The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by Diesel

I don't hand out very many 5/5s. Probably somewhere around 20 total.

At least half of those star Vin Diesel...

[Show spoiler]

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Diesel

Just saw this on Youtube, worth sharing:

How Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows Should Have Ended - YouTube

[Show spoiler]Throat punch! Throat punch! Throat punch!!!!

Stay until after the "end" for a surprise.


If you've never watched the videos before, take a look through their list, some really great ones in there.

I jumped when

[Show spoiler]they hit the rocks. SPLAT.

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by volcomsocal

I just feel that Curse of The Black Pearl is so perfect in every way. Pacing, story, acting, characters, action, humor, and overall fantasy fun. It's a classic that will definitely stand the test of time.

Orlando Bloom

I can't say that I consider any movie perfect. I even have issues with my favorite movie (Return of the King)...Frodo
There have been a few movies where there wasn't anything I particularly disliked, but the whole puzzle that all the good pieces added up to was just that, good and not great or perfect.

Originally Posted by KilloWertz

At least half of those star Vin Diesel...

[Show spoiler]

Of course!

[Show spoiler]Okay, the actual count of those with a 5/5 is 0 .

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

I jumped when

[Show spoiler]they hit the rocks. SPLAT.

Jarring ending

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by Diesel

Of course!

[Show spoiler]Okay, the actual count of those with a 5/5 is 0 .

[Show spoiler]Bullshit!

[Show spoiler]Nope, not kidding.

[Foggy]

Talking about perfect movies and scores...

Road to Perdition

This film was darn near perfect, I'm actually fighting myself to stop myself from giving top marks, so which element didn't work for me.

Was it the direction?

Hell no, it wasn't the direction, Sam Mendes drenches each frame of this film in mood and subtle emotion that it really gets an odd gut reaction to some scenes, it just wears you down and wears you down to the point where you've become a cold mess in a place surrounded by emotionless killers, all waiting to reach their mortal coil.

Was it the acting?

Hell no, there is a scene later on in the film, where a son asks Tom Hanks who he likes more out of him and his brother, and it again, gets that reaction that reminds you of what actual emotion is, like a strange sensation you've never received before. Only complaint on acting is that Daniel Craig's American accent seems to wobble here and there.

Was it the story?

Hell no, it's profound and somber stuff, towards the end it does wrap it's themes up and hands it to the audience a little too easily. But that's a non-sequitur complaint if it's well done, which it is

I'd even go as far as to say it's the last great Gangster film made so far

So, why is there something niggling at my brain and biting at my ankles as to why there is a problems with it?

I honest to god can't tell you, maybe it's the fact that for all the fantastic stuff the film does, in the end, it just isn't a memorable as it should be, or maybe it just isn't as ambiguous as it was building up to become. I don't know, but at the moment, Road to Perdition will have to settle for a near perfect score.

9.5/10

[Steve46]

98. The Descendants (2011)
Comedy, Drama, 115 minutes
Directed by Alexander Payne
Starring George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Nick Krause, Amara Miller and Robert Forster



I wondered whether to include The Descendants in my Top 100 series because I reviewed it a month ago when the Blu-ray was released, but after watching it seven times, it has to be included. It's pushing for a place in my Top 10.

It took me about two minutes to decide that The Descendants was going to be my kind of film. It happened during Clooney's opening voice-over in which he observed that, just because they live in paradise, Hawaiians aren't exempt from the usual problems people face. That statement caught my attention because it's true, but it also alerted me to the possibility that the script would be both truthful and more intelligent than most.

Matt King (Clooney) is the kind of character that I can identify with. He's a lawyer and his job is more important to him than his family. He regularly travels to neighboring islands on business and hasn't had a proper relationship with his wife and two daughters for several years. When his wife has an accident which places her in a coma, Matt's life changes instantly. He has to be a father to his daughters and he's completely unprepared. So many people put their career first and their family relationships suffer as a result.

His younger daughter, Scottie (Miller), is 10 years old. Matt last took care of her when she was three. His other daughter, Alex (Woodley), is 17 and is in a boarding school to help her overcome alcohol and drug problems. When Matt learns that his wife will never wake up, he takes Scottie to collect Alex from the school. Alex is drunk when he turns up and openly defies him early in the film.

