Goddamn it was a shitty year for comedy/musicals

The Movie: Miss Potter, directed by Chris Noonan
Recommendation: Free preview tickets. That's right, no one's taking the blame on this one.
Reason: Free preview tickets.

I don't like awards shows. I have a fundamental disagreement with the Academy of Motion Pictures, the Golden Globes, the Emmies, the Grammys, the People's Choice Awards...year after year, I find less and less about their selections that jives with my own. This year in particular I'm finding myself astounded by the dissonance between what I've been watching and what's up for trophies. Miss Potter is a perfect example. I went in expecting a story about a writer, perhaps some intriguing performances from some decent actors, and what I got was a meandering biography with milquetoast acting and a crippled sense of purpose.

Of the persons on the screen, it was Ewan MacGregor who I felt put on the most inspired performance. His subtle touches of expression and tone were excellent, perfect little accents to the scenes he was in. The loss of the character midway through the movie really hurt it, as Renee Zellweger completely failed to be engaging or interesting in any way. Imagine my surprise to find her nominated for a Golden Globe for this very performance. I have generally enjoyed her work in the past, and I was surprised by how boring and repellent I found her performance. Whatever her grasp of character and era, she seemed to be playing her usual 'sassy rebel'. I felt she underperformed here, whether it was her fault or that of the scriptwriters.

The cinematography of the movie itself was quite nice. No really daring or spectacular shots, but wise decisions were made when shooting the countryside of the Isle of Man. The broad, sweeping views were wondrous, bringing forth the real beauty of the place and really demonstrating its role in Potter's work. I wish the rest of the movie had enough of a sense of purpose or point to justify such a wonderful location. If someone wants to have a run at J.K. Rowling or Stephen King (with some gorgeous Maine scenery, I hope): the Movie, I'm there, but Miss Potter was certainly not my cup of tea.

-14/365 down, 361/365 to go