What Movie Did You Just See?

[Jaimoe]

Why do you hate Little Miss Sunshine so much? Please don't say it's because of Greg Kinnear. It's a well done black comedy that hits a lot of right notes with a lot of people. I loved it.

[size=20]POTENTIAL SPOILERS!!![/size]

It just didn't work for me & I found the final dance scene at the competition both flawed & silly.
I don't hate it but I do not think it doesn't deserved all of the excellent reviews that it got.
I need to watch it again & I'm sure I'll enjoy it more 2nd time round but worthy of a best picture nomination? That's ridiculous.

I found the dance scene perfect. Child beauty contests sexualize young girls in every way, but Olive's strip-tease was deemed offensive and inappropriate. Perfect.

[dragonboy]

I found the dance scene perfect. Child beauty contests sexualize young girls in every way, but Olive's strip-tease was deemed offensive and inappropriate. Perfect.

That's not what I'm talking about.
Here's what I didn't buy: The fact that the family allowed the cantankerous, junkie grandfather who just got kicked out of a nursing home to be in charge of the final dance sequence.
No one thought to check on what they were doing/what he was up to?
They travel all the way to do something that that can't really afford to do & yet they still do it (suggesting of course that it's all very important) & yet no one else gave any input? That just doesn't sit right with Greg Kinnear's 'winning is everything' character. He would have wanted to be involved in some way (after the trip began) or at least would have checked to see how things were progressing.
That no one saw her practicing, heard the music or saw her costume, not even mum, who spent the day with her, helping her get ready etc?
& why would grandpa want to humiliate his granddaughter like that?
I also find it very hard to believe that Greg Kinnear's character would act the way that he did at the end after everything we had seen of him up until then.

[Jaimoe]

I found the dance scene perfect. Child beauty contests sexualize young girls in every way, but Olive's strip-tease was deemed offensive and inappropriate. Perfect.

That's not what I'm talking about.
Here's what I didn't buy: The fact that the family allowed the cantankerous, junkie grandfather who just got kicked out of a nursing home to be in charge of the final dance sequence.
No one thought to check on what they were doing/what he was up to?
They travel all the way to do something that that can't really afford to do & yet they still do it (suggesting of course that it's all very important) & yet no one else gave any input? That just doesn't sit right with Greg Kinnear's 'winning is everything' character. He would have wanted to be involved in some way (after the trip began) or at least would have checked to see how things were progressing.
That no one saw her practicing, heard the music or saw her costume, not even mum, who spent the day with her, helping her get ready etc?
& why would grandpa want to humiliate his granddaughter like that?
I also find it very hard to believe that Greg Kinnear's character would act the way that he did at the end after everything we had seen of him up until then.

Interesting arguments.  

The family is screwed up teetering on white trash, but they still love their cantankerous grandfather. Certainly Olive loved the guy and was oblivious to his afflictions. I read into it that the family was in the dark somewhat regarding the dance.

I think a lot of the visual evidence that you wanted was implied, and that's how I looked at it. I think the movie is as much a road picture as it is a dark comedy about beauty contests.

Humiliate their daughter? I think the ending was more about making a social statement regarding the sexual overtones of that particular fucked-up sub-culture. I think you make strong arguments regarding parental behaviour, but all the behaviour at the beauty contest flies in the face of normalcy and decency.

[megisnotreal]

Interesting arguments.  

The family is screwed up teetering on white trash, but they still love their cantankerous grandfather. Certainly Olive loved the guy and was oblivious to his afflictions. I read into it that the family was in the dark somewhat regarding the dance.

I think a lot of the visual evidence that you wanted was implied, and that's how I looked at it. I think the movie is as much a road picture as it is a dark comedy about beauty contests.

Humiliate their daughter? I think the ending was more about making a social statement regarding the sexual overtones of that particular fucked-up sub-culture. I think you make strong arguments regarding parental behaviour, but all the behaviour at the beauty contest flies in the face of normalcy and decency.

I finally got to see this movie last night and I LOVED it. I mean, loved it to the point where it has entered the pantheon of my favorite films.

I like the social statements that are made in regards to the pageant culture, but I think it goes deeper than that. To me, this film was about realising that beauty, normalcy, sanity, and happiness are not concrete terms: they're not something that another person can define for you. You have to do that for yourself.

