never got the love for Get Shorty; amusing, self-satisfied.
― Miss Arlington twirls for the Coal Heavers (Dr Morbius), Saturday, 17 August 2013 05:53 (ten years ago) link
Also: Entertaining.
― Uncle Cyril O'Boogie (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 17 August 2013 06:28 (ten years ago) link
li'l bit. that Hollywood "oh, we're so big for mocking ourselves" vibe.
― Miss Arlington twirls for the Coal Heavers (Dr Morbius), Saturday, 17 August 2013 10:38 (ten years ago) link
Get Shorty christ that was terrible. God alone knows how bad the sequel was.
― piscesx, Saturday, 17 August 2013 14:21 (ten years ago) link
Travolta and Hackman are fine in Get Shorty; the DeVito scenes drag.
Between SNF and Blow Out for me -- boringly.
― first I think it's time I kick a little verse! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 17 August 2013 14:58 (ten years ago) link
I don't think I ever watched it a second time. I liked it okay when it came out, but a lot of the attention it got seemed to be residual goodwill from Travolta's reemergence in Pulp Fiction. (Culturally or whatever--I know the talking-baby films made a lot of money.)
― clemenza, Saturday, 17 August 2013 15:04 (ten years ago) link
It was also an entertaining 90s-hitman movie in a sea of bad ones.
― only dogg forgives (Eazy), Saturday, 17 August 2013 16:31 (ten years ago) link
Get Shorty is a minor thing, and I've never quite felt the need to own it on DVD or anything, but its one I'll watch whenever I come across it on TV. Love Farina in that one.
clemenza's equation of SNF and Taxi Driver feels appropriate. When I finally got around to watching SNF a few years back, i was struck by how grim it was and just how little I was enjoying it. I should give it another look one of these days.
I know that Grease is beloved, but those horrendous songs have kept me away from the movie itself all these years. Sorry.
― the vineyards where the grapes of corporate rock are stored (cryptosicko), Saturday, 17 August 2013 16:57 (ten years ago) link
get shorty is def a minor cousin to out of sight and Jackie brown in the '90s Elmore Leonard revival game but I think it's good. I think sonnenfeld did a decent job directing it but I also think it veered into OTT camerawork on occasion too. Travolta was great and likable (tho the role has warning signs of oncoming smugness taking over), gandolfini was great, farina was Oscar-worthy, Hackman was good.
― christmas candy bar (al leong), Saturday, 17 August 2013 17:30 (ten years ago) link
Travolta has never impressed me in anything and strikes me only as barely acceptable as an actor, but then I've never been able to watch SNF all the way through, either.
― Aimless, Saturday, 17 August 2013 17:47 (ten years ago) link
snf, blowout, pulp
lots of these i havent seen though (urban cowboy, stayin alive), but for some reason i doubt my faves would change.i kinda liked get shorty! havent sen it since college tho
― |citation needed| (will), Saturday, 17 August 2013 18:10 (ten years ago) link
Re cryptosicko: I should clarify that I meant brutal as a compliment--brutal as in vivid, and completely up-front, especially with regards to race. When I saw it as a teenager, I was either oblivious to that stuff or I'd forgotten it by the time I saw it years later. Eye-opening: I was amazed that the film had more or less been reduced to Travolta walking down the street as "Stayin' Alive" played.
Also eye-opening was a long-ago party I went to given by another teacher. She and all her friends were in their mid-late '20s; I was getting close to 40. When they played the Grease soundtrack, all of them were ritualistically singing along word for word and re-enacting stuff from the movie--it was like that film was to them what The Godfather was to me and my friends.
― clemenza, Saturday, 17 August 2013 20:22 (ten years ago) link
I think the reason I responded negatively to the very grittiness that you praise the film for is because I'd put off seeing it for so long that I got to know it solely through its reputation courtesy of the soundtrack, Travolta's iconic moves and all that. Also, I seem to remember Ebert's (strongly positive) review painting it as a straight up teenage romance. Wasn't really prepared for how unlikeable the characters were, or how little actual disco music there seemed to be in the film.
All of this is definitely pointing towards me needing to take another look at the film.
― the vineyards where the grapes of corporate rock are stored (cryptosicko), Sunday, 18 August 2013 02:30 (ten years ago) link
Also, I'd call this the definitive review of Moment by Moment, but I doubt there are even that many reviews of it still out there at all. Still very much worth reading, though.
