In the Name of the Father (1993) or, The Scapegoats

♥♥♥

The giant head of celebrated, long-haired co-star Daniel Day-Lewis makes up this poster for Jim Sheridan's In the Name of the Father

Gerry Conlon is a young thief in Belfast, Ireland, who in the mid 1970s moves to London, where he hangs out with some bad types, robs a prostitute and is eventually convicted of a horrific IRA bombing that killed 4 off-duty soldiers, which he had nothing to do with.

In the Name of the Father is written by Terry George (The Boxer (1997)) and co-writer/producer/director, great Irish filmmaker Jim Sheridan (My Left Foot (1989)), adapting the autobiography Proved Innocent (1990) by Gerry Conlon.

The film is very involving for some audiences; for me the obstacles surrounding Daniel Day-Lewis' (The Crucible (1996)) protagonist were too considerable for me to get fully invested: Conlon is a fairless useless, hopeless and really stupid turncoat.

The film is handsomely produced, well told and well acted. It would have been better, if the film's perspective had been that of Conlon's father and not his bovine son. The father is acted strongly by Pete Postlethwaite (Ghost Son (2007)) in what is perhaps his career's best role. Day-Lewis' Gerry Conlon makes this celebrated, otherwise fine film an unnecessarily depressing experience.

 

Related posts:

 

Jim Sheridan: Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2005) - Sheridan's hiphop biopic riddled with weak spots 

2005 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]

The Boxer (1997) - Excellent film of boxing and love in ugly Ireland

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 13 mil. $

Box office: 65.7 mil. $

= Big hit (returned 5.05 times its cost)

[In the Name of the Father premiered 12 December (Ireland) and runs 133 minutes. Day-Lewis reportedly shed 23 kg (50 lb) for the role, prepared by getting incarcerated for 3 days and nights and exposing himself to a nine hour interrogation. During shooting he insisted on receiving abuse from his surroundings and kept up his Belfast accent off-screen as part of his method acting. Shooting took place from March - June 1993 in Ireland, including in Dublin and in England, including London. The film opened #21 to a 109k $ first weekend in 4 theaters in North America, where it peaked at #10 and in 688 theaters (different weeks), grossing 25 mil. $ (38.1 % of the total gross). Its foreign market numbers are regrettably not detailed; however, it was the 2nd highest-grossing film ever in Ireland, (behind Jurassic Park (1993)), with a 4.5 mil. $ gross, and the highest-grossing Irish film there of all time as well. It was nominated for 7 Oscars, winning none: It lost Best Actor (Day-Lewis) to Tom Hanks in Philadelphia, Supporting Actor (Postlethwaite) to Tommy Lee Jones in The Fugitive, Supporting Actress (Emma Thompson (Love Actually (2003))) to Anna Paquin in The Piano, Director to Steven Spielberg for Schindler's List, Editing to Schindler's List, Adapted Screenplay to Steven Zaillian for Schindler's List and Picture also to Schindler's List. The film was also nominated for 2 BAFTAs, won 1/2 David di Donatello award nominations, was nominated for a European Film award and 4 Golden Globes and won a National Board of Review award, among many other honors. Roger Ebert gave it a 3/4 star review, translating to a notch over this one. The film was criticized for changing and fictionalizing several elements of the true story. IMDb's users have rated the film in at #194 on the site's Top 250, sitting between The Gold Rush (1935) and Monsters, Inc. (2001). Sheridan returned with Sinéad O'Connor: You Made Me the Thief of Your Heart (1994, music video) and theatrically with The Boxer (1997). Day-Lewis returned in The Crucible (1996); Thompson in My Father the Hero (1994). In the Name of the Father is certified fresh at 94 % with a 7.80/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of In the Name of the Father?

Nine (2009) - Stars and robes save Marshall's Italian fantasy

♥♥♥

 

'Be Italian' lures a swanky cast of five non-Italian stars from this glamorous poster for Rob Marshall's Nine

Guido Contino, the leading Italian filmmaker and artiste, is poised to start production on another film, his ninth. But he is blocked from writing its screenplay, and his wife is leaving him. SPOILER Only when he rediscovers the boy within himself can he return to the work.

 

Nine is written by Anthony Minghella (Women (1983, TV-series)) and Michael Tolkin (Deep Cover (1992)), adapting the same-titled 1982 Broadway musical by Maury Yeston (Grand Hotel (1989)) and Arthur Kopit (Phantom (1992)), and directed by Rob Marshall (Chicago (2002)).

