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timschochet's thread- Mods, please move this thread to the Politics Subforum, thank you (3 Viewers)

85. Apollo 13 (1995)

Directed by: Ron Howard

Starring: Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise, Bill Paxton, Ed Harris

Before The Martian, there was Apollo 13- though this film was based on a true story, and The Martian is not, but the essential themes are the same- space accident solved by science people working hard to figure stuff out. In both cases, the result is a very entertaining movie. In this one, the acting is fine throughout, and Ron Howard is an expert director, keeping the suspense flowing.

It's a movie that I not only really enjoy watching but I've had my kids see, because it's message of "we can solve this!" is IMO such a positive one. There's going to be a lot of feel good movies on my list; this is definitely one of them. As a side note, I really enjoyed watching Gary Sinise in the 90s.

Up next: You know what we get to do today, Brooks? We get to play baseball!

 
Hey! The first one we have in common!

I have it much higher though. It has what  is probably my favorite movie score of all time. Good one, Tim.

 
timschochet said:
85. Apollo 13 (1995)

Directed by: Ron Howard

Starring: Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise, Bill Paxton, Ed Harris

Before The Martian, there was Apollo 13- though this film was based on a true story, and The Martian is not, but the essential themes are the same- space accident solved by science people working hard to figure stuff out. In both cases, the result is a very entertaining movie. In this one, the acting is fine throughout, and Ron Howard is an expert director, keeping the suspense flowing.

It's a movie that I not only really enjoy watching but I've had my kids see, because it's message of "we can solve this!" is IMO such a positive one. There's going to be a lot of feel good movies on my list; this is definitely one of them. As a side note, I really enjoyed watching Gary Sinise in the 90s.

Up next: You know what we get to do today, Brooks? We get to play baseball!
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Total sucker for movies about people being excellent thru-and-thru cuz 'that's why we're here, for crissakes', and this is one of the best of those.

 
84. The Rookie (2002)

Directed by: John Lee Hancock

Starring: Dennis Quaid, Rachel Griffiths

This is a rather quiet sweet Disney film about a high school baseball coach (Jim Morris- its a true story) who discovers that he still has a fastball after all these years in the mid 90s, decides to give it a shot and makes it to the big leagues. That's pretty much the whole plot, and while there's not a lot of suspense the whole thing is very well done. Dennis Quaid is perfect for this sort of role; he oozes niceness and goodness and you want to root for him. It's a feel good film complete with a Mark Twain like narration at the very beginning, relating some weird story with nuns that has nothing to do with the plot. But on the whole, a very well done movie.

Up next:  You know, Horace was right about you, Guy; you are the smart one. Lenny is the fool, Jimmy is the... talent, and Faye is... well, now, Faye is special, isn't she? And you are the smart one. That's what I think, anyway. 

 
timschochet said:
86. A League of Their Own (1992)

Directed by: Penny Marshall

Starring: Geena Davis, Tom Hanks, Madonna, Lori Petty

A fictionalized version of the girls' All-American baseball league during World War II. A funny and sweet movie, with some very good ensemble performances (including Jon Lovitz and Rosie O' Donnell.) This is basically a feel good movie of an old fashioned, Hollywood type. 

I admit to being overly sentimental and I cry during certain films: this is one of them. The closing sequence, in which the girls (now elderly ladies) are admitted into the Hall of Fame, never fails to tear me up. So does the scene in which Lori Petty finally gets the hit. The soundtrack is great (though I can't stand Madonna's closing song- one of her worst, IMO.)

Up next: I don't care about what anything was DESIGNED to do, I care about what it CAN do.


 
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I've been giving Andy a lot of grif for his list, so here's some coming at you. This one was painful to watch like most if not all Madonna movies

 
83. That Thing You Do! (1996)

Directed by: Tom Hanks

Starring: Tom Everett Scott, Liv Tyler, Johnathon Schaech, Steve Zahn, Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks captures the magic of the early 60s and rock and roll with this tribute to one hit wonders of the era. It helps that the hit song is catchy because we end up hearing it several times during the movie. Tom Everett Scott is great in the lead role, while Liv Tyler is a girl you can fall in love with. The movie also features Charlize Theron in one of her very first roles. Of special interest to me is that the early sequences of the film, which is supposed to be downtown Pittsburgh, was actually filmed in downtown Orange, Ca, about 15 minutes drive from my house.

