Year End Movies !!!

[EXPAT]

While on Holiday, I have been seeing a lot of movies in the LA area that are only showing either here or in NYC for Academy consideration. Here is what I have seen so far this week and my ratings of them (in order that I saw them):

 

1. Jimmy Neutron (with my 5 yo nephew) - B- (although good to see stoned.

2. Joe Somebody - C-

3. The Royal Tenenbaums - A (very funny)

4. A Beautiful Mind - A++++ (my favorite movie of the year)

5. Lord of the Rings - F- (terribly painful, couldn't wait to get out)

6. Monster's Ball - A (very good story)

7. In The Bedroom - A (intense, but great acting)

8. Gosford Park - A (great movie and Ryan Phillippe yummmm)

9. Black Hawk Down - A (great war movie - Josh Harnett another yum)

10. Charlotte Gray - A (great acting)

11. The Shipping News - B (it's OK, but just misses)

[+ Lucky]

You got stoned and took your 5 year old nephew to a movie? Cool!

[Guest dstud4hire]

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>5. Lord of the Rings - F- (terribly painful, couldn't wait

>to get out)

 

 

And I was just the opposite with this movie!!! I thought it was awesome! I can't wait till #2 comes out. A solid "A". Visually it was stunning! And as an adaptation goes, it wasn't bad. Oh well....different strokes....etc etc

 

Harry Potter was the one I was disappointed with. Waaaaaayyyyy too long. Though I guess LOTR was too, but I was just immersed into that world so much more, that I didn't notice the time spent.

 

Oh well, it's late, party just ended, now the clean up begins! Have a happy New Year of movie watching! Oscar time should be interesting! Gabe in St. Louis

[Boston Guy]

I enjoyed LOTR a great deal, too.

 

I went with a group of friends, some of whom had read all four volumes (some of us multiple times, although I had last done so over 20 years ago).

 

Those of us who had read the books pretty much loved it. The ones who hadn't pretty much didn't. One friend, who's very, very bright, summed it up when we left the theater: "I didn't understand the business of the ring and so I got lost in the first five minutes. While I didn't hate the movie, I spent the next three hours trying to figure out what the hell they were talking about and never succeeded. I still don't know what the movie is all about. And what's the difference between a hobbit and a man and who the hell are the elves???"

 

I hope the movie will persuade people who have never read The Hobbit and LOTR to do so. I envy anyone the sheer joy of being able to read it for the first time.

 

BG

[Guest WetDream]

I went to see Lord of the Rings last night and I guess I fall somewhere between the two camps (no pun intended). I read, and loved, the books back around 1960. Perhaps the 40 intervemomg years, experiencing four complete Wagner "Ring" cycles, or the fact that I was seeing concrete images of what had previously lived in my head lessened my enjoyment of the film. It seemed a bit sentitious and stodgey to me. Physically it was beautiful and the actors did a great job. I expect that sections two and three will be better now that the bulk of the background information has been gotten out of the way.

 

ExPat: I agree with you on In the Bedroom; the performances are excellent. Try to see Lantana before you go back to Europe. It is the best of the bunch.

[Guest Viewmaster]

The Business of Strangers, Monster's Ball, and Iris are all A movies and worth the time.

[DaninWA]

Saw "Behind Enemy Lines" last night. It was awful. I feel sorry for Gene Hackman, great actor in a lousy film. Owen Wilson was just annoying, as usual. I was cheering for the mines. The guy who played Stackhouse was cute though.

 

What is Monster's Ball? I'm assuming that you're not referring to Monsters, Inc.

 

Happy New Year everyone!

 

Dan

[EXPAT]

See, I didn't like LOTR when I read it the first time 20 years ago. I don't like reading fantasy (at least that kind of fantasy) or reading science fiction. But I love seeing Science fiction on film. I didn't like reading the Harry Potter books either, but at least that movie was enjoyable. I just thought I would enjoy LOTR, but it was too long and repetitive in my opinion and the entire audience in LA was very squirmy by the end of the movie. It was just too long.

[EXPAT]

No, I didn't get stoned and take my nephew :-)

 

But it would be a great movie for an adult to see stoned. (that's what I meant)

[EXPAT]

Monster's Ball is a moving starring Billy Bob Thorton and Halle Berry. She got a Golden Globe nomination for this movie. It's about how Billy' character sheds three generations of racism. It was a very intense drama. It's currently in limited release in LA and NYC only I think.

[Guest JT]

>Those of us who had read the books pretty much loved it.

>The ones who hadn't pretty much didn't.

 

I have very similar experiences. Friends and family memebers who have never read the book got lost in the movie and didn't like it that much.

 

I read the book and love both the series and movie. The cast and acting were great. The movie adaptation (despite some changes of the storyline) was excellent to its finest details. The cinematography was beautifully breathtaking. Of course, the special effects have also made the fantasy come into life more than ever before.

 

I gave it a thump up! :-)

 

 

JT (Looking forward to the second and third installment.)

[DaninWA]

Thanks, EXPAT. I'll have to see Monster's Ball.

 

Dan

[EXPAT]

Thanks to whoever recommended "Lantana". I saw that tonight and it was fantastic.