Carpetbagger Carpetbags A.O. Scott

11Dec/060

Carpetbagger Carpetbags A.O. Scott

David Carr of the New York Times points out his colleague's movie myopia:

Today, A. O. Scott lets some air out of the tires of “Apocalypto.”

“Once you get past the costumes and the subtitles, though, the most striking thing about “Apocalypto” is how comfortably it sits within the conventions of mainstream moviemaking. It is not an obsessive opera like Mr. Herzog’s “Aguirre: The Wrath of God,” but rather a pop period epic in the manner of “Gladiator” or “Braveheart,” and as such less interested in historical or cultural authenticity than in imposing an accessible scheme on a faraway time and place.”

In other words, pretty standard Hollywood fare, never mind the Mayan. Then again, both the pictures he mentions as analogues won Best Picture.

--Carpetbagger - Movies - Oscars - Awards - David Carr - New York Times Blog