Robert Zemeckis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ro..._Shankbone.jpg
He's always been one of those guys whose name I greet with "Oh, he's made a few good films". But then I sat down and found that I love a good bulk of his work as a director. Here's my evaluation of the ones I have seen: Used Cars has always been a favourite of mine, it's one of the few comedies I still find funny to this day. Kurt Russell gives what may be his most charismatic performance as Rudy Russo, the smooth salesman and Frank McRae, Gerritt Graham and Jack Warden offer great support. Zemeckis created a true comedy masterpiece with this one. Romancing The Stone is ok, from what I remember, but honestly I haven't watched it in years. Back To The Future and it's sequels are all brilliant, endlessly rewatchable classics. Picking a favourite is like picking a favourite child, they all have their own endearing qualities that make them the great films they are. Who Framed Roger Rabitt is great, from what I remember, but this is another I haven't watched in a while. I do remember it being hilarious, though. Forrest Gump is such a sweet, simple flick with a lovable lead character that I just can't resist it. By the end, it has me in tears and remains one of Zemeckis' best films. Contact was good, a bit long and they didn't really need Matthew McConnagheuy, but a very good sci-fi film all the same. What Lies Beneath I caught the end of one night, and it was pretty creepy. I do want to see it in its entirety. Cast Away is a very emotionally involving film with a tour-de-force performance from Tom Hanks and the material is handled well by Bob. Great film. The Polar Express was a nice film, don't remember much of it, again. That's about it. What are your thoughts on his work? |
Re: Robert Zemeckis
Contact and What Lies Beneath are the low points of his career for me. Boring movies tbh.
The rest of his stuff has always been top drawer though. My faves are Back To The Future and Who Framed Roger Rabbit?... Romancing The Stone was pretty funny, filled purposely with cliches and knowingly cheesy. Good film. |
Re: Robert Zemeckis
I love Who Framed Roger Rabbit and the Back to the Future films. Those are classics. Forrest Gump was a good film too. The Polar express was nice. But it didn't capture to same feeling the book did.
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Re: Robert Zemeckis
Now, I haven't seen the following films in years, saw them back in early 90s so don't know if I still adore them now, but I remember I really liked the following two films:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ecomes_Her.jpg & http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ger_rabbit.jpg Lately, one of my favourites, he was executive producer only on this though, is the wonderful Monster House: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...use_poster.jpg Apart from the above, I haven't really enjoyed anything else from the director. |
Re: Robert Zemeckis
I think he's sort of a poor man's Steven Spielberg. He just knows how to make entertaining, high quality films. Very underrated IMO.
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Re: Robert Zemeckis
Well, I like that later on in his career, beyond the '80's, (from 1994 to now), he's beginning to mature and move out of making just blockbuster entertainment. Cast Away really surprised me, by being such an emotional and well-handled story.
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Re: Robert Zemeckis
He should have won an Oscar for WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT? That's his masterpiece, not FORREST GUMP. I had forgotten that he also directed DEATH BECOMES HER, one of the most underrated comedies of the 1990's. I forgot he directed ROMANCING THE STONE as well...love that movie.
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Re: Robert Zemeckis
Forrest Gump is his masterpiece. Flight extends his good resume.
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Originally Posted by cricket (Post 833167)
I think he's sort of a poor man's Steven Spielberg. He just knows how to make entertaining, high quality films. Very underrated IMO.
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Originally Posted by skizzerflake (Post 986907)
My least favorite was Forest Gump, which gave me the impression that the best quality a man can have is to be simple minded.
Just him being simple minded makes for a better movie. There are plenty of people who are smart that fit into that addition formula, Tom Hanks (in real life) being a prime example. |
Re: Robert Zemeckis
I can't believe I've never actually seen or at least don't remember the Back to the Future trilogy, either.
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Re: Robert Zemeckis
Loved DEATH BECOMES HER...Streep was freaking brilliant.
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Re: Robert Zemeckis
Outside of Back to the Future, Contact is my fave film of his.
Contact is a genuinely gripping, intelligent examination of extraterrestrial life, wrapped up with a thought provoking and even handed debate about faith vs science. Great performances too. Mo-cap mis-steps aside he is still one of the most diverse big budget directors out there and I look forward to his work. |
Re: Robert Zemeckis
Zemeckis would be in my top 20 list of favorite directors for sure if I ever compiled such a list.
Back to the Future is by far his best movie (the sequels were awesome, too, but the original is untouchable), followed by Forrest Gump and Cast Away. I've also enjoyed Death Becomes Her, The Walk, and What Lies Beneath a lot. Romancing the Stone, Used Cars, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit are movies I haven't seen in a long time, so I will have to revisit them to truly judge how much I feel about them. Flight was good, but it missed the mark in my opinion. Contact was kinda dull, and it is my least favorite of his films that I've seen. Beowulf is a film I had zero interest in and I've never watched it. Allied was a decent war/drama movie. Welcome to Marwen I have not seen yet, but from the looks of it, it seems like another lame film with a loose plot. I think Zemeckis should re-team with Tom Hanks for another epic film, as I still believe he still has it in him. . |
Will be doing a Zemeckisthon this March. It's about time I delved more into the man's work.
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Originally Posted by Neesonfan (Post 2359810)
Will be doing a Zemeckisthon this March. It's about time I delved more into the man's work.
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I haven't seen everything he's done and as a director I can't rank him ahead of Spielberg...but his producing work is filled with underrated gems.
Horror
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Originally Posted by Nausicaä (Post 833073)
Now, I haven't seen the following films in years, saw them back in early 90s so don't know if I still adore them now, but I remember I really liked the following two films:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ecomes_Her.jpg & http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ger_rabbit.jpg Lately, one of my favourites, he was executive producer only on this though, is the wonderful Monster House: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...use_poster.jpg Apart from the above, I haven't really enjoyed anything else from the director. Love, love, love, love, love, love, love Death Become Her...believe it or not, my favorite Meryl Streep performance and one of Zemeckis' most underrated films. |
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