Movies you couldn't even finish.

Tools    





I was a little surprised to see The Great Santini on this list.
I always thought it was a solid movie - a family drama about a strict military Dad (some might call abusive) who has trouble relating to his kids. I could see maybe people who don't like family drama's not liking it or those who expected a straight military or war movie, but for what it is, I remember being engaged enough to watch it to fruition.



I always thought it was a solid movie - a family drama about a strict military Dad (some might call abusive) who has trouble relating to his kids. I could see maybe people who don't like family drama's not liking it or those who expected a straight military or war movie, but for what it is, I remember being engaged enough to watch it to fruition.
Definitely a Duvall fan, but I didn’t believe in his character. He seemed like a caricature to me. Not an interesting story at all IMO.
__________________
I’m here only on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays. That’s why I’m here now.





I tried again to watch this movie, but I can’t do it. A huge dislike of Robin Williams factors into this. He was always so “on” & is no different in this movie.

The “boys” were so enjoyable, especially Robert Sean Leonard & I would have liked to see what transpired with Hawke’s character. But, no, could not make it through 2 hours +.





I tried again to watch this movie, but I can’t do it. A huge dislike of Robin Williams factors into this. He was always so “on” & is no different in this movie.

The “boys” were so enjoyable, especially Robert Sean Leonard & I would have liked to see what transpired with Hawke’s character. But, no, could not make it through 2 hours +.
Oh, come on!

I do love this movie, and one of the saddest things is the idea of someone not finishing it as it has one of the most classic and iconic culmination scenes in movie history!



Oh, come on!

I do love this movie, and one of the saddest things is the idea of someone not finishing it as it has one of the most classic and iconic culmination scenes in movie history!
I believe you & I know people love this movie. But it’s not for me.



I believe you & I know people love this movie. But it’s not for me.
I'm not a fan of Dead Poets Society either:

Dead Poets Society
After hearing so much high praise for this movie, I have to say I was underwhelmed by it and this is usually my type of movie too. But nothing worked for me here, except the actual premise of 'seize the day', which was a good axiom.

Robin Williams was great as a stand-up comic and had a fast paced, witty mind, but in this movie it's like he's not the character, he's playing Robin Williams. I just didn't buy him as this maverick teacher who could reach the kids. Other than telling them to rip pages out of a school book or standing on the desk, what is it he did that was so special? I think John Lithgow would have been a much better choice for the role, maybe even John Cleese.

And the script itself is lacking. I never felt like I got to know the students other than the one who wanted to be an actor. It was like they were all interchangeable.

The scenes seemed forced and I didn't buy many of them. I never bought into his teaching methods either...And the head school master was like a mustache twirling movie bad guy, and so was the father of the student who wanted to be an actor. Too cliched... Elia Kazan once said of movie characters, every bad guy character should have some redeeming quality that the audience can identify with and every good character should have a dark flaw.

Sorry but I don't get the love for this film, actually I do get it, it's the theme of young people finding themselves. I just don't think the movie did that very well. CR



⬆️ “… he’s playing Robin Williams.” Exactly. One could tell also that he wanted to hog every scene he was in. Tiresome.

Good review Citizen. Thanks for sharing as I never read reviews here.



I'm not a fan of Dead Poets Society either:
I like some of your alternative choices for the lead role, Rules.

As far as what Keating brought to the school... he brought thinking outside the box - the school was mired in protocol & tradition and it was concerning to the staff that a former alumni like Keating would bring some fresh air to the curriculum.

He taught rebellion against the status quo (which ends up getting him accused of things he had no responsibility for). He taught free expression and passion. All the things he taught (and the way he taught them) were things the school frowned upon.

I thought most of the boys' characters were fleshed out pretty well, especially for a sizeable cast that had to include many students - Neil, of course, had the biggest story as he became the crux of the plot, Todd was the shy kid who wanted to avoid attention at all costs (this was me in high school)... which is what makes his role in the final scene so powerful. You had Knox who was looking for love, Charlie (who was probably Mr. Keating's most direct disciple as he seemed a born rebel), Cameron (who ends up being the rat) was an uptight, by-the-book student who'd do anything to stay out of trouble, and then you had Knox & Meeks (the two nerds).

One of my favorite periphery characters was the one kid who was totally un-enthused with everything Keating tried to get them to do, but then, with a look of reluctance but a what-the-hell attitude, stands on his desk at the end anyway.