Place yourself in Matt's situation for a moment. How would you attempt to console your daughters? What would help you establish some kind of connection with them? If you're all they have left, how will you make them feel as if everything is going to be all right?

Matt is annoyed with Alex because she argued with her mother the last time they spoke, but her reasoning is sound; she found out that her mother was cheating on Matt. Alex insists that her boyfriend, Sid (Krause), stays with her while she is home. Sid appears to be fairly dumb and occasionally stoned. Matt is not happy.

The story really takes off when Matt takes Sid and his daughters to a neighboring island in search of his wife's lover. Another story thread explains that Matt and his many cousins are descended from Hawaiian royalty and own a piece of land worth around $500 million. Matt is the sole trustee and must organize the group of cousins and decide who to sell the land to. A complication emerges later in the story which could have a major impact on his decision, but I won't reveal any more of the film's secrets.

I've watched Clooney develop as an actor over the past few years. He used to be criticized for "always being Clooney", but I think he's proved that there's a lot more to him. His timing is excellent and he always delivers his comedic lines well, but he has to show considerable range as Matt. Many of the scenes require him to show his feelings without the use of words. He goes through a lot of emotions during the film and pulls it off perfectly whether the situations are positive or negative. Notice the look in his eyes when Alex and Sid speak up for him in the hospital room after Elizabeth's father (Forster) accuses him of being a bad husband. Clooney's performance is human, real, touching, emotional and understandable. I thought he should have won the Oscar for his performance in Up in the Air, but this latest oversight is a glaring error.

What I really liked about the film was the character development. We see Matt grow as expected, but I was stunned by the development shown in Alex and Sid. They both have more to them than meets the eye and I ended up liking both characters tremendously. If Alex were my daughter, I would be proud of how supportive she becomes and would love the way she takes her little sister under her wing.

The conclusions that Matt reaches by the end of the story seem plausible and fit well with his development as a father and as a responsible adult. I might have reached the same conclusions if I were placed in his shoes.

You'll definitely laugh during The Descendants and you may even be moved to tears.

Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash won the Oscar for their adaptation of Kaui Hart Hemmings' book and it was thoroughly deserved. It's rare to witness a film with such intelligent writing. The characters and situations are always believable. If you were in their position, you might find yourself behaving in the same way.

If you like The Descendants:

Clooney's performance is arguably the best of the career. I always have trouble deciding whether his work in Up in the Air is better. It's a close call and not worth worrying about.

Another good story which includes the theme of learning how to be a father is The Pursuit of Happyness. It's probably the performance of Smith's career thus far.

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by Steve46

98. The Descendants (2011)
Comedy, Drama, 115 minutes
Directed by Alexander Payne
Starring George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Nick Krause, Amara Miller and Robert Forster

[Show spoiler]I wondered whether to include The Descendants in my Top 100 series because I reviewed it a month ago when the Blu-ray was released, but after watching it seven times, it has to be included. It's pushing for a place in my Top 10.

It took me about two minutes to decide that The Descendants was going to be my kind of film. It happened during Clooney's opening voice-over in which he observed that, just because they live in paradise, Hawaiians aren't exempt from the usual problems people face. That statement caught my attention because it's true, but it also alerted me to the possibility that the script would be both truthful and more intelligent than most.

Matt King (Clooney) is the kind of character that I can identify with. He's a lawyer and his job is more important to him than his family. He regularly travels to neighboring islands on business and hasn't had a proper relationship with his wife and two daughters for several years. When his wife has an accident which places her in a coma, Matt's life changes instantly. He has to be a father to his daughters and he's completely unprepared. So many people put their career first and their family relationships suffer as a result.

His younger daughter, Scottie (Miller), is 10 years old. Matt last took care of her when she was three. His other daughter, Alex (Woodley), is 17 and is in a boarding school to help her overcome alcohol and drug problems. When Matt learns that his wife will never wake up, he takes Scottie to collect Alex from the school. Alex is drunk when he turns up and openly defies him early in the film.

Place yourself in Matt's situation for a moment. How would you attempt to console your daughters? What would help you establish some kind of connection with them? If you're all they have left, how will you make them feel as if everything is going to be all right?

Matt is annoyed with Alex because she argued with her mother the last time they spoke, but her reasoning is sound; she found out that her mother was cheating on Matt. Alex insists that her boyfriend, Sid (Krause), stays with her while she is home. Sid appears to be fairly dumb and occasionally stoned. Matt is not happy.

