Hollywoodland

[Hemingway Jones]

I must disagree with the honorable man from NY.

Apparently, Affleck has such friends on the Academy judging by the undeserved Oscar he received for Good Will Hunting! :eusa_doh: Ben is no great actor but like most if given a decent script and good direction they do a sufficient job. The last thing a movie needs is an actor wanting creative control.

I may be generalizing but English actors are much better than their American counterparts. I will leave it to the Lounge to discuss why if they are so inclined.

Oh Dear, I agree with you entirely that Ben Affleck is terrible and represents the worst of Hollywood.

However, I must give credit where credit is due, the script for "Good Will Hunting" was wonderful and the Oscar for it was well deserved, though I am still trying to figure out how Affleck and Damon came up with it considering that nothing in their careers either before or after, has showed a similar level of brilliance.

Your comment on English vs. American actors relates to a thread idea I have been contemplating. ...Coming soon.

 

[jamespowers]

However, I must give credit where credit is due, the script for "Good Will Hunting" was wonderful and the Oscar for it was well deserved, though I am still trying to figure out how Affleck and Damon came up with it considering that nothing in their careers either before or after, has showed a similar level of brilliance. .

Two words:
ghost writer or
bought it.

Your comment on English vs. American actors relates to a thread idea I have been contemplating. ...Coming soon.

You mean like Patrick Stewart versus the actors from Jackass the movie or
Charlton Heston versus Lawrence Olivier?

Regards,

J

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Two words:
ghost writer or
bought it.



You mean like Patrick Stewart versus the actors from Jackass the movie or
Charlton Heston versus Lawrence Olivier?

Regards,

J

Ha! Yes, a ghost writer indeed. A few years ago, there was an off Broadway play about them that covered how they became starts. In it, both Affleck and Damon were played by women! So, the screenplay for "GWH" falls out of the sky and onto their coffee table! Funny stuff!

 

[Feraud]

Oh Dear, I agree with you entirely that Ben Affleck is terrible and represents the worst of Hollywood.

However, I must give credit where credit is due, the script for "Good Will Hunting" was wonderful and the Oscar for it was well deserved, though I am still trying to figure out how Affleck and Damon came up with it considering that nothing in their careers either before or after, has showed a similar level of brilliance.

Your comment on English vs. American actors relates to a thread idea I have been contemplating. ...Coming soon.

Affleck is not the worst Hollywood has to offer. He is just a guy that got real lucky!
The award for the worst Hollywood has to offer goes to the "Do Nothings" who are plastered on the covers of most magazines. The likes of the Olsen sisters, Ashly and Jessica Simpson, Nicole Ritchie, etc. These celebrities truly represent the worst. A teaspoon of talent combined yet somehow are the focus of someone's attention.

I think Kevin Smith wrote the script to GWH.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

.

I think Kevin Smith wrote the script to GWH.

That is actually a pretty good theory. Though Kevin Smith has slightly more talent, but not much.

 

[jamespowers]

Ha! Yes, a ghost writer indeed. A few years ago, there was an off Broadway play about them that covered how they became starts. In it, both Affleck and Damon were played by women! So, the screenplay for "GWH" falls out of the sky and onto their coffee table! Funny stuff!

They were played by women eh? Kind of falls into the category of what I think of them.
Maybe it did fall out of the sky---from Kevin Smith.

Regards,

J

 

[Mike in Seattle]

In today's Hollywood, how many actors can actually act? Ask Julia Roberts on her Broadway appearance disaster! Isn't it amazing that Hollywood has to utilize an 82 year old actor in Christopher Lee to play a villain in the Lord of the Rings trilogy? Maybe it is because actors trained on the stage can actually act!

I could imagine how many takes per scene in took Affleck in Hollywoodland. Just say, I hope Affleck has a lot of friends on the motion picture academy if he is ever going to win an Oscar for his acting ability!

One should never confuse actors with movie stars nor either with Hollywood celebrities. The same could be said about singers, recording stars and pop idols.

But remember - the Academy Awards doesn't judge acting ability or film quality. It's a very closed insiders group and those who play the game and can twist the right arms can get an award. It was begun by the studios simply to get more publicity for themselves and their product, be that movies or those appearing in said product. That's not to say that they don't, by coincidence, end up awarding that year's best actor, actress or film with that award quite often. But a lot of times, the worthiest are overlooked because they don't have a big publicity machine running overtime behind the scenes. The list of truly great actresses and actors who never won or were never nominated is large and peppered with a lot of surprising names.

And I always remember a quote from Cat's Meow - "Welcome to Hollywood - a land just off the coast of the planet Earth!"

