Movie recommendations

Started by corn02, October 23, 2007, 10:13:39 AM

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Tony Baloney

Quote from: nrico2006 on February 25, 2009, 09:39:33 AM
Where is the Forrest Gump comparisons coming from regarding Benjamin Button - so in the future if a period drama is made and the lead character(s) has a southern (American) accent then it is an attempt to replicate Forrest Gump?  Would the same be said of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe if it had been made after Gump?

Gran Torino - was expecting it to be better than it was although Eastwood was brilliant (Clint, not his son).

Really?

QuoteA white man is born fatherless in the south with birth defects that lead many to think he may never walk nor live a normal life. His saintly mother believes in his potential anyway. At a young age, the man learns to walk and sheds his exoskeleton of locomotive aids. Around this time, he also meets the love of his life, a vivacious girl who grows into a bold woman who parts ways with the man to have her own wild adventures. Meanwhile, the man reaches adulthood, and puts in a wartime stint in the U.S. military. During this stint, the man proves at first an indifferent asset, but during his one firefight, he turns out to be very valuable, saving the day singlehandedly, while also witnessing the death of one of his best friends. The man also spends much time on a small ocean vessel, serving alongside a rowdy, grizzled, hard-drinking man of the sea. This salty sailor serves as one of our man's two best male friends; the other is a black man who first teaches our man the lessons of friendship before departing forever.

Our man wanders all around the world, his life brushing up against key historical moments of the 20th century. At some point he returns to his childhood home, and his mother dies. The man comes into considerable wealth through blind luck. Around this time, his lifelong love returns from her adventures, ready to commit to him. During their brief time together, they conceive a child. The couple part ways, due to the woman's perceived inability to take care of the man. He does not raise the child through its early years but later makes an appearance in its life. The woman eventually dies in bed from illness. The man's later years are hardly touched on, even though the movie has lavished much attention on his early and middle years.

The entire story dwells repeatedly on the theme of life's uncertainty and, in contrast, on the notion of fate or coincidence. The film's symbol for these themes is a small object seen hovering improbably in the air. A narrative frame scene punctuates the story, as does the main character's drawling voice-over.

Nearly every respected film critic (and Jonathan Ross) has mentioned the parallels with Forrest Gump e.g. Benjamin Button is Forrest Gump with A-Levels, Benjamin Button is Forrest Gump without AIDS. Have you actually seen both films?!


longrunsthefox

Quote from: Tony Baloney on February 25, 2009, 05:05:49 PM
Quote from: nrico2006 on February 25, 2009, 09:39:33 AM
Where is the Forrest Gump comparisons coming from regarding Benjamin Button - so in the future if a period drama is made and the lead character(s) has a southern (American) accent then it is an attempt to replicate Forrest Gump?  Would the same be said of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe if it had been made after Gump?

Gran Torino - was expecting it to be better than it was although Eastwood was brilliant (Clint, not his son).

Really?

QuoteA white man is born fatherless in the south with birth defects that lead many to think he may never walk nor live a normal life. His saintly mother believes in his potential anyway. At a young age, the man learns to walk and sheds his exoskeleton of locomotive aids. Around this time, he also meets the love of his life, a vivacious girl who grows into a bold woman who parts ways with the man to have her own wild adventures. Meanwhile, the man reaches adulthood, and puts in a wartime stint in the U.S. military. During this stint, the man proves at first an indifferent asset, but during his one firefight, he turns out to be very valuable, saving the day singlehandedly, while also witnessing the death of one of his best friends. The man also spends much time on a small ocean vessel, serving alongside a rowdy, grizzled, hard-drinking man of the sea. This salty sailor serves as one of our man's two best male friends; the other is a black man who first teaches our man the lessons of friendship before departing forever.

