Thursday, April 13, 2017

Thursday Movie Picks - Rivalry

Written as part of the weekly blogathon hosted by Wandering Through the Shelves. Join in the fun by picking three movies that fit the week's theme and writing a bit about them!

Another Thursday, another round of movies to pick! The theme this week is rivalry. Rivalry can take many forms, be it between siblings, friends, colleagues, or even natural enemies. I didn't mean to focus on male rivalries this week, but it's what ended up happening. I generally find rivalry between men not nearly as interesting as rivalry between women (you are all watching Feud, right?!? So rich and complex... GOD I LOVE IT), but in these movies, they are entertaining to watch.

The Prestige (Christopher Nolan, 2006) I know I've picked this before not too long ago, but I had to again because it is the single best movie I've ever seen about male rivalry. Robert Angier and Alfred Borden were friends and apprentices to a great magician but became estranged after an accident ended up killing Angier's wife. Ever since, they became great rivals, each trying to outdo and outsmart each other, to the point of obsession. Boasting outstanding performances from Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman, fun support from Michael Caine and David Bowie (ingenious casting as Nikola Tesla), gorgeous cinematography, and a smart, dark-and-twisty script that is even better than the novel on which it's based, this may just be Nolan's best film. It's certainly his most underrated. (And also: THAT TRAILER. One of the all-time greats, no?)

Grumpy Old Men (Donald Petrie, 1993) John Gustafson and Max Goldman were once friends, but became rivals after John married Max's high school sweetheart. Ever since, they've spent their days fighting and pulling pranks on each other. When a vivacious college professor moves in across the street, their rivalry intensifies. Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau's chemistry is still great, even if the movie isn't. But the two of them and Ann-Margaret (as the love interest) are nothing if not troopers, and they know just how to elevate the stock material.

This Means War (McG, 2012) GUILTY PLEASURE ALERT!! I know this spy vs spy romcom isn't any good. I know that Reese Witherspoon has never been stiffer, that Tom Hardy has never been blander, that Chris Pine has never been more forgettable. But goddammit, this movie makes me laugh at all these assholes SO. MUCH. Plus, you know, Tom Hardy's lips. They are delectable pillows of goodness and I just want to sink into them. They make it possible to deal with a LOT.

14 comments:

  1. I watched The Prestige again a couple of months ago and could watch it again because it really is clever. Personally, I love Grumpy Old Men and think it's a pretty good film. Those 2 made many movies together and were great friends so this is just a fun film. I am all for stupid, silly movies as you can tell on my post today so the last one looks funny. For once I see Tom Hardy without something freaky on his face .

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    1. The thing is, The Prestige becomes a completely different movie after you've seen it the first time, so it's endlessly rewatchable. It's the best kind of "twist" ending. This Means War is terrible, but I really enjoy it.

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  2. LOVE The Prestige! So clever and brooding, I even like Christian Bale in it and I usually don't. Sometimes a movie just fits so well in the theme you have to pick it again .

    I liked but didn't love Grumpy Old Men and only for precisely the reasons you mentioned-Lemmon, Matthau and Ann-Margret.

    I too really enjoyed This Mean War even if it is an empty enterprise because of the magnetism of the lead trio, though I detested Chelsea Handler and the film wasted Angela Bassett completely. The guys apartment was great as well.

    As you said they are tons of films to choose from this week so I didn't have to reach to far back to come up with my three.

    The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)-Lavish version of the Dumas story of rivalry over a woman, one friend’s betrayal of another leading to an island imprisonment and the revenge extracted upon escape by the Count of Monte Cristo. Excitingly directed with beautiful production design and two robust lead performances by Jim Caviezel and Guy Pearce. A just starting out Henry Cavill has a prominent role in the latter half of the film.

    Happy Gilmore (1996)-Temperamental and frustrated hockey player Happy Gilmore (Adam Sandler) discovers he needs to find some way to save his grandmother’s house. As he’s mocking someone for liking golf he finds he has a powerful swing and on a lark enters the PGA tour where he quickly incurs the enmity of a star of the circuit, Shooter McGavin (Christopher MacDonald). They become rivals for the prize with Shooter resorting to ever more drastic measures. Not a classic but from the period when Sandler was at least trying to make an effort to turn out entertaining films.

    The War of the Roses (1989)-Oliver and Barbara Rose (Michael Douglas & Kathleen Turner) were once a happily married couple and through the years have acquired a couple of kids, a comfortable life and a beautiful home. But those days are over and while the two freely admit they want out of their commitment to each other what neither wants is out of their house. So begins a fierce combative rivalry for sole ownership with the lengths each will go to escalating to fearsome heights to emerge the victor as their divorce attorney D’Amato (Danny DeVito) takes it all in from the sidelines.

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    1. "Movies That Waste Angela Bassett" is my least favorite genre, and also a far larger list than it should be. But still, I enjoy This Means War for reasons mostly unfathomable to me.

      I haven't seen this version of Count of Monte Cristo but it's such an evergreen story and nearly every version has something to recommend it. Personally, my current favorite is the DELICIOUS TV show Revenge, which basically only takes inspiration from Dumas, but is also much better than I ever would have thought it would be.

      Happy Gilmore is probably my favorite Sandler movie - it's very entertaining largely thanks to the supporting cast and Sandler keeping his mugging mostly in check. MOSTLY.

      I'm just realizing that I've never seen War of the Roses all the way through. I need to fix that since I really like what I've seen.

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  3. Feud is amazing!

    I love The Prestige, that's such a great movie. I liked Grumpy Old Men too when I was a kid but I haven't seen it in decades. (plural, omg I'm getting old) I never saw This Is War though.

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    1. This Means War is not really worth it, but I did enjoy it. I haven't seen Grumpy Old Men since it came out either. But I have such fond memories, especially of teasing my grandfather about which of the two characters was based on him lol.

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  4. YEEES! Even though Hardy doesn't have a beard he is so hot in this movie. And I love his scene with Rebel

    BUT THE PRESTIGE! HUGH! THAT TRAILER! God damn I love it so much

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    1. Really, Tom hardy is hot in pretty much everything, but give the man a gun and... WOOF!

      And speaking of woof... Hugh Jackman with a little stubble and in a tux... WOOOOOOOOOOOOF!

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  5. Good pick on The Prestige. It definitely explores male rivalry in a thorough fashion. I haven't seen Grumpy Old Men. It didn't appeal to me back when it came out so I just never bothered. So glad you put the "guilty pleasure alert" on This Means War because that movie is TERRIBLE.

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    1. It really, really is. This Means War, that is. But it still makes me laugh. I don't know why.

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  6. Replies
    1. I do not throw around that word lightly, but YES.

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