Movie Challenge: And the Oscar goes to..... (General comments)

Name: gillyman

Hello doyoo user, You have to be logged in to use these functions... Login or register Close window

Send message to member

Product:	General comments
Date:	14/08/03 (90 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lots of fun

Disadvantages: I'm going to remember lots of things that I should have put in later!

"following on from the dooyoo music challenge here is the dooyoo film challenge, please copy the questions and have a go!"

Just when I was considering watching paint dry to keep me going through the afternoon I have been saved by the bell!! Thank you all for your response to my music challenge - now let's hear what you have to say about my choice in Movies!

~ the film challenge questions ~

1) favourite movie to watch with a partner or lover

Generally I like movies with lots of action and explosions so maybe not the best category for me. There are two films that really stick out though. "When Harry met Sally" has been a big favourite of mine for many years but I find myself agreeing with Mauri on this one! "Casablanca" is a simply superb film which apart from the fact that its in black and white has really stood the test of time. With two marvellous leading actors, some of the best known lines in movie history and a beautiful, simple storyline it certainly gets my vote.

2) best movie adaptation of a book or play

In the last couple of years, we've been treated to the first two of the Lord of the Rings trilogy which have been exceptional. "Misery", adapted from a Steven King novel helped Kathy Bates win an Oscar and I really enjoyed the screen version of "The madness of King George".

Another favourite, which never ceases to put a smile on my face is the adaptation of "Much ado about nothing" by a bloke called William Shakespeare. Now in general I'm not a big fan of Shakey but this is a feel good play that translates superbly to the big screen with the help of an excellent ensemble cast that includes Kenneth Branagh, Denzel Washington, Robert Sean Leonard, Richard Briers and Keanu Reeves. I promise that you'll enjoy it!

However, standing head and shoulders above the rest (until I think of another one!) has got to be not

just "The Godfather" but "The Godfather part 2" both of which are adapted from the same Mario Puzo novel and both of which won the best film Oscars (making part 2 the only sequel to have attained this honour). Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert De Niro and Robert Duvall are the stand out names in the cast of Coppola's Magnum Opi which are still superbly watchable 20 years on.

3) worst movie adaptation of a book or play

I love Tom Clancy books and with the exception of "The Hunt for Red October", the adaptations of his books have been fairly woeful. I thought the ending of John Grisham's "The Firm" was a big cop out too.

My least favourite adaptation however would probably be "The ten commandments". The omnipotent being who wrote the original script (which still tops the best sellers list), apparently wasn't too impressed at his cut down role and didn't think that Charlton Heston was all that good as Moses.


4) BEST SEQUEL

Cor - this isn't easy is it? "Rocky 2" was cracking and I'm a really big fan of the Star Wars trilogy. All of the Lethal Weapons are worth a look - just seem to keep getting better and better.

I'm going to go for Aliens however. Sigourney Weaver reprises her role as Ripley in James Cameron's sequel to Alien. A simply excellent blend of Sci-Fi and action as Ripley battles against an enemy created without the assistance of digital effects.


5) BEST ACTOR

De Niro for Godfather part 2, Raging Bull and Cape Fear? Jack Nicholson in The Shining and One flew over the Cuckoo's Nest? Tom Hanks for pretty much everything he did in the nineties?

But my nod is going to Harrison Ford. Star of two of the best and biggest grossing trilogies of all time. Indiana Jones, Han Solo and countless other well loved roles - and he keeps on churning them out. Simply superb
.
<br
>
6) BEST ACTRESS

Lots of pressure to choose someone different although I am a big fan of Jodie Foster particularly "Silence of the Lambs" and "The Accused". Meryl Streep would be a good candidate for any best actress prize. I'm going to go for Nicole Kidman however as I think she is a superbly versatile actress as well as being a very beautiful and dignified lady.

7) DOUBLE ACT IN FILMS

Riggs and Murtaugh played by Mel Gibson and Danny Glover respectively in 4 superb Lethal Weapon films. Fine mixtures of action, comedy and buddy movies - I'm not even going to bother consider anyone else. Not highbrow culture but good stuff!

