2008

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The Tracey Fragments bursts off the screen with electrifying originality that makes even the best from Darren Aronofonsky, Michel Gondry, Dany Boyle, and David Lynch look boring in comparison. This film is an awe inspiring glimpse at things that we never knew cinema to be capable of. Bruce McDonald to put it quite simply has crafted one of the greatest Canadian works ever, and he and his film should be heralded as our most important cultural exports in years. Describing how well the multi-frame composition works and the storytelling style within them would be a useless effort on my part. See this film. If you have any love or appreciation for cinema, see this immediately.

A gut-wrenching tale about shattered dreams and pursuits of passion that leave you filled with regret and pain. This film was really devastating to me because I recognized those themes as being my greatest fears for the future, and for that reason this is one of my favourite films in the last three of four years. Everything that has been said about Rourke's performance is spot on, he goes beyond method acting and actually lives this guy's suffering and desperation. But you've got to give serious kudos for the success of this picture to director Darren Aronofsky, who (eventually) made one of the most brilliant casting decisions ever and cohersed this once in a lifetime performance out of Mickey Rourke. I have renewed respect for Aronofsky, showing incredible versatility and resiliency after the setback that was his poorly received opus "The Fountain". Here is his directorial precision stripped bare of imagery and flashy editing, painting such a vivid portrait of how pathetic this man's life has become. The sights and sounds of the wrestler's environment really sink into your bones and stay with you after you've left the theatre. A simply written piece that refuses to ever become melodramatic or overly wordy, but tells a man's story as straightforward as he lives it. Clint Mansell's subdued score is effective without being very noticeable, and the cinematography while for the most part lacking in visual style still manages to be quite striking at times and very memorable. The Wrestler is highly comparable to films like Half Nelson, Love Liza, or even About Schmidt, and I highly recommend it to fans of those pictures. Don't see it expecting any kind of redemption for Randy the wrestler, it's not that kind of movie. But depending on how you see it, at the end you may be uplifted, or you might be beaten into the ground. Depending on what kind of audience member you are.

A fantastically gritty but entirely graceful cop drama that ranks as one of the finest I've seen in years. Unlike most b-movies that slip into this genre, this film contains absolutely brilliantly drawn characters brimming with conflict, different motivations, unique in every way, but also closely tied together. Co-writer and director Gavin O'Connor has a tremendous understanding of the dense dark material in this movie, and he does a beautiful job capturing each character's reaction to everything going on, and making sure that we as an audience member understand the heavy implication of everything that we see. That cast are all tactfully intense and at times overwhelmingly believable, in particular the continually surprising Colin Farrell. The visual style in Pride and Glory is also exceptional and worth noting, invoking a subtle but gorgeous colour palette that suits the sets, costumes, and tone of the movie perfectly. And the unusual size choices and framing with the handheld camera makes for a very unique take on somewhat of a familiar technique. This is a tragically overlooked film brimming with substance that may not have the age-old artistry of a movie like The Departed, but is a far more powerful, and truly an exemplary cop drama.

Although there's no behind the scenes footage to prove it, there's little doubt that Mike Leigh is one of the finest directors of actors working today. It's evident in Happy-Go-Lucky and his previous venture Vera Drake, both which contain acting so naturalistic and so convincing, they cease to be performance pieces. They are little slices of life, and I for one could devour them and never get sick of it. This film is an infectiously cheery display of the potential human beings have to be their very best. A comedy as side-splitting as it is refreshing. See this film.

Not just a cute and charming comedy, but also a highly imaginative tale with some terrific artwork. Some wonderful performances from these young actors, and the script has tremendous heart to it. Definitely one of the best of the year.

I won't tell you that Milk is one of the greatest films you'll ever see, but I will tell you emphatically it's the greatest kind of movie that you can see. The material is so important and the story so tremendous that it requires little else but to be placed in the capable hands of Gus Vant and the perfect cast he assembles in order to move you to tears. I think this film had small problems pacing the time spent on certain areas of Harvey Milk's life, and the lighting at times was obviously touched up in post-production, but I really couldn't hold anything like that against a movie like this. Sean Penn, one of the most talented actors to ever grace the screen, should certainly garner a number of well-deserved awards for the best performance of his career. The supporting cast too should all be commended for their impressive and very brave work. Milk is an examination of mankind at it's best and it's very worst, and I truly hope all you movie-goers out there will give it your time.

