Foxcatcher

neutral · December 23, 2014, 09:19:27 AM

I don't think it's a matter of being too close to the sport to like any movies about it.

I think it's not really possible to make a movie that portrays the intensity of the sport (which I think is what most of us loved the most about it) in a movie format that is entertaining to the general public. A somewhat candidly shot documentary might be more representative of the sport - but not many ... other than wrestlers ... would watch it.

imnofish · December 23, 2014, 09:34:26 AM

Quote from: Ghetto on December 22, 2014, 11:45:19 PM
Quote from: littleguy301 on December 22, 2014, 10:47:58 PM
VisionQuest just simply rocks!!!!!

I thought Win/Win was just an awful story line with some good actors in it but I liked the wrestling in Win/Win.

I actually thought it was a good movie. I like Paul Giamatti though. The kid was a former wrestler who had a serious injury and couldnt keep wrestling.

I liked VisionQuest and Win/Win. I actually purchased a DVD of VQ. I don't recall ever watching Reversal, though. Giamatti is the bomb!

neutral · December 23, 2014, 09:53:43 AM

I still like VQ th best.
Didn't care for Win/Win at all (even though i like almost anything with Giamati).
Liked Legendary ... except for the pyrotechnics at the end ... and the kid being kinda goofy ... (good story though).

imnofish · December 23, 2014, 09:55:42 AM

Quote from: neutral on December 23, 2014, 09:19:27 AM
I don't think it's a matter of being too close to the sport to like any movies about it.

I think it's not really possible to make a movie that portrays the intensity of the sport (which I think is what most of us loved the most about it) in a movie format that is entertaining to the general public. A somewhat candidly shot documentary might be more representative of the sport - but not many ... other than wrestlers ... would watch it.

One thing that really hurts is that the Hollywood folks really don't fully understand the sport; then they really give viewers a superficial perspective of it, often technically inaccurate. To top it off, they believe that their film's marketability is primarily dependent upon a contrived, loosely-connected, interpersonal story line that comes off as being pretty hokey. To be fair, this is also done with other sports, because most of these Hollywood types couldn't differentiate between a jockstrap, a headgear, and a baseball bat.

bigG · December 23, 2014, 11:20:31 AM

Quote from: imnofish on December 23, 2014, 09:55:42 AM
Quote from: neutral on December 23, 2014, 09:19:27 AM
I don't think it's a matter of being too close to the sport to like any movies about it.

I think it's not really possible to make a movie that portrays the intensity of the sport (which I think is what most of us loved the most about it) in a movie format that is entertaining to the general public. A somewhat candidly shot documentary might be more representative of the sport - but not many ... other than wrestlers ... would watch it.

One thing that really hurts is that the Hollywood folks really don't fully understand the sport; then they really give viewers a superficial perspective of it, often technically inaccurate. To top it off, they believe that their film's marketability is primarily dependent upon a contrived, loosely-connected, interpersonal story line that comes off as being pretty hokey. To be fair, this is also done with other sports, because most of these Hollywood types couldn't differentiate between a jockstrap, a headgear, and a baseball bat.

Any sports movie has that "this ain't real" feel to it. Even friday Night Lights and Remember the Titans were football made for Hollywood.

Don't expect a bunch of directors and actors to "get it."

neutral · December 23, 2014, 12:26:52 PM

I don't know about that.

Hoosiers ... 42 ... the Replacements ... Brian's song ... Lake Placid ... Ali ... Cinderella Man ... the Fighter ... Raging Bull (all pretty decent at portraying the sports) - but those are sports most people have a "feel" for (other than Lake Placid ... and everybody over 35 relates to that one).

Wrestling is just different. No way you can get a feel for it ... without having experienced it.

bigG · December 23, 2014, 03:17:11 PM

Yes, but are you a basketball, pro-football, boxing connoisseur?

I might think those movies are right on the nuts. But maybe it's because I don't know as much about boxing, Basketball, pro football, etc.

You tend to pick apart your own sport a little more.

imnofish · December 23, 2014, 05:44:11 PM

Quote from: bigG on December 23, 2014, 03:17:11 PM
Yes, but are you a basketball, pro-football, boxing connoisseur?

I might think those movies are right on the nuts. But maybe it's because I don't know as much about boxing, Basketball, pro football, etc.

You tend to pick apart your own sport a little more.

+ 1 I agree, but I can also see where neutral is coming from, because the public has been vicariously overexposed to those sports (via visual media) that most of us mistakenly overestimate our understanding of them. You don't have to be an expert, in order to assume expertise.

neutral · December 23, 2014, 06:18:46 PM

Quote from: imnofish on December 23, 2014, 05:44:11 PM
Quote from: bigG on December 23, 2014, 03:17:11 PM
Yes, but are you a basketball, pro-football, boxing connoisseur?

I might think those movies are right on the nuts. But maybe it's because I don't know as much about boxing, Basketball, pro football, etc.

You tend to pick apart your own sport a little more.

I agree with both these points.

+ 1 I agree, but I can also see where neutral is coming from, because the public has been vicariously overexposed to those sports (via visual media) that most of us mistakenly overestimate our understanding of them. You don't have to be an expert, in order to assume expertise.