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Cinderella Man

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AeroGod

Member
I saw a sneak preview last night and it was awesome.

Immediatly after seeing it I was thinking early Academy Award front runner, but I wanted to wait a day before I saw Crash(another early favorite) before anything. Also, movies released this early in the year tend to get snubbed come award time for more recent movies in November and December :(

Anyways, I actually didnt think I was going to like it that much. Im not a HUGE Russel Crowe fan, I only really liked him in Gladiator and LA Confidential. And aside from Nurse Betty and Me, Myself, and Irene, I freaking hate Renee Zelweger and everything she has done. The only reasons I went to this is because 1.) It was free 2.) It was at a new theater I hadnt been to yet 3.) Paul Giamatti :D

The movie, simply put, is amazing. One of the better movies Ive seen in recent years. Everything from the cinematograpy to the depiction of the Depression and 1930's lifestyles was terrific. Russel Crowe, IMO, one of his best performances ever. Rene Zelweger, not half that bad and not really annoying(suprising). The supporting cast was amazing(Bruce McGilll bitch), and if Giamatti doesnt finally AT LEAST get a nomination I will burn Hollywood to the ground :p The boxing matches are well done and just put you on the edge of your seat. Seriously, some of the best filmed boxing matches ever.

The story is inspirational but not too sappy, the acting is great, the editing is brilliant.

After seeing Crash tonight, both movies are amazing, but I give the edge to Cinderella Man. Crash was a great movie, but there are SO many characters and its only an hour and half they hardly get much time to make any real impact. Russel Crowe's performance and the brutal Boxing matches make Cinderella Man a much more entertaining movie and stand out more. Crowe is pretty much a lock for an Actor nomination, Ron Howard MIGHT get director(its hard to say), Possibly a Best Picture(it would be funny to have back to back boxing winners with Million Dollar Baby and this), Rene Zelweger Id hate to see but I wouldnt be surprised. PAUL GIAMATTI MUST GET NOMINATED AT LEAST. He gets passed over on Sidways and American Splendor completely. This is his year, I hope.

What happened to Akiva Goldsman? He goes from shit like Batman and Robin and Lost in Space to this. @_@

Cinderella Man comes out June 3rd. Go see it
 
I saw a commercial a while back with Russell Crowe boxing with Gladiator music playing. I was sold right then. You've just made me more excited.
 

temp

posting on contract only
The trailer played before some movie I went to see and I swear someone laughed at the title. I figured it'd be too sappy so I wasn't looking forward to it much, but you just sold me on it.
 

Substance

Member
The positive reaction is good to hear. However, knowing the backlash over 'A Beautiful Mind', I suspect the ever-unfair GA population will give this a miss, and dismiss it as manipulative and with only Oscar in its sights.
 

Iceman

Member
Russel Crowe is basically the best actor in the business right now IMO.

This movie better than Crash?? I was interested before ... and I'm a little skeptical.. but I'll definitely give it a fair shake. How can you put Crowe and Giamatti in the same movie and not have an amazing film?
 

Dice

Pokémon Parentage Conspiracy Theorist
I saw the trailer a long time ago and it's been one of my most anticipated movies since.
 
I wasn't terribly excited by the trailer. Maybe it was all the "he brought a nation off its knees" crap in it. I'll probably see it, though. I did like Seabiscuit.
 
yea the trailer looked extremely sappy and sentimental i mean cmon "when america was on its knees blah blah blah"


....washed up boxer.....makes comback .....whole nation behind him ....wins championship....the end.
 

siege

Banned
I seriously threw up a little in my mouth at the trailer for this. The whole America was on it's knees and he inspired everyone crap is just pathetic.

I liked Backdraft and Apollo 13 to some degree, but aside from that Ron Howard has made nothing but crap. I don't exect it to change with this, despite being a fan of Russell Crowe's acting ability.
 

whytemyke

Honorary Canadian.
The movie probably will be in the list for oscar films this year. it'll be awesome, I think. and paul giamatti should finally be given his fucking due. I'm sick of him getting dicked over by people! HE RULES!
 

olimario

Banned
It's sappy, sure, but not every movie has to strive for perfect realism. This sure isn't.
It's a feel-good movie with some asshot acting from Crowe and Giamatti. Zellwigger seems awkward in her role, though.
 

Dice

Pokémon Parentage Conspiracy Theorist
I ignored that stuff, it's just the patriotic spin they put on everything these days. I liked the speech he made in the trailer.
 

olimario

Banned
Dice said:
I ignored that stuff, it's just the patriotic spin they put on everything these days. I liked the speech he made in the trailer.