It is naturally regrettable to any admirer of Italian cinema that the country's artists don't conquer the world themselves with this musical based on cinema icon Federico Fellini's situation following his 8½ (1963). Yet Marshall has mixed a fiery cocktail with a delectable cast of Daniel Day-Lewis (The Age of Innocence (1993)), Penélope Cruz (All the Pretty Horses (2000)), Sophia Lorén (Angela (1977)), Judi Dench (Quantum of Solace (2008)), Marion Cotillard (The Immigrant (2013)), Nicole Kidman (The Railway Man (2013)) and others and marvelous costumes, so that Nine transports us to an Italian wonderland in its best sequences nonetheless. Fergie's (Marmaduke (2010)) number as Saraghina is very good.

 

 

Marshall talks about the movie in this 4-minute clip

 

Cost: 80 mil. $

Box office: 54 mil. $

= Huge flop (returned 0.67 times its cost)

[Nine premiered 3 December (London) and runs 118 minutes. Cotillard was paid 1 mil. $ for her performance in the film. Shooting took place from October 2008 - January 2009 in Italy, including in Rome, and in England, including in London. The film opened #21 to a 257k $ first weekend in 4 theaters in North America, where it peaked at #8 the following weekend in 1,412 theaters, grossing 19.6 mil. $ (36.3 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Japan with 7.5 mil. $ (13.9 %) and the UK with 4.5 mil. $ (8.3 %). The film was nominated for 4 Oscars: Best Supporting Actress (Cruz), lost to Mo'Nique in Precious, Art Direction, lost to Avatar, Costume Design, lost to The Young Victoria, and Song (Take It All by Yeston), lost to The Weary Kind from Crazy Heart. It was also nominated for an Oscar, 5 Golden Globes and several other honors. Roger Ebert gave the film a 2/4 star review, translating to a notch under this one. Marshall returned with Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011). Day-Lewis returned in Lincoln (2012); Cotillard in 3 shorts prior to her theatrical return in Inception (2010); and Cruz in Sex and the City 2 (2010). Nine is rotten at 39 % with a 5.20/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Nine?

Gangs of New York (2002) - Death, violence and squalor in charmless period epic

♥

 

+ 3rd Worst Movie of the Year

+ Most Overrated Movie of the Year 

 

Three major stars peak out over a torn American flag on this poster for Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York

During the establishment of New York the city was a myriad of gangs, who also ran the fire department. One boy has his father killed in a gang showdown and swears revenge over the brutal 'Butcher'.

Gangs of New York is written by Jay Cocks (Silence (2016)), Steve Zaillian (Awakenings (1990)) and Kenneth Lonergan (You Van Count On Me (2000)), loosely based on the same-titled 1928 novel by Herbert Asbury (The Golden Flood (1941)), and directed by New-Yorker master filmmaker Martin Scorsese (Who's That Knocking at My Door (1967)), whose 18th feature it is.

Right from the get-go, Gangs of New York is an unappealing mega-epic, which wallows in casual violence and cookie cutter-like characters. It is incredibly far from achieving any feeling of realism, so far that it made me wonder whether Gangs would have perhaps worked as a musical instead?

It is terribly long and mercilessly dull and bereft of charm: Cameron Diaz (Shrek 2 (2004)) doesn't cut it in her grifter part; Daniel Day-Lewis (My Left Food (1989))  is repugnant as Bill the Butcher, and Leonardo DiCaprio (The Great Gatsby (2013)) follows his lead for most of the film, which is an odd and exhausting experience.

 

Related posts:

Martin Scorsese: 2019 in films - according to Film Excess

The Irishman (I Heard You Paint Houses) (2019, VOD) - Scorsese's great gangster epic of growing old and death 

2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]

Top 10: The best biopic movies reviewed by Film Excess to date

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) - One helluva movie!  

Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel (2011) - Stapleton's Corman doc. is among the year's best films (interview subject)
Hugo (2011) - Scorsese's critically acclaimed, magical 3D family adventure/financial disaster 

Shutter Island (2010) - Scorsese's heavy-handed, long, second huge thriller attempt
Boardwalk Empire - 1st season (2010) - Luxurious 1920's ensemble gangster treats (executive producer)

Top 10: Best crime movies reviewed by Film Excess to date

2006 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]

2006 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess

The Departed (2006) - Scorsese's Boston-set wildcat of a capital letter Movie
The Aviator (2004) - The grand American biopic 

2002 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I] 

Top 10: Best 'box office success' movies reviewed by Film Excess to date

Top 10: The best true story movies reviewed by Film Excess to date
Casino (1995) - Scorsese's sumptuous Vegas gangster tale has the wingspan of a Greek tragedy   
The Age of Innocence (1993) or, Stayin' IN the Pants
Cape Fear (1991) - Scorsese adds lots of stuff to remake but loses the balance     

