It's possibly revealing too much to say that I keep a copy of Thomson's Biographical Dictionary of Film next to the toilet and I read it when ever I get the chance. Its position means some of the longer entries can be a bit of a serial thing, but I've read just about all of them anyway in warmer, more comfortable places. I just like to pick an entry at random and find an opinion that, whether I agree with it or not, will always get me thinking.
This quality is very much in evidence in his new piece. Except that I can't find anything to disagree with and much that is perfectly expressed. For instance:
Oliver Stone's picture [Alexander] was maybe the worst joke of the year, along with the notion that audiences enjoy Colin Farrell.
Definitely the snappier version of my opinion that Farrell is a a chunk of anti-charisma actually sucking the enjoyment, black hole like, out of a performer such as Pacino or Sam Jackson, while not letting any hint that he himself actually has any talent escape.
Thomson is equally succinct on Micheal Moore:
I share the sentiments behind Michael Moore's film, but I cannot look at or listen to Moore without smelling the demagogue.
And the Oscar for Best Picture:
Best Picture, you understand, is not necessarily the best picture: it is a genre, the picture that does happily at the box office; which has size and production values, as well as a lofty subject; and which makes the Academy feel good about itself.
No comments:
Post a Comment