Totally Over-rated

Re: Am I off?

... And Scrooged really comes through with Murray's character's enlightenment-scene ... makes me want happy tears, everytime.

Re: Am I off?

If you're off then so am I.  I think A Christmas Story is completely overrated.  I can't say it sucks because there are so many funny scenes but as a movie the over the top shtick wears really thin after a while.  I think the reason this film resonates is because it reminds so many people of their childhood and so they go  gah gah over it and forget that the whole thing is pretty stupid and mediocre.

I can't watch more than a scene at a time because the film actually gives me a headache.

Re: Am I off?

Jymkata:

I thought I'd add to this thread because it fits even though it doesn't continue the Christmas Story discussion.

I officially give up on two french phenomenons loved by the critics : Godard and Tati. Godard must a matter of preference because I have seen plenty of his work and I remain underwhelmed. I bring Tati up because I just watched Traffic, which has been fawned over by the likes of Ebert and Vincent Canby, and I found it neither funny nor clever. This is the third Tati feature I've seen ( Mon Oncle & Mr. Hulot's Holiday) and I just don't get it. Now, I've come to realize that comedy is a matter of personal taste ( I no longer get upset when people say that Arrested Development or the BBC's The Office is not funny because of this realization), but Canby's claim that this film is hilarious and Tati has taken his place with Keaton and Chaplin is wildly off base to me. Keaton and Chaplin did much more than dress up in a trench coat and smoke a pipe while walking in to trouble.

I should say that in all other ways I am a film francophile - I love Clouzot, Chabrol, Renoir, Melville, Bresson, Ophuls, Polanski, etc., but these two filmmakers have appeared on way too many "best of" lists for my taste.  

Jason, I identify with you, although maybe with not as much good reason, as I've only seen one film by each of those two directors.  But in the case of Godard it was enough to keep me from looking into any more of his films since then.  I thnk I saw Breathless about five years ago, and was highly disappointed.  I've been actually trying to figure out which movie of his I'll see next when I finally do, but I'm really not sure still.  Alphaville seems to be maybe the best candidate from what I've seen.  Obviously you aren't the one to ask though.

As for Tati, I have seen Mr. Hulot's Holiday, and while I thought it was good, I definitely was confused like you how he could compared with Keaten or Chaplin.  Well, I think if you are looking to compare then you will be disappointed.  But when I looked at the movie as more of a chance to just relax and go for a short little vacation of you own, it seemed to settle better.  There's nothing fast paced or even what you would call side-splitting (maybe to some people).  I had a few laugh out loud moments though, but I think overall it was just sort of a chuckle and then soaking in the experience.  I do have Mon Oncle on my list, and I hope I'll be in the right frame of mind when I see it.

To add to your francophilic list, have you seen much from Bertrand Tavernier?  I just saw my first film of his this weekend, Clean Slate.  It was notable.

Re: Am I off?

Re: Am I off?

Risselada:

Jymkata:

  

Jason, I identify with you, although maybe with not as much good reason, as I've only seen one film by each of those two directors.  But in the case of Godard it was enough to keep me from looking into any more of his films since then.  I thnk I saw Breathless about five years ago, and was highly disappointed.  I've been actually trying to figure out which movie of his I'll see next when I finally do, but I'm really not sure still.  Alphaville seems to be maybe the best candidate from what I've seen.  Obviously you aren't the one to ask though.

As for Tati, I have seen Mr. Hulot's Holiday, and while I thought it was good, I definitely was confused like you how he could compared with Keaten or Chaplin.  Well, I think if you are looking to compare then you will be disappointed.  But when I looked at the movie as more of a chance to just relax and go for a short little vacation of you own, it seemed to settle better.  There's nothing fast paced or even what you would call side-splitting (maybe to some people).  I had a few laugh out loud moments though, but I think overall it was just sort of a chuckle and then soaking in the experience.  I do have Mon Oncle on my list, and I hope I'll be in the right frame of mind when I see it.

To add to your francophilic list, have you seen much from Bertrand Tavernier?  I just saw my first film of his this weekend, Clean Slate.  It was notable.

Rizzo,

I have seen Clean Slate or Coup de Torchon and I liked it very much. I think Tavernier is a very notable director, even though Captaine Conan and The Judge and the Assassin were far more difficult for me to follow.

I must admit that I liked Mon Oncle and even Traffic more than Mr. Hulot's Holiday  - both films make fun of that late 50's and 60's atomic age culture of crazy inventions. It's a world that is at least visually fun to visit. I should clarify that I don't hate Tati - I just don't see why respected critics fall all over themselves declaring his films masterpieces. To me, they are minor films.

You might get more out of Alphaville than I did, but I found it almost incomprehensible. I missed a lot of the satire and clever references that I've read about in reviews of the film - it just seemed like a stylistic mess. Again, I don't hate Godard, his films contain something of slight interest to me, but I don't really enjoy them. There are so many other great French directors ( like the ones mentioned above)  that I just don't want to waste my film-viewing time on Jean Luc's plotless ramblings.     

Re: Am I off?

Jymkata:

Rizzo,

I have seen Clean Slate or Coup de Torchon and I liked it very much. I think Tavernier is a very notable director, even though Captaine Conan and The Judge and the Assassin were far more difficult for me to follow.

I must admit that I liked Mon Oncle and even Traffic more than Mr. Hulot's Holiday  - both films make fun of that late 50's and 60's atomic age culture of crazy inventions. It's a world that is at least visually fun to visit. I should clarify that I don't hate Tati - I just don't see why respected critics fall all over themselves declaring his films masterpieces. To me, they are minor films.

You might get more out of Alphaville than I did, but I found it almost incomprehensible. I missed a lot of the satire and clever references that I've read about in reviews of the film - it just seemed like a stylistic mess. Again, I don't hate Godard, his films contain something of slight interest to me, but I don't really enjoy them. There are so many other great French directors ( like the ones mentioned above)  that I just don't want to waste my film-viewing time on Jean Luc's plotless ramblings.

Yeah I see what you are saying.  It's not that all of their films are horrible, but you just can't see how people can revere them as much as some of the other fine Frech directors you metioned.

Re:Re: Am I off?

Jymkata:

I must admit that I liked Mon Oncle and even Traffic more than Mr. Hulot's Holiday  - both films make fun of that late 50's and 60's atomic age culture of crazy inventions. It's a world that is at least visually fun to visit. I should clarify that I don't hate Tati - I just don't see why respected critics fall all over themselves declaring his films masterpieces. To me, they are minor films.

Jason, I just saw Mon Oncle and I liked it quite a bit.  There's something very simple but wonderful about it.  It almost felt like Brazil with all of the rediculous gadgets that are more trouble than they are worth and all of that rubber tubing!  I don't necessarily think that he should be compared with Chaplin or Keaton.  But not because I think he is out of their league, but I think he is playing a different game of sorts.  I'm pretty excited to see Playtime now.