...Good review Citizen. Thanks for sharing as I never read reviews here.
I knew that...and that's exactly why I posted it, instead of posting a link to my review.

All I have to say to you guys is...
"Leave, Mr. Keating!"
Maybe I should see the movie again, I don't remember that line.



Maybe I should see the movie again, I don't remember that line.
The headmaster (the late Norman Lloyd) says "Leave, Mr. Keating!" four times during the climactic end scene when Keating returns to the classroom to get his belongings.

WARNING: "Spoil" spoilers below
The one thing I've never been able to buy was Neal's committing suicide - it just didn't seem like that was part of his personality. Except for an overbearing father, Neal didn't seem to have a lot of problems - he didn't seem depressed, or negative or troubled. His suicide seemed like the get-even type - the type that's done without much forethought and is intended only as revenge; to hurt someone else (in this case his father)... but that kind of thinking didn't seem to be part of Neal's personality either.

In the scheme of things, most of us experienced major disappointments at the hands of our parents and didn't commit suicide over it. Neal's personality, according to the rest of the movie, seemed like he'd just roll with it, bide his time until he was 18, then leave his father and pursue his interests.

Unfortunately, without Neal's suicide we wouldn't have had such a great final scene (or at least it wouldn't have been so meaningful if, say, Neal had simply been shipped off to military school). But his suicide, outside of intentionally making us sad, always rubbed me slightly the wrong way because it didn't fit Neal's personality.



There are so many Hollywood romcoms that I couldn't finish. Most of them are honestly boring and not funny.



You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.
The headmaster (the late Norman Lloyd) says "Leave, Mr. Keating!" four times during the climactic end scene when Keating returns to the classroom to get his belongings.

WARNING: "Spoil" spoilers below
The one thing I've never been able to buy was Neal's committing suicide - it just didn't seem like that was part of his personality. Except for an overbearing father, Neal didn't seem to have a lot of problems - he didn't seem depressed, or negative or troubled. His suicide seemed like the get-even type - the type that's done without much forethought and is intended only as revenge; to hurt someone else (in this case his father)... but that kind of thinking didn't seem to be part of Neal's personality either.

In the scheme of things, most of us experienced major disappointments at the hands of our parents and didn't commit suicide over it. Neal's personality, according to the rest of the movie, seemed like he'd just roll with it, bide his time until he was 18, then leave his father and pursue his interests.

Unfortunately, without Neal's suicide we wouldn't have had such a great final scene (or at least it wouldn't have been so meaningful if, say, Neal had simply been shipped off to military school). But his suicide, outside of intentionally making us sad, always rubbed me slightly the wrong way because it didn't fit Neal's personality.

WARNING: "SPOILERS about "DEAD POETS SOCIETY"!!!" spoilers below
I agree that Neil's suicide didn't fit his personality, but it makes sense if you think about it. He found something that he was passionate about, and he was good at, (acting), and he saw that as his future, but his father was removing him from a school that he loved, with a teacher that he loved, and insisted that he become a doctor, (8 more years of school for a career to become something that he didn't want to become).

Earlier in the movie the boys talked about how none of them ever talk back to their fathers. Neil was looking at a life that he didn't want, with no way out.

When I first saw the movie, I thought it would have been better if he had faked the suicide to prove to his father that he was a great actor, but looking back, it actually makes more sense the way it happened in the movie.
__________________
.
If I answer a game thread correctly, just skip my turn and continue with the game.
OPEN FLOOR.



Crimes of Grindlewald.

Had to turn it off halfway through. Very slow and boring.

Though I should mention I’m not a Harry Potter/ fantastic beast fan.



Todd was the shy kid who wanted to avoid attention at all costs (this was me in high school)... which is what makes his role in the final scene so powerful.
Please please put in a spoiler what Todd did.

I tell ya, I enjoyed this thread a heck of a lot better than the movie.



Please please put in a spoiler what Todd did.

I tell ya, I enjoyed this thread a heck of a lot better than the movie.
Okay... this is the culmination scene... (one big spoiler)... which is much better in the context of the rest of the movie. (But enjoyable as a revisit for those already familiar.)






Huge fan of Chastain & I ignored the bad reviews, which was a mistake.



True story movie, but so long & tedious. Huge fan of Tahar Rahim, but didn’t have the patience to finish it.

Jodie Foster with a very bizarre red lipstick mouth & Benedict Cumberbatch as an American army officer threw me off completely.