***
I don't really have a whole lot to say about it, or at least don't feel like thinking about it. Anyways this is certainly a good movie. I liked the acting, especially Judi Dench who won her best supporting oscar for a performance lasting a total of 6 minutes in only a few scenes. Normally I would scoff at such a brief role even being considered - but I think she was deserving.
Gwyneth was better than she usually is. The script was a little hit and miss. Sometimes it felt like it was trying to be more tragic or poignant than it was designed for (it was a melodrama, through and through). It all felt a little choppy and there was altogether too much Romeo & Juliet. What I loved was the ending - it pretty well redeemed the entire movie for me. The final scene of Viola walking across the beach was perfect. And unexpected given the genre and where it seemed the film was heading.
But really, how on earth did this win a Best Picture oscar? Well I looked up the year (1999) and it turns out there wasn't a whole lot of competition: Elizabeth, Saving Private Ryan, The Thin Red Line, and Life is Beautiful. Personally I probably would have given it to the last one, but Shakespeare fits the hollywood bill better.
3 comments:
If you haven't seen it, George Lucas In Love is a cute dual parody.
Agreed on "Life is Beautiful"... it's the only one from that year's list of nominees that I own.
"Not a lot of competition" and you list The Thin Red Line? Maybe it's just because I'm gay for Malick, but that was an excellent film!
i almost got all up in arms about your dismissal of 1999 for movies since i remembered it being an awesome year. but then i looked it up and shakespeare and love and the ones you mentioned are actually 1998. 1999 had stuff like american beauty, the insider, being john malkovich, the sixth sense, magnolia, talented mr. ripley, etc etc. much better.
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