Resurrecting the Movies thread...

[Meryl]

I ended up seeing "Gran Torino", Clint Eastwood's latest, last night because my friend didn't think she could handle the harshness in "Slumdog Millionaire."  I think it would have been worth dealing with that and hiding our eyes rather than seeing this turkey, though.

I expected a better film, frankly, given Clint Eastwood's track record, but I guess everybody's entitled to stumble once in awhile.  I found the story consistently contrived and the acting stiff and amateurish.  Clint Eastwood was good in his snarly "Dirty Harry" kind of way, but was pretty one-note.  It looked at times like a film school project or an after-school special to me.  The ending managed to jerk a few tears from me, but overall I can't recommend it.

[Aloysius J. Gleek]

I ended up seeing "Gran Torino", Clint Eastwood's latest, last night because my friend didn't think she could handle the harshness in "Slumdog Millionaire."  I think it would have been worth dealing with that and hiding our eyes rather than seeing this turkey, though.

"--harshness--"

Huh?? (Can your friend pick'em, or what??)

Seriously, Slumdog is going to be a GOOD FEELINGS classic. Forever. Maybe even at Christmas, even though it's in Mumbai, with Muslim and Hindu characters, but just because the film was first released in the US at Christmas.

I'm a wuss, and there is one minute when I closed my eyes (the way I would have nearly fifty years ago watching the original 101 Dalmatians, a film that actually resembles in more ways than one); ok, two minutes, three, tops. Otherwise, it makes you feel ten feet tall, ready to run all the way home, shadowboxing, and saying 'Yessss!'

That's something you have to see before the semi-bleak holiday season is over--because it make you feel good!

(Rant over! Sorry!)

[oilgun]

THE DARK KNIGHT:  My first hi-def Blu-ray experience.  Interestingly, I enjoyed the film more than when I saw it on imax,  (I think I'm too old for the imax experience )  I could actually follow the story this time.

EUROPA:  Thank you Criterion for finally making this von Trier film available in North America.  I hadn't seen since it was released 17 years ago (!).  Although I still enjoyed it immensely, I was surprised by the atrocious acting of some of the secondary actors.  The print is gorgeous, as one would expect from a Criterion release.  Still need to watch the extras.

[oilgun]

"--harshness--"

Huh?? (Can your friend pick'em, or what??)

Seriously, Slumdog is going to be a GOOD FEELINGS classic. Forever. Maybe even at Christmas, even though it's in Mumbai, with Muslim and Hindu characters, but just because the film was first released in the US at Christmas.

I'm a wuss, and there is one minute when I closed my eyes (the way I would have nearly fifty years ago watching the original 101 Dalmatians, a film that actually resembles in more ways than one); ok, two minutes, three, tops. Otherwise, it makes you feel ten feet tall, ready to run all the way home, shadowboxing, and saying 'Yessss!'

That's something you have to see before the semi-bleak holiday season is over--because it make you feel good!

(Rant over! Sorry!)

   No kidding!  Picking the "urban-get-off-my-lawn-vigilante-film" over this year's "feel-good crowd-pleaser" was definitely a misguided move.  I wasn't as charmed by Slumdog as most but it did make me feel good.  Its harshness is more Dickens than Lehane.

[Aloysius J. Gleek]

  No kidding!  Picking the "urban-get-off-my-lawn-vigilante-film" over this year's "feel-good crowd-pleaser" was definitely a misguided move.  I wasn't as charmed by Slumdog as most but it did make me feel good.  Its harshness is more Dickens than Lehane.

Oh my gosh, that's it! It's Dickens! And the kids--nearly all of them great natural actors--are plucky.

This movie makes me feel brave--is that a brilliantly clever fiction, or what? 

Also, just for the aesthetic reasons alone--as nutty as it might seem, the cheerful color and the light makes it look Christmas-y to me. I'd love to hang this shiny bauble on the biggest Christmas tree.

Run, run, run before Twefth Night is over, and the dark descends again until Spring--seriously!

[BelAir]

I don't think I saw enough 2008 movies to have a list.  Ones I can remember seeing: I'm Not There, Hancock, The Dark Knight, Quantum of Solace, Seven Pounds (anyone else see this?), Iron Man, Wall-E....  I pick I'm Not There, TDK, Seven Pounds, and Wall-E as most interesting...  (in reality, TDK wasn't that interesting, but The Joker was...  fwiw, I did find Seven Pounds and Will Smith quite compelling)

PS - Elle - erotic dream about Steve Carell, sounds very very interesting...?!?

[oilgun]

Oh my gosh, that's it! It's Dickens! And the kids--nearly all of them great natural actors--are plucky.

This movie makes me feel brave--is that a brilliantly clever fiction, or what? 

Also, just for the aesthetic reasons alone--as nutty as it might seem, the cheerful color and the light makes it look Christmas-y to me. I'd love to hang this shiny bauble on the biggest Christmas tree.

Run, run, run before Twefth Night is over, and the dark descends again until Spring--seriously!

I just love you to bits, Jmmgallagher! 

[Front-Ranger]

I just love you to bits, Jmmgallagher! 

Get in line friend! We've been loving him to bits since March 30, 2006! And there ain't no reins on this one!!

http://bettermost.net/forum/index.php/topic,230.msg1316.html#msg1316

[Aloysius J. Gleek]

(Blush!)

Lee is so kind. She is FRiends with wildcats, wild horses and Buddha!

As for--

I just love you to bits, Jmmgallagher! 

--the word is n-u-t-s, not b-i-t-s. But, gosh, thank you!

(More on Slumdog as Christmas--remember how Diana Vreeland said that "--(the color) pink is the navy blue of India;" well, now I think it's the fir cones-and-eggnog of India.

Or something.

(N-u-t-s. I told you.)

xxx
John

[serious crayons]

To quote Terri Garr: "Woooff!!" I don't think I've seen a full frontal (in the movies  ) since Richard Gere in Breathless!

Maybe you should rent Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story with its long, lingering close-up of full-frontal male nudity. That'll tide you over for a while. But be forewarned, it's not exactly Richard-Gere-in-Breathless material -- to say the least! 

"--harshness--"

Huh?? (Can your friend pick'em, or what??)

Seriously, Slumdog is going to be a GOOD FEELINGS classic. Forever. Maybe even at Christmas, even though it's in Mumbai, with Muslim and Hindu characters, but just because the film was first released in the US at Christmas.

I'm a wuss, and there is one minute when I closed my eyes (the way I would have nearly fifty years ago watching the original 101 Dalmatians, a film that actually resembles in more ways than one); ok, two minutes, three, tops. Otherwise, it makes you feel ten feet tall, ready to run all the way home, shadowboxing, and saying 'Yessss!'

For me, there were about half a dozen moments of harshness (though I think I know the one you mean), and a few of disgustingness. But without those, it would be almost too syrupy! Frankly, it needs those bits of harshness to ground it.

The harshness isn't graphic, and although some of those harsh moments are bleak if you think of the real life implications, the overall effect of the movie is, as you say, the opposite of depressing.


Not like the year when my mom and brother were planning to rent Leaving Las Vegas on Christmas Eve. I had to step in and forbid it! They would have ruined Christmas. LLV left me depressed for days.


Disappointing about Gran Torino, though. That was one of many I was looking forward to.


In other news, I finally saw The Notebook last night. Fluffy but very romantic -- it appealed to my inner 16-year-old girl. Ryan Gosling was great as always, even in something sappy, and lookin good. He should never have gotten that nose job.