The story really takes off when Matt takes Sid and his daughters to a neighboring island in search of his wife's lover. Another story thread explains that Matt and his many cousins are descended from Hawaiian royalty and own a piece of land worth around $500 million. Matt is the sole trustee and must organize the group of cousins and decide who to sell the land to. A complication emerges later in the story which could have a major impact on his decision, but I won't reveal any more of the film's secrets.

I've watched Clooney develop as an actor over the past few years. He used to be criticized for "always being Clooney", but I think he's proved that there's a lot more to him. His timing is excellent and he always delivers his comedic lines well, but he has to show considerable range as Matt. Many of the scenes require him to show his feelings without the use of words. He goes through a lot of emotions during the film and pulls it off perfectly whether the situations are positive or negative. Notice the look in his eyes when Alex and Sid speak up for him in the hospital room after Elizabeth's father (Forster) accuses him of being a bad husband. Clooney's performance is human, real, touching, emotional and understandable. I thought he should have won the Oscar for his performance in Up in the Air, but this latest oversight is a glaring error.

What I really liked about the film was the character development. We see Matt grow as expected, but I was stunned by the development shown in Alex and Sid. They both have more to them than meets the eye and I ended up liking both characters tremendously. If Alex were my daughter, I would be proud of how supportive she becomes and would love the way she takes her little sister under her wing.

The conclusions that Matt reaches by the end of the story seem plausible and fit well with his development as a father and as a responsible adult. I might have reached the same conclusions if I were placed in his shoes.

You'll definitely laugh during The Descendants and you may even be moved to tears.

Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash won the Oscar for their adaptation of Kaui Hart Hemmings' book and it was thoroughly deserved. It's rare to witness a film with such intelligent writing. The characters and situations are always believable. If you were in their position, you might find yourself behaving in the same way.

If you like The Descendants:

Clooney's performance is arguably the best of the career. I always have trouble deciding whether his work in Up in the Air is better. It's a close call and not worth worrying about.

Another good story which includes the theme of learning how to be a father is The Pursuit of Happyness. It's probably the performance of Smith's career thus far.

7 times? Somebody needs help...

[Show spoiler]or has a man crush on George Clooney.

I plan on finally watching my copy next weekend.

I went with To Catch a Thief today. Hitchcock is 1/1 so far.

[Steve46]

Originally Posted by KilloWertz

7 times? Somebody needs help...

[Show spoiler]or has a man crush on George Clooney.

I plan on finally watching my copy next weekend.

I went with To Catch a Thief today. Hitchcock is 1/1 so far.

Friends I have shown it to like it, but only give it 7/10 or 8/10. I guess it's just me...and the people who voted for Best Adapted Screenplay.

The writing flows and it all seems to fit. There's nothing that will make you double over with laughter.

Clooney has to show a lot of range to make everything perfect.

To Catch a Thief is good. I haven't watched my Blu-ray copy yet.

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by Steve46

Friends I have shown it to like it, but only give it 7/10 or 8/10. I guess it's just me...and the people who voted for Best Adapted Screenplay.

The writing flows and it all seems to fit. There's nothing that will make you double over with laughter.

Clooney has to show a lot of range to make everything perfect.

To Catch a Thief is good. I haven't watched my Blu-ray copy yet.

I have confidence that I will like it better than your friends. While I doubt it will end up knocking on the door of my top 10 (keeping expectations in check), I obviously think I will like it well enough since I blind bought it.

Agreed now that I have finally seen To Catch a Thief. Some of the other classics that I recently bought may end up being better, but it's still good and worthy of it's status. The ending is priceless.

It is gorgeous on Blu-ray. I'm sure there are other classics that look even better on Blu-ray, but this still looks damn good for a film from 1955. It obviously should since it was a VistaVision movie, but the print is also pristine.

[Steve46]

Originally Posted by KilloWertz

I have confidence that I will like it better than your friends. While I doubt it will end up knocking on the door of my top 10 (keeping expectations in check), I obviously think I will like it well enough since I blind bought it.

Agreed now that I have finally seen To Catch a Thief. Some of the other classics that I recently bought may end up being better, but it's still good and worthy of it's status. The ending is priceless.