Goodfellas (1990) or, Citizen Gangster 

 

 Watch a 3-minute clip from the film here

 

Cost: 100 mil. $

Box office: 193.7 mil. $

= Big flop (returned 1.93 times its cost)

[Gangs of New York premiered 9 December (New York) and runs 167 minutes. Scorsese bought the novel rights in 1979 but did not find finance for the film until two decades later. Diaz was paid 17.5 mil. $ for her performance; DiCaprio 10 mil. $ and an undisclosed gross participation; Liam Neeson 2 mil. $; and Scorsese 6 mil. $, of which he had to pay back 3 mil. $ due to budget overruns. An enormous five-block piece of Lower Manhattan was recreated as a set in the Cinecittà studio in Rome. Shooting took place in Rome, Italy and in New York from December 2000 - March 2001. Scorsese and producer Harvey Weinstein battled over the editing and length of the film. The film opened #4, behind fellow new releases The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Two Weeks Notice and holdover hit Maid in Manhattan to a 9.1 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it stayed in the top 5 one more week (#5) and grossed 77.8 mil. $ (40.2 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Japan with 23.7 mil. $ (12.2 %) and the UK with 16.3 mil. $ (8.4 %). The film was nominated for 10 Oscars, winning none. It lost Best Picture to Chicago, Best Actor (Day-Lewis) to Adrien Brody in The Pianist, Director to Roman Polanski for The Pianist, Original Screenplay to Pedro Almodóvar for Talk to Her, Cinematography (Michael Ballhaus) to Conrad L. Hall for Road to Perdition, Art/Set Direction to Chicago, Costume Design to Chicago, Sound to Chicago, Editing to Chicago, and Original Song (U2's The Hands That Built America) to Eminem's Lose Yourself from 8 Mile. It won 2/5 Golden Globe nominations, 1/12 BAFTA nominations, an AFI award, was nominated for a César award, 2 Grammys, won a National Board of Review award, among many other honors. Roger Ebert gave the film a 3.5/4 star review, translating to 4 notches higher than this one. Scorsese returned with 3 documentary projects prior to his theatrical return The Aviator (2004). DiCaprio returned in Catch Me If You Can (2002); Day-Lewis in The Ballad of Jack and Rose (2005); Diaz in Shrek 4-D (2003, video short) and theatrically in Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003). Gangs of New York is certified fresh at 74 % with a 7.10/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Gangs of New York?

Lincoln (2012) - Spielberg's inspiring presidential portrait stands tall

♥♥♥♥♥

+ Best Historical Movie of the Year + Best Big Hit Movie of the Year + Best Biopic of the Year

Daniel Day-Lewis fully immersed and impressively resemblant of his iconic character on this poster in stately B/W for Steven Spielberg's Lincoln

We follow the hardships of US president Abraham Lincoln in the last months of his second term, as the American Civil War finally comes to its end, and he manages to abolish slavery.

Lincoln is written by Tony Kushner (Munich (2005)), based in part on Doris Kearns Goodwin's (The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys: An American Saga (1987)) biographical book Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln (2005)), and directed by Ohioan master filmmaker Steven Spielberg (Jurassic Park (1993)).
Daniel Day-Lewis (Nanou (1986)) is phenomenal as Lincoln, and so is Sally Field (Eye for an Eye (1996)) as Mrs. Lincoln. Spielberg's sweeping, historical biopic is exciting, because besides portraying one of the most interesting political periods in world history, it is also driven by a family drama with equally high stakes.
Spielberg has gathered an appropriately impressive ensemble of actors, of which the third who deserves highlighting is Tommy Lee Jones (Double Jeopardy (1999)), who stands out in one of his career's finest performances as a rebel Republican, who does what is necessary in order to be able to abolish slavery with his president.
Lincoln is full of wallops; it is a very handsome production with sublime photography (by Janusz Kaminski (Tall Tale (1995))) and a good score, although it isn't among composer John Williams' (Catch Me If You Can (2002)) very best. The chosen portion of a speech which concludes the film puzzles me a bit.
Still Lincoln is a grand and thrilling history lesson of great quality.