British independent cinema gives us another one of the finest films of the year in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, less than 10 months after the brilliant off the cuff comedy Son of Rambow. This has all the earmarks of what makes British movies so good. Excellent writing, fantastic performances, and a knack for mustering up great drama. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas gives us a look at the Holocaust as we've never seen it before, through the eyes of a German child secluded in the countryside. It's told in a fashion as unassuming as the young protagonist in the film is, and when the film turns rather bleak in the last act it really catches you off guard, and you don't really have an appreciation for how well writer/director Mark Herman has manipulated you until the last frame of the picture. Don't be fooled by allegations that this picture is for children or is a heart warming tale, it is a film no less effective than Schindler's List or The Pianist, but simply lacks the brutality. This film shows us the hideousness of the time by other means, and should not be written off because it lacks shock value. The child actors in The Striped Pajamas it should also be noted give better performances than 95% of the adult actors in every other movie I have seen in the last two or three years. Where they dug these two up God only knows, but here's hoping they make a few more appearances. David Thewlis also deserves recognition for his dislikable but strangely empathetic portrayal of an SS officer in charge of a Jewish work camp. I highly recommend this film to anyone who has the means to see it.

A seductive, emotionally complex relationship drama that features a depressing roundabout cynicism to the whole thing. Everyone in the film is doomed to unhappiness because they can never have who they want, and Allen spins the story to suit his theme very well. The acting is all excellent, in particular last year's Oscar winner Javier Bardem who sheds any doubt of being possibly typecast as a psycho. As is a standard in all Woody Allen films the setting does so much to set the tone as well, I was equally as emotionally swept up in the romance of the city as any of the major characters. I really enjoyed this one, not consistently funny, but a great drama. One of the better films I've seen this year.

I've always been a steadfast believer in Tim Burton's Batman movies. Visual works of arts, capturing the feeling of the comic book perfectly, exciting and romantic visions of the caped crusader and his opponents. As much as I love Christopher Nolan, when Batman Begins came out, I was skeptical. It was such a realistic view of something so fantastic, I had trouble buying into his vision. But as I have returned from the Dark Knight I can officially say I was wrong. This new film is far greater than either of Burton's Batmans because this film is no longer just a comic book movie. Christopher Nolan has created a intricate and epic morality play that is hidden in the guise of a super hero action thriller. A Shakespearean examination of the nature of right and wrong, of good and evil. Obviously the film has all the entertainment viewers are looking for, but Nolan takes this movie beyond what people expect and creates something important and thoughtful. I won't spoil any of it for anyone, because this is a movie that must be seen. This movie stands to make big money because it's audience is so broad, and I can't think of a single reason not to like this film. Going in I was slightly concerned that the reports of Ledger's "scene stealing" performance might be a distraction and work against the film, but I was wrong on that count too. He is no doubt terrific, but he only plays what the film requires, never stealing attention or working against the picture. The real star of this film is the material itself, and it's genius writers Christopher and Jonathan Nolan.

An excellent production that's success hinges solely on two things. The performances and on whether the parts their playing are compelling and interesting to you. I think by and large that's why this movie has met with such split reactions from critics and audiences. If someone doesn't understand the motivations of the lead characters, their frustrations, their deep rooted misery, and why they are in the state they're in, and then care that they are in that state, then the movie fails. But when you strip a movie bare of everything except the story and the characters, then there is nothing else for the audience to become entranced with, and therefore it is more vulnerable to critique. In Revolutionary Road there is no doubt that the performances are fantastic. I have never been a DiCaprio fan, but there a couple scenes in this picture that almost had me sold on him. And Winslet, well this woman is possibly the greatest actress to ever grace the screen so of course she's fucking fantastic. The supporters are all very strong, in particular the sharp-tongued Michael Shannon. For me the story was mostly very successful, I had a few issues, and I felt DiCaprio's character was not as sympathetic as the movie needed him to me be. But overall I liked this film a lot, but didn't love it. Roger Deakins cinematography was boring, especially after a decade working with Joel & Ethan Coen, and doubly disappointing considering this is a Sam Mendes picture. And on the mention of the director, I wish that he had a more active role in this film, it seems like he was happy just to let the actors flush out the scenes and shoot it capably. He had a few instances where you could see flashes of his former brilliance, but for the most part he was an inactive participant. I understand the need to let the actors have control of this film, but consider Darren Aronofsky's work this year in The Wrestler which is also largely a performance vehicle, but he still manages to put his stamp on it and make some very bold directorial decisions. So anyway go see Revolutionary Road, and keep an open mind about it.

