Brief Synopsis (from Netflix)
There's not much to do in the windswept Texas hamlet of Anarene, where the town's only cinema is about to close forever. So high schoolers Sonny (Timothy Bottoms) and Duane (Jeff Bridges) lust after incorrigible flirt Jacy Farrow (Cybill Shepherd) while trying to chart their uncertain futures. When Duane heads for Korea after joining the service and Jacy gets shipped off to college, Sonny is left behind in a veritable ghost town.
Jason
Thank God, I'm glad I weren't on fire - I would've burned to death before you got one button undone.
This movie was not at all like I expected. The first thing that I noticed was its complete lack of plot. Don't let the synopsis above fool you. Nothing really happened in this movie. This doesn't necessarily make it a bad movie, just not a movie I could watch more then once.
I was trying to think of a movies that this compares to and the first one that comes to mind is Porky's, but that movie just has some similarities in its plot. A less obvious comparison that I realized is actually more relevant is From Dusk Till Dawn. You might be saying how does that make any sense. Well I know that Mexico and gangsters have nothing to do with sex and Texas, but they both use the same plot device. Half way through these two movies they completely change genres. I won't give away the twist for From Dusk Till Dawn, but in The Last Picture Show is goes from a teen sex comedy to a serious drama. Unlike in From Dusk Till Dawn where I loved the change, I thought this one didn't not help the movie at all, maybe even ruining the parts that I did like.
Final Thoughts- The first half of this movie is definitely enjoyable. We were all laughing and having a good time while watching what was a pretty good sex comedy. Then the main characters went to Mexico and the movie lost all of the humor that made it charming and a good time. This change killed its momentum and made the movie seem to drag on and on and on. I think if this movie picked a genre and stuck with it it would have been a better movie, maybe even top 100 worthy, but as it stands now it does not belong.
Alfredo
Nothin's really been right since Sam the Lion died.
First thing's first. SPOILER ALERT! I am going to spoil a few parts of this movie because that synopsis up top is ridiculous.
The very first line, "There's not much to do in the windswept hamlet of Anarene" is an understatement. Apparently if you're a teenager and male there's nothing to do but go to the pool hall and try to get laid and if you're a woman there's nothing to do but try to get laid by a more eligible person than the last. Calling Jacey an incorrigible flirt seems wrong. Town bicycle seems more appropriate. Finally, the bit about Duane going to Korea, Jacey to college and the local cinema closing soon? Yeah none of these actually happen UNTIL THE LAST FIFTEEN MINUTES OF THE MOVIE!
Sorry, that previous paragraph had nothing to really do with my review. I actually really liked the movie. It just seemed off to me. I actually really like coming of age movies and this one seems like the quintessential coming of age movie. I saw a bit of Breakfast Club in this, not to mention SLC Punk and even a little bit of Porky's. Yes I'm aware that these movies all have pretty much the same damn plot just with different characters but still I like them.
Like most movies in it's genre this movie is essentially without a plot and about nothing. We follow the main character Sonny through a year in the life of his town. A town where nothing really exciting happens except for the occasional naked pool party or roll in the hay with Frau Blücher and still it manages to get exciting at times.
It takes place during the 50's so the decision to film the movie in black and white opposed to color made the movie feel worn. It also gives the town a duller and more pathetic feel to it. There were times when I really just wanted the movie to end, not because I was tired of the film but because I wanted to escape the damn village.
The one real complaint I have with the movie is that is that the supporting character of Genevieve (Mrs. Peacock) was one of the more interesting characters but sadly didn't get much screen time.
Final Thoughts - I can understand the appeal that this movie could have for people and I did like it myself. Again I like the whole angsty teen drama genre but I could think of several better movies in the genre to replace this movie. They may not be as all-encompassing as this film was, but they're certainly more interesting and entertaining.
Angel
*squeak* *squeak* *squeak*
Do you know in TV when there is supposed to be this really awkward moment, you hear crickets in the background. Well that pretty much describes the entirety of the film. One big awkward moment.
Which is really funny to say because for the majority of the film, i would have to say that I really enjoyed the film. At the start of the film there were boobs, lots and lots of boobs. Which is great because I, like most other men, love boobs. But other than that and the main character sleeping with his coaches wife, and the grandfather character dying, not much happened.
I keep repeating that nothing happened, partly because it is true and partly because I have to say that for a film where nothing is happening, it is shot remarkably well. It was never boring or lame, it just kinda was.
The film did great at giving the viewer plenty of time to reminisce about their own youth and how it was similar or how it varied. It always took note of what a teenagers point of view truly was.
Final Thoughts-
I could go on and on about how nothing happened it the film, but the truth of the matter is that something did happen. Life happened. It was done in a way that never really made the film look like a film. It was like watching a year in the life of a teenager. I think it was done wonderfully for it being such a plain film. I still feel like there would have been better choices for this catagory and still can not wait to see what is next.
Bryan
"If she was here I'd probably be just as crazy now as I was then in about 5 minutes. Ain't that ridiculous?... Naw, it ain't really. 'Cause being crazy about a woman like her is always the right thing to do. Being an old decrepit bag of bones, that's what's ridiculous. Gettin' old."
Meh
This was a decent movie. I was entertained through much of it. But I simply don't see anything here that has the potential to knock my socks off. The movie was disappointing, because I expect a certain special quality in a movie for it to be touted as a top 100 contender, even this low on the list. But there was simply nothing here that left a lasting impression.
It was suggested during our discussion that this movie may be on the list because it was groundbreaking- that it set the stage for sex-driven coming of age movies for years to come. I don't know enough about the film industry to know if this is true. But even if it is, I come back to the assertion I made during Toy Story: simply being first doesn't make it the best. And the best is what belongs on the list.
