You gotta respect these guys for speaking from their heart.
I definitely do not agree with them entirely about this film, though. Like Lorenzo said, the film is a marvelous visual achievement, but I’m not sure it does what it should emotionally or intellectually to be competing for Best Picture. Even if it’s nominated, it shouldn’t win the award.
I remember that Jeff’s pre-release theory was that oldsters would really connect emotionally with this film, reflecting on the end of their lives…I love how this pair, particularly the gal, debunks that theory…and how they found the CGI effects distracting…
I love when people confuse hyperbole for insight. So now Ben Button “sucked.” I see. It’s not enough to just say that you liked something else better, you have to say it “sucked.” This automatically undermines the seriousness of your entire opinion. I suppose this is just one step above: WORST. MOVIE. EVER. type posts.
BTW, if Fincher had adopted anymore “emotion” into this film you same people would be calling it sappy and overly sentimental. You know it’s true.
As for the geezers. The old dude seemed to really like it, she was more blah. Just keep in mind that these two offer some constructive criticism on every movie they review.
The distraction involving the Special Effects, she mentions, is not a knock on the quality. Rather she would just wonder how they managed to create the various shots.
You did not listen very carefully to the tape. The old gal disliked the movie immensely – she said something to the effect she wished she had the 2.5 hours back that she spent watching the film. The old guy was more neutral on the film, but both of them said the special effects were distracting to the story line…you confuse their dislike for the movie as mere hyperbolic constructive criticism?
So when somebody says a movie that you like “sucks,” you say it undermines their opinion, but you applaud actionman for saying BB doesn’t suck, but in doing so, he names two movies that do “suck”…hmmm…
Benjamin Button sucks. Why do I have to put it in terms of what I liked better or worse? If a movie sucks, it sucks.
“Benjamin Button sucks. Why do I have to put it in terms of what I liked better or worse? If a movie sucks, it sucks.”
I think he’s basically calling you out on exaggeration — which may be a legitimate point. Are you honestly saying you’d rather sit through Meet the Spartans than this?
I think even if you don’t like the film (admittedly, I do), you have to admit there is some strong material here. The acting, the technical effects, and the central, thought-provoking conceit about how life would feel to be lived backward are certainly enough to keep it away from the ol’ s-word, I would think.
It seems like a phrase like “highly disappointing” may be more appropriate.
We hear (and have) so many complaints about the same old shit being recycled, and then a story like this comes along, such an ambitious story, i think its hard to say it sucked.
but, of course, maybe you did think it sucked. but I agree with Citizen, it may have been highly disappointing to some, but i loved all 258 minutes and was swept away to this time and place.
“Are you honestly saying you’d rather sit through Meet the Spartans than this?”
No, because MEET THE SPARTANS also sucks; for that matter, the majority of movies suck, so BB has a lot of company.
I feel like the old broad in the tape: I would love to get my time and money back, and of all the “prestige” films that have been thrown at the public this season, Benjamin Button is far and away the one that I could have done without seeing, and it is the one that I warn friends about.
Benjamin Button does not even come close to adding up to a sum of its parts, much less the desired effect of exceeding the sum. It is highly regarded by the craftsmen in the individual guilds, hence the large number of nominations, but if this had been a stronger year for pictures (say, like 2007), it would have only gotten a handful of technical category nominations…
Your point about Button (had it been released in ’07) perhaps being passed over for nominations in some of the major categories is a salient one — I agree.
I’m just going to add this link in case anyone wants to read an extended, super-analytical discussion of BB (and the rest of Fincher’s oeuvre if you have some serious time on your hands).
“Your point about Button (had it been released in ’07) perhaps being passed over for nominations in some of the major categories is a salient one — I agree.”
I realize that words like “sucks” are inflammatory, but that is not my intent. It is for economy of expression. Typing on these blogs is not the easiest way to convey a whole host of feelings about a movie, but if “sucks” offends anybody, while “deeply disappointing” is somehow more palatable, then allow me to submit that edit…
The bottom line: I didn’t like BB and would not, and have not, recommended it to any friends…
A lot of “damning with faint praise” of BB from those 2 chaps in that posted article…I would even say the one guy thought it “sucks” but I won’t go there…
I’m meh meh about this film. Saw it with my bro on Xmas Day. Love Fincher. ZODIAC is a masterpiece. Hoped this would be great but all it seems to be is a remake of FORREST GUMP. Yeah, I’m sick of hearing that crap but it’s there and it’s a fact. As for emotion, the film is amazingly free of it. I felt more in moments in SEVEN and ZODIAC than in the whole of this film. the only emotional thing that got to me, made me almost tear up was the last shot of BB as a baby in her arms and the narration. that did it for me, but not enough to make it a good flick. Next!
