Movies You feel don't get respect. [Archive] - Front Office Football Central

Chief Rum

02-24-2003, 12:48 AM

dola,

There are a LOT of choices for me here, but it's hard to say what's truly underappreciated.

One that leaps to mind for me is Diggstown, starring James Woods, Lou Gossett Jr., and a yet unknown (and very, very appealing) Heather Graham. It's one of those movies that will have you laughing throughout, and then the ending will make you want to stand up and give applause.

I'll second the Miracle Mile nod. Not too many people seem to even know that one exists. But I was locked into place by that one.

Some others off the top of my head...

XMen, which was on Fox tonight. Yeah a lot of people saw it, but I think it's really undervalued as a blockbuster that actually employs actors instead of physical specimens. I'm not a comic book fan at all, and still have never read an XMen comic, but I am definitely seeing X2 on the first night.

Unbreakable may be Shyamalan's best. Everyone talks about Sixth Sense and Signs, but I think the movie he made between the two is very underrated.

Shoot To Kill is a fun killer hunt through the backwoods starring Sidney Poitier and Tom Berenger (before he became a B-movie king). It never got a lot of respect, but I always thought that was a thrilling movie, and at times very funny, too, for its fish out of water moments.

Shattered was another one with Tom Berenger among others. It's a very well done whodunit which practically no one seems to remember. And, no, I'm not a big Berenger fan, he just happens to be in the last two I mentioned.

Dances With Wolves got a lot of props when it came out and in the Oscars, but, IMO, too many people nowadays dismiss it because it stars Kevin Costner, and really he's the only person of note that you really focus on throughout the movie. So anti-Costner fans can't stand it, but I still think it's one of the most beautiful, epic and eye-opening movies made in the past twenty years.

There are lots of others, of course, but I'll stop here before I go on all night.

Chief Rum

bbor

02-24-2003, 12:51 AM

Unbreakable was awesome

How bout these..

Primal fear.....Malice.....Mystery Alaska......Battlestar Galactica

DaleJrFan81599

02-24-2003, 12:52 AM

LOTR : The Two Towers, it was screwed over at the Oscars, or whatever award-awarding program it was. An insult to our freckly, journalism class, 24 hour a day logged on to the internet friends.

HornedFrog Purple

02-24-2003, 01:00 AM

Let's see....

A.I.: I think this movie is great.

Baby Boy: It was not a movie directed towards the masses, but it hits home for me.

Platoon and Apocalypse Now Redux. A couple of my favorite war films. AN Redux is even better with the additional hour of added scenes, if you haven't seen it and liked the original, I recommend it.

Airplane: I don't think I ever laughed as hard during a movie.

Seven: I dunno, something about this movie is just cool.

Heat: Just a killer movie with a killer script.

Oops forgot one. The Color of Money. Love it.

Bad-example

02-24-2003, 01:08 AM

Defending Your Life

Starship Troopers

Henry and June

Miami Blues

PilotMan

02-24-2003, 01:14 AM

Color of Money came to mind when I saw the category, but it did win awards.

Unbreakable is a good movie.

Primal Fear is another I second.

The most right now that I can think of is John Q with Denzel Washington. The movie got so intense that I had to pause to catch my breath. Especially if you have kids, it is a absolute must see.

sabotai

02-24-2003, 01:28 AM

Brain Donors

TLK

02-24-2003, 01:40 AM

Originally posted by oykib

I agree with 'Cocktail', though. It has one the greatest movie quotes of all time. "Talking is overrated as a means of communication."

Cocktail is filled with great quotes.....

"Days get shorter and shorter, nights longer and longer, before you know it, you life is just one long night with a few comatose daylight hours."

" I don't care how liberated this world becomes - a man will always be judged by the amount of alcohol he can consume - and a woman will be impressed, whether she likes it or not. "

"Coughlin's law: never tell tales about a woman no matter how far away she is, she'll always here you. "

and the best of all.....

"There are two types of people in this world..... the workers and the hustlers.... the workers don't hustle and hustlers don't work....."