A captivating film with all the earmarks of a modern classic. I think at this stage in Fincher's career it would be redundant to speak of the man's copious amounts of technical skill, so I'll just say that his work in this film doesn't disappoint in the least. Button doesn't have the structural brilliance of Zodiac, and screenwriter Roth at times struggles with how to form the story to best illustrate the themes, but all in all I think this is a terrific adaptation. Defying all odds Pitt betters his Jesse James performance as the title character, and is certainly one of the great pieces of acting this year. Blanchett I thought wasn't right for her part, but she does an excellent job nonetheless, and the all the supporting players are very strong. Ultimately although Button's story is on the surface quite strange, it really is nothing more than one man's life story. Every phase of our progression as human beings is evident in the film, and it is consistently easy to identify Benjamin Button's circumstances to our own. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button can best be described as a much larger and more thoughtful take on David Lynch's The Elephant Man, but without the crushing emotional power. I thought it was a great film, but I didn't fall in love with it the first time.

A harrowing cinematic experience that will take your breath away in the first five minutes, and leave you chilled in it's final frames. Waltz with Bashir makes brilliant use of it's animation style to paint us a portrait of the invasion of Lebanon in 1982, and while it is ineffective at being very informative the film stands as a very important piece if only to enlighten a North American audience to an alien conflict. Unlike Pixar's glossy images, the vividly stylized but imperfect look of Waltz with Bashir feels like an appropriately chosen language to tell the story in, rather than a aesthetic choice. It's the dreamy colourizations and impressive three dimensional artwork and camera movements inside it that express the director's feelings as he reflects on his personal experience in the war, and they are cinematic techniques that feel just as powerful as any of the conventional live-action ones we are more familiar with. The screenplay smartly brushes the surface of a number of important historical aspects, but never gets bogged down in details that might distract the audience from the overall emotional impression that the filmmakers are hoping for. And while the movie struggles to climax properly, and some of the pseu-documentary style interviews feel too slow, the film is not very largely effected by either of these problems.

One of the most creative documentaries ever made, in a style that more filmmakers should be exploring. Really liked this strange exploration piece by Canadian Guy Maddin.

After one viewing I wasn't sure whether or not I'd been overwhelmed by Kaufman's genius to the point where a dunce such as myself could never understand it, or if Synecodche is proof that Kaufman needs a director like Spike Jonze or Michel Gondry to tunnel his vision and make sense of his work. One way or another this film is fantastically original and deeply moving, two elements that I love to see in a film. Massive praise to Philip Seymour Hoffman in this one, who is played in some of the most difficult circumstances to act in that you could ever imagine, and he pulls it off brilliantly. He brings a clarity to the character that pulls you through the ambiguity of the rest of the film so that at the very least you can enjoy the literal aspects of the story. It's a terrific achievement to get that sort of emotional performance out in such a strange movie, he reminded me a lot of Laura Dern in Inland Empire. To the Kaufman fans who enjoyed the general quirkiness of Being John Malkovich and Eternal Sunshine but didn't appreciate the masterful structuring and smart character work, I would steer clear of Synecdoche New York. But to all the film buffs out there who recognize Charlie Kaufman as the bright cinematic light that he is, definitely put this on your 2008 to see list.

Gondry manages to squeeze a not so subtle jab at the state of modern movie making into this highly entertaining comedy. Ironically Be Kind Rewind is not a very polished picture, but like the Sweded tapes that Jack Black and Mos Def hand out to eager patrons, it doesn't really matter, because as Gondry proves, you don't need anything more than a love of cinema to make a great flick.

A continually surprising, unique, and ultimately very effective thriller. The film is cast very well, and we get great performances all around, particularly from Emily Mortimer. Brad Anderson has really got to work on the conclusion to his movies though. In the Machinist he left us feeling empty and cheated, and again in Transsiberian we leave feeling like we deserved better. Especially given the quality of the writing in the rest of the picture.

