It was my last film of the festival, on the morning of the day I was flying home, and it turns out to have been my favorite one. Tim Blake Nelson's "Leaves of Grass" is some kind of sweet, wacky masterpiece. It takes all sorts of risks, including a dual role with Edward Norton playing twin brothers, and it pulls them off. It is certainly the most intelligent, philosophical and poetic film I can imagine that involves five murders in the marijuana-dealing community of Oklahoma and includes John Prine singing "Illegal Smile."
Tim Blake Nelson
Sometimes you cannot believe your luck as a movie unfolds. There is a mind behind it, joyful invention, obvious ambition. As is often the case, I had studiously avoiding reading anything at all about "Leaves of Grass" before going to see the movie, although I rather doubted it would be about Walt Whitman. What I did know is that the actor Tom Blake Nelson has written and directed three films enormously admired: "Eye of God" (1997), "O" (2001) and "The Grey Zone" (2001), all three dealing in a concrete dramatic way with important questions: Religion, redemption, race, the Holocaust. And that the actor Edward Norton has never agreed to appear in a film he didn't believe he had reason to respect.
The film opens with Norton as a philosopher named Bill Kincaid giving a lecture on Socrates to a packed classroom of star-struck students at Brown. It's a measure of Nelson's writing and Norton's acting that this lecture isn't a sound bite but is allowed to continue until the professor develops his point, and it's an interesting one. Only as I think back do I realize what an audacious way that is to open a movie about the drug culture of rural Oklahoma.
Spoilers in this paragraph. Kinkaid is on the fast track. He's published books, is a crossover intellectual superstar, is offered a chance to open his own department at Harvard. Then he gets a telephone call telling him his twin brother Brady is dead. He has long since severed his old family ties, but flies home for the funeral to Little Dixie, Oklahoma, and is met at the airport by his twin's best friend (Nelson). As it turns out, Brady is not dead, and the story was a lie designed to lure him back home for two purposes. One is to force him to see his mother, a 1960s pothead played by Susan Sarandon. The other is to act as his double to establish an alibi while Brady goes up to Tulsa for a meeting with the region's dominant marijuana dealer Tug Rothbaum (Richard Dreyfuss).
Blake and Billy
Now I will abandon synopsis and consider the pleasures of the film. First there's the dual performance by Norton, who is flawless as both an elite intellectual and a good ol' boy. In appearance, movement and dialect he's for all intents two different people, one who has reinvented himself and shed his down-home roots, the other who is growing the best marijuana around. I like the way the film makes the twins equally brilliant; Brady has designed and built a hydroponic farm that is producing its seventh generation of top-quality weed. He is also something of a philosopher himself. In writing his dialogue, Nelson doesn't condescend. He is a Tulsa native who dismisses the widespread notion that a man's "hick" accent (the movie's word) provides a measure of his intelligence. Brady sounds like a semi-literate redneck, but he's very smart.Faithful readers will know I am much occupied with the various definitions of God. Here is Brady's theory, as explained to his best buddy: There is a God, but man can never conceive of him or know him, because God is perfect and we cannot know perfection. Take for an example parallel lines extending to infinity. There can never be indefinitely parallel lines demonstrating themselves in the real physical world, because it does not admit of parallelism. That is widely understood. Ah, but man can conceive of parallel lines, and prove them absolutely by mathematics. Just so with Brady's God. We can form an idea of perfection reaching into infinity, but we live in a universe that will never -- can never -- intersect with his. Rather elegant thinking, wouldn't you say, and expressed in Brady's own pothead bar-room vernacular in the cab of a pickup truck with a shotgun rack.
