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Author Topic: 1990s US Bracket: Verdicts  (Read 712461 times)

JokerXgg

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Re: 1990s US Bracket commentary
« Reply #930 on: August 09, 2008, 08:18:45 PM »
What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) VS. Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)

What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)

"Gilbert has care for his brother Arnie and his obese mother, which gets in the way when love walks into his life."

The Good

This movie was beautiful, and to be honest there were many thing i liked about it. One of the first things I should just point out is great performance by Leonardo Dicaprio. I feel like Dicaprio was able to play the role of Arnie without overplaying the role. Even though Dicaprio did a marvelous job, every other casted member doesn't seem to fall short. Johnny Depp was a perfect fit for the brother of Arnie, Gilbert Grape. I felt like the emotion put forth by Gilbert toward Arnie made the nostalgia come out. I love how the movie doesn't only show the good side of Gilbert, but the bad side as well (an affair with an older woman). Another thing I really liked about this movie is Bonnie Grape, Gilbert's mom, played by Darlene Cates. I find it extremely captivating how Bonnie was able to show change in her personality. She would not accommodate to anything her children asked her to do. An example is when the older daughter suggests she had made the bed for her mother, which the mom refused. She later on shows a change of character when she herself picks up Arnie from the police station. A nice movie to watch with the family to say the least.

The Bad

Not many complaints about this movie,one thing that did bug me was too many problems going on at the same time. This movie was already carrying "the burden"  with the mom and Arnie, but i felt like it was trying to push too much into the movie by adding Juliette Lewis into the mix. Even though she does a perfect job playing the part, i felt like poor Gilbert Grape had enough on his plate to be adding more "problems" into the situation, hence his outbreak.

Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)

The Good

I liked this movie because it showed reality. Four people trying to sell real estate to foolish people. I love the humor being the conversations and the way the characters spoke to one another.The obsessive bad mouthing adds to the interesting conversations. This movie had minimal action, but it doesn't take away from the movie itself. The cast is award-winning (literally) and they put on a heck of a "show". Al Pacino truly knows what he is doing, an he knows how to sell  real estate well. I felt like this movie's plot built upon power. Everyone seems to follow to a certain someone, even the manager. In the movie it seems like every character has to make a decision to make, and it seems everyone decides to take it. There is a twist in the movie which i was not expecting, which is who ends up being the accomplice of David Moss played by Ed Harris. The movie was a slow moving film, but everything about the movie had a purpose. Ed Harris did a great job, and I found it ironic how the last time he spoke in the film, Al Pacino points out it is his Farewell Speech, since he doesn't know that would be the last time he would ever see him. Another thing i noticed was the character of Al Pacino, and how he played it out. He showed how ambitious he was and how the only thing he cared about was the car. Every character shows his best. A great movie overall.

The Bad

This movie was just as hard to come up with bad things about it. One thing that bugged me was how Alec Baldwin did not have more of part in the movie. He was just a multimillionaire in the beginning giving the workers a speech. That's the last you see of him. Like I said, not many complaints about this one.

The Verdict

I truly enjoyed both movies, and it was a really hard decision (maybe even a harder decision than 1st bracket)

In the end, I choose Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
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sdedalus

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Re: 1990s US Bracket commentary
« Reply #931 on: August 09, 2008, 08:28:50 PM »
Yay!
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Ronan

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Re: 1990s US Bracket commentary
« Reply #932 on: August 09, 2008, 08:33:51 PM »
Of course, I won't be surprised if Glengarry has a long run in the bracket

pixote

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Re: 1990s US Bracket commentary
« Reply #933 on: August 09, 2008, 09:33:24 PM »
So if you had to hand out awards, what one person in those two films would win Best Performance?