TLK

Lathum

02-24-2003, 01:51 AM

Originally posted by TheLionKing
Cocktail is filled with great quotes.....

"Days get shorter and shorter, nights longer and longer, before you know it, you life is just one long night with a few comatose daylight hours."

" I don't care how liberated this world becomes - a man will always be judged by the amount of alcohol he can consume - and a woman will be impressed, whether she likes it or not. "

"Coughlin's law: never tell tales about a woman no matter how far away she is, she'll always here you. "

and the best of all.....

"There are two types of people in this world..... the workers and the hustlers.... the workers don't hustle and hustlers don't work....."

TLK

Actually I think the best is " Everything ends badly, otherwise it wouldn't end"

Honolulu_Blue

02-24-2003, 01:52 AM

Two off the top of my head.

Big Trouble In Little China. Univerisally panned and an utter flop at the box office. I can see where most people would be put-off by it because it's pretty goofy, but it's a classic. Jack Burton rules.

Rob Roy. This is a great movie. The main character is as honorable and solid as any lead in any movie I've seen. The villian, played wonderfully by Tim Roth, is as vile as possible. The movie got swallowed up by "Braveheart" which came out a few weeks or so later. It's a very different film and highly reccommended.

One more. The Three Amigos. I find it funny. So very, very funny.

astralhaze

02-24-2003, 01:56 AM

AI definately. I loved it. Then was amazed when everyone said they hated it.

Grosse Pointe Blank. Most people who have seen it like it, but not many have seen it. More should.

The Man Who Wasn't There. Same as above.

sterlingice

02-24-2003, 02:23 AM

A.I.: I think this movie is great.
I think the movie was amazing, except... The directing was beautiful and there are just some beautiful shots all done just with lighting and glass... but... in the end it comes down to the fact that the movie fell apart in the last 30 mins. Great movie minus 30 mins.

Unbreakable is a good movie.
I loved unbreakable. Although I just had this feeling that it made a great story plain but told it well. I know, that didn't help articulate how I felt at all.

Airplane: I don't think I ever laughed as hard during a movie.
I think it's pretty highly regarded as one of the best comedies in history.

SI

andy m

02-24-2003, 03:15 AM

'the taking of pelham 1,2,3' - this film is spectacularly well casted. the script is funny as a bastard yet not in an overbearing way, and overall it is a practically perfect film. the final shot of garber peering back in the door makes me crumple into fits of laughter every time i see it.

incredibly under-rated film.

and man, that funk soundtrack, especially at the start. class!

oykib

02-24-2003, 03:20 AM

Originally posted by sterlingice
A.I.: I think this movie is great.
I think the movie was amazing, except... The directing was beautiful and there are just some beautiful shots all done just with lighting and glass... but... in the end it comes down to the fact that the movie fell apart in the last 30 mins. Great movie minus 30 mins.

SI

A.I.?!

Someone hurry and get me a copy of 'Great White Hype'.:p

sterlingice

02-24-2003, 03:46 AM

Originally posted by oykib
Someone hurry and get me a copy of 'Great White Hype'.

Not all of us can be snooty movie critics about everything we watch. Some of us actually enjoy watching movies :p

SI

Fritz

02-24-2003, 05:43 AM

havent we had this question four or five times in the last four or five weeks?

Blackadar

02-24-2003, 05:58 AM

Bad-example, you and I strongly agree on Defending Your Life. Great movie.

oykib

02-24-2003, 06:05 AM

Originally posted by Blackadar
Bad-example, you and I strongly agree on Defending Your Life. Great movie.

"I'ma gonna giva you nine-a pies"

Blackadar

02-24-2003, 06:10 AM

"My 3 percent is swimming"

"Little brains"

"What are you?" "Lunch."

Of course, the montage sequence of blunders is classic.

Ben E Lou

02-24-2003, 06:20 AM

DOC HOLLYWOOD

"Doc Hogue does the complete Walt Whitman if you don't monitor his drinkin'"--That line just KILLS me every time.

