The assassination of Jesse James by the coward Robert Ford 6/10
Another case of too much voice over and talking about what characters are feeling…
Sorry if I am stepping on toes here, but this movie kinda blows :-</E>
[quote=“Seth_Gecko”]
The assassination of Jesse James by the coward Robert Ford 6/10
Another case of too much voice over and talking about what characters are feeling…
Sorry if I am stepping on toes here, but this movie kinda blows :-</E>
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I agree with you. I had high hopes but this didn’t deliver the goods.
And btw, am I the only one who can’t fucking stand Casey Affleck? Ok, he may be a talented actor but I can’t see past my loathing of him. And if that wouldn’t be enough, in this movie he had to play a character who was even supposed to be annoying! Good God.
I kinda liked Casey in Good Will Hunting and Gone Baby Gone. Nothing that spectacular of an actor, but he has this weird thing about him which is acting like a cool guy, while you feel kinda sorry for the guy…not such a good combination 
I had high hopes too and really wanted a cool western…all I got was some half ass Hollywood flick.
Re-Watch:
L.A Confidential - 9/10
Couldnt disagree more about the assasination of Jesse james! thought it was a masterpiece 8.5/10 (Best film of 2007)
[quote=“blue_lou_boyle”]
Couldnt disagree more about the assasination of Jesse james! thought it was a masterpiece 8.5/10 (Best film of 2007)
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What did you think was good about it? I love the whole Jesse James mythology and so wanted to love this. It was beautiful sometimes though. It just got overshadowed by a preachy Hollywoodian form of moviemaking…imo 
[quote=“Hung Fist”]
rw
Mad Max 2 (Australia, 1981) – 8/10
Amazing action and stunts. Gibson has almost never been this good. Post apocalyptic setting is always a big plus, too. One of the seminal action movies of the 80’s.
- dvd / Warner Bros.
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one of the best movies ever. I actually think that it is scary in that it could actually happen if we don’t change our ways.
8½ - 9/10
I’m Not There - 9/10
Have you seen that movie called “Masked and Anonymous”?
Bob Dylan is the main character.
[quote=“Seth_Gecko”]
What did you think was good about it? I love the whole Jesse James mythology and so wanted to love this. It was beautiful sometimes though. It just got overshadowed by a preachy Hollywoodian form of moviemaking…imo
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i dont think you could call jesse james “hollywoodian” at all really i think it was art cinema at its beautiful best really. amazing performances by pitt and affleck, cinematography by deakins and direction by dominik. i would urge those who havent seen it to spend some time with it, western/terry malick fans wont be disappointed.
I like what John Hillcoat, David Von Ancken, Andrew Dominik, the Coen brothers and P.T Anderson have done with the Western genre. They have re-visited the genre, and made it timeless at the same time by applying it to modern times. They feel like westerns, but have that timeless quality to them that no doubt will ensure their survival in terms of rememberance.
The Assassination of Jesse James is one of the best films I have seen, let alone one of the best Westerns. It goes against typical Holywood convention and lays out the story in like a chapter format. Each could be seen seperately, and each is as intriguing as the one that preceeded it. I love the balance it makes between silent and loud scenes. Silent moments as Jesse James contemplates whether he can trust those around him. Loud scenes where a gunfight ensues within a house between brothers and old friends. It’s filmmaking at it’s most powerful. There is an obvious quality there on screen with the marriage of great acting, marvelous scenery, colour, camera work and dialogue. It truly is breathtaking to watch and I haven’t seen anything like it - atleast not in that way. Furthermore, I love how the film just takes its time. It has a slow pace, but you are intrigued at all times. The revisionist westerns of late all have that quality, to let scenes take their natural course in terms of time. Strong performances by all, especially Pitt (who has that “pacino in Godfather II” quality) and Affleck (who portrays a brilliant coward). The music is great too, I like Nick Cave’s style (although his turn in The Proposition was better). All in all, a very well rounded film, great in all aspects. I can’t wait for the DVD. Definitely one for the Western fans.
I understand your views, but couldn’t you have done without the voice-over making every scene in a “sit there and get preached to about what the characters are feeling” thing? It also just could’ve ended much sooner. Yet it had to explain in detail that Casey was a coward and wasn’t ever gonna get the recognition he so wanted. Like that wasn’t clear already. There wasn’t left much to the imagination. Everything was made crystal clear by the annoying voice-over or by scenes that went a bit to far in explaining why characters did the things they did. Therefore it just assassinated itself. But sure it was beautiful and I liked the style.
[quote=“Seth_Gecko”]
I understand your views, but couldn’t you have done without the voice-over making every scene in a “sit there and get preached to about what the characters are feeling” thing? It also just could’ve ended much sooner. Yet it had to explain in detail that Casey was a coward and wasn’t ever gonna get the recognition he so wanted. Like that wasn’t clear already. There wasn’t left much to the imagination. Everything was made crystal clear by the annoying voice-over or by scenes that went a bit to far in explaining why characters did the things they did. Therefore it just assassinated itself. But sure it was beautiful and I liked the style.
