Hobbit-Argo-Lincoln-Les Mis-Life of Pi-Django

[AKA_Hyfi]

Hobbit-Argo-Lincoln-Les Mis-Life of Pi-Django

Had a chance to see all of these films over the last couple weeks and the Real Winner Is.........

Django Unchained by a long shot! I like westerns so this was right up my alley. From the first opening scene to the closing shot, I was totally captivated and had no idea that 2:25 had gone by. Obviously the Dentist stole the whole show from that opening scene while Jamie, Leonardo, and others played their own parts quite well. Being a Tarontino movie, one just has to ignore the over embelished blood splatter that in real life is impossible to replicate.
I loved this movie and felt it was the best of this list and as usual, I do not agree with the awards.

The Hobbit - I enjoyed this one and have watched it thru twice already. Similar to LOTRs, the scenery and effects are great. But, they strayed so far from the actual book in places it was mind boggling. I am currently re-reading the Hobbit for the umpteenth time and cannot understand why they changed the actual events in the movie when there was absolutely no reason to and if kept closer to the book would have made for a few better scenes. Looking forward to the rest of the installments and then to buy the set in Blu in a few years.

Argo - I really did not know the whole story behind this movie so the events were quite interesting. I was surprised that so much attention was placed on 6 people while 59 others were taken hostage. This movie jumped around too much and showed scenes with no intro or completion as to what actually happened and why. One scene they show the 6 people get into a hideout thru the floor, but then never showed why or the house getting searched. Another scen shows the military take someone into the alley and shoot him, which had nothing to do with the story except just to prove the point that there were merciless animals. This film in no way was close to the best but I guess because everyone hates torrorists, it won out.

Lincoln - I had heard it was all polotics but not what the overall story was. The whole movie was a birdseye view into how Lincoln got the 13th Ammendment passed. What it showed, was that even back then poloticians would Lie, Cheat, Steal, and pay people off for votes. So business as usual just like today. That said, I still agree it was the right thing to do to get rin of slavery. Overall a very good movie and as long as it was, I did not lose interest.

Les Mis - I never saw the play and had no idea what the story was. Luckily we had people with us that knew what was going on. I don't mind a musical where there is dialog and some singing, but the singing of every word does nothing for me. Speacially when half of them can't really sing all that well. Russel Crow was NOT the right person for that role and while everyone else in the movie aged, he looked the same from start to end. At times, there were 4 people singing something completely different so you had no idea what any of them were singing. By the end, I knew what was going on and it all started to get a bit predictable. I may watch it again now that I know the story but this one was no big deal for me. Also, it did not look like a movie, it looked like a film of a play.

Life of Pi - This one comes in second or tie with the Hobbit for me. The visuals were awesome and the spiritual parts of the movie were great. I have watched this one twice so far and will surely watch it again. The first time thru, you are trying to catch all the visuals and can easily lose track of the meaning. Second time thru allows you to focus on the message and enjoy the visuals. Highly recommended for sure and should have beat out Argo for best film.

Hyfi
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Main Systen - Rotel 1072 > VAC CLA1 MKII > Counterpoint NPS 400 > Clearfield Continentals > Synergystic Research

[LordoftheRingsEE]

-- For me (my own very personal opinion), 'Life of Pi' in 3D was thee real best.

All the other ones from the list above; I don't care much at all.

[Still-One]

I had not interest to see the first two. Gratuitous violence is something I usually pass on and The Hobbit wouldn't interest me either.

I enjoyed all of the last four. As a play Les Miz is easily my favorite. It is one of the few musicals that did translate pretty good to the big screen. You are correct, Russell Crowe's signing was distracting. I was surprised how well all of remaining actors could sing. It is interesting that in the film where four characters are singing at once it does seem a bit distracting, whereas when I see the play live (close to 15 times) it is easy to understand what each character is saying.

I fully enjoyed ARGO as a movie though I do not believe it was the Best Picture. Like all movies they took some liberties with the facts.

Lincoln was very enjoyable and made me want to read the book that it was based upon. Day-Lewis portrayal of Lincoln was amazing.

Life of Pi was much better than I anticipated. A bit long but the CGI Animation was outstanding and the ending was a surprise that I did not see coming.

[LordoftheRingsEE]

-- If I may add one more to the list (because it fits with the latest Oscars night); 'Zero Dark Thirty'.
-> But I simply didn't care for that one either.

____________

* 'Argo' for Best film! ...Are you kidding me! ...Tells you somethin' about the Hollywood elite and all that fruit loop jazz cereals.

[Still-One]

Originally Posted by LordoftheRingsEE

-- If I may add one more to the list (because it fits with the latest Oscars night); 'Zero Dark Thirty'.
-> But I simply didn't care for that one either.

____________

* 'Argo' for Best film! ...Are you kidding me! ...Tells you somethin' about the Hollywood elite and all that fruit loop jazz cereals.

Bob
That was better than I anticipated too. I would have put it ahead or ARGO.

[LordoftheRingsEE]

Originally Posted by Still-One

Bob
That was better than I anticipated too. I would have put it ahead or ARGO.

Ok Jim, I'll be more honest than true honesty itself. ...From the list above, and the one title I added; 'Zero Dark Thirty' and 'Argo' were similarly my second choices; as far as my own interest in the film development was concerned.

BUT! At the end of that entire journey, from the list of those movie titles above, 'Life of Pi' - 3D is the one for me. ...With the essence of the world I now live in in the year 2013. ...Stronger than history, stronger than reality, and closer to peace, and closer to my heart.

[AKA_Hyfi]

OK, I only liked Django because I love westerns and I just was taken with the part of the Dentist. I rarely do watch films with too much violence and really don't think what Tarentino does is needed to make the film worthy. They also used the N word about 200 times too many as well as some other phrases that you would have never heard in that time period.

I did see Zero Dark Thirty and liked it for what it was. I still find it hard to believe that it took 13 years to find the guy if we were really trying that hard. I liked it better than Argo. I have Seal Team Six on my list but hear it's not so factual also.

The Hobbit just takes me back to the late 70s hanging out in my buddy's basement. We all had our own meerschaum pipes and little bag of pipe weed . I re-read all the books from time to time and can watch the trilogy extended versions anytime.

If I had to pick on content and message alone, PI is that film.

[Pider]

I found The Hobbit boring. Lincoln irritating in how the secondary characters were portrayed, such as Mary. Argo damn good and well directed, although there were odd scenes that did not move the picture forward.

Haven't seen the others, yet.

[Pider]

Going to try to get in Django and Life of Pi sometime this week. Wish my screen were bigger for the latter.

[LordoftheRingsEE]

'Django Unchained' did nothing at all for me. ...And same for 'The Hobbit'.