AIR FORCE ONE

Gary Oldman is the consummate villain. He has a chilling monologue in this one: "When the capitalists are dragged from the Kremlin and shot in the streets; when our enemies run and hide in fear at our name; when Mother Russia becomes one great nation again and when America falls to her knees and BEGS our forgiveness; then I will be satisfied." How's that for a list of demands by a hijacker???

ACStrider

02-24-2003, 06:24 AM

I feel like I posted on another thread this very same thing but...

I nominate Glory...Matthew Brodrick, Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, Cary Elwes, and it didn't even get NOMINATED for best picture!!! Well written, great acting, and one heck of a soundtrack.

oykib

02-24-2003, 06:29 AM

Here's one that SI can get me back for nominating-- "Popeye."

That movie always has me in tears. I know people are thrown off by the singing. But that movie is hilarious.

P.S. that has to be the best casting in a book/comic book to movie translation there has ever been.

Senator

02-24-2003, 06:36 AM

Vision Quest.

"You have to go for all the answers, man. Vision Quest!"

"I don't even know what the questions are, Kuch."

"You don't have to."

and this exchange:

"HEY SHUTE!"

"Yea, do I know you?" says Shute as he is walking up a flight of bleachers with a telephone pole across is shoulders.

"Louden Swain, Thompson High."

Pause. Then recognition.

"Think you'll make the weight?"

"I don't know, I hope so."

"I hope so too."

Ksyrup

02-24-2003, 07:59 AM

Bob Roberts.

As a conservative, I can't believe I even watched this movie, let alone liked it, but it was just so well done that I've seen it over and over. I need to get it on DVD.

Tim Robins and his flaky wife need some hobbies. I think that's why so many ultra-rich people fly off the liberal deep end. They've got nothing better to do with their time and money.

Bee

02-24-2003, 08:16 AM

A couple that already were mentioned, but I agree totally with:

Starship Troopers

Big Trouble in Little China

Diggstown

I think all 3 fit in the category of movies I really enjoyed but get no respect.

Aylmar

02-24-2003, 08:31 AM

Originally posted by ACStrider
I feel like I posted on another thread this very same thing but...

I nominate Glory...Matthew Brodrick, Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, Cary Elwes, and it didn't even get NOMINATED for best picture!!! Well written, great acting, and one heck of a soundtrack.

I don't know that you can make a case that Glory was slighted. It won three Oscars, a Golden Globe, and a Grammy, after all.

Maple Leafs

02-24-2003, 09:27 AM

Originally posted by Shorty3281
Joe Dirt. A comedy classic that I feel not enough people realize. Joe Dirt was on the movie channel a few weeks ago. I had nothing to do, so I figured I'd watch a few minutes just to see how awful it was. I ended up laughing through the whole thing. Just a funny movie, whatever the critics say.

TroyF

02-24-2003, 09:48 AM

I have to go with the guys who said Defending Your Life. What a fantastic movie. I can watch it over and over.

One I always watched as a young one was The Last Starfighter.

Suicide Kings is also a brilliant movie IMO.

TroyF

Fritz

02-24-2003, 09:54 AM

Stright to Hell
Repo Man

A pair of often overlooked movies.

Bee

02-24-2003, 09:59 AM

Originally posted by TroyF
I have to go with the guys who said Defending Your Life. What a fantastic movie. I can watch it over and over.

One I always watched as a young one was The Last Starfighter.

Suicide Kings is also a brilliant movie IMO.

TroyF

The Last Starfighter is also a good one. I also liked Red Dawn when I was younger.

FBPro

02-24-2003, 10:01 AM

Originally posted by Hawaii Warrior
A Walk To Remember

Yes......

JeeberD

02-24-2003, 10:09 AM

Hell yeah, Red Dawn was awesome. Nothing like a group of teenagers defending the free world from Communist invaders to get my blood pumping.

oykib

02-24-2003, 10:21 AM

'Rapid Fire', Brandon Lee's second-to-last feature is a forgotten Martial Arts classic. He really did some work on that one. You could really see him picking up the genre in that and the few scenes he's in in 'The Crow.'

