Brad Pitt: Being With Angelina Jolie is a Natural Direction

http://geeksofdoom.com/2008/12/29/movie-review-the-curious-case-of-benjamin-button/
4 out 4 stars. Entire article at link.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Directed by David Fincher
Starring Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Taraji P. Henson

Every movie made employs the use of some sort of gimmick. Some are smaller than others and they don’t always work but whether it is the cast, the special effects, or something else, every filmmaker uses some device that they hope will allow their movie to rise above their contemporaries. In The Curious Case of Benjamin Button the gimmick is the story.

At first glance, this film seems like a fairly odd film choice for director David Fincher. The styles of his previous films were consistently dark and stylish, in story and design. So why would a director who made his name with films like Fight Club, Se7en, and Zodiac opt for a character-driven fairy tale? For starters, he is one of probably a handful of directors with the ability to handle the special effects needed to properly translate the required images to the screen while being able to balance them against the story. If the main device of the movie is the setup, then right behind it would be how the effects were handled. Technologically, the film is a masterpiece. .

The greatest compliment I can give the film is never once are you taken out of the story because of the effects.

Sprawling epic stories like this have the tendency to drag on in spots, but even at almost 3 hours, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button moves at the pace of a film half as light. Screenwriter Eric Roth took some liberties adapting the F. Scott Fitzgerald’s original short story, but wisely chose to steer clear planting Benjamin in the moments of historical circumstance that he did with Forrest Gump (which he also wrote). Doing so would have diminished the significance of the struggles Benjamin faced throughout the film undoing what it had spent so much time trying to accomplish. In other words, it would have been a disaster. Instead, historical moments were sparingly used as to merely anchor the story and depict the passing of time.

One could surmise that the gimmick of Benjamin’s aging is what drives the movie, rendering it less effective. It is true that therein lies the framework of the story, but the movie rises above cliché not because of the gimmick but because of the choices he is forced to make because and in spite of his condition. We should all be so wise.

And there’s the rub.

It is quite evident to me that the people who find fault in BP’s movies and more so with his cholce in his love life are acting on a predjudice in favor of JA .They would prefer him to stay in a loveless marriage , do nothing significant with his life , and turn his back on important things he regards, ie. family , humanitarianism, personal development just to be stuck with JA? BP’s movie garnered him a nomination for best actor , what did JA film get her ? Will she get more offers as a result of this weekend? I doubt it because she is a mediocre actress and can only do rom-com .BP’s movie will last for many years . How long will hers last for her supporters ? Angelina is the most sought after actress in Hollywood . She to has received a nomination for best actress . When did JA ever get this kind of recognition ? Never . And BTW Meredith Viera on GMA should be reprimanded for her comparison of JA and BP wekend BO results . I read that she referenced it as JA’s payback . So she too is going to provide predjucial fodder for the JA loons . BP’s movie is nothing short of beautiful .I will see it at least one more time and will definetly buy the DVD when it comes out . It will be a classic .

Meredith V is on the Today (NBC)

The whole X campaign before the movie was deliberate and manipulative (but then again what campaign is not manipulative). The thing that bothers me the most is once again playing the “victim card.” Nothing else stands on its merits. The interviews before hand was about the nude pics, getting over the pain of a 4 year old divorce, empowering with nudes (irony much?), the uncool, naming kids, new love, etc…. again the victim-hood card. No where did you hear anything about the movie itself. It was all about the perceived/ projected image . This was a campaign. In the end, it is nothing more then hollow victory because you have nothing else but that.

For me, I think the American media and some of the people are a little too slow. When it was time to vote out Bush after the first term, they voted him back in. It took an economic recession to make them break protocol and vote the first African American in.
Likewise I have sat back to watch the divorce saga and how it’s been played out in the media. Interesting how they try to build up any man Jen is with to compete with Brad. First, Vince. Vince suddenly made all the best movies, best everything lists when he dated Jen to throw out the fictitious competition for Brad. After VV and JA’s relationship failed, he suddenly dropped out of everything. Now we have to deal with John Mayer, they have to have his meaningless blog rants published everyday, he now suddenly have a T.V. show.
Americans forget that when they write anything nasty about Jen, she insults them and us the ‘F” word. Brad and Angie are the ones helping in the rebuilding of New Orleans and helping poor children around the world but they want to put them down and even ignore and disrespect the feelings of their six children over the divorce of a grown woman who has been in several relationships after the divorce.
I am siting on the sideline and watching how long it will take the media to wake up and smell the coffee. I hope it won’t take as long as Bush had to drive the economy to the ground before people woke up and moved forward from a personal divorce and stopped engaging in irrelevant vendetta trips. Good luck with that.

#1151 {oh!!} @ 12/29/2008 at 12:21 pm ….Have the balls to post your crap with your REAL screen name.I for one am sick of you mentally unstable,name changing cowards hiding behind several screen names posting your crap.Grow up!

And requrding the dog movie being payback,whatever.Award season is about to start no one is going give a sh*t about the “dog movie.”CCOBB is getting really good reviews and has a shot at winning some awards.Not to mention the fact it is over preforming at the box-office.(remember the question if this movie would find a audience)Why are certain people complaining?Life is GOOD!!!!!

