ok cards on the table time, i cried four times, laughed six and cringed a couple.
a ground-breaking movie? no. cheesy? definitely. but then how do you make a greyfriars bobby film without it being cheesy?
That said, much like the Lassie film from earlier in the year, it was enjoyable, good-hearted and largely impossible to dislike.
the actors, James Cosmo im particular, give unshow and honest performances and this is a downplayed and rousing interpretation of one of my favourite scottish stories.
I loved the book and have read it sooo many times, but the film is rather bland. Too much emphasis on the artsy stuff and not enough on the story line.
By the end of it your willing the film to just end.
Seeing as this is a running website, I just wanted to point you all towards a Korean film called 'Marathon' (alternatively titled 'Running Boy'). I was watching it on a flight a couple of weeks ago, but agonisingly (just as the plot was really unfolding) didn't get to the end before the plane landed. Am now waiting for the film to be sent to me.
It's a drama based on a true story about an autistic youth who (surprise surprise) trains to run a marathon. However, the real issue is the effects of autism on a Korean family.
The film won 6 awards in the Korean Daejong Film Festival last year including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best First Time Director and Best Screenplay.
If you are interested, yesasia.com sells different versions of it (vcds and dvds for different regions)
I enjoyed Memoirs up till when the Americans landed. Let's hope for more period Japanese stuff.
As for lately, 'The Ice Harvest' is worth a look if you're in any way an appreciater of John Cusack's (almost) laconic style. 'Seven Swords': if you're into period Chinese kungfu movies. Also watched 'Batman Begins' on DVD the other day and would recommend (sp?).
haggis - not truly about running as I mentioned, but there is a coach who trains the lad up, so there are some elements
oh yeah - martial arts movies - 'Tom Yum Goong' - useless plot, the worst English I've ever heard, but awesome action scenes. Star the Thai actor Tony Jaa. You can see him in 'Ong Bak' as well
Dodge (or is the name change permanent?) - agreed on 'Batman Begins'. Will have to look out for the other 2 as well. I wouldn't have previously put myself down as a fan of period Chinese kungfu movies. However, Hero and House of Flying Daggers have converted me (if they fit into that genre).
good choice jason, even if it is actually a Japanese Samurai movie, Zatoichi is another excellent film from 'The Beat' and has the best musichall ending of any film of any and all time.
Nice choice Moomoo... I liked that more than 'Bowling for Columbine' and I thought that was an excellent documentary, which it thought illustrated perfectly the madness of the 'right to bear arms' lobby and the NRA...
"Out of my cold dead head"
Was not so sure about Moore's 9/11 documentary... thought it was too didactic... perhaps even misleading
'Twas Valentine's Day on tuesday (if you didn't notice) so I got Elizabethtown out on DVD to watch with Mrs SVT.
Brief plot summary: messed-up boy goes back to roots, meets beautiful quirky girl who helps him 'find himself'.
So, basically, a more mainstream 'Garden State', replacing Zach Braff and Natalie Portman with Orlando Bloom and Kirsten Dunst. Pleasant enough, with a great turn by Susan Sarandon and a road trip section that seemed to be Cameron Crowe's way of jamming in some of his favourite scenery and music.
Nothing deep, but there are worse ways to spend a couple of hours.
Morning SVT! Did you farm out the kiddies to a babysitter on V-day?
Corinth- speaking of bowling movies, I really enjoyed 'The Big Lebowski', directed by Joel Coen. The tagline for that was: "They figured he was a lazy time wasting slacker"
Comments
Doh! thats another movie sorry (blush)
greyfriars bobby - 13/02/06
ok cards on the table time, i cried four times, laughed six and cringed a couple.
a ground-breaking movie? no. cheesy? definitely. but then how do you make a greyfriars bobby film without it being cheesy?
That said, much like the Lassie film from earlier in the year, it was enjoyable, good-hearted and largely impossible to dislike.
the actors, James Cosmo im particular, give unshow and honest performances and this is a downplayed and rousing interpretation of one of my favourite scottish stories.
the wee boy was a bit annoying though.
6/10.
I loved the book and have read it sooo many times, but the film is rather bland. Too much emphasis on the artsy stuff and not enough on the story line.
By the end of it your willing the film to just end.
3/10
but the more i hear about it (from people like Lawro) the more i just cannae be bothered.
It's a drama based on a true story about an autistic youth who (surprise surprise) trains to run a marathon. However, the real issue is the effects of autism on a Korean family.
The film won 6 awards in the Korean Daejong Film Festival last year including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best First Time Director and Best Screenplay.
If you are interested, yesasia.com sells different versions of it (vcds and dvds for different regions)
As for lately, 'The Ice Harvest' is worth a look if you're in any way an appreciater of John Cusack's (almost) laconic style. 'Seven Swords': if you're into period Chinese kungfu movies. Also watched 'Batman Begins' on DVD the other day and would recommend (sp?).
oh yeah - martial arts movies - 'Tom Yum Goong' - useless plot, the worst English I've ever heard, but awesome action scenes. Star the Thai actor Tony Jaa. You can see him in 'Ong Bak' as well
READ POSTS PROPERLY NOT JUST SKIM!!
sorry achy
still nice to see a film that includes someone with a love of running. You still see him training, and running several races.
http://www.zatoichi.co.uk/
a truly great film
'Warriors of Heaven and Earth' was quite good.
... maybe I should become a director
O.T.
anyone else have their keyboard change itself to US settings at random? " is where @ should be and vis versi. Please tell it to stop.
"Roger and Me" (1989)
Low budget comedy documentary about Micha el Moore's attempts to get an interview with the Chairman of General Motors, Roger Smith.
Loved it!
"Out of my cold dead head"
Was not so sure about Moore's 9/11 documentary... thought it was too didactic... perhaps even misleading
Brief plot summary: messed-up boy goes back to roots, meets beautiful quirky girl who helps him 'find himself'.
So, basically, a more mainstream 'Garden State', replacing Zach Braff and Natalie Portman with Orlando Bloom and Kirsten Dunst. Pleasant enough, with a great turn by Susan Sarandon and a road trip section that seemed to be Cameron Crowe's way of jamming in some of his favourite scenery and music.
Nothing deep, but there are worse ways to spend a couple of hours.
Corinth- speaking of bowling movies, I really enjoyed 'The Big Lebowski', directed by Joel Coen. The tagline for that was:
"They figured he was a lazy time wasting slacker"
there comes a time when you can just not make any more schmaltzy nostalgic movies.
like garden state though. it was kooky (which i hate) but it was mostly unpretentious and fun, and peter saarsgard is great.
Haven't wanted to watch Garden State yet, for certain reasons.
Agreed - Orlando Bloom is a bit wet. So was Kirsten Dunst at one point in Spiderman.
Garden State was good. And so is Peter Saarsgard, who I last saw in Broken Glass. Hayden Christiansen is not great.
that thing is completely clouded by Moore's anti bush hysteria. its misleading to the point of being fictional.
shame since his other two efforts where such good documentary films.