Keri Russell and Edward Norton
I suspect there's a lot of Tim Blake Nelson in this film that is buried out of sight. Some elements are visible. That would include the Jewish community of Tulsa, which Nelson affectionately describes as "wildly eccentric, unlikely and exotic." The plot includes not only Rothbaum the drug lord and well-known charitable benefactor, but Ken Neuwald (Josh Pais) the financially desperate orthodontist who finds himself bizarrely drawn into the plot. And is Rabbi Zimmerman (Maggie Siff), who explains to Billy Kincaid her belief that the world is broken and our duty is to try to fix it.
Another valuable character is Janet (Keri Russell), a local English teacher and poet, who quotes Whitman to Billy and entrances him in a way he has never before allowed. I suspect Janet has personal meaning to Nelson. In a press conference he said he is grateful to have been raised around books and rhetoric, and much of his dialogue here may be payback. Yes, but also always perfectly appropriate and in tune.
The plot involves as many dead and severely wounded bodies lying around as in "Blood Simple," and Nelson weaves it expertly without a lot of visible "plotting." The story is the terrain the characters move through, and they are always the foreground. What stands out is the ability of both Billy and Brady (perhaps even more Brady) to understand the world philosophically and deal with it intellectually.
As far as I know, "Leaves of Grass" doesn't yet have American distribution. This Toronto festival has been a minefield for films seeking distribution. As of today, with almost all the films seen, exactly one (1) film has been picked up, by the Weinstein Company, for exactly one (1) million dollars. The days of $4 million Sundance paydays hammered out at dawn are long over with. Yet someone will see "Leaves of Grass" and someone will want to distribute it. Here's a quote for the video box: "One of the year's best!" No, Tim Blake Nelson...thank you.
¶
The TIFF "Leaves of Grass" press conference: Tim Blake Nelson, Edward Norton, Keri Russell
¶
"A child said, What is grass?" -- Tom O'Bedlam reads Walt Whitman
¶
Trailer for Nelson's "The Grey Zone"
¶
My review of "The Grey Zone"
¶
Trailer for Nelson's "Eye of God" (1997)
¶
My review of Nelson's "Eye of God" .
¶
Wow! Can't wait to see it. Love Ed Norton as an actor, although "The Italian Job" does make me question your comment on the prerequisite for his participation.
If I had just watched many films and written countless words, had a bit of a controversy to contend with, and so forth, I would be more than exhausted.
But dear friend, did you mean this sentence to read as I take it, humorous?
[Leaves of Grass] is certainly the most intelligent, philosophical and poetic film I can imagine that involves five murders in the marijuana-dealing community of Oklahoma.
Ebert: Perhaps I did a little. But is is also true. :)
. . . and THE HULK?
Advanced buzz like this for Edward Norton always spurs in me giddy hope of Oscar glory. Every time he stars in a film, I think, "Is this it? Has his time finally come?" Certainly, he's one of the very finest actors working today, and the time for recognition is long past due. Here's to hoping the film lives up to your excellent comments, Roger. And thanks, yet again, for your tireless efforts to keep your faithful readers in the festival loop.
I really enjoyed seeing "O" back in 2001 and now I can't wait to see this film. Edward Norton has always tried to pick the best work possible and that's why I trust going to see this film.
Granted, he did do "The Italian Job." It's not to say that he can't choose a film that might not be so good, but he tries. Heck, even Spielberg made "1941."
On a quick side note, I have chosen to post the link to my Myspace blog which I have actually turned into my own movie page where I write reviews and post trailers and movie news throughout the week. I know you're busy, but if you can, please check it out.
Thanks,
JT
Tim Blake Nelson first came to my attention when he played Delmar in 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' He more than held his own in a brilliant film with Clooney and Turturro. I liked 'O' and 'The Grey Zone' well enough so I'll certainly line up for 'Leaves of Grass', espcially since you named it your festival favorite.
By the way, what was the one film you mentioned that was picked up by the Weinsten Company?
Norton was forced to take part in the Italian Job due to a contractual obligation from when he was cast in Primal Fear. He absolutely did not want to be in that film and I think that helped his performance as the antagonist.
Twin brothers
Does one shoot the other eventually?