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JokerXgg

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Re: 1990s US Bracket commentary
« Reply #934 on: August 09, 2008, 10:03:27 PM »
So if you had to hand out awards, what one person in those two films would win Best Performance?

pixote

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Al Pacino = Best Performance

He was awesome in the movie. Made me to want to buy real estate from him (the only reason why the guy who he was trying to sell to didn't buy was because of the manager)
« Last Edit: August 09, 2008, 11:12:38 PM by JokerXgg »
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smirnoff

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Re: 1990s US Bracket commentary
« Reply #935 on: August 09, 2008, 10:19:29 PM »
So if you had to hand out awards, what one person in those two films would win Best Performance?

pixote

Why do you have to do this to me sir.... MEANY

Al Pacino = Best Performance

He was awesome in the movie. Made me to want to buy real estate from him (the only reason why the guy who he was trying to sell to didn't was because of the manager)

That's exactly what I would've said. Pacino was electric.

ses

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Re: 1990s US Bracket commentary
« Reply #936 on: August 10, 2008, 06:21:30 PM »
Nice write up and good choice Joker!
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JokerXgg

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Re: 1990s US Bracket commentary
« Reply #937 on: August 10, 2008, 06:58:50 PM »
Nice write up and good choice Joker!

thank you, you are too nice
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1SO

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Re: 1990s US Bracket commentary - Verdict
« Reply #938 on: August 10, 2008, 11:00:41 PM »
American History X        vs.           Mississippi Masala

I have to say I'm a bit disappointed at this matchup.  I was hoping for an excruciatingly close 15 round nail biter, but this was an early round Knock-Out.

In the Red Corner wearing the Black & White trunks we have American History X.  It has going for it...

Career Best performances from Edward Norton, Edward Furlong and Fariuza Balk.  (The last 2 aren't as big a deal, but it's worth mentioning anyways.)

Blistering direction by Tony Kaye, who pulls heightened drama from even the most preachy scenes.

Award-worthy cinematography (again from Mr. Kaye.)

A murder scene you won't soon forget.  The sound of teeth on pavement may cause permanent chills.  If that doesn't, Norton's reaction after doing the deed probably will.

After the opening foreshadowing, the film takes a little time to get it's motor running, but before long, it's just one great dramatic scene after another.  This is one of the most exciting dramas of recent years.  If you like your drama hot-button exciting, X gonna give it to ya'.

And if you like your drama uninteresting, meandering and more realistic approach...I still couldn't recommend Mississippi Masala.  It has...

Another cool, relaxed performance by Denzel Washington. 

Denzel's actually bested by Roshan Seth as Mina’s dad.  He has a great authenticity about him that I liked.

Director Mira Nair's ability to steep her film in a rich atmosphere of culture.

What it doesn't have is a compelling storyline, going instead with about 3 stories that generated little interest.  In fact, I had to look up Round 1, to see how this film survived.  Here's what I found.

I’m still going to let Mississippi Masala go through.  The reason I’m doing that is because Aladdin will not win the competition; it just won’t.  Neither will Mississippi Masala.  However, I want to read someone else’s take on it because I can see where someone else might absolutely love it.  On the other hand, nothing I read is going to change my opinion of Aladdin.

Mississippi Masala beat Aladdin, which I think is a much better film; a prize fighter that would have gone the distance with Am Hist X.  alexarch was hoping Masala would fall into the hands of someone who is clearly not me.  My take is that all his problems (involving the pacing, unnecessary scenes and weak acting in bit parts) were my problems, and they bothered me a hell of a lot more.

Verdict: Masala is out.  American History X moves on.

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Re: 1990s US Bracket commentary
« Reply #939 on: August 11, 2008, 12:12:45 AM »

Of course a fact has meaning on its own. If the temperature is 31 degrees Celsius in Beijing today, that's a fact, and it has a clear, precise, and simple meaning. You can use that fact for whatever you like, but it's not meaningless by itself.

the temperature is indeed meaningless.  to create meaning that number has to influence something - a person sweats, an athlete tires more easily, a candle melts, a hotel uses more electricity than the previous day (wherein the fact of the previous days temperature would be needed) or relate to something (see the previous example).  "the temperature is 31 degrees Celsius in Beijing today" like any other fact, is meaningless unless interpreted by a human being.  we imbue something with meaning, nothing has meaning in and of itself.

 

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