Anna Karenina (2012)

[Submerge]

I tend to agree with Erik. I wanted to love this, but it was also a mixed bag for me. I certainly respect Wright's ambition, but with such tight control over the proceedings, the emotional depth was almost squeezed out. Nonexistent. The characters, the audience, everything, are held at arm's length, so to speak, in favor of Wright's vision. And that''s not necessarily a bad thing. I just wasn't invested at all in what was happening on screen. For me, this is a case in which there is a lot to appreciate on the surface level, but little to grasp onto once you dig a little deeper. It also didn't help that there was very little chemistry between the leads. Or that Aaron Johnson seemed like a teenage boy that just grew his first mustache.

This review sounds more negative than it should, but I ultimately found this to be a major disappointment, despite there being quite a lot to admire. With such a bold vision, I hesitate to criticize Wright too harshly, but this just didn't work for me overall.

[Lawrence of Africa]

This was such a mixed bag for me. So many highs and lows. I adored the the concept of the very theatrical presentation and so wished they had really kept it there. Every time they actually left that theater and went to an actual outside location it felt like cheating. I felt like it needed to commit to one or the other to be successful and since it didn't, it wasn't. As expected, the costuming was impossibly gorgeous. The score, both gentle and wonderfully huge and dramatic. I was impressed and pleased with most of the performances (probably Aaron Taylor-Johnson the least), with Law, MacFaydon and Vikander being the standouts. As far as Knightley goes, there was nothing here that I felt I haven't seen from her before. It was completely plug and play, so disappointing there.

Erikdean hated Anna Karenina? OMG!!! I AM ENORMOUSLY SHOCKED!!! I DID NOT SEE THIS COMING. WOW!!!! I'M LOST FOR WORDS. THIS IS JUST SO EXPECTED RIGHT NOW. WOW!!! JUST WOW!!!

[Lawrence of Africa]

I tend to agree with Erik. I wanted to love this, but it was also a mixed bag for me. I certainly respect Wright's ambition, but with such tight control over the proceedings, the emotional depth was almost squeezed out. Nonexistent. The characters, the audience, everything, are held at arm's length, so to speak, in favor of Wright's vision. And that''s not necessarily a bad thing. I just wasn't invested at all in what was happening on screen. For me, this is a case in which there is a lot to appreciate on the surface level, but little to grasp onto once you dig a little deeper. It also didn't help that there was very little chemistry between the leads. Or that Aaron Johnson seemed like a teenage boy that just grew his first mustache.

This review sounds more negative than it should, but I ultimately found this to be a major disappointment, despite there being quite a lot to admire. With such a bold vision, I hesitate to criticize Wright too harshly, but this just didn't work for me overall.

There's nothing more hilarious like recycled commentary. Get new material boo.

[Submerge]

I really don't think you, of all people, want to get into a conversation about "recycled commentary."

And I didn't even dislike the film (in fact, I appreciated much), so there's no need for your kneejerk response.

[Mike Aiello]

Erikdean hated Anna Karenina? OMG!!! I AM ENORMOUSLY SHOCKED!!! I DID NOT SEE THIS COMING. WOW!!!! I'M LOST FOR WORDS. THIS IS JUST SO EXPECTED RIGHT NOW. WOW!!! JUST WOW!!!

He didn't say he hated it. He said it was a "mixed bag". In fact he said a lot of good things about the film, just not about your beloved Keira.

[erikdean]

Erikdean hated Anna Karenina? OMG!!! I AM ENORMOUSLY SHOCKED!!! I DID NOT SEE THIS COMING. WOW!!!! I'M LOST FOR WORDS. THIS IS JUST SO EXPECTED RIGHT NOW. WOW!!! JUST WOW!!!

I didn't hate, you fucking recycling bin. I said it was a mixed bag; there were things I loved and things I didn't like. How about reading what I said and taking it for what it is and not something that simply fits into your narrative of crazy.

Oh, and you say you're at a loss for words but I don't think you understand what that means.

[guany]

Ban plz?

[Lawrence of Africa]

I didn't hate, you fucking recycling bin. I said it was a mixed bag; there were things I loved and things I didn't like. How about reading what I said and taking it for what it is and not something that simply fits into your narrative of crazy.

