Best Movie of The Year!

[Parsad]

I cannot stand musicals...not at all!  All of our New York board members are yelling "New York wouldn't exist without hedge funds and musicals...how can you not like musicals...what is wrong with you, man?  You're East Indian for crying out loud.  Every movie you make in Bollywood is some bizarre musical full of singing and dancing!"  Nope, just never liked them. 

 

Personally, I subscribe to Tom Hanks sentiment a few years ago on Late Night With David Letterman:  "Dave, I personally cannot understand how people just spontaneously break out into song and dance...not a fan of musicals!"  Just never enjoyed them after watching a few as a young boy. 

 

Well, I've got to tell you that Tom Hooper's screen version of "Les Miserables" was terrific...probably one of the best movies of the last few years.  Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway's performances are the type that just stick with you after you leave the theatre.  I was just blown away by the size and scope of the movie, and how well it was done.  Didn't even notice that people were singing!  ;D

 

So for you guys dragged into the theatre by significant others, friends or family to watch this, you won't have to suck it up.  You may actually really enjoy it.  Cheers!

[Cardboard]

And... Anne Hathaway certainly looks a lot better than older and bitter Meredith Whitney!  :D

 

Cardboard

[link01]

I cannot stand musicals...not at all!  All of our New York board members are yelling "New York wouldn't exist without hedge funds and musicals...how can you not like musicals...what is wrong with you, man?  You're East Indian for crying out loud.  Every movie you make in Bollywood is some bizarre musical full of singing and dancing!"  Nope, just never liked them. 

 

Personally, I subscribe to Tom Hanks sentiment a few years ago on Late Night With David Letterman:  "Dave, I personally cannot understand how people just spontaneously break out into song and dance...not a fan of musicals!"  Just never enjoyed them after watching a few as a young boy. 

 

Well, I've got to tell you that Tom Hooper's screen version of "Les Miserables" was terrific...probably one of the best movies of the last few years.  Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway's performances are the type that just stick with you after you leave the theatre.  I was just blown away by the size and scope of the movie, and how well it was done.  Didn't even notice that people were singing!  ;D

 

So for you guys dragged into the theatre by significant others, friends or family to watch this, you won't have to suck it up.  You may actually really enjoy it.  Cheers!

 

the fact that the musical is based on a great classic novel doesnt hurt. read it many moons ago & it still burns bright in memory. tom hooper also directed a fabulous version of queen elizabeth I starring helen mirren a few yrs ago. the man's got good taste in source matl as well as faithfull screenplay adaptations & great acotors that fit like a glove

[CassiusKing1]

I fully expected this thread to be about Django.

[Eric50]

Alive

 

Those who live, are those who strive, those whose

Soul, possessed of a firm design, whose mind

Envisioning a great destiny and a demanding climb,

Walk pensive, engrossed by a goal sublime.

 

Those whose eyes' unswerving, focus on

A saintly labor, or higher love, and soldier on,

Like the pious prophet, prostrate before the arch,

Commited to the toil, and onward march.

 

Those whose heart is good, whose days are full,

Are the ones that truly live, by God! The others I pity.

For their vague worries yield but a void unforgiving,

and the greatest burden: to exist, without living.

 

Victor Hugo

 

 

[Guest rimm_never_sleeps]

I thought this thread was about "The Master". No I am talking about Buffett. :)

[Parsad]

I thought this thread was about "The Master". No I am talking about Buffett. :)

 

It was better than "The Master"...Hooper with his camera work created an intimate atmosphere for his characters that musicals don't normally provide.  Cheers!

[twacowfca]

I thought this thread was about "The Master". No I am talking about Buffett. :)

 

It was better than "The Master"...Hooper with his camera work created an intimate atmosphere for his characters that musicals don't normally provide.  Cheers!

 

I did not merely cry.  I wept.  The camerawork brings intimacy that can't be experienced with distant figures on a stage.  The passion of the vocalists opens the door to their souls. 

Go see it and realize who we are.

[EdWatchesBoxing]

I fully expected this thread to be about Django.

 

I ended up seeing Django Unchained on Christmas day. Les Miz might be a really good movie, but I don't think I'll like it better than Django Unchained.

[Parsad]

I fully expected this thread to be about Django.

 

I ended up seeing Django Unchained on Christmas day. Les Miz might be a really good movie, but I don't think I'll like it better than Django Unchained.

 

I'm going to see Django in a couple of hours.  I'll let you know what I think.  I hear it's vintage Tarantino, not like some of the crap he's made recently.  I really didn't like Inglorious Bastards...just way over the top.  You go back to Reservoir Dogs or Pulp Fiction, and he had a much more deft touch. 

 

With Les Miz, I think you'll come to appreciate how difficult it is to sing throughout an entire movie, and still have some emotional connection with the audience...this not like those Mamma Mia type musicals...it's incredibly dark, violent, hopeless and unfortunately true to what life was like back then.  Jackman may be one of the most underappreciated actors in Hollywood, since he makes all those X-men and Wolverine movies.  Probably no other actor in Hollywood has the physicality he has (he's a big guy) and still has a very soft touch with his dialogue.  I think he may be a shoe-in to win the Oscar. 

