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ocho
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 Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 2:07 am Post subject: |
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| DancingBarry wrote: | | ocho wrote: | what a chore this movie was...
...it is strictly depression depression depression depression depression...and a 5 minute happy ending. the filmmaker and screenwriter are more interested in peeling onions in front of your face trying to get you to cry instead of giving the characters any depth, or anything to do other than suffer... |
That's pretty much how I felt about Babel...except eventually it became absurd beyond belief to the point that I didn't care what happened to anyone in the film and just wanted my two hours back. I'm sure this one wasn't that bad.
I was thinking of seeing The Pursuit of Happyness this week, but maybe I will check out The Good Shepard instead. |
problem i had with babel is it's pretty much alejandro gonzalez innaritu doing the same movie he's done two times before. "amorre perros" was a breakthrough...melodrama done well in an interwoven story. next was "21 grams"...same deal. now "babel". all three movies involve three storylines interwoven through a tragedy...all three are melodramatic....come on man...you're talented....do something new.
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msb212
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| Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 2:11 am Post subject: |
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| ocho wrote: | | DancingBarry wrote: | | ocho wrote: | what a chore this movie was...
...it is strictly depression depression depression depression depression...and a 5 minute happy ending. the filmmaker and screenwriter are more interested in peeling onions in front of your face trying to get you to cry instead of giving the characters any depth, or anything to do other than suffer... |
That's pretty much how I felt about Babel...except eventually it became absurd beyond belief to the point that I didn't care what happened to anyone in the film and just wanted my two hours back. I'm sure this one wasn't that bad.
I was thinking of seeing The Pursuit of Happyness this week, but maybe I will check out The Good Shepard instead. |
problem i had with babel is it's pretty much alejandro gonzalez innaritu doing the same movie he's done two times before. "amorre perros" was a breakthrough...melodrama done well in an interwoven story. next was "21 grams"...same deal. now "babel". all three movies involve three storylines interwoven through a tragedy...all three are melodramatic....come on man...you're talented....do something new. |
babel is light years better than the other two. a phenomenal work of art, IMO |
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ocho
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| Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 2:15 am Post subject: |
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| Mr. LakeShow wrote: | | Ocho, whats you're favorite movie of all time? |
2001: A Space Odyssey is flawless filmmaking. my favorite ever. you look at that film at the time it was made...the visuals it produced. truly remarkable. you want a movie that tells you something about life? 2001 is not only visually visceral...but thematically it expresses what human beings have done to become who we are. it inspires me every time i watch it and never gets old. as people currently in the era of CGI....2001's models prove to be the best special effects of any space or sci/fi movie ever.
it's the work of a true genius at the top of his game.
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daxeqtr
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Joined: 23 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 5:07 am Post subject: |
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| DancingBarry wrote: |
That's pretty much how I felt about Babel...except eventually it became absurd beyond belief to the point that I didn't care what happened to anyone in the film and just wanted my two hours back. I'm sure this one wasn't that bad.
I was thinking of seeing The Pursuit of Happyness this week, but maybe I will check out The Good Shepard instead. |
I saw both The Good Shepard and Pursuit of Happyness this week and you can't go wrong with either movies.
The Good Shepard was an interesting movie. Showed how dirty the intelligence and counter-intelligence business is. IMO don't watch this movie if you are looking for a nice paced movie as it is really drawn out. Felt like I was watching for 5 hours when the movie was about 3.
Like the others have said, The Pursuit of Happyness will throw depressing events again and again at you. Although that just builds up for the feel good ending it has.
Oh yeah, the man at the end of the movie that Will Smith and his son passes by is actually the real Chris Gardner. |
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DancingBarry
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| Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 5:13 pm Post subject: |
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| msb212 wrote: | | ocho wrote: | | DancingBarry wrote: | | ocho wrote: | what a chore this movie was...
...it is strictly depression depression depression depression depression...and a 5 minute happy ending. the filmmaker and screenwriter are more interested in peeling onions in front of your face trying to get you to cry instead of giving the characters any depth, or anything to do other than suffer... |
That's pretty much how I felt about Babel...except eventually it became absurd beyond belief to the point that I didn't care what happened to anyone in the film and just wanted my two hours back. I'm sure this one wasn't that bad.
I was thinking of seeing The Pursuit of Happyness this week, but maybe I will check out The Good Shepard instead. |
problem i had with babel is it's pretty much alejandro gonzalez innaritu doing the same movie he's done two times before. "amorre perros" was a breakthrough...melodrama done well in an interwoven story. next was "21 grams"...same deal. now "babel". all three movies involve three storylines interwoven through a tragedy...all three are melodramatic....come on man...you're talented....do something new. |
babel is light years better than the other two. a phenomenal work of art, IMO |
I haven't seen the other two. My problem (and I know I'm not the only one because people were walking out of the theater and my wife even started laughing at one scene that's supposed to be tragic) is that there came a point where the events were no longer believable and I no longer cared about the characters...which is kind of a problem with this type of story. The story was just way too over the top, despite the great acting, how well it was interwoven and some of the excellent settings.
