The Great Movie Tournament - 1990s: Round 1 - Group 7 of 32

[mae]

During the first round of The Great Movie Tournament, please vote for up to six films you would like to move onto the next round. The top six films will be moving on. Keep in mind that the percentage of the vote a given film receives will determine its standing going forward.

The poll will run for seven days. Discussion is greatly encouraged!

The nominees are (please let me know if any video doesn't play for you):

Ring (1998)
Directed by Hideo Nakata

Watch Trailer

As Good as It Gets (1997)
Directed by James L. Brooks

Watch Trailer

In the Line of Fire (1993)
Directed by Wolfgang Petersen

Watch Trailer

The Rock (1996)
Directed by Michael Bay

Watch Trailer

Funny Games (1997)
Directed by Michael Haneke

Watch Trailer

Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola

Watch Trailer

Forrest Gump (1994)
Directed by Robert Zemeckis

Watch Trailer

The Fisher King (1991)
Directed by Terry Gilliam

Watch Trailer

[fernandito]

"How do you write Women so well?

... I think of a Man, and I take away reason, and accountability."

[mae]

Funnily enough, this just popped up:

https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=24545

Arrow Video has released an official trailer for the new 4K restoration of Hideo Nakata's horror thriller Ring (1998), starring Hitomi Satô, Yûko Takeuchi, Hiroyuki Sanada, Nanako Matsushima, and Miki Nakatani.

The new restoration will be screened in select cinemas across the United Kingdom on March 1. It will be released on Blu-ray on March 18.

Arrow Video is proud to present the genre-defining trilogy – Ring, the film that started it all, plus Hideo Nakata's chilling sequel, Ring 2, and the haunting origin story, Ring 0 – as well as the 'lost' original sequel, George Iida's Spiral, gathered together in glorious high definition and supplemented by a wealth of archival and newly created bonus materials.

[Still Servant]

I'm a little surprised Absolute Power didn't get nominated. I kind of think of both In the Line of Fire and Absolute Power together a lot of the time.

[Randall Flagg]

I refused to vote for (the charming and entertaining) Forest Gump. Just couldn't assist a movie that won best picture over Pulp Fiction. I figured it would also be fine without my help.

[Still Servant]

I refused to vote for (the charming and entertaining) Forest Gump. Just couldn't assist a movie that won best picture over Pulp Fiction. I figured it would also be fine without my help.

That's fair.

[Mattrick]

Shawshank should've won Best Picture over Forrest Gump though

Now Inglourious Basterds...that should've won Best Picture!

[Jean]

A fantastic bracket. Funny Games, As Good As It Gets and, of course, Forrest Gump.

Funny Games are desperately losing; I don't know if I am surprised and, frankly, don't even know if I am sad about it.

[Heather19]

I voted for Funny Games, although I will say that I thought it was a little hard to watch concerning the subject matter. And I'm not sure I even really loved it. But it was a well made film. And I didn't have much else to vote for in this bracket so it got my vote.

[mae]

It's a tough watch for sure, but a brilliant film.

[T-Dogz_AK47]

Keanu Reeves in Bram Stoker's Dracula....

"I'm in Dracula's castle..... Wooooooaahh."

[amd013]

I'm a little surprised Absolute Power didn't get nominated. I kind of think of both In the Line of Fire and Absolute Power together a lot of the time.

I debated about it for a long time, but decided although I like it (and own the DVD), it was just too borderline. Also In the Line of Fire took a long time to be seconded, so I feared this would too.

[fernandito]

I voted for Funny Games, although I will say that I thought it was a little hard to watch concerning the subject matter. And I'm not sure I even really loved it. But it was a well made film. And I didn't have much else to vote for in this bracket so it got my vote.

Unsettling you was Haneke's intention. We're so riveted by violence in cinema that he took that enthrallment and twisted it to sinister proportions and locks you inside of it. Even the way the cramped way the film is shot is meant to keep you trapped in the violence with no way out.

Spoiler:

The remote scene and the main character getting into the car with the killer was his way of saying "No no no, where are you going? You wanted violence? Well here it is."

My gosh, what a great film.

[Heather19]

So true. Now I'm feeling uneasy just thinking about that movie

[webstar1000]

I voted for Funny Games, although I will say that I thought it was a little hard to watch concerning the subject matter. And I'm not sure I even really loved it. But it was a well made film. And I didn't have much else to vote for in this bracket so it got my vote.

Unsettling you was Haneke's intention. We're so riveted by violence in cinema that he took that enthrallment and twisted it to sinister proportions and locks you inside of it. Even the way the cramped way the film is shot is meant to keep you trapped in the violence with no way out.

Spoiler:

The remote scene and the main character getting into the car with the killer was his way of saying "No no no, where are you going? You wanted violence? Well here it is."

My gosh, what a great film.

I have never seen this Funny Games... worth a watch then eh?

[mae]

Most definitely. And the remake is actually on par if not better, in my personal opinion. It's literally shot for shot, but feels fresh.

[webstar1000]

Most definitely. And the remake is actually on par if not better, in my personal opinion. It's literally shot for shot, but feels fresh.

ironically I looked them up and it has a worst Rotten Tomatoes rating... so watch 2007 version you think?

[mae]

Hard to say. Could be a cool experience to watch both back to back.

[Still Servant]

Roth and Watts have reunited for their upcoming film Luce: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7616148...=nm_flmg_act_8

[fernandito]

Most definitely. And the remake is actually on par if not better, in my personal opinion. It's literally shot for shot, but feels fresh.

ironically I looked them up and it has a worst Rotten Tomatoes rating... so watch 2007 version you think?

Like Mae mentioned, you could really watch either one as they're essentially shot for shot identical.

I like the actors for the English version better, but watching it in German gives it an extra dimension.. that feeling of being far removed from safety and at the mercy of hostile forces you can't comprehend.

[Still Servant]

Most definitely. And the remake is actually on par if not better, in my personal opinion. It's literally shot for shot, but feels fresh.

ironically I looked them up and it has a worst Rotten Tomatoes rating... so watch 2007 version you think?

Like Mae mentioned, you could really watch either one as they're essentially shot for shot identical.

I like the actors for the English version better, but watching it in German gives it an extra dimension.. that feeling of being far removed from safety and at the mercy of hostile forces you can't comprehend.

The German language certainly adds to the violent nature of the film.

[Heather19]

I vote for the original, but they really are essentially the same just different actors. Wonder why it has a rotten score? I'm really surprised by that. I always thought it was revered as a great film?

[fernandito]

Well the original has a decent RT score, but the remake is rotten. People just have deep-seated ill will towards remakes I guess.

To be frank I'm a little surprised that Haneke directed this shot for shot remake of his own film that adds nothing contextually or visually to the original.

[Heather19]

Oh ok, that makes more sense. And I also have never understood why he remade the film either.

[Jean]

Probably because he wanted people who live in the USA have a go at watching at least one film of his. I may be wrong, but it seems to me that people there tend to avoid anything branded "foreign film" like a plague. As if it was a genre - and of foul repute, at that.