“Forgotten Hollywood”- 21st Century Fave 50 Films (#6, #5)…

Posted on October 8, 2021 by raideoman1 | No Comments

Manny P. here…

“`We are getting down to the nitty gritty of my  favorite fifty movies of the last two decades. Today’s choices are incredibly well-made productions. Sensational writing and outstanding acting make these a cut above average releases in any given year. Let us get to it…

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~ #6 – THE SOCIAL NETWORK (2010)

“`Social media was in its adolescence when  The Social Network was released. It chronicles the rise of Mark Zuckerberg, who became the youngest media mogul on the globe. He refined the idea of how people would predominately communicate in the 21st century. In the spirit of cinema such as Network, A Face in the Crowd, and Citizen Kane, this production offers a glimpse of our collective future. It does not look pretty.

“`Without question, this is Aaron Sorkin’s essential work. EVERY word counts! The actors are handed volumes of word-heavy scripts. Jessie Eisenberg, Justin Timberlake, Andrew Garfield, Max Minghella, and Armie Hammer (in dual roles) delivers. David Fincher creates a lightening paced narrative and he is one of two directors on my countdown who has two films in my Top 10 (The other – Mank). Nominated for eight Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor (Eisenberg),  it garnered three; for Best Original Score, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Editing.

“`The Social Network is a snarky exploration of how Facebook was born and it is a searing indictment of what it inevitably became. Sorkin’s portrait of Zuckerberg was hardly flattering, but upon reflection after his many testimonies before Congress, the film may have been too sympathetic on the media giant.

“`The Social Network has earned a fierce reputation since its initial release, and is cited by critics as one of the most topical motion pictures of the century. A sequel is being discussed. Representatives of Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok are holding their collective breath.

     

~ #5 – GET LOW (2009)

“`Get Low is the least-watched flick on my list, earning less than ten million in receipts.  Yet, critics who have sat through the movie found it to be visual poetry of the highest order. When released to cable platforms, PBS was the first to capitalize in presenting it to a viewing home audience.  High praise for truly forgotten cinema of recent history.  Like Harold and Maude, Get Low is destined to become a cult classic.

“`The eclectic cast includes Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, Bill Murray, and Lucas Black. But, it was summarily ignored by the Oscar faithful. Duvall found the assignment so compelling, he co-produced the venture.

“`Get Low  takes place in the back-woods of 1930s Tennessee and it has the feel of hallowed cinema such as O Brother Where Art Thou? and To Kill a Mockingbird. Duvall’s character reminds us of Boo Radley, had he grown into full maturity. A multi-genre production, the film is an atmospheric mystery, tragic love story, and subtle comedy. Promising Young Woman and Parasite are recent examples of cinematic entertainment benefitting from a multi-genre approach.

“`When discussing the best actors of the last half-century, including De Niro, Hanks, Pacino, Bridges, and Day Lewis, Duvall certainly belongs in this conversation. And does Spacek and Murray ever make a bad movie? Just asking for a friend…

Until next time>                               “never forget

This entry was posted on Friday, October 8th, 2021 at 10:21 pm and is filed under Blog by Manny Pacheco. You can follow any comments to this post through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


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