Pollock (2000) - Harris prevails with artist portrait of highest integrity

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A particularly deep-felt bit of critical praise fills up almost half of this poster for Ed Harris' Pollock

The film follows American painter Jackson Pollock as a young artist from New York around the onset of the 2nd World War, his meeting Lee Krasner, their later marriage and his art and downfall.

 

Pollock is written by Barbara Turner and Susan Emshwiller (Ugandan Pollock (2016), both), adapting Jackson Pollock: An American Saga (1989) by Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith (Gene Davis (1982), both), and directed by great New-Jerseyite filmmaker, debuting Ed Harris (Westworld (2016-22)), who also stars in the title lead.

Harris emulates Pollock impressively; his intensity, impulsivity, gloom and creativity. And Marcia Gay Harden (Pink Skies Ahead (2020)) is just as resplendent as Krasner. The two have vibrantly strong scenes in Pollock, a completely ravishing portrait of one of the most exciting artist's of the 20th century.

Jeffrey Tambor (Trolls (2016)) and Amy Madigan (Stuck (2017)) are good in supporting roles. The film has a fine score (by Jeff Beal (The Grab (2022))) and a shocking - but authentic - ending.  It is an impressive reconstruction of an artist and his art-making. 

 

Related posts:

Ed Harris: mother! (2017) - Bring a flask with you to this one! (actor)

Gravity (2013) or, Survival in Space: The Ride (voice actor) 

Game Change (2012, TV movie) - Moore and Co. shimmer in Roach's dynamite political retelling (co-star)

Man on a Ledge (2012) - Neutered stars in insipid thriller (co-star)

Virginia/What's Wrong With Virginia? (2010) or, A Woman's Struggle (co-star)

2008 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II] 
2008 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I] 
2008 in films - according to Film Excess

Appaloosa (2008) - Best traditional American western in 16 years (co-writer/co-producer/director/co-star) 

Cleaner (2008, video) or, Suit-Wearing Papa Cleaner-Man! (co-star) 

Gone Baby Gone (2007) - Difficult decisions await in Affleck's Lehane adaptation crime drama debut (co-star)

A History of Violence (2005) - Cronenberg's powerful rumination of our violence (co-star)  

National Treasure (2004) - Stars shine in Turteltaub's preposterous adventure baloney (actor) 

The Human Stain (2003) - Stellar cast drives Benton's Roth adaptation (actor)

The Hours (2002) - Everything gels in Daldry's phenomenal adaptation (actor) 

Absolute Power (1997) - Eastwood stumbles with low-caliber thriller (co-star)

The Firm (1993) - Pollack and Cruise scored big with 1993's lesser Grisham adaptation (actor)

Glengarry Glen Ross (1992) - US theater's second-greatest salesman play fueled by magnetic performers (co-star)

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 6 mil. $

Box office: 10.9 mil. $

= Big flop (returned 1.81 times its cost)

[Pollock premiered 6 September (Venice Film Festival) and runs 122 minutes. Harris had been working on the idea of making the film since his father had given him the Pollock book due to the fact that he found his soon to strongly resemble the painter. Harden was paid 1 mil. $ for her performance. Shooting took place from April - August 1999 in New York, with a 6-week hiatus in the middle for Harris to gain 30 pounds and grow a beard. The film opened #37 to a 44k $ first weekend in 2 theaters in North America, where it peaked at #17 and in 280 theaters (different weeks), grossing 8.5 mil. $ (78 % of the total gross). The film was nominated or 2 Oscars, winning for Best Supporting Actress (Harden) and losing Best Actor (Harris) to Russell Crow in Gladiator. It was also nominated for an Independent Spirit award, among other honors. Roger Ebert gave it a 4/4 star review, translating to a notch under this one. Harris returned with Appaloosa (2008); and as an actor he returned in Enemy at the Gates (2001); Harden in Thin Air (2000, TV movie) and From Where I Sit (2000, TV movie) prior to her theatrical return in Gaudi Afternoon (2001). Pollock is certified fresh at 80 % with a 6.90/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Pollock?

