It's usually not my style to criticize specific actors or to declare that their work is generally flawed. I am lavish but sincere about praise. There are certainly those who stand head above their peers, and I am not afraid to discuss their merits, but being a practicing artist, there is something repulsive about criticism without like experience. Since I have yet to be an A-list member of the Hollywood set, I will reserve judgment about them, categorically. However I have noticed that certain films just can't be enjoyed in one sitting. I am fastidious about using the bathroom and arranging my snacks ahead of time so that I will be fully present when I'm watching a film in the theater. At home, I am more lax. I cook, I eat, I scrub dishes, I munch on cookies made by Wiser Half, and all such things. That said, I make a point of transitioning smoothly from one activity to another, all the while keeping my eyes glued to the screen. Some films are so enjoyable I will watch them multiple times in that fashion (e.g. Napoleon Dynamite), but I watched Proof and Sylvia, both starring Gwyneth Paltrow --- and discovered my latent Film-Attention-Blockage (FAB). I simply couldn't stay focused, and while I was energetic and alert before watching either, I found myself falling asleep to the tragic backgrounds of these stories. I endorse Proof (the play version) and I was interested in the biography of Sylvia Plath. The other actors were all superb in their characters so I had to narrow it down to the common denominator, namely Ms. Paltrow. I understand that she is serious about her work -- serious in the sense of choosing films that test her ability to drown herself in sorrow rather than mirth (as with Shakespeare in Love or Shallow Hal). Nevertheless I maintain that it's challenging to watch a performance so sleep-inducing that the art loses its stated purpose. (I am stifling a yawn as I write this, despite having three cups of strong tea today). Perhaps Ms. Paltrow will return to comedy or at least something more vigorous.
Post a Comment