American Response?

[RydCook]

if anything we're worse? I mean independant cinema is a much bigger thing in America than it is here.

I find it unbelievable how many people went to see pirates 3 here. and its such a rubbish film.

[dommers]

ryd22 said:

if anything we're worse? I mean independant cinema is a much bigger thing in America than it is here.

Yeah I totally agree, I've only just begun to scrape the surface of independant and also foreign film in the last few years, having spent most of my life going to see things like The Matrix.

I wonder if it's because of the weakness of the British film industry, compared to, say, the French? Or perhaps a lack of arthouse cinemas/enthusiasm for indy films?

Anyways those who stick to Pirates of the Caribbean are missing out...

[RydCook]

dommers said:

ryd22 said:

if anything we're worse? I mean independant cinema is a much bigger thing in America than it is here.

Yeah I totally agree, I've only just begun to scrape the surface of independant and also foreign film in the last few years, having spent most of my life going to see things like The Matrix.

I wonder if it's because of the weakness of the British film industry, compared to, say, the French? Or perhaps a lack of arthouse cinemas/enthusiasm for indy films?

Anyways those who stick to Pirates of the Caribbean are missing out...

Could it simply be, because there is a lot more people in America and France than there is in Britian? Actually, i dont know about france, have they got a bigger population?

I'm thinking the French are less inclined to enjoy american films because they're not in their language? and because they can't relate to them? Where as us brits seem to have some desire to BE american for some reason. Like its always perccieved as better out there and stuff. and i think thats passed through to films, they can do them better. Its just a big assumption i guess. Thus the lack in confidence in our own film industry.

[dommers]

Yeah I reckon it's related to the population difference between us and them. And of course it is just generally easier to watch American films than make many of our own here in Britain.

But I dunno about France... their population is pretty similar to ours, and their film industry is really quite successful, and new directors funded by the government. And that makes me think we could do the same! It's about time we had a new wave... (though is this a reflection of the New Hollywood movement? argh how confusing)

Ultimately, we're pretty much making the same point. lol. But it's a good one!

[GR]

I don't know if you guys saw the review in Entertainment Weekly (#878 May 26, 2006), but this is part of what Lisa Schwarzbaum had to say:

www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1195053,00.html
"The imagery is exotically grungy and jumbled by flashback, but in the end, the picture's more pulp than juice."

(Whatever the hell that means.)


I didn't really have any problem with it, though -- I finally got to see it back in June when bought it on DVD (some good folks at the Paddy Considine board recommended that I check it out since, at that time, I'd only seen him in 'In America,' 'Cinderella Man,' and 'Hot Fuzz').

I think a lot of the critics went into DMS expecting something along the lines of a conventional revenge thriller or possibly the art-house equivalent of a slasher flick, but I didn't see it that way. My first impression is that this is one of those films that are best appreciated if you just go along with them and see where they take you.

Here's my take on it (***Spoilers ahead***):

I went into DMS pretty much expecting anything, and from the opening shots, I was sucked right in. Ultimately, what I saw was a compelling and powerful drama exploring what kinds of terrible things can go on between people when nobody else is looking, what can send a person over the edge, and how far that person is willing to go after that.

There was nobody to "root for" in a traditional Hollywood sort of way, but I was shocked to find myself feeling for everyone on screen. I could see a sense of justice in Richard's method of stalking, intimidating and humiliating Sonny and his gang as he got ready to pick them off -- it wasn't that much different from how they had treated his brother -- but I could also understand why he eventually came to hate what his single-minded pursuit of vengeance had turned him into. (It wasn't going to bring back his brother, nor change the fact that he had abandoned Anthony when the kid needed him most.) And I was absolutely horrified by what the thugs did to Anthony, but I never really saw them as less than human -- they could still feel things like paranoia, grief (especially whenever one of their own was killed), and guilt.

I thought the performances were great all-around, too -- very natural and without a lot of showing-off (unlike in a lot of dramas that come out Hollywood!). Paddy was especially impressive; not many actors could scare the hell out of me one minute and break my heart the next, but his performance as Richard did just that. All in all, I thought the film was a strong piece of work, beautifully done.

[Gareth]

the thing that makes this film so strong for me is that although Richards violence is not only perfectly motivated and justifyable but I also really felt for sonny and the boys, possibly because the flashbacks build up so you don't really know untill the end what bastards they've been.

there wasnt one character I didn't feel empathy for and it's so rare in anyfilm, nevermind the slasher flicks DMS has been roped in with, that every character is real and four dimensional.

the only thing I'm not too keen on is when sonny comes to the door with all that make up on and that ex boxer bloke has that green hair, apart from that for me this fim is as close to perfect as anything I'm ever likley to see