It is gorgeous on Blu-ray. I'm sure there are other classics that look even better on Blu-ray, but this still looks damn good for a film from 1955. It obviously should since it was a VistaVision movie, but the print is also pristine.

Yeah, North by Northwest looked very good for 1959. Even stuff like Rebecca and Spellbound has been given a good presentation. Criterion has 39 Steps so that should be great too.

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by Steve46

Yeah, North by Northwest looked very good for 1959. Even stuff like Rebecca and Spellbound has been given a good presentation. Criterion has 39 Steps so that should be great too.

I'll be getting the digibook release for North by Northwest when it drops down in price some. It went up $8 to $24.99 earlier this week. I probably should have bought it before then, but I have gotten a decent number of other classics recently. I should be fine for a while.

Not quite sure when I'll get the chance to check out the three Hitchcock releases from MGM. Maybe by that time they will actually be cheap, not counting an earlier sale from a store I don't have. Notorious is also supposed to look fine too. That one probably has the more immediate appeal to me out of the three.

I would be surprised if 39 Steps ends up as a botched Criterion release.

I say bring on the other two Hitchcock movies with Grace Kelly that were made before To Catch a Thief. I'd probably snatch those up on release day.

[jhiggy23]

A Bug's Life:

Film: 3 (out of 4)

Finally saw this film. Like all other Pixar films (except Wall-E in my opinion), it's just a really inventive film. I consider it to be somewhat similar to Toy Story, in that the earlier Pixar films don't have the same depth to them as later Pixar films like Ratatouille and Up. It's still a solid film and I'm glad I own it.

__________________________________________________ ___________

Martha Marcy May Marlene

Film: 2 1/2 (out of 4)

I really expected better. Olsen is fantastic, even if her performance isn't the award-worthy one that some people proclaim. I thought it was pretty decent and I like the ending, but it was just missing something.


__________________________________________________ ____________

Annie Hall

Film: 3 (out of 4)

I wasn't a huge fan of the film, but the writing is too good to give it a lesser rating. I liked the various film techniques, like sub-titles, that Allen used here. I never felt emotionally engaged though. I feel his recent output, like Midnight in Paris, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and Match Point are far better films. Hall is undoubtedly very influential, however.

[jhiggy23]

Titanic (3-D)

Film: 4 stars (out of 4)

I always find it amusing how many people love to bash this film, with the vast majority of them doing so for non-film reasons or due to various prejudices (such as a distaste for those who went to see it multiple times) that they refuse to admit. It's objectively one of the greatest achievements ever in film. And, subjectively, it's one of the most believable love stories ever captured on film. It's mind-boggling how much detail is in this film.

As for the 3-D, it's used effectively but in a subtle way. Unlike Avatar, where I was blown away by its usage, I sometimes didn't notice it here. Ebert's review of it is spot-on--there are many scenes that don't use 3-D AT ALL if you take off your glasses. It's a way to justify higher prices, but there are still scenes that use it really well and make it absolutely worth seeing in this format. However, the film is much more dim and loses something due to this.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

Titanic (3-D)

Film: 4 stars (out of 4)

I always find it amusing how many people love to bash this film, with the vast majority of them doing so for non-film reasons or due to various prejudices (such as a distaste for those who went to see it multiple times) that they refuse to admit. It's objectively one of the greatest achievements ever in film. And, subjectively, it's one of the most believable love stories ever captured on film. It's mind-boggling how much detail is in this film.

As for the 3-D, it's used effectively but in a subtle way. Unlike Avatar, where I was blown away by its usage, I sometimes didn't notice it here. Ebert's review of it is spot-on--there are many scenes that don't use 3-D AT ALL if you take off your glasses. It's a way to justify higher prices, but there are still scenes that use it really well and make it absolutely worth seeing in this format. However, the film is much more dim and loses something due to this.

I think people just hate on this film because it's a romance. The film actually has everything for all audiences; enough action for dudes who crave action, enough of everything else for everybody else. A fine combination of style and substance.

As much as I like the film (and Cameron in general), I'll be passing on the current theatrical run. Can't wait to see it on Blu-Ray though.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Talking about perfect movies and scores...

Road to Perdition

[Show spoiler]
This film was darn near perfect, I'm actually fighting myself to stop myself from giving top marks, so which element didn't work for me.