I don't want to say the movie doesn't have redeeming points. Some of the acting was great- Eileen Brennan as the waitress in the diner grabbed all my attention every time she was on screen, which was all the more impressive because her role as scripted was short and rather meaningless. Cloris Leachman (forever Frau Blucher in my mind) was effective as a melancholy coach's wife who cheats with the main character, only to be spurned for a younger woman. And Cybill Shepherd was phenomenal, considering this was her first role in Hollywood. She managed to make the character both enticing and loathsome, and I found myself being both attracted to her and disgusted by her. That wasn't an easy role to portray, and being able to do so was crucial to the film.
The choice to film in black in white was interesting and effective. The skinny dipping scene was given an interesting perspective, combining the youthful exuberance with the aged impression that monochrome lends. It was different, and enjoyable.
This wasn't a garbage film, but simply does not live up to the quality I demand for a movie to make the list. It's worth noting that while contemplating this movie, my review of Yankee Doodle Dandy came to mind. If there's a film on this list that may slip under my radar and still have the kind of "magic" that Dandy did, this would be it. The movie simply didn't speak to me, but I wonder whether the fact that it didn't speak to me personally was getting in the way. I'm not a Midwestern or Southern small town boy (none of us are, we though tumbleweed rolling across the set was hilarious, which ruined our emotional lead in to a death scene). And movies that inspire melancholy angst are not my cup of tea. But was I missing out on a great experience because I didn't share the background?
Final Thoughts- No. In the end it came down to the fact that I simply would not suggest this movie to anyone else. Perhaps the movie may be inspiring to those that share it's context, but a truly powerful movie pulls all of audiences in, finding its power in its ability to communicate things that would be hard to otherwise. This movie falls short, and there are much more effective examples.
Angel
*squeak* *squeak* *squeak*
Do you know in TV when there is supposed to be this really awkward moment, you hear crickets in the background. Well that pretty much describes the entirety of the film. One big awkward moment.
Which is really funny to say because for the majority of the film, i would have to say that I really enjoyed the film. At the start of the film there were boobs, lots and lots of boobs. Which is great because I, like most other men, love boobs. But other than that and the main character sleeping with his coaches wife, and the grandfather character dying, not much happened.
I keep repeating that nothing happened, partly because it is true and partly because I have to say that for a film where nothing is happening, it is shot remarkably well. It was never boring or lame, it just kinda was.
The film did great at giving the viewer plenty of time to reminisce about their own youth and how it was similar or how it varied. It always took note of what a teenagers point of view truly was.
Final Thoughts-
I could go on and on about how nothing happened it the film, but the truth of the matter is that something did happen. Life happened. It was done in a way that never really made the film look like a film. It was like watching a year in the life of a teenager. I think it was done wonderfully for it being such a plain film. I still feel like there would have been better choices for this catagory and still can not wait to see what is next.
Bryan
"If she was here I'd probably be just as crazy now as I was then in about 5 minutes. Ain't that ridiculous?... Naw, it ain't really. 'Cause being crazy about a woman like her is always the right thing to do. Being an old decrepit bag of bones, that's what's ridiculous. Gettin' old."
Meh
This was a decent movie. I was entertained through much of it. But I simply don't see anything here that has the potential to knock my socks off. The movie was disappointing, because I expect a certain special quality in a movie for it to be touted as a top 100 contender, even this low on the list. But there was simply nothing here that left a lasting impression.
It was suggested during our discussion that this movie may be on the list because it was groundbreaking- that it set the stage for sex-driven coming of age movies for years to come. I don't know enough about the film industry to know if this is true. But even if it is, I come back to the assertion I made during Toy Story: simply being first doesn't make it the best. And the best is what belongs on the list.
I don't want to say the movie doesn't have redeeming points. Some of the acting was great- Eileen Brennan as the waitress in the diner grabbed all my attention every time she was on screen, which was all the more impressive because her role as scripted was short and rather meaningless. Cloris Leachman (forever Frau Blucher in my mind) was effective as a melancholy coach's wife who cheats with the main character, only to be spurned for a younger woman. And Cybill Shepherd was phenomenal, considering this was her first role in Hollywood. She managed to make the character both enticing and loathsome, and I found myself being both attracted to her and disgusted by her. That wasn't an easy role to portray, and being able to do so was crucial to the film.
The choice to film in black in white was interesting and effective. The skinny dipping scene was given an interesting perspective, combining the youthful exuberance with the aged impression that monochrome lends. It was different, and enjoyable.
This wasn't a garbage film, but simply does not live up to the quality I demand for a movie to make the list. It's worth noting that while contemplating this movie, my review of Yankee Doodle Dandy came to mind. If there's a film on this list that may slip under my radar and still have the kind of "magic" that Dandy did, this would be it. The movie simply didn't speak to me, but I wonder whether the fact that it didn't speak to me personally was getting in the way. I'm not a Midwestern or Southern small town boy (none of us are, we though tumbleweed rolling across the set was hilarious, which ruined our emotional lead in to a death scene). And movies that inspire melancholy angst are not my cup of tea. But was I missing out on a great experience because I didn't share the background?
Final Thoughts- No. In the end it came down to the fact that I simply would not suggest this movie to anyone else. Perhaps the movie may be inspiring to those that share it's context, but a truly powerful movie pulls all of audiences in, finding its power in its ability to communicate things that would be hard to otherwise. This movie falls short, and there are much more effective examples.
Angel... best review ever: "boobs, lots and lots of boobs."
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