Serious Movie Discussion

[Bullitt68]

I tried to watch The Grapes of Wrath last night and couldn't do it. I don't know what it is. I love film, especially the classics, and yet I hate John Ford. I've tried watching at least a dozen of his films and I've hated every single one of them with the exception of Mary of Scotland, and in the middle of shooting the film, Ford left, saying, "I can't make these kinds of movies." Katharine Hepburn had to direct a scene herself! Had she not been in the film and been her usual wonderful self, I'm sure it'd be another film I'd chalk up to being overrated.

IMO, John Ford is the most overrated director in the history of film.

Anybody else have problems like this? People/films you know everybody else likes/respects and then you try to see what the fuss is about and you absolutely hate it?

I know I hate John Ford, I don't much care for Billy Wilder, and I think David Lean's early stuff (Blithe Spirit, Brief Encounter, Great Expectations, Summertime) is better than his later [overrated] epics.

In better news, after I ejected The Grapes of Wrath, I simply fast-forwarded 24 years to Henry Fonda's 1964 political drama The Best Man, which I found to be a terrific film. Cliff Robertson was a perfect asshole and Fonda hit the "average Joe" role he was born to play out of the park once again.

You know, Burt Reynolds had a quote about Spencer Tracy where he said, "If Jimmy Stewart was the every man, then Spencer Tracy was the universal man," and IMO, I'd substitute Henry Fonda for Tracy. No disrespect to Tracy---who is a wonderful actor and a man who could literally play anything and anybody---but Fonda just had that quality that put him and James Stewart in a category all their own of just two absolutely beloved actors and beloved human beings.

[thethirddiaz]

Originally Posted by JSN

are you talking about secretary with james spader and maggie gyllenhaal? that's a good movie. so is "unfaithful," if for no other reason than diane lane.

That's the one. I hated it.

Originally Posted by YeahBee

Hunter I veto Green Street Hooligans and 10000BC

Football Facotry is a way better movie dealing with hooliganism

NO!

Same problem as Secretary. No redeeming value. At the end, I found myself thinking, "why the fuck would anyone care about that character?" for both the Secretary and Football Factory. I won't pretend to know about hooliganism (I'm from the states), but GSH is a good movie, FF is not.

Edit: ended up watching Sleepers again last night after seeing some talk about it in here. It's messed up but not as disturbing as I remember (I think I was too young when I first saw it). Very good movie.

[YeahBee]

People/films you know everybody else likes/respects and then you try to see what the fuss is about and you absolutely hate it?

Denzel movies

Sofia Coppola, lost in translation is bearable because it is after all Bill Murray

M-Night shullllmuman or whatever

Russel Crow, he was great in LA confidential then, not so much

[YeahBee]

Originally Posted by thethirddiaz

That's the one. I hated it.



NO!

Same problem as Secretary. No redeeming value. At the end, I found myself thinking, "why the fuck would anyone care about that character?" for both the Secretary and Football Factory. I won't pretend to know about hooliganism (I'm from the states), but GSH is a good movie, FF is not.

Edit: ended up watching Sleepers again last night after seeing some talk about it in here. It's messed up but not as disturbing as I remember (I think I was too young when I first saw it). Very good movie.

Why do you have to care? he is an asshole? His character highlights the mentallity of that crowd, perfectly. FF is funny but tells a story at the same time. GSH is more gloryfing

GSH is to FF as SUm41 is to punkrock


It is most likely because you are from the states, heck I am just from Sweden our firms are nothing like the ones in the UK, so I shouldn't make any broad statements that I know about this situation to any big extent to but atleast I have encounterd some people and events that bear an resemblence to the UK thing

[YeahBee]

Originally Posted by thethirddiaz

That's the one. I hated it.



NO!

Same problem as Secretary. No redeeming value. At the end, I found myself thinking, "why the fuck would anyone care about that character?" for both the Secretary and Football Factory. I won't pretend to know about hooliganism (I'm from the states), but GSH is a good movie, FF is not.

Edit: ended up watching Sleepers again last night after seeing some talk about it in here. It's messed up but not as disturbing as I remember (I think I was too young when I first saw it). Very good movie.

Why do you have to care? he is an asshole? His character highlights the mentallity of that crowd, perfectly. FF is funny but tells a story at the same time. GSH is more gloryfing

GSH is to FF as SUm41 is to punkrock


It is most likely because you are from the states, heck I am just from Sweden our firms are nothing like the ones in the UK, so I shouldn't make any broad statements that I know about this situation to any big extent to but atleast I have encounterd some people and events that bear an resemblence to the UK thing

[thethirddiaz]

Originally Posted by YeahBee

Why do you have to care? he is an asshole? His character highlights the mentallity of that crowd, perfectly. FF is funny but tells a story at the same time. GSH is more gloryfing

GSH is to FF as SUm41 is to punkrock


It is most likely because you are from the states, heck I am just from Sweden our firms are nothing like the ones in the UK, so I shouldn't make any broad statements that I know about this situation to any big extent to but atleast I have encounterd some people and events that bear an resemblence to the UK thing

I have to care because that is the point of a movie. Whether I love or hate a character, I have to care. I hated Worm (Edward Norton in Rounders), which made him a good character. You were supposed to hate him. The lead in FF, I was apathetic. He is a scumbag 30 year old? Not even worth my disdain.

FF may be more indicative of the culture, but GSH tells a far better story. And comparing GSH to Sum41 is harsh. I'm not saying GSH is some oscar worthy film, but it is a good, solid movie. Sum41 is dispensable.

[JSN]

Originally Posted by thethirddiaz

That's the one. I hated it.



NO!

Same problem as Secretary. No redeeming value. At the end, I found myself thinking, "why the fuck would anyone care about that character?" .

dude, the whole point of the movie was that they were basically normal, healthy, people who were slightly weird, but they found a way to be happy together and comfortable with who they were.

[thethirddiaz]

Originally Posted by JSN

dude, the whole point of the movie was that they were basically normal, healthy, people who were slightly weird, but they found a way to be happy together and comfortable with who they were.

I wouldn't go with normal, but I see what you are saying.

[kartaron]

Originally Posted by JSN

dude, the whole point of the movie was that they were basically normal, healthy, people who were slightly weird, but they found a way to be happy together and comfortable with who they were.

I agree, similar though less on the nose than Black Snake Moan.

FF may be more indicative of the culture, but GSH tells a far better story. And comparing GSH to Sum41 is harsh. I'm not saying GSH is some oscar worthy film, but it is a good, solid movie. Sum41 is dispensable.

I havent seen FF, but GSH tried to make you fall in love with the idea of the gang mentality and identify with the violence of the culture, then tear that away by showing the consequences. I tolerated the first two acts and was bored to tears by the preachyness of the end. Even more shallow and preachy than American History X in my opinion.

[gogoGomi]

I thought The Secretary was good.