THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY (2013 Film)- Page 2

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/28/13 at 1:04pm

But calling Samantha a "gag" is like calling outer space a "gag" in STAR WARS or the theater a "gag" in FOLLIES. It's just what the film is about.

[artscallion]

Posted: 12/28/13 at 1:06pm

The trailer for "Her" made me think of "Lars and the Real Girl", a film I really loved. Looking forward to seeing this.

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/28/13 at 1:15pm

By gag, I don't mean the setting, I mean the setup "event" or premise.

In this case, it's a lifelike or "human-like" computer.

A man falls in love with his computer. That's the "gag." (Not meaning it's a joke.)

Maybe the trailer does this film a disservice, but it didn't seem like much else happened.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 12/28/13 at 1:28pm

HER is one of the best films of the year, maybe the best. Beautifully realized by Spike Jonze's vision. No trailer could give justice to the kind of pathos and affect that Jonze brings to the project, and it features what's bound to be an iconic performance by Scarlett Johansson and a career-best performance by Joaquin Phoenix. I think Jonze taps into the contemporary world in ways I haven't seen anyone do in ages, while at the same time creating a beautifully old-fashioned romance that is more affecting and haunting than you could ever imagine. The character of Samantha is one of the best-written female characters in ages, which is both impressive and a little depressing.

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/28/13 at 1:29pm

I'll chalk it up to a lousy trailer, then.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/28/13 at 3:03pm

I kept thinking how I would love for Johansson to be nominated for this role. Has that ever happened before or would she even be eligible?

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/28/13 at 3:29pm

I'm not sure she's eligible based on the current rule. It's the same thing that prevents an animated character voice performance from being nominated.

The rule basically states that if any performance is entirely dubbed by someone else, the performance is not eligible. Animated characters are "entirely dubbed" by a human actor while the visual performance is created by someone else (usually a team of animators).

But someone like Deborah Kerr or Rita Moreno or even Dorothy Dandridge (who had a couple of spoken lines in Carmen Jones) were all ruled eligible.

So the question is ... will they rule "Samantha" as a character that is dubbed by a human actor? If so, she is not eligible for an Oscar.

I do see that she was given an honorary award by the Austin Film Critics, and she won the Broadcast Film Critics Award for supporting actress. Different rules apply, though.

I wish the Academy would give more honorary awards (for non-catiegory merit that isn't "lifetime achievement"), like the choreography award to Gene Kelly, etc. They don't do that often enough anymore.

EDIT: She was ruled ineligible for the Golden Globes. OH, WAIT! Read down in this article. It says she WAS ruled eligible for the Oscars and the SAG Awards.

The Academy must have decided that "Samantha" wasn't visually (physically) represented on the screen, so Scarlett wasn't merely "dubbing" a visual character, she was the character.

LA Times link

Updated On: 12/28/13 at 03:29 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/28/13 at 3:53pm

Excellent news! I'm really hoping she can get that nomination now!

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 12/28/13 at 7:42pm

Jordan, she is definitely eligible and WB has mounted a campaign for her though I really don't think it'll pay off. I just don't think the Academy is ready for it, which is a real shame, I not only think she should be nominated but if I was a voter I might vote for her for the win (though supporting actress is an incredibly strong category this year with Lupita Nyong'o--who will win--Jennifer Lawrence, Sally Hawkins, June Squibb, and the ladies from AUGUST, oh yes, and Oprah all in contention). Without Johansson's spectacular turn, the film would just not have worked the way it does, and she actually has chemistry with Phoenix and when she doesn't, it makes sense. Oh, and the rest of the cast is great with Amy Adams once again proving she's one of the great character actresses of her generation and Olivia Wilde finally being good in something.
Besty, I get what you mean about the trailer for HER, but give it a chance. It perfectly describes the complex interaction between technology, emotional connections and contemporary society. Even if you're not interested in that, the love story that emerges is as classic as the best Golden Age films. Re your comment that no one walks with an OS, Samantha is basically portrayed as an improved iPhone, and it just works in the way the film contextualizes it in a not-so-far future. About a week after I saw the film, I was at brunch with some friends who aren't even straight and they started talking about how Siri now calls them "sexy" and things like that, I thought I was in the movie.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 12/29/13 at 12:18am

Interesting that Her would be brought up in this thread, as I'm very intrigued by it. I definitely thought of "To Agnes With Love" when I saw the trailer, but hadn't considered the parallel to "The Lonely," which is one of my favorite Twilight Zone episodes.

