tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14812333.post7148086375733121579..comments2023-11-05T02:01:53.847-06:00Comments on Antagony & Ecstasy: BLOCKBUSTER HISTORY: THE DRUG TRADETimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09491952893581644049noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14812333.post-7911425923756884182012-07-11T12:20:12.988-05:002012-07-11T12:20:12.988-05:00Andrew- I also, actually, prefer Erin Brockovich n...Andrew- I also, actually, prefer <i>Erin Brockovich</i> nowadays, and truth be told, <i>Traffic</i> is definitely not in the top half of Soderbergh's career for me, but it's still a Soderbergh film and worthy of notice. Especially because of how he works with actors; the <i>Ocean's</i> films aren't possible without <i>Traffic</i>, I think, and that's certainly not a world I want to return to.<br /><br />And you're right, it's shockingly fun to watch for as brutal as the material is.<br /><br />Kevin- Generally, my favorite stuff in the movie is the Del Toro scenes; and that is my favorite moment in his performance. So you will get no arguments from me.<br /><br />(Except that I haven't seen <i>Syriana</i> since it was in theaters, and had best not try to discuss it now).Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09491952893581644049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14812333.post-25449245070654396292012-07-10T22:41:02.154-05:002012-07-10T22:41:02.154-05:00That ending alone makes the movie one of my favori...That ending alone makes the movie one of my favorite Soderbergh films. I just love that lasting shot of Benicio watching the Little League game under the lights he bargained for with that minimalist score in the background...and then the credits just roll. It's beautiful, subtle, and perfect. <br /><br />I much prefer Gaghan's more operatic and schizophrenic <i>Syriana</i>.Kevin J. Olsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17275402809912728035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14812333.post-19962384839991011862012-07-09T19:29:10.758-05:002012-07-09T19:29:10.758-05:00This is a fantastic write-up on Traffic and I'...This is a fantastic write-up on <i>Traffic</i> and I've been meaning to re-watch it but dragging my feet on it, and this might be the push I needed.<br /><br />Ultimately, I've come to appreciate the film <i>Erin Brockovich</i> more than the film <i>Traffic</i> even as I'm willing to hold the work as a director Soderbergh does in <i>Traffic</i> as a fine encapsulation of how talented he is (specifically the way he's so gifted with his actors. Even if I'm something of a CZJ apologist, what he manages to elicit from here is superlative, all things considered).<br /><br />Of course, the way the multi-strand "genre" has endured is something of an issue, but then I actually *like* <i>Babel</i>, but I'll stop right there before I lose all credibility.<br /><br />(As an aside: <i>Traffic</i> is such an easy movie to watch. Which sounds like something a backhanded compliment, but considering the volume of seriousness in the themes the first time I saw this at about 13 it lacked that sense of abstruseness I imagine another director could or might have brought to the situation.)\Andrew K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/01104647944747041277noreply@blogger.com