Greetings,
So, it's Ralph Fiennes' birthday, apparently. Might as well talk about his movies today. Well, not all of them. Just my favorites. My Top Ten favorites! WHAT?!?!? Okay, moving on.
Yes, that's right. On December 22, 1962, the world welcomed in Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes. I didn't make that up. That is his full given name...according to Wikipedia. Which means that someone else could have made it up, but I did not. Anyway, I have been an admirer of Ralph Fiennes for quite a long time. He's actually one of my favorite actors, mostly because he's one of the few that are less "movie star" and more "artist". Those people are rare, but he is definitely one of them. So, what better to do as a gift to him on his birthday than to celebrate what I consider to be the best of his work? Because he is totally going to read this! Right?
Well, as usual, my picks probably aren't what everyone would consider the best. In fact, you might notice a few glaring omissions that you'd think would be included. But just because I can say a film is good, even a masterpiece, does not mean I want to watch it numerous times. These films are the ones that I can watch over and over again, for whatever reason. In short, they are my personal favorites. So, here we go.
#10. Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit - I've always been a fan of the subtle wit of Wallace and Gromit, starting in the short films that they did, all the way to this feature. So, who is Ralph Fiennes in this? Well, he voices the "villain" in the story, a guy named Lord Victor Quartermaine. He looks hilarious. He sounds hilarious. And for someone who rarely does comedy, he was one of the best parts of this clever tale.
#9. The White Countess - To be fair, this movie is, as a whole, a bit flawed. However, the performances of Ralph, as Todd Jackson, and his co-star, the late Natasha Richardson, as the titular Countess, are so engaging that it basically elevates the entire picture to another level. They have such a great chemistry together, as they were good friends in real life, and it is a testament to the artistry of both of them and what we lost when Natasha passed away.
#8. Coriolanus - Of course, he's done Shakespeare. You can't be shocked at that. Anyway, when it came to Ralph making his directorial debut, he chose this modernized version of Coriolanus. I think some people may think that modernizing Shakespeare or any period writer is merely being used as a gimmick, but if it is done well, it just makes it compelling in a new way. And this is a very well-made film. Clearly, Ralph paid attention to the great directors he had worked with himself. He learned a lot and it shows. Also, this movie has Gerard Butler. Just throwing that out there.
#7. Red Dragon - So, he's playing a villain again. Not a funny one this time, though. Darn it. He plays Francis Dolarhyde in this prequel to Silence of the Lambs, and it is a very, very complex character. Part terrifying, part almost sympathetic, if you can believe that, Ralph plays this disturbed man quite brilliantly. And it doesn't hurt that he has a practically perfect cast of actors alongside him.
#6. Oscar and Lucinda - I love a film that can portray a relationship between a man and a woman that has the foundation of a strong and loving friendship. This movie does that. Ralph and an early career Cate Blanchett play our titular characters, two people who became friends as children and stayed that way into adulthood. Of course, as they grow up, so many feelings come and go and stay, but they are often apart as life sends them in different directions. But this is a beautiful story that, at its core, is about friendship and the love that comes from that. Oh, and he goes full on ginger for this. What a twist!
#5. Grand Budapest Hotel - Yay! Funny Ralph Fiennes is back! And considering that the director of this film, Wes Anderson, is known for very intelligently written comedy, this was a perfect fit for him. I don't know how he manages to go from over the top to subtle to laugh out loud hilarious with such ease, but he does it here. And, again, he has some fantastic company in the cast.
#4. The Prince of Egypt - As many of you know, my favorite movie is The Ten Commandments, so I don't think that this is a better version of the story. Obviously, I still love this, though, and I will say it did one thing better - Ralph Fiennes character, actually. Whilst I loved Yul Brynner as Ramses, he played him as a full-on bad guy. Love to hate him and all that, but not so complex. Ralph's portrayal was a bit more complicated. You could see and hear the legitimate, brotherly love between him and Moses, and the conflict he suffered as he was forced into an antagonistic role. It makes that aspect of the story more compelling, and it's done flawlessly.
#3. Spider - 2002 was a bizarre year in the cinematic life of Ralph Fiennes. It was when Red Dragon came out, one of his best, but also, Maid in Manhattan. Yeah, no. Look, I love him and I love Jennifer Lopez, but if they were looking to get a good grade in Chemistry with this? No. Denied. Still, I assume he got a substantial paycheck for this, which made it easier for him to take part in Spider. Why? Well, neither Ralph, nor his co-star, Miranda Richardson, nor the director, David Cronenberg, nor the producers took any salary for this movie. Yes, they gave it up so the money could go toward the underfunded film. Because that's what real artists do when they believe in a project, and I am glad they did. Spider is about a man named Dennis "Spider" Cleg, who is mentally disturbed. I can't even begin to get into the story, but, for real, pay attention while you watch. Actually, even if you do, you may have to watch it again. It's just very layered and complex, but once you get it, it is amazing. And this is about as against type as Ralph has ever played, I think. And so brilliant.
#2. Sunshine - So, when you think of a Ralph Fiennes film about WWII and the Holocaust, I assume everyone will think Schindler's List. That's fine, but there is another one. And I happen to think that it is even better. It's a 1999 film called Sunshine, wherein Ralph plays three characters, a father, a son and a grandson. Yes, he plays three generations of the same family, dealing with the struggles of his own identity. I know that format may seem complicated, but as you watch, it really isn't. It is structured extremely well to accommodate this unique casting. As far as the story goes, what can I say? It's intriguing, heartbreaking, disturbing, triumphant, and so many other things. It's an emotional roller coaster, one I am so glad I took a ride on.
#1. Quiz Show - Well, if you read my review of this movie, this should come as no surprise to you. If you haven't read it, then go do that, since I am not going into too much detail here. Basically, Ralph plays Charles Van Doren, a man who was involved in the Twenty-One game show scandal of the 1950's. I love every minute of this movie. I'm not kidding. It is so entertaining that I watch it very, very often. It's just a story that manages to be simple and complicated all at once, and Ralph turns a character that could have been one dimensional into a full and complete person. He's fantastic, just like John Tuturro and Rob Morrow and Paul Scoffield and literally, every single actor in this film. It is one of my favorite, all-time movies, and obviously, my favorite one from Ralph Fiennes.
And there you have it. The best of Ralph Fiennes according to me. You know, what with very little of Hollywood being able to be taken seriously from an artistic standpoint, in my opinion, it is comforting to know that we still have people like him creating legitimate art. Thanks, Ralph. Keep it up, and happy birthday. Because you are SO reading this. Right?
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
