So I finally saw Good Will Hunting

Darth SS · 10-12-2011, 07:36 PM

I finally saw Good Will Hunting today. And..um...wow. That is an incredibly good movie. It's really moving. What I wasn't prepared for? That scene on the bench with Robin Williams. Just that exchange punched me in the chest in a way that I haven't been punched since I saw Life Is Beautiful. First of all, I wasn't aware that Robin Williams was a bonafide actor in that way, and wow what a powerful scene.

My friends have recommended that I see "The Road" next, but I'm worried that it may be too sad to watch all the way through.

What are some movies that you guys took years, if not decades, to finally see? Especially the ones that at the very end you said "Holy crap that was amazing."

Magus · 10-12-2011, 07:49 PM

Don't watch The Road, read The Road. The book is about a hundred times better than the movie. Even though it's a pretty good movie and accurate to the events of the book, Cormac McCarthy's use of language and poetic prose is something that has to be experienced. I say the same of No Country For Old Man, as amazing as the movie was the book was even more amazing.

As for Good Will Hunting, while the travails of a wunderkind engaged in the day-to-day drudgery of janitorial work because...he hates himself and has low self-esteem, I think was what it was? Because of child abuse he suffered when younger.

While that was all pretty novel at the time upon repeated viewings I've become jaded towards this movie. Matt Damon is kind of annoying if you really think about it--he can do doctorate level mathematics but ultimately chooses to go be a hippie in California or chase after a girl or something. Like I'm sure he can get a job at UCLA Berkeley or something but still, part of the theme seemed to be about not wasting your potential, but the ending kind of implies that wasting your potential is what Matt Damon is totally going to go do now, or at least that was the impression I got.

Also Boston accents are actually horrifically grating and annoying. I hate to tell this to everyone from Boston but the rest of us actually hate you and and wish you would die, because of this movie (also The Departed and The Town and anything involving Ben Affleck). So if you are actually from Boston you should hate the shit out of this movie.

Seil · 10-12-2011, 08:29 PM

Go watch The Dead Poets Society.

The Sevenshot Kid · 10-12-2011, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magus

I've become jaded towards this movie.

Hey, Magus. It's not your fault. It's not your fault.

It's not your fault.

Darth SS · 10-12-2011, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Sevenshot Kid

Hey, Magus. It's not your fault. It's not your fault.

It's not your fault.

Yes it is. Don't treat him like people.

Also, Dead Poets Society may be the next in line after "The Road." I mean assuming I don't just watch "X-Men: First Class" and "Captain America" a bajillion times after "The Road" to counteract the pure sad.

Amake · 10-13-2011, 03:05 AM

The movie doesn't say not to waste your potential, professor Lambeau does. Sean argues that it's more important to have a personally fulfilling life, and we're free to decide who is right. Sean is a skilled psychologist who may actually understand something about how humans work, but on the other hand Lambeau is one of the most successful and influential mathematicians of our time. Will listens to Sean in the end, but I don't think that's any indication that we're supposed to.

Also, I'm going to watch the movie now.

PS. The Community parody where Troy discovers he's a natural plumbing genius asks some interesting questions I think. If you have the potential to be better than anyone else in the world at something, to completely redefine the field, do you have a responsibility to do that even if it's a field most people pay good money to not have to involve themselves with? It's not that plumbing isn't a useful science, it's like a third of the infrastructure of modern civilization, but it's not glamorous, it won't make you rich, and no matter how prodigiously gifted you may be there's little chance of revolutionizing plumbing in any meaningful way. Plumbers may see it differently though.

Betty Elms · 10-13-2011, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magus

Don't watch The Road, read The Road. The book is about a hundred times better than the movie. Even though it's a pretty good movie and accurate to the events of the book, Cormac McCarthy's use of language and poetic prose is something that has to be experienced. I say the same of No Country For Old Man, as amazing as the movie was the book was even more amazing.

