Film: Forrest Gump

[L2R]

well alright, if you feel the movie was bad, then call it bad, and good for you.

just don't base judgement on a subject simply by the way other's treat it. others have nothing to do with it. the film stands on it's own and on it's own is the only way it should be critiqued.

 

[alasdairm]

Your last comment I don't even understand.

i don't think it's that hard to understand - movies can be viewed in the context of relevant criticism or outside that context (and everything in between). neither is right or wrong - they're just different ways of analysing something.

like l2r, i do i find it a little odd that you would base your opinion and enjoyment of the movie (to an extent) on what others thought of it. but that's your opinion and, in here certainly, you're entitled to it.

alasdair

 

[Banquo]

i find it interesting that Terry Gilliam was reportedly approached to direct but declined on the basis that the story was too unrealistic.

as for the movie itself -- i saw it the first week it was in the theaters. there really wasn't much hype surrounding it at that point, so it was a neat surprise to see such a comprehensive narrative. but the fact that the movie beat out Shawshank Redemption, Pulp Fiction, and Quiz Show for best picture is such a gross injustice that i can't help but be bitter on some level.

 

[tambourine-man]

i find it interesting that Terry Gilliam was reportedly approached to direct but declined on the basis that the story was too unrealistic.

He was probably too busy making a film about time-travelling midgets.

 

[posner]

i don't think it's that hard to understand - movies can be viewed in the context of relevant criticism or outside that context (and everything in between). neither is right or wrong - they're just different ways of analysing something.

like l2r, i do i find it a little odd that you would base your opinion and enjoyment of the movie (to an extent) on what others thought of it. but that's your opinion and, in here certainly, you're entitled to it.

alasdair

I can't think of a clearer way to write, but I shall try. Neither of you seem to understand that I'm not basing my dislike of the movie on the fact that others like it. Only the degree of my feeling. If everyone hated it AND I hated it, I would dismiss it out of hand. But when there is disagreement, the opinions (not simply, oh I like it) are more important.

Perhaps you should re-read my last comment, and let it digest.

 

[alasdairm]

communication is a two-way street. perhaps you're not making yourself as clear as you think you are. it's possible.

we're talking about art - i could see a movie which 6 billion people hated and i loved. that 6 billion people hate it would have no effect on the degree to which i enjoyed it. for me (and l2r it seems) only the movie itself does that.

alasdair

 

[posner]

No, I'm writing clearly enough. Besides, the point that you seem so attached to is peripheral at best.

 

[alasdairm]

the 'peripheral' point to which i seem so attached is one you introduced!

whatever. we're clearly not communicating very well here. i'll agree to disagree.

alasdair

 

[psychetool]

I still don't know what you're saying, but at least we all know you hate forest gump now. How about posting some positive reviews in a thread that you DO like instead of coming back here to butt heads?

Also, there is a big difference between an oppinion and a statement, as a statement usually applies to EVERYONE. I think you would have ruffled less feathers if you just said "I didn't like this movie, I thought it was banal, cliche,..." instead of "This movie is banal, juvenile, saccharine, and painful to watch. In fact, I'm surprised it didn't win more Oscars." which is obviously hostile in the context that it was used.

 

[L2R]

Fair enough, back to the film.

The use of special effect, similar to Zemekis' work on Contact are extraordinary in their effectiveness.
Seeing Gary Sinise clearly without legs was impressive to say the least.

 

[posner]

I still don't know what you're saying, but at least we all know you hate forest gump now. How about posting some positive reviews in a thread that you DO like instead of coming back here to butt heads?

Also, there is a big difference between an oppinion and a statement, as a statement usually applies to EVERYONE. I think you would have ruffled less feathers if you just said "I didn't like this movie, I thought it was banal, cliche,..." instead of "This movie is banal, juvenile, saccharine, and painful to watch. In fact, I'm surprised it didn't win more Oscars." which is obviously hostile in the context that it was used.

Why would you start a discussion about Forrest Gump? What was the purpose? Everyone has seen the movie. Were you just trying to get everyone to parrot what you said.

I would think the point of starting a topic thread about a movie would either be to 1. point out a movie that not many other people have seen, so as to generate attention for it or 2. write about a movie that could generate worthwhile discussion. You apparently have done neither. Let's start a thread about Titanic or Gladiator. How fun.

As for my comments. The Oscar comment was made after you countered what I said by listing (edited) the Oscars the movie had won as if that was the end all be all. And I'm sorry I'm not going to coat everything I say so as not to hurt your feelings. Don't be so sensitive. Another thing- let's not get into an English discussion.

One famous critic allegedly called Forrest Gump "the death of American cinema."

 

[posner]

Fair enough, back to the film.

The use of special effect, similar to Zemekis' work on Contact are extraordinary in their effectiveness.
Seeing Gary Sinise clearly without legs was impressive to say the least.

I would say that that is the best aspect of the film (effects and film editing)

 

[psychetool]

/em does himself a favor and puts posner on ignore.