Related posts:

Steven Spielberg: The Post (2017) - Spielberg returns to mastery with a thrilling salute to the virtues of real, critical, brave journalism
2012 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED V]
War Horse (2011) - Spielberg visits WWI with problematic horse drama The Adventures of Tintin/The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn (2011) - Affinities for Tintin, earlier Spielberg and film will decide your experience of this 3D mo-cap adventure Super 8 (2011) - Abrams' nostalgic family crowdpleaser (producer)
Band of Brothers - TV mini-series (2001) - WWII-sacrifice and -comradeship portrayed with skill and integrity (producer)
A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) - A robot fairy tale with both heart and mind
Amistad (1997) or, Must... Free... Slaves! 
Empire of the Sun (1987) - Spielberg's grand production of boy-in-China-during-WWII is a misfire
Twilight Zone The Movie (1983) - Fear takes many forms in tragedy-struck anthology
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) - Spielberg's greatest accomplishment
1941 (1979) - Spielberg's bizarre 'comedy spectacular' sinks like a rock  
Top 10: Best car chases in movies reviewed by Film Excess to date
Duel (1971) - Spielberg's truck terror is ideal afternoon fare

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: 65 mil. $
Box office: 275.2 mil. $
= Big hit (returned 4.23 times the cost)
[Lincoln premiered 8 October (New York) and runs 150 minutes. Spielberg expressed desire to make a Lincoln film using Goodwin's then unwritten book in 1999. Development began in 2001 with Liam Neeson getting attached to star in 2005. He left the project in 2010, and Spielberg offered Day-Lewis, who had first called the idea of him playing the character "preposterous", the part again, which he then accepted. Shooting took place in Virginia from October - December 2011. The film opened #15 to a 944k $ first weekend in 11 theaters in North America, - a colossal 85k $ average, - where it peaked the following week at #3, behind new release, major box office phenomenon The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 and holdover hit Skyfall. It spent another 5 weeks in the top 5 (#3-#4-#4-#3-#5) and grossed 182.2 mil. $ (66.2 % of the total gross) domestically. The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 13.2 mil. $ (4.8 %) and France with 10.6 mil. $ (3.9 %). Roger Ebert gave the film a 4/4 star review, translating to a notch better than this one. The historical accuracy of the film is generally assessed to be high. It was nominated for 12 Oscars, winning for Best Actor (Day-Lewis) and Best Production Design. It lost Best Picture to Argo, Supporting Actor (Jones) to Christoph Waltz in Django Unchained, Supporting Actress (Field) to Anne Hathaway in Les Misérables, Director to Ang Lee for Life of Pi, Adapted Screenplay to Chris Terrio for Argo, Cinematography to Claudio Miranda for Life of Pi, Costume Design to Anna Karenina, Sound Mixing to Les Misérables, Editing to Argo, and Score to Mychael Danna for Life of Pi. It also won 1/7 Golden Globe nominations, 1/10 BAFTA noms, an AFI award, a David di Donatello nomination, a Grammy nomination, a National Board of Review award and countless other honors. Disney donated 37,100 copies of the film on DVD along with teaching guides to secondary schools across the US. Spielberg returned with Bridge of Spies (2015). Day-Lewis returned in Phantom Thread (2017). Lincoln is certified fresh at 89 % with an 8/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Lincoln?

Phantom Thread (2017) - Anderson's exquisite drama of an English dressmaker and his Alma

♥♥♥♥♥♥

+ 3rd Best Movie of the Year
+ Most Undeserved Flop of the Year + Best Drama of the Year + Best Period Movie of the Year

Daniel Day-Lewis and Vicky Krieps are superimposed onto each other on this elegant poster for Paul Thomas Anderson's Phantom Thread

Reynolds Woodcock is a leading couture dressmaker in England of 1954. A confirmed bachelor, he lives a disciplined, routine-bound existence with his sister Cyril in London, when on a countryside visit he meets and falls for a German-born waitress named Alma.

Phantom Thread is the 8th feature from Californian master filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson (Hard Eight (1996)), who has written, shot and directed it. It is his second masterpiece in my estimation, following his other collaboration with Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln (2012)), the period oil drama There Will Be Blood (2007).
Phantom Thread bears likeness to established classics Citizen Kane (1941) and The Leopard (1963), my favorite film of all time, but Anderson is such an expert filmmaker in his own right that the film stands securely on its own: The resemblance is the focus on a male master of his own realm, whose control is nevertheless about to be upset. The film probes some of life's major themes, namely creative enterprise, love and marriage, and it does so with insight and depth of grasp. 