 

Anyway, I'll give you my review of Django later tonight.  Cheers!

[Redskin212]

This thread is turning into "Siskel & Parsad"!  ;)

[bmichaud]

Django was unbelievable!! Saw it twice in 24 hours. I loved Inglorious Basterds though, and thought Django was in the same realm.

[EdWatchesBoxing]

I fully expected this thread to be about Django.

 

I ended up seeing Django Unchained on Christmas day. Les Miz might be a really good movie, but I don't think I'll like it better than Django Unchained.

 

I'm going to see Django in a couple of hours.  I'll let you know what I think.  I hear it's vintage Tarantino, not like some of the crap he's made recently.  I really didn't like Inglorious Bastards...just way over the top.  You go back to Reservoir Dogs or Pulp Fiction, and he had a much more deft touch. 

 

With Les Miz, I think you'll come to appreciate how difficult it is to sing throughout an entire movie, and still have some emotional connection with the audience...this not like those Mamma Mia type musicals...it's incredibly dark, violent, hopeless and unfortunately true to what life was like back then.  Jackman may be one of the most underappreciated actors in Hollywood, since he makes all those X-men and Wolverine movies.  Probably no other actor in Hollywood has the physicality he has (he's a big guy) and still has a very soft touch with his dialogue.  I think he may be a shoe-in to win the Oscar. 

 

Anyway, I'll give you my review of Django later tonight.  Cheers!

 

LOL, I'll be watching Les Miz in a couple hours. So I'll check in later tonight too!

[bmichaud]

Sorry Sanjeev! Gotta disagree on le miz - I didn't run, I  sprinted out within half an hour at tonight's showing. Everyone I was with were not far behind.

[boilermaker75]

I fully expected this thread to be about Django.

 

I ended up seeing Django Unchained on Christmas day. Les Miz might be a really good movie, but I don't think I'll like it better than Django Unchained.

 

I'm going to see Django in a couple of hours.  I'll let you know what I think.  I hear it's vintage Tarantino, not like some of the crap he's made recently.  I really didn't like Inglorious Bastards...just way over the top.  You go back to Reservoir Dogs or Pulp Fiction, and he had a much more deft touch. 

 

With Les Miz, I think you'll come to appreciate how difficult it is to sing throughout an entire movie, and still have some emotional connection with the audience...this not like those Mamma Mia type musicals...it's incredibly dark, violent, hopeless and unfortunately true to what life was like back then.  Jackman may be one of the most underappreciated actors in Hollywood, since he makes all those X-men and Wolverine movies.  Probably no other actor in Hollywood has the physicality he has (he's a big guy) and still has a very soft touch with his dialogue.  I think he may be a shoe-in to win the Oscar. 

 

Anyway, I'll give you my review of Django later tonight.  Cheers!

 

I got to go to the LA screening in the Samuel Goldwyn theatre. That was fun. Most of the actors, except DiCaprio and Jonah Hill, were there. Django is comparable to Inglorious Bastards--lot's of violence,  lots of humor. It was long but you never noticed because there was never a slow moment. Christoph Waltz delivered another oscar worthy performance.

[boilermaker75]

I cannot stand musicals...not at all!  All of our New York board members are yelling "New York wouldn't exist without hedge funds and musicals...how can you not like musicals...what is wrong with you, man?  You're East Indian for crying out loud.  Every movie you make in Bollywood is some bizarre musical full of singing and dancing!"  Nope, just never liked them. 

 

Personally, I subscribe to Tom Hanks sentiment a few years ago on Late Night With David Letterman:  "Dave, I personally cannot understand how people just spontaneously break out into song and dance...not a fan of musicals!"  Just never enjoyed them after watching a few as a young boy. 

 

Well, I've got to tell you that Tom Hooper's screen version of "Les Miserables" was terrific...probably one of the best movies of the last few years.  Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway's performances are the type that just stick with you after you leave the theatre.  I was just blown away by the size and scope of the movie, and how well it was done.  Didn't even notice that people were singing!  ;D

 

So for you guys dragged into the theatre by significant others, friends or family to watch this, you won't have to suck it up.  You may actually really enjoy it.  Cheers!

 

I can't picture Russell Crowe singing.  Maybe like Clint Eastwood in Paint Your Wagon?

[Parsad]

Ok, saw Django and Tarantino lost it again in the last 25 minutes of the movie.  Don't want to give anything away, but the movie is superb until the handshake sequence.  After that, it falls apart and ruins what would have been a wonderful spaghetti western. 

 

And what the hell is it with his addiction to creating late 50's, early 60's theme songs for this movies, and then suddenly throwing some Tupac in there for good measure.  This guy needs someone to pull the reins in on each movie.  Inglorious Bastards was the same way...great movie until the final 20 minutes...ruins another terrific movie!  Kill Bill would have been one fantastic movie if anyone had the balls to tell him to cut out an hour from Part I and Part II, and make it just one movie. 

