The World Beyond BetterMost > The Culture Tent
Rewatching movies from our pasts -- still good?
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: Jeff Wrangler on June 07, 2009, 07:51:05 pm ---Sorry, I still say that's subjective, and not just "partly." Even if you time a scene with a stopwatch, what seems "talky" and draggy to one viewer may still be something that another enjoys--and doesn't tind talky or draggy at all.
--- End quote ---
True, those adjectives are definitely subjective.
But if the scenes are longer and talkier than other comparable scenes in today's popular action movies -- and again, if the movie's central appeal rests in fast-paced thrills, like those other movies -- then chances are many viewers will have the same reaction, that 1981's standard for fast-paced thrills is not the same as 2009's.
Bear in mind that I absolutely loved Raiders when it came out.
Ellemeno:
I just rewatched The Anniversary Party last night. I love that movie. And I understand new things about it as I mature (for example, the first couple of times I saw it, I completely missed the unspoken, but obvious gay relationship in the movie). It was written AND directed by Jennifer Jason Leigh AND Alan Cumming. AND they star in it, as a married couple who are hosting a party for their 6th wedding anniversary. As the movie unfolds, we discover that although they are hosting this party to celebrate their love and commitment to each other, they only just got back together 5 months ago, after a serious break up.
The other thing that's cool is we (the audience) discover as the movie goes on that the characters they play are both very famous, she as an actress, he as a novelist, with very famous and talented friends (and not famous attendees) who come over to celebrate with them. Kevin Kline, his real-life wife Phoebe Cates, and their two real-life kids play a slightly tweaked version of their real family. I love the Kevin Kline character - and I applaud Kevin Kline for the self-mocking he does in the role. One of my favorite parts: he is orating about why he (in his mid-forties) should get a part in the novelist's movie, despite that the character is in his 20s. Kevin: "That role needs some gravitas." Novelist: "And you've got that gravitas?" Kevin: "I've got gravitas up the whazoo." (I may choose this as my motto.)
As the movie unfolds, we discover who knows what about each other, who is falling apart, who is actually happy. The movie starts as they wake up the morning of the party, and ends as they wake up the day after the party. What happens in between is significant for every person in the movie, each for their own reasons. It's very, very well-written, and very, very cool.
Other actors with significant parts: John C. Reilly as a director and friend, Gwyneth Paltrow as the up-and-coming actress who the Jennifer Jason Leigh character feels threatened by, despite Gwyneth's hero worship of her. Another great line - Gwyneth: "I've watched your movies since I was a little girl. You're my favorite living actress." This line is delivered with what seems like sincerity, but is reacted to like a slap.
Oh, another favorite part - the charades scene, and how different characters handle the competition and creativity of it.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0254099/
A+
Front-Ranger:
That movie looks great, friend! I will watch ennithing with Kevin Kline in it!! He's right about gravitas...he did play the president, after all (even though he was just an interloper).
Question for discussion: Kevin Kline vs. Robin Williams??
One movie I HAVE to get my hands on an watch again soon is Local Hero. I can't afford Netflix in my present unemployed condition, and Blockbuster doesn't carry 90% of the movies I want to see...what to do??
serious crayons:
C, The Anniversary Party is now in my queue.
--- Quote from: Front-Ranger on June 08, 2009, 02:45:25 pm ---Question for discussion: Kevin Kline vs. Robin Williams??
--- End quote ---
That's a curious pairing, F-R. But I would say, without hesitation, Kevin Kline.
Mandy21:
I have to admit that I got rid of cable at my home about three years ago when I was living in Ireland, and because I don't have a cable connection thingy anymore, I also can't even get the local channels, so I just tell people that I don't even have a TV; it's easier than explaining. As such, I have a collection of a couple thousand movies on tape and DVD. And also, being as I'm living a life of leisure these days (i.e., unemployed), and LOVE movies more than just about anything, I find myself couchbound for at least two or three of them a day.
Katherine, I'm also a huge Costner fan and have seen everything he's ever done (even The Postman -- eek) about two dozen times, maybe more. He was great, and out of normal character, in Perfect World, and it took some getting used to, but I also learned to love it quickly. My fave moment in Tin Cup is when he and Rene Russo are next to the river, and he's drinking whiskey out of a chipped glass, and is kinda sweaty, and puts his left up on the front bumper where she's leaning, to try to kiss her, and that crazy woman turns him down, can you believe???? I also thought Cheech Marin was hilarious in that one. I sometimes go on themed Kevin Costner (or Redford, or Freeman, or Washington) rampages where I line up every movie I own from them in chronological order, and watch them straight thru for days.
OK, everybody, put down your backwards "L"'s on your foreheads and stop snickering. I know that I am when it comes to movies, but I'm also an expert when anybody brings up the topic, so that's my consolation for my years and years of couch time, I mean, hard work.
Oh, and on the subject of Bull Durham, doesn't Tim Robbin's naked butt in the locker room count as graphic?
Min, I think Katherine was referring to Tim in movies lately like "Mystic River", where he plays a very messed-up older man.
Clarrisa, I also loved Anniversary Party, which was a highly-underrated and underseen film, I think. It really does make you think when you watch it at different stages of your life. Anyone who's a fan of Kevin's needs to see "Life as a House" with Kristin Scott Thomas, and "A Prairie Home Companion" with Meryl Streep. Also "The Ice Storm" with Sigourney Weaver, and "Violets are Blue" with Sissy Spacek.
Lee, I loved "Local Hero" also. Watched that when I little kid first time, when I was massively in love with all things Scottish, as I still am all these years later. That's such an old flick, I doubt you'll find it anywhere except maybe to buy it on E-Bay or used on Amazon.
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