I saw It's A Wonderful Life
this past weekend and I thought it was lame. No matter how many times I'm told it's the quintessential American Christmas story, I just want to grab George Bailey and tell him, "Stop being a martyr! Sell the Building & Loan and fix your life!" As a result, it's painful for me to watch 90 minutes worth of him being miserable... especially since the tension he experiences, since it doesn't seem necessary, doesn't feel relevant to me.Apparently, I'm one of a tiny percentage of people who feel that way, since everyone loves Jimmy Stewart. I guess I'm a Christmas Fail. :p But, I thought it was interesting to think about why the movie didn't work for me. As I'm hip-deep right now in revisions on The Goddess of Vengeance Wore Pink Galoshes, I'm trying up the tension in a lot of scenes . But I want it to feel natural and evolved, not forced on a character in order to create the story I have to tell.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go tell some kids there is no Santa Claus.
Are there any uber-hyped books or movies - new or classics - that just don't work for you? Why, if I may ask?
14 comments:
I fell asleep during my one and only time of watching that movie last year. I felt kinda bad, since it's my MIL's favorite, but I just blamed it on the fact that I was 2 weeks out from surgery and having to take sleeping aid for the pain at night...fortunately, they all believed me. :)
I hate that movie. You're not alone. I can't sit through it. Don't care for A Christmas Story either. They have been played into the ground!
LOL. Go ahead, write the review of the movie; I'll agree.
It was cute and heartwarming, and I liked it when I was a kid. Then I grew up and decided I must have just liked Jimmy Stewart. And Clarance. Gotta love wingless angel :)
Happy writing Guin.
........dhole
Oh I can't bear Forest Gump. Sorry!! I hated the Life's a Box of Chocolates nonsense. I found it so reactionary!
Oh but I love it's a wonderful life!! Especially when in the other life the worst Jimmy's wife could be was a LIBRARIAN! LOL!
Take care
x
I loathe most of the "classic Christmas movies", to be perfectly honest, with the exception of the stop-animation Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the one with the Abominable Snowman and the island of Lost Toys. That one is the best!
You're not alone. It's a boring movie. Having said that, my mother looooved it. Different era. Different way of looking at things.
Glad I am not the only one. :)
I actually haven't watched that movie in its entirety, only select scenes from it, but I can imagine that I'd share your feelings. I agree with Colene about A Christmas Story. Can't stand that one.
I never good get into the Outlander series. Everyone says they are incredible books, but I never made it through even the first one. But I do love It's a Wonderful Life. :)
I guess it is heredity or age. I was never that impressed with it, but then I don't like my emotions being played.
Love your take on Its a Wonderful Life. I like the movie but he does annoy though. Getting kind of annoyed just thinking about him!
I have never actually seen that film!
Dare I admit I'm not really on board the Twilight, Larssen or HP train?
You're a brave woman to admit this! My film maker/director friend still holds that this is the most amazing movie of all time because of the time it takes to develop a character. Movies nowadays take roughly 5-7 minutes for character development, and then its all plot. IAWL took the entire film, I believe. Whether we liked the character at the end or not :)
"Timetraveller's wife" Really wanted to love it, was absolutely impossible for me to read more than half of it. Kept falling asleep.
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