 

Entertaining movie, with Oscar-worthy performances from Christoph Waltz and Samuel L. Jackson who both steal every scene!  Waltz in particular is even better than he was in Inglorious Bastards.  But the movie cannot touch "A Fistfull of Dollars", "For a Few Dollars More" or even "Unforgiven".  Cheers!

[Parsad]

Sorry Sanjeev! Gotta disagree on le miz - I didn't run, I  sprinted out within half an hour at tonight's showing. Everyone I was with were not far behind.

 

You probably didn't give it quite a chance...especially if you have any adversity to musicals like myself.  I don't think most people go into it thinking the whole movie would be singing and no dialogue at all.  If you are looking for a fun movie, Le Miz isn't it.  But I thought Hooper did a great job with the size and scope of what he took on, and the actors were astonishingly good.  By the way, for a guy in a band, Russell Crowe is the weakest link when it comes to singing...and he's the lead singer in his band!  Cheers!

[Palantir]

I thought Life of Pi was good.

[bathtime]

Thank you for the "Les Miserables" recommendation. I will put it on my short list and have always liked Hugh Jackman - would loved to have seen his one man show on Broadway.

 

The new "Anna Karenina" was very much a positive surprise for me. I can't remember the last time I saw a director take such an artistic leap forward. I felt the film visually pushed the cinematic medium in a way that is unusual. I wasn't a fan of director Joe Wright's last film Hanna, and didn't find his prior work "Atonement" and "Pride and Prejudice" striking.

 

"Anna Karenina" would definitely make my best of 2012 list, though it would be hard to top the Iranian film "A Separation."

[giofranchi]

Com’n! Not even a mention of “The Dark Knight Rises”?! Well, at least you must agree with me that “Bat Wings” wins the title for “Best gadget of the year”!!  ;D

 

Talking about movies, I reckon “Prometheus” to be the most underrated movie of the year. As always, strikingly directed by Mr. Ridley Scott on a visual basis, it also provides the viewer with a sense of moral quest for mankind origins, that imho “Alien” lacked. And the fact that moral quest turns out to be an hopeless one , leaves you even more enthralled. It deserved better scores by the critics!

 

Finally, I think you might agree with me that some words are due in remembrance of Mr. Ridley Scott’s brother: Mr. Tony Scott. Who, as you very well know, passed away this year.

I have loved many movies of his (True Romance, Spy Game, Déjà vu, etc.), and he will be greatly missed.

 

giofranchi

[rkbabang]

I want to see Les Miserables but I'm going to wait until Netflix can send it to me.  I did see The Hobbit in IMAX 3D with my son this week.  Yes I'm a geek but I've been anticipating this movie ever since I first heard it was being filmed and I wasn't disappointed, it was excellent.  Not completely true to the book, but movies never are. Now I can't wait for the second one.

[Guest hellsten]

I enjoyed Prometheus and End of Watch:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1855199/

 

Compliance was far from the best, but was interesting from a psychology perspective:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1971352/

 

If you don't want to spend 1.5 hours on the film you can read about it here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compliance_(film)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strip_search_prank_call_scam#Mount_Washington.2C_Kentucky.2C_incident

 

More interesting "behavioral experiments":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pranknet#Notable_Pranknet_incidents

[Parsad]

I enjoyed Prometheus and End of Watch:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1855199/

 

Compliance was far from the best, but was interesting from a psychology perspective:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1971352/

 

If you don't want to spend 1.5 hours on the film you can read about it here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compliance_(film)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strip_search_prank_call_scam#Mount_Washington.2C_Kentucky.2C_incident

 

More interesting "behavioral experiments":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pranknet#Notable_Pranknet_incidents

 

I thought both Prometheus and End of Watch were good...except the ends!  ;D  Quite surprised by how good End of Watch was actually...the chemistry between Gyllenhaal and Pena was really good...they must be buddies in real life.  Cheers!

[Guest hellsten]

I enjoyed Prometheus and End of Watch:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1855199/

 

Compliance was far from the best, but was interesting from a psychology perspective:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1971352/

 

If you don't want to spend 1.5 hours on the film you can read about it here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compliance_(film)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strip_search_prank_call_scam#Mount_Washington.2C_Kentucky.2C_incident

 

More interesting "behavioral experiments":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pranknet#Notable_Pranknet_incidents

 

I thought both Prometheus and End of Watch were good...except the ends!  ;D  Quite surprised by how good End of Watch was actually...the chemistry between Gyllenhaal and Pena was really good...they must be buddies in real life.  Cheers!

 

I agree, the ending of End of Watch was a bit disappointing. Still a very good movie IMO.

 

All the superhero movies were very disappointing, Batman and Avengers in particular.

 

As with stocks I like underrated movies, but it takes time to find them, usually years because they don't show up on the list of most popular or best movies ;D