― the vineyards where the grapes of corporate rock are stored (cryptosicko), Sunday, 18 August 2013 02:38 (ten years ago) link
Thanks for that link. Funny--I felt bad for not choosing my words more carefully yesterday, and here's Rabin using the word "chemistry" in his very first sentence, and then three more times in his second paragraph. Anyway, it appears that something went grievously wrong with that film--it's like it's been erased from film history. I want to find a copy of it now.
― clemenza, Sunday, 18 August 2013 04:06 (ten years ago) link
via Fandor:
Glenn Kenny recalls going to the party after the premiere of Jackie Brown (1997) and bumping into Abel Ferrara: “Feeling sufficiently emboldened by the festive vibe, I asked Ferrara how he, who had made a movie, the ill-fated 1989 Cat Dancer, from an Elmore Leonard book some years prior to Tarantino’s film… thought Quentin had done by the maestro. ‘He did great. Got the tone just right. Did you see Get Shorty?’ He rolled his eyes. ‘God. So studio-ized. Every time they shoot Travolta from a low angle they’ve got the fucking key light giving him a halo.’"
― Miss Arlington twirls for the Coal Heavers (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 19:15 (ten years ago) link
lol @ "Tratomlin"
dude's CV is largely an abomination, and although he's in a handful of great films there's only a couple I think he carries all by himself. And I think he's good in PF even though on the whole I don't like it and consider it QT's second worst film. But his storyline+character are the one thread that really works imho. If I was going just on films I'd vote Carrie without a moment's hesitation, performance-wise though it's boringly either PF or SNF.
― what's up ugly girls? (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 19:24 (ten years ago) link
I'll watch anything with this guy. He is such an oddly compelling presence. His bombs are more fun than many supposedly good films.
― polyphonic, Tuesday, 20 August 2013 20:13 (ten years ago) link
Came across Urban Cowboy] in a sale bin today. I've never seen it--will try to watch within the next couple of days. Everyone who's saying SNF/PF, I think you're underrating how good he is in Blow Out. I feel like this poll may have sent some bad karma Elmore Leonard's way.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 20 August 2013 21:18 (ten years ago) link
damn. his career from 2000 forward worse than his 'wilderness years' from '83 - '93 y/n?
― |citation needed| (will), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 21:27 (ten years ago) link
He's definitely annoying in Swordfish.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 20 August 2013 21:29 (ten years ago) link
From Paris with Love was hideous, as was Travolta in it.
― the vineyards where the grapes of corporate rock are stored (cryptosicko), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 21:30 (ten years ago) link
I like the new thing where Travolta is bald & I like him in general. I wish he wasn't a dumb Scientologist. Tom Cruise is creepy, but I just get the sense that Travolta got duped and now feels way too deep into it to get out. Kinda makes me sad.
― Kissin' Cloacas (Viceroy), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 22:06 (ten years ago) link
Travolta didn't get duped he made a deal
― what's up ugly girls? (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 22:15 (ten years ago) link
Punisher was a treat on some levels
― Beatrix Kiddo (Raymond Cummings), Wednesday, 21 August 2013 03:15 (ten years ago) link
10 year old me would vote for Two of a Kind. However I was
but my vote will probably go for SNF because that's the Travolta I see when I think of him. But there's at least 5 contenders so I need to ponder.
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 21 August 2013 03:40 (ten years ago) link
Travolta & Pinter & Altman:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYV0sbzEIJQ
― cookin' with bad (Eazy), Thursday, 22 August 2013 13:46 (ten years ago) link
Shit, that one's not it.
Here it is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MKcSPh7vB4
― cookin' with bad (Eazy), Thursday, 22 August 2013 13:49 (ten years ago) link
When I was drawing up the list, that one intrigued me--cut it, though, with the other TV stuff.
Don't think I'll get to watch Urban Cowboy tonight. I'll vote for Blow Out--I think he's as good in that as in SNF/Pulp Fiction, and I prefer the film as a tie-breaker.
― clemenza, Thursday, 22 August 2013 14:41 (ten years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.
― System, Friday, 23 August 2013 00:01 (ten years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.
