Cinefan wrote on 14. Jan 2010 at 20:47:


Why can you not believe it?  This film does not even open in Australia for two more weeks.

I finally saw The Road and it was better than I expected it to be. Of course it was grim and depressing because after all, it is a post-apocalypse story, but the acting by Viggo as The Man and Kodi as The Boy was superb. Kodi didn't have much to say but when he did he made the most of it and was the heart of the story. His character was the essence of innocence and purity. He kept asking "Are we still the good guys?" and we are left to decide. The movie is full of symbolism and although grim I felt it ended with a sense of hope. Well worth seeing. I recommend it.

Kodi has a very good play in The Road. I saw this movie when it is released in France and after I build the DVD. I hope now to see him in his others movies and in particular Romulus, my Father and Let me In.

I thought I had already commented on this thread, but I guess I didn't. I found The Road to be an extremely unpleasant and unsettling viewing experience. Don't get me wrong - it's a well made movie and the acting is fabulous. But it was just too bleak for my tastes. I just found it incredibly depressing, especially all the talk about suicide.

I realize that not everyone is affected that strongly by a movie. Maybe I was just in a particularly fragile state of mind when I saw it. I find that I don't really have the capacity to deal with depressing or disturbing subject matter in fiction the way I used to when I was younger. Probably has something to do with having experienced tragedy in my own life since then. That and dealing with depression and suicidal thoughts on an almost daily basis.

*possible spoilers*

The scene that bothered me the most was the one where the father holds a gun to his son's head, because he thinks they're going to get caught by the cannibals and he'd rather kill him and spare him that suffering. The boy says "When will I see you again." Ugh. I get chills and can feel tears coming just thinking about it. I don't know why it bothers me so much. It guess it's a testament to Kodi's acting talent.

I have recently purchased the DVD of 'The Road' (having waited until the price came down to something reasonable!). As always with DVDs I like to see the extras. The director, John Hillcoat, gave a commendable commentary seeing as it was the first time he had done one! The Making Of and Documentary were interesting, too, BUT where the hell was Kodi Smit-McPhee? While Viggo Mortensen got himself interviewed there was no sign of Kodi. Even when his name came up there were only scenes from the film but no direct interview. Where was that jumped up excuse for a child actor? Really! It is most disappointing, I find, when the boy in a film doesn't get himself in front of the camera and let us know how he got on.
Of course, the director was full of praise for Kodi and said how wonderful he was for the part. But then no director is going to admit to having cast the wrong boy. Kodi's acting was great but at no time did I get the impression he was starving. His round face just didn't convey that. Hillcoat needed to have cast a thin boy actor or got Kodi to go on a diet which he obviously failed to do.
What about the scene where the father is cuddling the boy by the river and Kodi is crying? Apparently those were genuine tears as Kodi was so cold he couldn't help crying. Poor kid.
Film rating: 8 stars. Kodi's rating: 8 stars.

I should be seeing this film by early next week.

As for extras generally, I find many director/writer commentaries to be interesting and fun to listen to. I just wish they would spend more time talking about the actors on the screen as they speak and stop spending so much time talking about the physical problems of staging scenes.
I found the director/writer commentary for Finding Neverland the sanest and most pleasant to the ear and to the heart. For example, they tried to refrain from comments during Freddie Highmore's acting.
The absolute worst commentary I ever came across was the one for 'Butterfly Effect.' Serves me right for watching in the first place.

As for 'making of's' I'm still waiting for the behind-the-scenes talk where the actors will tell us what a total stinker the director was, or how impossible it was to work with some other actor. 

(It would have been interesting, if they had DVDs back then, to hear Merle Oberon talk about Lawrence Olivier's acting habits during love scenes: "Don't spit on me!"  )

Kodi has just been nominated  for an AFI (Australian Film Institute) Award for his role in 'The Road' and for a supporting role in Matching Jack

AFI INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR

Simon Baker. The Mentalist, Season 2. Nine Network
Ryan Kwanten. True Blood, Season 3. Showcase
Kodi Smit‐McPhee. The Road.
Sam Worthington. Avatar.


AFI AWARD FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

Joel Edgerton. Animal Kingdom.
Guy Pearce. Animal Kingdom.
Kodi Smit‐McPhee. Matching Jack.
Sullivan Stapleton. Animal Kingdom.


other on topic or semi on topic nominations (highlighted in bold):

AFI AWARD FOR BEST FILM:

Animal Kingdom
Beneath Hill 60
Bran Nue Dae
Bright Star
The Tree ( features Tom Russell, Christian Byers (fba) & Gabriel Gotting)
Tomorrow When The War Began


AFI MEMBERS' CHOICE AWARD:

Animal Kingdom
Beneath Hill 60
Bran Nue Dae
Bright Star
The Boys Are Back
Tomorrow When The War Began



AFI AWARD FOR BEST CHILDREN'S TELEVISION DRAMA

Dance Academy. ABC.
Dead Gorgeous. ABC.
Lockie Leonard. Nine Network.
My Place. ABC.


AFI YOUNG ACTOR AWARD

Ashleigh Cummings. Tomorrow When The War Began.
Morgana Davies. The Tree.
James Frecheville. Animal Kingdom.
Harrison Gilbertson. Beneath Hill 60. [A fairly recent former boy actor]


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