I recall a number of 'twin' movies; as with that Jane Fonda comedy, with the great Lee Marvin riding drunk in the saddle? His twin brother had a silver nose. Being drunk like Marvin seemed like it could be a lot of fun to a 10 year old.
Jane Fonda was a protester of interest in a few threads back about the Palestinian issue. Jane I'll bet toked upon a few 'Leaves of Grass'.
I love these kinds of movies involving family, like that movie with the late Patrick Swazy, who were hicks with snakes, and took on the mob.
I recall one about Growing Pot with Billy Bob Thorton, a great cast, and somehow a murdered brother figured into it.
'Adaptation', with Nicolas Cage. He played twins so well with the ever delightful Ms. Streep.
Twins, as in that movie the 'Illusionist'[?] with Hugh Jackmon or was that the one with Norton?
'Menace 2 Society' but, only brothers in crime I think, but mentioned as somehow tied to racist attitudes toward Muslims; in that previous thread about the protest of Isreal at the TIFF from Fonda, Mortenson (Mortenson, as Joey who killed a brother in a mob film) and other Hollywood greats.
Ed Norton played the Aryan racist brother in a previous role; 'converted' ironically away from hatred to help his younger brother. So many are 'converted' to be hateful in prison.
'Leaves of Grass' is a double entendre too.
Walt Whitman was a great poet and I wonder at the promotion this gives his work?
To be fair, Norton appeared in The Italian Job because, when he signed to do Primal Fear, it was part of a three-picture deal with Paramount. I have no idea what the third film was, but that explains that anyway.
Hi Roger,
The first role I saw Tim Blake Nelson play was Delmar "Oh Brother Where Art Thou", which i loved. Then I saw him in "Holes" where he played another bumpkin. Something about the way he played those roles made me think there was something more to him than what I had seen on screen. Seeing "Syrianna" confirmed that for me. I'm excited about "Leaves of Grass" and hope it finds a distributor because it looks like an intelligent film that I would love to see. Interesting that you have discussed the film-making careers of all three leads in "Oh Brother Where Art Thou" recently. (Tim Blake Nelson, George Clooney, John Turturro) Maybe the underlying intelligence of everyone involved in that film is why I like it so much.
Dispatch from the front:
Went see Herzog's Bad Liet. today. He gave a loving speech about you.... How you are a soldier of film.... He had started talking about N. Cage being one of the great soldiers of film and then he went on to talk about you and your powerful commitment to film. It was very nice and very loving.
Anyhoo,
J
Ebert: If I'm a soldier, he's a general.
Actually tflucht I don't think he had a choice .Something about a 3 picture deal with paramount and they forced him to make that movie. At least I think that's what happened
Not sure if this is raised in the film or in your own commentary, but the comparison of our inability to comprehend God and the mathematics of parallel lines sounds like a passage from Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov, V.3:
So Dostoevsky's take is slightly different, that we are capable of understanding parallel lines, but not the notion of parallel lines that converge, which is possible in other maths. Karamazov is definitely one of the best books about our relationship to things we sense but are beyond the limitations of our understanding. I'd also throw the Book of Job in there (at the very top of the list) and Stanislaw Lem's work - and this despite the fact that I'm an atheist.
I have to ask, though, based on your description of the film and the opposition of the two brothers: does it devolve into the "homespun wisdom is superior to academic learning" shtick? That's one film cliché that I'm getting really tired of.
Thanks for all the coverage from the festival!
Ebert: I'm suggesting Brady and Billy have equally high intelligence, which has been supplied with a different set of terms and applied in different ways.
It is not unthinkable that Brady has read Karamazov. The character intrigues me.
You've done a terrible thing by starting this Journal. Before, I would check your site once or twice a week to check out the new reviews. Now, I have to check it (at least) once a day. I think to solve this problem you should write less interesting things.
Ebert: For your sake, I'll try.