Up next: I don't scratch my head unless it itches and I don't dance unless I hear some music. I will not be intimidated. That's just the way it is.

 
timschochet said:
83. That Thing You Do! (1996)

Directed by: Tom Hanks

Starring: Tom Everett Scott, Liv Tyler, Johnathon Schaech, Steve Zahn, Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks captures the magic of the early 60s and rock and roll with this tribute to one hit wonders of the era. It helps that the hit song is catchy because we end up hearing it several times during the movie. Tom Everett Scott is great in the lead role, while Liv Tyler is a girl you can fall in love with. The movie also features Charlize Theron in one of her very first roles. Of special interest to me is that the early sequences of the film, which is supposed to be downtown Pittsburgh, was actually filmed in downtown Orange, Ca, about 15 minutes drive from my house.

Up next: I don't scratch my head unless it itches and I don't dance unless I hear some music. I will not be intimidated. That's just the way it is.
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Just for the record..."the special interest" of you, is not young  Liv Tyler, nor young Charlize Theron...but downtown Orange, CA.  Ok, duly noted...

 
82. Remember The Titans (2000)

Directed by: Boaz Yakin

Starring: Denzel Washington, Will Patton, Wood Harris, Ryan Hurst

Great high school football movie about the trials of southern integration in the early 1970s. Denzel Washington gives one of his most commanding performances, as he and Will Patton (the white coach he replaced) learn to trust each other, and the players do as well. Kip Perdue is very good as "Sunshine", the quarterback from southern California, while Ethan Suplee plays a role that is 180 degrees removed from his role in American History X- yet in both films he manages to capture your attention whenever he is on screen. 

Hayden Panettierre is also featured as a young girl, and Wood Harris and Ryan Hurst are both quite believable as the heart and soul of the team. The early 70s soundtrack is excellent. 

Up next:  They call me Cowboy Gil, as in guil-ty. I saw Cowboy Dan. I didn't like the look on his face. It was like this... so I killed him. I blew a hole in him this big. Actually it was about this big. You know, when I think about it, that hole was about THIS BIG! And his guts were spilled out all over the floor. As I was walkin' away, I slip around on his guts. A couple of other people came by and started slippin' on his guts too. After I blow a hole in somebody and slip around on their guts... afterwards, I always like to make balloon animals.

 
You forgot to mention the ever dreamy Ryan Gosling in Remember the Titans.

#81 is a surprise for me that's it's on the list, and one that I should revisit.  Remember it being one of my favorite movies of the 80s.  Don't really like the show of the same name though.

 
81. Parenthood (1989)

DIrected by: Ron Howard

Starring: Steve Martin, Mary Steenburgen, Dianne Wiest, Rick Moranis, Keanu Reeves, Martha Plimpton, Joaquin Phoenix, Jason Robards, Tom Hulce

Great ensemble cast in a brilliant film about the relationships between parents and children from very young to adulthood. There are some great comedic scenes and lines here, particularly delivered by Steve Martin and Dianne Wiest. Keanu Reeves plays an extension of his "Bill and Ted" persona of the 80s, while Joaquin Phoenix displays the film presence that would make him such a memorable actor later on. Rick Moranis singing "Close to You" in his wife's classroom is classic moment.

But for my money, if you want to see true acting skills above and beyond the norm, check out the scenes between Jason Robards and Tom Hulce. These are probably the most serious scenes in what is otherwise a fairly light-hearted film, and these two outstanding actors put on a clinic, using facial expressions and emotion to display their inner thoughts. They're masterful, as is the score by Randy Newman, which may be his very best IMO. Karma Police noted that he didn't like the television show which was loosely based on this film (thought the characters and plot are completely different)- I think it's a pretty good show, but doesn't quite rise to the standard of this film. Another winner for Howard, who really had a string of fine films in his heyday.