Having finally (as of yesterday) caught up with most of the nominees by this point, I might have to agree with some of the nay-sayers on TCCOBB. I didn’t necessarily dislike this one, but it was far from a great picture. And while I am clearly not getting the hate for SLUMDOG, I also don’t think I could qualify it as “great” either. Technically, both films are spot-on, but surprisingly unmoving once they come to a close (for me, at least). FROST/NIXON suffered the same way (only more so). I would have been happy – or at least not angry – to see either DOUBT or REVOLUTIONARY ROAD take the place of any of those three.
Having not seen THE READER (and having really hoped to not have to, thanks Harvey) I can’t really qualify MILK as my choice from the five best pic nominees, but the reviews lead me to believe that.
On another tack, having finally – and only – seen MAN ON WIRE (among the doc nominees), I am not getting the love for that one at all. It was interesting enough, but slow slow slow. And again, unmoving. So after an initial “meh” response, I decided to watch the interview that accompanied the DVD. I am now convinced that if I saw Phillippe Petit on the street, I would cross it just to avoid getting caught up in a conversation – one which would invariably be about only himself.
bmcintire I think the quality that makes Petit speak constantly about himself is the same that compels him to risk arrest and death by tightrope walking between the towers. It’s insane, but he wants to be in the spotlight.
I REALLY wish they would’ve focused on the years AFTER the towers though. They gloss over it but it sounds like he became even more of an insufferable ass afterwards. Lost his girl, all his friends, etc- why has nobody discussed that??
At the moment, you’ll have a feeling of proud. The articles by China’s manufacturers are not only in a good quality, but also in a great many of quantity, and in a very lower price. For example, a same suit Made in China, might marked five to ten dollars that would cost one hundred dollars that made in Western countries. Many people couldn’t afford for it but Chinese goods are most popular now than ever before.The popularation of Chinese objcets is almost covered the market place all over the world, including the European and American markets.
You gotta respect these guys for speaking from their heart.
I definitely do not agree with them entirely about this film, though. Like Lorenzo said, the film is a marvelous visual achievement, but I’m not sure it does what it should emotionally or intellectually to be competing for Best Picture. Even if it’s nominated, it shouldn’t win the award.
I swear to God, if someone else says this movie lacks some sort emotional component, i’m going to murder someone.
The movie doesn’t lack an emotional component, it just lacks a successful emotional component.
I remember that Jeff’s pre-release theory was that oldsters would really connect emotionally with this film, reflecting on the end of their lives…I love how this pair, particularly the gal, debunks that theory…and how they found the CGI effects distracting…
The movie sucks, and they nailed it.
Righteous Kill and The Happening both sucked. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button does not.
Amen, actionman.
I love when people confuse hyperbole for insight. So now Ben Button “sucked.” I see. It’s not enough to just say that you liked something else better, you have to say it “sucked.” This automatically undermines the seriousness of your entire opinion. I suppose this is just one step above: WORST. MOVIE. EVER. type posts.
BTW, if Fincher had adopted anymore “emotion” into this film you same people would be calling it sappy and overly sentimental. You know it’s true.
As for the geezers. The old dude seemed to really like it, she was more blah. Just keep in mind that these two offer some constructive criticism on every movie they review.
The distraction involving the Special Effects, she mentions, is not a knock on the quality. Rather she would just wonder how they managed to create the various shots.
dogcatcher:
You did not listen very carefully to the tape. The old gal disliked the movie immensely – she said something to the effect she wished she had the 2.5 hours back that she spent watching the film. The old guy was more neutral on the film, but both of them said the special effects were distracting to the story line…you confuse their dislike for the movie as mere hyperbolic constructive criticism?
So when somebody says a movie that you like “sucks,” you say it undermines their opinion, but you applaud actionman for saying BB doesn’t suck, but in doing so, he names two movies that do “suck”…hmmm…
Benjamin Button sucks. Why do I have to put it in terms of what I liked better or worse? If a movie sucks, it sucks.
Seems to me like TCCoBB is a serious contender for love-it-or-tear-down-everyone-that does film event of 2008 (Slumdog is certainly in there, too).
Is there anyone left on the fence on this one? Just finds it mezzo-mezzo, and wouldn’t argue for or against it?
“Benjamin Button sucks. Why do I have to put it in terms of what I liked better or worse? If a movie sucks, it sucks.”
I think he’s basically calling you out on exaggeration — which may be a legitimate point. Are you honestly saying you’d rather sit through Meet the Spartans than this?
I think even if you don’t like the film (admittedly, I do), you have to admit there is some strong material here. The acting, the technical effects, and the central, thought-provoking conceit about how life would feel to be lived backward are certainly enough to keep it away from the ol’ s-word, I would think.