Thank you BDJ for being the sunshine on this thread.

Hope everybody are having wonderul holidays!!
I can´t believe i have to wait until january 29 to see TCCOBB!!. I hate that some movies are open in my country so late…
Thanks bdj for all the articles.

http://justpressplay.net/movies/movie-news/4555-top-10-movies-of-2008.html?task=view
Top Ten

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

David Fincher has a knack for creating films with a powerful aesthetic. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button lives up to his tradition by offering a surreal life lived backwards using some of the best makeup effects to be found in the cinema all year. Based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald (The Great Gatsby), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button stars Brad Pitt as the titular character who ages backwards from birth as an old man to death as an infant. While the style of the film has the look and feel that screams “Award Material,” it’s the acting of Pitt and Blanchett that make Benjamin noteworthy. - Lex

Good morning to all BAMPZSKV fans. Neleh, I am glad you had a wonderful Christmas. As always think you for the kind thoughts. Hello to guli, passing Through, Piper with a low, irma, embo,LLM, senior, bdj, Peaches and all other fans. Jared’s site is too slow to scroll back up to check who’s here.

I thought about BB all night. As someone said it gets under your skin and stays. I’ve asked myself this question. Is it better to live life as we do being born young and dying old? Or as BB did? Of course I like it this way.

But even though BB knew where he was going, if he lived, he never complained. Even though his fate was unusual and how he would be totally dependent on the kindness of strangers, even more so than an elderly person he was accepting of it. And he never expressed anger, or bitterness. Even when Queenie did when his father contacted him.

To me the last time he saw Daisy was one of the more poignant moments in the movie. IMHO. Of course his introduction into life with Queenie was the first. There is a bitter sadness in that scene. And yet he accepts his fate.

Another time, IMHO, is when Daisy tell him about her condition. She say that she can’t handle him and the other child. Yet Queenie was able to take care of him and all of the elderly in that house. To me this just highlights Daisy’s annoyance. But BB understands and accepts her stated weakness. She said I am not that strong. Remember?

I think his acceptence is the over riding theme of the story for me. His love affair, or love for Daisy is supposedly the main thrust of the story. But for me it is how this man handles his life knowing what is coming and how he will be affected by it.

I love the way the African American are portrayed in the movie. Those old southern black people were always full of hope and love. They took in everyone regardless of color or condition. They were accepting also, but in a different way.

How many people would have thrown themselves giant pity parties. Some have been know to do so for far fewer reasons. Heheheheheh

Brad should definitely get an Oscar nomination. So should Taraji Henson. Cate, IMHO, not so much. I didn’t find her role that awe inspiring. Queenie brought the warmth to the film. She loved BB and her love oozed out to everyone in that house. She was warm and practical. Common sense with heart.

Passing Through here is another math question. But maybe you have all ready answered it. The dog movie only won by what $12,mil? And yet it played in seven hundred more theaters. And these are families going to see this film. That means at least three or more people. So this is no beat down.

I believe Brad and Angie will win something this year. Both have given very brave performances this year. I will see BB again. I still need to know what they said about the humming bird. And there are a few other things I need to know.

They are right it gets under your skin and stays there. Don’t worry about the numbers? BB didn’t Peace

but some of us have not seen the movie yet and I started to read your post before I realize it was full of spoilers.

aeon @ 12/29/2008 at 12:31 pm
The whole X campaign before the movie was deliberate and manipulative (but then again what campaign is not manipulative). The thing that bothers me the most is once again playing the �victim card.� Nothing else stands on its merits. The interviews before hand was about the nude pics, getting over the pain of a 4 year old divorce, empowering with nudes (irony much?), the uncool, naming kids, new love, etc�. again the victim-hood card. No where did you hear anything about the movie itself. It was all about the perceived/ projected image . This was a campaign. In the end, it is nothing more then hollow victory because you have nothing else but that.
——————
Totally agree with you on these points.

It irritates the h3ll out of me when I see that People and other so called reputable media are sporting headlines like “Jen Beats Brad” or some such idiotic nonsense.

M&M is about a dog and there should really be no comparison between these two movies if not for the old wh*re and her campaign of coattail riding.

As someone else mentioned, M&M should really have been compared to Bedtime Stories, as they are almost of the same genre, targeting the same type of audience. BUT, we won’t see this as it makes for a more salacious read of ‘Brad vs Jen.” UGGGGHHHH.

Greetings fans.. Hope everyone is having a peaceful holiday season.. Shout out to all fans (everone listed on Neleh’s posts)..

Dont worry abt M&M and its BO totals, if you do the per screen average, it is below BB.. and even if it was higher it doesnt matter, it doesnt have legs to go on for a few months… I saw BB once and plan to see it with a group of gal pals next weekend. M&M will be long gone from the theaters by then..

And Meredith Viera is an idiot, the JPs should stop interviewing with NBC.. Between NBC and MSNBC and the NYT, the media has gone to the dogs.

I love Greg Gutfeld’s commentary on whether or not the ho is sexy. One of the posters here mentioned his appearance on Fox and Friends a couple of weeks ago. This is the video.

http://activitypit.ning.com/video/gutfeld-on-ffs-after-show-show