Saturday
Feb262011
2010: Thyme and Time
Saturday, February 26, 2011 at 11:30PM As we close out the film year, moments from the 20th minute and 10th second of the films of 2010. Here's Mike Leigh's Another Year.
Mary: Brought you a little present, some thyme. It's nothing much.
Gerry: Lovely.
This is the first of many times we see Mary (Lesley Manville) visiting Tom (Jim Broadbent) and Gerri (Ruth Sheen) at home. She always arrives frazzled and they're (almost) always welcoming. It's kind of great that the gift she brings is a homophone for something that she's so worried of running out of. They're all getting on in years.
Such a lovely film. It's up for the Screenplay Oscar. Did it ever make it to a theater near you?
Reader Comments (12)
No. I had to go to go on a bus to NYC that day to see Another Year, The Illusionist, and Blue Valentine. I gotta make a trip again next month to see Biutiful, Cedar Rapids, and Keira Knightley’s Last Night, and much more. It sucks to live in a ghost town.
I think it's just come out here recently, will have to go and see it methinks.
Thyme (what a nice 20:10 spotting), I wouldn't be surprised if that was intentional.
I've seen it once and I'm looking forward to watching it again. When I finally made ranked my favorites of 2010, Another Year placed at #3. It's hard to believe that Another Year didn't get more awards attention this season or why Manville wasn't pushed harder as a plausible supporting actress (and the other performances too). One of my favorite things about Another Year are the costumes. For example, I loved Mary's youthful clothing and gaudy jewelry augmented her character development. I wish more contemporary films were noticed for costuming. Oh, and the score! Okay, I have a soft spot for the prominent oboe -- or was it clarinet? I might be confusing it with Rabbit Hole's score...either way, I loved them both!
Thankfully had it for a one week shot and saw it the Friday it opened. Beautiful film and to me Mannville was the best SUPPORTING performance by an actress this year, even though I totally understand why people can see it as lead. I don't get it though , I felt like its release was a total blunder. Mike Leigh is not exactly a stranger to the cinephile crowd so I don't understand how it barely showed up even in bigger cities.
Someone who brings you some thyme when visiting is a keeper.
An excellent film. I adore Mike Leigh and Manville was great.
Another Year was lovely and Lesley Manville was increds.
For me, her performance eclipses all the nominated performances.
Furthermore, what is it with the Academy and Mike Leigh's Actors.
Snubbed Sally Hawkins when she was the best of the year.
I hoped they'd make up for it with Lesley Manville, furthermore Ruth Sheen, Jim Broadbent and Imelda Staunton are brills.
Oh well, maybe, another year.
peggy sue -- agreed. admittledly Mary has her problems but well... who doesn't?
keegan -- yeah, the actors branch definitely hasn't been going for it lately.
seeking -- TOTAL BLUNDER. I still don't understand what they were thinking. admittedly his films are never big hits. but they usually open in October and earn something approaching 4 million (and get more media attention). Another year won't crack $3 million in the states and opened in the total garbage bin of new years eve weekend when the studios should know that people are only going crazy for whatever the christmas behemoth is (in this year: true grit obviously)
oh well .... at least blue valentine survived that strategy this year.
I live in Orange County a bit south of Los Angeles, so I am now shamelessly spoiled by movie availability...everything plays here for at least two weeks. I saw "Another Year" early last month and was impressed more by the performances than the script. I also thought Ruth Sheen was better in her lead role than Lesley Manville was in her more scenery-chewing supporting role. A testament more to the depth of the acting fields this year than to any disrespect to Leigh's work that none of the key performers got traction this year. Though I suspect Manville would have made it if the Acting branch of the Academy hadn't drunk the Kool-Aid that the studio was serving and put Steinfeld's performance in the Lead category, where she belonged. I had such hope for the branch after they moved Castle-Hughes and Winslett to Lead in spite of campaign misdirection that they would do the right thing by Steinfeld. Too much to expect, I suppose.
BTW - I am sure Ryan Gosling will be pleased to learn that "Blue Valentine" was able to survive the late release strategy last year.
Just saw it last week. It really hit home because I am in the main characters age ranges. Manville and co. were extraordinary. One comment from Ruth said it all --- "we'll be history soon!" Mary was such a painfully sad character -- and Manville captured her loneliness, confusion, guilt, and desperation perfectly. Her failure to win a nod from oscar due to being in the wrong category is par for the course. I could see her winning supporting actress handily otherwise.
SHEILA -- comment du jour. That line was pretty extraordinary for its simplicity but also profound truth. God, I love Mike Leigh movies Even the ones I am less crazy about (this is not my favorite by any means but it's still so worth watching... twice.
Carl -- isn't availability great?
I loved Another Year and am glad it at least got a screenplay nomination. Manville gave one of the most profound performances in film this year. Her subtlety is brilliant: when Mary realizes Tom and Gerri's son isn't interested in having a relationship with her, she sort of curls her eyes downward and looks back up at him, only to reveal a different facial expression that desperately tries hide any change of emotion at all. It was little things like that which really made me feel exactly what she was feeling.