Disappointing only in the sense that I had enormous expectations, and that this wasn't a favourite of mine. I was surprised that a film based on a Pulitzer prize winning play could have so little depth. While the material is analyzed both provocatively and intelligently, there just doesn't seem to be that much to delve into and really think about. I sat there wanting to sink my teeth into something, but was never really presented with enough to get my head spinning. And without that richness in the material, the film needed the excitement factor to keep it moving along, and Doubt never really gets that exciting. It's certainly tense at times, but never sweeps you off your feet and carries you to the end. These large problems prevent this movie from rising to the level of greatness, but Doubt is definitely not an average piece of cinema. The screenplay is carefully worded, delicately plotted, and brimming with fabulous character work. The film is constantly thoughtful of the circumstances involving all the characters, and consistently unravels in a very suiting and eloquent manner. But the most remarkable part of Doubt, as I'm sure most can guess, is the acting. The scenes between Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman are some of the most electric and intense I have ever had the pleasure to see. Two masters exploding off one another, reacting ever so brilliantly with the most carefully restrained energy. Really these scenes alone are enough to make this a noteworthy film. Couple that with the very convincing work of Amy Adams, the surprisingly effective camera work of director John Patrick Shanley, and the rarely heard but pitch perfect score, I think that it's fair to say that Doubt is one of the best films of the year. Just not the best.

Fiendishly clever but only marginally insightful, Choke is largely a crude and over the top character comedy but has moments where Palahniuk's intelligent source material shines through. I liked this film probably more than it deserves, as it's sense of humour was very much in my vein, and I absolutely loved Sam Rockwell in the lead role. But really, it is a pretty superficial farce, and probably could have been a lot better.

Although a very interesting film The Reader covers far too much time in too poorly structured a manner in order for it to be properly engaging. The stumbling between past and present time, the poor introduction to the main characters, and an extremely disappointing finish tarnish what was potentially a really great movie. But I loved the cohesive production design, Roger Deakin's delicate lighting, and the subtle but very busy performances from every actor. I also felt this was a movie that gave the audience a lot to think about and mull over, and never forgot where the audience was in terms of our understanding of what was going on. Certainly a very flawed piece, but one that I did still enjoy. Although one of my first thoughts when the picture ended was that I thought it was a German story, and that the film ought to have been in German with German actors. I thought it would have been more appropriate and far more effective.

The previews for this film were both enticing and nerve-wracking. I was unsure whether to expect another crummy studio horror, or an unsettling thriller. Thankfully the Strangers fits into the former category very nicely. It is a patiently penned and maturely directed horror film that provides consistent chills and thrills, the kind that stay with you hours after you've left the theatre. Very much enjoyed seeing this and feeling genuine fear at a movie again.

An inspiring piece of digital filmmaking that benefits greatly from the fantastic performance by Melissa Leo. The story is a breath of fresh air, and while it doesn't arc particularly well the movie is still effective because most audiences won't know where it's going or how it will turn out. The supporting cast needed a bit more direction, but generally were tolerable. I also really liked the score and thought it did a great job of setting the tone of the story especially in junction with the resourceful cinematography.

Zippy one-liner gags and outlandish British humour are the most prominent of the short list of reasons to see this movie. But other than that there's not a heck of a lot in In Bruges to make it better than your average run of the mill crime drama. Although Colin Farrell gives his best performance to date as a surprisingly neurotic and guilt ridden hitman, and the whole story has a nice roundabout quality to it.

The only Oliver Stone film I have seen that seems to lack a certainty in what his intentions are with the film's production. But despite the perhaps muddled aims, W. still manages to be a reasonable and well illustrated portrait of one of the most divisive figures in the last century. Some really brilliant casting decisions also make this a compelling watch, Brolin of course totally disappears into Bush, and seeing Richard Dreyfuss wiggle his jaw a la Dick Cheyney was so uncanny my skin crawled. I think this film was unfairly overlooked in 2008. Certainly it's not the fiery social commentary we've come to expect from such a fantastic filmmaker like Oliver Stone, but as per biopics, this is a very good one.

