Girl with a Pearl Earring

[ono]

http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0335119/

This is a very interesting film I saw at a sneak preview tonight (brought to us by Tampax Pearl, I kid you not).  It'll be released December 12th in LA and NY, and December 26 in Chicago and San Francisco, according to IMDb.  It deserves a wider distribution than that though I know interest in it will be limited to art house people and literature buffs.

The film stars Colin Firth (Bridget Jones's Diary, Love Actually), Scarlett Johansson (Ghost World, Lost in Translation), and Tom Wilkinson (In the Bedroom).  This is a really slow, artful film based on a novel by Tracy Chevalier about an artist who bases this famous portrait on a maid who works in his house.  The cinematography is beautiful, the pace is leisurely, the art direction apt, and the performances all good, because they say so much with so little.  There is very little dialogue or action, and the two leads barely ever touch, yet their scenes sizzle sexually (don't you love alliteration?).  There are even a few comical moments, though they too are subtle and easy to miss.  So yeah, if you like this type of film, go.  I recommend it especially for those who love Scarlett (like me).  She just gets more and more beautiful with every role, and she is such a damn fine actress.  She's one of my new favorites, next to Julianne Moore.  ***½ (8/10)

Woo.  800th post.  And the peasants ... rejoiced.

[MacGuffin]

Trailer

[Ghostboy]

I saw this this evening. I agree completely with ONMTP's post above. I really loved how slowly paced it was, and how so very little actually happened and so little was said throughout, and yet the amount of character development is substantial.

There is some really odd/interesting stylistic choices here and there that intrigued me...a decisive lack of coverage that leaves certain things in frame longer than you would expect, or puts important lines of dialogue off camera.

Scarlett has an amazing skull.

[Jeremy Blackman]

The original:

[Alethia]

scarleet johansson is the most beautiful actress in hollywood

[Gloria]

I really want to see this movie.  I love Colin Firth and Scarlet keeps impressing me with her choice in films and the maturity she has in handling challenging roles.  The trailer looks interesting and makes me want to see it even more. I really hope that this movie gets wide distribution so I can see it.

[Chest Rockwell]

This is what I wrote before I was so cruelly redirected by Modernage.

Well, I didn't find any topics solely about this in my little search, so I'm posting here.

I just saw this last night, and it was amazing! Particularly of note is the acting and cinematography. Scarlett probably doesn't say more than 100 words, but she's able to fully carry her emotions through expression, etc. And Colin also does pretty good as Vermeer, though I think his scenes are overshadowed by Tom Wilkinson's sleazy patron (forgot his name). And the cinematography is just beautiful, toned very nicely and composed with the delicasy of an actual painting. Set up very nicely, indeed. The only thing that bugged me were all the scenes with that guy from 28 Days Later. Something about him just ruined those scenes for me, and I found much more interest in the 'Girl's' interactions with Vermeer, patron-guy, and the other women of the household. Overall I though it was good, and a nice first movie for Peter Webber.

Just as a little side-note, I agree with the pacing. I didn't mention in the above post, but I think it works well with the material. I have now seen 4 or 5 of Scarlett's movies and can safely say that she is one of the best actors working today, definitely the best young actor.

[Gold Trumpet]

Again, fine production in a movie. From the costume designing to the production design to the cinematography, it all creates an environment that seems at once historically accurate and artistically attacthed to the artificial beauty in the paintings. Scarlett Johansson is a lot better in this film than her previous ones, her beauty and mystique allowed to shine more. The best thing about the story is its pacing and allowing the environment to take over a lot of times, but it is still a general story of ordinary themes to explain an ambiguous work.

[MacGuffin]

Making its DVD debut on May 4th is the acclaimed drama The Girl with the Pearl Earring, starring Lost in Translation's Scarlet Johansson. Presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen and Dolby 5.1 surround, extras include an audio commentary by director Peter Webber and the "Anatomy of a Scene" TV special, plus trailers. Retail will be $26.95.

[Chest Rockwell]

Making its DVD debut on May 4th is the acclaimed drama The Girl with the Pearl Earring, starring Lost in Translation's Scarlet Johansson. Presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen and Dolby 5.1 surround, extras include an audio commentary by director Peter Webber and the "Anatomy of a Scene" TV special, plus trailers. Retail will be $26.95.

I can't wait!

[Seraphim]

I want to see this movie.

I'm sorry, but I like paintings to much, so here they are:

Johannes Vermeer
Vermeer's Paintings Sorted by Popularity

Of course, the Milkmaid should be seen by anyone.

The way the milk is painted....never realized again.