ultra-realistic story of pain and redemption, does not (at least not to me) come off as a film of emotions on a high level. The last scene, when Rourke readies to jump in the ring (and then the screen turns to black) left me cold. "Ram" is hypnotic, but remains a hopeless character that may not exactly win our sympathies. This concern prevented the film from making my Top Ten list, but it's close for me in that regard. I do understanjd though what you say about that "secondary melancholy." My favorite scene was the one at the deli counter, when the woman keeps asking Ram to add and remove salad from a container. The famed "crying scene" probably could have used abit more exposition to avoid being thought of as contrived. Superlative review again, as usual! History haunts The Wrestler, so much sweeter and brighter than the rotten present. However, the bad luck and colossal cock-ups of the past also serve as walls boxing in the film’s characters. For Randy and Pam, Faulker’s aphorism is appropriate: “The past isn’t dead. It’s not even past.” Aronofsky’s preference for ambiguity in history’s calamities–ailments, vanished money, the hollow space where an ex- should be–might have been frustrating in another film. Here it bows to The Wrestler’s disciplined realism, coaxing both nuance and ferocity from the performers. In contrast to its cruel lingering on the the gruesome consequences of an “extreme” wrestling match, the film rarely fleshes out Randy or Pam’s back stories. A good thing too, as such gestures would prove both awkward and unnecessary. The film discovers its history via Rourke’s tears and rueful smiles, or the way Tomei’s breath catches and her eyes crinkle. This is a film that has grown on me, gradually awakening me to its gentle brilliance. More so than any of Aronofsky’s other films, The Wrestler is work that rewards rumination, offering an unexpected, pained study of the heart heart.”

That’s brilliant stuff there andrew, and the entire review eloquently and with great insight sizes this compelling minimalist film quite impressively. I was thrilled to hear the you thought THE FOUNTAIN was underated, especially since I named it as my #1 film of 2006, and still convince people to watch it on my plasma. But, aside from your perceptive view in paragraph 1 that there are visible connections despite the disparity of subjects and thmes, I must politely but firmly disagree with you when you say that THE WRESTLER is “the most emotionally intricate of all his films.”

THE FOUNTAIN, helped along by Clint Mansell’s piercingly beautiful score is the most emotionally overwhelming film of the last several years, as it’s resonance haunts long after. THE WRESTLER, while a raw, ultra-realistic story of pain and redemption, does not (at least not to me) come off as a film of emotions on a high level. The last scene, when Rourke readies to jump in the ring (and then the screen turns to black) left me cold. “Ram” is hypnotic, but remains a hopeless character that may not exactly win our sympathies. This concern prevented the film from making my Top Ten list, but it’s close for me in that regard. I do understanjd though what you say about that “secondary melancholy.”

My favorite scene was the one at the deli counter, when the woman keeps asking Ram to add and remove salad from a container. The famed “crying scene” probably could have used abit more exposition to avoid being thought of as contrived.

Superlative review again, as usual!

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