Last edited by DancingBarry on Wed Dec 27, 2006 5:17 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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DancingBarry
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| Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 5:16 pm Post subject: |
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| daxeqtr wrote: |
I saw both The Good Shepard and Pursuit of Happyness this week and you can't go wrong with either movies.
The Good Shepard was an interesting movie. Showed how dirty the intelligence and counter-intelligence business is. IMO don't watch this movie if you are looking for a nice paced movie as it is really drawn out. Felt like I was watching for 5 hours when the movie was about 3.
Like the others have said, The Pursuit of Happyness will throw depressing events again and again at you. Although that just builds up for the feel good ending it has.
Oh yeah, the man at the end of the movie that Will Smith and his son passes by is actually the real Chris Gardner. |
Thanks. I feel like I'm leaning toward The Good Shepard. I haven't seen Apocolypto, either...so I guess that's in the mix. |
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- Sean -
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| Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 8:34 pm Post subject: |
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| If "Volver" is playing around you, it's an enjoyable watch IMO. |
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Money$hot!
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| Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 8:45 pm Post subject: |
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DB, I felt similarly about Babel. It's asthetic was flawless, and often times it's difficult to separate that from weak narrative which is where Babel failed. If a character has been efficiently drawn, the viewer will feel connection to the character's experiences and emotions without the Filmmaker sledgehammering countless scenes of tragedy to setup the payoff.
Case in point with Babel, the Japanese girl storyline established that she was crying for the attention of her absent father after the death of her mother only after showing the young lady out of control in no less than 4 scenes (exposing herself to the boy, propositioning the dentist, taking the drugs to connect with the boy in the park/club, and propositioning the cop). These 4 scenes could've been either cut to 2 or cut down in length by a good 20-30 minutes and kept their power and relevance. Now add those 4 scenes with another probably 15-20 scenes of tragedy and neglect by adults and I felt pounded by the melodrama. It was too much. Shame because if Innaritu cut about 45 minutes out of the movie and it would've been narratively as effective as it was pretty.
I get the feeling Pursuit of Happyness had the same iss. Sloppily constructed films are good for Netflix, but not worth my $10 per. Thank goodness for Rottentomatoes.com and Metacritic.com. |
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PWiddy
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| Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 6:56 am Post subject: |
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i saw this and liked it....I dont think it was MOY or anything but still a quality movie...I would recommend it.
and to whoever said they didnt like crash 
different strokes i suppose. |
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DancingBarry
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| Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 1:06 am Post subject: |
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Well, I went and saw The Good Shepherd. Thankfully, I like the spy flicks because you could definitely feel the length of it. Not sure whether they were trying to do too much or whether they just didn't put you on the edge of your seat enough like you can with that topic. I feel like it's the latter. It had some decent moments, though.
Money$hot! - I agree. |
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ocho
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| Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 1:35 am Post subject: |
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i've heard good shepherd is far too long. i'll probably wait for video. deniro hasn't impressed me much as a filmmaker. i liken it to when a superstar basketball player tries to coach.
as for babel....it is effective in parts but not as whole. the hispanic nanny is phenomenal as is rinko kikuchi. i wish these characters were in a better movie.
movies i'm excited to see:
-rocky balboa
-children of men
-notes on a scandal
-the queen
-pans labyrinth
dreamgirls is a pleasure to watch if you guys haven't seen it.
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Last edited by ocho on Fri Dec 29, 2006 2:38 am; edited 1 time in total |
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ocho
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| Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 2:19 am Post subject: |
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| sean2023 wrote: | | If "Volver" is playing around you, it's an enjoyable watch IMO. |
just became available to us santa barbarians. ill be catching it soon.
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Mr. LakeShow
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| Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 2:22 am Post subject: |
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Ocho, you seem like a movie guy i appreciate you're insights even though i disagree with some of them.
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ocho
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| Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 2:31 am Post subject: |
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| Mr. LakeShow wrote: | | Ocho, you seem like a movie guy i appreciate you're insights even though i disagree with some of them. |
thanks lakeshow. movies are personal so disagreements are going to happen. i just enjoy the discussion. 
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- Sean -
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| Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2006 1:46 pm Post subject: |
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.........
Last edited by - Sean - on Sun Jan 13, 2013 4:03 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Zhengi
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| Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2007 3:23 pm Post subject: |
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I saw this movie too. I thought the direction of the movie was bad. The director took what could have potentially been a great movie and ruined it. It was very bad and boring to say the least.
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