Page 1 of Cold Mountain

Just got back from my first film of 2004 - Anthony Minghella`s Cold Mountain, based on Charles Frazier`s bestselling novel.

First of all, I have to say this does ooze Oscar charm. This is something for the Academy to wet themselves - Minghella`s established track record, i.e. The English Patient, has shown before they love his style of filmmaking and the epic nature of CM is no different. The story for the uninitiated reads like this: during the brutal 19th century American Civil War, fought between the North and the South, soldier Inman (Jude Law) decides he has seen enough bloodshed and sets home for the titular Cold Mountain, to be reunited with his lover Ada (Nicole Kidman, fresh from Oscar success with The Hours).

Along the way he meets a cast of various misfits, featuring a crazed `man of God` played by the wonderful weasel-like Phillip Seymour Hoffman, as well as single mother Natalie Portman and `Judas` Giovanni Ribisi. Back home in Cold Mountain, Ada is coping with the death of her beloved father and the arrival of Ruby - an eccentric companion who reignities Ada`s passion for life.

So is it any good? Yes, it is. It is far from perfect, filled with flaws such as a too hefty running time, gratuitous violence and a few plot points that do not make sense (Ada`s devotion to a man she hardly knew, his equal devotion to her) and the climax is slightly underwhelming considering the previous two and a half hours.

It is however powerful, a heavyweight drama dealing with themes that are very watchable yet resonating. Minghella has crafted a lavish landscape in which to tell his tale of the power of love, and it deserves the award glory it is sure to get. Best Picture? Maybe - although The Return of the King was immense, there was something about the trilogy`s conclusion that makes me want another film to get the main award: maybe this, or maybe The Last Samurai, which from the look of the trailer appears to be amazing. Roll on January 9.

--
Click here to e-mail Rik Booth
My DVD Collection ¦ My Trader Feedback ¦ For Sale DVDs

i saw the trailer for this when i went to see LOTR:ROTH, and it looked like a film i would go and see because Anthony Minghella is the ultimate storyteller and he did the screenplay for `english patient`. he goes into depth and it doesn`t fail at all.
going to see this with my buddies!!!!!!! the last samurai doesnt look good at all, everytime i see that trailer i think about how cheesy tom cruise actually is, not just his acting. not looking forward to that at all!

Quote:
The Return of the King was immense, there was something about the trilogy`s conclusion that makes me want another film to get the main award

That`s a really arsey comment to make Rik, seeing as the ending was written 50 years ago by a guy who is now dead...not the celebrated Peter Jackson. Look at it this way, the film had to finish that way to tie up plot lines developed during the previous 10 hours of film, they could have extended the ending by a couple of hours if they wanted to...I think you would have felt unsatisfied is Frodo just chucked the ring in the lava and then the credits abruptly rolled. How would you have felt if Darth Vader chucked the Emporer down the chasm in ROTJ and then...bingo, film over credits roll (hmmm Georgy didn`t pinch that scene from a book he may have read did he?), or say in Shawshank Redemption, Andy Dufrains (sic) doesn`t appear from his cell the morning after his escape, the warden enters and chucks the stone through the poster...the end.

Anyway, Cold Mountain...haven`t seen it, but hope to this weekend, looks like a film that will appeal to me, but deserving of an oscar????...I don`t think so, not from the reviews I`ve read...it all sounds like an overhyped overacted piece of hollywood "lets try to make an epic like we used to...but can`t" crap that always appears at this time of year just in time for the oscar deadline with a whole raft of publicity engineered by the studio and hated by the critics...however, I will probably enjoy it as I do most films of this type purelly for the cinematography and grandiose splendour that helps me forget my mundane existence for 2-3 hours. The same goes for The Last Samurai, which I was really looking forward to but since seeing the epic battles in ROTK can`t help but feel will be a let down (the trailer doesn`t really inspire me anymore).

Hear, hear Greg.
What do you mean Rik? Something about the end that you want another film, any film to win?
I will be staggered if, FOR ME, the greatest trilogy of films is remembered in the future for not having even won a `Best Film` Oscar between the three of them.

I think it`ll get a few....

When are the Oscars?

Ste

It`s not an "arsey" comment, but my observation. And I the reason that I feel it cannot win Best Picture is it doesn`t feel as satisfying as the conclusions of some other films...plus a few other minor points covered in the ROTK thread by me.

Anyway, back on topic...

--
Click here to e-mail Rik Booth
My DVD Collection ¦ My Trader Feedback ¦ For Sale DVDs

I`ll be going to see Cold Mountain sometime this weekend (saw Stuck On You last night, which was alright). But to me it looks like an Oscar film. The Oscar`s have been hugely hit and miss these last few years, but totally off on the Best Picture award. I mean Chicago won last year, which was an alright film (not anywhere near as good as Moulin Rouge) but not deserving of the Oscar. Before that the abomination that was `A Beautiful Mind` won. I mean come on, that film was a piece of sh*t in every department. Although they kind of redeemed themselves a little when Roman Polanski won Best Director for The Pianist, which is one of the most disturbing films I`ve ever seen and a true masterpiece (better than Schindler`s List imho).

But Cold Mountain I have little hope for. The English Patient wasn`t very good, just typical fodder for the critics to love for a couple of months and sucker the public into buying a ticket. Titanic is the best example of this, and that is when the Academy lost their way.

Titanic is a guilty pleasure for me, enjoyable and the time flies past - although the suicide of the officer at the end was wrong as his family are still alive and that bit is a total lie.

Chewie, you may be pleasantly surprised with Cold Mountain, although I myself did like A Beautiful Mind (Crowe`s performance was his career best, he was robbed of the Oscar) so our opinions may differ with CM also.

--
Click here to e-mail Rik Booth
My DVD Collection ¦ My Trader Feedback ¦ For Sale DVDs

Saw this today. Ok, I enjoyed it for what it was; another rehash of the old War Situation, where the men fight and the women work. I liked that most of the running time was about Inman`s journey and Ada learning to work to survive (I hope you spelled the name`s correct Rik, cause I can`t be arsed to go to IMDb ;) ).

Now, here`s what I didn`t like. The two main characters were completely flat and lifeless, which means it makes the film literally impossible to connect with on an emotional level. This is no fault of Law or Kidman, but their characters were obviously written this way as to help represent the "everyman/woman" of that time. A film like this is supposed to engage you, but it fails where it`s crucial to succeed.

Now, the supporting cast is a different story. Philip Seymour Hoffman is again just brilliant as the sex crazed Minister. Natalie Portman proves for the first time in a long while that she can act, and makes for an effective "chapter" in this story. Renee Zellweger is actually pretty good and keeps the film going with comic relief and prevents it from going completely stale.

I suppose this may be more suited to a female audience (just like Kidman`s last film, the sh*t-fest that was The Hours). But we do get to see Nicole naked (again), so all is not lost :D :p

Anyway, it in no way deserves an Oscar for best Picture, or any acting or directing gongs either. But the Academy seem to know f*ck-all when it comes to awards, so it wouldn`t surprise me if they did.

Next film I`ll be seeing it American Splendor, which I missed today by 10 minutes and had to go see Cold Mountain ;)