The movie sounds great. So far the only Tim Blake Nelson film I've seen was "O," but I really liked it. It's definitely one of the most effective modern updates of Shakespeare I've seen. It's also nice to see Keri Russel in something again. I don't mean to pester you about more films you haven't reviewed, but have you had a chance to see her in "Waitress?" She was terrific in it,and I really thought there was something special about the movie.
Still can't believe you gave Death to Smoochy such a low rating.
First of all, The Grey Zone is the only great film I've seen out of thousands that I could not bring myself to watch a second time. It is just too devastating. I mean that as a compliment to Nelson's abilities.
Also, I don't think Norton believed in Italian Job and I know he lost faith along the way with Red Dragon and Hulk... but great movies like 25th Hour sure do make it easy to forget the others.
Did somebody say marijuana...? :)
There's been a lot of "buzz" about this one, no pun intended, since my associates and I first came to hear about the project, some months back.
"As far as I know, "Leaves of Grass" doesn't yet have American distribution." - Roger
WHAT?! Are you serious?! It's got Edward freakin' NORTON! This sounds like a job for Miss Marple!
Ah HAH! From the TIFF website:
"Leaves of Grass" - Canadian Distributor: V V S Films
Note: they're also the distributor for the "Bad Lieutenant" directed by Werner Herzog.
Whew! So we're all set here up! :)
Now if only they'd get a trailer up for it! So far, it's just production stills.
We want a trailer!
We want a trailer!
We want a trailer!
(Marie bangs a knife and fork on the table.)
Ebert: Shut up and eat your donut.
Roger,
I was wondering if you'd seen or were going to see either Todd Solondz's LIFE DURING WARTIME or Werner Herzog's MY SON, MY SON, WHAT HAVE YE (YOU?) DONE?, two of the most intriguing films at the festival this year. I take it no, since you haven't felt compelled to write on them (though you mentioned trying to see the Herzog film and failing thanks to a cab ride from hell). I look forward to your thoughts and feelings about those two in the future - if they get releases in the U.S.
Meanwhile, Henry Gibson died of cancer yesterday at 73. I am horribly depressed now. Thanks, Dad. :(
During college days, I was in charge of my chapter's film club which could only exhibit motion pictures that dealt with themes of medical issues. Of course, one could weasel around that technicality and claim "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" was about schizophrenia, "The Matrix: Reloaded" was about human cloning, "Lost in Translation" was about sleep deprivation, and so on. When I came to "The Grey Zone" being about alcoholism and lemming-like psychotic impulses, the screening went off without anyone leaving the auditorium. When the lights came up and I stopped the DVD projection, standing in front of the sizable student mass that was there just for credit...you could hear a pen drop. This was pure. No pretense to it. They had just been disemboweled cinematically.
There was no post discussion. I thanked everyone for coming and that was it. They had seen a film that they had never heard about and never would have if it had not been for me reading the review you constructed years ago. Some of the sorority girls playfully scolded me after that for "permanently traumatizing them," but they did not pull a "complain to the board” card. Most would not watch the film again, like "Schindler's List," however, I have and would again. "The Grey Zone" is one of the best films of this decade.
Now, bring on “Leaves of Grass”!!!
Why all the hate on the Italian job? It's by no means a great movie and it is in almost every way inferior to, the very similar in style and story, Oceans 11, but it is also a movie that's fun to watch, and is very much average or above for a Hollywood caper film.(high praise, I know) It is not a garbage pail movie, and it's certainly better than a lot of the big studio films that stink up the multiplex in the summer. I don't think it should be considered evidence of Norton choosing Garbage films.(Even if he didn't choose it.) Chew on this Norton fans if you must:
The Hulk: Below par Hollywood comic book movie outclassed by 4 separate comic book movies in the same year. Brings nothing to the genre. Sure it was better than the other Hulk movie, but that movie at least tried to be interesting even if it mostly failed.(A combo I prefer to trying to be mediocre and succeeding) Hard to believe this wasn't a paycheck film for Norton. What's to respect here?
