Benjamin Button

[Sussudio]

Originally Posted by CYMBOL

Hmmm, I guess I don't see the amazing story of an ordinary man's ordinary life.

It was a very well made film. Just not that interesting in the end.

Understandable, as not everyone views movies in the same light I'm glad, since people with different tastes are what keep things interesting. It would be extremely boring if everyone all loved and hated the same movies

[SDon1969]

I recently bought this and watched it two nights ago. The AQ & PQ were outstanding, of course (thanks, Criterion).

I thought it was a very well-made film. I think that with Benjamin's unique condition, following his life more effectively highlighted what we all experience - life, love & loss. The movie has had me thinking for the past couple days, like SonOfArathorn mentioned. I've always been a big Fincher fan; now, even more so.

[CYMBOL]

Originally Posted by Sussudio

Understandable, as not everyone views movies in the same light I'm glad, since people with different tastes are what keep things interesting. It would be extremely boring if everyone all loved and hated the same movies

Yeah, I get what you're saying. . . some people have no taste, but I can't hold it against you all.

Seriously though, good movie, well made, but nothing in his life was interesting to me.

Take away the fact that he was aging backwards (which was barely a factor), and it was a very boring movie, with very boring characters - hell, I'd go as far as to say unlikeable characters. His love interest was so uninteresting.

If the point of the movie was "life is uninteresting and then we die" - well then, bravo!

[Suntory_Times]

Originally Posted by CYMBOL

Take away the fact that he was aging backwards (which was barely a factor), and it was a very boring movie, with very boring characters - hell, I'd go as far as to say unlikeable characters. His love interest was so uninteresting.

I feel it became a very big factor, especially in the final act of the film (eg: him leaving his daughter, and how he and Daisy lived out there final years). Also, how he was treat by others was constantly the opposite of what someone his age would generally be treat, which I found was a fun and interesting 'concept'.

It isn't for everyone, but I would recommend giving it another try at a later date as I can see how this could be a film many may have to be in the right mood to enjoy (I know several people who where disappointed purely as they where hoping for a movie like the notebook, which was considerably less sad).

Originally Posted by CYMBOL

If the point of the movie was "life is uninteresting and then we die" - well then, bravo!

You think Benjamin's life was uninteresting? I'd be very happy if my life turned out half as fulfilling as his did, albeit it was considerably less then many characters achieve in movies, but that to me is also part of its charm). Anyway, enough gushing from me.

[MaCruz]

I bought this as a blind buy, and this movie has to be one of the best PQ movies on blu. I would rate the movie/PQ/AQ almost perfect.

[Suntory_Times]

Originally Posted by macruz19

I bought this as a blind buy, and this movie has to be one of the best PQ movies on blu. I would rate the movie/PQ/AQ almost perfect.

There is what appears to be some slight film damage in the final shot of the film, which is odd considering it was shot with digital cameras. In any case it is so minor it is barely worth noting (even when you know its there you would rarely notice). Aside from that I can't fault the video quality or audio quality.

[MaCruz]

Originally Posted by Suntory_Times

There is what appears to be some slight film damage in the final shot of the film, which is odd considering it was shot with digital cameras. In any case it is so minor it is barely worth noting (even when you know its there you would rarely notice). Aside from that I can't fault the video quality or audio quality.

Maybe next time I watch it... I'll pay attention to the ending.

[Moefiz]

I really like this movie, just a well done movie about a man journey thru life and how he is grounded by the special people around him.
Certainly not for everyone, there isn't any action or comedy just really good acting accompany by a wonderful score.

[Pelican170]

I dont like this one at all. I just have a hard time with it because through the whole movie, nobody seems remotely interested in the fact that this guy ages backwards!!! they all act like its no big deal lol. cant get over that...

[CYMBOL]

Originally Posted by Suntory_Times

You think Benjamin's life was uninteresting? I'd be very happy if my life turned out half as fulfilling as his did, albeit it was considerably less then many characters achieve in movies, but that to me is also part of its charm). Anyway, enough gushing from me.

I really didn't find his life (minus the agining phenomenon), very interesting.

I thought growing up in a nursing home was interesting - however, as I mentioned, the story could have been told with a child growing up there and it would have been the same (ala My Girl).

As a "teen", he gets drunk and visits a brothel. . . ultimately, I don't care.