Yeah, The Road is a good movie, but living up to a McCarthy novel is a hell of a job. The main reasons it's worth seeing are the production design is pretty great (the end of the world looks even bleaker than the book had prompted me to imagine), and you get to watch Viggo Mortenson act his balls off.

On the topic of living up to a McCarthy novel and No Country for Old Men, I actually liked the movie more than the book in that instance. With the book you get the pleasure of McCarthy doing some brilliant work as per usual. But with the movie you get just about EVERY SINGLE PERSON INVOLVED IN THE PRODUCTION doing brilliant work. The Coens have pretty much mastered the mechanics of filmmaking by now to such a degree that I just assume that they've insufflated the ground up remains of Hitchcock and/or Welles and now shit celluloid.

Kim · 10-13-2011, 08:58 PM

I saw the movie of No Country for Old Men and loved it. Read the Road and loved it. I should probably see Good Will Hunting.

The Sevenshot Kid · 10-13-2011, 09:02 PM

If you're like me and you read The Walking Dead before watching The Road then you probably hated it. Rick Grimes and co. had to deal with real problems!

The Sevenshot Kid · 10-13-2011, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Liz

I saw the movie of No Country for Old Men and loved it.

Shit, you liked that too?! That's awesome!

10-12-2011, 07:49 PM	#2
Magus Archer and Armstrong vs. the World Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 7,164	Don't watch The Road, read The Road. The book is about a hundred times better than the movie. Even though it's a pretty good movie and accurate to the events of the book, Cormac McCarthy's use of language and poetic prose is something that has to be experienced. I say the same of No Country For Old Man, as amazing as the movie was the book was even more amazing. As for Good Will Hunting, while the travails of a wunderkind engaged in the day-to-day drudgery of janitorial work because...he hates himself and has low self-esteem, I think was what it was? Because of child abuse he suffered when younger. While that was all pretty novel at the time upon repeated viewings I've become jaded towards this movie. Matt Damon is kind of annoying if you really think about it--he can do doctorate level mathematics but ultimately chooses to go be a hippie in California or chase after a girl or something. Like I'm sure he can get a job at UCLA Berkeley or something but still, part of the theme seemed to be about not wasting your potential, but the ending kind of implies that wasting your potential is what Matt Damon is totally going to go do now, or at least that was the impression I got. Also Boston accents are actually horrifically grating and annoying. I hate to tell this to everyone from Boston but the rest of us actually hate you and and wish you would die, because of this movie (also The Departed and The Town and anything involving Ben Affleck). So if you are actually from Boston you should hate the shit out of this movie. __________________ The Valiant Review

10-13-2011, 03:05 AM	#6
Amake Keeper of the new Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: A place without judgment Posts: 4,506	The movie doesn't say not to waste your potential, professor Lambeau does. Sean argues that it's more important to have a personally fulfilling life, and we're free to decide who is right. Sean is a skilled psychologist who may actually understand something about how humans work, but on the other hand Lambeau is one of the most successful and influential mathematicians of our time. Will listens to Sean in the end, but I don't think that's any indication that we're supposed to. Also, I'm going to watch the movie now. PS. The Community parody where Troy discovers he's a natural plumbing genius asks some interesting questions I think. If you have the potential to be better than anyone else in the world at something, to completely redefine the field, do you have a responsibility to do that even if it's a field most people pay good money to not have to involve themselves with? It's not that plumbing isn't a useful science, it's like a third of the infrastructure of modern civilization, but it's not glamorous, it won't make you rich, and no matter how prodigiously gifted you may be there's little chance of revolutionizing plumbing in any meaningful way. Plumbers may see it differently though. __________________ Hope insistent, trust implicit, love inherent, life immersed Last edited by Amake; 10-13-2011 at 03:26 AM.

10-13-2011, 08:58 PM	#8
Kim adorable Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 12,950	I saw the movie of No Country for Old Men and loved it. Read the Road and loved it. I should probably see Good Will Hunting. __________________ this post is about how to successfully H the Kimmy

10-12-2011, 08:29 PM	#3
Seil Super stressed! Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: British Columbia Posts: 8,081	Go watch The Dead Poets Society.