Red Dragon: This seems to be as unnecessary Hollywood prequel. A money grab movie that's merely a shadow of the better than the better Hannibal Lector movies. There's certainly nothing original or creative here. Sounds like a paycheck movie. What's to respect?
There you go, two true garbage pail money grab movies to prove that Norton(Who I admire, don't get me wrong) will pick the paycheck every once in awhile. These films were mentioned in other comments and I do think they offer solid evidence that Norton respects every project he's in. Now leave The Italian Job alone.
"There is a God, but man can never conceive of him or know him, because God is perfect and we cannot know perfection." Thomas Hobbes via Brady. Sounds like a good pic and I would like to think that at least some rednecks think this way.
Ebert wrote: Shut up and eat your donut.
"Tim Horton's Maple glazed Boston cream donut..."
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3225/2810540968_5a60822001.jpg
Chomp; munch, munch... sluurp... :)
Ya know, when you smoke weed you get the munchies. I bet that donut would taste awesome if you were high.
Smile.
But seriously, has anyone seen a trailer for this thing..? In lieu of one, I'm going to make do with a compromise and champion one of my favorite stoners - "Woody Harrleson" whose got a super hero movie coming out, and with Canadians with Sandra Oh and Elias Koteas, called:
DEFENDOR!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6F7bhz0l5fg
And I bet that movie would totally rock if you watched it stoned. :)
Mr.Ebert, this might be off topic but seriously, how is it that a great film like 25th hour didn't get the recognition it deserved in the year of 2002 ? I've seen all the oscar nominees of 2002 and I felt that all of them pale in comparison to 25th hour in every aspect- acting, direction, screenplay, cinematography and without a doubt, the score. I feel it is the most underrated movie I've seen and believe me, I've seen a lot. Maybe not even half as much as you but definitely enough to call it 'a LOT'. Was just interested in your thoughts about the movie. And yes, I've read your review. Was looking for more, lol.
Ebert: I greatly admire "The 25th Hour." I should invite it to Ebertfest.
I am glad to hear that your trip to TIFF ended with some wonderful movie. "It is certainly the most intelligent, philosophical and poetic film I can imagine that involves five murders in the marijuana-dealing community of Oklahoma." It must be very special.
Meanwhile, in my country, EIDF(EBS International Documentary Festival) will begin in next week. EBS, Educational Broadcasting System, has been doing this fabulous festival annually, and they have two ways of showing films. The one is showing in selected theaters, and the other is showing on TV. Therefore, they give local people like me the chance to see many short or feature-length documentaries. Last year, I watched "Freeheld", "Taxi to the Dark Side", and "Encounters at the End of the World". This time, I will finally see Werner Herzog eating the shoe.
Pusan International Film Festival will begin in October, but I cannot go. Too bad. They will show "Bright Sight" and "The White Ribbon" along with many movies.
I love how much you love what you write about. I am forever educated and inspired, sir.
This sounds like a great movie, can't wait to watch it.
First digs, then excuses for "The Italian Job." Hey, fellow middle-brows, lighten up! Well-groomed cast, a Venice-imploding heist, Mini Coopers-vs.-helicopter battle, and a wise crack every ten seconds--and Norton is as amoral as the Joker, but doesn't stop the picture to philosophize. Smells like summer to me.
And Roger, thanks for the heads-up on another Tim Blake Nelson picture. As a director, writer and, of course, actor (man, that mild-mannered Peter Lorre turn he does in "Minority Report"!), he's a pip.
But if God is perfection, then why did he/she/it create lesser flawed beings, that is to say imperfection? Can perfection create imperfection? Can perfection create anything greater than itself? I would think that it can't, that it can only create something equal to itself, not greater than or lesser than. Cos wouldn't creating something imperfect detract from the perfectness?
