The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

[bloodyminded]

You can see within minutes why this film isn't a blockbuster. In fact, it seems that very few people have even seen it. But it's my pick for best movie of 2009. (At least.)

It's a three-hour lament about celebrity, hero-worship, and myth-making. And terrible sadness, and nihilism. The man who kills an infamous murderer and armed robber (entirely through his own weakness, his own thirst for celebrity) becomes, briefly, a successful media hero himself, but eventually finds himself the most hated man in America. Brad Pitt is amazing (honestly!), but it's really Casey Affleck's movie.

Awesome.

[kimmy]

You can see within minutes why this film isn't a blockbuster. In fact, it seems that very few people have even seen it. But it's my pick for best movie of 2009. (At least.)

It's a three-hour lament about celebrity, hero-worship, and myth-making. And terrible sadness, and nihilism. The man who kills an infamous murderer and armed robber (entirely through his own weakness, his own thirst for celebrity) becomes, briefly, a successful media hero himself, but eventually finds himself the most hated man in America. Brad Pitt is amazing (honestly!), but it's really Casey Affleck's movie.

Awesome.

I have meant to see this, if only out of curiousity to see how much of Fort Edmonton Park I recognize. Several friends lined up for hours to apply to be extras, sadly without success.

I think Brad Pitt is a better actor than he gets credit for. Perhaps he's most associated with roles in bad movies where he's called on to look handsome and not much else, but his resume also has smaller parts where he is surprisingly enjoyable playing unlikely characters. (I thought he was great in 12 Monkeys and Snatch.)

-k

[Oleg Bach]

They call the man a coward who kills a killer - that's like calling Bush and Cheney heros.

[blueblood]

I have meant to see this, if only out of curiousity to see how much of Fort Edmonton Park I recognize. Several friends lined up for hours to apply to be extras, sadly without success.

I think Brad Pitt is a better actor than he gets credit for. Perhaps he's most associated with roles in bad movies where he's called on to look handsome and not much else, but his resume also has smaller parts where he is surprisingly enjoyable playing unlikely characters. (I thought he was great in 12 Monkeys and Snatch.)

-k

That movie was more boring than church. I thought I was going to see a good western, all I got was an artsy fartsy borefest.

We have narration and a camera shot of clouds, it's a movie meant to clean house for awards at film festivals.

[Oleg Bach]

A good DOP or director of photograhy makes all the difference..Film like the best still photos is still shot on 35 mill - and it takes talent to shoot a scene that is super pleasing to the eye - some movies are brilliant in the fact that an actual artist is running the camera.

[bloodyminded]

That movie was more boring than church.

Nothing is more boring than church.

I thought I was going to see a good western, all I got was an artsy fartsy borefest.

You don't need the completely laughable mythologizing of cowboys-as-heroes to make a "good western."

And by "artsy fartsy," you are referring to a thoughtful movie that actually has something to say about Westerns, about crime and celebrity and hero-worship and vigilantism.

We have narration and a camera shot of clouds, it's a movie meant to clean house for awards at film festivals.

You don't understand the film. Shockingly, that doesn't make it bad.

Edited February 7, 2010 by bloodyminded

[blueblood]

Nothing is more boring than church.

That's what I thought until I seen this movie.

You don't need the completely laughable mythologizing of cowboys-as-heroes to make a "good western."

And you don't need a boring, snore fest to get in the critics good books.

And by "artsy fartsy," you are referring to a thoughtful movie that actually has something to say about Westerns, about crime and celebrity and hero-worship and vigilantism

By artsy fartsy, I'm refering to the boring, cheesy way the film was presented to an audience of univerity film students and film critics. The Last Castle was a thoughtful movie, this is boring elitist crap.

You don't understand the film. Shockingly, that doesn't make it bad.

I understand that this film is boring, tries to be sophisticated, and wasted too much time on character development. It's a bloody book to put it short.

[bloodyminded]

That's what I thought until I seen this movie.

And you don't need a boring, snore fest to get in the critics good books.

By artsy fartsy, I'm refering to the boring, cheesy way the film was presented to an audience of univerity film students and film critics. The Last Castle was a thoughtful movie, this is boring elitist crap.

I understand that this film is boring, tries to be sophisticated, and wasted too much time on character development. It's a bloody book to put it short.

Well, as usual, people never agree on movies.

And in a way, I sympathize with you...like I've said elsewhere, there are movies that lots of people adore, and that I think are dull and useless pieces of garbage. "Top Gun" is one of the worst movies I've ever seen (and is also unintentionally homoerotic, which is hilarious given that militarized conservatives usually like it). And de Palma's The Untouchables" is truly horrible...yet extremely popular.

[fellowtraveller]

But it's my pick for best movie of 2009. (At least.)

Well, as usual, people never agree on movies.

We are reasonable people, could we at least agree that this movie- which was made in 2007- is unlikely to be considered as Best Movie of 2009?

[bloodyminded]

We are reasonable people, could we at least agree that this movie- which was made in 2007- is unlikely to be considered as Best Movie of 2009?

Ha!

I can't much argue with that one.

[fellowtraveller]

The best actor in that movie(and I do often like Brad Pitt) was Casey Affleck. He is not as well known as his brother Ben, who is essentially a brutal actor who tends to ruin most movies he appears in.

Casey is much, much better.

[bloodyminded]

The best actor in that movie(and I do often like Brad Pitt) was Casey Affleck. He is not as well known as his brother Ben, who is essentially a brutal actor who tends to ruin most movies he appears in.

Casey is much, much better.

I agree completely. I think Casey is far more talented than his brother.