Absolute Power (1997) - Eastwood stumbles with low-caliber thriller

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 + Worst Poser of the Year

 

What looks like a seat belt (!) is wrapped around Clint Eastwood's giant head on this questionable poster for his own Absolute Power

An aging, sophisticated master jewel thief is in the middle of robbing a political bigwig's home, when he accidentally witnesses the US president's causing the death of a younger woman and later receiving help from his team in covering up the tragedy.

 

Absolute Power is written by William Goldman (All the President's Men (1976)), adapting the same-titled 1996 novel by David Baldacci (One Good Deed (2019)), and directed by director/co-producer/star, Californian master filmmaker Clint Eastwood (Play Misty for Me (1971)), whose 19th feature it is.

This crime thriller ranks among the weakest in Eastwood's prolific career. SPOILER The first several minutes pass with him standing in a closet, while Gene Hackman (Banning (1967)) as the president strikes and halfway rapes an innocent woman and then has her murdered. The violent scene combined with the 'impotent' hero (because he just watches the ordeal from the closet) is just not a nice opener.

Absolute Power does nothing to make the president character real to us, and he in fact seems like a pseudo-character in the dark universe that is conjured up. There is an impressive cast, but Absolute Power works at the lowest possible flame, (the kind of film you can watch very late at night with half an eye.) It is simplified and stupid to put it bluntly. The only cast member who esteems himself here is E.G. Marshall (Interiors (1978)), whose last movie this was, SPOILER as the president's likely murderer in the film's ending.

 

Related posts:

Clint Eastwood: The Mule (2018) - Drug-runner true story proves another fine fit for screen legend Eastwood 

Sully (2016) - Eastwood's miracle landing biopic is inert and overrated  2014 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED IV]
2014 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
Top 10: The best biopic movies reviewed by Film Excess to date 
2014 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2014 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
American Sniper (2014) - Eastwood conveys an American man and myth in electric masterpiece  
2011 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2011 in films - according to Film Excess   
J. Edgar (2011) - Eastwood, Black and DiCaprio's great, intense biopic   

2008 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
Gran Torino (2008) - Eastwood's actor persona comes full circle in absolute smash (co-producer/director/starring actor)
The Changeling (2008) or, The Christine Collins Story  

2006 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II] 
2006 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]    
2006 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess
Letters from Iwo Jima/硫黄島からの手紙 [Öjima Kara no Tegami] (2006) - The Japanese side of Eastwood's remarkable WWII two-parter   
Flags of Our Fathers (2006) - Eastwood's Iwo Jima portrayal is captivating and profoundly moving 

Blood Work (2002) - Eastwood churns out uninspired thriller adaptation (producer/director/starring actor)

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

The Dead Pool (1988) - The highly entertaining last Dirty Harry movie (starring actor)
City Heat (1984) - Eastwood and Reynolds wrestle dispassionately in Benjamin's messy period affair (co-starring actor)
Tightrope (1984) - An undervalued Clint Eastwood sex killer thriller (starring actor)
Any Which Way You Can (1980) or, More Monkey Business! (starring actor)
Escape from Alcatraz (1979) - Siegel, Tuggle and Eastwood's phenomenal prison escape thriller (starring actor)
Every Which Way but Loose (1978) or, Honky Tonk Monkey Business! (starring actor)

The Gauntlet (1977) - Locke/Eastwood cast sparks in corny shoot-em-up (director/starring actor)
The Enforcer (1976) - Eastwood teaches revolutionaries a lesson in third, less punchy Dirty Harry (starring actor)
The Eiger Sanction (1975) - Eastwood's mountain climbing dud (director/star)

High Plains Drifter (1973) - Eastwood cleans up red town in great western (director/star)
The Beguiled (1971) - Intense, erotic Civil War kammerspiel thriller (starring actor)  
Dirty Harry (1971) - Eastwood's great, signature renegade cop character comes to life (starring actor)
Coogan's Bluff (1968) or, Dopes and Hippies, Beat It! (starring actor)  
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) - Leone ends his poncho trilogy with certified classic (starring actor)
For a Few Dollars More/Per Qualche Dollaro in Più (1965) or, Return of the Poncho Killer (co-starring actor)
A Fistful of Dollars (1964) or, Killer in a Poncho (starring actor)