Up next: Say it! Say it! Say "I lost the nest-egg." Go on, say it!

 
Parenthood and Grand Canyon both share a special place in my movie history. The movies remind me of one another and I think both are great.

 
80. Lost In America (1985)

Directed by: Albert Brooks

Starring: Albert Brooks, Julie Hagerty

I love Albert Brook's 80s/90s persona, and I include 3 of his 4 brilliant films from this time period on my list (the other one, Modern Romance, is great but doesn't quite make my top 100. Later on Brooks slightly changed his on screen personality and made some more films, which as a result were not as funny IMO.)

In this film Brooks, outraged by his being passed over for corporate advancement, buys a mobile home and escapes from society with his wife in an attempt to "touch Indians" and live out the life of Easy Rider. Unfortunately they decide to stop in Las Vegas first. The film is a sharp and hysterical attack not only on modern society but on pious liberal types who condemn it while at the same time taking full advantage. There are lots of classic lines, classic scenes. There's not a ton of comedies on my list as I prefer drama; this is a great one.

Up next: I thought you were good Paul... but you're not good. You're just another lying ol' dirty birdy.

 
timschochet said:
80. Lost In America (1985)

Directed by: Albert Brooks

Starring: Albert Brooks, Julie Hagerty

I love Albert Brook's 80s/90s persona, and I include 3 of his 4 brilliant films from this time period on my list (the other one, Modern Romance, is great but doesn't quite make my top 100. Later on Brooks slightly changed his on screen personality and made some more films, which as a result were not as funny IMO.)

In this film Brooks, outraged by his being passed over for corporate advancement, buys a mobile home and escapes from society with his wife in an attempt to "touch Indians" and live out the life of Easy Rider. Unfortunately they decide to stop in Las Vegas first. The film is a sharp and hysterical attack not only on modern society but on pious liberal types who condemn it while at the same time taking full advantage. There are lots of classic lines, classic scenes. There's not a ton of comedies on my list as I prefer drama; this is a great one.

Up next: I thought you were good Paul... but you're not good. You're just another lying ol' dirty birdy.




 
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Love this movie.  

"The Nest Egg Principle!"

 
soothsayer said:
Parenthood and Grand Canyon both share a special place in my movie history. The movies remind me of one another and I think both are great.
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Grand Canyon has one of my favorite movie quotes.

Davis: That's part of your problem: you haven't seen enough movies. All of life's riddles are answered in the movies.

 
timschochet said:
80. Lost In America (1985)

Directed by: Albert Brooks

Starring: Albert Brooks, Julie Hagerty

I love Albert Brook's 80s/90s persona, and I include 3 of his 4 brilliant films from this time period on my list (the other one, Modern Romance, is great but doesn't quite make my top 100. Later on Brooks slightly changed his on screen personality and made some more films, which as a result were not as funny IMO.)

In this film Brooks, outraged by his being passed over for corporate advancement, buys a mobile home and escapes from society with his wife in an attempt to "touch Indians" and live out the life of Easy Rider. Unfortunately they decide to stop in Las Vegas first. The film is a sharp and hysterical attack not only on modern society but on pious liberal types who condemn it while at the same time taking full advantage. There are lots of classic lines, classic scenes. There's not a ton of comedies on my list as I prefer drama; this is a great one.

Up next: I thought you were good Paul... but you're not good. You're just another lying ol' dirty birdy.
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Brooks was absolutely amazing in his 1st decade or so in comedy. He and Kaufman were the "wish i could do that" guys for every comic i worked with in the 70s & 80s. Hollywood suits would not stop interfering with his 'personal' movies - their money, i guess - so he just quit and cashed in, much to our loss.