It seems like a phrase like “highly disappointing” may be more appropriate.
We hear (and have) so many complaints about the same old shit being recycled, and then a story like this comes along, such an ambitious story, i think its hard to say it sucked.
but, of course, maybe you did think it sucked. but I agree with Citizen, it may have been highly disappointing to some, but i loved all 258 minutes and was swept away to this time and place.
“Are you honestly saying you’d rather sit through Meet the Spartans than this?”
No, because MEET THE SPARTANS also sucks; for that matter, the majority of movies suck, so BB has a lot of company.
I feel like the old broad in the tape: I would love to get my time and money back, and of all the “prestige” films that have been thrown at the public this season, Benjamin Button is far and away the one that I could have done without seeing, and it is the one that I warn friends about.
Benjamin Button does not even come close to adding up to a sum of its parts, much less the desired effect of exceeding the sum. It is highly regarded by the craftsmen in the individual guilds, hence the large number of nominations, but if this had been a stronger year for pictures (say, like 2007), it would have only gotten a handful of technical category nominations…
Fair enough, JHR.
Your point about Button (had it been released in ’07) perhaps being passed over for nominations in some of the major categories is a salient one — I agree.
I’m just going to add this link in case anyone wants to read an extended, super-analytical discussion of BB (and the rest of Fincher’s oeuvre if you have some serious time on your hands).
http://www.thehousenextdooronline.com/2009/01/conversations-david-fincher.html
Someone actually posted it yesterday, but it was buried in a pretty long thread that may not have even been Button-related (I can’t remember).
It’s a pretty good read; these guys really hammer it out pretty thoroughly.
“Your point about Button (had it been released in ’07) perhaps being passed over for nominations in some of the major categories is a salient one — I agree.”
I realize that words like “sucks” are inflammatory, but that is not my intent. It is for economy of expression. Typing on these blogs is not the easiest way to convey a whole host of feelings about a movie, but if “sucks” offends anybody, while “deeply disappointing” is somehow more palatable, then allow me to submit that edit…
The bottom line: I didn’t like BB and would not, and have not, recommended it to any friends…
A lot of “damning with faint praise” of BB from those 2 chaps in that posted article…I would even say the one guy thought it “sucks” but I won’t go there…
I’m meh meh about this film. Saw it with my bro on Xmas Day. Love Fincher. ZODIAC is a masterpiece. Hoped this would be great but all it seems to be is a remake of FORREST GUMP. Yeah, I’m sick of hearing that crap but it’s there and it’s a fact. As for emotion, the film is amazingly free of it. I felt more in moments in SEVEN and ZODIAC than in the whole of this film. the only emotional thing that got to me, made me almost tear up was the last shot of BB as a baby in her arms and the narration. that did it for me, but not enough to make it a good flick. Next!
Having finally (as of yesterday) caught up with most of the nominees by this point, I might have to agree with some of the nay-sayers on TCCOBB. I didn’t necessarily dislike this one, but it was far from a great picture. And while I am clearly not getting the hate for SLUMDOG, I also don’t think I could qualify it as “great” either. Technically, both films are spot-on, but surprisingly unmoving once they come to a close (for me, at least). FROST/NIXON suffered the same way (only more so). I would have been happy – or at least not angry – to see either DOUBT or REVOLUTIONARY ROAD take the place of any of those three.
Having not seen THE READER (and having really hoped to not have to, thanks Harvey) I can’t really qualify MILK as my choice from the five best pic nominees, but the reviews lead me to believe that.
On another tack, having finally – and only – seen MAN ON WIRE (among the doc nominees), I am not getting the love for that one at all. It was interesting enough, but slow slow slow. And again, unmoving. So after an initial “meh” response, I decided to watch the interview that accompanied the DVD. I am now convinced that if I saw Phillippe Petit on the street, I would cross it just to avoid getting caught up in a conversation – one which would invariably be about only himself.
bmcintire I think the quality that makes Petit speak constantly about himself is the same that compels him to risk arrest and death by tightrope walking between the towers. It’s insane, but he wants to be in the spotlight.
I REALLY wish they would’ve focused on the years AFTER the towers though. They gloss over it but it sounds like he became even more of an insufferable ass afterwards. Lost his girl, all his friends, etc- why has nobody discussed that??
At the moment, you’ll have a feeling of proud. The articles by China’s manufacturers are not only in a good quality, but also in a great many of quantity, and in a very lower price. For example, a same suit Made in China, might marked five to ten dollars that would cost one hundred dollars that made in Western countries. Many people couldn’t afford for it but Chinese goods are most popular now than ever before.The popularation of Chinese objcets is almost covered the market place all over the world, including the European and American markets.