It's really too bad. But his death doomed Martial Art Movie fans to five or six uninterrupted years of Steven Seagal and Jean-Claude Van My-Movies-Suck-But Chicks-Like-To-Look-At-My-Ass.

Craptacular

02-24-2003, 10:39 AM

UHF
Ski School

Kodos

02-24-2003, 12:07 PM

"Beautiful Girls." That's the movie that started my whole Natalie Portman fascination. I rented it because I was in my Mira Sorvino stage, and Natalie just totally stole the movie from her.

Fidatelo

02-24-2003, 12:52 PM

One I forgot to mention earlier:

Dirty Work, starring Norm MacDonald

Norm never gets any respect. My favorite Norm moment was his opening monologue when he hosted SNL a year after being dumped as a cast member. He tore the SNL bigwigs a new one with his "A year ago I wasn't funny enough to to be on this show, now I'm so funny I'm the host!" bit.

rkmsuf

02-24-2003, 01:39 PM

Duce Bigalow Male Gigalo

BASEketball

sabotai

02-24-2003, 01:45 PM

BASEketball is another. One of my favorite comedies ever. Laughed through the whole thing.

Another is Super Troopers.

JeeberD

02-24-2003, 01:55 PM

Originally posted by rkmsuf
Duce Bigalow Male Gigalo

Ugh, that was one of the worst movies ever. It did make me laugh once, though. I think it was the scene when he was talking to his father in the bathroom and he was talking about Duce's mother and how she did the donkey show or something like that. Made me crack up, and my girlfriend just stared at me.

Also got pissed off because when we went to the movie my girlfriend and I were the only people there, so we could fool around as much as we wanted to. Then about five minutes until it started two guys came in and sat down right next to us. They had the entire theatre to choose from and they sat there. Bastards...

sabotai

02-24-2003, 01:59 PM

"Then about five minutes until it started two guys came in and sat down right next to us. They had the entire theatre to choose from and they sat there. Bastards..."

Why do people do this!?!?! I've never had of it happening to me personally, but I've heard many people say something like this. "They had the whole theater, and they sat right next/in front/behind us." What is wrong with them? I just don't get it...

Craptacular

02-24-2003, 02:06 PM

I thought Deuce Bigelow was a pretty damn funny movie.

ShovelMonkey

02-24-2003, 02:14 PM

I loved Deuce Bigalow. I also gotta second the mention of Red Dawn.

Others I liked include,

Half Baked
How High
What's the Worst that Could Happen?
Galaxy Quest

jerem77

02-24-2003, 02:14 PM

Heat (already mentioned)

Hoodlum- Tim Roth, Laurence Fishburne and Andy Garcia were excellent in this film.

The Spanish Prisoner- I saw this on the Sundance Channel (the only movie channel I get). I'm not normally a fan of David Mamet's work but this film was good. It's a suspense-mystery film, that kept me on my feet tryig to figure out what had happened. The acting was great and it had Steve Martin in a very unusual role for him.

rkmsuf

02-24-2003, 02:15 PM

What I remember about Duce Bigalow was laughing at the term 'man whore'...

Abe Sargent

02-24-2003, 03:23 PM

What is good but doesn't get the respect it deserves?

By men? How to Make An American Quilt

By critics? Donnie Darko

By the Academy? The Lord of the Rings

By people who calimto be independant-oriented? The Sticky Fingers of Time

By science fiction fans? Contact

By Top 100 lists of all time? Heat

-Anxiety

Aylmar

02-24-2003, 03:30 PM

Originally posted by Anxiety
By the Academy? The Lord of the Rings

Did anyone think that LOTR had a serious chance at Best Picture? I was suprised that it was nominated, to tell the truth. Don't get me wrong, I loved the movie, but you had to know going into it that it wasn't going to win the big one, didn't you?

Edited to fix terrible wording. :)

GrantDawg

02-24-2003, 04:27 PM

Man, I think most of the ones I can think of were listed.

Glory
Big Trouble in Little China
Red Dawn
Starship Troopers
Unbreakable

Couple of new ones:
Ghost and the Darkness - Nothing quite as scary as a true story.

