Magnet #205 - Washington, D.C.Ok, so remember when I was telling you guys how I was the worst stalker ever? And how I hightailed it up to the Upper West Side to go find George Clooney filming Burn After Reading?
This is how bad of a stalker I am. The whole damned film is set in Washington, D.C., and I couldn't find the Upper West Side anywhere in the movie.
Which means, I might have to go see the movie again, so that I can figure it out.
But, here's the kicker - I don't really want to see the movie again - even with my George. I've come to the knowledge that I'm not the biggest Coen Brothers fan out there. Some of their stuff's good, but some of it, I just can't sit through without looking for my watch.
Burn had a ton of terrific performances. Brad Pitt was hysterically funny, and totally steals the show. The story was terrifically convoluted, as all Coen Bros movies are wont to be. The Carter Burwell soundtrack seemed a little out of place, but I guess they were going for a bit of camp.
My problem was that I spent the first several minutes wishing the story would start. And then the last several minutes for the movie to finally end, desperately trying to remember what the runtime was, and trying to stop myself for reaching for my phone or my blackberry to do a timecheck. To distract myself, I started counting up the times that the audience laughed, particularly the guffawing guy two seats away. There were a few funny moments, don't get me wrong, but I don't think it was as funny as that guy thought it was. I'm just sayin'.
Of course, with Burn placing number one this weekend at just over $19mil, I'm probably in the minority here. But one thing I pride myself on is being able to see Clooney movies with an objective eye - and not just fangurling everyone about it.
Well, sorta:
So, yeah, Burn After Reading. If you're a big Coen Bros fan, I don't have to tell you to see it. But, if you're not, well, my boyfriend was supergreat in it, but it definitely wasn't my favorite Clooney movie ever...but hell, it was better than Solaris and The Good German, so go see it!
8 comments:
God, I hated Solaris... Worst. Clooney movie. Ever. Even worse than the Tomato one ... and I haven't even seen that one.
My two cents on George's career: Honestly, I either love his stuff or hate it. Even HE apologizes for Batman and Robin when he's asked about it in interviews. But then Out of Sight was fantastic. He sucked it up big time in Solaris, but I adored O Brother. Intolerable Cruelty was one of the worst films I've ever seen, but I can always watch and enjoy Ocean's Eleven and Twelve. Thirteen and we're back to sucking it up again. Michael Clayton? Bad. Good Night and GL? Good. The Good German? Bad. Peacemaker? Good.
And on the subject of the Coen brothers, I liked O Brother and Fargo (oh, yeah, shur, yoo betcha), but I can't think of a bigger waste of 118 minutes than The Big Lebowski.
So I guess my final opinion is that both parties are so hit and miss with their movies that they deserve each other. :-)
hmm... i'm curious to see burn after reading. it looks like mixed reviews. but... i must say, that magnet doesn't even look like the capitol! i really didn't recognize it! you really have to look closely and kinda to the side to get that that's the capitol building.
Yeah, you're right about the unevenness of the Coens and Clooney projects. I never thought about it like that.
You, julie, must see Burn, because you *like* Pitt.
And, I think Jen gave me this Capitol magnet - it's really a weird one - agreed.
pitt was amazing - have to say. he was, by far, the most enjoyable thing about the money (only reason I am not asking for my money back). So what is the point of the movie - that persistence is key or that life is pointless and doesn't necessarily need explanation??
So what is the point of the movie - that persistence is key or that life is pointless and doesn't necessarily need explanation??
Yes.
Heh. I was so underwhelmed with the movie that I didn't even stop to think of any sort of higher point to it.
Slowlaris. So much staring and blinking in that movie!
Slowlaris. So much staring and blinking in that movie!
Yep. Not enough WORD in the universe.
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