A Star Is Born

It feels silly to even qualify this one. LADY GAGA. BRADLEY COOPER (who can sing and direct, apparently). You don’t even need to have any info about the plot to know that this a priority must-see.

But, in case you’re wondering, it’s also based on one of the most iconic (and beloved) movie musicals of the 20th century (it’s been re-made a bunch of times, but none was better than the Judy Garland-helmed version) and in addition to all the Gaga-Cooper creative brilliance, the screenplay is also co-written by Eric Roth, the Oscar-winning screenwriter who once compared life to a box of chocolates in Forest Gump (he modified the novel’s original — and far less quotable — line, “Being an idiot is no box of chocolates”)

Lady Gaga clearly is (and has been for a very long time) a fantastic singer, and has made massive strides as an actor as well, but I really did not enjoy this.

Bradley Cooper has clearly been studying at the Jeff Bridges' School of Being Completely Fucking Incomprehensible for this one. Maybe he was just trying to lend some believebility to the idea that he and Sam Elliot were brothers, I don't know (If that is the case, it failed miserably). Which I mean, whatever, it's his movie, he do that character whichever way he wants, but I don't appreciate it myself. Honestly the only thing in this, the fourth iteration of A Star Is Born that I did appreciate at all was the first 15 minutes and the last 15 minutes. I didn't love those segments by any stretch, but I liked them at least partly. Not so for what came in between.

I can definitely support A Star is Born's two audio-related Oscars, and maybe, maybe even see my way to understanding the Best Actress nomination for Gaga, but beyond that, I don't follow the logic at all.

Final rating:★★ - Had some things that appeal to me, but a poor finished product.

Lady Gaga clearly is (and has been for a very long time) a fantastic singer, and has made massive strides as an actor as well, but I really did not enjoy this.

Bradley Cooper has clearly been studying at the Jeff Bridges' School of Being Completely Fucking Incomprehensible for this one. Maybe he was just trying to lend some believebility to the idea that he and Sam Elliot were brothers, I don't know (If that is the case, it failed miserably). Which I mean, whatever, it's his movie, he do that character whichever way he wants, but I don't appreciate it myself. Honestly the only thing in this, the fourth iteration of A Star Is Born that I did appreciate at all was the first 15 minutes and the last 15 minutes. I didn't love those segments by any stretch, but I liked them at least partly. Not so for what came in between.

I can definitely support A Star is Born's two audio-related Oscars, and maybe, maybe even see my way to understanding the Best Actress nomination for Gaga, but beyond that, I don't follow the logic at all.

Final rating:★★ - Had some things that appeal to me, but a poor finished product.

A strong directorial debut

I always knew that I wanted to direct, but I also knew that I could only direct something that I had a point of view about, a story that I want to tell, something deep down. Some people said, why don't you direct a pilot or a commercial or something just so you could learn, and I thought that scares the hell out of me, because I don't even know where I would put the camera.

• Bradley Cooper; "The Star Is Born Scene That Scared Bradley Cooper" (Krista Smith); Vanity Fair (October 1, 2018)

A Star is Born was met with a rapturous reception at its Venice Film Festival première earlier this year, and has since gone on to receive near universal critical acclaim (90% on Rotten Tomatoes at time of writing), with much speculation as to its staying-power come award season. And whilst I liked it, and found a great deal to admire, I didn't love it. At least I didn't love all of it.

The original A Star is Born was made for Selznick International Pictures by William A. Wellman in 1937 and told the story of aspiring Hollywood actress Esther Blodgett (Janet Gaynor). Discovered and mentored by one-time star, but now fading alcoholic, Norman Maine (Fredric March), against all odds, Esther quickly becomes a huge success. When Maine proposes, she says yes, but only on the condition that he give up drinking. He agrees, and they elope and marry. As their careers continue to move along opposite trajectories, he secretly begins drinking again, and when she wins the Academy Award for Best Actress, he ruins her speech by drunkenly storming the stage, prompting a stay in a sanatorium. Upon his release, Esther determines to help him face his demons no matter the cost, leading to much emotional trauma and tragedy. Possibly based on the marriage of Barbara Stanwyck and Frank Fay, and the life and death of John Bowers, the storyline for the film was so similar to RKO's 1932 film What Price Hollywood? that Selznick expected to be sued by R...