Was it the direction?

Hell no, it wasn't the direction, Sam Mendes drenches each frame of this film in mood and subtle emotion that it really gets an odd gut reaction to some scenes, it just wears you down and wears you down to the point where you've become a cold mess in a place surrounded by emotionless killers, all waiting to reach their mortal coil.

Was it the acting?

Hell no, there is a scene later on in the film, where a son asks Tom Hanks who he likes more out of him and his brother, and it again, gets that reaction that reminds you of what actual emotion is, like a strange sensation you've never received before. Only complaint on acting is that Daniel Craig's American accent seems to wobble here and there.

Was it the story?

Hell no, it's profound and somber stuff, towards the end it does wrap it's themes up and hands it to the audience a little too easily. But that's a non-sequitur complaint if it's well done, which it is

I'd even go as far as to say it's the last great Gangster film made so far

So, why is there something niggling at my brain and biting at my ankles as to why there is a problems with it?

I honest to god can't tell you, maybe it's the fact that for all the fantastic stuff the film does, in the end, it just isn't a memorable as it should be, or maybe it just isn't as ambiguous as it was building up to become. I don't know, but at the moment, Road to Perdition will have to settle for a near perfect score.

9.5/10

Splendid review. Even though I only gave it a 4/5, I agree that it's very well-crafted.

[Al_The_Strange]

"The Ten Commandments" 1956

A movie like this comes a dime-a-dozen these days, but back in the 1950s, a production like this must have been unheard of. Right from the start, the setpieces are immense and awe-inspiring. There must be thousands and thousands of extras filling up the screen throughout the film, occupying thousands of square feet and thousands of acres of space, with sets that must be hundreds of feet tall. Special effects are used liberally throughout, not only to emphasize the immensity of the settings, but also to paint expansive and lavish landscapes in the backgrounds. Above all, it effectively brings to life key scenes of the bible that might otherwise have seemed impossible to replicate on film. The most iconic of which is probably the parting of the Red Sea; yes, they somehow found a way to part an entire sea and let people cross miles of open land, before the water came crashing down on the Egyptian chariots. Nice! You can also expect to see the occasional plague, miracle, etc.

Even when the cool stuff isn't happening, the film manages to entertain for its entire 219-minute runtime.

Those who are familiar with the bible will undoubtedly know this story from the inside-out. Though I'm not a terribly devout follower, this film appears to follow the source faithfully. It doesn't dilute anything by trying to apply "realism" to it; it's just a straightforward telling of the book of Exodus. As such, it maintains excellent focus on the characters, their relationships, and their evolution. The story is an inherently intriguing and timeless concoction, showing the main character going from riches to rags, going into exile, and morphing into a figure of legend.

The film is a thing of beauty. As mentioned above, the sets are phenomenal, and the cast is huge. It's all well-filmed and well-edited, with special effects that (despite lots of matte lines and outdated animation) still holds up. Acting is great; Charlton Heston is badass as Moses, and Yul Brynner is pretty darn awesome as the pharaoh. Writing is strong (despite some use of exposition for the audience's behalf). Despite the immensity of the production value, it tends to look really clean, bright, colorful, and at times fake; I suspect that a modernized production would bring this film closer to reality with more grit and down-to-earth props and costumes. Still, it's very polished and elaborate, with excellent design. Music is alright.

4.5/5 (entertainment: 4/5, story: 5/5, film: 4.5/5)

Recommendation: Yep.

This Blu-Ray looks a bit soft; I'm not sure if DNR was applied or not, but I suspect that most scenes that featured layered backgrounds were made soft naturally. Still, it looks good and sharp, extremely clean and noise-less, with excellent color and contrast. Sound quality was pretty impressive at times.

PQ: 4.5/5, AQ: 4.5/5

[Steve46]

99. No Country for Old Men (2007)
Crime, Drama, Thriller, 122 minutes
Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen
Starring Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin



Oscar ceremonies are sometimes dominated by one or two films because the opposition is weak, but that definitely wasn't the case in 2008. Nominees included No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood, Juno, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Ratatouille, Once, The Bourne Ultimatum, Into the Wild, Atonement, Michael Clayton, Eastern Promises and American Gangster.

