Monster (2003)
01-05-04, 09:25 AM
#28
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I saw this a week ago...Ebert is right...it really is something to behold. Theron loses herself in the role...I literally had to keep telling myself that she was inside the nasty, muletted, chubby exterior somewhere. She deserves the Oscar...no question about it!
01-07-04, 08:51 AM
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So I hear Theron's performance is supposed to be the greatest female performance on celluloid in the history of cinema. I'm definitely watching the movie to see her acting, to see how it ranks up with Maria Falconetti in Passion of Joan of Arc. Hopefully it'll be just as great.
01-07-04, 08:53 AM
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For those interested in the real story behind Aileen Wuornos, check out this link:
http://www.crimelibrary.com/notoriou...wuornos/1.html
http://www.crimelibrary.com/notoriou...wuornos/1.html
01-09-04, 03:10 PM
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Rather boring flick. Theron is good -- Ricci is middling -- story is OK for about the first half. Overall, good, but nothing extremely special. I guess too much hype had me expecting a better flick.
01-09-04, 10:56 PM
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I found this to be a generally well-made film; great acting, of course (personally, I think it's a shame Ricci isn't getting more credit), and solid direction. I thought some parts were very compelling, but as a whole, the movie lacked the emotional "oomph" that I had thought it was going to possess.
Still, worthy of a trip to the theater, if you ask me.
Still, worthy of a trip to the theater, if you ask me.
01-10-04, 08:18 PM
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The theatres in my city suck so I doubt we'll get this (and if we do, it won't be for a while). Because of this, I found a copy of it online, downloaded it and just got done watching it this afternoon.
Overall, a very well-done movie. There are times when you feel like you're watching Lifetime (after all, most of the male characters in this movie end up dead after a few minutes), but I think the acting is just great.
I myself wasn't too familiar with Theron (her appearance OR acting credits) so when I did see a picture of her on last week's EW (where ironically I first heard of the movie, but somehow overlooked on the cover initially) I was amazed. The physical transformation is just incredible and you'd swear you were looking at two different people.
The story can be a little stagnant at times, but the acting is just so incredible from the two leads that this is one you'll wanna check out.
Overall, a very well-done movie. There are times when you feel like you're watching Lifetime (after all, most of the male characters in this movie end up dead after a few minutes), but I think the acting is just great.
I myself wasn't too familiar with Theron (her appearance OR acting credits) so when I did see a picture of her on last week's EW (where ironically I first heard of the movie, but somehow overlooked on the cover initially) I was amazed. The physical transformation is just incredible and you'd swear you were looking at two different people.
The story can be a little stagnant at times, but the acting is just so incredible from the two leads that this is one you'll wanna check out.
01-11-04, 08:56 AM
#40
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This movie was really good. Yup, if Theron doesn't win best actress it'd be a travesty. The movie itself reminded me of Boys Don't Cry which I thought was really good, but would have no intention of ever seeing it again.
In Ebert's review:
I did make note of it, but I'm not so sure... was it
In Ebert's review:
And note that there is only one moment in the movie where she seems relaxed and at peace with herself; you will know the scene, and it will explain itself.
Spoiler:
01-11-04, 10:33 AM
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Rabbit, that could very well be it since there was a previous explanation of how she wussed out on going on one earlier in her life and here, she had no hesitation because she was with Selby.
01-12-04, 08:20 AM
#44
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While Theron and Ricci were interesting enough to hold the film together, I was hardly enthralled by their performances. In fact, none of the film held much resonance for me. I could tell what scenes were supposed to convey: the tragic, the absurd, the bittersweet, the brutality, etc., but it all seemed like lip-service.
And after seeing Monster, any interest in seeing the Broomfield documentary is gone. I'm just not interested in this story any more.
off-topic
Make it to the Music Box Saturday? I checked out the late show that day. Extraordinary movie.
And after seeing Monster, any interest in seeing the Broomfield documentary is gone. I'm just not interested in this story any more.
off-topic
Originally posted by jayson1017
. . . I'm going to watch the Battle of Algiers tommorrow on the big screen (yippee!).
. . . I'm going to watch the Battle of Algiers tommorrow on the big screen (yippee!).
01-17-04, 09:09 AM
#45
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Saw this last night in Minneapolis.
Wonderful film with Theron giving a performance well worthy of the oscar. Her facial expressions and movements were exactly like Wournos.
Definitely worth seeing, especially if you know anything about the story of Wournos as I do. Did some research on her back in college.
Wonderful film with Theron giving a performance well worthy of the oscar. Her facial expressions and movements were exactly like Wournos.
Definitely worth seeing, especially if you know anything about the story of Wournos as I do. Did some research on her back in college.
01-17-04, 06:00 PM
#47
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I found the intentional/unintentional humor in the film a little distracting given the character study at play in the film.
Theron does lose herself in this role of (probably) her life because she disappears and all you see is Wuornos, who has many sides of inner conflict (of hurt, pain, childhood emotional trauma, delusion, low self-esteem, self-loathing) on full display, and the screenplay probably makes Wuornos more sympathetic than you'd normally consider for a serial killer.
The character of Selby was very frustrating because she's basically a useless person in this film.
Theron's performance is the high point of the film, but it doesn't have the narrative urgency it should have given the subject matter and the crimes involved, and the psychological study of how things got out of hand for Wuornos.
Theron is a lock for a Best Actress Oscar nod because I doubt there is another as courageous lead actress performance this year in any other film I've seen in 2003.
