Movie Walrus: LeVar Goes To The Pictures Part II - Electric Boogaloo... THE REVEAL

Also Starring LeVar Burton

1st place and 16 pts to

osh

Paper Moon (1973)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070510/

IMDB wrote:

During the Great Depression, a con man finds himself saddled with a young girl who may or may not be his daughter, and the two forge an unlikely partnership.

Have I Seen It Before: No

LeVar's Approval Rating: 100%

Review:
If I didn't know beforehand that this was made in the 1970s, I most likely would have assumed it was filmed in the 1930s or 1940s ; it certainly wouldn't feel out of place alongside films of Hollywood's Golden Age despite being made at a much later date. Long story short, I absolutely adored it, exactly my kind of film, and they really don't make them much better than this as far as I'm concerned. The story, the setting, the cinematography, the acting, the style, the perfect balance of humour and sincerity, I'd really struggle to find anything negative to say about it. Tatum O'Neal absolutely stole the show with her performance, but Ryan O'Neal was equally impressive and it was interesting watching a real life daughter and father play these characters. I actually regret reading up on their personal lives after watching the film, because it soured the feel-good high I was on throughout the movie, but that's neither here nor there in regards to my enjoyment of the film itself of course. It's discovering gems like this that made me want to do another Movie Walrus so soon after both my LeVar Goes To The Movies debut and the TV Walrus I undertook not long after that. Excellent choice, and one of the main highlights of the entire Walrus ; and I'm saying that while only half way through watching the second round...

JP Liz V1

Also Starring LeVar Burton wrote: »

Which means either JP Liz V1 or osh is about to knock this out of the park, as I gave the top film in this round 100% approval...
The other just about scraped 22% from me... but what can I say, other than I can be a harsh critic at times... :pac::pac::pac:

:( Whoops

I do think Freddie Highmore is an excellent actor

I kinda see August Rush as an updated music modern take on Oliver Twist

Also Starring LeVar Burton

So after two impressive rounds, Arghus takes a well deserved lead, but strong starts from cee_jay, Rikand, and osh see them not too far behind.

Liz, Aris, and Alfred somewhat stumble out of the gate at the other end of things, but there's still plenty of Walrus to play and it can all change

Contender Sequels Kids/Animals Sports Ladies Double #1 Double #2 Total
Arghus 16 15 31
cee_jay 15 13 28
Rikand 12 14 26
osh 9 16 25
Sawduck 14 8 22
the purple tin 13 7 20
Necro 5 11 16
Kolido 6 10 16
aaronjennings 7 9 16
ShaneU 11 5 16
mustang shelly 3 12 15
Reberetta 8 6 14
Electric Nitwit 11 2 13
Alfred Borden 4 3 7
Irish Aris 1 4 5
JP Liz V1 2 1 3


Will be doing the Round 3 Reveal: A Question of Sport tomorrow afternoon about 3pm and then Round 4 Reveal: Ladies Night about 9pm once Kolido has finished his own Walrus reveal for the evening...

Electric Nitwit

Also Starring LeVar Burton wrote: »

Excellent choice, and one of the main highlights of the entire Walrus ; and I'm saying that while only half way through watching the second round...

Wow! Well played osh, I'll have to add that to my list (I think I've managed one film this year, it may take a while )

Also Starring LeVar Burton

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

:( Whoops

I do think Freddie Highmore is an excellent actor

I kinda see August Rush as an updated music modern take on Oliver Twist

There were definitely elements of that (those were the bits I quite enjoyed), but overall just didn't do it for me...

Unfortunate Liz, but there's always tomorrow's rounds, and at the end of the day who really cares what I think...

Sawduck

Paper Moon was wonderful, great choice

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Electric Nitwit wrote: »

Wow! Well played osh, I'll have to add that to my list (I think I've managed one film this year, it may take a while )

***check notes***

100+ so far...

Electric Nitwit

Also Starring LeVar Burton wrote: »

***check notes***

100+ so far...