I was torn at the time because I couldn't decide whether I wanted There Will Be Blood or No Country for Old Men to win for Best Picture. In hindsight, my two favorite films from that year are Juno and No Country for Old Men. I think the Academy got it right for once by awarding No Country for Old Men the Best Picture Oscar and Daniel Day-Lewis Leading Actor.

So why do I think that No Country for Old Men deserved its win?

The film contains so many strong elements. It gave us three memorable characters and expertly combined their three viewpoints to give us a compelling story. Roger Deakins did another wonderful job showing us the bleak Texas landscape, while the direction and writing were both superb.

Llewelyn Moss (Brolin) makes a discovery while hunting for antelope. After tracking an injured animal, he finds what appears to be the result of a failed drug deal. Five trucks are surrounded by corpses and he deduces that the last man standing would have looked for shade. He eventually locates the final corpse and finds a case containing two million dollars. Moss lives in a trailer with his wife and the money represents a chance to completely change his life.

The most interesting character is Anton Chigurh (Bardem). We see him captured by police at the start of the film, but he escapes and kills a deputy in the process. He is extremely violent and his motives are unclear. At times he appears supernatural in the way he evades capture. Is he supposed to represent Death or the Devil? Bardem makes Chigurh one of the most memorable villains ever to appear on screen. There's a scene which rivals Tarantino's farmhouse scene in Inglourious Basterds in terms of tension. Chigurh has a conversation with a gas station owner and it ends with a coin flip. The scene is both absurd and chilling at the same time. We know what's at stake.

The other major character is Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Jones). He's old, wise and extremely competent. Some of his choices show that he's more concerned with self-preservation than pursuing criminals, but he somehow gets the job done. One of his strengths is the ability to reconstruct crime scenes. He has a dry sense of humor and uncanny instincts.

The first part of the story focuses on Moss. He's an experienced tracker and a Vietnam veteran and we see him trying to evade pursuit. At first, he doesn't know who will be coming after him, but eventually learns that it's Chigurh. Instead of simply leaving the country, he decides to face Chigurh himself. That might seem to be a stupid choice, but Moss does have some intelligence and appears able to take care of himself.

Chigurh also seems highly competent and we get the sense that he's being doing what he does for a very long time. His pursuit is relentless. When he is injured, he's able to take care of his own wounds. He does bleed, but there's still the sense that he either is, or he at least represents, a supernatural force.

I won't reveal any more of the plot. I have heard two complaints about the film. One is the level of violence present and the other is the unusual ending. I think the ending is partly showing how unpredictable life can be, but I understand the complaints. I thought the ending was appropriate and my only regret was that I couldn't watch these characters for longer.

No Country for Old Men is many things. On the surface, it's the story of an extended chase. The Coen brothers said that it is a story of a good, evil and something between the two. Moss can be perceived as good or evil, but he's definitely committing a crime.

Some of the scenes require us to pay close attention to the events and contain very little dialogue. It reminds me of the opening sequence in There Will Be Blood in that way. It succeeds because of the writing and the tension that's present throughout the story. If you enjoy thrillers, this is one of the best I have seen.

If you like No Country for Old Men:

The Coen brothers have been responsible for a lot of good films and a few which don't quite hit the mark. If I were asked to choose their best work it would either be Fargo or No Country for Old Men. Fargo is similar in structure because it includes a competent police officer, evil criminals and a protagonist who we root for despite the fact that he's breaking the law. Fargo is more comedic in tone, but both films are among the best I have ever seen.

Another good film adapted from a Cormac McCarthy novel is The Road, starring Viggo Mortensen. It's an extremely touching post-apocalyptic story showing the love between a father and son.

[jhiggy23]

Like Crazy:

Film: 3 stars (out of 4)

Well-directed and realistic, with an excellent performance from Felicity Jones. The ending is also realistic, if not one that people will really like. The problem is that Anton Yelchin is completely unlikeable. It detracts from the movie greatly.

[lDlisturb3d]

Had to change it up just got through watching the entire Harry Potter Collection. The movies are entertaining and i wont deny that i like them.

On another Note i Saw Orphan for the first time and i thought it was a ok Horror/Mystery movie, really didnt move me that much but the ideal was kinda cool.

