The World Beyond BetterMost > The Culture Tent
Resurrecting the Movies thread...
serious crayons:
This is kind of scary. I went through the whole IMDb list and only saw a few movies I completely liked: In Bruge, Slumdog Millionaire, Dark Knight. Was it an off year or did I just not get out enough?
Here are some movies I can say I pretty unequivocally liked, though not loved:
Quantum of Solace
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Get Smart
Definitely, Maybe
Baby Mama
Leatherheads
Smart People
Here are some movies with some good qualities, but too flawed or unexceptional to make my "liked" list:
Iron Man -- Robert Downey Jr. is great, but too implausible
Hancock -- loved Will Smith and the basic concept, but hated it once his connection with Charlize Theron was revealed
Vantage Point -- what Clarissa said
Bank Job, The -- it it's the one I kind of half remember, it was standard medium-entertaining thriller
Mamma Mia! -- while watching I kept thinking how stupid it was, but then found myself humming the songs for days after
Role Models -- a bit too juvenile, but funny and cute in parts
Tropic Thunder -- funny at times, but too violent
Fool's Gold -- complete fluff, but Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson both look great
And here are the ones I found disappointing:
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull -- Zzzzzzzzz ....
WALL·E -- this did not grab me the way it apparently did everyone else
Burn After Reading -- don't get me started
Pineapple Express -- like Tropic Thunder, it starts out funny but gets way too violent
oilgun:
--- Quote from: southendmd on December 29, 2008, 10:14:33 am ---BTW, I saw the trailer for Revolutionary Road and it looks just awful to me. But then again, I am not a Leo fan, and I'm one of those few people who hated Titanic , thus not interested in a rematch of him and Kate.
I did recognize David Harbour (our Randall); however, not enough for me to want to see this.
--- End quote ---
A co-worker was just blown away by REVOLUTIONARY ROAD, he thought it was excellent. But then again, the guy rated BENJAMIN BUTTON a 5 out of 10 and said that FORREST GUMP is a great movie. ;)
Meryl:
I saw Frost/Nixon last week and thought it was excellent, a class act from Ron Howard and the two lead actors. I saw the same actors on Broadway in the play, and it was nice to see them close up because they have incredibly expressive eyes.
I think Ron Howard managed to achieve a mounting tension and a credible climactic moment, which couldn't have been easy in a story that was basically about a few TV interviews. Both Frank Langella and Michael Sheen each deserve to be nominationed for an Oscar, but probably only Langella will get one. The art direction was great---lots of 70's clothes and hairstyles that hit the mark, and I think they filmed the San Clemente scenes on the actual location. The showing I went to was packed, and there was hardly a peep out of the audience, some of whom applauded at the end. Highly recommended.
As far as I can tell, I didn't see more than 5 or so 2008 movies in the theater all year: Frost/Nixon, Quantum of Solace, TDK, Milk, and Vicki Cristina Barcelona. Earlier in the year I saw Enchanted and There Will Be Blood. IMO both Frost/Nixon and Milk should be in the top 5 movies of the year.
Hopefully I'll get to see Benjamin Button, Slumdog and Doubt soon. Gotta get up off my pockets. :)
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: Meryl on December 29, 2008, 02:30:52 pm --- Earlier in the year I saw Enchanted and There Will Be Blood.
--- End quote ---
Now, there are two movies I really liked. In fact, I might say I enjoyed Enchanted as much as anything I saw this year (I didn't count it in my list because I think it's from a previous year). It maybe wasn't the best -- There Will Be Blood is undoubtedly higher-caliber art -- but I enjoyed it a lot. That scene where she's dancing and singing through Central Park and it turns into a giant production number? I watched that over and over.
I must secretly be an 11-year-old girl. ::)
Meryl:
--- Quote from: serious crayons on December 29, 2008, 03:13:31 pm ---Now, there are two movies I really liked. In fact, I might say I enjoyed Enchanted as much as anything I saw this year (I didn't count it in my list because I think it's from a previous year). It maybe wasn't the best -- There Will Be Blood is undoubtedly higher-caliber art -- but I enjoyed it a lot. That scene where she's dancing and singing through Central Park and it turns into a giant production number? I watched that over and over.
I must secretly be an 11-year-old girl. ::)
--- End quote ---
I had a really good time at Enchanted, too, Katherine. There were tons of clever jokes, mostly visual, that New Yorkers would get a big kick out of. The ending got a bit overmuch for me, but overall I thought it was great.
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