 

[Miss Jones]

I just saw Hollywoodland last night. I liked it. I don't care for Affleck, either, but he wasn't bad at all. Brody's P.I. plot was a little uneven, but all in all a pretty enjoyable film. I'll probably end up buying it (at the PX where it's cheaper). A good sick day movie, and also I liked the 50's clothes. Circle skirts hide a multitude of sins. I am a sinner.

 

[carebear]

On TCM the other night Robert Osborne pointed out that the nominations are done within the craft. Sound guys nominate sound guys, etc.

It's the voting on the nominations for the winners of each category where the popularity contest (all members can vote) kicks in.

So the nominations, in a way, mean more than the actual win.

 

[AlanC]

My wife and I watched Hollywoodland the other night. I thought Affleck did fine. His primary sins have been questionable role choices and questionable women choices.

I remember watching the Reeve Superman in reruns when I came home after school. Seeing the 'other side' was interesting. How very sad his wrestling try out video was.

 

[goldwyn girl]

I'm sure the people around me in the cinema must have thought I had asthma while watching Hollywoodland, I kept gasping at the beautiful clothes and cars

 

[Feraud]

I am glad to read people are enjoying Hollywoodland. It is one of the better retro flicks released lately. People seemed to hesitate to see this movie based on casting but good word of mouth has prevailed.
Netflix has the movie listed with a "long wait" for rental. It seems to be doing better in private release than while at the theater.

 

[Elaina]

As far as acting goes, Diane Lane is one helluva dame. She can act. Far as I was concerned, she should have offset anything Affleck could (not) have done.

The awards are junk, and I don't watch them. Robin Williams is a fine actor. Not the comedic roles, but the dramatic ones too. So is Jim Carrey. Took them both a while to be recognized. And from my limited understanding, Steve Martin and Willaims both appeared in "Waiting for Godot" and are supposed to have proven they could act, with a capital A.

It's Hollywood and a business. They use what sells and to hades with the rest.

 

[Jack Scorpion]

Movie kinda made me like Adrian Brody. It was a fun role for him. Overall, pretty forgettable flick. Woulda been better if they went into the rest of Eddie Mannix's supposed activities.

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

Movie kinda made me like Adrian Brody. It was a fun role for him. Overall, pretty forgettable flick. Woulda been better if they went into the rest of Eddie Mannix's supposed activities.

I couldn't agree more. I was never a fan of Brody until I saw this film. As for your statement "overall, pretty forgettable flick" I was thinking the exact same thing. I had completely forgotten about this film until the other day when I saw the dvd on the shelf at Best Buy. I tend to buy a lot of film on dvd, but I didn't buy this one. Overall it was an enjoyable movie, but not one I care to sit and watch more than once. Some movies stay with you, make you think, cause you to want to watch it again. This movie just didn't do that for me.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

I got it as a gift from a friend. ("I know you like retro and this looked right up your alley!" "Oh..uh...Ben Affleck...thanks, but you really shouldn't have!") but I've actually watched it a couple of times. It wasn't the big "stink-o-rama" that everyone predicted it would be. Affleck did OK (we're not talking on a level with Olivier doing Shakespeare of course) and Diane Lane was great.

 

[Hondo]

As far as acting goes, Diane Lane is one helluva dame. She can act. Far as I was concerned, she should have offset anything Affleck could (not) have done.

I actually like Diane Lane in "Streets of Fire" forget the plot, for sure she is a helluva dame!

It's Hollywood and a business. They use what sells and to hades with the rest.

Thats right, Hollywood isn't what it used to be. They miss out on some great films that end up in places like Sundance Film fest, and some new places. Really caters to younger paying movie going audiences.

 

[Elaina]

Thats right, Hollywood isn't what it used to be. They miss out on some great films that end up in places like Sundance Film fest, and some new places. Really caters to younger paying movie going audiences.[/COLOR]

Which is why I watch the Independent film channel, if I'm inclined to watch television. I've seen some really good films that I may have otherwise never of known about.

Of course, my usualt answer to the junk out there is really simple: read a book. Never out of material to be entertained by.

 

[Feraud]

Some people lament that Sundance is not what is used to be.

Of course, my usualt answer to the junk out there is really simple: read a book. Never out of material to be entertained by.

That is a great option but the experience of seeing a movie and reading a book are different.

 

[Brian Sheridan]

Netflix has the movie listed with a "long wait" for rental. It seems to be doing better in private release than while at the theater.

HOLLYWOODLAND was excellent and I think the Netflix is becoming more of a gauge of how films do with people who are tired being in a theater with rude, uncontrolled, kids who go to the movies. It also allows more people to take risks on films they not wanted to have paid $10-$15 to see in a soulless multiplex theater.