What a total cornfest! I have never seen a more manipulative, in-your-face acting, screen-writing, or directing! All in
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russellclo — 9 years ago(June 13, 2016 09:52 AM)
When I saw the movie in my 20's back in the 80's, and recently, I felt the same way you do. I just had a hard time buying any of the acting, although Nicholson and Maclaine made an effort. I wondered why a girl from an obviously well off home would not consider school instead of marrying right away and popping out kids one after another, and I wondered why Debra Winger's character was so dingy and stupid acting. Supposedly it's based on a book, but something definitely got lost between the book/screen writing/acting. It is cringeworthy, and I don't understand why it's such a lauded movie.
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fentress — 9 years ago(September 20, 2016 09:00 AM)
there certainly wasn't much competition that year
Interesting to read that. Just on a personal note, I was in college back then, and I remember 1983 as being a year in which I was very excited about the movies. I was having a personal awakening that a movie can be experienced as a work of art, not simply as a device to keep oneself amused for a couple of hours.
But as you get older, your tastes mature and you outgrow some things. At the time, I loved "Terms of Endearment" and "The Big Chill" (another best picture nominee). But today well, they're both entertaining, each has some good moments. But they don't quite make the cut for me as
great
movies.
However, "The Right Stuff" (another best picture nominee), still stands for me today as a very good movie, more than Terms or the Chill. It holds up, in my opinion.
I also liked "Tender Mercies" and probably still would today. But it's a very small, quiet, understated film. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it's not the kind of thing that usually wins Best Picture.
Never saw "The Dresser". Never even talked to anybody who'd ever seen it.
Another 1983 movie that was not nominated for best picture, but was nominated for Best Actor and I think best adapted screenplay, was a film called "Reuben, Reuben" starring Tom Conti. It's truly an underappreciated, forgotten movie. It wasn't even on DVD until a couple of years ago. It's one of my favorites. -
LLOwens — 9 years ago(October 23, 2016 09:31 PM)
And there certainly wasn't much competition that year
I've read similar misconceptions stated on other forums. There were several good films that were released that year including, but not limited to:
The Right Stuff
Tender Mercies
Scarface
The Big Chill
A Christmas Story
The King of Comedy
The Dresser
Yentl
The Fourth Man
Danton
El Norte
Trading Places
Return of the Jedi
L-Argent
Silkwood
Risky Business
The Outsiders
Koyaanisqatsi - Life Out of Balance
Rumble Fish
Carmen
Gorky Park
Entre Nous
Bad Boys
Nostalghia
WarGames
Zelig
Videodrome
Sans Soleil
Local Hero
Educating Rita -
fentress — 9 years ago(November 28, 2016 10:57 AM)
I would add to that list
Reuben, Reuben
, in my opinion a much underappreciated film. It actually was nominated for two Oscars, and featured the debut appearance of Kelly McGillis.
I believe
Koyannisqatsi
actually came out a little earlier, 1982 according to imdb. Glad you mentioned it though. Great film.