 

Eastwood talks about the film for 11 minutes in this video

 

Cost: 50 mil. $

Box office: 50 mil. $ - North America only

= Uncertain but likely a big flop (projected return of 1.4 times its cost)

[Absolute Power premiered 4 February (Westwood, Hollywood) and runs 121 minutes. Baldacci reportedly sold the worldwide book and movie right for his novel for 5 mil. $. Ed Harris (Milk Money (1994)) was paid 2.5 mil. $ for his performance. Shooting took place from June - August 1996 in Los Angeles, California, Washington, D.C, and in Maryland, including in Baltimore. It opened #2, behind a 1997 'special edition' re-release of Star Wars (1977), to a 14.6 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another 2 weekends in the top 5 (#3-#5-4X-#3-#4), grossing 50 mil. $. Without the international gross numbers a theatrical status regrettably cannot be determined. A projected much-smaller-than-needed international gross, leading to a final gross of 70 mil. $ would earn Absolute Power the rank of 'big flop'. Roger Ebert gave it a 3.5/4 star review, translating to 3 notches over this one. Eastwood returned with Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997), and as an actor in True Crime (1999). Harris returned in The Truman Show (1998); Hackman in Twilight (1998). Absolute Power is rotten at 56 % with a 5.70/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Absolute Power?

The Human Stain (2003) - Stellar cast drives Benton's Roth adaptation

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Two major stars drenched in sensual blue make up this poster for Robert Benton's The Human Stain

 

Coleman is a college dean who lectures in classical literature, until he is one day accused of racism and decides to quit. His wife passes away, but he finds a young, exciting woman - with a heavy personal baggage. It turns out that he is also carrying around quite a load himself.

 

The Human Stain is written by Nicholas Meyer (Medici (2016-18)), based on the same-titled 2000 novel by Philip Roth (Exit Ghost (2007)), and directed by Texan master filmmaker Robert Benton (Bad Company (1972)), whose 10th feature it is.

Anthony Hopkins (Chaplin (1992)), Ed Harris (Virginia (2010)), Gary Sinise (Bruno (2000)) and Nicole Kidman (Rabbit Hole (2010)) is a tremendously strong cast, and they carry this stained drama home. Kidman's character suddenly evolves to an incredible degree; and the entire storyline with beautiful Wentworth Miller (Underworld (2003)) is mysterious and may seem overly American to some audiences.

Related posts:

Robert Benton: Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) - Benton's amazing, truthful divorce drama

What's Up, Doc? (1972) - Screwball comedy revived for a wonderful show (co-writer) 

Watch the 2-minute 'accusation' scene from the film here

 

Cost: 30 mil. $

Box office: 22.9 mil. $

= Huge flop (returned 0.76 times its cost)

[The Human Stain premiered 29 August (Venice Film Festival) and runs 106 minutes. Shooting took place from March - May 2002 in Massachusetts, Illinois, including in Chicago, and in Québec, including in Montréal. The film opened #15 to a 1 mil. $ first weekend in 160 theaters in North America, where it widened to 388 theaters but never attained a higher position, grossing 5.3 mil. $ (23.1 % of the total gross). The film's biggest market was Italy with 6 mil. $ (26.2 %); North America was the 2nd biggest, and Spain was 3rd biggest with 2.4 mil. $ (10.5 %). The film won an AFI award. Roger Ebert gave it a 3.5/4 star review, translating to a notch over this one. Benton returned with Feast of Love (2007). Hopkins returned in Shortcut to Happiness (2003); Kidman in Cold Mountain (2003). The Human Stain is rotten at 42 % with a 5.50/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

 

What do you think of The Human Stain?

Man on a Ledge (2012) - Neutered stars in insipid thriller

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Star faces and a major still of the titular suicide scenario with fish-eye effect make up this poster for Asger Leth's Man on a Ledge

 

An escaped convict gets out on a ledge on a tall hotel building in Manhattan - but why?

 

Man on a Ledge is written by Pablo F. Fenjves (A Case for Murder (1993, TV movie)) and directed by Asger Leth (Ghosts of Cité Soleil (2006, documentary)).

