QOTD

"Hello. My name is Forrest, Forrest Gump."
- First line in "Forrest Gump"

Movie: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Review: 3 bill-stars (out of 5)... worth seeing
Website: www.imdb.com/title/tt0421715 and www.benjaminbutton.com

So three things:

1. 3 bill-stars mean the Benjamin was worth seeing. I liked it; it was fine. I like sappy movies... like Forrest Gump.
   
2. The movie didn't meet my high expectations. IMDB screwed me, and that's pretty rare. IMDB users gave Benjamin an 8.5/10 rating... I don't recall seeing a rating that high ever on IMDB, which is usually pretty curmudgeonly. No way, no how, is this movie anywhere near that good.
   
3. "Benjamin Button" is "Forrest Gump 2".

I rarely talk about plot or anything like that in these reviews... why bother? Go read the book or see the movie. This one's a little different because I'll list some of the many ways in which Benjamin Button is just like dang Forrest Gump. So:

Ah, much better.
Go:

• Both stories are told in flashback
• Both have strong, saint-like mothers
• Both are based in New Orleans
• Both have leg braces/crutches
• Forrest has his floating feather... Benjamin his hummingbird
• Forrest has Bubba Gump... Benjamin has some weird black guy who lived in a zoo (???)
• Both have first-love girlfriends that pop in and out of the movie
• Forrest was army... Benjamin navy (sort of)
• Both spend a lot of time on boats
• Forrest has Lt. Dan... Benjamin Capt. Mike, and if my memory serves both Dan/Mike introduce Forrest/Benjamin to the hooker
• Both inherit money so they don't have to really work
• Forrest had his unique (for the time) special effects (interacting with famous dead people) and Benjamin has his (Brad Pitt as an old man)
• Forrest has his "life is a box of chocolates" and Benjamin has his "You never know what's comin' for ya"... pathetic head-shakers both

There are surely many more... just ask google.

Forrest Gump is a superior movie (4 bill-stars) for a lot of reasons including that Tom Hanks is better than Brad Pitt. Also, Benjamin is a needless 3 hours long. I think they took the movie and its message a little too seriously, eh. [Side note: Forrest Gump has the exact same 8.5/10 rating that Benjamin has... nice synchronicity there... he he]

Also, Benjamin starts out as a sympathetic character and ends up not very, for my money. The plot twist where he has to leave his family because he's getting younger is silly. So, at around physical age of 30, Benjamin ditches the family, travels the world banging anything that walks, and then lectures us that anyone can restart their lives. Huh?

One thing stood out for me in the Benjamin blather was a good metaphor. The movie ends with a crappy digital clock replacing a big, old, beautiful analog clock at a train station. The digital clock is hi-tech, cheaper, more accurate, easier to read, won't break down... and still it's such a step down from its analog predecessor. Yeah, Bill the Luddite and his blog. He he.

QOTD2

"The Sure Thing"
- Vibrator on Oprah

Ah, another excellent life lesson from that Oprah.
You think you've got it bad?
You could be one of those poor schlub husbands on Oprah talking to the world about not getting their wives off.
Gol dang it... I feel better already!
buzzzzzzz.... yow, bill

Labels: 3stars, 4stars, movies, qotd