movies

[ghostrunner]

Here's an interesting question. Which of these movies would you call Best Picture, with the benefit of hindsight? Or how would you rank them?

American Beauty
The Insider
The Sixth Sense
Cider House Rules
The Green Mile
Office Space

My point here is fairly obvious. Comedies will always get jobbed. If you had suggested Office Space among these back in the day, you'd have been laughed at. But why not? Which of these movies resonates more today? Does anyone remember Green Mile or the Insider, or Cider House Rules? I actually liked Cider House Rules somewhat, but no way is it better than Office Space. Personally I'd put it over American Beauty, though I know most probably disagree.

Of course, I'd put Fight Club or maybe Three Kings over Office Space, but this dismissal of comedies always irks me.

[clement]

I have no problem with comedies being nominated. But they gotta at least be sorta funny.

Office Space is a bad, bad movie. And it's an even worse comedy. (in my opinion, of course )

[ghostrunner]

I have no problem with comedies being nominated. But they gotta at least be sorta funny.

Office Space is a bad, bad movie. And it's an even worse comedy. (in my opinion, of course )

I agree it's extremely rough, and the acting isn't great in some cases. But I think it's very funny and actually has something to say.

I don't know if it's the movie I hear quoted the most, but it's easily in the top 5. There's got to be some reason for that, especially considering it wasn't very popular when it was released.

[wart57]

I thought The Green Mile was a great movie.

[JackofDiamonds]

Go see "Away We Go." Hilarious, touching, and a refreshing story about two people who are in love at the start of the movie, remain in love throughout the movie, and are still in love at the end of the movie. John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph are the couple, and the supporting cast includes Jeff Daniels, Catherine O'Hara, and Maggie Gyllenhaal. Great film.

I can't tell if you're being serious, but that really does sound refreshing. Sort of like Before Sunrise/Before Sunset without the 10 years apart thing.

Yep, definitely serious. Krasinski and Rudolph are great in the lead roles, and it was fun to watch the interaction of a couple that genuinely enjoys each other's company. The premise is that they find out they're going to have a baby, and because their jobs don't tie them to a particular location, they start scouting around for places to live: Arizona, Wisconsin, Montreal, etc. Hilarity ensures, although the film is not without its poignant moments.

I'm interested for the Dave Eggers connection.

/he is connected, isn't he?

Wrote the screenplay with his wife if I remember correctly. I had tickets to see a premier in Boston that Eggers was doing a Q&A for afterwards, ending up bagging on it because a friend came in town...and the cast showed up to pester Eggers afterwards.

[Freed Roger]

I have no problem with comedies being nominated. But they gotta at least be sorta funny.

Office Space is a bad, bad movie. And it's an even worse comedy. (in my opinion, of course )

I agree - that movie was so bad, that I have no recollection of Jennifer Aniston being in it.

[ghostrunner]

I thought The Green Mile was a great movie.

It's okay, but it's a little cliched. This in particular:

The magical negro is typically but not always "in some way outwardly or inwardly disabled, either by discrimination, disability or social constraint," often a janitor or prisoner.[5] He has no past; he simply appears one day to help the white protagonist.[6] He sometimes fits the black stereotype, "prone to criminality and laziness."[7] To counterbalance this, he has some sort of magical power, "rather vaguely defined but not the sort of thing one typically encounters."[6] He is patient and wise, often dispensing various words of wisdom, and is "closer to the earth."[2]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magical_negro

[docellis]

I have no problem with comedies being nominated. But they gotta at least be sorta funny.

Office Space is a bad, bad movie. And it's an even worse comedy. (in my opinion, of course )

I agree - that movie was so bad, that I have no recollection of Jennifer Aniston being in it.

I loved that movie. Jennifer Aniston was the "star"s girlfriend. She was a waitress at a TJI Friday type place that insisted she wear at least 30 pieces of "flair".

[InvincibleCakeEater]

I have no problem with comedies being nominated. But they gotta at least be sorta funny.

Office Space is a bad, bad movie. And it's an even worse comedy. (in my opinion, of course )

I agree - that movie was so bad, that I have no recollection of Jennifer Aniston being in it.

I loved that movie. Jennifer Aniston was the "star"s girlfriend. She was a waitress at a TJI Friday type place that insisted she wear at least 30 pieces of "flair".

spoiler alert

[stlouie_lipp]

I have no problem with comedies being nominated. But they gotta at least be sorta funny.

Office Space is a bad, bad movie. And it's an even worse comedy. (in my opinion, of course )

I agree - that movie was so bad, that I have no recollection of Jennifer Aniston being in it.

I loved that movie.

Me too.