Theron does lose herself in this role of (probably) her life because she disappears and all you see is Wuornos, who has many sides of inner conflict (of hurt, pain, childhood emotional trauma, delusion, low self-esteem, self-loathing) on full display, and the screenplay probably makes Wuornos more sympathetic than you'd normally consider for a serial killer.
The character of Selby was very frustrating because she's basically a useless person in this film.
Theron's performance is the high point of the film, but it doesn't have the narrative urgency it should have given the subject matter and the crimes involved, and the psychological study of how things got out of hand for Wuornos.
Theron is a lock for a Best Actress Oscar nod because I doubt there is another as courageous lead actress performance this year in any other film I've seen in 2003.
01-17-04, 06:10 PM
#48
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Here's my quick-n-dirty review of "Monster":
I found the channelling of serial killer Aileen Wuornos by Charlize Theron to be spot on in a very impressive performance (where she not only transforms her body/face, but also her mannerisms and speech pattern to inhabit the character without pulling any punches), but the story lacked narrative urgency, and just bops along as "a day in the life of Aileen Wuornos" type of film, but keeps the viewer 2 steps removed from getting really involved in either of the main 2 characters (Wuornos and Selby). Even when you see how the murders go down, the impact of the events don't really resonate or horrify, perhaps it's because the screenplay does its darnedest to make Wuornos's action more forgiveable and sympathetic than they truly deserve.
I give the film 2.75 stars or a grade of B-.
I give Charlize's portrayal 4 stars or a grade of A.
I found the channelling of serial killer Aileen Wuornos by Charlize Theron to be spot on in a very impressive performance (where she not only transforms her body/face, but also her mannerisms and speech pattern to inhabit the character without pulling any punches), but the story lacked narrative urgency, and just bops along as "a day in the life of Aileen Wuornos" type of film, but keeps the viewer 2 steps removed from getting really involved in either of the main 2 characters (Wuornos and Selby). Even when you see how the murders go down, the impact of the events don't really resonate or horrify, perhaps it's because the screenplay does its darnedest to make Wuornos's action more forgiveable and sympathetic than they truly deserve.
I give the film 2.75 stars or a grade of B-.
I give Charlize's portrayal 4 stars or a grade of A.
01-17-04, 09:20 PM
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Ill go with Pat on this. My sentiments exactly. I will add that as much as I enjoyed her portrayal of Lee, I found it extremely hard to focus on her, mainly because of how awful looking I found her to be. I was cringing most of the movie just at the sight of her face.
01-17-04, 10:02 PM
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This finally opened down here in Palm Beach. As impressed as I was with Theron's performance I as just as unimpressed with the film itself. The movie feels incomplete and one-note. Once she is apprehended, the whole film from that point on feels very rushed. A more focused screenplay would have certainly helped.
With that said, I do have to agree with Roger Ebert that Charlize Theron's performance is one of the most impressive I have ever seen any actress give. It is more an "embodiment" than a performance. I can't imagine any other actress in this role. A major powerhouse performance!
While Theron is a lock for a Best Actress Oscar nomination, I do not think she will actually win the Oscar. I stated in a different thread that the Best Actress award will go to Diane Keaton in "Something's Gotta Give." It's ludicrous to compare the two performances, but I just don't see Hollywood giving a major Oscar to a film that is this unpleasant, seedy and generally repellant. It also helps that Keaton gives one of the finest performances by an older actress in recent memory. It helps that Keaton's movie is absolutely terrific and intelligently written. It's a great role and giving an award to her performance and character will surely make a lot of Academy voters feel awfully good about themselves.
It's a shame that some real landmark acting achievements have gone down this shunned path in Oscar history. It kind of reminds me of instances like Dustin Hoffman being overlooked for his seedy, gritty, in-your-face performance as Ratso Rizzo in "Midnight Cowboy" and Sean Penn as the death row inmate scumbag in "Dead Man Walking." Both were career performances that were overlooked in large part to their characters being almost completely socially unredeemable and much too hard to stomach. With the Academy's age demographics starting to get younger, maybe this new generation of Academy voters will not follow in those footsteps.
While I think Theron's performance is most definitely deserving of the Best Actress Oscar, I would be very surprised if she actually did win it. Look for Diane Keaton's name to be read on Oscar night.
With that said, I do have to agree with Roger Ebert that Charlize Theron's performance is one of the most impressive I have ever seen any actress give. It is more an "embodiment" than a performance. I can't imagine any other actress in this role. A major powerhouse performance!
While Theron is a lock for a Best Actress Oscar nomination, I do not think she will actually win the Oscar. I stated in a different thread that the Best Actress award will go to Diane Keaton in "Something's Gotta Give." It's ludicrous to compare the two performances, but I just don't see Hollywood giving a major Oscar to a film that is this unpleasant, seedy and generally repellant. It also helps that Keaton gives one of the finest performances by an older actress in recent memory. It helps that Keaton's movie is absolutely terrific and intelligently written. It's a great role and giving an award to her performance and character will surely make a lot of Academy voters feel awfully good about themselves.
It's a shame that some real landmark acting achievements have gone down this shunned path in Oscar history. It kind of reminds me of instances like Dustin Hoffman being overlooked for his seedy, gritty, in-your-face performance as Ratso Rizzo in "Midnight Cowboy" and Sean Penn as the death row inmate scumbag in "Dead Man Walking." Both were career performances that were overlooked in large part to their characters being almost completely socially unredeemable and much too hard to stomach. With the Academy's age demographics starting to get younger, maybe this new generation of Academy voters will not follow in those footsteps.
While I think Theron's performance is most definitely deserving of the Best Actress Oscar, I would be very surprised if she actually did win it. Look for Diane Keaton's name to be read on Oscar night.