| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Obediah |
Posted - August 08 2008 : 11:42:01 PM
Woohoo! This is a new western flick from Lionsgate (who brought us "3:10 to Yuma"). It's based on the novel by Robert Parker and stars Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen, Rene Zellweger & Jeremy Irons. Just saw the trailer--it looks good! And...it looks like much of it was filmed in the set from "The Alamo," for San Antonio de Bexar. It will be released on October 3, unfortunately on a "limited" basis, which means I probably won't get to see it till it shows up on DVD. |
| 21 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Irishgirl |
Posted - January 19 2009 : 9:01:24 PM
Glad you enjoyed it Bookworm. Bought it myself and watched it last Friday night. I do so love the friendship between Everett and Virgil and I disliked Allie even more this time around. Renee Zellweger is not very attractive in this one I think with her little scrunched up face. I do so enjoy a good western and with Viggo and Ed you can't go wrong. |
| Obediah |
Posted - January 19 2009 : 7:43:34 PM
NM scrubland looks a lot more "authentic" than Monument Valley! |
| Bookworm |
Posted - January 19 2009 : 3:11:16 PM
I rented this recently and really liked it. It's certainly more of a character-driven Western than the usual, but still has plenty of action. The best part, I thought, was the interplay -- sometimes just a glance -- between Virgil and Everett. They might have had problems understanding each other when it came to Allie, but in a tense situation with the bad guys, they communicated without words because they knew each other so well. As for their friendship, I agree with Irishgirl: Everett made the decision he did out of loyalty to Virgil, but the friendship didn't win. And I've decided that I really don't like Renee Zellweger (but maybe that means she gave a great performance -- we weren't supposed to like her).
Early in this thread Obi mentioned "3:10 to Yuma." Both that movie and "Appaloosa" were filmed in New Mexico (and Austin, TX, in the case of "Appaloosa"), and I'm wondering if maybe they were even filmed in the exact same part of NM -- some of the scrubland in "Appaloosa" looked awfully familiar! |
| Irishgirl |
Posted - January 09 2009 : 5:40:58 PM
Just a reminder this movie comes out on DVD January 13th. I will definitely be picking up a copy as I loved the movie. |
| Irishgirl |
Posted - October 19 2008 : 4:37:06 PM
No it didn't Obi, the friendship did not win in the end. I will PM you with my thoughts as I don't wish to spoil the movie ending for those who have not seen it yet. |
| Obediah |
Posted - October 19 2008 : 4:19:25 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Irishgirl
.....I thought the ending "sad" as I believe the friendship should have won in the end......
.....
Funny, I thought that their friendship did win in the end...
There were a couple of the supporting actors whom I failed to recognize...James Gammon (is he ill? his face looks so gaunt) and Lance Henrickson (he's getting old & looks it). |
| Irishgirl |
Posted - October 18 2008 : 6:43:06 PM
Well Obi I just saw it at the movie theater (was showing nearby afterall). I really liked it. Loved Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch both of whom I could "feel for". I especially felt for Virgil for obvious reasons. I do agree that the first half was more action and all "go". It did slow down the rest of the movie but I still enjoyed it. I thought the ending "sad" as I believe the friendship should have won in the end. Don't want to give anything away but I would have preferred a different ending. What Everett did was a wonderful act of a true friend, more like that of a brother instead. Those men were close enough like brothers. Allie definitely had "security issues" which did not excuse her behaviour. What she did at the end was unforgiveable I thought and Everett should have spilled the beans to his buddy and they both could have gotten the heck out of Dodge.
As for Bragg, well I felt he was very cold and boring. Not a great bad guy. I believe someone else might have played him better but then again a better script regarding his character might have helped.
Overall though, still a good movie and I enjoyed seeing it on the big screen. I do like me a good western. |
| Irishgirl |
Posted - October 09 2008 : 2:10:50 PM
Sorry to hear that Obi but I wish I had the chance to see it at the movie theater but unfortunately, as I knew, it would not be in my local theaters. Would have to drive much futher afield to see it. I have no choice but to wait for the DVD to come out. Still I am looking forward to seeing this movie and will be sure to comment on it when I do. I bet Ed and Viggo looked "great" though. |
| Obediah |
Posted - October 09 2008 : 12:53:46 AM
Well, friends, I watched Appaloosa today...it was disappointing, to say the least. Although the cinematography was gorgeous, the clothing & equipment seemed historically accurate, the cast uniformly excellent. it just lacked any kind of spark. Out of the 4 main characters, only Everett Hitch (Viggo Mortensen) could inspire any empathy at all--I really liked his character. Of course, Bragg (Jeremy Irons) was a truly evil slimeball, so that was OK, even though he didn't have much of a personality, ala Ben Wade & Charlie Prince (3:10 to Yuma), Curly Bill Brocius, Ike Clanton, Johnny Ringo (Tombstone)...you get the idea. Virgil Cole (Ed Harris) was a cypher, a bad good guy, for want of a better term. And Mrs. French (Renee Zellweger) was a rotten two-faced b**ch, and that was her good side!
