OT: Is "Saving Private Ryan" a good film?
Yes or no?
shareIt's a good movie, but not one of my favorites from Spielberg.
share
MovieChat Forums > Schindler's List (1994) Discussion > OT: Is "Saving Private Ryan" a good film...
It's a great movie imo; the beginning & end battle scenes make it so on their own. Hanks is fantastic, as are all the cast. The production, cinematography & editing are superb, & Spielberg for once avoids too much sentimentality at the end of a film riddled with typical Spielbergian details.
The whole film is charged with a visceral energy; the build-up to the final battle, with the sound of the German forces edging ever-closer, is tremendously exciting, & one hand-to-hand combat scene when they do arrive is almost unbearably intense.
Meh. It's fine, the beginning is admittedly great but the rest of the film seems like sappy propaganda. I gave it 5/10 a fairly average movie tbh
shareYes, it's good. Not excellent but definitely worth watching.
shareWell, being from Mr. Farts, I'm sure you're very interested in opinions...
It's not good, it's great. While people nowadays love to spew the "Propaganda" BS, it's far from it. PC and Safe Zones taking over America.
Yes
shareSaving Private Ryan is an amazingly wonderful movie.
shareNo. I hate Tom Hanks and refuse to see his stupid movies. Like Meryl Streep, he's been in every move imaginable and needs to retire--completely. I saw the beginning of it and just couldn't get past Hanks. I thought it was tedious.
shareThat's so odd; if I were to name some of the best actors around at the moment (or in the last 20-30 years), Hanks would be right up there. His performance in this was superb, as it was in Road to Perdition, Catch Me If You Can etc. I'm looking forward to seeing Bridge of Spies.
I don't think you can answer whether SPR is a good film based on the fact that you don't like its lead actor.
Who do think are Hollywood's finest actors?
Well, I guess I'm in the minority. I can't stand him. There aren't many "new" American actors that I think are exceptional. One would be Adrien Brody, especially in "The Pianist". Some of the older actors like Jack Nicholson, Dennis Hopper, Robert Duvall, Denzel Washington, Marlon Brando, Dustin Hoffman, Paul Newman, BURT LANCASTER, Kevin Spacey, Edward Norton (The Painted Veil was incredible!), Tommy Lee Jones, and Philip Seymor Hoffman. Outside of these guys, there's not much to speak of in Hollywood. My preferences are most British actors: Ralph Fiennes, Anthony Hopkins, Christian Bale, Daniel-Day Lewis, Tom Hardy (makes my teeth chatter), Ben Kingsley, Jeremy Irons, and Laurel and Hardy. There is so much talent coming from the U.K. for many decades.
Anything with Tom Hanks in it is not worth my time to watch. I won't watch anything with that nutcase Shirley MacClaine in it either. I'm sick of Meryl Streep, too. I like Charlize Theron, Viola Davis, and Diane Lane. I was a big fan of Shelly Winters. Again, my taste runs across the ocean to the U.K. My favorites are: Helen Mirren, Maggie Smith, Kate Winslet, Tilda Swinton, Celia Johnson, and Vanessa Redgrave.
If I don't like the main players in a movie, I won't watch it. There are gobs of "great" movies that I haven't seen.
Maybe you don't watch those 'great movies' because you're afraid you'll enjoy the performance of he or she you hate.
Burt Lancaster? I liked him in the Flame & the Arrow & The Crimson Pirate. He was good in The Sweet Smell of Success & the Swimmer had its moments, but I don't crave seeing him. He was a real sexual deviant too - violent & nasty...but then that smiles suggests menace.
I'm not sure if I have favourite actors, I just love certain performances in favourite films - Vivien Leigh's in Gone With the Wind for example, or Errol Flynn's in The Adventures of Robin Hood. That's not to say that the notion of watching some films isn't improved from seeing who's in it or vice versa, but just occasionally you can surprise yourself. Who'd have thought someone as tedious as John Travolta could have put in such a terrific performance in Pulp Fiction? The script helped, but I had no time for him before then.
No, it wasn't because I was afraid to enjoy a movie with actors/actresses I didn't like. It's that the actor/actress would detract from my viewing pleasure. Another actor I can't stand is Kevin Costner. He was really good in one movie: "A Perfect World". Now that was an excellent film. Of course, Clint Eastwood produced, directed, and starred in it, which made it a great movie from the get-go. I loved "Dances With Wolves" but not Kevin Costner. I thought he was the weakest part of the movie. And, all his other movies weren't appealing to me. He was good in "The Untouchables". But, there was Sean Connery, Robert Di Nero, and Andy Garcia in it.
I have never been able to get through "Gone with the Wind". I think Vivien Leigh's greatest role was in "Streetcar Named Desire". She was excellent in that movie. I have always loved Errol Flynn. I thought his performance in "Captain Blood" was his best role.
Are you in the U.K.? You spell like a Brit. I'm half English. My dad and his parents were English. My mother was 100% Italian. Quite a mix.
...so there are films you love despite their star, but still you won't see any Hanks movies, regardless of their considerable reputations?
I've not seen Streetcar - far too play-ey & claustrophobic for me, & she was way past her best looks-wise too! I didn't think I'd like GWTW, but I was totally transfixed by her performance...also thought the direction whole production to be first rate, especially for 1939. Love Steiner's score too, & it's extraordinary to think that the director, Victor Young, directed The Wizard of Oz in the same year.
Yes I am, west London in fact. Spelling? You mean things like 'favourite'? Americans sure hate their OUs! I'm English through & through...I can trace ancestors right back to the 13th century on my father's side, & all in Yorkshire too (the heart of England, so say Yorkshire folk), & my mother's side hails from London.
