CEWB Movie Club - Who wants in?

[Matt]

Who here is missing not having the Clint Eastwood Challenge, or watching movies together and commenting on them?

It's a tough time of year to start something new, with the holidays approaching, but I was thinking we might be able to do something at a slower pace, that would be fun and give us something to do together as a group. Since we've just watched all the Clint movies, it would be non-Clint movies. I'm thinking one movie a week, and we'd have themes. Members who sign up will take turns nominating the movies that we'll watch. It will be like a book club, but for movies.

Here's my idea for what it might look like. A theme that I'd be interested in starting off with would be Classic Movie vs. Remake.  I just watched The Manchurian Candidate from 1962, and then followed it up with the remake from 2004. They were very different, and it was interesting to watch the differences, not just in cast, but in plot to make the modern version work in today's era. It was also interesting to see the great acting from both casts, and what worked, and what didn't. So I thought that might be fun to watch together, and discuss. So, we could do Week 1 the 1962 version, Week 2, the 2004 version.

Then, whoever signs up as being interested here would consider the theme (Classic vs. Remake) and we'd put them on the schedule.  When everyone has had an opportunity to pitch the films for that theme, we might choose another theme... maybe 1970 horror films.  We could do this for quite some time.

So, sign up here if you're interested in joining in. If you're interested, post here, and then also post your pitch for what Classic Movie & Remake you'd like us to put on the schedule. We can start this in a few weeks, and I'll make the schedule far enough in advance for everyone to track down the movies we'll be watching.

[The Schofield Kid]

I'm in.

How about Cape Fear 1962 VS 1991.

[Matt]

Great choice! I haven't seen the '91 version since it first came out. And I'm struggling to remember if I'd ever seen the original. Looking forward to them.

[Matt]

You can also sign up even if you have a hard time coming up with films to watch. Just post your interest here if you like the idea and want to participate.

[Matt]

So NO ONE wants to join us? AKA? Christopher? Gant? Aline? Am I gonna have to start PMing all of you and harassing you to have fun with us? I feel like I'm at the 8th grade dance trying not to look awkward while trying to figure out how to ask Mandy GoLightly to dance to Hot Blooded by Foreigner.

C'mon I'm not doing this with SK alone. We need more.

[Gant]

I do like the idea, its a good one.. Im in if I can do it time wise..

Cape Fears a goodie too... much prefer the original tho..

[Matt]

Great! Two hours a week... that's all. One movie per week.

Now if we can swing up about 3 more members, we'll have a nice group. Who else?

[Matt]

Gant, come up with a classic and a modern remake for us.

[AKA23]

I'm on the fence about this. I like the idea of continuing a movie club, but I really don't like this theme. I find that the originals are always better and I almost never enjoy the remake.

[Gant]

True Grit ?

[Matt]

Hey, just do it. Other themes might appeal to you more. Can you think of one remake that you feel is better than the original? You can nominate that one.

[Matt]

True Grit ?

Bravo. We'll do it!

[Christopher]

I like the idea of this and might be able to join in some. I just don't know if I could sit through the Cape Fear  remake again...

But as far as another set of movies, maybe Seven Samurai (1954) and The Magnificent Seven (1960).

[Matt]

Okay, you're in Christopher. Do the weeks you can do. Try to make them all, but if you fall off, that's okay. Just like the Eastwood Challenge, you don't win the completion prize if you don't do them all, but you do get to join in and have fun with us when you can.

Will we have prizes? Hmmm... well, there's no end in sight. So, maybe there will be. Maybe there won't. But, as we've seen already -- nothing valuable is exchanging hands anyway -- it's more for just a show of appreciation for completing the project.

I'll write Holden. Reach out to any friends you have that are film fans -- this is open to anyone, new to the board, and old.

OH, and AKA, Christopher's suggestion made me realize that A Fistful of Dollars is actually a remake of Yojimbo, so if you want, we can do that combo for your turn. You like that remake. They're not all bad!

[Matt]

KC, I know you're still knee-deep in the 70's with the Eastwood Challenge, but maybe consider this. I'd be interested in watching some of your favorite movies. Coming up soon will be our favorite Foreign film -- but only if they have subtitles. No English or Canadian films allowed. I've already got mine picked out for that theme.

[KC]

How about a foreign film and an American remake? Like Insomnia?

[Matt]

How about a foreign film and an American remake? Like Insomnia?

If you'll join us, then yes... because it's you...  we can consider the Norwegian (1997) version the "classic" (or in this case, the "original") and the 2002 version the "modern" remake. I like it because although it's not really time-traveling, we will see some great differences that would make very interesting discussion. So yes! 

[KC]

Of course ... a pairing of Yojimbo and A Fistful of Dollars would be the same thing!

[Matt]

Actually, that's true.  Yojimbo just feels so much older to me than A Fistful of Dollars, and yet, they're really only four years apart.

[Matt]

Then again -- instead of Yojimbo vs. A Fistful of Dollars, we could do A Fistful of Dollars vs. Last Man Standing, the 1996 Bruce Willis film. Or do all three.