Good work! I do love my films, but life has been a bit crazy this year. Looking forward to getting back to the cinema later in the year, there's a few trailers that have really whet my appetite (Last Night in Soho and Reminiscence in particular)

JP Liz V1

Sawduck wrote: »

Paper Moon was wonderful, great choice

I never seen it, I believe though Tatum O'Neal won an Oscar, youngest ever winner

the purple tin

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

I never seen it, I believe though Tatum O'Neal won an Oscar, youngest ever winner

Really? I always though no child had ever wona an oscar, mostly they won't even get nominated.

Arghus

Anna Paquin got one for The Piano as well when she was 11.

JP Liz V1

Also Starring LeVar Burton wrote: »

There were definitely elements of that (those were the bits I quite enjoyed), but overall just didn't do it for me...
Unfortunate Liz, but there's always tomorrow's rounds, and at the end of the day who really cares what I think...

I do hope I at least submitted one you liked and enjoyed

osh

Great to see Paper Moon was new to you Le Var, and anyone else who hasn't seen it. Its a wonderful movie, and great acting.

osh

Yeah Tatum O'Neal won best supporting Oscar - youngest ever, 10 years old

the purple tin

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

I never seen it, I believe though Tatum O'Neal won an Oscar, youngest ever winner

Arghus wrote: »

Anna Paquin got one for The Piano as well when she was 11.

osh wrote: »

Yeah Tatum O'Neal won best supporting Oscar - youngest ever, 10 years old

Aha, I was reading an article about how children never get best actor oscars- they might win supporting actor even though they were clearly the main star in the film.

osh

She probably deserved it that year alright, from what I've read.

Looked it up out of curiosity.

Youngest best actor was Adrian Brody (29) in The Pianist , and best actress was Marlee Matlin (21), Children of a Lesser God

Arghus

Quvenzhané Wallis was nominated for Best Actress back in 2013 when was nine. Though she didn't win, of course.

JP Liz V1

Abigail Breslin received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress at the age 10 for Little Miss Sunshine

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Had a read back of the reviews there for the first two rounds (yeah, yeah, if I had done that before I posted the reveals, I could've edited them, but whatever :pac:) and it's worth pointing out that my reviews get a bit lazier as the tournament goes on, I didn't remember being so cut-throat in some of the reviews (apologies to those who bore the brunt of my venom and remember to take it all with a pinch of salt since I like being overly dramatic ), and I definitely contradict some minor things I've said in other reviews later in the tournament, but that's just how I roll...

Hope you all enjoyed the reveal tonight anyway.

JP Liz V1

LeVar a great enjoyable double reveal, I have some new movies I need to see

the purple tin

Drat! I thought of a great film for the children and animals category. Hunt For The Wilderpeople.

I always remember loads of them when it's too late :mad:

Also Starring LeVar Burton

the purple tin wrote: »

Drat! I thought of a great film for the children and animals category. Hunt For The Wilderpeople.

I always remember loads of them when it's too late :mad:

That would've done pretty well. I love Hunt For the Wilderpeople.

cee_jay

the purple tin wrote: »

Drat! I thought of a great film for the children and animals category. Hunt For The Wilderpeople.

I always remember loads of them when it's too late :mad:

I was reading this round and thinking why didn't I nominate this or Jojo Rabbit. Still very happy with my choice though!

Rikand

Really glad you liked Hot Shots! It's a movie that delivers on so many levels but most of all the laughing out loud level. Always loved that Ryan Stiles of Who's line is it Anyway fame is in it..... "It's locked, from the inside...."

And sure I couldnt not submit Home Alone

Kolido

Great reveal LeVar, a lot of shows I've not seen listed.

A few dollars more, Im a big Eastwood fan and this is my favourite from the dollar trilogy, although it is not really a sequal. Could have went with something obvious but wanted to pick one you might not have seen. I would agree with your point on van cleef, he makes the movie, such a cool character.

Cujo, only even seen it once, some years back and remembered liking it. I probably could have picked better here but couldnt think of much that wasnt completely mainstream.