English & Italian? So you have passions aplenty, but all with a stiff upper lip...?
I think I already explained this. I simply cannot watch a movie if I can't get past the major star in it. That's why I don't watch Kevin Costner movies. Although I loved "Dances with Wolves", Costner was the weak link in the picture. He has an ego the size of Mt. Everest. I don't think Costner or Hanks have any real talent. Costner will always be "Dances with Wolves" no matter what role he plays, and Hanks will always be Kip/Buffy Wilson from "Bosom Buddies". Hanks is wildly popular in this country simply because the media have placed him on the golden pedestal from the get-go. He proved his leftist leanings in his acceptance speech for the Oscar win for the movie "Philadelphia". He was blubbering all over the place because "There's too many angels in Heaven." His referral to "angels" meant gay people who died from AIDS. It was his best performance ever.
So, you're a Londoner? My brother-in-law is from Southend on Sea and my fathers people were from Yorkshire.
Yes, I mean words like "favourite" and "colour", etc. There are a few British words that I use in my writings. I always get error messages whenever I use the British spelling of some words.
"Streetcar..." was an awesome movie. Vivian Leigh was purposely made to look old because she was playing an older sister in the movie--a little eccentric. I think it was one of Brando's best movies. I have never been able to get through GWTW because I couldn't get interested in it. BTW, Vivian Leigh was married to Sir Laurence Olivier for many years. She also suffered from serious mental issues from her earliest days. She died at 53 from Tuberculosis.
You did explain it, it's just there still seems to be some incongruity with your having watched Dances With Wolves & not watching any Hanks movie despite hating the star of the former...but to judge Hanks on that terrible 80s tv series is a little harsh - like judging George Clooney's acting from seeing Attack of the Killer Tomatoes & nothing else. He's an excellent actor, there's no doubt about it, & until you watch one of his more celebrated performances I don't think you can really comment, sorry.
Yes, I know all about dear Vivien, thanks...hence the avatar
I didn't know of Kevin Costner before DWW. I had only seen him in one other movie, "No Way Out" which was very good. After DWW, I did see "A Perfect World" which I thought was excellent and I thought his performance was also very good. But, his copious other movies were just so poor and he was so awful that I just couldn't watch anymore of his movies. He never seemed to be able to break out of his DWW role.
I didn't realize your avatar was that of VL. My eyesight isn't so good anymore. (I'm an old lady!)
Sorry you don't understand my reasoning.
I'm sorry if I came across as rude; I did sort of understand it, but to like DWW & not like Costner, who carried the whole movie, seems a little odd - what were you liking if you didn't like him?
I thought No Way Out excellent too, but you're right; most of his other films he always seems to be the same rather dull character (as Matt Damon is now). I might have liked The Untouchables more if he'd been more charismatic &, more importantly, if it didn't have that typically terrible Morricone score, but that's another matter!
I still think you're missing out with Hanks! I was sick of him in his megastar years - Philadelphia, Big, Forrest Gump...all rather yawnsome & he just seemed to be everywhere, but SPR changed all that; his performance gave it a humane, emotional edge which still affects me come the ending. I don't think it's possible to get that big from such a variety of roles & not have talent. Even if you don't like him some of his movies such as SPR or Road to Perdition have so much quality elsewhere - direction, photography, script etc - that there's always something to appreciate. Perhaps you could yet take the plunge with one...Road to Perdition is difficult not to like...& if you still hate him after that then fair enough!
I'm sorry, it's quite a small photo of Vivien. I've only seen her in GWTW, but it's in many ways the ultimate movie performance for me - male, female, any era. My finding her beautiful probably helps in that view, but she was one of those actresses who took centre stage in a scene even if she was only in the background. Terrible that she died so young...
No, you didn't come across as rude. I just wonder why my position is so hard to understand. I did not say I "hated" Tom Hanks. I said I didn't like him as an actor. I also don't like him as a person. He is the typical hollywood elite telling the rest of us peons how to live.
OMGosh! You're telling me the only worthwhile aspect of DWW was COSTNER!??? I thought all the Native Americans who played in that movie were INCREDIBLE! They were also gorgeous. (See! I'm not that old!) The story was wonderful and very poignant. I liked everything about it except Costner. Mary McDonnell was ok. I don't care much for her either. But, she pulled her character well. I loved the cinematography and the musical score. I loved how the Native Americans were portrayed.
As for Hanks, I just don't like him or his movies, but I will check out "Road to Perdition". If it is a comedy or a romantic movie, I won't like it--guaranteed. The last romantic comedy I saw was "French Kiss" because I love Kevin Kline. It was a cute story, but I can only take so much of Meg Ryan.
...but how do you know what his acting's like if you refuse to see the films he's most noted for?
I couldn't think more differently. He keeps himself to himself & doesn't court the limelight. I heard him on the BBC Desert Island Discs programme (guests are asked to nominate 8 records to accompany them if stranded on a desert island) & he came across extremely well; humble, appreciative of the simple things, a family man, grateful as to his success & just a decent guy. I wish more of Hollywood were like him...but if you have evidence as to the contrary then please, I'm all eyes.
I don't care for DWW; I just thought it a little odd that you like it when Costner is so integral to it, akin to liking the Sound of Music but hating Rodgers & Hammerstein.
Road to Perdition is a dark tale of a hitman with a family. Great performances from Hanks, Paul Newman & Daniel Craig, & wonderful to look at. It has some violence, but nothing too gratuitous. It would be great if you could bring yourself to watch it. Maybe you might be pleasantly surprised!
Have a good weekend.