Keeping the Faith Ed Norton has become one of my favorite actors. He was brilliant in "Primal Fear." But this movie was just fun, and I still enjoy it even after about a million viewings.

The Afoci

02-24-2003, 04:54 PM

Don't be a menace to South Central while drinking you juice in the hood was hilarous i thought.

DataKing

02-24-2003, 05:06 PM

It seems to be that a number of the films mentioned do get a good deal of respect.

Two that come to mind that do not, or are often forgotten about:

Bulworth
Higher Learning

Anrhydeddu

02-24-2003, 05:17 PM

The Name of the Rose

CamEdwards

02-24-2003, 05:44 PM

one word...

Xanadu.

korme

02-24-2003, 05:52 PM

Originally posted by The Afoci
Don't be a menace to South Central while drinking you juice in the hood was hilarous i thought.

hell yeah :)

LloydLungs

02-24-2003, 05:55 PM

I'll put in a vote for the John Waters flick "Serial Mom" from 1994. Just totally hilarious and underappreciated.

Hawaii Warrior

02-24-2003, 06:38 PM

Originally posted by SkyDog
AIR FORCE ONE

Gary Oldman is the consummate villain. He has a chilling monologue in this one: "When the capitalists are dragged from the Kremlin and shot in the streets; when our enemies run and hide in fear at our name; when Mother Russia becomes one great nation again and when America falls to her knees and BEGS our forgiveness; then I will be satisfied." How's that for a list of demands by a hijacker???

This has probably got to be my favorite movie of all times. The sense of patriotism and pride I get while watching the movie is unbelievable.

I also have to add the movie Memento in. That movie is awesome.

sterlingice

02-24-2003, 08:04 PM

I thought Deuce Bigelow was a pretty damn funny movie.
I was suprised by it. It was actually pretty funny. Animal was painful, tho. Deuce Bigelow was fun and lighthearted while the Animal was just over the top. (this should give anyone more than enough ammo for any of my other criticisms below)

By critics? Donnie Darko
Blech. Well, I've tossed around my feelings on that movie. If anyone cares, go threadsearching.

By the Academy? The Lord of the Rings
I'm guessing they win everything next year or practically everything. They just couldn't give them everything three years in a row.

By science fiction fans? Contact
Yeah, I really like Contact so I can't argue at all with that.

Starship Troopers
Again, blech. I thought that was tremendously transparent in their attempt to "give a message" all the while wrapping it around an average sci-fi movie. And that's from someone who hasn't read the book.

Unbreakable
I'm not sure I already threw in some comments about this, but I couldn't agree more. I actually think Sixth Sense might be my least favorite of the three but all three are excellent movies.

AIR FORCE ONE
Like Gary Oldman, hated the movie. It was just cheesy action plot with too much gore. AND I LIKE GORE AND CHEESY ACTION PLOTS!

SI

Bad-example

02-24-2003, 11:39 PM

Gee, for me Starship Troopers was one of the best sci-fi action movies of all time. It had an excellent cast, great special effects and a solid script. They did a nice job balancing the high body count with much needed humor. Great art direction and costumes.

Its right up there with T2 and The Matrix in my book. A great ride and a classic of the genre.

SplitPersonality1

02-24-2003, 11:57 PM

Reading this thread reminded me of a few overlooked gems:

The Name of the Rose - excellent movie - excellent book

Red Dawn - me and my friends left the theatre thinking we could beat those damn Ruskies. Just let them show thier faces in Muskego, Wisconsin, we would have kicked their asses. :D

UHF - SUPPLIES!!!!

I mentioned this is another thread, but I have to add Howard the Duck. Considered a flop by practically everyone, I really found it quite funny. My sister and I used to quote it all the time.

Blood Simple - saw this one at the theatre only because some other film was sold out. It quickly became one of my all-time favorite films. Great early work by the Coen brothers.

Deep Cover with Jeff Goldblum and Laurence Fishburn. Goldblum played the druggie lawyer to perfection. Very good movie.

I'm sure I'll think of more, but this post is already way too long.