The, "I like to think I have a say over our lives... that if something bad happens we can do something about it" one? What's wrong with that?
 

AeroGod

Member
Its not that sappy. It is in some parts, but the fact that a scmall scene of sappyness is followed by a 5 minute scene of two men brutally beating the shit out of each other helps :p

Crowe is just awesome in it, as is Giamatti.

Cinderella Man was a nickname the newspapers gave him, they even make a joke about in the movie about how it sounds

Reporter: "The newspapers are calling you "Cinderella Man". What do you think about that?

Jims Wife: " That sounds kinda girly. I like it.

*everyone laughs*

I think its a good title. Its not much worse then when announcer calls an underdog sports team season a "Cinderella Story"

As for it being better then Crash. I dont know, I think it was on some levels. Crash really made you think and was a very intelligent and thought provoking movie. Cinderella Man doesnt really do that. Its just entertaining, keeps you on the edge of your seat, and makes you feel sad and happy at different times. I guess I just prefer that type of movie

As for it being another American movie with "bringing America to its feet". You have to think about the setting. Braddok, like many Americans, was poor and had a family to try and take care of. Everyone was down on their luck. Then Braddok gets a lucky break in getting a quick boxing match after being decommissioned and makes it work and runs with it all the way to a title shot. All the other, poor immigrant Americans look up to him because of what he was able to do. He was no different, no better then any of them. It was an inspirational story to many like him that even though everyone was down from the Depression, there was still hope for everyone.
 

AeroGod

Member
Idioteque said:
I'm so sick of these types of movies.

I am too, however, I really liked Cinderella Man. I enjoyed the amazing boxing scenes, and the touch on the great depression lifestyles and hardships of Americans without over doing it or making it the central focus of the movie.
 

Dice

Pokémon Parentage Conspiracy Theorist
olimario said:
The, "I like to think I have a say over our lives... that if something bad happens we can do something about it" one? What's wrong with that?
That was part of it, I'm talking about the first trailer that's mostly him talking. It was really good, sans the "When america was on it's knees..." thing. It's certainly a hell of a lot more tasteful than the second trailer with that overplayed music from the movie about Bruce Lee.
 

Doube D

Member
just saw it. Fantastic move. Crowe is THE BEST actor in Hollywood right now. He is damn consistent w/ his performances and if it weren't for affirmative action, he would have had his second Oscar a long time ago.

To all haters, don't worry, bad taste is genetic, go watch episode 3 a few more times. ;p
 

cubanb

Banned
Just saw it, this movie was fantastic!!!!!!
The wad they portrayed the great depression was very well done. It really makes me thankful I live in times where heating my house is hardly my main concern, but more of an afterthought.
I loved the boxing scenes. The camera angles were great,especially from his POV. I even like the shots where it shows his xrays:).
GREAT MOVIE
 

Timbuktu

Member
whytemyke said:
The movie probably will be in the list for oscar films this year. it'll be awesome, I think. and paul giamatti should finally be given his fucking due. I'm sick of him getting dicked over by people! HE RULES!

Yeah, this film feels like it should have came out in the Oscar season, but it really can't be aiming for an Oscar with a release in June. It would probably had a lot better boxoffice with a winter release as well; the summer is not the time for sentimental stories.
 

refreshZ

Member
Fucking hell this film owned. A little dodgy on the details (Max Baer was made out to be an out and out VILLAIN, yet they neglected to say that the guy gave up the next 6 winnings he made to the family of the guy he killed in the ring - he even put the guy's kids through college). Other than that, a fantastic feel-good film. And I second Crowe's performance - he truly is one the greatest actors in Hollywood as is Giametti.
 

Brannon

Member
Woohoo late to the Oscar whoring.

I give it a thumbs up, if only for the fight scenes. Finally, a movie that does them RIGHT for a recent change compared to some of the action-packed blockbusters of late that like to copy "SAW".

What had me saying 'damn' though was the black and white footage of Baer Braddock was forced to watch. No sound, no speeding up, no close ups, no goddamned quickie-shakie cam, and yet it actually looked like it did fatal damage to the opponent in question.

Come on Hollywood, bring them back. Bring back more of the real fights. You don't have to choreograph them, but fuck the MTV bullshit.

Bring. Them. Back.
 
The movie looks awesome, but Giamatti seems really out of place in a period picture. Maybe it's because he's sporting his Pig Vomit/real life accent.
 
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