Marshall's GEISHA crashes and burns

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 9:40pm

A horrifying 31% score at Rottentomatoes.com. Shocking. Though I think somebody at that site has it in for this movie, they have listed several reviews as negative that are in the favorable column on other sites like Metacritic.com.

Disappointing. I guess those rumors about CHICAGO being largely saved in the editing room were true. Sayonara Oscar!

www.rottentomatoes.com
www.metacritic.com
Updated On: 12/8/05 at 09:40 PM

[Chloe]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 10:20pm

This is a surprise, though I really didn't like the trailer very much. I know there were issues with some of the actors' heavy accents. Was that mentioned as a problem?

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 10:37pm

Yeah, that RottenTomatoes score is unfortunate. I don't think it hints at bad editing or Marshall being a crappy director. Some reviews have cited the accents and pacing as major problems; most have taken primary issue with the pan-Asian casting. What's strange is that the two best reviews on Metacritic are also from two of the most respected and influential sources - Hollywood Reporter and Variety. Moreover, the film did, in fact, get positive reception at an Academy screening and has the support of both Kris Tapley and Tom O'Neill. It's hard to tell at this point if it's a critical disaster because it's a film that primarily appeals to gays and women (without any other pretenses, like Brokeback Mountain) and most critics are self-identified straight males, or if it's actually not a good movie from a filmmaking standpoint.

I'm seeing it Sunday. And, while I think several critics have made fair arguments for why they don't like it, I'm not sure yet that it's on par with Rent or Mommie Dearest as a film that indisputably makes big mistakes.

Updated On: 12/8/05 at 10:37 PM

[ally_kay_on_broadway]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 10:38pm

damn...i was kinda looking forward to that one..

[Jimmcf]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 11:00pm

I still would like to see it...but, I loved the novel. 'Brokeback Mountain' comes first for me though.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 12:13am

I don't even know if I would trust the MetaCritic rating. They list Variety's review as an 8, when it was clearly a 10-level rave. Most reviews also simply point to the Chinese casting as a major flaw in the film, which says more about the politics of the critic than the artistic worth of the film.

[DAME]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 12:19am

I loved this movie. It comes second only to Brokeback this year. I hope it does well.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 12:26am

Did Marshall really want to direct this? Maybe he was coerced into directing it as part of a contract.

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 12:30am

No, he actually went out of his way to direct it. At the time Weinstein was trying to bind him to Miramax but he pretty much had to beg for permission to direct this film for Columbia.

Dame, what is going on here??

Two films that I have been anticipating for years have - within weeks of each other - been identified as "camp." I hope my reception to 'Memoirs' is the same as yours. At the risk of sounding melodramatic, I'll say that I felt a little sick when I saw that several critics had compared Memoirs to Mommie Dearest.

Mommie Dearest is one of my favorite films, but I laugh at it. The thought of laughing at Memoirs is unsettling to me.
Updated On: 12/9/05 at 12:30 AM

[DAME]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 12:31am

LOL. What critic was this?

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 12:35am

It wasn't just one. I believe EW's critic called it "Geisha Dearest." Then the NY Times specifically mentioned Joan Crawford and Faye Dunaway's impersonation of her. A couple of weeks ago on GoldDerby, someone else compared it to Mommie Dearest. Those are only three. There are more...

I'm bewildered by the fact that people are suddenly thinking of Mommie Dearest in relation to this film. Really, I thought I was the only one who cared about Mommie. Maybe they read posts by me (I really make the rounds on film forums) that betrayed my interest in both Memoirs and Mommie?
Updated On: 12/9/05 at 12:35 AM

[DAME]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 12:37am

That is hysterical. Oh well. How dissapointing. I really loved this movie and I hoe you all go to see it. I never read the book and knew nothing about it. I was totally taken in and I just loved it. Oh well.

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 12:39am

I still trust your judgment because I haven't seen or heard anything from the film that I didn't like (well initially I was mortified by the accents but realized that after the initial shock, the English is actually comprehensible). Also trust your judgment because you thought Rent was bad, and I did too.

Was there evidence at your screenings that other people despised Memoirs this much?

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 12:48am

Oh, one doesn't need to trust one's judgements to know that RENT is bad. The evidence is all up there on the screen.

I'm still holding out for this movie: the trailer looks fantastic, the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER and VARIETY reviews were very positive, and it has a perfect cast. What could have been so bad about it?

[DAME]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 12:52am

When I saw the film it got a ovation. I saw it at the DGA and Rob Marshall and the cast were present for a Q & A after the film.

Updated On: 12/9/05 at 12:52 AM

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 12:53am

The Chinese casting has done it in. People are not willing to forgive that.


The Hollywood Reporter review is listed as rotten on rottentomatoes, but it's 80 (which is positive) on Metacritic. Do you think RT wants the film to be seen as less liked than it is?


Edit: Hmmm well it helps that you loved it, Dame, but I can see people giving a film a standing ovation if the director and cast are present (especially given how much the cast of this film wants to be liked by Americans).
Updated On: 12/9/05 at 12:53 AM

[DAME]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 12:57am

Very true. And we were also fed. But I do think the audience really loved the film. I have been to these things when the response isn't quite as positive. You can tell the difference.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 1:36am

The Hollywood Reporter review is listed as rotten on rottentomatoes, but it's 80 (which is positive) on Metacritic. Do you think RT wants the film to be seen as less liked than it is?

I just think the folks at Rotten Tomatoes didn't read the HR review in its entirety. Most likely they just read its opening paragraph, which outlines the film's flaws. The rest of the review does a U-turn and is generally positive.

[touchmeinthemorning]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 9:57am

Wow. I think that makes this film not an Oscar contender now. How odd. All the buzz was positive, but...it didn't pan out. I guess maybe Kong will take its place on the nominee list.

[Glebb]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 10:04am

Thanks BlueWizard.
The TV commercial looks incredible.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 10:51am

To me, it looks like a helluva good time -- what used to be called "a woman's picture" in the old studio days. And it brings up "exotic" technicolor experiences of my childhood, like SAYONARA. The MOMMIE DEAREST digs (three puts it beyond a bizarre coincidence) certainly insure its ascendency into camp heaven. Clearly camp was not part of anyone's plans for it, certainly not Marshall's, but ultimately, better to have camp profile than nothing. The bigger question is box office. It doesn't sound like must-see, for crossover (camp-indifferent) audiences.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 10:59am

Wow. I think that makes this film not an Oscar contender now. How odd. All the buzz was positive, but...it didn't pan out. I guess maybe Kong will take its place on the nominee list.

I think KONG already had its place up there long before GEISHA's star fell. The three films locked for a Best Picture nod are MUNICH, KONG and BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN. I'd say WALK THE LINE will take the fourth spot. The fifth is anyone's guess.

[touchmeinthemorning]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 11:02am

I wouldn't be surprised if Kong doesn't make the list. I'm still counting on Crash as a lock, too. But, this weekend up to Tuesday (when the Globe noms come out) will be very telling.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 11:06am

I wouldn't be surprised if Kong doesn't make the list.

To tell you the truth, I'm a bit skeptical too. The critical acclaim seems to point to a locked nomination, but I think Hollywood is still bitter that a certain New Zealander took home all the gold statues two years ago. They're going to resist voting for a movie about a giant gorilla, no matter how good.

Updated On: 12/9/05 at 11:06 AM

[Auggie27]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 11:06am

Don't forget CRASH. It's highly, highly respected in the industry, and they are the ones who nominate and vote.