Every time Brooks has come up in this forum, i have searched youtube unsuccessfully for a certain clip, because i honestly believe Albert was responsible for the greatest bit in TV history but i've never had the evidence to back it up. Checked when i saw this and they've finally got a clip but, amazingly, not the whole clip. At least i got some evidence, so here goes:

Brooks comes out as a guest without doing standup, which was weird, and Carson asks him the basic, "What's up with you, hirsute-comic-i-dont-completely-get"?"Albert replies, "Johnny, I've had it - i'm quitting the business. No, don't try to stop me. Young as i may be, I'm retiring from comedy" He wanders out onstage, where a comfy living room chair is waiting for him. He sits down, somber music swells and Brooks begins to bare his soul. Here is a truncated portion. He continues with a few more self-humiliations and then the lights go down, the curtains part and there are three spotlit circles - a la Red Skelton's old tramp routines on his 50s show - and Albert, pants at his ankles, covered in several sorts of goo, carrying his props (which Steve Martin used so well in The Jerk) walks downstage from dark to light, turns&waves, to dark, to light, turns&waves, to dark, to light, turns&waves and off to oblivion as somber music swells. The audience goes nuts, did not subside for well over a minute so the show went to break. Came back, the ovation was still going on. And that's how deconstructive comedy began, boys & girls.

 
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wikkidpissah said:
Total sucker for movies about people being excellent thru-and-thru cuz 'that's why we're here, for crissakes', and this is one of the best of those.
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I concur ...The scene(s) where they realized, & dealt with,  such a bizzare scenario , with no previous human context,  terrified me more than almost any horror movie.  The existentialist horror of the absurdity of man putting himself in such a situation; made even more impactful, when you consider that Happy Days' Richie Cunningham conveyed it so realistically.  Hope that makes sense... :bag:

 
wikkidpissah said:
Brooks was absolutely amazing in his 1st decade or so in comedy. He and Kaufman were the "wish i could do that" guys for every comic i worked with in the 70s & 80s. Hollywood suits would not stop interfering with his 'personal' movies - their money, i guess - so he just quit and cashed in, much to our loss.

Every time Brooks has come up in this forum, i have searched youtube unsuccessfully for a certain clip, because i honestly believe Albert was responsible for the greatest bit in TV history but i've never had the evidence to back it up. Checked when i saw this and they've finally got a clip but, amazingly, not the whole clip. At least i got some evidence, so here goes:

Brooks comes out as a guest without doing standup, which was weird, and Carson asks him the basic, "What's up with you, hirsute-comic-i-dont-completely-get"?"Albert replies, "Johnny, I've had it - i'm quitting the business. No, don't try to stop me. Young as i may be, I'm retiring from comedy" He wanders out onstage, where a comfy living room chair is waiting for him. He sits down, somber music swells and Brooks begins to bare his soul. Here is a truncated portion. He continues with a few more self-humiliations and then the lights go down, the curtains part and there are three spotlit circles - a la Red Skelton's old tramp routines on his 50s show - and Albert, pants at his ankles, covered in several sorts of goo, carrying his props (which Steve Martin used so well in The Jerk) walks downstage from dark to light, turns&waves, to dark, to light, turns&waves, to dark, to light, turns&waves and off to oblivion as somber music swells. The audience goes nuts, did not subside for well over a minute so the show went to break. Came back, the ovation was still going on. And that's how deconstructive comedy began, boys & girls.




 
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Brooks was so different than the other guys (most all that I still loved).  This bit from the Flip Wilson show is one of my favorites.

The Ventriloquist Act

 
79. Misery (1990)

Directed by: Rob Reiner

Starring: James Caan, Kathy Bates, Richard Farnsworth

As can be seen from my top 100 novels list, Stephen King is one of my favorite novelists. Unfortunately, the film versions of his best works have not been very satisfactory. This film is one of the few exceptions, probably because it was directed by Rob Reiner and the screenplay was written by William Goldman: Hollywood movies don't get much better than those two.

In addition, the casting of then unknown Kathy Bates as the psychopathic Annie was perfect: she is one of the great villains in movie history. She is truly terrifying on screen. James Caan is fine as he usually is, and this is a very suspenseful film.