8) MOST MEMORABLE LINES FROM A FILM

I'm not going to get away with trying to sneak "Play it again Sam" past this forum am I?! :-)

Pretty much any line that appears in Pulp Fiction.

That's not a moon - its a space station - Star Wars

But I'm giving it to one of my favourite actors - Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry with "you've got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya punk?"


9) A SPECIAL FILM

I first saw "Pulp Fiction" when I was at University. I have lost track of the number of times that I have seen it since. It used to be left on in the background whilst I did the ironing or cooked. It has some of my favourite actors, some of the best, most quotable lines in history and employs what was at the time a fairly revolutionary non-chronological style to tell three separate stories.

I could watch Pulp Fiction over and over and in the past have actually done just that. It is the only film that I own on both video and DVD.


10) BEST ACTING PERFORMANCE (MALE)

Robert De Niro's Oscar winning performance in "Raging Bull" has become something of a legend in the annals of method acting. De Niro original
ly packed on the
muscle and sparred in order to play young boxer Jake La Motta. He then proceeded to eat his way around Europe to put on the extra poundage required to play La Motta later in life. The film has some of the greatest fight seasons ever staged for the screen and the interaction between De Niro's La Motta and the other characters, in many places with improvised dialogue is superb. Want to know more about it - there is a crowned opinion here: http://members.dooyoo.co.uk/servlets/OpinionConnec tor?template=prd_opn_main&sessio nID=cBVEsGIs7qE7&opinionID=405729&action=


11) BEST ACTING PERFORMANCE (FEMALE)

Hmm - this one is a little more difficult. The nature of the films I prefer tend to have more men in the more memorable lead roles. I'm going to stick in Jodie Foster's Oscar winning performance in "The Accused". The film received criticism at the time for being rather graphic in its depiction of the rape scene but I think it addressed the brutality of the act and the subsequent suffering of the victim superbly.

12) MOST POIGNANT FILM

As a Jew I find that films about the Holocaust carry particular resonance for me. I am going to go for Schindler's List as I feel that Spielberg did a fantastic job of portraying the horrors of the Holocaust from a perspective that I feel comfortable with.


13) BEST COMEDY FILM

Where do I start? Both Shrek and Aladdin are particular favourites of mine. Yes I know that they're cartoons but so what? Mike Myers generally hits the mark for me and if we're talking silly comedies then I must mention Bill and Ted's. Blazing Saddles is also high on my "to watch time and again" list.

My favourite however, is Monty Python's "Life of Brian". A spoof on the life of Jesus involving the mad cap antics of the Python team when young Brian Cohen is mistaken for the son of God. Enjoy singing along to "
Always look on the bri
ght side of life".


13) BEST MUSICAL/MUSIC FILM

They really don't make that many decent musicals anymore although Chicago and Moulin Rouge have recently pushed the genre back into centre stage. I was brought up watching Annie, Mary Poppins and Grease, all of which I can still quite happily sing along with.

Favourite however is "Fiddler on the Roof" - the tale of Tevye the milkman, trying to bring up his family according to tradition whilst wondering what life would be like "If I were a rich man".

14) BEST FILM DIRECTOR

Although George Lucas and Martin Scorsese are big favourites of mine, this can only go to a certain Mr. Steven Spielberg. He has brought us "Saving Private Ryan", "Minority Report", "Jurassic Park", "Schindler's List", the Indiana Jones series, "ET", "Jaws" and many, many more". Some may argue that he's a tad overly commercial - I say that he has tackled many different genres, usually succesfully and has not compromised on his production values at any stage.

15) BEST B MOVIE/MADE FOR TV MOVIE

By their nature I think that most of these are pretty bad! I'm going to skip this one - you're probably not reading anymore in any case!


16) BEST PLACE TO WATCH A MOVIE

At home, sunk into one of my huge couches with some good company, popcorn and lots of cold beer.

Thanks for reading!

Summary: