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| billyweeds |
Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2007 6:23 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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Earl wrote: billyweeds wrote: The thing that turns me off most about August Rush is that the title is a person rather than something about "midsummer madness." It's the same sort of forced cuteness that informed the title of the John Singleton-Janet Jackson debacle Poetic Justice, which was about--wait for it--a girl named..."Justice" who wrote...poetry. Barf.
I'm not sure if this will change your mind or not (and this isn't much of a spoiler since it happens early in the story). But "August Rush" is really a stage name that Wizard (the Fagin-like character played by Robin Williams) creates for the kid once Wizard realizes he has a musical prodigy on his hands. The kid's actual name is Evan Taylor.
I'd actually rather see a movie called Evan Taylor than August Rush. |
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| Earl |
Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2007 7:05 pm |
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Joined: 09 Jun 2004
Posts: 2621
Location: Houston
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I got back a while ago from seeing No Country For Old Men and I still feel somewhat mesmerized by it. Just extraordinary images and sounds and performances all blended together to make a masterpiece.
One of the things (aside from Javier Bardem's startling work, of course) that made Anton Chigurh so terrifying as a villain was that he was often filmed as he was moving forward. Ever forward either on foot or in a vehicle, and always at a steady clip while at the same time not seeming to be in a rush. It was rare to see him pictured at rest and even on those occasions it was usually because he was waiting to pounce. The overall impression it gave me was that here was a man who would never stop. He would keep coming until he got what he wanted no matter how long it took or how far he had to travel. |
_________________ "I have a suspicion that you are all mad," said Dr. Renard, smiling sociably; "but God forbid that madness should in any way interrupt friendship." |
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| mo_flixx |
Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2007 9:39 pm |
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Joined: 30 May 2004
Posts: 12533
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Earl wrote: I got back a while ago from seeing No Country For Old Men and I still feel somewhat mesmerized by it. Just extraordinary images and sounds and performances all blended together to make a masterpiece.
One of the things (aside from Javier Bardem's startling work, of course) that made Anton Chigurh so terrifying as a villain was that he was often filmed as he was moving forward. Ever forward either on foot or in a vehicle, and always at a steady clip while at the same time not seeming to be in a rush. It was rare to see him pictured at rest and even on those occasions it was usually because he was waiting to pounce. The overall impression it gave me was that here was a man who would never stop. He would keep coming until he got what he wanted no matter how long it took or how far he had to travel.
Interesting observation, Earl. I think you're really on to something here.
As to AUGUST RUSH, I didn't see it - but a really good film about a child musical prodigy that is not at all "cute" is VITUS. |
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| yambu |
Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2007 11:13 pm |
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Joined: 23 May 2004
Posts: 6441
Location: SF Bay Area
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Yeah, Earl, an interesting take. The "moving forward" scene I'll always remember is with the blown up car behind him.
However you approach it, this is a great, great film. |
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| ehle64 |
Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 4:01 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 7149
Location: NYC; US&A
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I can't wait to see it.
lorne -- please put earl's August Rush (not like the steadfast forwardness of Bardem)'s review in our archives? Thanks. |
_________________ It truly disappoints me when people do something for you via no prompt of your own and then use it as some kind of weapon against you at a later time and place. It is what it is. |
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| tirebiter |
Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 7:06 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 4011
Location: not far away
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| Saw NCfOM again on Saturday with my oldest kid. When the others come back for Christmas, I'll see it again with them. It's got whatcha call staying power. |
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| bart |
Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 10:28 am |
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Joined: 05 Dec 2005
Posts: 2381
Location: Lincoln NE
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Speaking of films about musicians, I'm looking forward to John C. Reilly in this parody of music biopics:
http://imdb.com/title/tt0841046/
I think this was directed by the guy who did The TV Set, btw, Jake Kasdan. |
_________________ Former 3rd Eye Member |
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| billyweeds |
Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 10:33 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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bart wrote: Speaking of films about musicians, I'm looking forward to John C. Reilly in this parody of music biopics:
http://imdb.com/title/tt0841046/
I think this was directed by the guy who did The TV Set, btw, Jake Kasdan.
