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Let's talk about the DVD Talk review of 'Rounders - Collector's Edition'

Old 09-19-04, 04:15 PM
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Let's talk about the DVD Talk review of 'Rounders - Collector's Edition'

I read Holly E. Ordway's DVD review of Rounders - Collector's Edition at http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=12276 and it's fine. If I'd been drinking a lot.

At least the DVD is cheap, so when you have to ebay it you won't lose too much $$. I saw ROUNDERS at the theater and thought it was horrible. The acting is sub-par and the story is extremely boring. The show about poker on cable is a 100 times more interesting.

Am I the only one who has this film on their list of the top 10 worst films of all time?
Old 09-22-04, 03:10 PM
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I'm still waiting to get my hands on it here in Canada.
Old 09-22-04, 04:04 PM
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If you don't like the film why would you want to talk about the the DVD? Personally I like the film alot and and bought the new disc to upgrade to an anamorphic copy but I haven't watched it yet to see how much of an improvement there is.
Old 09-23-04, 03:37 AM
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Haven't read the review, but I liked the movie a lot.
Old 09-23-04, 02:38 PM
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Originally posted by chipmac
If you don't like the film why would you want to talk about the the DVD?
I'm talking about the review which includes the film as well as the DVD. Some of us actually do buy blind without having seen the film.

I know some do like ROUNDERS, though I'm not sure why. :P

I have bought some films on DVD in the past after reading a few glowing reviews here and not hearing anything to the contrary. Just thought I'd point out that this film might be a love it or hate-hate-hate it film before anyone rushes out to buy the DVD.
Old 09-23-04, 08:05 PM
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I suppose I can see what you wouldn't like about it. But I thought it was excellent, and am anticipating buying the new addition when I get a chance. I love all the actors, I love poker, and I love movies... go figure.
Old 09-24-04, 04:08 PM
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Re: Let's talk about the DVD Talk review of 'Rounders - Collector's Edition'

Originally posted by TheV
Am I the only one who has this film on their list of the top 10 worst films of all time?

Oh come on now.
Old 09-26-04, 03:53 AM
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Re: Re: Let's talk about the DVD Talk review of 'Rounders - Collector's Edition'

Originally posted by John-In-VA
Oh come on now.
Where are we going? I've got my best skirt and matching purse. I'm a sucker for guys with little words.
Old 09-26-04, 07:30 PM
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Rounders is no masterpiece, but to name it on your list of "Top 10 worst movies of all time" suggests that you've only seen a couple dozen movies in your life.
Old 09-28-04, 08:27 PM
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Originally posted by Josh Z
"Top 10 worst movies of all time" suggests that you've only seen a couple dozen movies in your life.
How does that make any sense? Sometimes the higher expectations for a film helps raise it to the most hated list. It's up there with BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES, SPANKING THE MONKEY, PACIFIC HEIGHTS, and others that I just couldn't stand. Different tastes and all. But even bad cheese films tend to give me more pleasure than films that I was expecting to be really good but walked out on.

I'm just putting out my opposing views of ROUNDERS considering all I ever read are the glowing reviews. Your mileage will vary.
Old 09-28-04, 08:49 PM
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Originally posted by TheV
How does that make any sense? Sometimes the higher expectations for a film helps raise it to the most hated list. It's up there with BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES, SPANKING THE MONKEY, PACIFIC HEIGHTS, and others that I just couldn't stand. Different tastes and all. But even bad cheese films tend to give me more pleasure than films that I was expecting to be really good but walked out on.

I'm just putting out my opposing views of ROUNDERS considering all I ever read are the glowing reviews. Your mileage will vary.
Your "opposing view" doesn't really elaborate on anything at all (sub-par acting, and boring). That's a real good review, and I'm sure it's stopping hundreds from watching Rounders
Old 09-29-04, 10:32 AM
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Re: Let's talk about the DVD Talk review of 'Rounders - Collector's Edition'

Originally posted by TheV
I read Holly E. Ordway's DVD review of Rounders - Collector's Edition at http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=12276 and it's fine. If I'd been drinking a lot.

At least the DVD is cheap, so when you have to ebay it you won't lose too much $$. I saw ROUNDERS at the theater and thought it was horrible. The acting is sub-par and the story is extremely boring. The show about poker on cable is a 100 times more interesting.

Am I the only one who has this film on their list of the top 10 worst films of all time?
I concur. DULL, DULL, DULL! But then I never expected it to be anything but a piece of junk. I was just hoping for a little nudity from Matt Damon (not Norton, even though he is gay in real life, YUCK!).
Old 09-29-04, 01:47 PM
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Originally posted by TheNightFlier
Your "opposing view" doesn't really elaborate on anything at all (sub-par acting, and boring). That's a real good review, and I'm sure it's stopping hundreds from watching Rounders
LOL...some people are a little touchy. What do you want? A detailed reasoning why the scenes go on forever, the acting is bad, or the whole plot is pretty boring? I don't feel like doing a complete counter-review here. That's pretty pointless. It's not some sort of crusade.

Buy ROUNDERS to your hearts content, buy two. But I appreciate when others post about something I'm going to blind buy, so I wanted to do the same. But if you loved ROUNDERS I'm sure you still will.
Old 09-29-04, 02:39 PM
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I happened to enjoy the performances of Norton, Damon, Malkovich and Turturro. I'd say for people who liked his acting in Bourne Identity or The Talented Mr. Ripley, to pick the disc up. I think Malkovich as the russian was priceless. The pacing was a tad slow, but it's supposed to be. I found it to be the poker version of The Hustler/Color of Money.
Old 09-29-04, 03:27 PM
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reviewspeaking

We're challenged to be specific about "Rounders."