I probably enjoyed this a little more than I should have. The film meanders around pretty lazily, and specific character motivations often seem unclear. But I did like the intelligent banter and Dennis Quaid's extremely dislikable pompous asshole who by the end of the film has a predictable but pleasant revelation of sorts. And who can watch Ellen Page and not enjoy her every move as an actress, always so interesting to watch. Thomas Haden Church sparked most of the laughs, and Sarah Jessica Parker... well she was in the movie too.

I am not ashamed to admit I really liked Last Chance Harvey. Despite it's almost shameful attempts to move the audience with knee-jerk sentimentality on a pretty regular basis, on the particular evening I saw this movie, I fell for it. Hoffman and Thompson give a couple of the finest and most interesting performances of the year, and when onscreen together have the most wonderful chemistry. The plot while definitely not new appealed to me very much as a fan of sad sack material where characters have it tough and get upset a lot. The score was lovely as well. I'll be recommending this one to all you lovers out there who have a soft spot for sap.

A very humorous, but not to be taken seriously, satire on the business of making movies in Hollywood. It's nice to see some industry folks with a good sense of humour about what they do, but I would have liked to see a more honest and informative account of what actually goes on. What Just Happened feels more like an outsider's characature of what they think happens, rather than the experiences of someone who actually lived through it. But the cast is strong, the film has very consistent laughs, and it's a well shot and paced movie.

A disarmingly clever action flick, with a much needed sense of fun that's often missing from so many of it's predecessors. Robert Downey Jr is of course fantastic, but the real forgotten gem in this movie is the conniving Jeff Bridges.

A film that touches on too many issues and themes to give one area enough focus to be at all powerful. While at times quite successful, Changeling continually ruins itself by following each effective scene with an equally ineffective one. Resulting in an overly long, unfocussed and flat historical drama. Angelina Jolie I begrudgingly admit was excellent, and the supporting cast is also strong. Clint's direction is a little uninspired though, but perhaps I've just gotten my expectations up too high following Million Dollar Baby and Letters From iwo Jima. It didn't feel like he was very emotionally connected to this one, and it showed in the inconsistently played scenes and unoriginal visual look of the film. I still enjoyed this piece though, mostly because of the fascinating story that's told. Might be a good video rental.

Doesn't have the enthusiasm or energy of some of Carrey's earlier similar work, but I still really enjoyed this one thanks largely to the supporting cast. Zooey Deschanel is so wonderful she makes my ears moan, and the buddy boss Aussie character was a hoot too.

It's a shame that a bunch of money grubbing idiot producers got their hands on this wonderful little story and turned it into something it's not. Nick & Norah's story is bigger than indie-emo trends and cliches and it shows occasionally in the film, but the repulsive molding of this film into a bankable teen comedy was way too much for this movie goer. Although I did truly love the honesty in the original material.

When this film is works, it is very powerful and extremely poignant. Only problem is most of the movie is a calamity that doesn't do much of anything for the audience except incite us to pine at the squandered potential. No doubt Hathaway and the rest of the cast turn in very natural and commendable performances, but it all seems to be for nought in Jonathan Demme's bewilderingly pointless film. But I'll give it an OK because of those odd really great moments.

Struggles off the get go, not funny and decidedly staggered but recovers nicely in the last two acts. I think this film was at it's funniest when it wasn't really trying to be funny, and the best character moments came out of the unscripted stuff. I thought it was a nice story and had potential, but Koepp wasn't the right screenwriter or the director to bring it out, and the cast were incapable of making it anything more than a par for the course cheap theatre comedy.

Decent comic book movie. Edward Norton is disappointingly dull, but the film doesn't fail to provide the thrills.

A solidly executed but not altogether exciting or funny gangster film. Guy Ritchie's directorial talent for visual pizzaz and quick pace is not lost here, but his early knack for quick witted British humour seems to have dissipated. I sat watching this thing, voyeuristically admiring, waiting for something to happen, but it never seemed to gather any speed and take me with it. I can't say I was really disappointed, but I wasn't pleasantly surprised either.

Poorly articulated liberalism or undeveloped character study. Take your pick, both would describe The Visitor fairly accurately. The film tugs the audience in both directions, and doesn't really succeed at either, but I admit that both efforts are noble and earned my respect. Richard Jenkins is only okay in the lead role, and his inclusion in this year's Academy Award nominees for Best Actor serves only to remind us of the nonstop politics and posturing that goes on at that award show. Di Caprio getting snubbed for this dull piece of acting is more than disheartening. Rumblings that writer/director Tom McCarthy might warrant some award consideration as well are proven totally unwarranted by his flaccid and uninspiring vision for the film. Very disappointing film.