I guess we're only allowed to discuss new movies now ? Or controversial ones ? We're not allowed to talk about movies we just plain old enjoy ? My post about the Oscars was simply to point out that obviously not everyone agrees with you that it sucked, not to be a dick. If gladiator didn't already have a thread, you can bet your bottom dollar I'd start one because that was definitely another cool flick that warrents discussion.

Anyways, the CG was great. I was wondering how they got his legs to seemingly 'dissapear'. Some of scenes had a lot of power/symbolism to them, like out in the ocean fighting against the hurricane - IMO thats a good representation of life, out there tossed around in the waves, sometimes struggling to survive, but you can do it, and even come out on top if you put your mind and heart into it. Once you accept that you need to take the good with the bad and just do your best, things seem to fall into place. Cheeseball, again, but I still love it.

 

[alasdairm]

^ you can discuss any movie you like, from any angle you like (as long as you stick to guidelines). we're currently on to a second page of discussion and there's been some disagreement and debate. to any reasonable observer, posner, this is a successful thread whether or not you like the subject matter.

nobody expects you to sugar coat what you are saying and i don't think anybody here knows you well enough to even consider how you felt about their feelings.

if you can simply respect the fact that people might have a difference of opinion to you, we'll be fine.

alasdair

 

[alasdairm]

to help see posner that not everybody loves gump and that a difference of opinion is positively welcome here, i found some comments in another thread. reproducing them here:

I disliked Forrest Gump as well. With the implications that the real bad guys in America in the 1960s were the anti-war movement, and with the way any woman who displayed sexuality ended up suffering. And the way Forrest was made out to be some kind of hero for being dumb and never questioning anything. Very sinister film.

Good call on Forrest Gump! I found this just a feel good movie for nostalgic nationalistic Americans. I can't understand how it made some people cry. It's a story that keeps alive that great American lie -- that in America, the dumb man with heart and dignity is just as capable and bound for success as the smart man. I think we Americans are very threatened by the idea that some people are in line ahead of others just because they're more intellectually capable.

alasdair

 

[Finder]

/em does himself a favor and puts posner on ignore.

I guess we're only allowed to discuss new movies now ? Or controversial ones ?

I guess people aren't allowed to disagree with your opinion without you getting your panties in a twist? 8(

 

[psychetool]

I swear to god you follow me from thread to thread to make snide remarks and stir up shit. For a mod, you should know better. It's fine to disagree, it's another to be completely rude and hostile about it. What does it matter to you who I have on ignore ?

 

[Finder]

Paranoid much? I'm just commenting on this situation at hand, which happens to involve you. I'd have said the same thing to anyone else. It doesn't matter to me who you have on ignore. Ignore me if you like, I don't care.

I didn't really find posner coming across as being rude or hostile, he merely has a strong opinion about the movie, one I partly agree with, to be honest. I can see how that could be misconstrued as being rude or hostile, though. However, you're not really debating it with him, you're just getting upset about it. This is a discussion board, not everyone is going to agree with you.

 

[alasdairm]

This is a discussion board, not everyone is going to agree with you.

that is certainly true and applies equally to posner, psychetool and, indeed, all of us.

let's get back to discussing how much forrest gump sucks/rocks.

alasdair

 

[Benefit]

I've always really liked this film.

I think calling it simplistic is a fair criticism, but simplistic doesn't necessarily mean inferior. In fact, being simple is one of the overarching themes of this movie. It is 40 years of American history as seen through the eyes of a very simple man.

The way it catalogues American history - by having one very dumb man experience it all - has always been the strength of the film to me, because it's done very well. The movie streamlines archival footage (often melded with a digitally inserted Forrest Gump mind you), period music and various historical milestones from ping pong diplomacy to the appearance of AIDS, to recast the history of post-World War II America for us in an interesting light. I also think the way they portray Forrest as the accidental founder of numerous cultural trends is a nice touch.

The claims that the film is marred by a heavy conservative bias are rubbish. Certainly, Forrest often does things without questioning them and the sexually promiscuous Jennie dies of AIDS (which, if you will recall, actually happened to A LOT of sexually promiscuous people in the 80s). But I think it is fairly obvious that Forrest Gump is not a satirical attack on the post-war liberal movement of the 1970s and it doesn't just single out hippies; it pokes fun at Nixon, war junkies, the South, blacks, whites, liberals, corporate America (Forrest, the quintessential idiot, becomes a corporate mogul). The fact is, it's a tongue in cheek look at everything American. And in any event, the character of Forrest is not fundamentally conservative, though his views on religion may imply otherwise; what he is, is a fundamentally a good person. He wants only to do right by his friends and family, whether black, white, gay, straight, promiscuous, insane, or otherwise.

Of course, being a Zemeckis film, the landmark usage of CGI is noteworthy in and of itself.

As for the criticisms that the movie is cliched or stupid, I don't think they carry much weight. "Sorry I ruined your Black Panther party" is not a stupid line of dialogue. Given that Forrest, a Medal of Honor recipient and upstanding American solider, just gave a speech at an anti-war rally surrounded by burnt-out veterans and then sort of wanders into a Black Panther headquarters and breaks up the meeting... the conscious juxtapositions here lend themselves to lots of intelligent analysis, in addition to presenting a humorous scenario.