Road to Perdition

We've got dozens already...we trashed them.

The funniest part is that for the entire period in which we've been 'arguing' we've been having a delightful discussion on MSN. We're ridiculous, really.

Yeah, from the studio's perspective, maybe. But what about from the perspective of, say, the director? Surely Sam Mendes thinks he's doing something artistic [or something worthwhile along those lines; story that needs to be told, art, homage, those sorts of reasons]. The director of Scary Movie 3 can't honestly believe that he's directing the film for any reason other than to milk to 'cash cow' one last time before the franchise dies [I think it already has died, mind you...]?

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Some of us still believe in cinema as an art form.

I hated Road to Perdition - it's one of the poorest movies I've seen all year. I read a critical profile of Sam Mendes, and it said "Mendes is a master at pumping up sentimental cliches and passing them off as mysticism." This is the most apparent element of Road to Perdition, and nowhere is it made more noticable than through the photography, where grace, rhythm, and timing take a backseat to sustained moments of shadowy pretension that would invite laughs were the movie not so stone-faced and cold. And if I'm right in assuming the most important parts of the movie have to do with the relationship between Hanks and his kid, why isn't there one? I recall just one scene that made my blood race, and it was the confrontation in the basement of the church between Hanks and Newman: "Only one thing is certain. None of us will see Heaven." Otherwise, this movie is quite possibly the most offensively pretentious piece of vigilante trash of the year. Even worse than Enough.

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**** the Lakers!

Did you even read the posts leading up to that? We were discussing what the phrase "cash cow" meant. Or did you take one glance at the fact that we were talking about (gasp!) money in relation to movies, and decide to make your remark?

Movies are made (*gasp* ) by those crazy foreigners that dont' have a connection to Hollywood. And, strangely enough, these failed Americans seem to make many of the most interesting movies in the world today. So, please, by all means, trash the work of thousands of filmmakers across the globe.

What on Earth are you talking about, man? I haven't trashed anyone's work. We're talking about Hollywood and "cash cow" movies. Are you implying that we HAVE to include Independent filmmaking in this discussion?

Yes, that's exactly what I'm implying. To disregard the work being done elsewhere when making judgements on the quality of movies, "cash cow" or otherwise, is basically the same as trashing it.

No it's not. We're having a discussion about what a "cash cow" movie is. Indy films are not cash cow films. Your protest here makes about as much sense as claiming that it's not fair not to exclude Men in Black 2 in a discussion about low-budget filmmaking. The discussion is about films designed just to make money, basically. Indy films don't really fall under that. Therefore, they're not part of the discussion. What's so tough to swallow about that? Are you so high on Indy filmmaking that you feel it needs to be included in every movie-related discussion without exception, even when the topic of choice is a kind of filmmaking inconsistent with Indy filmmaking?

I misread your argument. I apologize.

See, Steve, you should have seen 13 Conversations About One Thing instead, Man. Or Sunshine State, for that matter. I'll post my review on that later today, but I enjoyed it a Hell of a lot, another good piece of work from Sayles.

So, did anybody else bother to see The Road to Perdition this weekend? So far it's two to one against here amongst us MoFos. As it got such sparkling professional reviews (for some reason), I'm wondering if many others were as disapointed as Steve and I were?

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"Film is a disease. When it infects your bloodstream it takes over as the number one hormone. It bosses the enzymes, directs the pineal gland, plays Iago to your psyche. As with heroin, the antidote to Film is more Film." - Frank Capra

Ebert gave Perdition the same score as Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course.

What that says about Roger Ebert I don't know.

Ah, but perhaps it says something about Road to Perdition.

Holden: No, I didn't get to see 13 Conversations yet. I think that this weekend is going to be my non-multiplex weekend, because Sunshine State is out too...I've been slacking lately, but if there's a new John Sayles flick out, I'm sold.

Saw this film tonight. I'll be writing a review shortly. Let me just say for now, though, that the score was most definitely not intrusive. If anything, I think most scores are played down too far...this one gave an underlying emotion to all the scenes that needed it. I thought the music complementing each scene was handled perfectly.

We thought "Road to Perdition" was a really fine film. I was worried that maybe Tom Hanks would hurt himself by playing a dark character, but he is so three-dimensional in every role that he made it work. And Jude Law (who is SO good looking) was a wonderfully slimy badguy.
And evidently I'm not the only one who liked it. Reports are that it is turning into a big grosser after all.
Good acting wins again. hooray!
Love,
Jozie

I loved this movie. More than American Beauty? Probably not, but it was still a fine film. My biggest problem wih it was the ending monologue, it ruined the entire movie for me. But, I was also dissapointed with the older sons performance, it all looked a little over-choreographed.

As far as Ebert goes, I've totally stopped reading or even thinking about his reviews. I think that maybe he's too old, or senile to sit through the movie, so he judges it on whether or not the preview made him feel good. It's about high time that Ebert follows Siskels good example, or retires, as long as he stops writing reviews I'll be pleased.

I'm probably being too hard on the guy, I dont know...
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I may not agree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.
-Voltare

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--Winston Churchill

I would say 6 of those 10 films are Hollywood crap.

I won't say which ones, though.

I would have to choose 2 out of the 10.

I loved this movie. Everything about it was just brilliant. I read the comic shortly after seeing the movie, and I liked the movie better. This should win as many awards as they can throw at it.

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"Look out all you mothers, I'm happy to the core, Happy like a coupon for a 20 dollar whore..." - Olly's Happy Song

yeah holden not trying to change your mind (because i know you cant and usually what you think the second you come out of the movie is what you will always think of it) but maybe you shouldnt have based your opinion of the movie on how accurate it was to the graphic novel.

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"Who comes at 12:00 on a Sunday night to rent Butch Cassady and the Sundance Kid?"
-Hollywood Video rental guy to me

Er, well thanks for the advice...but I did. If you re-read what I wrote, I said as an adaptation of the source material it grades an 'F', and as an overall movie it grades a C- from me. My problems with it were legion above and beyond how different it was from the graphic novel.