Day-Lewis, one of the greatest actors of our time, is tremendous as the uncompromising master of timeless fashion, who has evolved into something of an ever-suave albeit equally egotistical, super-esthetic tyrant in his life. Vicky Krieps (The Colony (2015)) is moving as his doting Alma, who finds difficulties in conforming to Woodcock's life, SPOILER and who finds herself forced to draw drastic consequences in the latter part of the film, which deals poignantly and surprisingly with a darker aspect of marriage, namely that marrieds literally put their lives into their partner's hands. In the film's third crucial part, Lesley Manville (Spike Island (2012)) radiates feminine toughness as well as considerate affection in the part as Cyril.
The film is exquisite in every way: The sets and production design and especially the costumes by Mark Bridges (Deep Blue Sea (1999)), which rightly stand out in this film of a prime aesthete in the sartorial trade, are a gift to behold. The makeup and hairstyling and glasses worn in Phantom Thread also deserve praise, as does the seductive, nuanced, rich score by Jonny Greenwood (Norwegian Wood (2010)), as well as the cinematography by Anderson himself.
Phantom Thread's virtues may not make enough 'noise', - that is, it isn't controversial or timely enough, - to make ecstatic audiences flock to it in droves, but it is a generous and lasting masterpiece nonetheless.


Related posts:

Paul Thomas Anderson: 2017 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
Boogie Nights (1997) - Anderson's irresistable porn 'Casino'
Mentioned movies: The Leopard/Il Gattopardo/Le Guépard (1963) - The greatest film ever made?
Citizen Kane (1941) - The cold elephant on the shelf

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: 35 mil. $
Box office: 43.5 mil. $ and counting
= Not certain yet, but looks like a big flop
[Phantom Thread premiered 24 November (Beverly Hills, California) and runs 130 minutes. Anderson became interested in the fashion industry after reading about Spanish fashion master Cristóbal Balanciaga. He modeled the story loosely over the life of American designer Charles James. Day-Lewis has announced that he will be retiring after this his performance in Phantom Thread. Shooting took place in England, including London, and in Switzerland from January 2017 - ?. It is Anderson's first time shooting outside of the US. The film opened #26 to a strong 216k $ first weekend in 4 theaters in North America, where it widened to 1,186 theaters after having peaked at #12 and has so far grossed 20.9 mil. $. The film has yet to open in Norway, Turkey (13 April) and Japan (26 May). It was nominated for 6 Oscars, winning one, for Best Costumes. It lost Best Picture to The Shape of Water, Actor to Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour), Supporting Actress (Manville) to Allison Janney (I, Tonya), Score to Alexandre Desplat (Shape of Water) and Director to Guillermo del Toro (Shape of Water). It was also nominated for 2 Golden Globes, won 1/4 BAFTA noms, won 2 National Board of Review awards and many other honors. Phantom Thread is certified fresh at 92 % with an 8.5 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Phantom Thread?

The Boxer (1997) - Excellent film of boxing and love in grim Ireland

♥♥♥♥♥

+ Best Boxing Movie of the Year + Best Irish Movie of the Year

Two of the best UK actors of their time make up most of this dark poster for Jim Sheridan's The Boxer

Set in the Belfast area in the 1990s Irish civil war between Protestant and Catholic Christians, The Boxer tells the story of Danny, an former IRA terrorist, who is released from prison after a long stint and wants to turn things around by opening up a boxing club. He falls for another prisoner's wife in the mix.

 

The Boxer is written by Terry George (In the Name of the Father (1993)) and great Irish filmmaker, co-writer/co-producer/director Jim Sheridan (My Left Foot (1989)).
The boxing and the love are the strong elements that lift up this very dark period piece of Irish and British history out of a gutter of utter despair. Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood (2007)) delivers one of his best performances ever, accomplishing total credibility as the low-down boxer Danny. In other big parts, Emily Watson (Breaking the Waves (1996)) and Brian Cox (L.I.E. (2001)) excel.

Sheridan achieves a great portrayal of the division between the societal groups in The Boxer, which elevates it historically. It is an excellent story about a grim chapter in Irish history.

Related posts:

 

Jim Sheridan: Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2005) - Sheridan's hiphop biopic riddled with weak spots 

2005 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]

1997 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess

In the Name of the Father (1993) or, The Scapegoats 

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: 4.7 mil. $
Box office: 16.5 mil. $
= Big hit (returned 3.51 times its cost)

[The Boxer opened 31 December (North America, Philippines) and runs 114 minutes. Day-Lewis reportedly prepared by boxing for 3 years for the performance. Shooting took place from April - July 1997 in Ireland, including in Dublin. The film opened #19 to an 86k $ first weekend in 3 theaters in North America, where it peaked at #13 and grossed 5.9 mil. $ (35.8 % of the total gross). In the UK, including Ireland, it made 2.2 mil. $ (13.3 %). It was nominated for 3 Golden Globes, among other honors. Roger Ebert gave it a 3/4 star review, translating to a notch under this one. Sheridan returned with In America (2002). Day-Lewis returned in Gangs of New York (2002); Watson in Hilary and Jackie (1998). The Boxer is certified fresh at 81 % with a 7.20/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

 

What do you think of The Boxer?