Although this flick started out well, the last 1/3-1/2 slowed to a crawl, becoming nothing more than a glorified soap opera. My suggestion is to wait till it comes out on DVD & then rent it; don't waste your $$$ at the cinema, as yours truly did. |
| Irishgirl |
Posted - September 19 2008 : 3:27:36 PM
http://www.etonline.com/news/2008/09/65655/
Really looking forward to this one. Ed and Viggo look great. Renee looks a tad "greasy" though. |
| Irishgirl |
Posted - August 13 2008 : 12:15:52 PM
LOL great lines indeed especially coming from Ed er I meant "Virgil". |
| Obediah |
Posted - August 13 2008 : 10:30:09 AM
After watching the trailer for the umpteenth time, I believe this movie will generate some memorable phrases on the order of "this town's gonna burn!"
Virgil: Are you afraid to die?
Baddie: I ain't afraid.
Virgil: Good, then you go first! |
| Bookworm |
Posted - August 12 2008 : 06:50:29 AM
Irishgirl is right -- can't go wrong with Ed and Viggo! I'm really looking forward to this one. And there's hope that all of us will be able to see it in a theater. It's not uncommon for a movie to open in limited release and then expand a few weeks later. |
| RedFraggle |
Posted - August 11 2008 : 9:33:30 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Obediah
Texians (proper 1836 pronunciation btw) pronounce it "BEKS-ar" . . .
Actually, most Texians say "bear," as in grizzly or polar.  I think the "x" is supposed to have a slight "h" sound in Spanish, as in the spelling "Mexico" for "Mejico," but far be it from us Texians to use that "fancy" pronouncin'.
Other funny Texas pronunciations that I like:
Sabine = Suh-BEAN instead of SAY-bine
Waxahachie = Wauks-a-HAH-chee
Mexia = Muh-HAY-uh, or even Muh-HAY-er, depending on where you are in TX
Refugio = Re-FUR-rio
Don't ask me where that last one comes from. It makes no sense even to me!  |
| Wilderness Woman |
Posted - August 11 2008 : 3:07:54 PM
Yes, I think you have. Salem was my home from the fall of 1964 until the spring of 1978 when we moved to New York State.
When my parents decided to leave L.A. in 1954 and move to the Willamette Valley, my paternal grandmother declared that we were "just going to be Hicks!" I think she was a bit surprised when they made their first visit with us the next summer. Gawwww-leeeee.... we warn't hicks, a-tall! We even had plumbin' and runnin' war-ter! Of course, my cousins who lived a little ways east of Salem on a farm didn't! But, we didn't tell my grandmother that!
|
| Obediah |
Posted - August 11 2008 : 2:24:48 PM
Or, as Californians call Oregon, "those weirdos to the north!" Personally, I like the place: it's pretty, you can breathe the air, you don't pump your own gas, and, best of all, there's NO sales tax!!! BTW, did I ever mention that our younger son lives in Salem? |
| Wilderness Woman |
Posted - August 11 2008 : 12:13:52 PM
... or my pet peeve, ask anyone east of the Rockies to pronounce Oregon!
No, folks... it is not Or-uh-gawn'. It is Or'-ee-gun. |
| Obediah |
Posted - August 11 2008 : 11:40:13 AM
Texians (proper 1836 pronunciation btw) pronounce it "BEKS-ar" not the Spanish "BEY-ar." Of course, Texas being "a whole 'nuther country," Texas is pronounced "TEX-as" not "TEY-as" or Jacinto prounced as "juh-SIN-tuh" not "ha-SEEN-to."...and what about Amarillo? 
Let's face it, every state has some funny pronunciations...just ask a New Yorker how to pronounce Houston, for instance... |
| RedFraggle |
Posted - August 09 2008 : 2:57:48 PM
Hmmm . . . will have to watch for this one. Living near a university community doesn't bode well for the movie's appearance in any theater near me (seeing as only blockbusters and hippie arthouse flicks are shown here), but I can always add it to my Netflix queue.
Now, a gold star for anyone who can tell me how native Texans pronounce "Bexar." (Hint: it's nothing at all like the correct Spanish pronunciation of the word in the phrase "San Antonio de Bexar.") |
| Irishgirl |
Posted - August 09 2008 : 12:20:52 PM
Woohoo indeed it does look good Obi and I love the cast. Can't go wrong with Ed and Viggo . Always thought they looked like brothers and both excellent actors. I like Renee too. Hopefully another good western to look forward to but like you Obes, if in limited release, I too will have to wait for the DVD.
Thanks for mentioning this Obes  |
| richfed |
Posted - August 09 2008 : 10:58:27 AM
Nice cast!!! |
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