SplitPersonality1

02-25-2003, 12:08 AM

Originally posted by CamEdwards
one word...

Xanadu.

Aw, Cam. I've just lost all respect for you. j/k

This is one of three films that I have walked out on. The other two being Hard to Kill with Steven Seagal and Short Circuit with that damn talking robot "Number 5 is alive" :shudder:

[edit] This is not a true dola, I swear. There was another post sandwiched bewteen mine....honest!!!!

oykib

02-25-2003, 12:09 AM

Deep Cover was a great movie.

Has anybody else ever seen 'Sister My Sister?'

G-Man

02-25-2003, 12:29 AM

The Rock....Sean Connery at his best and Nicholas Cage wasn't too bad either and...

Gone in 60 seconds....Cage again does an excellent job and how hot is Angelina Jolie!!

Lot's of great action in both of these movies.

Honolulu_Blue

02-25-2003, 04:44 AM

Originally posted by DataKing
It seems to be that a number of the films mentioned do get a good deal of respect.

Two that come to mind that do not, or are often forgotten about:

Bulworth
Higher Learning

Bulworth is pretty good. I have to agree on that. Definitely interesting.

As for Higher Learning, I find it to be one the MOST repulsive, ridiculous, shallow, inane pieces of crap ever to be put on film. This is even accepting the fact that it has Jennifer Connelly as a lesbian in it. We're talking "Highlander 2" bad.

Blackadar

02-25-2003, 06:11 AM

Back to School with Rodney Dangerfield. That still makes me laugh.

"How about calling me when you have no class?"

"That's what I call Marine Biology."

"Straighten out my Longfellow."

oykib

02-25-2003, 06:26 AM

Originally posted by Blackadar
Back to School with Rodney Dangerfield. That still makes me laugh.

"How about calling me when you have no class?"

"That's what I call Marine Biology."

"Straighten out my Longfellow."

"And remember-- the best part about kids... is makin' 'em!"

stkelly52

02-25-2003, 07:21 AM

Originally posted by DataKing
It seems to be that a number of the films mentioned do get a good deal of respect.

I am left wondering what some people think "don't get respect means" IMHO, if the movie was #1 or if it was nominated for an Oscar then it has respect and shouldn't be elegable for this thread. Of course no one care what I think

3ric

02-25-2003, 07:34 AM

Dark City. A lot of people haven't even heard of it, but it's a great film, just with a lesser name in the leading role. Kiefer Sutherland and Jennifer Connelly is in the supporting cast.

Aylmar

02-25-2003, 08:50 AM

Originally posted by sterlingice

By the Academy? The Lord of the Rings
I'm guessing they win everything next year or practically everything. They just couldn't give them everything three years in a row.

Hmm...I'd be extremely suprised if any of the trilogy wins Best Picture. They're just not the class of movie to win that category. I think 'Gangs of New York' will win Best Picture this year (an amazing film -- Daniel Day Lewis will give Nicholson a run for his money in the Best Actor category, too).

I think that LOTR will end up like Star Wars always has with the Oscars. Lots of technical awards and shut-out in the acting/directing categories.

sterlingice

02-25-2003, 09:56 AM

The Rock....Sean Connery at his best and Nicholas Cage wasn't too bad either and...

Gone in 60 seconds....Cage again does an excellent job and how hot is Angelina Jolie!!

Gotta agree with both. Love Sean Connery so I'm really biased about the first. Not a huge Nick Cage fan, besides these two, the only other thing I can say I like him in is Face/Off.

Gone is 60 Seconds was just a really, really, really fun movie. It was designed to be a fun popcorn movie. Not like "The Fast and the Furious" which desperately wanted to be this movie but failed miserably (speaking of 2 hours of my life I wanted back).

Back to School with Rodney Dangerfield. That still makes me laugh.

Classic 80s stuff.

Hmm...I'd be extremely suprised if any of the trilogy wins Best Picture. They're just not the class of movie to win that category. I think 'Gangs of New York' will win Best Picture this year (an amazing film -- Daniel Day Lewis will give Nicholson a run for his money in the Best Actor category, too).