Btw Roger have you seen the movie "The Nines" with Ryan Reynolds? It's very interesting.
Kramer, Scott Nye, Ralphie, et. al. I think Norton is an actor of great ability, ability he selectively showcases: Fight Club, The People vs. Larry Flynt, American History X, etc. Regardless of his reasons for involvement in The Italian Job, he was (well) paid to practice his craft, not to mail it in. We have certain expectations of professionalism, expectations I am sure were shared by the producers, actors, and production staff of that film.
If you're getting paid to perform, perform to your best.
Why, doing otherwise would be like basing a review on the first 8 minutes of a movie . . . ;-)
I believe the third film was "Kingdom of Heaven", where he played the masked King Baldwin IV.
Is it just me or does Norton seems to prefer those double identity roles? - Primal Fear, The Score, etc. Do you know if that has any personal significance for him? He's almost too good in them.
I wish that you could've seen Herzog's My Son...because I hardly know what the hell happened to me. I wanted to wait to write about both Herzog movies together but now I barely know where to begin. Also can't shake this feeling that the main characters in both are somehow connected.
For the person mentioning 'The Hulk', understand that there's a reason he didn't do any promotion. He did not like the studio cut. He agreed to do the movie based on him being heavily involved in the script. Norton wanted it to be a very thoughtful movie. The studio said 'enough talk, more action!' I'd love to see an Edward Norton's cut version at some future date.
Edward Norton is a brilliant actor, and I will see this. Keri Russel is just so charismatic that she lights up any scene she is in. I can completely see how here opposite Norton was a great decision.
"Eye of God" I find so affecting, I can hardly ever bring myself to re-watch it. Nelson captures the dead-zone, closed-world of these tiny Oklahoma towns so well.
Thank you for pointing this movie out, it looks right up my alley and I doubt I'd have heard of it otherwise.
The third film in that three-picture deal that resulted in The Italian Job was "The Score." Of course, that wasn't an especally great film but since it allowed him to work with Brando and DeNiro, I suppose his reasons for signing on are understandable.
Roger, I'm not sure this is the forum, but what is your opinion about the situation currently facing the Sun-Times? Do you support Mr. Tyree's bid for the paper and the concessions he is seeking from the unions?
Ebert: He is a sound man who wants to own the paper and I welcome him. I feel the requests made to the unions were unrealistic. Possibly an opening negotiating tactic.
Tough to imagine any movie with Ed Norton hurting for distribution. Add in the fact that it's good and that it also has a reasonably marketable former WB star who can act, and your sort of have to worry about the state of independent film. Hopefully, it's all cyclical, and there will be more of a resurgence when the economy picks up.
I remember that blogs were on fire this year with the paucity of deals at Sundance. Ultimately, a decent number of those films are finding some audience -- Humpday, Moon, Cold Souls, Taking Chance, Paper Heart, Adam, Arlen Faber (a.k.a. The Answer Man), Five Minutes of Heaven. And hopefully TIFF will launch An Education and Precious to greater heights. HBO did a nice job with a few of the features, and I hope they will pick up some gems at TIFF. But so many films that seem worth a chance from Sundance have simply gone away. The docs in particular aren't doing so well. To hear this trend is continuing at TIFF is not a happy development.
I'd probably rank Ed Norton as the greatest actor of his generation not named Sean Penn. That a film that sounds this good is without significant distribution is worrisome.
I know this is off topic and that you've been swamped with the festival, but it would be fascinating to read your thoughts on the current crisis at the Sun-Times and if you think your paper will even be here a month from now. I for one think Chicago would be impoverished if we lose one of the two major dailies.
Ebert: The Sun-Times will still be around. Ironically, the Tribune has greater problems because of its mountain of Zell-acquired debt.
Larry wrote on September 18, 2009 2:13 PM -
"I'd probably rank Ed Norton as the greatest actor of his generation not named Sean Penn. That a film that sounds this good is without significant distribution is worrisome."