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I haven’t seen Jesse James yet, but isn’t your favorite movie…Goodfellas…filled to the brim with continous voice-overs too? Why the double standard? 
[quote=“Seth_Gecko”]
I understand your views, but couldn’t you have done without the voice-over making every scene in a “sit there and get preached to about what the characters are feeling” thing? It also just could’ve ended much sooner. Yet it had to explain in detail that Casey was a coward and wasn’t ever gonna get the recognition he so wanted. Like that wasn’t clear already. There wasn’t left much to the imagination. Everything was made crystal clear by the annoying voice-over or by scenes that went a bit to far in explaining why characters did the things they did. Therefore it just assassinated itself. But sure it was beautiful and I liked the style.
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Well ok, they made it clear that Robert Ford was a coward etc. but is that neccesarily a bad thing? The film is called “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford” therefore, explaining to us how this is so, is very relevant. Furthermore, I thought the scene were Jesse is shot had enough ambiguity, did it not? I mean will we ever know whether Jesse wanted to die and therefore cement is place in American myth? Did he know what would happen to Ford once he shot him? Did he want to give Ford the fame he always sought? Even the intentions of Robert Ford weren’t all that clear. I felt the film did a great job in balancing the information we were given. It’s what kept me interested throughout. I mean what was the deal wth Jesse beating on that kid? Stuff like that, it just really appeals to me.
[quote=“Scarface”]
I haven’t seen Jesse James yet, but isn’t your favorite movie…Goodfellas…filled to the brim with continuous voice-overs too? Why the double standard?
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Good point! But Goodfellas has a voice-over from the perspective of Henry Hill and adds more to the character and doesn’t explain him in a way outside of his psyche, but IN it. In Goodfellas it’s Henry Hill himself telling his story, but it’s only from his view and gives more insight in how he felt. It’s not a definite way of saying how things are.
In Jesse James it is a storytelling voice-over who constantly explains the motives of the characters in a Godlike way. A sort of definite way, which is inescapable. It has two main points: Jesse James is a legend, and Ford is the coward, who fails in every attempt to claim the same status as Jesse had.
Now, I don’t have a problem that they explained that he was a coward and Jesse an untouchable legend, but in my opinion they went a bit too far with explaining the motives and made the characters two dimensional in that way. You have the legend and the coward and that’s it. There is not much more to the characters than that. And that is explained on and on and on in the voice-over and on screen.
Maybe with the exception, which Ify mentions, that Jesse lost his ways, but still the image of him being a legend stands. As in the same way it didn’t matter what Ford did, he remainded a coward and a person others messed with constantly, no matter if he shot the baddest bad ass ever or saved someone else his life. He stayed the miserable piece of nothingness he started out with being.
[quote=“Seth_Gecko”]
Good point! But Goodfellas has a voice-over from the perspective of Henry Hill and adds more to the character and doesn’t explain him in a way outside of his psyche, but IN it. In Goodfellas it’s Henry Hill himself telling his story, but it’s only from his view and gives more insight in how he felt. It’s not a definite way of saying how things are.
In Jesse James it is a storytelling voice-over who constantly explains the motives of the characters in a Godlike way. A sort of definite way, which is inescapable. It has two main points: Jesse James is a legend, and Ford is the coward, who fails in every attempt to claim the same status as Jesse had.
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I haven’t seen Jesse James, but as a rule in screenwriting, voice-overs should only really be used when after removing said voice-over, the film still makes sense.
One question though, who is the voice-over by? Is it an unknown narrator? Or is it Robert Ford or another character? Because if it is a character and seeks to explain the motives of other characters in a Godlike way, then that could just be the character’s opinion of other characters and therefore not much different from Henry Hill’s voice-over. But hey, I haven’t seen it. So I’m just taking a guess.
Speedy - 8/10
Harold Lloyd is hilarious, I’m starting to like him better then Chaplin and Keaton.
Brief Encounter - 9/10
This is a movie where the voice-over fucking works! Celia Johnson is so fucking good in this. Trevor ain’t to shabby either, Great movie, very english.
the bird with the crystal plumage- 9
deep red- 9.5
Suspiria will be next
Grand Theft Auto - 5/10
The Bad: Full Screen, No character development and unfunny dialogue
The Good: Nice visuals, Good car action and good music
[quote=“Bad Max”]
Grand Theft Auto - 5/10
The Bad: Full Screen, No character development and unfunny dialogue
The Good: Nice visuals, Good car action and good music
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Ron Howard never made a better movie in all his life.
also, i am deeply in love with Nancy Allen.