Unsocial Network

I recently watched Sidney Lumet's Network for the first time. While I liked Lumet's boldly satirical film - that final line is surely one of the finest closing moments in a film ever, right? - is excellent when dealing with the ins and outs of the television news business, I couldn't help but be disappointed by the romantic subplot involving Faye Dunaway and William Holden.


Faye is not amused.
I know, I know... but surely I am not the only one who found it all a bit silly and trite? I liked how it weaved around the idea of the romance being so cliche - in fact, there was so freaky similarity between Network's "I'm turning into one of your scripts" outbursts and Scream 4! - but it never really caught on until Holden's big final scene. "You're television incarnate, Diana."

It's a shame then because the rest of the film is so fantastic. Paddy Chayefsky's screenplay is a marvel of verbal gymnastics, with witty barbs thrown about as casually as breath. The performances are of equal worth, too, especially Dunaway who just lashes her tongue and rips your face off with her vocal delivery. Network won for Oscars and is one of only two films to win three acting trophies. As one of the winners, Beatrice Straight's five minute performance as William Holden's put upon wife can't help but be judged harshly. There's nothing there that's particularly revelatory about what is essentially a two scene cameo and, frustratingly, her character is a whole mountain of silly. But, you know, she yells a lot in her big scene and I guess that's all you need. Beatrice Straight is certainly no Viola Davis in the pantheon of great cameo actresses, that's for sure. Ned Beatty's equally small part, however, is one I can entirely get behind.

Having now seen it, I can see the reasons why people were comparing this year's Oscar race to that of 1977. The talky, modern day, socially relevant movie with a screenplay for the all time list wins several major categories, but is ultimately trumped by a feel good movie. That Rocky and The King's Speech were both incredibly well-received by critics and audiences alike means nothing to the tsk tsk-ing important people who begrudge their wins. No doubt that Network and The Social Network were amongst the best films of their year, but for all the talk of the "real classic" being unrewarded, I can think of several films from both 1976 and 2010 that deserved the Academy's statue even more. B+

Not-So-Supergirl

I have a confession to make: I have never seen any of the original Superman films! The very first "Superman" property I ever saw was, naturally, the Lois and Clark TV series from the 1990s. Other than that I had only seen the 2006 movie that was a load of old tosh. I'm not sure if Jeannot Szwarc's notorious 1984 flop Supergirl is an official entry in the Superman series, but I watched it today and it was... not good.

Can I just say how strange that poster up there is? I mean, she never even visits New York City! It makes no sense! GAH!

Truly, Supergirl is an awful, awful movie. As I tweeted throughout, I seriously hadn't much of any idea as to what these frighteningly odd characters were up to with their smoke monsters and witchcraft and overlords and spells and lord knows what else the makers threw into this monstrous affair. Of course, much of my frustration with the "Superman" character (and, obviously, "Supergirl" in this movie) is that I cannot suspect my belief enough to really believe nobody can tell the difference between the real and super version of the character. Truly. I can suspect my belief long enough to believe in characters like Wolverine or the horrors of The Evil Dead, but make me believe nobody can tell the difference between these characters because of a curl of hair or change of hair colour? Impossible. And it just infuriates me to no end.

If the film has any saving grace - and I'd be lying if I didn't think it had some - then it is definitely Faye Dunaway and Brenda Vaccaro as the main villain and her somewhat lesbian witchery partner. Dunaway is just... well, she's outta this world, which is appropriate. She's loony. Vaccaro as the intended comic relief (Dunaway does enough of that so she really wasn't necessary) was clearly just showing up to set each day as a laugh and it shows. Just look at the two of 'em!






Of course, the other good thing about Superman was being able to watch Hart Bochner. He's as dumb as a post and his face is kinda reminiscent of John Travolta from "back in the day", but he has an endearing charm about him. That is when he isn't just showing off his body. And since I did a google and found next to no evidence of this, I though I would rectify that. Tada!






Other than that it's really a piss poor movie. Two hours (!!!) of dull, visually bland "Superman for girls", which really isn't much fun even if Dunaway and Vaccaro are trying their hardest. This came several years after Dunaway (wrongfully) became the brunt of jokes for her Mommie Dearest performance so she was probably just taking any part that was offered to her. And, just because it kinda proves how inept some of Supergirl truly is...


Oh dear (she's meant to be flying). D+