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Jan. 29th, 2005 08:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
apocalypsosSo I went and saw Hotel Rwanda and Million Dollar Baby today.
Hotel Rwanda just ... hell, I haven't cried that hard in a theater in years. There's a scene in the movie that's hinted at in the trailer where the UN evacuates all of the non-Rwandans at the hotel and basically just leaves the Rwandans behind to be slaughtered. Joaquin Phoenix's character, as he walks to the bus that's going to take them away, whispers to his friend, "Jesus, I feel ashamed." And just when you think you're more uncomfortable than you've been in a while, suddenly a bunch of foreign missionaries run up with a group of Rwandan orphans, and the UN won't let the orphans on the bus. And just ... just ... *sniffle*
Don Cheadle in this movie was simply brilliant. The comparisons to Schindler's List are obviously apt to the situation, but it's incredible, the way he carries it off. He's not trying to save anybody but his family, and just gets swept into this place of having to keep as many people alive as possible using his well-honed skills as a hotel manager. I'd have to say that this had to have been my second-favorite performance of the year after Jamie Foxx in Ray. And Sophie Okonedo, who played his wife, was incredible.
As for the subject of the movie itself, the genocide in Rwanda, I think I whispered, "What the fuck is wrong with people?!" about five times during the film.
And then there was Million Dollar Baby. I take back any qualms I had about the movie. That was an incredible film, and I say that as someone who usually doesn't like anything that Clint Eastwood is involved in. (But I'll get to Clint later.)
The whole plot shift towards the end, with her getting injured and wanting him to pull the plug ... it's not as bad as it sounds. To be honest, it's one of the best portrayals of the subject I've ever seen. It's not annoying or heavy-handed or whacking you upside the head in an attempt to make you cry. I think the only complaint I had about it was that watching the injury happen is one big OW.
If Hilary Swank wins Best Actress, I won't be surprised, and I'll totally back it up. The same with Morgan Freeman, although I'm not sure his chances for Best Supporting Actor are as good as hers.
Now, for Clint and the Best Actor nomination. I'm going to state something that's probably going to get me bludgeoned to death in an alleyway by a bunch of angry fangirls. I've seen all five of the Best Actor performances, and in my personal opinion, Clint Eastwood did not steal Paul Giamatti's nomination -- Johnny Depp did. Now, I love Johnny, but my assessment of the Best Actor nominees goes in this order from best to worst -- Jamie Foxx, Don Cheadle, Clint Eastwood, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Johnny Depp, with Paul Giamatti probably coming right before Clint on that list. Johnny was great in the role as always, but Clint in that movie managed to make me love him and want to see him onscreen. And I love Clint, but I hate watching him on screen.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to watch something idiotic and absolutely not intended to make me cry. And hey, look, Snow Dogs is on. That's idiotic. Then again, it may make me cry, although more in mourning of Cuba Gooding's career than anything else.
Hotel Rwanda just ... hell, I haven't cried that hard in a theater in years. There's a scene in the movie that's hinted at in the trailer where the UN evacuates all of the non-Rwandans at the hotel and basically just leaves the Rwandans behind to be slaughtered. Joaquin Phoenix's character, as he walks to the bus that's going to take them away, whispers to his friend, "Jesus, I feel ashamed." And just when you think you're more uncomfortable than you've been in a while, suddenly a bunch of foreign missionaries run up with a group of Rwandan orphans, and the UN won't let the orphans on the bus. And just ... just ... *sniffle*
Don Cheadle in this movie was simply brilliant. The comparisons to Schindler's List are obviously apt to the situation, but it's incredible, the way he carries it off. He's not trying to save anybody but his family, and just gets swept into this place of having to keep as many people alive as possible using his well-honed skills as a hotel manager. I'd have to say that this had to have been my second-favorite performance of the year after Jamie Foxx in Ray. And Sophie Okonedo, who played his wife, was incredible.
As for the subject of the movie itself, the genocide in Rwanda, I think I whispered, "What the fuck is wrong with people?!" about five times during the film.
And then there was Million Dollar Baby. I take back any qualms I had about the movie. That was an incredible film, and I say that as someone who usually doesn't like anything that Clint Eastwood is involved in. (But I'll get to Clint later.)
The whole plot shift towards the end, with her getting injured and wanting him to pull the plug ... it's not as bad as it sounds. To be honest, it's one of the best portrayals of the subject I've ever seen. It's not annoying or heavy-handed or whacking you upside the head in an attempt to make you cry. I think the only complaint I had about it was that watching the injury happen is one big OW.
If Hilary Swank wins Best Actress, I won't be surprised, and I'll totally back it up. The same with Morgan Freeman, although I'm not sure his chances for Best Supporting Actor are as good as hers.
Now, for Clint and the Best Actor nomination. I'm going to state something that's probably going to get me bludgeoned to death in an alleyway by a bunch of angry fangirls. I've seen all five of the Best Actor performances, and in my personal opinion, Clint Eastwood did not steal Paul Giamatti's nomination -- Johnny Depp did. Now, I love Johnny, but my assessment of the Best Actor nominees goes in this order from best to worst -- Jamie Foxx, Don Cheadle, Clint Eastwood, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Johnny Depp, with Paul Giamatti probably coming right before Clint on that list. Johnny was great in the role as always, but Clint in that movie managed to make me love him and want to see him onscreen. And I love Clint, but I hate watching him on screen.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to watch something idiotic and absolutely not intended to make me cry. And hey, look, Snow Dogs is on. That's idiotic. Then again, it may make me cry, although more in mourning of Cuba Gooding's career than anything else.
