The 2021 smoke-but-no-fire club has to begin with this twelve (12!) nomination muther. I’ve been over this one again and again and again; what are you seeing in this film? I went to a film festival, saw 30 movies in a week-and-a-half and Dog didn’t even Power it’s way into the top half for the firtnight, let alone rate among the best of the year. This true Dog was an easy addition to the slog list – the films you just can’t wait to end. My scorn has nothing to do with homosexuality; it has nothing to do with sexism; it has everything to do with plot and characters. There’s only one person in this film worth paying attention to, and he’s an asshole … and not a fun sociopath at that, like, say, Alan Rickman in Die Hard. In other words, I didn’t “love to hate” the villain; I just hated him.
I could be wrong about The Power of the Dog, but for now I am firmly in the camp of non-denial. If you make this Best Picture, it will be the worst since The Greatest Show on Earth (1952).
Well-acted and moving, which would be fine that’s all you ever need of a movie – and for some that is indeed true. I found it too dour for the comic tone it sought and both too frivolous and brief to handle the serious stuff properly. The film begins with an IRA bombing, but follows the shenanigans of pre-teen in
love; what’s wrong with this picture?
Well here’s a serviceable biography about an absolute loon who knew better than conventional wisdom. I can’t say it was especially moving or hard-hitting, especially given the racism imbedded in the subject matter … but it was serviceable – which is a good way to describe a movie about tennis.
“Hey! I re-cut a mediocre two hour film to make a mediocre four-hour film!”
“Congratulations?”
Lonely middle-aged woman creates unnecessary and entirely self-concerned drama. Nothing ha
ppens. There, I just saved you two hours.
I don’t even get the love for this one at all. You release a film in November and that’s supposed to make it Oscar-worthy, is that it? For a comedy, there isn’t a likable scene in this entire film.
This one has a scene in which the director accuses himself of making an empty film. What are we supposed to say to that? “Oh no, no, no … this coming-of-age movie about, well, nothing in particular is really deep.” When people tell you the truth, listen.
Mediocrity abounds when a young meh woman dates a young meh teenager … and we’re supposed to fall in love with them? Good luck. Bradley Cooper is the best part of this film, and he’s not on screen for more than five minutes, tops.