It is hard to care about mullet-haired Sam Worthington's (Bootmen (2000)) protagonist's plans in this dull, unexciting thriller. A random cast of stars are seemingly present to cash easy paychecks, and unfortunately lead Worthington is especially uninteresting.

The film has only insufficient and small bouts of weak action. Man on a Ledge is deeply forgettable and pointless. Its story is hard to follow as it plays out, simply because it is so facade-focused and vacuous. A major turkey.

 

Related post:

 

Asger Leth: Ghosts of Cité Soleil (2006, documentary) - A. Leth debuts with formidable documentary

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 42 mil. $

Box office: 47.6 mil. $

= Big flop (returned 1.13 times its cost)

[Man on a Ledge was released 26 January (Germany and 6 other markets) and runs 102 minutes. Shooting took place in New York around October 2010. The film opened #5, behind fellow new release The Grey, holdover hit Underworld: Awakening, new release One for the Money and holdover hit Red Tails, to an 8 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it left the top 5 in its 2nd weekend and grossed 18.6 mil. $ (39.1 % of the total gross. The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 3.9 mil. $ (9 %) and South Korea with 3.8 mil. $ (8 %). Roger Ebert gave the film a 2/4 star review, translating to a notch over this one. Leth returned with Hold On (2012). Worthington returned in Wrath of the Titans (2012). Man on a Ledge is rotten at 31 % with a 4.80/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Man on a Ledge?

Film Excess 8th birthday movie masterpiece: The Hours (2002) - Everything gels in Daldry's phenomenal adaptation

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+ 2nd Best Movie of the Year

 

Three of the world's leading actresses of their day in a wealth of striking, muted pastel colors on a poster for Stephen Daldry's The Hours

In 1923 outside London, author Virginia Woolf has begun writing her book Mrs. Dalloway and walks into a river. In 1950s Los Angeles a housewife attempts to escape her life. And in 2001 in New York a woman just wants to throw a fabulous party for her friend, who is sick with AIDS.

 

The Hours is written by David Hare (Via Dolorosa (2000)), based on the same-titled 1998 novel by Michael Cunningham (Flesh and Blood (1995)), and directed by English master filmmaker Stephen Daldry (Billy Elliott (2000)), whose 2nd feature it is.

Cunningham's complex and unusual novel is an awe-inspiring task to adapt and it is something of a miracle that Daldry here translates it to the big screen with such strength and elegance. It feels superfluous to give praise to individuals in a case such as The Hours, in which everything simply seems to be perfect.

The Hours is laden with the pain of life and beautiful in all aspects.

 

Related posts:

Stephen Daldry: 2011 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011) or, The Boy Who Lost His Father 

2008 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I] 

2008 in films - according to Film Excess 
The Reader (2008) or, Guilt, Words and Love  

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

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 25 mil. $

Box office: 108.8 mil. $

= Big hit (returned 4.35 times its cost)

[The Hours premiered 15 December (New York) and runs 114 minutes. Shooting took place from January - June 2001 in Florida, New York and England, including London. Kidman was paid 7.5 mil. $ for her performance. The film opened #31 to a 338k $ first weekend in 11 theaters in North America, where it peaked at #9 and in 1,010 theaters (different weeks), grossing 41.6 mil. $ (38.2 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Spain with 6.8 mil. $ (6.3 %) and the UK with 6.7 mil. $ (6.2 %). The film was nominated for 9 Oscars, winning for Best Actress (Nicole Kidman (Flirting (1991))). It lost Best Picture to Chicago, Supporting Actor (Ed Harris (The Way Back (2010))) to Chris Cooper in Adaptation., Supporting Actress (Julianne Moore (6 Souls (2010))) to Catherine Zeta-Jones in Chicago, Director to Roman Polanski for The Pianist, Adapted Screenplay to Ronald Harwood for The Pianist, Costume Design to Chicago, Editing to Chicago and Score (Philip Glass (The Eden Myth (1999))) to Elliot Goldenthal for Frida. It also won 2/11 BAFTA nominations, an AFI award, an award at the Berlin International Film Festival, was nominated for a César award, nominated for a David di Donatello award, won 2/7 Golden Globe nominations, was nominated for a Grammy, won 2 National Board of Review awards and several more honors. Roger Ebert gave the film a 3.5/4 star review, translating to a notch under this one. Daldry returned with Elton John: Electricity (2005, music video) and Fussballfieber (2006, segment) prior to his theatrical return with The Reader (2008). Kidman returned in Dogville (2003); Moore in Marie and Bruce (2004); and Meryl Streep (It's Complicated (2009)) in an uncredited cameo, 2 TV credits and a short prior to her theatrical return in The Manchurian Candidate (2004). The Hours is certified fresh at 79 % with a 7.50/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