Our man wanders all around the world, his life brushing up against key historical moments of the 20th century. At some point he returns to his childhood home, and his mother dies. The man comes into considerable wealth through blind luck. Around this time, his lifelong love returns from her adventures, ready to commit to him. During their brief time together, they conceive a child. The couple part ways, due to the woman's perceived inability to take care of the man. He does not raise the child through its early years but later makes an appearance in its life. The woman eventually dies in bed from illness. The man's later years are hardly touched on, even though the movie has lavished much attention on his early and middle years.

The entire story dwells repeatedly on the theme of life's uncertainty and, in contrast, on the notion of fate or coincidence. The film's symbol for these themes is a small object seen hovering improbably in the air. A narrative frame scene punctuates the story, as does the main character's drawling voice-over.

Nearly every respected film critic (and Jonathan Ross) has mentioned the parallels with Forrest Gump e.g. Benjamin Button is Forrest Gump with A-Levels, Benjamin Button is Forrest Gump without AIDS. Have you actually seen both films?!



Aye-I saw both films and is no similarity at all. The whole jiist of Forest Gump was that he was remedial and without that was no film so Benjmin Button ain't Forest without A levels as you suggest. Is like saying Shipwreck is Jaws without the shark!!

nifan

Quote from: Fancy Dan on February 24, 2009, 01:52:34 PM
while Benji seems like an attempt at Forrest Gump in reverse but falls short comprehensively.

I doubt much consideration was given to forrest gump when benjamin button was written in the 1920's ;)

Goats Do Shave

QuoteHight of the Hunter

Had that reccomended before... didn't enjoy it at all.

nutsy--1

saw slumdog yesterday. i thought it was a gud show, very different than how i thought it would be.

anportmorforjfc

was thinking about going to see Gran Torino. Anyone seen it?

Minder

Quote from: anportmorforjfc on February 26, 2009, 11:56:30 AM
was thinking about going to see Gran Torino. Anyone seen it?

Top drawer.
"When it's too tough for them, it's just right for us"

Our Nail Loney

Saw that Righteous Kill there last night, the one with Pacino and De Niro...

Thought it was very predictable and I guessed the plot/twist about ten minutes into the film! 50 Cent is as good an actor as I am I would say, and I am crap...

Though the girl from the Bon Jovi video for Always is in it, I hadn't seen her since Spin City and she is gorgeous (Carla Gugino or something)

Bogball XV

Quote from: nifan on February 25, 2009, 05:28:14 PM
Quote from: Fancy Dan on February 24, 2009, 01:52:34 PM
while Benji seems like an attempt at Forrest Gump in reverse but falls short comprehensively.

I doubt much consideration was given to forrest gump when benjamin button was written in the 1920's ;)
they do share the same screen writer though

Tony Baloney

Watched Eagle Eye and Burn After Reading this weekend. Eagle Eye was alright for action and drama but the storyline was complete and utter nonsense. Gave Burn After Reading the hammer after an hour so don't even know how it finished. Nor do I care. Gash.

gerry

Took the kids to see hotel for dogs.

Best 1 1/2 sleep i got all week
God bless the hills of Dooish, be they heather-clad or lea,

ziggysego

Couldn't sleep last night, so I decided to watch Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe on Channel 4. I must say, it was an excellent film and would recommend it to anyone.
Testing Accessibility

full back

Watched Quarantine on DVD the other night
Think I may have dozed off a few times during this 'horror'  :-\

playwiththewind1st

Quote from: anportmorforjfc on February 26, 2009, 11:56:30 AM
was thinking about going to see Gran Torino. Anyone seen it?

Saw it yesterday. Eastwood does the usual "man with no name here to clean up the town" act, but it's fairly good & was actually quite funny in places-one particular line had me in stitches.

Minder

Quote from: Tony Baloney on March 01, 2009, 11:30:14 PM
Watched Eagle Eye and Burn After Reading this weekend. Eagle Eye was alright for action and drama but the storyline was complete and utter nonsense. Gave Burn After Reading the hammer after an hour so don't even know how it finished. Nor do I care. Gash.

It was only on for an hour and a half, i thought it was pretty s*it too.
"When it's too tough for them, it's just right for us"