In Contention

Tag: Serpico

  • 10/27 Oscarweb Round-up

    Robert Downey Jr. in Iron Man• Nathaniel Rogers kick-starts an Oscar revamp, starting with the fellas. [The Film Experience]

    • Jeffrey Wells is nervous about Josh Brolin’s Oscar hopes in “W.” [Hollywood Elsewhere]

    • I stopped when he didn’t clue into why it’s called what it’s called.  Welcome to the Rex Reed Members Only lounge. [Peter Bart]

    • Lou Lumenick gives good ink to the Oscar hopes of Angelina Jolie and Kristin Scott Thomas. [Lumenick on Film]

    • “The French Connection” and “Serpico” top a readers’ poll of the best cop films. [New York Daily News]

    • Peter Debruge looks at the year’s issue-focused Oscar hopefuls through the lens of precendence. [Variety]

    • Adam Dawtrey, meanwhile, zeroes in on the obvious: this year’s Oscar product seems to have skipped the festival route. [Variety]

    • And Justin Chang stands up for the performances of fanboy cinema. [Variety]

  • Where have you gone, Al Pacino?

    It has been more than 30 years since Al Pacino gave his career-defining performance as cold blooded Michael Corleone in “The Godfather Part II.” He radiated quiet danger the moment he appeared on screen without ever raising his voice or allowing his mouth to wrap its way around words and spit them out like venom.

    While a one-two punch of “88 Minutes” and “Righteous Kill” slithers its way to theaters this year, audiences are reminded once again that one of the cinema’s all-time legends has immersed himself once again in either sub-par material or, as has become his cliche, the tendency to overreach and overact on his way to becoming a walking spoof of himself.

    There was a time when Pacino was thought of as one of the greatest American actors in movies…period. His work in the 1970s was nothing short of sublime, with strong performances in “The Godfather,” “Serpico,” “Scarecrow,” the aforementioned sequel to Coppola’s study of La Cosa Nostra and “Dog Day Afternoon.” In the latter he gave his most electrifying and properly energized portrayal.

    Along with many of the fresh-faced actors of the day, Pacino owned the decade. Sure he faltered with “Bobby Deerfield,” which meant he was not the type for romantic films…right? Or was this his limitations beginning to become apparent?

    (more…)