Frost/Nixon barely succeeds at being a competent re-creation of the interviews and the time leading up to them, but most importantly this film has no substance and no insight into anything, which is amazing considering the vast array of issues that could've been delved into. This is a carelessly made hollow shell of a movie whose bland dialogue and hackneyed plot devices cheapen what is thickly dramatic and wholly interesting material. The cast all perform well, although Frank Langella's Nixon, while nuanced very well, is not compelling and never lets us get a glimpse of the feelings of the real man. The exciting last 20 minutes or so of the film somewhat made up for the mediocrity of the first 110, but you can't really give credit for that bit of excitement to the filmmakers because it should go to the real David Frost and his team of researchers for creating those moments in the original interview. But what really pissed me off about Frost/Nixon was it's inclusion at the Academy Awards. This film's nominations in the Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay categories are without a doubt some of the most disappointing decisions in history. Especially considering some of the excellent films that were overlooked in favour of this flavourless cardboard cutout film. This is exactly the kind of movie that film-goers should be condemning. I highly encourage everyone to support original and creative new cinema by passing on the run of the mill Frost/Nixon in favour of a film like Slumdog Millionaire.

Funny with enough consistency to prevent me from turning it off, but that's about all I can say.

Funny Games is ironic in that it is full of just as much nonsense and obsession with it's own hideousness as the American movies Haneke is attempting to belittle. There is no social statement on violence here, only an unexplained series of miserable happenings. Michael Haneke is a master craftsman no doubt, and his cast musters up some incredible performances, but their efforts are squandered by the film's total lack of purpose. I can think of no reason to watch this would-be intelligent thriller.

Simon Pegg does his best to lug this accidentally awkward and cliche "comedy" along, and once in a while it does induce a chuckle or a sympathetic smile, but for the most part Run Fatboy Run is very mediocre. Bad musical montages, terrible supporting characters, oddly played scenes. Not worth anyone's time, but not an excruciating experience either.

Not the vomit inducing travesty that some people made it out to be, but without a doubt a pretty crummy show. Really predictable, b-movie dialogue, the tone is all over the place, and the cinematography makes episodes of Law & Order look beautiful in comparison. Both De Niro and Pacino do a couple of interesting things with their characters, and once in a while there's some nice moments between the two of them. But by and large they look unenthused and lethargic throughout.

A roundtable of blasé performances, predictable dialogue, and ridiculous posturing. I'm sick to death of these would-be intelligent espionage thrillers about the Middle East. They all look and sound the same, and have nothing to offer to the audience, and Traitor is no acceptance. Blaaah.

A whirlwind of confusion, paranoia, lunacy, and red herrings. This is is a horribly miscast and flimsily plotted thriller that only manages to motor through it's 108 minute run time thanks to the frenzied performance of Al Pacino, who never ceases to make whatever he's doing look interesting.

Exactly what I expected, and this material deserved a lot better. Let's face it, Paul Gross is an actor, and not even a good one at that. And he is definitely not the person to either direct this movie, star in it, write it, or produce it, much less do all four. His vision for the film is embarrassing and archaic, and will make any conscious film enthusiast moan in disgust. And while some of the production elements of the film are well done, it means nothing when the core elements to your movie are so fundamentally flawed.

Shyamalan's worst directed outing yet. Constantly picking the wrong shots, awkwardly staging scenes, putting the focus in the wrong place, and getting the actors to play scenes all wrong. Despite the deeply disturbing concept, when the construction workers actually begin to jump off the building it induces giggles rather than shivers because the scene has been set up so poorly, which becomes a regular occurrence as the film goes on. Wahlberg is completely out of his element and doesn't stop looking out of place for one minute, and despite being outrageously adorable Zoey Deschanel can't cough up a single believable line. The rest of the supporting cast can't be blamed for their blundering, as they were doomed from the get go thanks to their horribly written characters. Really nothing going for the Happening at all. At least the Village had some startles and decent production design, and Lady in the Water was a unique effort. But The Happening is Shyamalan's first descent into b-movie territory, inciting more laughs from the audience than anything he might actually have been going for.