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by Steve46

98. The Descendants (2011)
Comedy, Drama, 115 minutes
Directed by Alexander Payne
Starring George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Nick Krause, Amara Miller and Robert Forster

[Show spoiler]I wondered whether to include The Descendants in my Top 100 series because I reviewed it a month ago when the Blu-ray was released, but after watching it seven times, it has to be included. It's pushing for a place in my Top 10.

It took me about two minutes to decide that The Descendants was going to be my kind of film. It happened during Clooney's opening voice-over in which he observed that, just because they live in paradise, Hawaiians aren't exempt from the usual problems people face. That statement caught my attention because it's true, but it also alerted me to the possibility that the script would be both truthful and more intelligent than most.

Matt King (Clooney) is the kind of character that I can identify with. He's a lawyer and his job is more important to him than his family. He regularly travels to neighboring islands on business and hasn't had a proper relationship with his wife and two daughters for several years. When his wife has an accident which places her in a coma, Matt's life changes instantly. He has to be a father to his daughters and he's completely unprepared. So many people put their career first and their family relationships suffer as a result.

His younger daughter, Scottie (Miller), is 10 years old. Matt last took care of her when she was three. His other daughter, Alex (Woodley), is 17 and is in a boarding school to help her overcome alcohol and drug problems. When Matt learns that his wife will never wake up, he takes Scottie to collect Alex from the school. Alex is drunk when he turns up and openly defies him early in the film.

Place yourself in Matt's situation for a moment. How would you attempt to console your daughters? What would help you establish some kind of connection with them? If you're all they have left, how will you make them feel as if everything is going to be all right?

Matt is annoyed with Alex because she argued with her mother the last time they spoke, but her reasoning is sound; she found out that her mother was cheating on Matt. Alex insists that her boyfriend, Sid (Krause), stays with her while she is home. Sid appears to be fairly dumb and occasionally stoned. Matt is not happy.

The story really takes off when Matt takes Sid and his daughters to a neighboring island in search of his wife's lover. Another story thread explains that Matt and his many cousins are descended from Hawaiian royalty and own a piece of land worth around $500 million. Matt is the sole trustee and must organize the group of cousins and decide who to sell the land to. A complication emerges later in the story which could have a major impact on his decision, but I won't reveal any more of the film's secrets.

I've watched Clooney develop as an actor over the past few years. He used to be criticized for "always being Clooney", but I think he's proved that there's a lot more to him. His timing is excellent and he always delivers his comedic lines well, but he has to show considerable range as Matt. Many of the scenes require him to show his feelings without the use of words. He goes through a lot of emotions during the film and pulls it off perfectly whether the situations are positive or negative. Notice the look in his eyes when Alex and Sid speak up for him in the hospital room after Elizabeth's father (Forster) accuses him of being a bad husband. Clooney's performance is human, real, touching, emotional and understandable. I thought he should have won the Oscar for his performance in Up in the Air, but this latest oversight is a glaring error.

What I really liked about the film was the character development. We see Matt grow as expected, but I was stunned by the development shown in Alex and Sid. They both have more to them than meets the eye and I ended up liking both characters tremendously. If Alex were my daughter, I would be proud of how supportive she becomes and would love the way she takes her little sister under her wing.

The conclusions that Matt reaches by the end of the story seem plausible and fit well with his development as a father and as a responsible adult. I might have reached the same conclusions if I were placed in his shoes.

You'll definitely laugh during The Descendants and you may even be moved to tears.

Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash won the Oscar for their adaptation of Kaui Hart Hemmings' book and it was thoroughly deserved. It's rare to witness a film with such intelligent writing. The characters and situations are always believable. If you were in their position, you might find yourself behaving in the same way.

If you like The Descendants:

Clooney's performance is arguably the best of the career. I always have trouble deciding whether his work in Up in the Air is better. It's a close call and not worth worrying about.

Another good story which includes the theme of learning how to be a father is The Pursuit of Happyness. It's probably the performance of Smith's career thus far.

i swear, whenever i see "The Descendants" all i see is your name and picture attached to it

my folks told me they watched it the other day, my mom, who has horrid tastes and likes absolutely nothing (i swear she doesn't register any emotion ever ) told me to "avoid it, it's really boring".

i then told her to watch 2001: A Space Odyssey, and that it would be a jovial blast for her

needless to say, when i finally get around to watching this, i will likely love it since i really enjoy films of this nature. and because usually when my mom says something sucks, i enjoy it