― System, Saturday, 24 August 2013 00:01 (ten years ago) link
ahhhhahahaha
― cops on horse (WilliamC), Saturday, 24 August 2013 00:03 (ten years ago) link
The Dissolve's "Forgotbusters" on the Phenomenon/Michael twofer, a pair of films that look even more unwatchable to me than Battlefield Earth (though I've never seen any of them):
http://thedissolve.com/features/forgotbusters/939-a-1996-double-feature-looks-at-the-year-of-john-tr/
― That shit right there is precedented. (cryptosicko), Saturday, 28 February 2015 05:31 (nine years ago) link
christ Phenomenon is a crock.
― piscesx, Saturday, 28 February 2015 06:44 (nine years ago) link
I've never seen it, but people fucking loved it when it came out.
Michael is my dad's favourite movie.
― franny glasshole (franny glass), Saturday, 28 February 2015 20:59 (nine years ago) link
I was hoping Michael would make it -- classic nominee.
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 28 February 2015 21:00 (nine years ago) link
all i really remember about michael is that andie macdowell and william hurt's voices realllly grated against each other, and that randy newman's music was goofy. barely any memory of what i saw though.
― da croupier, Saturday, 28 February 2015 22:18 (nine years ago) link
and the mullet
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 28 February 2015 22:18 (nine years ago) link
I would not call this a sign of confidence...given that the movie is supposed to come out in ten days.
http://www.tracking-board.com/lionsgate-drops-john-travoltas-mob-drama-gotti-sells-rights-back-to-producers-exclusive/
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 6 December 2017 00:14 (six years ago) link
sorry to be late here
🎬'Staying Alive' starring John Travolta premiered in theaters 35 years ago today, July 15, 1983 pic.twitter.com/1fyqcdLxmr— RetroNewsNow (@RetroNewsNow) July 15, 2018
― the ignatius rock of ignorance (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 17 July 2018 18:06 (five years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6qR2K7NLhs
boy this really looks like something....his voice is starting to sound pretty odd.
― omar little, Friday, 16 November 2018 18:13 (five years ago) link
there’s very little about latterday travolta that is not pretty odd tbf
― the Stanley Kubrick of testicular torsion (bizarro gazzara), Friday, 16 November 2018 18:14 (five years ago) link
the trailer is trying to build up some major Wolf of Wall Street energy.
idk i think Travolta's charisma remains effective when he's in the right role, i could see this being completely cheesy fun.
― omar little, Friday, 16 November 2018 18:18 (five years ago) link
but man his hair..."hair" rather
If I had voted in this poll, I would have voted for Welcome Back, Kotter.
― A is for (Aimless), Friday, 16 November 2018 18:37 (five years ago) link
So, is Moment by Moment funny/interesting/weird bad, or just bad bad? There's a 1080p blu-ray rip up on YouTube for the time being.
― niall horanburger (cryptosicko), Sunday, 12 March 2023 02:42 (one year ago) link
Interesting by default--Travolta's follow-up to SNF and Grease, so the absolute zenith of his popularity--but plodding, as I remember it. If I'm counting correctly, he's been in 14 films since I put this poll up.
― clemenza, Sunday, 12 March 2023 03:58 (one year ago) link
Actually 11--I counted some TV/video work.
― clemenza, Sunday, 12 March 2023 04:00 (one year ago) link
Watched Moment by Moment last night (thanks for the tip, cryptosicko). Hard to figure how this got an R rating. I found Lily Tomlin's home decor and the background views of Malibu, Beverly Hills & elsewhere more interesting than the characters. "Plodding" seems accurate. There's a pair of lap dogs that get too much screen time.
― Josefa, Sunday, 12 March 2023 16:37 (one year ago) link
There's a scene in it where Tomlin is holding Travolta's head and says, "I think you have a fever."
And I'm screaming at my TV, "It's a NIGHT Fever!"
― Josefa, Sunday, 12 March 2023 23:21 (one year ago) link
Yeah, Tomlin's beach house was definitely the best thing about this. Otherwise, I suppose there is some pleasure to be had here for bad movie aficionados--the matching haircuts, the banal dialogue, Tomlin and Travolta's legendary anti-chemistry--but mostly I thought it was just dull.
― niall horanburger (cryptosicko), Monday, 13 March 2023 01:06 (one year ago) link