The Movie Thread

[Lightnin' Rod]

Ok, it's decided. I'm watching "Moneyball" tomorrow, and hopefully it will be "The Social Network of Baseball Movies".

Def seeing it this weekend. But I've a language question: for decades, people "saw" movies ("I'm going to see Jaws") and "watched" TV ("I watched Family Ties last nite"). In the last 10 years I hear younger people who've just been to a movie theater say "We watched Captain America tonite". And it grates on my ear because it just sounds wrong. But I guess in the DVD/download age the usage has changed.

Still sounds weird to me.

Moneyball has a 90 on RT and an 85 on Metacritic

That's an interesting observation.  I had never noticed the distinction myself, but now that you mention it, it is (was) certainly there.  Since I see most movies by waiting to watch them in the comfort of my own home (that hd tv needs to pay for itself), I can see how the lines are being blurred.  

ETA:  I still haven't seen The Social Network.  Not high on my list of films to see, either.  But Moneyball, with the local angle and what looks like an inspired Brad Pitt, does look interesting.

[RGMike]

Critical quote of the week: the Toronto Daily Mail says "Taylor Lautner puts the abs in Abduction"

and in case you wondered just how bad this movie is (laughably so, apparently), here's the NY Post:

Actual abduction may be preferable to the movie of the same name, but only if your kidnappers don't torture you by forcing you to watch it... Taylor Lautner proves again he has the acting chops of Bert from "Sesame Street."

One of the strangest and most elaborate product placements I've ever seen takes up most of the third act, as everyone agrees to meet in a public place: the Pittsburgh Pirates' stadium (Leprosy Park or Canker Sore Field or whatever it is). In reality, this place draws the kinds of crowds you could fit in a minivan. Yet in the movie, the stadium is packed -- for a game against the lackluster Mets -- and the city overflows with buzzing, insignia-bedizened fans of this lost and irrelevant franchise.

and playing Lautner's love interest: Lili Collins -- daughter of Phil. Yeesh.

[RGMike]

Just came from seeing Moneyball -- it really is terriffic.  I've never been the biggest fan of Brad Pitt's acting, but he really is doing something Oscar-worthy here.  Very smart script, nicely played. Not your typical rah-rah sports movie, and that's all to the good.

My only quibble is that some of the casting of the A's players is off: Scott Hatteberg and Jeremy Giambi are redheads; how hard is that to get right? And Carlos Pena is a baby-faced cutie, not the bearded, mean-looking dude who plays him here (WTF?). And of course the Paul DePodesta character (he's been given a different name here) is played by tubby Jonah Hill; DePodesta is actually slim and attractive.

[Big Fingers McGee]

Just came from seeing Moneyball -- it really is terriffic.  I've never been the biggest fan of Brad Pitt's acting, but he really is doing something Oscar-worthy here.  Very smart script, nicely played. Not your typical rah-rah sports movie, and that's all to the good.

My only quibble is that some of the casting of the A's players is off: Scott Hatteberg and Jeremy Giambi are redheads; how hard is that to get right? And Carlos Pena is a baby-faced cutie, not the bearded, mean-looking dude who plays him here (WTF?). And of course the Paul DePodesta character (he's been given a different name here) is played by tubby Jonah Hill; DePodesta is actually slim and attractive.

I did have some minor quibbles regarding the accuracy - the film implied that Jeremy Giambi and Chad Bradford were acquired by the A's prior to the 2002 season, whereas both had been on the team the year before.

I'm surprised Art Howe hasn't sued yet.

[RGMike]

Dunno how many here are interested in the new Cameron Crowe docu Pearl Jam Twenty, but it's out at the Balboa -- apparently the only theater in SF where it's playing -- and is also available in your living room via On Demand.