Up next: In my first year of law school everybody loved everybody else, 'cause we were all studying the law, and the law was a noble thing. By my third year you were lucky if you weren't murdered in your sleep. People stole exams, hid research materials from the library, and lied to the professors. Such is the nature of the profession.

 
78. The Rainmaker (1997)

Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola

Starring: Matt Damon, Claire Danes, Danny DeVito, Jon Voight

This is one of John Grisham's very best novels, and it works as a film mainly because of the perfect casting: particularly Damon as the lead, DeVito as his sleazy sidekick, and most of all Voight, in one of the best roles of his career as the villainous opposing lawyer. This is a very good courtroom drama with a lot of humor thrown in, particularly in the first half of the film.

Roy Scheider also gives one of his last performances in this movie.

Up next: I said "pretty much" never lied. I didn't say I never, ever lied. You have to lie sometimes... in an emergency. But, ah, it doesn't mean the bond is affected. If you've got the bond the bond is always there, and if you have to lie occasionally you're not going to interfere with the bond. You know, the bond can wait for a little lie and... in the end it's there for you. You know, sometimes in the middle of a lie I found that the bond would kick in... maybe squeeze a little truth out.

 
77. Defending Your Life (1991)

Directed by: Albert Brooks

Starring: Albert Brooks, Meryl Streep, Rip Torn

This wonderful Brooks comedy is filled with interesting ideas, centering on the interesting notion that the afterlife consists of a judgment of your entire life on Earth, deciding whether or not you have failed to overcome your fears (in which case you are returned to Earth (reincarnated) or ready to "move on." Brooks' script keeps the humor flowing throughout but there are elements of real drama as well, as we examine his character's life in retrospect and on trial.

Everyone in this cast is excellent, particularly Rip Torn as Brook's advocate. As I wrote before, Albert Brooks' character from the 80s ends with this movie, his last really good one, which is too bad.

Up next: It's not true. Some of us have great stories, pretty stories that take place at lakes with boats and friends and noodle salad. Just no one in this car. But, a lot of people, that's their story. Good times, noodle salad. What makes it so hard is not that you had it bad, but that you're that pissed that so many others had it good.

 
76. As Good As It Gets (1997)

Directed by: James L. Brooks

Starring: Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, Greg Kinnear, Cuba Gooding, Jr.

Watching this movie again recently it struck me that Jack Nicholson's character suffers from Asperger's, but that back in 1997 that was not a syndrome that most people were aware of. (The critics at the time describe him as "obsessive-compulsive.") He also has some of the best dialogue in film history. But everybody in this film is great. Like all of Brooks best films, it's sharply written and especially incisive with regard to human relationships. Helen Hunt in particular has never had a better role.

As for Jack, I can't really say that this is an example of great acting, since he basically plays himself (as a likeable bigot, if that's possible, with Aspergers). And yet Jack as himself is so absorbing on screen, so charismatic, that we can't take our eyes off of him. Truly one of the greatest cinematic presences we have ever had.

Up next:

Anastasia: Who do you love more, me or Comrade Stalin?

Ivan: [without hesitation] Comrade Stalin, of course!
 
75. The Inner Circle (1991)

Directed by: Andrei Konchalovsky

Starring: Tom Hulce, Lolita Davidovitch, Bob Hoskins

It's really a shame that Tom Hulce retired from acting at such a young age, as he was one of our finest. This film was a personal statement by emigre director Konchalovsky about what it was like to live in Stalinist Russia, and he certainly captures the horror of dictatorship like few other works have. Based on a true story, the movie centers around Hulce, a projectionist who is brought into Stalin's "inner circle" at the same time as his family collapses. The ensemble cast is excellent here, particularly Hoskins (always brilliant) as Beria.

Perhaps the most memorable scene in this movie comes at the very end, when Stalin dies, and the Russian people react with grief and chaos in the streets of Moscow. Despite being the monstrous dictator of arguably the worst regime in all of human history (which is demonstrated in some detail in the film), he was all they had, their great father, and they feel lost without him.

Up next: Boys, you must strive to find your own voice. Because the longer you wait to begin, the less likely you are to find it at all. Thoreau said, "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation." Don't be resigned to that. Break out!