He leaves home and gets on a boat. Other than the brush with the enemy boat, I was bored and didn't find his experiences very interesting.

His affair with the married woman was fairly pointless to the whole of the story and very boring. (Not sure how this was supposed to endear me to the character. Ben's a cheat and doing another man's wife. Bad Ben, bad!)

After that, it was mainly his love story. Maybe it was because I just didn't see the "love story" as anything special. Both characters were so boring and mundane. And Cate Blanchette's character just didn't make me like her.

In the end, she cares for him in his old (young) age. Again, this is no different then regular life when a loved one cares for a spouse who has gone down hill.

Is it sad? Yes. It's not that he film was bad in any way (as I've said), I simply was expecting something truly magical in the story, something we don't see every day - in the end, I felt I had watched a very slow tale about an every day life. I never found any interesting wisdom or conclusions he came to that anyone aging normally doesn't already learn.

At the end of the movie, my wife and I basically shrugged.

Either way, Fincher is a fantastic director - looking forward to his next movie.

[Suntory_Times]

Originally Posted by CYMBOL

Either way, Fincher is a fantastic director - looking forward to his next movie.

At the very least we can agree on Fincher being a fantastic director, though his next project doesn't particularly excite me.

Originally Posted by macruz19

Maybe next time I watch it... I'll pay attention to the ending.

I noticed film damage on casino royale as well, which few seem to mention.

I know it wasn't film damage on Benjamin Button as no film was used, but I can't imagine it being an an encoding problem, or artistic intent either. I should probably point out that the final scene is not one that has the 'film damage effect' there on purpose. The rest of the film was perfect as far as I could tell and I've yet to see a reviewer give the picture quality anything either then a perfect score, so I guess I was just surprised, as everything seems to suggest it really should not be there.


This thread has made me watch the film yet again (that's three time in the past two weeks know, and I want to go back to the first scene and watch it all over again).

[JUDGEMENT 4400]

Benjamin Button was my favorite movie of 2008. I will never forget seeing it in a crowded theater on Christmas Day. We laughed together. We cried together.

[sfmarine]

It got robbed for Best Picture.

[Canuck21]

Originally Posted by sfmarine

It got robbed for Best Picture.

Not at all. I can understand that you prefer Button, but not everyone liked it as much as you. I thought that it was a very well made movie, but at the end, I felt like I've seen this movie before. I also think it's a bit over-melodramatic. Personally, I prefer Slumdog.

[Suntory_Times]

Originally Posted by sfmarine

It got robbed for Best Picture.

Agreed, but I didn't think any of the other nominees where anything all that special. They where all descent to good films, but not great. That being said, I don't really respect the oscars as in my view its nearly always politically based. It also amazes me that Cate Blanchet did not get an oscar nomination.

[Pelican170]

Originally Posted by CYMBOL

I really didn't find his life (minus the agining phenomenon), very interesting.

I thought growing up in a nursing home was interesting - however, as I mentioned, the story could have been told with a child growing up there and it would have been the same (ala My Girl).

As a "teen", he gets drunk and visits a brothel. . . ultimately, I don't care.

He leaves home and gets on a boat. Other than the brush with the enemy boat, I was bored and didn't find his experiences very interesting.

His affair with the married woman was fairly pointless to the whole of the story and very boring. (Not sure how this was supposed to endear me to the character. Ben's a cheat and doing another man's wife. Bad Ben, bad!)

After that, it was mainly his love story. Maybe it was because I just didn't see the "love story" as anything special. Both characters were so boring and mundane. And Cate Blanchette's character just didn't make me like her.

In the end, she cares for him in his old (young) age. Again, this is no different then regular life when a loved one cares for a spouse who has gone down hill.

Is it sad? Yes. It's not that he film was bad in any way (as I've said), I simply was expecting something truly magical in the story, something we don't see every day - in the end, I felt I had watched a very slow tale about an every day life. I never found any interesting wisdom or conclusions he came to that anyone aging normally doesn't already learn.

At the end of the movie, my wife and I basically shrugged.

Either way, Fincher is a fantastic director - looking forward to his next movie.

I agree with you. I felt the same way after it and said, ehhh no reason to watch this one again..