The acting is well above par, especially from Norton. Malkovich was pretty good, though the little trick he doesn with the Oreo cookies looks like business he's put into the role because he thinks it's underwritten (he's right; but what do you want? It's a supporting role). Damon does fine, especially in the scene where he walks in on a judge's poker game and tells 'em all what they're holding. Martin Landau, a great character actor, also does well with a somewhat underwritten role. But the soul of the movie is the relationship between the two guys, both young, in their mid-twenties, and just discovering that life is going to take them in different directions. Hands up who had to make this discovery about their high school friends the hard and painful way, by being betrayed repeatedly, as the Norton character does to Damon's? As for pacing, no, it ain't slow, unless you don't have any patience for listening to the way people talk.

At any rate, I hope this helps some of you contemplating a blind buy.

As for the review itself, well, if you're an experienced review reader, you can probably pick up on the appropriate signals, and tell whether the film is for you. For example, does a reviewer describe the film as "visually stunning"? Translation: pretty, but empty. Does it have a "stately pace"? Translation: boring and slow. Is it "an intensely focussed character study"? Translation: no story to speak of. "Bravura editing"? Translation: disjointed and impossible to follow.

Personally, I liked "Rounders." It's an excellent little film – not a big film – that will bear repeated viewings, just to watch the characters play off one another. A bit too much testosterone, not enough progesterone, but that's a flaw many modern films exhibit, and shouldn't be held against it, especially when the film offers us wisdom about friendship, loyalty, and finding one's way, one's place in the world.

cheers to all
Old 09-29-04, 04:58 PM
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Originally posted by TheV
LOL...some people are a little touchy. What do you want? A detailed reasoning why the scenes go on forever, the acting is bad, or the whole plot is pretty boring? I don't feel like doing a complete counter-review here. That's pretty pointless. It's not some sort of crusade.

Buy ROUNDERS to your hearts content, buy two. But I appreciate when others post about something I'm going to blind buy, so I wanted to do the same. But if you loved ROUNDERS I'm sure you still will.
hahaha I'm not touchy at all, I just like specifics when people say something like "Top 10 worst movies of all time."

It's movie that has been rated well above average by basically every movie critic, IMDB user, trade magazine, and J6P. So there's no reason for people to assume that it would be a bad blind buy.

Sorry if you blind buy a movie and don't like it, but that's the risk you take, it has happened to everyone here, and I'm sure it'll happen again. There's little things called Netflix, Blockbuster, Hollywood Video etc...if you don't want to blind buy...

You started a thread about a movie you saw in the theater 6 years ago and are now telling people not to buy it cause you're one of the few people who don't....
Old 09-29-04, 08:21 PM
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So when does this thread end up in movie talk?
Old 09-29-04, 08:31 PM
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I guess it can now, since no one's saying anything about the DVD Talk review or any aspects of the DVD itself.
Old 09-30-04, 12:00 AM
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Originally posted by TheNightFlier
It's movie that has been rated well above average by basically every movie critic, IMDB user, trade magazine, and J6P. So there's no reason for people to assume that it would be a bad blind buy.
Exactly my point!
Old 09-30-04, 12:03 AM
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Re: reviewspeaking

Originally posted by theonemacduff
As for the review itself
Sorry, didn't mean for my off-the-cuff comment to actually mean that the review was bad in any way. Just being silly...just because I would disagree with the content I wouldn't intentionally slander a well written review.
Old 09-30-04, 03:04 AM
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Originally posted by TheV
Exactly my point!
There's an inherent risk in a blind buy. If the majority of people do like it, that's a good bet. Just because you ended up not liking it doesn't make it a bad blind buy, it means you took a chance and it didn't pan out.

For what it's worth, I too picked this up as a blind buy (the first DVD release) and didn't care much for it either. The acting was ok, but for me the big problem was that I couldn't connect with any of the characters. Their actions were just so foolish, and I wasn't able to develop any sympathy for their situations that would cause me to see how a reasonable person could do the same thing.

It is a bit jarring to see someone call a movie you didn't like that much "excellent," though. But that's the beauty of diversity of opinion.
Old 09-30-04, 03:45 AM
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I really enjoyed "Rounders". I think if you're a fan of Poker, Matt Damon, Edward Norton, Malkovich, Gretchen Mol or any of the other supporting players (including a fun turn for John Turturro) you'll really enjoy the film. I'm definitely looking forward to grabbing this at the store when I get paid next.

Thanks for reminding me.
Old 09-30-04, 04:17 PM
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I'm fucking still waiting for it to be released here
Old 09-30-04, 08:14 PM
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Re: reviewspeaking

Originally posted by theonemacduff
As for the review itself, well, if you're an experienced review reader, you can probably pick up on the appropriate signals, and tell whether the film is for you. For example, does a reviewer describe the film as "visually stunning"? Translation: pretty, but empty. Does it have a "stately pace"? Translation: boring and slow. Is it "an intensely focussed character study"? Translation: no story to speak of. "Bravura editing"? Translation: disjointed and impossible to follow.
Heheh. Yep, there's a reviewer code book that we all use....

In all seriousness, I always call it like I see it, and I never ever feel obligated to be nice about a movie that I didn't like. If I think it's too slow, or too plotless, that's what I'll say!

But it's certainly always useful to know whether you tend to agree with that reviewer or not. If you've found yourself agreeing with me about other films we've both seen, you can take my recommendation with a bit more confidence than if there's little correlation. (A perfect negative correlation - you hate everything I love, and vice versa - is just as useful.)

(BTW, no offense taken, even remotely, TheV - I know you weren't picking on my review in particular! )
Old 10-01-04, 03:04 PM
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The acting is sub-par? This is one of Edward Norton's best performances.

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