 
74. Dead Poet's Society (1989)

Directed by: Peter Weir

Starring: Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke, Josh Charles

Some of my favorite novels are coming of age, but it's a little harder to do in film because two hours isn't enough to show the necessary transformation. But this movie about an upper class prep school in the late 1950s is an exception to that rule. In one sense it's a discussion of the rebellion of youth that would ultimately predict the independence of the 1960s (and thus somewhat analogous to The Catcher in the Rye). It's a quiet story of rebellion, which makes Leonard's eventual suicide all the more shocking.

Throughout the movie, Ethan Hawke's character looks up to Leonard. Hawke sees Leonard as the sort of teenager he himself wants to be. But ultimately both he and the viewer learn that Leonard is weaker than Hawke; it is Hawke in the end who finds himself (as symbolized in the final scene when he stands on the chair) and Leonard who can't handle the growth, can't handle his father (brilliantly played by Kurtwood Smith). This is a wonderful film with a great message.

Up next: Doc said a person needed 2 things in life: his health, and a good education. He said my health was good, but that my education needed immediate attention. Doc showed me Africa. He made Africa my classroom.

 
73. The Power of One (1992)

Directed by: John G. Avildsen

Starring: Stephen Dorff, John Gielgud, Morgan Freeman, Armin Mueller-Stahl

There are various differences between this movie and the novel, which is one of my all-time favorites (#18 on my list). In the novel, there is no love interest (that comes in the sequel, Tandia, and the girl in question is colored, not Afrikaner.) The ending of the film, in which Peekay runs off with Gideon, is also very different. But on the whole, the film does a fine job of capturing the remarkable feeling of the novel. It features in particular yet another outstanding acting job by Morgan Freeman, who does a perfect job of capturing a South African accent (years later he would play Nelson Mandela in the rugby film Invictus). 

Of special note: the villain Botha, once grown up, is played by Daniel Craig in his first role on screen. 

Up next: If you win this case, justice will prevail, and if you lose, justice will also prevail. Now that is a strange case.


 

 
72. A Time to Kill (1996)

Directed by: Joel Schumacher

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Sandra Bullock, Kevin Spacey, Samuel L. Jackson

John Grisham's best novel gets good treatment here with an outstanding cast and excellent suspense. There are fine courtroom scenes and everyone is believable. Donald Sutherland does a fine job as the town's drunken lawyer, while his son Kiefer is a convincing redneck. A very entertaining movie.

Up next: I've been thinking about laws on Mars. There's an international treaty saying that no country can lay claim to anything that's not on Earth. By another treaty if you're not in any country's territory, maritime law aplies. So Mars is international waters. Now, NASA is an American non-military organization, it owns the Hab. But the second I walk outside I'm in international waters. So Here's the cool part. I'm about to leave for the Schiaparelli Crater where I'm going to commandeer the Ares IV lander. Nobody explicitly gave me permission to do this, and they can't until I'm on board the Ares IV. So I'm going to be taking a craft over in international waters without permission, which by definition... makes me a pirate. Mark Watney: Space Pirate.

 
71. The Martian (2015)

Directed by: Ridley Scott

Starring: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Jeff Daniels, Sean Bean

The Martian is Apollo 13 on steroids. Though unlike the previous film this is obviously a work of fiction, both movies feature the same basic themes: astronaut trapped in space; scientists on Earth and the guy himself solve one problem after another to get him home. Both films worship science as a problem solver, which is a great thing. But in this movie there are many MORE problems to solve.

There is also a lot of humor, and Matt Damon comes off as extremely likable (as do all of the supersmart NASA guys back on Earth- there are no villains in this film.) Scott's expert direction gives the movie great suspense and there's literally not a dull moment. Superb adaptation of a great novel.

Up next: Mr. Walker, I'll thank you to leave. I have some charity cases you know nothing of. I got clients with real problems - starvation, illness, dispossession. Yes, I want justice for our people. Yes, I do. I want it so bad, I can taste it. If you think I'll go to Westchester County pleading on the behalf of a colored man that somebody dirtied his fancy car, you are very much mistaken. Now, please, you take this and leave my office.

