Saturday, October 14, 2006

Damn you, A.O. Scott

I really didn't want this movie to be any good. And I certainly didn't want you to like it. There are so many things wrong with turning Marie Antoinette into a teenage rockstar, especially in this day and age. And I can't figure out which is more incongruous: Jason Schwartzman as Louis XVI or Rip Torn as his father.

And although I liked Lost in Translation well enough, it seems like Sofia Coppola's films are always over-hyped, which can only lead to disappointment ("so this is this great film everyone was raving about?) or an intense scrutiny on the part of the viewer, to the detriment of his or her pleasure ("Is this really all that great? What makes this great and not just sort of interesting? Is it great because it's a little boring? Are we supposed to be listless like the characters?)

But . . .

But . . .

The pointy satin shoes, the Laduree macarons, the the the . . . petticoats.

I have to see this film. So Sophia Coppola's no Max Ophuls. We've established that. Is it possible she's actually done something right this time, and made a film that it is a pleasure to watch? I'll have to let you know.

A.O. Scott reviews Marie Antoinette

2 comments:

Diogenes Teufelsdröckh said...

All that's changed since The Virgin Suicides is Copolla's budgets. That was one of the most overhyped movies I've seen. Bigger budgets, but on the other hand she doesn't have Air to make a masterful original soundtrack. So it sounds like she's pulled a Tarantino and dipped into her record collection for songs you're supposed to feel uncool about finding out about at the movies. Feh.

Pamphilia said...

Oh, I thought it was just me, not knowing the songs.

But despite all this I can't resist a costumed chick flick now and then. I plan to see it with my girliest friends.