The trailers make it look...er...unwatchable. |
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| bart |
Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 10:39 am |
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Joined: 05 Dec 2005
Posts: 2381
Location: Lincoln NE
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Weeds, I never know how to view trailers for comedies (haven't seen this one) because I've found them misleading -- good trailers that contained EVERY funny moment in a generally awful comedy, and bad trailers for good ones, e.g. I remember seeing a trailer for The Big Lebowski and being certain it would stink to high heaven.
Call me an optimist on this one. And, as I said, I haven't seen the trailer. |
_________________ Former 3rd Eye Member |
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| billyweeds |
Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 10:43 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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I hope you're right. You certainly are right about trailers in general. The funniest trailer I ever saw was for Weekend at Bernie's. When I saw the movie itself (drawn to it by the brilliant trailer) I realized I had already seen every last funny moment in the flick and none of the deadly dull moments (75 percent of the picture).
The Sixth Sense had my favorite trailer, being riveting in its own right and yet revealing not one single secret from the movie. |
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| bart |
Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 10:51 am |
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Joined: 05 Dec 2005
Posts: 2381
Location: Lincoln NE
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I'm not sure what to make of the trailer for I am Legend, the new Will Smith vehicle rolling our way -- I have some hope that Smith will bring some of his charm and humor to what looks like a hackneyed storyline -- the Omega Man with vampires instead of mutants with white contact lenses.
I can warn everyone that the novel by Richard Matheson is one of his worst -- I picked it up in the late 90s and found it unreadable. God help us if they stuck with the book. |
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| carrobin |
Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 11:04 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
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Location: NYC
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I vaguely remember seeing the trailer for "The Graduate" when I was a teenager and thinking it looked really boring. Fortunately I went to see it anyway and loved it, of course.
On the other hand, I've seen trailers in which an appealing moment isn't actually in the movie. The Alan Bates/Julie Andrews film "Duet for One" was a pretty steady downer, but the trailer had a scene in which he and she were sitting together and laughing. Not in the film at all. It was probably a reaction to a misread line. |
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| Syd |
Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 11:12 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
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Location: Norman, Oklahoma
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billyweeds wrote: bart wrote: Speaking of films about musicians, I'm looking forward to John C. Reilly in this parody of music biopics:
http://imdb.com/title/tt0841046/
I think this was directed by the guy who did The TV Set, btw, Jake Kasdan.
The trailers make it look...er...unwatchable.
I don't know, I rather like the trailer. The time is certainly right for a parody of musical biopics. Dewey Cox looks like the kind of singer who can sing a medley of his hit., |
_________________ Rocky Laocoon foretold of Troy's doom, only to find snaky water. They pulled him in and Rocky can't swim. Now Rocky wishes he were an otter! |
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| billyweeds |
Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 11:22 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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| The posters make it look like the biography of a transexual. In fact, that's exactly what I thought it was--the biography of a real-life transexual named Dewey Cox whom I'd never heard of. That would have been far more interesting to me than a mock-doc produced to give John C. Reillly a chance to exercise his "musical chops." |
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| Syd |
Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 11:27 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
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Location: Norman, Oklahoma
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billyweeds wrote: The posters make it look like the biography of a transexual. In fact, that's exactly what I thought it was--the biography of a real-life transexual named Dewey Cox whom I'd never heard of. That would have been far more interesting to me than a mock-doc produced to give John C. Reillly a chance to exercise his "musical chops."
If that's what you want, check out the Thai movie Beautiful Boxer, about a kick-boxer who fights to raise money for his sex-change operation. Actually a true story and not a comedy. Beautifully filmed but very conventionally told considering the subject matter. |
_________________ Rocky Laocoon foretold of Troy's doom, only to find snaky water. They pulled him in and Rocky can't swim. Now Rocky wishes he were an otter! |
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