Seabiscuit (sphinx approves)

[sphinx]

although i can't say i'm looking forward to the movie, i like the excess of mud and the lack of tobey maguire's face.  well done resisting the temptation, universal.

edit: thanks macg

[Gold Trumpet]

Grapevine material. Poster is ok. I think I may enjoy this movie but have little expectations as it being serious work. I keep on thinking of Antoine Fisher when thinking of this movie.

~rougerum

[sphinx]

i feel sorry for the poor design sap who got stuck with lassooing all those little bits of mud from the background to have a black background

[Duck Sauce]

Very criterionesque

[RegularKarate]

I haven't read the book, but I saw a pretty interesting Doc on PBS recently and I think it could make a good movie... we'll see.

[TheVoiceOfNick]

i feel sorry for the poor design sap who got stuck with lassooing all those little bits of mud from the background to have a black background

I'm guessing the mud was added later...

The movie looks interesting... reminds me of "Rudy" in a way... Rudy meets "Mr. Ed".  :P

Nick

[Gold Trumpet]

I saw this last night. On the film it was trying to be, I thought it was great. It was all around quality filmmaking of trying to capture that feeling of cinematic nostalgia of an exciting and heartwarming story. Ala The Natural and many others. There is too much talent in the acting and filmmaking to deny this movie. Everything in the film was shot with purpose, especially the racing scenes which were executed perfectly to not only capture the excitement, but push the story in perfect ways. It feels like this movie may be a classic like The Shawshank Redemption did. My only major problem with the movie was the news reel and voice over footage that tried to tie the movie into the major things affecting the United States and purposely say the movie was a nostalgistic one. It didn't need to do that, the story itself identified its nostalgia. They just felt too over reaching.

~rougerum

[TheVoiceOfNick]

I wonder if this will do for horse racing, what fight club did for fighting (or any number of popular movies have done for the hobby/sport/theme they present).

Nick

[pete]

a good sports movie but I didn't really care for the first one third of the movie, with all that jeff bridges backstory.  I really thought jeff bridges' character shoulda been a minor one.  when I watch a sports underdog movie, I wanna watch the underdog--the jockey, the horse, the trainer...etc., because they're devoted, interesting characters.  for god's sake, not the rich guy who funds them.
I also didn't care for all of them ken burns moments where the narrator tries to tie this in to the larger picture of american history, with the great depression and whatnot.  that was just trying too hard, almost as hard as spellbound.  if the story were american, then you'd be able to feel it without some kinda contrived poetry with black and white photos.  for example, o brother where art thou had none of that.
the "subplot" involving the jockey is great though.  I enjoy sports movies.

[modage]

I wonder if this will do for horse racing, what fight club did for fightingNick

you never know how these things will pan out.  maybe Seabiscuit will do for fighting what Fight Club did for horse racing?

[pete]

what did fight club do for fighting?

[jokerspath]

what did fight club do for fighting?

It brought it to the level of horse racing...

aw

[filmcritic]

I thought the film was decent, but not great. It was too sentimental and sappy.

[markums2k]

I thought the film was decent, but not great. It was too sentimental and sappy.

Which film?  Fight Club or Buttermilk?  I mean, Oceanbread.  I mean, Seadinnerrolls. I mean-- oh, nevermind...  

[filmcritic]

No, "Seabiscuit". "Fight Club" was anything but sentimental.