Return of the King

[-Jrabbit]

Yeah, no mention of Frodo of the Nine Fingers was a disappointment to be sure. Nor of Samwise the Mayor. Hoping it appears on the extended version (which is turning into a pretty long list).

[MrBaggins]

Seabiscuit and Lost In Translation are a couple of the dark horses in the nomination race.

There is a negative buzz around Last Samurai. The film looks like it won't be profitable before DVD sales, based on current estimates.

It has almost no industry momentum.

So, while it could make it, its unlikely at this point.

[MrBaggins]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

redefined the genre

How did SPR 'redefine' the genre? How was it much different from those that came before it? Was it well acted, yes. Was it epic, somewhat. I'll still take 'Bridge over the River Kwai'.

Bridge of the River Kwai is indeed a classic. Its starting to age now, especially from a presentation standpoint. Society has moved on since Bridge was released, and people connect differently now with that subject matter than they did then.

SPR has a great presentation... both great visuals... high def, great grain and contrast... and a great sound presentation... one of the best DTS mixes of recent years.

The film wasn't intended to be epic. It was intended to be about saving an individual soldier in the midst of a massive situation. The characters were powerfully portrayed and the messages about war resonated powerfully.

The film industry liked it so much, in fact, that it spawned something that could be called an epic... the dramatization of "Band Of Brothers". That series is undoubtedly the definitive film version of Easy company in Operation Overlord.

[-Jrabbit]

[Ned]

Originally posted by MrBaggins


I've got both DVD's. I feel by no small measure that SiL is good but is ultimately obvious and has no standout performance. It has an excellent screenplay and script, but thats not the same as it being a great movie. Its... nice. Thats the most praise I can heap on it.

In SPR, Hanks, Sizemore and Goldberg were simply ashonishing, not for just the first scene, but all the way through. The direction, cinematography and sound editing were flawless in SPR. The movie had depth and meaning, and redefined the genre, which had been bereft of any quality for many years hence.

I totally agree. Saving Private Ryan had great performances throughout. It's cinematography was unsurpassed. It was a truly great film -- but it didn't have what women like and that is romance. That is why Shakespeare in Love won.

Annie Hall was a mediocre film at best. In any other year, it would have had little chance of even been nominated for best picture. There's no way to this film is anywhere near as good as Star Wars.

Chicago had lousy music, poor acting, a horrid plot and a few well photograph dance numbers that were exceedingly booooooooooring.

[Stefu]

Just back from seeing.

The obligatory list of minor quibbles:

- I'd have liked some more eagles. Now we just get a few pansy eagles pestering the Nazgul, so Pippin/Merry's (I tend to confuse the two, forgive me) cry of "Eagles!" seems a bit useless. Then again, it doesn't really work as well as it should without Hobbit's "Eagles" scene.

- A dire miss, which would have been easy to do - "Preee-ciiii-ooouuss... *fwoowf*"

- Denethor's death was a bit dodgy, especially with Gandalf pushing him into the pyre.

- Shelob... I agree, I agree, she was fine, but she could have been just a *wee bit* bigger. I know, I know...

However, I *definitely* didn't miss the Scouring of the Shire. I liked it in the book, but in the movie, it wouldn't have worked. Three words - Big Fat Anticlimax. Big... Fat... Anticlimax. On this issue, I feel, the Tolkien purists are completely wrong.

Nor of Samwise the Mayor.

What, are you saying you didn't pay attention to what Frodo was writing to Red Book of Westmark? Fer shame!

[Imran Siddiqui]

SPR has a great presentation... both great visuals... high def, great grain and contrast... and a great sound presentation... one of the best DTS mixes of recent years.

So it should win because of good visuals and sound?

The characters were powerfully portrayed and the messages about war resonated powerfully.

What that war has sacrifices? Wow... that's never been done before. The characters were good, but not super amazing as you are making them out to be.

Annie Hall was a mediocre film at best.

I don't understand how you can call Annie Hall mediocre. It is undoubtably Woody Allen's best film, and Woody has been a wonderful director with many great films. Though I guess if you didn't like Seinfeld you wouldn't like Woody Allen.

Chicago had lousy music, poor acting, a horrid plot and a few well photograph dance numbers that were exceedingly booooooooooring.

I can understand if you don't like musicals, but poor acting and horrid plot? What are you NUTS?! That movie had a great plot, the tongue in cheak look at lawyers was great. And Gere & Zeta Jones were magnificent.

[Lonestar]

To recap my review of RotK:

- The ending of the Movie was long....but it was probably the best PJ could do with regards to the book. I agree with Stefu that trying to fix in the scouring of the Shire would have been bad Juju.

- Instead of a bunch of Undead that look a lot like a ride from an amuesment Park outside of LA saving the day, it should have included the Dunedain from the book.

- I want a Mountain Troll.

- Hell, Give me a Fell Beast too.


EDIT: I talked to my brother about it yesterday. He didn't understand why Frodo left the Shire, nor did some of the guys I went to see it with. Did it really not click with some people?

[Imran Siddiqui]

There are no Dunedain?!

[Lonestar]

Imran, Do you even know who the Dunedain are? ( )

[Imran Siddiqui]

Yes, the 'Rangers' which Aragorn, son of Arathorn, belongs to.

[Lonestar]

ah, carry on.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I'm not an LOTR neophyte... I know the book... at least the Hobbit, Fellowship, Two Towers, Return of the King... not the history book like Similarion though.

[Sikander]

Originally posted by Stuie


Arrian beat me to this.... but I'll second the fact that Shakespeare in Love was a very good film. I can watch it over and over and always take away something new. The WWII movies were just entertaining (well, Ryan was, not Thin Red Line).

I agree completely. Shakespeare in Love was an extremely funny picture, and I have seen it several times and enjoyed it each time. There are so many jokes, jokes within jokes and inside jokes that I doubt many people who have only seen the film once are even aware of half the fun. At its most absurd level it is a movie about making itself, but set during the time of Elizabeth and starring W.S. Shakespeare among others. Ben Affleck, an actor with apparant sex appeal is brought in for a very small role in order to increase the sex appeal of the film. He plays an actor with apparant sex appeal who is brought in for a very small role in Romeo and Juliette. It goes on like this.

[Sikander]

Oh, and by the way. When talking about great films (as opposed to enjoyable movies), Star Wars (any and all of them) doesn't even get invited to the discussion. Those films sucked honestly, the first one only barely ranking above putrid. Sure they were fun (kinda) when I was 15 and saw them at the theatre, but I could tell immediately that they were going to be sequalized and muppetized.

Annie Hall isn't even Allen's best comedy, but it is a good film as are many of his films. I prefer a number of Allen films over this one, especially Manhattan, Love and Death, Deconstructing Harry, but I have no objection to Annie Hall's oscar. I find it much more appropriate than so many other selections.