 
70. Ragtime (1981)

Directed by: Milos Foreman

Starring: Howard E. Rollins, Elizabeth McGovern, Mary Steenburgen, Mandy Patinkin

This epic film takes on E.L. Doctorow's 1974 novel by focusing mainly on the Coalhouse Walker Jr story which is at the heart of the novel. There are brief interludes early in the film which touch on Elizabeth McGovern (as Evelyn Nesbit, a true life figure) and Patinkin as a Jewish immigrant artist turned early movie director, but the bulk of the story is about the racism faced by the fictional Walker (superbly played by Rollins in his finest role, with all apologies to A Soldier's Story). And that's appropriate because it takes over the novel as well, and Doctorow seems to be saying that no matter how many themes touch American history (and he explores dozens of them in the novel), in the end the black-white relationship takes over everything else.

There is a large ensemble cast here and everyone is excellent, particularly James Olsen, Brad Douriff (always great), James Cagney in his last role, Samuel L. Jackson in his first role, and Kenneth McMillan as the racist fire chief. The film also features the first score by Randy Newman, and he does an amazing job, (which is no surprise since much of his 70s music is heavily influenced by Scott Joplin and ragtime.)

Up next: Sometimes when you win, you really lose, and sometimes when you lose, you really win, and sometimes when you win or lose, you actually tie, and sometimes when you tie, you actually win or lose. Winning or losing is all one organic mechanism, from which one extracts what one needs.

 
I knew it'd be pronounced but I'm still surprised how disparate our tastes are in films.

We'll be seeing a lot of Wes Anderson, Woody Allen and Martin Scorsese soon, I'm guessing?

 
My wife dragged me to that Grand Budapest flick. Man that was awful. Maybe there was supposed to be some brilliant thing going on there but I didn't get it. The wife liked it. 

 
timschochet said:
My wife dragged me to that Grand Budapest flick. Man that was awful. Maybe there was supposed to be some brilliant thing going on there but I didn't get it. The wife liked it. 
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After suffering through Fantastic Mr. Fox and turning off Royal Tennenbaums after 20 minutes, I avoided this like the plague.

 
timschochet said:
76. As Good As It Gets (1997)

Directed by: James L. Brooks

Starring: Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, Greg Kinnear, Cuba Gooding, Jr.

Watching this movie again recently it struck me that Jack Nicholson's character suffers from Asperger's, but that back in 1997 that was not a syndrome that most people were aware of. (The critics at the time describe him as "obsessive-compulsive.") He also has some of the best dialogue in film history. But everybody in this film is great. Like all of Brooks best films, it's sharply written and especially incisive with regard to human relationships. Helen Hunt in particular has never had a better role.

As for Jack, I can't really say that this is an example of great acting, since he basically plays himself (as a likeable bigot, if that's possible, with Aspergers). And yet Jack as himself is so absorbing on screen, so charismatic, that we can't take our eyes off of him. Truly one of the greatest cinematic presences we have ever had.

Up next:

Anastasia: Who do you love more, me or Comrade Stalin?

Ivan: [without hesitation] Comrade Stalin, of course!
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Always thought this was overrated.

It was also too unbelievable that they would end up together - he was way too old and too weird.

 
Your movie list is boring.  Be more like Andy.

And since I am not going anywhere near the two main threads on the election:

My thoughts right now are that Clinton's EC over/under is 360, the Senate over/under is the Dems at 50 and the House over/under is the Dems at 199 but I can see them getting to 204.

If was going to bet money I'd say Clinton tops 360, the DNC gets 52 in the Senate and 202 in the House.

 
timschochet said:
IMO, they end up together for a day or so and then she breaks up with him. But what the heck, the film needed a happy ending.
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You are missing the point of the message at the end.  She was the only person that made him want to get better and he was better with her.  She was drawn to any situation where she could be a fixer and take care of someone.  They were a perfect match.

 
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