I’m in the minority on my opinion of Somewhere. Roger Ebert gave it four stars and A.O. Scott of the New York Times put Somewhere on his Year’s Best Movies list. My son, Patrick, also thought Somewhere was one of the best movies of 2010. After watching Somewhere, I told Patrick how they came up with the title of the movie: “When you’re watching it, you wish you were somewhere else.” Sofia Coppola wrote and directed this movie about a Hollywood actor whose life seems meaningless. His 11-year-old daughter gets dumped on him because his ex-wife needs “space.” A series of meaningless scenes follow: a trip to Italy, an award show, a helicopter ride to the daughter’s summer camp. Dull, dull, dull. I suppose we’re supposed to think the actor’s life sucks, but I wasn’t convinced (plenty of women in his life). I’ve seen Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation and Marie Antoinette. Coppola’s movies always distance the audience. I love movies that draw me in and completely involve me. Coppola’s movies keep me at an arm’s length and annoy me. GRADE: C-
And they are either about or from the perspective of spoiled idiots, with greater or lesser degrees of stress on either word, but always spoiled idiots to one degree or another…by the (very) end of LOST IN TRANSLATION, the not unimportant message that even These people’s pain matters is gotten across, but that doesn’t make up for the cool pose and self-importance being shared by characters and filmmakers throughout her work so far. THE VIRGIN SUICIDES presumably would enervate you more, as more of the same (with the slightest bit of humor there that the narrator/perspective-provider is the biggest idiot in any of her films that I’ve seen, since I’ve skipped SOMEWHERE so far).
Marie Antoinette was appalling although I liked the first two well enough. I’m sure I will see it but doubt I will like it. There were quite a few bad reviews out there a long with these good ones.
I haven’t seen it either, and could not watch MARIE ANTOINETTE.
As a huge Bill Murray fan I did watch TRANSLATION but found it overrated.
So far I agree with George on Coppola.
We recently watched two movies (got both at the library) that I discovered in Leonard Maltin’s book 151 BEST MOVIES YOU’VE NEVER SEEN. (Both were highly praised by Ebert, by the way.)
They are the kind of small, independent movies that don’t even play most cities, and even in New York it would have been hard to find a theater showing them.
Anyway, they are the first two (very) small movies by Ramin Bahrani, MAN PUSH CART and CHOP SHOP.
They are very New York (but not the New York of most films) and worth a look.
Have anything further to say about them, Jeff? Want to have it posted as a rec in this week’s Overlooked Films?
I’m hoping for a medical update soon!