At last year’s Cannes My Blueberry Nights, the first English film from 2046’s Kar Wai Wong, drew a memorably tepid critical response, with songstress Norah Jones’s performance taking lots of the heat and sleet. Based on what I’ve heard from friends who have seen it, it has the potential to become the new Across the Universe, dazzling females with its kinetic, trippy color palette and a “go with it” romantic sensibility that inspires repeat viewings and cherished teary exits. I don’t mean to come off sexist, obviously many a male is fond of Wong’s work, but I like to see girls all secret-chatty when some sweet and sour cinema strikes a chord beyond logic. The trailer sort of runs over with semi-cliche longing and gloom, but seen through the film’s magic sunglasses I find myself still anticipating it, finally, almost a year later. And that Natalie Portman…I mean, what an accent.
My Blueberry Nights will be released in North America on February 22nd.
January 23rd, 2008 at 9:33 pm
I saw this movie a good two months ago, it was decent. Norah Jones can’t act at all though. David Strathairn’s story was by far the best.
January 23rd, 2008 at 9:39 pm
So, I’ve been reading /film more or less every day for quite a while now, and I’ve always noticed that there’s a bit of a boys’ club feel around here. Lots of times there will be just little seemingly harmless statements that men, when they talk amongst themselves, don’t really think about. A few weeks ago, I was almost moved to comment about it, but then the statement in question was *mysteriously* removed from the entry. (So I’m obviously not the only one who has noticed this.) This is just a gentle reminder that not all women are teary-eyed, romantically obsessed, blubbering idiots. So next time a poster feels the need to pull a “Man, your girlfriend will probably want to drag you to (insert lame romantic comedy here)….” remember that you, as a man, don’t want to be thought of as someone who will only watch lame action movies with gadgets and explosions. Or if this is all you watch, then think about how insipid that is and try that on for size. Sorry to sound bitter, but it is really getting old. I really enjoy coming here, and stupid comments like that just ruin what is supposed to be intelligent film discussion.
January 23rd, 2008 at 9:56 pm
@YYHFR
The fact is that women made Across the Universe an unlikely hit, just like women made Titanic a hit, the biggest hit of all time. And if Blueberry Nights becomes a sleeper, it will be thanks to female audiences. Lost in Translation was the same type of deal. There’s no shame in that at all. Again, I think it’s cool. Guys will make Rambo a hit next Saturday, it’s just how it is. No stereotypes needed.
If anything, I am trying to avoid posts that come off as “boy’s club” even though I’m a guy and I’m not going to lie. For instance, most film sites post a bikini shot of Jessica Alba and then make a requisite sexual remark about her whenever she’s in the “news.” /Film didn’t do that before I got here, and I’m not starting it now.
My girlfriend won’t have to drag me to My Blueberry Nights, but if she did, I’d be cool with it. My point was that films don’t try to appeal to women enough. If it’s a boy’s club, it’s not by choice.
January 24th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
The trailer gives the movie a rather ho-hum feel.
I’m undecided if I’ll see it in the theaters, perhaps
if I’m in a sappy mood and need something other
than popping in my copy of Terms of Endearment,
Steel Magnolias or Fried Green Tomatoes in.
I think I will most likely wait to see it on DVD or when
it makes its way to cable.
January 24th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
I’m not saying that it’s not true that females will make this a hit. Saying that is fine. Statements like such-and-such is “dazzling females with its kinetic, trippy color palette and a “go with it†romantic sensibility that inspires repeat viewings and cherished teary exits” and following it up with “I don’t mean to come off sexist” is insulting. The disclaimer only means you knew beforehand that it would come off as sexist, and adding it only makes it patronizing. This is all me totally going on the defensive now, so I completely respect your right to defend yourself. I just get miffed because I work in the film industry, so I experience the boys’ club every day. And since this wasn’t the first time I’d noticed, I thought I would speak up.
January 24th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
@YYHFR
To each her/his own, but I think the above post is completely harmless, inoffensive and was the antithesis of sexist. The word “sexist” as used above should not ring anyone’s PC alarms, and it definitely was not meant to be patronizing. A guy has the right to say that he finds it kinda cool when girls (not all, but enough to do media studies and inspire articles) dig a certain movie more than men and thus surprise the “boy’s club” of Hollywood by making it a w-of-m success. Girls have different needs and tastes, or so Jane Mag used to inform. Thanks for commenting though.
January 24th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
I love how they use Cat Power in the trailer.
January 24th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
@Dylan
Chan Marshall/Cat Power cameos in the film if ya didn’t know.
January 29th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
I wasn’t going to comment further, but one last thing. You’re still not understanding that I have no problem with the content of your post. When coming from an intelligent person, content is rarely what makes something offensive–it’s the delivery. And again, it happened. It’s really belittling to me to say that “PC alarms” ringing is what’s going on at my end. When a woman brings up sexism (or any person brings up a prejudice that applies to a group to which they belong), it’s never a matter of PC alarms. It’s a matter of a human being, in this case a person who was an avid reader and fan, being personally offended.