As Addison says, even if the "battle of the sexes" isn't as relevant today (though I'd argue that that's an absurd notion), that's what the story is about. If it isn't relevant today, why even bother to modernize the story at all? If someone is going to adapt a property, they should at least stay true to the original author's intent. Thurber clearly felt very strongly about this particular character, based on his disdain for the 1947 film which shares many things with this new adaptation. They don't have to adhere to the text as written, but they should at least keep the "essence" at least mostly the same.

Namo, the story you mention about the black servants is completely irrelevant. They didn't choose to film that story, so it is completely beside the point.

I am still very wary about this film. Perhaps I will see Her instead.

[DAME]

Posted: 12/29/13 at 12:23am

I just came back from Mitty and really was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Thanks for the heads up.

[dented146]

Posted: 12/29/13 at 1:40am

I thought American Hustle was a terrific film with fabulous performances by four major talents. Then I saw Walter Mitty the next night. Notwithstanding that it has no resemblance to any of it's earlier forms, I loved it!!!! I loved every second of it.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 12/29/13 at 8:07am

Like American Hustle that I saw last week, this has moments of brilliance. The flights of fancy at the start of the film seemed out of place ( and in a strange way worked as well ) Once the film found its legs, Greenland, Iceland and beyond it all came together wonderfully. Some of the images in this film where breathtaking, and I thought when you finally got to see image 25 it was moving .

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 12/29/13 at 3:19pm

(I *loved* Her.)

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 12/29/13 at 3:24pm

Jordan, Scarlett Johansson just got nominated for an Ohio Film Critics Award (HER got 7 nominations total). I'd be elated if she was nominated for the Oscar!.


Ohio Film Critics

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/29/13 at 3:25pm

I can't stop thinking about HER. I think I may have a three way tie for my favorite film of the year - HER, THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES & INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 12/29/13 at 3:55pm

Loved THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES. Still haven't seen LLEWYN, but it's next on my list. Updated On: 12/29/13 at 03:55 PM

[Addison D.]

Posted: 12/29/13 at 3:59pm

"Beyond" the Pines? Or "Behind" the Pines? Is it about Cherry Grove or Water Island???

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 12/29/13 at 4:01pm

WickedRocks, LLEWYN DAVIS is a must see. I liked it alright when I saw it, and then the more I kept thinking about it, the more I liked it. It has really stayed with me. Oscar Isaacs is a genius in it and Carey Mulligan (in a small but powerful role) has been criminally overlooked by award groups. I'd say it's one of the Coens' best films. Jordan, that's a pretty strong list, I've yet to see THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES. So far my top three are: AMERICAN HUSTLE, HER, and INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS, but there's some I haven't seen (like BEYOND THE PINES, SAVING MR. BANKS, WALTER MITTY, and AUGUST: OC).

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/29/13 at 4:21pm

It's a real shame that since PINES was released almost a year ago it will be completely overlooked during the awards season. But all 3 leads, Rosario Dawson in particular, are worthy of recognition as well as Derek Cianfrance, who directed and helped write one of the most ambitious films in years.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 12/29/13 at 4:40pm

Was Rosario Dawson in PINES? I thought Eva Mendes was the lead.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/29/13 at 5:31pm

LOL.

No, you're right. I wrote that while watching the RENT movie.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 12/29/13 at 5:38pm

It's okay, much worse things have involved the RENT movie than confusing Eva Mendes with Rosario Dawson. I was gonna say I was happy that Dawson was involved in something good! Oh well, good for Eva Mendes though.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/29/13 at 5:48pm

I don't know why I put this movie in again. It's just so awful.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 12/29/13 at 9:49pm

Yeah, it's one of those movies that has pretty much no redeemable factors. Adam Pascal singing at the top of the mountain like he's in a Britney Spears video might be one of the worst movie moments ever.