That's how I feel about Norton, too. He's up there with Sean Penn.
As for his film choices as an actor - there's what YOU see on the page, then there's what actually gets shot, and finally what survives the editing process; which itself, can make or break a film.
Sean Penn is often the BEST thing in his movies when you look at what he's done over the years; the ability to transcend the material, speaking to the sheer caliber and skill of his acting. And it says a lot that last year at the Academy Awards, Penn's intro included mention of the much beloved stoner from Fast Times at Ridgement High - "Jeff Spicoli". :)
THAT'S how good Penn was in that movie.
Anyhoo, Americans needn't worry "too" much if the film doesn't score an American distributor right away. For once it hits theaters elsewhere, it won't take long before you can catch it falling off the back of speeding truck.
Not that you heard that from me, of course.
Offtopic: New catch phrase -- WWED?
Roger,
I love Ed Norton and Keri Russell (I agree with the person above about "Waitress"), and I'm sorry for the tangent, but I just had to share this.
Okay, has everyone here become addicted to www.flickchart.com yet? I first checked it out last month or so when Roger mentioned it in the blog. It's this movie-ranking website where you are presented with a constant stream of movies, in pairs, and you are asked--nay, forced--to choose which one is "better." The site takes your results and creates an ever-shifting Top 100 (or something) list for you. Anyway, usually the choice isn't too hard. I mean, "Die Hard 2" vs. "When Harry Met Sally"? Come on. But sometimes, you are presented with something like "12 Angry Men" vs. "North by Northwest." It's ridiculous, I know, but sometimes it does take me a minute or two to decide. And when you're sitting there try to figure out whether "Groundhog Day" really was better than "Lost in Translation," you notice that at the top of the screen, there are these snarky little comments, egging you on. Things like "Just go ahead and choose, dammit" or "Make my day. Make a decision." And today, what did I see at the top of the screen but "What would Ebert do?" WWED, indeed. (By the way, I think I went with "Groundhog Day.")
Ebert: My problem is, the site is hypnotic and it's hard to see what good it does me.
I can't say I share your enthusiasm, Roger.
I found the film tonally imbalanced, and its out-of-focus photography had me wincing on several occasions.
And the relationship between Norton's professor and Russell's "poet" was woefully undercooked.
I'd be surprised if Leaves of Grass gets wide distribution.
Ebert: I think you can assume any focus problems were in the projection.
Hi Roger,
As far as I know, "Leaves of Grass" doesn't yet have American distribution.
Uh oh. Start the clock. How long until a leftist ascribes this to the backward and ignorant religious right-wingers in America, that are besmirching the USA's reputation in the world. I give it ten more posts. :) Maybe it's just that not all films get distributors right away at festivals. Maybe?
Nelson was great in "O Brother".
I like the pairing of Norton and Damon in "Rounders", an awesome movie.
Randy
You americans should legalize the reefer. You'd be a lot cooler if you did.
Re: out of focus.
I thought it was the projection the first few times it happened. But by the fifth time I thought I was getting a celluloid contact high.
Ebert: If this was Thursday morning at the Cumberland, the projectionist kept adjusting it. Virtually no movie is released out of focus.
GAH!
For whatever reason all the comments so far appear in BOLD/ITALIC, making them very difficult to read. Can you fix that please, Roger?
I'd love to add my comment, but don't wish to add to the visual cacophony that already exists.
Ebert: GAH! Done, but may take awhile to show up.
RE: For whatever reason all the comments so far appear in BOLD/ITALIC, making them very difficult to read. Can you fix that please, Roger?
Yeah, I'd noticed that too!
But I'd figured he'd been half asleep at the time and done something weird at his end and was trying to figure out what; chuckle! It's fine now though.
However that still leaves the mystery - at least for me - as to why links no longer work inside a post? Nothing happens when you move the cursor over them. Ie: you have to copy and paste a link into a new browser page etc.
