comment #1

Craptastic says ...

Your opinion aside, how can the name Brett Ratner and the word "best" be used in the same sentence?

I punch my cat just from the mere mention of his name.

comment #2

televisiontears says ...

I've got ridiculously high hopes for The Wrestler. Though I love Aronofsky when he's balls-out fantastical, at the very least it will be a treat to see him reel it in a bit and focus on the basics for a change. What freakin' potential this man has.

A big WTF goes out to the Ratner praise. Yeah, the guy's technically sound along the lines of a Bay, but... geez. Really? Consider my interest piqued.

Also, everyone always laughs me out of the room when I say Jessica Biel could be one of the great actresses of her generation if she had more open-minded representation, and, you know, wanted to. Hope I'll be proven a somewhat sane individual with this.

comment #3

Roman says ...

Please don't insult Ratner by comparing him to Bay. While he is not a great director, he is a competent (dare I say even talented one) despite his often pure choices of material. I don't particularly like him but he is better than Bay by several magnitudes.

And I have nothing but praise by how he directed the very beginning of "Red Dragon".

comment #4

Roman says ...

Make that several orders of magnitude. Oh how I wish I could edit my comments.

comment #5

JD says ...

It Might Get Loud is fine, but a bit unfocussed. A documentary on any one of the 3 subjects (particularly Jack White, who's the most unusual and interesting of the three) would be far better than this hybrid.

Me and Orson Welles is better than people are saying, I think. Sure, it could easily lose 10 or 15 minutes, but it's very surprising, insightful, and always engaging. It also features some of the most dynamic visual filmmaking of Linklater's career.

The Wrestler is pretty much perfect. Stylistically, it's so loose it almost feels clumsy, but this works in its favour (and appears to be deliberate). Definitely Aronofsky's best, most complex film and the first American drama I've seen this year that really deserves to be taken seriously as an Oscar contender (though I'm probably forgetting something). It's probably too odd to get a best picture nomination, but Rourke is a lock for a best actor nomination. If he keeps his shit together PR-wise, he may also take home the Oscar.

comment #6

televisiontears says ...

It wasn't an insult, Roman. If anything, it was a compliment. He is, technically, above proficient, as I think Bay is. I was only drawing a comparison between two filmmakers whose lush style almost always trumps substance (or lack thereof). I just think "choices of material" is extremely vital to the makings a great director.

Agreed about the Red Dragon opening, though - it's one of the bright spots of that underrated film. Not perfect by a long shot, but by far The Rat's best.

comment #7

eoguy says ...

While everyone is talking about The Wrestler as an Oscar nominee, has anyone that's seen this film noted the excessive amount of violence? It's extremely graphic and very hard to watch. To me, that seems like it could be a turn-off for Academy voters.

comment #8

Roman says ...

televisiontears, I understand your point. Unfortunately, I don't think highly of Bay in any qay, including his so called technical skills. To put it blantly, I could never get passed his editing "style". I cannot stand directors who direct 3 second shots, instead of directing scenes.

comment #9

bmcintire says ...

As an aside (sorry - I haven't seen any of the the festival pictures), the new QUANTUM OF SOLACE trailer went up today. Me likey.

http://www.007.com/

comment #10

btwnproductions says ...

It's "McKay". The English actor's one-man show about Welles, ROSEBUD, played Off Broadway last season. A friend said he was amazing in the role.

comment #11

actionman says ...

I don't believe that Ratner could be responsible for anything of any cinematic merit

comment #12

Arran says ...

I really liked The Family Man.

I feel much better getting that out in the open.

comment #13

MilkMan says ...

Brett Ratner couldn't make a good film even if you installed PTA's brain in his head. Ratner's suckitude resides at the molecular level. At his best Ratner is only capable of mildly entertaining mediocrities. His talent is applicable only to the social realm. When it comes to talking on the phone, party-planning and networking, he is a motherfucking genius, a once in a generation kind of a talent.

comment #14

actionman says ...

Actually, Arran, for what it was, The Family Man was alright. I'll give Ratner that one. It's a solid Christmas movie.

comment #15

D.Z. says ...

"Great, fantastic and downright sublime, although it will be a very tough to sell to the immature (pathetically so) U.S. movieger."

How the hell can a wrestling fick be tough to sell to mainstream America? That's the dumbest argument I've ever heard in my life.

comment #16

actionman says ...

And, I don't mean to pull a D.Z. or anything by posting an unrelated link, but this new trailer for the new Bond is f'ing sweet:

http://www.joblo.com/video/joblo/player.php?video=quantumtrlr2

comment #17

actionman says ...

Sorry, didn't see the link already posted above. Was too excited.

And I wouldn't ever refer to Ratner as having a "lush" visual style. Bay, on the other hand -- now he's got a lush visual style. Ratner is flat and boring.

comment #18

actionman says ...

And D.Z., c'mon....The Wrestler won't be about wrestling. This isn't a WWF smackdown. From all reports, this is a character study. It's not going to be a wrestling film.

comment #19

The Winchester says ...

I agree with the actionman on this one. Ratner has no visual style whatsoever, and he usually has fantastic DPs working with him, too. It boggles the mind.

I also agree with DZ that marketing a wrestling picture to mainstream America is pretty easy. Just show the wrestling scenes during WWE. Besides, it can't do any worse than the actual WWE films, which contain wrestlers but curiously enough, no wrestling.