The only way I thought this film could have been any better is if the family members all gave the audience the "finger" and the end of their dance sequence.

Seriously. I fucking love this movie. I laughed my ass off.

And two thumbs up for the Jill Talley and Mary-Lynn Rajskub cameos!

If you liked the parody of pageants, you need to check out this here Mr. Show sketch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gP-c_ssjkrY

[fitzcarraldo]

Little Miss Sunshine was definitely my fave of 06.
Andrew give it another chance.

[Hawkeye]

Thanks for reminding me about Half Nelson DB...I really want to see this.  It sounds really, really good, plus the main character has my exact name, which is kinda weird cuz as far as I know "Dunne" is usually spelled without the "e"

[dragonboy]

If you liked the parody of pageants, you need to check out this here Mr. Show sketch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gP-c_ssjkrY

That was hilarious! Thanks Meg  :)
It would definitely seem that I am in the minority regarding LMS - I shall have to give it another try.  

Half Nelson does look good.
I thought about buying it but am trying to cut down....

[dragonboy]

The Devil's Backbone - good but not great. Still looking forward to Pan's Labyrinth.

Marooned In Iraq - excellent Iranian movie set during the Iran/Iraq war. Funny, insightful & very moving.

Sexy Beast - Very, very good. Seeing The Proposition a week or so ago made me want to dig this out of my unwatched pile. Ray Winstone was good (as always) but Ben Kingsley's performance was simply amazing.

[sweatboard]

The Departed - Greatest Movie Ever Made!!!!!!!!!

[red]

The Departed is wonderful, but not even close to being Scorcese's best.  I really need to check out that Internal Affairs trilogy.

I'm totally watching Before Sunrise tonight, an absolutely perfect film.  As is the sequel.  

I really hope to see Linklater return to his true genius form.  I think that's gonna happen with his 'ten year movie'.

[dragonboy]

Tonari No Totoro (My Neighbor Totoro) - possibly my favourite Japanese movie, I never grow tired of watching this. Definitely Miyazaki's best IMO.





Here's a short piece of music from the soundtrack:
http://filexoom.com/files/2006/11/7/42734/My%20Neighbor%20Totoro%20-%2005%20-%20Yuugure%20No%20Kaze.mp3

[MMJ_fanatic]

Picked up all 3 Saw movies this weekend--I had already seen the 1st on Pay-per-view and was figuring the other 2 would be equally intriguing.  Man!  This series is wicked!  I liked how it was all tied up in the 3rd one.

[dragonboy]

Here's the trailer for Saw4:
http://www.nothingtoxic.com/media/1166591916/Brand_New_Saw_4_Trailer

;)

[red]

That's one series I have no interest in watching at all.

I'm watching one of my all time favourite films tonight - Manhattan.  Woody Allen's best?  I think so.

[dragonboy]

That's one series I have no interest in watching at all.

I'm watching one of my all time favourite films tonight - Manhattan.  Woody Allen's best?  I think so.

You can't go wrong with Manhattan!
Have you seen Sweet & Lowdown? That's a Woody fav of mine...

[dragonboy]

Check out this trailer for new movie Knocked Up:
http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31419

[red]

Check out this trailer for new movie Knocked Up:
http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31419

Seth Rogen is my favourite young actor and this movie is going to be the funniest movie of the year.

[dragonboy]

The Departed - Greatest Movie Ever Made!!!!!!!!!

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/reeling/2007/01/x_marks_the_spo.html

"I recently went through the film again on DVD to see how many Xs I could find. To avoid even a hint of spoilers, I've arranged the frames out of chronological order. But if you've seen The Departed, you'll get an extra kick out of these. And if you haven't, Warner Bros.is re-releasing it to theaters on Jan. 26, so no excuses."

[sweatboard]

Very cool.  Thanks for posting that.  I haven't stopped thinking about that movie since I watched it.  I can't wait for the dvd.  I might actually try and go see it again in the theater.  It's Epic, It's A Masterpiece.  

[dragonboy]

It opens here this month (Japan is always behind with movie releases) so I'm going to wait for the US DVD.
I've got mine on order, ships mid Feb i think...