Lions for Lambs

it's quite excellent. definitely better than what i had expected.
take advantage of the childless weekend and movie hop: go to a multiplex, use your timer, go early, watch one flick then move on to the next, and then a third without leaving the theater. that's a day well spent in my book.

Getting awful reviews, which is sort of surprising.

I got some time away from the kids last night and chose Gone, Baby, Gone. Last weekend, my wife and I went on our first date in over four months to watch Michael Clayton. Both excellent films, though they both sit pretty firmly in the crime/thriller genre.

Will Lavender said:

Getting awful reviews, which is sort of surprising.

I got some time away from the kids last night and chose Gone, Baby, Gone. Last weekend, my wife and I went on our first date in over four months to watch Michael Clayton. Both excellent films, though they both sit pretty firmly in the crime/thriller genre.

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I just read, Gone, Baby, Gone over the weekend on Cape Cod--I went up to Chatham to do the final revisions on my novel. In an earlier thread, you said Lehane was the best writer of the genre. After reading this book again, I tend to agree with you. I can't wait to see the movie.

Oddly, most of my novel takes place in Truro and Afleck bought his mother a house in Truro. And, as another aside, Edward Hopper had a house out there and he painted a lot of stuff on the Cape.

gerrydodge said:

I just read, Gone, Baby, Gone over the weekend on Cape Cod--I went up to Chatham to do the final revisions on my novel. In an earlier thread, you said Lehane was the best writer of the genre. After reading this book again, I tend to agree with you. I can't wait to see the movie.

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Gone is really an ode to Boston wrapped up in a murder mystery. The movie had me in the first three minutes; the opening credits shots were stunning. Thought Casey Affleck was very good as Kenzie, and Ed Harris was fierce as the lead cop. Terrific movie. I'd never read one of the Kenzie/Gennaro books, but I'm going out today to buy Prayers for Rain just because of how wonderful they are in the movie.

Will Lavender said:

Gone is really an ode to Boston wrapped up in a murder mystery. The movie had me in the first three minutes; the opening credits shots were stunning Thought Casey Affleck was very good as Kenzie, and Ed Harris was fierce as the lead cop. Terrific movie. I'd never read one of the Kenzie/Gennaro books, but I'm going out today to buy Prayers for Rain just because of how wonderful they are in the movie.

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I read all five and really liked them a lot. I hate going to theaters, but I think I'll go and see this one. I don't want to wait until it comes out on dvd or whatever the hell those things are called. I heard an interview on Fresh Air with Casey Affleck and he seems like a really smart guy. And Ed Harris is one of the best around.

Haven't seen Gone Baby Gone but heard good things about it -- it's Ben Affleck's directorial debut and it seems like he may make it better behind the scene. Michael Clayton was very good. Probably going to see/review Lions for Lambs this weekend. Also am going to see Lars and the Real Girl.

maestrowork said:

Haven't seen Gone Baby Gone but heard good things about it -- it's Ben Affleck's directorial debut and it seems like he may make it better behind the scene. Michael Clayton was very good. Probably going to see/review Lions for Lambs this weekend. Also am going to see Lars and the Real Girl.

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Affleck made a very fine film. One interesting thing about the movie is that it he casts it -- apart from the leading roles -- with Boston natives. Some of the performances are a bit uneven, and while this does give the movie a bit of a jittery feel, it also makes it more immediate. There are times when the film takes on an almost documentary feel.

I realize, now, that I've threadjacked. Sorry!

OK, just saw Lions for Lambs. Boy, Robert Redford is preachy. 2/3 of the film is all preaching and no plot. The military scene added a bit of action and needed conflict, but it, too, is preachy. This may have done well as a play, but not a movie, IMHO.

I liked it, but Ray is exactly right. This is as much a poli-sci class as it is a movie. However, the thread running through the film that ties it all together is really powerful.

My trouble with Redford is that he is so acutely aware of Being Robert Redford. It seeps through everything he does both onscreen and off. (George Clooney is starting to head that way as well.)

The Redford of Barefoot in the Park and Butch Cassidy is the one I'd rather see and remember. Not for his youth, but for his acting. He hasn't acted in a long time.

With Gone and Robert Ford Casey Affleck is really having a banner year.

With Lions doing so poorly I wonder if UA will release Valkyrie next summer, a move I cannot understand, Singer or no Singer.

maestrowork said:

Haven't seen Gone Baby Gone but heard good things about it -- it's Ben Affleck's directorial debut and it seems like he may make it better behind the scene. Michael Clayton was very good. Probably going to see/review Lions for Lambs this weekend. Also am going to see Lars and the Real Girl.

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childeroland said:

With Gone and Robert Ford Casey Affleck is really having a banner year.

With Lions doing so poorly I wonder if UA will release Valkyrie next summer, a move I cannot understand, Singer or no Singer.

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It's good to see Casey Affleck getting his day in the sun, he's packed with talent. Cruise, on the other hand, is seeing his sun set right in front of him. In twenty quick years he went from a likeable, enthusiastic kid to Mr. Egotastical E. Weird, and the backlash on that is now showing up at the box office. He unnerves a lot of the ticket-buying public these days, regardless of the picture he's in. Valkyrie, already the buzz is Really Bad.

Casey Affleck is a much better actor than his more-famous older brother. Another actor I really like is Ryan Gosling. He's matured as an actor rather nicely. Meanwhile, I'm still waiting for the next Jodie Foster to emerge from the group of starlets. Scarlet Johannson has potentials, but she's been too scattered and inconsistent lately.

maestrowork said:

Casey Affleck is a much better actor than his more-famous older brother.

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He is, and while I don't dislike Ben Affleck in any way, he's always come across rather wooden to me onscreen. I suspect we'll see his real forte coming through in the director's chair over the years, and I'm looking forward to that.

The younger, 20-something starlet ladies, I'm trying hard to think of one who stands out right now, talent-wise. That's not good, that I can't think of any.

Meanwhile, I'm still waiting for the next Jodie Foster to emerge from the group of starlets.

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The younger, 20-something starlet ladies, I'm trying hard to think of one who stands out right now, talent-wise. That's not good, that I can't think of any.

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this is a bit of a sore spot for me because i'd like to blame the actors but actually i think the writers may not be doing them justice and even more so the producers who pick which scripts to produce may be dumbing them down even more. i mean the list of excellent woman actors is large for the over 40 and nicole kidman (the #1 box office at the moment) is approaching that threshold.

back on topic: lions for lambs
i think cruise played an excellent "smart" george bush replacement. based on his performance he would be a much better republican candidate than any we have at the present.
and streep - well she's good in anything she does and dammit janet don't you wish all our hard news reporters would be able to see through the crappy lies and propoganda that sifted through us as absolute truths?! where are the bill mahers in the hard news? the networks won't allow it because they'd rather sell lightbulbs.
yeah, okay redford didn't do any acting. he just played himself.
but the kid was good. the exchange bet he and redford was an attempt to force young people to look at their own apathy and indifference to what's going on in the world around them. unfortunately, i doubt many young people went to see these old timers.