I think that LOTR will end up like Star Wars always has with the Oscars. Lots of technical awards and shut-out in the acting/directing categories.

Well, if you can't get behind the LotR movies for the naked baldhead awards then I think it just goes to show how much bias there really is out there against Sci-Fi/Fantasy. It won't win this year anyways since this is only the second movie. They are amazingly crafted films with a lot of good acting (not all of it, mind you, but I think that has a lot to do with the large cast). Not only that, but the Academy does have a thing for both broad, sweeping epics and giving out lifetime-esque awards for composite bodies of work.

And if it doesn't win, then it just goes to show that the academy is what may people have always believed: they're a cynical, pretentious batch of senile retards that don't care if you make a really good movie which attracts practically all types of people into theaters. I'm sure Peter Jackson and all of the cast can sleep comfortably tho, on small mountains of money so they don't care that much.

SI

Fritz

02-25-2003, 09:58 AM

Originally posted by sterlingice
[i]
Not a huge Nick Cage fan, besides these two, the only other thing I can say I like him in is Face/Off.

Bah,

Raising Arizona is his best movie followed by Valley Girl.

Easy Mac

02-25-2003, 10:07 AM

Cage is like an old Keanu Reeves.

And Outside Providence is another movie.

Aylmar

02-25-2003, 10:27 AM

Originally posted by sterlingice
Well, if you can't get behind the LotR movies for the naked baldhead awards then I think it just goes to show how much bias there really is out there against Sci-Fi/Fantasy. It won't win this year anyways since this is only the second movie.

Not to mention the fact that, except for the awesome job they did with Gollum, I didn't think that this movie was as good as FOTR (and it certainly pales in comparison with some of the other movies I've seen this year). It was great from a technical standpoint (Helm's Deep, anyone?) but I just wasn't as amazed by the whole thing as I was last year.

They are amazingly crafted films with a lot of good acting (not all of it, mind you, but I think that has a lot to do with the large cast).

Agreed that the films are amazingly crafted. That should (and did) win in categories like Cinematography and Visual Effects. The acting is decent, but that's not what puts behinds in the seats. The story drives these films and everyone knows it.

Not only that, but the Academy does have a thing for both broad, sweeping epics and giving out lifetime-esque awards for composite bodies of work.

I'd tend to disagree here. The Academy does have a thing for broad, sweeping epics (The Last Emperor), that I'll grant you. I don't think that the Oscar (especially for Best Picture) is given for a composite of work. Look at The Godfather, for instance. In the running for the greatest trilogy of films of all time. The first and second movies both win Best Picture. If, as you suggest, the Academy gives out 'composition' awards, then why not give it to the third movie as well (which was nominated for seven awards)? No, I think if you win, it's based on the merits of the particular movie against it's competition that particular year. If you have examples of this not being the case, I'd love to see (and discuss) them.

And if it doesn't win, then it just goes to show that the academy is what may people have always believed: they're a cynical, pretentious batch of senile retards that don't care if you make a really good movie which attracts practically all types of people into theaters. I'm sure Peter Jackson and all of the cast can sleep comfortably tho, on small mountains of money so they don't care that much.

The Academy may be pretentious, but they do have sway with the public. Look at 'Silence of the Lambs'. The popularity of that film really took off after it won Best Picture in 1992....

Edited to fix quote tags.

MylesKnight

02-25-2003, 10:34 AM

astralhaze, gotta agree with you with Grosse Pointe Blank.. Great Movie, that I do see on every once in a while.

Also, anyone else like those Phantasm movies? The first one especially.. That old tall guy with the white hair, he is sooo damn freaky.

Bee

02-25-2003, 10:35 AM

I can't believe no one has mentioned Grease 2...one of Michelle Phiffer's better movies. :D

bbor

02-25-2003, 12:02 PM

Originally posted by 3ric
Dark City. A lot of people haven't even heard of it, but it's a great film, just with a lesser name in the leading role. Kiefer Sutherland and Jennifer Connelly is in the supporting cast.

Good call 3ric......fantastic little flick.