Anyone need agreeing with?

comment #20

actionman says ...

And Roman...Ratner couldn't hold Bay's jock.

comment #21

Arran says ...

Ratner has no discernible visual style. He's competent at best. The simple fact that he fumbled Red Dragon does make me think that he kind of sucks...with THAT cast and THAT story, you'd think it couldn't miss. Yet somehow...

I, for one, don't blame him for X3 sucking. He came in at the last minute and did what he could with an awful script.

comment #22

Roman says ...

So I hear a bunch of arguments from people who don't know the first thing about directing. I stand by my opinion - Ratner is superior to Bay in nearly every way (and yes, he does have a style).

comment #23

D.Z. says ...

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i232ec0fada51eae749f9777e6db88f0f

comment #24

JD says ...

After about a half hour, The Wrestler's not really about wrestling, it's just about a washed-up guy who has a hard time connecting with other people without resorting to self-destructive behaviour. In fact, I think wrestling fans might have a problem with the ways that it breaks the wrestling illusion. Of course, it's also an incredible tribute to the relationship athletes have with their fans. Mickey's Rourke's monologue to the crowd toward the end is amazing.

comment #25

D.Z. says ...

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117991962.html?categoryid=13&cs=1

JD: So it's the wrestling equivalent of Raging Bull?

comment #26

Craptastic says ...

Speak for yourself, Roman. Frankly, I think its kind of silly to say something like that when you have no idea who anyone really is on here.

comment #27

JD says ...

Sort of, DZ. I started thinking that in the middle, but it's ultimately a bit more hopeful and redemptive... tonally anyway. The actual content is still pretty grim.

comment #28

Roman says ...

Craptastic, I can tell by the comments.

comment #29

televisiontears says ...

Roman, you're sliding off into a smug zone. And, yeah, speak for yourself. Are you really getting worked up about people underestimating Brett Fucking Ratner? Relax.

comment #30

Craptastic says ...

Roman, Roman, Roman.... uhhhhg.

Amen, television. An opinion is an opinion and I respect that but I have a hard time taking anyone who would go to such lengths to defend The Rat so whole-heartedly in a serious way.

Sure, you can talk box office dollars... the guy justifies his existance... but on an artistic level? The guy is shallower than a kiddy pool and has the photocopier in his bedroom to prove it.

comment #31

T. S. Idiot says ...

"How the hell can a wrestling fick be tough to sell to mainstream America? That's the dumbest argument I've ever heard in my life." DZ's suffering from short-term memory loss?

comment #32

Richardson says ...

"That's the dumbest argument I've ever heard in my life. "

DZ - that's how we all feel whenever you say anything at all, so turnabout is fairplay.

Especially given that there has never been a popular movie about wrestling (can anybody think of one?) and even most movies starring wrestlers fail no matter how heavily they're promoted during wrestling.

comment #33

Richardson says ...

"Ratner is superior to Bay in nearly every way (and yes, he does have a style)."

Wow, what a crap argument. "Yuh-huh, he does too have a style!"

If you want to claim that nobody has any idea about directing a film, maybe you should make a comment which shows any sort of knowledge, even rudimentary, about directing a film. Simply stating something and then sticking your tongue out at people is not proof, and it makes you come off like a DZ-level idiot.

Ok, I apologize, it's out of line to compare anybody's idiocy to DZ.

comment #34

Roman says ...

Richardson,

Now that you crossed the threshold into the insult territory, allow me to say that I don't care for your opinion

I wasn't making an argument of the type your are .

I was just stating a fact that Ratner has a style as a director. And yes, it's only because I didn't want to get to the finer point of the auteur theory to provide support for my opinion, that I didn't provide support for my opinion.

Ratner is an unlikeble douchebag. I can't stand him when I see him talk. That's a fact. But a guy knows how to direct a flick and he does leave his own impring on it, so what are ya gonna do?

To conclude, you sir, are a fool, if for no other reason as because you are getting so worked up about my opinions.

I stand by the fact that I have enough directing and film expertise to be able to say when people are wrong about something. That's my opinion. Deal with it.

And to the person who happen to accuse me of being smug... On the Jeff Wells site? Really???

I also happen to think that Ron Howard sucks donkey balls, what are you gonna do about that?

comment #35

Richardson says ...

"Now that you crossed the threshold into the insult territory"

So you meant "nobody here knows the first thing about directing" as a compliment? If so, you know less about interpersonal communication than you do about filmmaking.

"if for no other reason as because you are getting so worked up about my opinions."

That's pretty funny. I'm sooooooo worked up. Look at how worked up I am! I'm writing eight paragraphs about something I claim to not care about!

"I stand by the fact that I have enough directing and film expertise to be able to say when people are wrong about something. That's my opinion."

actually that was funnier. But, I'm confused. Is it a fact or an opinion? because you still haven't said one single word that would lead me to believe you know anything at all about filmmaking, or anything to say that Ratner is a filmmaker with a personal style (as you claimed). You remind me of one of my favorite quotes from Ed Wood:
"Mr. Wood, do you know anything at all about making a motion picture?"
"Well, I like to *think* so!"

comment #36

Richardson says ...

Just to be clear, and cut through all the jokey insults (well, I'm joking, anyway), I'm genuinely asking -- what do you define as Ratner's personal style?

comment #37

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