[surfdude12]

while this movie was wonderfully acted, i found the movie itself very hollow of any true purpose or meaning. people say "how an unordinary guy led an ordinary life", well what was unordinary about him? his reverse time life? musn't once fundamentally accept this before one accepts that this "unordinary guy led an ordinary life"

this movie spits in the face of the forward arrow of time. its not unique in this sense, just brazen. the whole point of experiencing life and finding a spouse is to find a common witness to your life. how does button do that when everyone is passing him in reverse direction? he can't. there is no lesson here as nobody will ever relate to button. take for example 80 year old button meeting 5 year old blancett, then 40 year old button making love to 40 year old blanchet...now is 40 year old button thinking of 5 year old blancett? is 40 year old blanchett thinking of 80 year old button? this is why reverse time is not just all wrong and can't be accepted by humans, but is also just plain twisted. even if you and your wife meet at age 5, you're 5 when you meet her. button was 80 when he met 5 year old blanchett...obviously a much more sexually mature man. this was just an example of why the reverse time thing can't ever work with me. hence, the movie couldn't work, couldn't have any central theme.

ironically, i read that the screenplay was based on a comic farce score where button was born an old man at 5'8"...too bad his mom wasn't mentioned in the comic score...can you imagine how much pushing that would have taken????

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

while this movie was wonderfully acted, i found the movie itself very hollow of any true purpose or meaning. people say "how an unordinary guy led an ordinary life", well what was unordinary about him? his reverse time life? musn't once fundamentally accept this before one accepts that this "unordinary guy led an ordinary life"

this movie spits in the face of the forward arrow of time. its not unique in this sense, just brazen. the whole point of experiencing life and finding a spouse is to find a common witness to your life. how does button do that when everyone is passing him in reverse direction? he can't. there is no lesson here as nobody will ever relate to button. take for example 80 year old button meeting 5 year old blancett, then 40 year old button making love to 40 year old blanchet...now is 40 year old button thinking of 5 year old blancett? is 40 year old blanchett thinking of 80 year old button? this is why reverse time is not just all wrong and can't be accepted by humans, but is also just plain twisted. even if you and your wife meet at age 5, you're 5 when you meet her. button was 80 when he met 5 year old blanchett...obviously a much more sexually mature man. this was just an example of why the reverse time thing can't ever work with me. hence, the movie couldn't work, couldn't have any central theme.

ironically, i read that the screenplay was based on a comic farce score where button was born an old man at 5'8"...too bad his mom wasn't mentioned in the comic score...can you imagine how much pushing that would have taken????

For me, that was part of the film I enjoyed. It was about how alone he was, and always will be, because of his aging situation. As he matured and learned more about life, he became more (painfully) aware that he would never have the 'normal' relationships that we hold so dear.

[Sussudio]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

while this movie was wonderfully acted, i found the movie itself very hollow of any true purpose or meaning. people say "how an unordinary guy led an ordinary life", well what was unordinary about him? his reverse time life? musn't once fundamentally accept this before one accepts that this "unordinary guy led an ordinary life"

the fact that he aged backwards from day one is pretty unordinary, wouldn't you say??

this movie spits in the face of the forward arrow of time. its not unique in this sense, just brazen. the whole point of experiencing life and finding a spouse is to find a common witness to your life. how does button do that when everyone is passing him in reverse direction? he can't. there is no lesson here as nobody will ever relate to button. take for example 80 year old button meeting 5 year old blancett, then 40 year old button making love to 40 year old blanchet...now is 40 year old button thinking of 5 year old blancett? is 40 year old blanchett thinking of 80 year old button? this is why reverse time is not just all wrong and can't be accepted by humans, but is also just plain twisted. even if you and your wife meet at age 5, you're 5 when you meet her. button was 80 when he met 5 year old blanchett...obviously a much more sexually mature man. this was just an example of why the reverse time thing can't ever work with me. hence, the movie couldn't work, couldn't have any central theme.

imo you can't take away a message from a movie if you get nothing from it to begin with. you don't think anyone can relate to his character, so how would you yourself be able to relate? it isn't necessarily the character people may relate to, but the themes behind the trials and tribulations he encounters throughout his life....learning what it means to experience love, hate, discrimination, loss etc. the situations you describe are all part of this unique man's fantastical life, made up of some very serious and significant moments. it's obviously not a real story, and imo shouldn't be viewed entirely as such. yes this could have been shown through the eyes of a normal-aging person, but reverse aging is what makes it interesting, because i think it better exemplifies the idea of human mortality. my .02. of course...not everyone will view it in the same light