Saw this on Obenson's blog yesterday. It is the supposed top 10 films of 2008 as per Time magazine. Do you agree?
1. WALL-E
2. Synecdoche, New York
3. My Winnipeg
4. 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days
5. Milk
6. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
7. Slumdog Millionaire
8. Iron Man
9. Speed Racer
10. Encounters at the End of the World
Considering I haven't seen half of these films yet, I won't comment too much. But isn't looking good as I have absolutely no idea why The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button and Speed Racer (?!) are on there.
For those of you that have or haven't seen Cadillac records, feel free to check out my beloved Sergio's review of it HERE. Following is his review of "Seven Pounds" with Will Smith:
IW
I've seen Seven Pounds and I'm sure you and everyone would like to know how it is.
First of all you know that I CAN'T STAND Will Smith. The guy just grates on my nerves. His enormous popularity just puzzles me. I guess because he's so inoffensive, so aggressively eager to please, so relentlessly happy and friendly that everyone just likes him. The safest black man on the planet. Even safer than Tyler Perry in a dress. I sorely miss the old days of a mean, ultra masculine Jim Brown killing white guys and banging every chick regardless of color who came across his path.
But having said that and getting off my chest. I have to admit that I really liked Seven Pounds. SAY WHAT??? First Beyonce in Cadillac Records, now this? This surely most be the sign of the apocalypse! But the film is really quite different from anything Smith has done before. A serious, thoughtful tear jerker with some real depth with something actually to say unlike Benjamin Button which snoozes its way for nearly three hours with nothing interesting or important to say except that make up effects have advanced pretty nicely over the last ten years, but CGI effects still suck.
The structure of the film is quite interesting and I think the best thing about it. It's mostly told in a non-linear fractured structure going backwards and forwards in time making it a challenge to figure out what's going on, though believe me, everything is eventually made clear. I don't want to give away too much of the plot which is the reason why Sony Pictures has been rather quiet about it. Basically it tells the story of a guy (Smith) who because of some personal tragedy decides to help a group of strangers of people in need. There are two big plot twists, one which takes place halfway which explains up confusing aspect regarding Smith's character and the final one towards the end which explains everything that you've seen before including the title of the movie makes quite a powerful impact.
Personally I think Smith gives the best performance I've seen him gave in a film, way better than his overrated turn in the equally overrated The Pursuit of Happyness and the the disappointing Ali. Granted Smith is not a naturally gifted dramatic actor like, say, Jeffrey Wright or Phillip Seymour Hoffman. In serious dramatic moments, like in Pounds, you can see him "working" to get the right effect, but overall it's a solid compelling performance. No doubt he's getting an Oscar nomination for this film. I'm also surprised by Rosario Dawson's performance in the film. I've never been crazy about her either mainly because of her previous comments denying that she's black. You know that she's Irish-Chinese-Asian-Hispanic-everything-else-under-the-sun-except-black-God-forbid-anything-but-that! but she really gives an outstanding touching performance in this film as well.
Hey look, every time I see a film I always go in hoping to like (or love) it despite at times who directed it or who's in it is someone I don't like (with the exception of a certain cross dressing no-talent) and sometimes even if I not wild about someone involved in the film I get really surprised and this is the case here. I really recommend Seven Pounds. Will wonders ever cease?
Sergio
From IW: Sergio likes a Will Smith movie? And he thought Bey was OK in Cadillac Records? I think it might be time for all of us to invest in bomb shelters, as surely this is the end of days....I guess we're even about me liking "Soul Men" huh, Serg? haha
Since this seems to be big up Sergio day, he sent this over to me too...it is the movie poster for "Notorious":
1. WALL-E
2. Synecdoche, New York
3. My Winnipeg
4. 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days
5. Milk
6. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
7. Slumdog Millionaire
8. Iron Man
9. Speed Racer
10. Encounters at the End of the World
Considering I haven't seen half of these films yet, I won't comment too much. But isn't looking good as I have absolutely no idea why The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button and Speed Racer (?!) are on there.
For those of you that have or haven't seen Cadillac records, feel free to check out my beloved Sergio's review of it HERE. Following is his review of "Seven Pounds" with Will Smith:IW
I've seen Seven Pounds and I'm sure you and everyone would like to know how it is.
First of all you know that I CAN'T STAND Will Smith. The guy just grates on my nerves. His enormous popularity just puzzles me. I guess because he's so inoffensive, so aggressively eager to please, so relentlessly happy and friendly that everyone just likes him. The safest black man on the planet. Even safer than Tyler Perry in a dress. I sorely miss the old days of a mean, ultra masculine Jim Brown killing white guys and banging every chick regardless of color who came across his path.
But having said that and getting off my chest. I have to admit that I really liked Seven Pounds. SAY WHAT??? First Beyonce in Cadillac Records, now this? This surely most be the sign of the apocalypse! But the film is really quite different from anything Smith has done before. A serious, thoughtful tear jerker with some real depth with something actually to say unlike Benjamin Button which snoozes its way for nearly three hours with nothing interesting or important to say except that make up effects have advanced pretty nicely over the last ten years, but CGI effects still suck.
The structure of the film is quite interesting and I think the best thing about it. It's mostly told in a non-linear fractured structure going backwards and forwards in time making it a challenge to figure out what's going on, though believe me, everything is eventually made clear. I don't want to give away too much of the plot which is the reason why Sony Pictures has been rather quiet about it. Basically it tells the story of a guy (Smith) who because of some personal tragedy decides to help a group of strangers of people in need. There are two big plot twists, one which takes place halfway which explains up confusing aspect regarding Smith's character and the final one towards the end which explains everything that you've seen before including the title of the movie makes quite a powerful impact.
Personally I think Smith gives the best performance I've seen him gave in a film, way better than his overrated turn in the equally overrated The Pursuit of Happyness and the the disappointing Ali. Granted Smith is not a naturally gifted dramatic actor like, say, Jeffrey Wright or Phillip Seymour Hoffman. In serious dramatic moments, like in Pounds, you can see him "working" to get the right effect, but overall it's a solid compelling performance. No doubt he's getting an Oscar nomination for this film. I'm also surprised by Rosario Dawson's performance in the film. I've never been crazy about her either mainly because of her previous comments denying that she's black. You know that she's Irish-Chinese-Asian-Hispanic-everything-else-under-the-sun-except-black-God-forbid-anything-but-that! but she really gives an outstanding touching performance in this film as well.
Hey look, every time I see a film I always go in hoping to like (or love) it despite at times who directed it or who's in it is someone I don't like (with the exception of a certain cross dressing no-talent) and sometimes even if I not wild about someone involved in the film I get really surprised and this is the case here. I really recommend Seven Pounds. Will wonders ever cease?
Sergio
From IW: Sergio likes a Will Smith movie? And he thought Bey was OK in Cadillac Records? I think it might be time for all of us to invest in bomb shelters, as surely this is the end of days....I guess we're even about me liking "Soul Men" huh, Serg? haha
Since this seems to be big up Sergio day, he sent this over to me too...it is the movie poster for "Notorious":
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