Looking forward to the next rounds.

the purple tin

Rikand wrote: »

Really glad you liked Hot Shots! It's a movie that delivers on so many levels but most of all the laughing out loud level. Always loved that Ryan Stiles of Who's line is it Anyway fame is in it..... "It's locked, from the inside...."

And sure I couldnt not submit Home Alone

Lloyd Bridges was great in them films as the brainless (literally) officer.



'What time is the mission tomorrow?'
'Oh-700, Sir'
'OK, wake me up around, oh... six thirty'
The big showdown between him and and Sadaam was a hoot as well.

Bridges and Leslie Nielsen started doing comedy roles after Airplane. They were straight, macho type actors before that which was what the directors wanted rather than comedy actors.
In fact Nielsen always said he wasn't a comedy actor, he played straight characters who are oblivious to all the mad stuff going on around them.

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Reminder, we've got a matinee performance this afternoon...

3pm is Round 3: A Question of Sport

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjL7D33xpS4

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Had quite a few duplicate entries in this round, so only 13 unique films making an appearance this afternoon... As always starting from the middle outwards...

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Joined in 7th place with 10 pts each are

the purple tin

and

cee_jay

Invictus (2009)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1057500/

IMDB wrote:

Nelson Mandela, in his first term as President of South Africa, initiates a unique venture to unite the Apartheid-torn land: enlist the national rugby team on a mission to win the 1995 Rugby World Cup.

Have I Seen It Before: No

LeVar's Approval Rating: 86%

Review:
I've given out about his acting several times throughout the Walrus, but this time around I will be heaping some praise on Clint Eastwood, who refrained from giving himself a role in this one and just stuck to the Directorial duties, which paid off on spades ; much easier to make a great film when you focus on directing instead of wanderin about in the limelight chewing the scenery. It's hard to go too far wrong with Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon in the leading roles, but the entire cast do a great job, and it's a brilliant feel-good story, enhanced further by the fact it's based on actual events. One of those films that I always meant to get around to seeing long before now, but tended to get buried further and further down my watchlist as newer and shinier films came along, so very glad to have been prodded into watching it finally. It was a very easy watch as well for a film of its length ; I often find that films over two hours long can sometimes drag a bit, but this one absolutely flew by. The top half of this round I've rated very highly, and on this occasion I just enjoyed the other films above this that little bit more.

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Joined in 8th place with 8 points each are

Necro

and

Kolido

Million Dollar Baby (2004)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0405159/

IMDB wrote:

A determined woman works with a hardened boxing trainer to become a professional.

Have I Seen It Before: No

LeVar's Approval Rating: 82%

Review:
A really great story, and an otherwise perfect cast, dragged down (and not for the first time in this Walrus) by Clint Eastwood's acting performance. With a different actor in one of the leading roles, this film could have easily rated in the high 90s for me, but in case you didn't hear me the first few reviews I mentioned it in, Clint Eastwood is not an actor I have a lot of time for. I'm not going to say he can't act, because he suits the Spaghetti Western hero for which he's best known, and he's grand in those, but in a film like this you need actors who have a lot of range and can do more than three facial expressions ; Eastwood can only do "Grimacing", "Squinting", and "Grimacing while Squinting". As a director, big Clint is alright, hasn't blown me away or anything with his directorial skills, but I've no problem with him being behind the camera, I just don't want to see him on-screen anymore. That all said, the rest of the cast manage to bring their best to the table which keeps my distaste for the old Cowboy at bay enough to allow me still give the film a fairly decent rating, as overall it is a good movie. Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman are superb, Jay Baruchel is a delight, some big name actors that I very much enjoy in some of the smaller roles, and of course we also have a couple of scenes with Margo Martindale aka. the greatest character actor to have ever worked in the TV and Film industry (that's a BoJack Horseman reference, to anyone sitting there scratching their heads wondering why I'm making such a big deal about someone who has less than five minutes screen-time). In short, could've been a contender to top the list in this round were it not for my dislike of Clint Eastwood as an actor.