Comments on: Video: The semi-obligatory “Benjamin Button” trailer

By: Mark Jaquith

Mark Jaquith — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 02:50:17 +0000

Saw it. It's well directed, well acted, and well shot (David Fincher is my favorite director... if you haven't seen The Game, run to the store and buy it right now). The Uncanny Valley is certainly in play, although we're coming close to emerging on the other side. In summary: here's this guy, he ages backwards, and some stuff happens to him. For nearly three hours. It's like Big Fish but without the magic and wonder. It has all the ingredients of a great movie, but it doesn't really leave you with anything except a missing afternoon. In addition, the narration gimmick is tiring, and the Katrina angle seems patronizing (technical note from a Florida resident: there is no thunder in a hurricane, and before a hurricane hits, it is quiet, not stormy). I'd skip it. Really want to see Doubt and Gran Torino.

By: Uncle Bouncy

Uncle Bouncy — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 00:18:09 +0000

It was bad enough that Hollywood was dragging every bad TV show and turning it into a bad movie

but now they are resorting to stealing plot elements from Mork and Mindy?

By: Debbie Schlussel

Debbie Schlussel — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 19:59:28 +0000

The movie stinks. It's a highly overrated Lifetime Network movie. My review here.

By: herrevery

herrevery — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 15:59:53 +0000

Updated, less human version of Forrest Gump. Doesn’t do the Fitzgerald story any kind of justice.

By: dhimwit

dhimwit — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 11:25:28 +0000

A frustrating film. A guy who ages backwards is a fascinating premise and it’s a pity the script took up 3 hours doing its best not to explore it. It’s just a stage for two rather boring and mopey people to briefly get it on. This movie might have been witty and bittersweet, but other people would have had to have made it.

Very earnest, very slow.

By: Ugly

Ugly — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 10:02:24 +0000

LOOK EVERYONE!!! I BELIEVE IN GOD AND CHRIST!!!!

I’M A BELIEVER!!!

I’M NOT AN ATHEIST!!

I MUST BE SPECIAL!!!!

(I am sick of people proclaiming their disbelief… it’s as offensive as street preachers shouting about faith in the Lord)

By: Ugly

Ugly — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 09:58:59 +0000

But, then, I’m an Atheist. :)

OldEnglish on December 26, 2008 at 9:31 PM

Good for you. I’ve got brown hair.

AND WHO CARES?

Not you. Not me. ANYONE?

I don’t give a fvck if you’re an atheist. Honestly, why do feel the need to point that out?

By: echosyst

echosyst — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 05:52:16 +0000

Any movie that has all of these Golden Globe nominations (read radical Lib approval) probably sucks. Same with Frost/Nixon.

By: Zaire67

Zaire67 — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 02:37:47 +0000

I really do not like going to movie theaters, But when the wife and/or kids force me to go. I can only think about all the money I spent on my home theater. Which usually ruins all movies for me.

So I’ll just put it in my Blockbuster queue, and get back to sometime next Spring.

By: Pavel

Pavel — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 00:51:40 +0000

It’s sort of interesting. Too long by maybe a third; unanimous opinion of my wife, me, and my 26 y/o son.

If they hired some fairly ruthless editors, it could be much better. Definitely not one of the best movies of all time.

By: msmo

msmo — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 00:46:09 +0000

Saw it on Christmas. Deserves nominations for makeup & special effects. Really didn’t like it for the Hollywood point of view it was selling.. Didn’t understand why Katrina was brought into it, other than movie set in the Big Easy..or maybe what’s why it was set in N.O…..

Not filled with junk, violence, dirty words and sex

had plenty of sex..bodies in bed, whore house, affairs, ect..but never with people who were married to each other.

So what…does he end up as an embryo?

no…died as an infant.

By: Irenaeus

Irenaeus — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 00:20:18 +0000

So what…does he end up as an embryo?

By: TightAggressive

TightAggressive — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 21:58:45 +0000

This was a good movie and is worth a watch; however, it is a movie that you only watch once (if that makes sense). You will understand when you see it I am sure.

Greatest movie ever? No. Good movie and worth seeing? Yes.

By: True_King

True_King — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 20:18:29 +0000

Doesn’t hold a candle to The Dark Knight.

By: BillH

BillH — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 19:59:38 +0000

But, then, I’m an Atheist. :)

OldEnglish on December 26, 2008 at 9:31 PM

Blasphemer!! Oh…wait a minute…

By: Miss_Anthrope

Miss_Anthrope — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 19:13:40 +0000

GO SEE "SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE" Hubby & I saw it yesterday...best movie we've seen in the theaters in years!!! The trailer Enjoy!

By: JadeNYU

JadeNYU — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 17:36:00 +0000

Saw the movie last night. I definitely don’t think it held up to the amount of time it took up.

I didn’t really get the purpose of the Hurricane Kateina references in the modern day scenes. A generic hurricane would have worked just as well and wouldn’t have involved a controversial event. The references were just in passing though (images on the t.v. and such so it wasn’t preachy).

The main issue I had was that I didn’t find the lead female character to be all that likable past 17. Once one (or both) of the romantic leads aren’t likable any more, it’s really hard for me to care if they end up together.

Beyond that, I agree with another poster that mentioned loose plot strings. No one cares that he’s growing younger. His sister is introduced, then disappears. I’m sure they pulled some out so it didn’t take even longer, but they still left too much in.

Unless you often love these critically acclaimed movies, I’d definitely either skip this or wait for the video.

By: jp

jp — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 16:20:26 +0000

OT: Dirty Harry had a good review on Frost/Nixon

Liberal movie reviewers are definitely making the Bush comparison like idiots of course

By: abcurtis

abcurtis — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 15:04:03 +0000

Well, you guys do what you want. I’ll wait for “Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo” to come on Turner Classic Movie channel again. That was when America had the guts to fight a real war. As for that icon of American manhood, Brad Pitt, well, I just cant see him holding a candle to Van Johnson, Gary Cooper or Jimmy Cagney.

By: rhodeymark

rhodeymark — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 14:31:39 +0000

Get off my lawn while I wait for Gran Torino!!

By: Spider79

Spider79 — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 12:05:20 +0000

I’ll have to see it. One of my good friends son plays Pitt when he gets to be a boy. Very unusual for our hurricane ravaged South East Texas town.

By: jediwebdude

jediwebdude — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 07:11:35 +0000

What the heck is a photo of David Letterman doing in this blogging segment?

By: mikeyboss

mikeyboss — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 05:51:52 +0000

He kinda looks like Letterman, dontcha think?
Randy

williars on December 27, 2008 at 12:16 AM

Now that you mention it, yes.

By: williars

williars — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 05:16:22 +0000

He kinda looks like Letterman, dontcha think?
Randy

By: onlineanalyst

onlineanalyst — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 04:19:55 +0000

It’s an intriguing F. Scott Fitzgerald story. Why not read it instead?