tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327605674280773646.post9055649149872278714..comments2024-02-25T21:23:09.512-05:00Comments on Stale Popcorn: Review: Animal KingdomGlenn Dunkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05424659636310160482noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327605674280773646.post-68298735626792996182010-04-27T07:45:06.059-04:002010-04-27T07:45:06.059-04:00Jem, it's what I called no fat on the bone. I...Jem, it's what I called no fat on the bone. I loved that it didn't draw out those court scenes and just showed us all we needed - very clever choices there.Paul Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10965628567103267009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327605674280773646.post-52824399696933649382010-04-27T03:43:06.003-04:002010-04-27T03:43:06.003-04:00Personally the courtroom sequence is a huge highli...Personally the courtroom sequence is a huge highlight - presenting what could have been a very familiar and pedestrian sequence which we've seen a million times before as something intriguing and new. It's really smart storytelling, I think. And the way it's edited together is excellent in that it gives you just enough information to go on and no more - sort of a Mamet-style 'I'm not going to slow down, so you better keep up' approach. Kudos then to eidtor Luke Doolan as well as Mr Michod.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327605674280773646.post-10668542473246675602010-04-22T05:34:10.189-04:002010-04-22T05:34:10.189-04:00I'm unclear about some of the final bits so, n...I'm unclear about some of the final bits so, no, what you said doesn't illuminate anything for me. As I said, I need to watch it again.<br /><br />As for Underbelly, I've never been able to watch more than five minutes of it at a time. I find it has more in common with Video Hits (ie, tits and music, with bad editing).Paul Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10965628567103267009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327605674280773646.post-17402478956696722282010-04-22T00:24:44.066-04:002010-04-22T00:24:44.066-04:00I did read your review, Paul. Very good to hear yo...I did read your review, Paul. Very good to hear you liked it so much. I'm still not so sure on Mendelsohn, maybe I need to revisit.<br /><br />In regards to the sequence of events towards the end, it was my understanding that there were the events in the art gallery and then the hotel/courtroom moments in terms of chronology but that the art gallery scenes were spread out (Innaritu style if you want to be simplistic) and interspersed throughout the scenes of J with the cops in the hotel and heading to the courtroom to give it more impact as to what the character of J was doing. Does that make sense?<br /><br />I should mention that I've only ever seen half of season one of <i>Underbelly</i> so my mentioning it isn't a sign of fandom.Glenn Dunkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05424659636310160482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327605674280773646.post-76327774236586378112010-04-20T09:17:05.729-04:002010-04-20T09:17:05.729-04:00I forgot to mention that I also thought that Joel ...I forgot to mention that I also thought that Joel Edgerton and Sullivan Stapleton are excellent, even though I don't count them among the 'pillars'.Paul Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10965628567103267009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327605674280773646.post-42765404789976030902010-04-20T08:51:16.433-04:002010-04-20T08:51:16.433-04:00Have you read my review, Glenn? I think Animal Ki...Have you read my review, Glenn? I think <i>Animal Kingdom</i> is one of the best 5 local films of the last two decades. Yes, it's right up there for me. It's everything that the first series of <i>Underbelly</i> would like to be but doesn't have the skill, intelligence or trust in audiences to even come within a mile of.<br /><br />I disagree with you on Frecheville and consider his character one of the four character pillars of the film: J, Pope (Mendelsohn), Smurf (Weaver) and Det. Leckie (Pearce). Each of these characters is brilliantly defined and play critical roles in the film's successful execution. J <i>has</i> to be this way for reasons I don't want to divulge right now. He's the innocent, our tour guide into hell, not so different to the main character in <i>A Prophet</i>. His being withdrawn makes him an unknown quantity - that's the whole point.<br /><br />For me, this is the performance of Mendelsohn's life. I forgot every mediocre film he's ever been in, every mediocre performance he's given and totally believed he was that character. I've tried to withold some of the details you've divulged about Weaver, but I suppose every film reviewer is going to do that and more. It was so nice to see the film without such details being out there. And Guy Pearce - we all know what he's capable of, the man's brilliant. The brilliance of Michôd (and I believe he is a truly exciting new player) is how constrained he was with his direction of Pearce. In fact, everything about the film is underplayed, muted, nuanced. The film is sensational without being sensational, if you get my drift.<br /><br /><i>Animal Kingdom</i>, for me, excels in virtually every major area: direction, editing, acting, cinematography, sound, music and screenplay. <br /><br />I agree with you about that driveway scene, perhaps my favourite scene in the film. The skills in telling a story are spine-tingling. My missus commented on how I was obsessed with the film for days after.<br /><br />In case you're wondering, the other 4 top films of the last two decades for me are: <i>Everynight, Everynight..., The Boys, Em 4 Jay</i> and <i>Samson and Delilah</i>. So, other than S&D, I think this is the best local film in four years (since E4J).<br /><br />If I have any gripe (and it's a small one), it's that the sequence of events during the legal process confused me a little. I'm not sure if it's because they weren't chronological or if I just didn't understand the sequence. I can't wait to see it again to work that out. But it's a film that one can easily watch again, don't you think?<br /><br />BTW, I would have loved to have talked to you in more depth after the screening but as you know, we were both otherwise engaged.<br /><br />And here's <a href="http://melbfilmblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/animal-kingdom.html" rel="nofollow">my review</a>Paul Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10965628567103267009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327605674280773646.post-20208798235196633762010-04-20T08:37:32.610-04:002010-04-20T08:37:32.610-04:00It will be incredibly hard for her to be even cons...It will be incredibly hard for her to be even considered as a long shot, but if it gets a decent release in America and then who knows? The critics could get behind it like, say, Amy Ryan in <i>Gone Baby Gone</i> and take it to places that nobody could've guessed.Glenn Dunkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05424659636310160482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4327605674280773646.post-4225755572040797132010-04-20T03:24:39.216-04:002010-04-20T03:24:39.216-04:00Do you think Weaver has a chance at a Best Support...Do you think Weaver has a chance at a Best Supporting Actress nomination ? i think so :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com