Syrinx

02-25-2003, 12:39 PM

Closet Land
Cast: Alan Rickman and Madeleine Stowe and... no one else.
That's right just the 2 of them for the entire movie. A great psychological thriller with Alan Rickman at his best in the role of the Interrogator.

DataKing

02-25-2003, 12:50 PM

I have to agree with the mentions of Dark City, and especially Outside Providence. Baldwin has one of the greatest movie lines of all time in that one...

"Making love is like chinese dinner. It ain't over 'til you both get your cookie...just remember I said that."

Cracks me up every time. :D

Timbrownfan

02-25-2003, 01:10 PM

Not even close to being called a favorite but still a movie I thought was decent and everyone I know of rips it to shreds.

Pointe Break with Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves.

Just a fun movie to watch I thought.

sterlingice

02-25-2003, 03:14 PM

Not to mention the fact that, except for the awesome job they did with Gollum, I didn't think that this movie was as good as FOTR (and it certainly pales in comparison with some of the other movies I've seen this year). It was great from a technical standpoint (Helm's Deep, anyone?) but I just wasn't as amazed by the whole thing as I was last year.

Wow, you're the first person I've run across who agrees with me on that point. I was just tremendously blown away by FotR

Agreed that the films are amazingly crafted. That should (and did) win in categories like Cinematography and Visual Effects. The acting is decent, but that's not what puts behinds in the seats. The story drives these films and everyone knows it.
Very true. Maybe that's what bugs me so much. It always seems that 2 or 3 of the films up for best picture are character driven stories. However these are character-driven plots that are just that: the distinct lack of plot forces you have to focus on the characters instead.

SI

the_meanstrosity

02-26-2003, 08:40 AM

I don't believe anyone has mentioned this movie:

Office Space

Honorable Mention to other movies that posters mentioned:

Starship Troopers
Donnie Darko

More movies:

Tomcats
Brotherhood of the Wolf

Honolulu_Blue

02-26-2003, 09:51 AM

I certainly think, during it's 48 hours at the theater, "Office Space" was perhaps one of the most under rated comedies of all time. I was lucky enough to see in the theater.

However, since then, it (has rightly so) developed an incredible cult following and is given major props for the glorious movie that it is.

Fidatelo

02-26-2003, 09:58 AM

Originally posted by Honolulu_Blue
I certainly think, during it's 48 hours at the theater, "Office Space" was perhaps one of the most under rated comedies of all time. I was lucky enough to see in the theater.

However, since then, it (has rightly so) developed an incredible cult following and is given major props for the glorious movie that it is.

I saw Office Space in the theatre too, that movie rocks!

Frozenrope

02-26-2003, 10:07 AM

Originally posted by Syrinx
Closet Land
Cast: Alan Rickman and Madeleine Stowe and... no one else.
That's right just the 2 of them for the entire movie. A great psychological thriller with Alan Rickman at his best in the role of the Interrogator.

Very good movie...and gets no pub whatsoever.

My all-time favorite movie which is praised by critic but was virtually ignored by the Academy during the Oscars was Almost Famous. Better freakin' movie than Gladiator, which won.

Another underrated movie is A Bronx Tale, with Robert DeNiro and Chazz Pallimenteri.

Aylmar

02-26-2003, 11:10 AM

Originally posted by Frozenrope
My all-time favorite movie which is praised by critic but was virtually ignored by the Academy during the Oscars was Almost Famous. Better freakin' movie than Gladiator, which won.

Gladiator was just one of those films that you knew was going to win Best Picture. I went to see it with a friend of mine and we walked out of the theater and both commented that it would win. I saw it three times in it's first four days of release.

I also really liked Almost Famous. It's a funny and well-written movie (it did win one Oscar (for Crowe) and was nominated for three more, so I don't think that you can say it was virtually ignored).

Hmm...I really liked 'The Pledge'. I was shocked that it didn't get any acting nominations (nor any others from the Academy, for that matter). Sean Penn has to be considered for the 'Most Depressing Director in Hollywood' award. Man, was playing Jeff Spicoli really that hard on you?