Ebert: Official reason: It's a mystery.
I have to concur with S. J. Lucero. Before I found this journal I would constantly check the Answer Man portion of your site in hopes of gleaming just a little bit more of your writing in between your reviews.
This is like getting the extended dvd release of your reviews, with all of the deleted scenes and commentary, before I read the actual review. Even better, there is stuff here that could never fit in your review format.
Keep up the good work. Consider releasing an anthology of your blog posts but if you do make sure to keep the interesting pictures. The video clips might be a challenge however.
PS I would love a more mobile-friendly version of your sites as I usually read them there. I hate reading on whirring, beeping machines and that says something as I work as a System Engineer.
Well, being a twin myself, I have to say that this film looks really good. Tim Blake Nelson has made great movies before, so you can't really say anything bad about the guy. And adding to the twin thing, we are indeed equally brilliant. As in we know most of the same knowledge in general areas. The area I can best my twin in is film, while he can beat me in music. Other than that, we are basically the same.
Ebert: Official reason: It's a mystery.
Non-sequitur six-degrees of movie quoting moment of the day...
"It's a mystery" is my favorite line from Shakespeare in Love.
Uttered by the Producer, more than once, when asked how in the world the play can possibly come together in time. I don't know, he offers, but it always does. "It's a mystery".
Love that line.
sure, The Italian Job was not technically "good." But if you're sitting at home on a rainy sunday, and you come upon it on cable, you're not turning it off. It is highly, if embarassingly, watchable. I remember reading an article a few years ago that Kevin Smith wrote for Details or some magazine about bad movies that you'll watch over and over. He mentioned his own movie, "Jersey Girls," and other films like Roadhouse, that are pretty much junk, but sometimes we all need a little popcorn.
Ed Norton making a Hulk re-make three years after a bad Hulk, well that's just weird. The Italian Job at the very least has Charlize Theron driving a Mini Cooper. That's not hurting anybody.
You had me at philosophy . . .
And Ed Norton to boot. He's been way less than prolific lately it seems. Good to see him back.
As for Brady's theory of perfection . . . the heart, the spinal cord, the brain, blood and tissue -- each of these things by themselves are speechlessly amazing. And when they all come together as one I do believe that a perfect aliveness occurs. There is nothing to see or know that is more perfect or sublime than the thing you are looking through to see or know it with.
Thanks, Mr. Ebert, for letting us know about the existence of this film. Living in New York City, I'm sure I'll get a chance to see it in a theatre. I caught Mr. Nelson's "The Grey Zone" recently on either the Sundance or IFC channel, and found it to be quite interesting and well done, though somewhat tiresome, e.g., the too drawn out segment about the young woman who survives the death shower, and the overly sentimental ending concerning the two men. But all in all a job well done.
Just wondering Mr. Ebert if you have ever seen the movie Humboldt County? It had a limited release last summer and was available on Video on Demand as well. I went to a screening presented by the writer/director duo because their production team was passing out free screening passes when I was traveling through Portland. It's an absolutely beautiful film about Marijuana production in Humboldt County, CA. I haven't seen Leaves of Grass, but the two movies sound similar in their approach to "hick" intelligence (I'm sure the weed connection is a coincidence.....).
Ebert: Afraid not.
By the way I'm a CU graduate and your panel discussions at Conference on World Affairs were always my favorite. I was really glad to see you made it back last year, I hope I can make it back to Boulder for some of your future appearances!
Edward Norton is ym favoeite actor of all-time and he gave my favorite performance of all time in Primal Fear (And he definitely shoud have won that Oscar). But you write "actor Edward Norton has never agreed to appear in a film he didn't believe he had reason to respect." And while he may have respected the actors in this movie, DEATH TO SMOOCHY is one of the most terrible movies ever and I can't believe he agreed to be in that. I was just wondering why you think he might have participated in that movie?