Movie #401 - Legends of the Fall

Legends of the Fall

1994 - Rated R - 2 hr 13 min
Director: Edward Zwick
Starring: Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, Aidan Quinn, Julia Ormond, Henry Thomas, Karina Lombard, Gordon Tootoosis, Paul Desmond, Tantoo Cardinal

Lovers of Greek tragedy listen up: this is one to watch for you.  Lovers of happy endings beware: this will make you cry. A lot.

Really, Pitt's character just deals with one heartbreak after one bear fight after another heartbreak (after another bear fight). Could any more bad stuff really happen to this guy? He's like a Hollywood-ized Job, taking God's punches in the face, jaw set, eyes blazing. And surrounded by a fantastic cast, he still manages to give a stand-out performance.

This has always been one of my favorite roles of his.  It requires such deep grief and hardened emotion to carry it off and young Pitt does it well.  For me, this movie is what made him an actor not just a hot guy with a cute butt.  Although the latter is still very, very true.

Movie #379 - First Knight

First Knight
1995 - Rated PG-13 - 2 hr 14 min
Director: Jerry Zucker
Starring: Sean Connery, Richard Gere, Julia Ormond, Ben Cross, Liam Cunningham

Another post deleted by Blogger.  Here we go again...

Yay for gritty retellings of the King Arthur legend, with much less fantastical fairytale and a lot more of the actual climate of the time period. I especially like the shattered illusion that Arthur and Gueniviere were this perfect, handsome couple. He's older than her, their marriage is negotiated like a contract, she's in love with someone else.  It's very accurate for the time and it gives a realness to the story that I think most other tellings miss out on. 

Of course, my favorite scene is the "discovery" and Sean Connery's brilliant performance.  The heartache captured in his expression has always rung true to me and has stuck with me throughout the years since my first viewing. It's powerful and beautiful.... and now I'm gushing again.

Anyway, I love this one for its anti-romance romance :)