[RGMike]

Dunno how many here are interested in the new Cameron Crowe docu Pearl Jam Twenty, but it's out at the Balboa -- apparently the only theater in SF where it's playing -- and is also available in your living room via On Demand.

another music docu: attention Pulp fans! the Roxie is showing their film THE BEAT IS THE LAW: FANFARE FOR THE COMMON PEOPLE, this Thursday nite (9/29) at 7:30 & 9:30 as part of NoisePop...

http://www.roxie.com/events/details.cfm?EventID=D958367B-1143-DBB3-C63A2CEEBA48E516&View=weeklist&linkDate=September%2026%2C%202011

[RGMike]

Just came from seeing Moneyball -- it really is terriffic.  I've never been the biggest fan of Brad Pitt's acting, but he really is doing something Oscar-worthy here.  Very smart script, nicely played. Not your typical rah-rah sports movie, and that's all to the good.

My only quibble is that some of the casting of the A's players is off: Scott Hatteberg and Jeremy Giambi are redheads; how hard is that to get right? And Carlos Pena is a baby-faced cutie, not the bearded, mean-looking dude who plays him here (WTF?). And of course the Paul DePodesta character (he's been given a different name here) is played by tubby Jonah Hill; DePodesta is actually slim and attractive.

I did have some minor quibbles regarding the accuracy - the film implied that Jeremy Giambi and Chad Bradford were acquired by the A's prior to the 2002 season, whereas both had been on the team the year before.

I'm surprised Art Howe hasn't sued yet.

well, he hasn't sued (yet) but he's pissed:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/09/28/SPN71LADIJ.DTL&tsp=1

I did not know the Magnante story -- that really sucks.

[RGMike]

Just saw a terrific little docu at the Roxie called Farmageddon, about how the gov't harrasses small organic farmers while big factory farms make people literally sick.  Almost enuf to make me a libertarian. 

[RGMike]

Great quote from a commenter on one of my fave film blogs:

"The British film industry seems to specialize in three things:

1. Miserable, gritty dramas set on council estates, often about incest, rape, murder, etc.
2. Jolly comedies featuring a group of eccentric townspeople coming together to put on a show or battle some evil landgrabbing tycoon or take part in a local competition to make the world's biggest scone or something.
3. Low-budget, straight to video gangster films"

[RGMike]

Dunno how many here are interested in the new Cameron Crowe docu Pearl Jam Twenty, but it's out at the Balboa -- apparently the only theater in SF where it's playing -- and is also available in your living room via On Demand.

UPDATE: save your money -- it will air on PBS later this month. (Wow, the TJ Lubinski "oldies" crowd will have a cow!)

[RGMike]

Saw 50/50, the "cancer comedy" with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen, last nite. And it's quite good at being blackly comic and touching, often at the same time. Thumbs up.

[RGMike]

Just saw Ides of March. I wouldn't call it great but it's good -- a solid B+. Certainly better then the play it's based on. And everyone in it is first-rate, some of my face actors: Clooney, Gosling, Giamatti, PS Hoffman, Marisa Tomei. 

[ggould]

Just came from seeing Moneyball -- it really is terriffic.  I've never been the biggest fan of Brad Pitt's acting, but he really is doing something Oscar-worthy here.  Very smart script, nicely played. Not your typical rah-rah sports movie, and that's all to the good.

My only quibble is that some of the casting of the A's players is off: Scott Hatteberg and Jeremy Giambi are redheads; how hard is that to get right? And Carlos Pena is a baby-faced cutie, not the bearded, mean-looking dude who plays him here (WTF?). And of course the Paul DePodesta character (he's been given a different name here) is played by tubby Jonah Hill; DePodesta is actually slim and attractive.

We just saw it too, and really liked it.  Perhaps I enjoyed it a lot because I don't really know the details of the reality.  I didn't really know how the story was going to turn out, but still I liked it!

[Big Fingers McGee]

Just saw Ides of March. I wouldn't call it great but it's good -- a solid B+. Certainly better then the play it's based on. And everyone in it is first-rate, some of my face actors: Clooney, Gosling, Giamatti, PS Hoffman, Marisa Tomei. 

I was tempted to see this in the theatre, but based upon reviews, it seems that Netflix (or excuse me, Quickster) is appropriate.

[RGMike]

If you have HBO Family as part of your cable package, they're doing a Planet of the Apes marathon starting at noon with the Chuck Heston original. Escape From... is especially fun.