Rypro 525

What is Groucho’s Movie Challenge? Its mission is simple: let us all, as a forum, work to seek out films that might otherwise slip our radar. Each week, anybody who wants to participate will see a film within the guidelines, and return back to the forum to report on the film they saw. It’s easy, it’s fun, and everybody can participate. It’s not a trivia contest…it’s not a game…it’s merely a way we can all be exposed to new avenues of film appreciation…or at the very least see a good flick or two.\

this one might be a bit of a challenge. Watch a movie that you originally didn't care for again and see if your opinion has changed. this should be a movie that you originally saw a few years ago, and not something you watched last week. also try to pick a movie that is universally liked by most people, and not a movie that everyone hates.

my pick is gonna be either "a clockwork Orange" and or "eyes wide shut"

oh and this challenge is thanks to my american beauty thread.

PixyJunket

I could try Donnie Darko (cold sweat), or either of the Matrix sequels for a good laugh.. er, then again I KNOW my opinion won't change on any of those (at least not in the direction you're looking for) so I may have to find something else that may have a better chance for reevaluation.

JasonF

I guess I'll take another view of The Searchers, which I thought was a mediocre western when I saw it. I'm hoping I'll dig it enough that I consider getting the forthcoming 2-disc set.

Jules Winfield

I don't mean to seem like a dick but wasn't the original intention of the movie challenge to watch something you'd never seen before week after week?

Giles

thanks for your quip Jules, you spared me this weeks challenge.

Damfino

I think the idea is to see if we can change our minds about something we saw years ago and didn't like. This might be easier for DVDtalkers over the age of 30 since we can revisit something we saw as teenagers and re-assess it.

DVD Josh

Memento for me. Loved it. I really dont' know why I didn't like it the first time.

CephalicCarnage

I think this topic is the perfect opportunity for me to give Meet The Feebles another shot. Upon 1st viewing I couldn't even get through 30 minutes. The sound and picture quality (or lack there-of) just seemed to add to my dislike of the movie. I love Peter Jackson as well other oddball movies, but for some reason I couldn't get into it. Who know's maybe "Movie Challenge 8" will the Feebles saving grace.

Michael Corvin

I haven't participated in any of the challenges but I read about them nonetheless. This one in particular I try and do from time to time, just because frame of mind is such an issue when seeing a flick. Some I have valiantly gave second chances:

ID4 - hated both times
MIB - hated both times
Fifth Element - disliked first time, now I love it

Anyway, I think I will join the challenge and give Once Upon a Time in Mexico another chance. Saw it in the theater and was sorely disappointed.

caiman

Rypro, I'm with you on Eyes Wide Shut. I saw it back when it came to video and I hated it. But back then I didn't even know who Kubrick was.

Quake1028

Man, these challenges are coming up a week too late for me. Big Lebowski would have been perfect for this, but I watched it a few weeks ago for the IMDB 250 challenge.

Abob Teff

Egads, that's the most abysmal piece of cr@p I've ever seen! As much as I like the LOTR movies, whoever gave Peter Jackson the money OBVIOUSLY had not seen his early work!

Hmmm . . . this is a tuffy . . . would it count if I went to see Kill Bill Second Half since I have bashed the first all over the place? (There is absolutely NOTHING on at the theaters this week!)

Trigger

Hey wow - I actually agree with someone on DVDTalk. Simply amazing.

karnblack

I just picked up Dark City. I remember not liking it the first time I saw it so I'll give it another go. By the way, is it universally liked by most people?

RyoHazuki

Also didn't Groucho used to have something to do with these threads?

Rypro 525

yes, ebert put it in his top 10 of that year

Corvin

Not only that, but I believe it was the top film.

Drexl

Okay, I'll try Chasing Amy, which I didn't like when I saw it several years ago.

$tarr

I'm going with Blade Runner for this one.

karnblack

I rewatched Dark City. I liked it better than the first time I saw it, but I still think it's just okay. I'm gonna have to watch it with the Roger Ebert commentary. I'm glad it only cost me $7 for the DVD.

eedoon

OK. Time to jump in. I'm going to go with The Royal Tenenbaums. I never liked Wes Anderson's film but I'll give this movie another try.

EDIT: After seeing the movie the second time, I can say that I like it better. Having a low expectation about the movie has something to do with it, I suppose.

rushmore223

Ok.

Matrix

Watched it again.

Sorry to say I hated it then, and I still hate it now.

Actually, to be fair I watched it again last week with my wife before the challenge was posted.

She liked it, always had. I wanted to like it, but to be honest I could not stand it.

littlefuzzy

I am going to have to go with High Fidelity. I picked up the two-pack of this and Grosse Pointe Blank, and didn't really care for either one, although High Fidelity was slightly better.

Hopefully Groucho will be able to do week 9 soon for us.

silentbob007

Tried The Sixth Sense ... and still find it mediocre .

Damfino

Barry Lyndon (1975)

Director: Stanley Kubrick

Cast:
Ryan O'Neal
Marisa Berenson

I first saw Barry Lyndon as a teenager in 1976. At the time, I knew Stanley Kubrick as the director of two of my favorite movies (A Clockwork Orange and 2001 A Space Odyssey). Needless to say the last thing I expected from him was a costume drama. I went to see it out of loyalty and struggled to stay awake. The 18th century setting just didn't work for this 70s kid.

After seeing Eyes Wide Shut and being almost the only person I know that liked it, I realized that I ought to re-visit Barry Lyndon some day and this week's challenge provided the opportunity.

Watching the first 2 hours of this 3 hour epic, I started to appreciate things that I wouldn't have noticed back then (Cinematography, Art Direction, etc.). I also realize now that the thing that makes the movie special is that it doesn't follow Hollywood formula. Barry Lyndon is a scoundrel who deserts the army, cheats at cards and moves up in society by marrying the widow of a British Lord. His life then falls apart when he makes an enemy of his new step-son.

I realize now that this movie is one of the many great works of Stanley Kubrick.