Films/DVD Asylum

The Ice Storm

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PdL

(A)

Watched this one over the weekend. Had seen it once previously a couple years ago. I enjoyed it even more this time around. One thing I had forgotten was how many "known" actors are in this one: Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver, Joan Allen, Elijah Wood (this kid's blue really eyes really freak me out,) Christina Ricci, Tobey McGuire and Ms. Tom Cruise to be.
Weaver gives a really strong performance as an emotionally numb and distant suburban housewife. And Joan Allen's work is also quite good -her quiet but smoldering rage at her cheating husband (Kline) is almost palpable. Interesting that Kline, who has prolly the most prominent role (or least the most screen time,) imho gives the weakest performance in the movie.

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An excellent, though clearly dark, film. Writing, acting, directing and editing all very well done. - sjb 16:00:40 08/01/05 (1)
I don't agree with Tin at all about the idea that Ang Lee reduced his character's to a formula to get across his doom and gloom view (for that kind of thing one need look no further than 21 Grams).

"Where are we going? And what am I doing in this hand basket?"
- Re: An excellent, though clearly dark, film. Writing, acting, directing and editing all very well done. - PdL 17:18:53 08/01/05 (0)
  I agree 100% as to the Ice Storm. I'm not a big fan of 21 Grams either - talk about following a formula.
Re: The Ice Storm - rico 07:41:03 08/01/05 (0)
U like the way they caught the seventies fashions and custome and particularly the realism of the ice storm itself.
A very nasty piece of work. When none of the characters has - tinear 06:18:26 08/01/05 (7)
any human traits to admire, respect, or empathize with, who cares about them or what happens to them? Weaver continues her cold as ice bitch film persona w/out the fiery complexity of Bette Davis or Joan Crawford in their heyday.
No real reason to watch this film even once.
- That's about the weirdest "aesthetic" criteria I can imagine - Bulkington 13:43:38 08/01/05 (3)
  To movies with real, flawed human beings--but in the case of this film, not wholly flawed, as it wasn't at all mysanthropic, as you imply--you prefer, what, John Wayne and Shirley Temple? Are your films of preference from Hollywood's code era? I really don't get your criticism, esp. when stated as a general principle. Would the film have redeemed itself if one of the main characters, to the accompaniment of angelic voices, had a dawning of moral clarity and announced: "Wait! Stop! Key parties are just immoral!" No human traits to admire or respect, fine. I'm not sure anyone would argue that as an aim of this film. It's something of an unabashed "downer," though quite moving, nevertheless. But none to empathize with? You're implying a degree of personal saintliness I've never encountered in anyone ever.
  - You'd enjoy life more if you'd take a few moments and study logic. nt - tinear 15:33:05 08/01/05 (2)
    s
    - Maybe you should try following you own advice. - Bulkington 06:28:21 08/02/05 (1)
      Since, logically, your response was pretty much a non sequitur.
      Really. Sincerely. I don't get your criticism. Do you fault Othello for Iago? And your complaint about the film's world view (and then fallaciously--a term from logic, doncha know--attributing it to the director) strikes me as bafflingly hard-hearted and simplistic. Maybe you have more akin to Weaver's character than you care to admit.
      - Try reading Shakespeare in the - tinear 16:25:05 08/02/05 (0)
        
        In Reply to: Maybe you should try following you own advice. posted by Bulkington on August 2, 2005 at 06:28:21:
        
        original instead of the yellow jacket Cliff notes.
        Iago, compared to...ridiculous. Shakespeare's antagonists were multi-faceted human beings with positive as well as negative attributes, with, obviously, the latter outweighting the good. Still, even Hitler loved dogs and that's the problem with most Hollywood charactrerizations: evil has no redeeming parts so that the audience can watch and absolutely have no danger of relating to the "bad guy."
        You prefer the slasher mentality wherein bad is bad and good is good. Fine. I doubt you're as dull as you appear and I'll grant you the benefit of the doubt and consider you a guy who enjoys a good argument. Well, you'll have to do much better in the future. I'm responding so others can learn, you're probably so gonzo as to be beyond redemption (why assume false modesty when dealing with a dunderhead?).
- Re: A very nasty piece of work. When none of the characters has - PdL 10:05:00 08/01/05 (2)
  I empathized with most of the kids, but not with the adults. Weaver's kids were a bit too wierd for me, but I thought Ricci's and McGuire's characters were well done. The limited interaction of the numb/self-indulgent parents and their lost kids accurately illustrated the (negative) effects of growing up w/ emotionally absent parents.
  - Human beings are complex and reducing them to a formula to fit - tinear 15:35:59 08/01/05 (1)
    a director's doom and gloom world view is morally repellent, aesthetically boring, and ugly as hell. If the Sistine Chapel ceiling frescoes were covererd with feces, some might claim they had a certain verisimitude but who'd want to look up to find out?
    - Morally repellent? LOL!! - PdL 17:16:10 08/01/05 (0)
      Good Lord man, give it a rest. Its only a movie.....

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