 

What do you think of The Hours?  

Game Change (2012, TV movie) - Moore and Co. shimmer in Roach's dynamite political retelling

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Julianne Moore sparkles as Sarah Palin on this near-symmetrical poster for Jay Roach's Game Change

2008: Republican veteran John McCain is gaining in on his opponents and becomes the GOP candidate for the presidential election. But to have a better shot against the crowd-pleasing novelty of Democratic nominee Barack Obama, he  needs a game-changer for his vice presidential running mate. Attention befalls Alaska's female governor...

Game Change is written by Danny Strong (Recount (2008, TV movie)), based on the same-titled 2010 book by journalists Mark Halperin (The Way to Win: Taking the White House in 2008 (2006)) and John Heilemann (Pride Before the Fall: The Trials of Bill Gates and the End of the Microsoft Era (2001)), and directed by great New Mexican filmmaker Jay Roach (Zoo Radio (1990)).

It is a terrific, darn exciting TV movie for every one with an interest in America, politics and/or just great acting performances in an intense drama about family and power. Julianne Moore (Gloria Bell (2018)) is fantastic as Alaskan governor Sarah Palin: We may not get under her skin, but we get to know her a lot better, for good and bad, in Game Change. Her getting trapped inside a campaign that had not vetted her sufficiently prior to selecting her, (if they had, they wouldn't have chosen her), which ends up changing her life, is an at times heartbreaking tale.

Ed Harris (Radio (2003)) as McCain, as well as Woody Harrelson (2012 (2009)), Sarah Paulson (The Spirit (2008)) and Peter MacNicol (Recess: School's Out (2001)) are also outstanding. The film is extremely well-made. An excellent time.

 

Related posts:

Jay Roach: Bombshell (2019) - Toxic US culture laid bare in Roach's great drama 
Trumbo (2015) - Good actors and a thrilling true story make this biopic work 
Dinner for Schmucks/Dinner with Schmucks (2010) - Carell carries Roach's flawed but utterly hilarious comedy  

2000 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess 

Meet the Parents (2000) - Roach, Stiller, De Niro and Co. make comedy gold 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: Unknown

Box office: Unknown - mainly a TV movie

= Uncertain

[Game Change premiered 28 February (Chicago) and runs 118 minutes. Strong and Roach had also considered a film about the Democratic primary race, where Obama beat Hillary Clinton, but left that, reportedly due to the length and complexity of that story. Strong said that he interviewed 25 people related to the McCain/Palin campaign to write the script, aside from reading the book and Palin's book Going Rogue (2009). Shooting took place in New Mexico, Delaware and Baltimore, Maryland around April 2011. The film opened to 2.1 mil. in ratings in North America, HBO's highest rating for a TV movie since Something the Lord Made (2004). It won 3/5 Golden Globe nominations, 5/12 Primetime Emmy nominations, an AFI award and many other honors. Roger Ebert gave the film a 3.5/4 star review, equal in rating to this one. Real-life McCain and Palin took offense with the film but also both refused to watch it; Steven Schmidt, the McCain/Palin campaign strategist, Harrelson's character, on the other hand watched Game Change and called it "the truth of the campaign." Roach returned with The Campaign (2012). Moore returned in Being Flynn (2012); Harris in Sweetwater (2013); and Harrelson in The Hunger Games (2012). Game Change is fresh at 67 % with a 7.10/10 critical average at Rotten Tomateos.]

What do you think of Game Change?