Oh, and you say you're at a loss for words but I don't think you understand what that means.

Dish it but can't take it bitch? LOL!! Don't try to pretend your review was unbiased. Your activities on AK threads prove otherwise. Good-fucking-bye.

[erikdean]

Dish it but can't take it bitch? LOL!! Don't try to pretend your review was unbiased. Your activities on AK threads prove otherwise. Good-fucking-bye.

You're beyond, really.

[Aurelius]

Ban plz?

I'm on the verge, I really am. I'm yelling myself not to let my emotions get the better of me, but I'm almost completely done with this clown.

[erikdean]

LoA, the train has pulled up to your stop:



And it's time for you to step off. Try not to let the train hit your head on the way out.

[DirkDiggler]

Dish it but can't take it bitch? LOL!! Don't try to pretend your review was unbiased. Your activities on AK threads prove otherwise. Good-fucking-bye.

I really don't want to see you banned. Please take it down like 60 notches. Please.

[veritas]

Yeah, Lawrence, you know I'm obsessed with your (typically) hysterical boughts of Keira-related passion, but none of this is necessary.

[City Lights]

LoA, the train has pulled up to your stop:



And it's time for you to step off. Try not to let the train hit your head on the way out.

CREMATED.

I hope the ashes are spread in various parts of the world so LOA cannot reincarnate.

[guany]

The mods need to snatch Lawrence's wig, cremate it, and spread the ashes over the Atlantic.

[kissfromarose]

To continue with the actual topic...

This didn't work for me either. I dunno, I just think Anna Karenina is not a particularly cinematic story. I applaud Wright for trying to infuse some energy with visual candy but its core still feels empty to me. I thought Keira looked SPECTACULAR in this. She has the face of a true movie star, I genuinely wish she could find the perfect vehicle to really hit it out of the park but this was not it. I do believe she might get nominated due to the barren state of the Best Actress category this year though.

[Rage Colored Glasses]

Gotta jump in on the negative side on this one unfortunately. I did not buy the chemistry between Keira and ATJ at all, and Keira was nothing special herself. As a result of this, much of the drama surrounding their relationship felt completely overbearing and I just could not enjoy any of it. And as the others have said, the attempt to make everything a stage was effective at times, but at other times it was distracting, and they didn't use it consistetiontly and it felt like they just abandoned it whenever they felt it was convenient.


However, the production design and the costumes were excellent to look at, and Jude Law was excellent. The rest of the supporting players were all good but felt as if they could have been better served with screen-time, except Taylor-Johnson who was ok but just didn't have that firework chemistry with Knightley required to pull that role off, and the whole movie suffered for that.

[erikdean]

Gotta jump in on the negative side on this one unfortunately. I did not buy the chemistry between Keira and ATJ at all, and Keira was nothing special herself. As a result of this, much of the drama surrounding their relationship felt completely overbearing and I just could not enjoy any of it. And as the others have said, the attempt to make everything a stage was effective at times, but at other times it was distracting, and they didn't use it consistetiontly and it felt like they just abandoned it whenever they felt it was convenient.


However, the production design and the costumes were excellent to look at, and Jude Law was excellent. The rest of the supporting players were all good but felt as if they could have been better served with screen-time, except Taylor-Johnson who was ok but just didn't have that firework chemistry with Knightley required to pull that role off, and the whole movie suffered for that.

Pretty much. Like, that train couldn't come soon enough.

[Rage Colored Glasses]

I really think that in order to get a second nomination (let alone a win) Knightley is going to have to move away from romantic costume dramas. Movies like Last Night and Never Let Me Go were steps in the right direction in that regard even if they went nowhere awards-wise. It's fine that she's found a genre she likes, but I think this awards season is going to show that it's diminishing returns for her.

[erikdean]

I really think that in order to get a second nomination (let alone a win) Knightley is going to have to move away from romantic costume dramas. Movies like Last Night and Never Let Me Go were steps in the right direction in that regard even if they went nowhere awards-wise. It's fine that she's found a genre she likes, but I think this awards season is going to show that it's diminishing returns for her.

I definitely agree. She's pigeonholed now and must break from that.