50 - 50 by SHINYGOODGUY

CINEMA

50 - 50

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POSTED BY: SHINYGOODGUY
UPDATED: Monday, October 31, 2011 13:47
SHORT URL: http://bit.ly/tXBf6t
VIEWED: 3168
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Saturday, October 29, 2011 11:09 PM

SHINYGOODGUY

Hi Guys,

I'm going to say as little as posible about this movie, 50-50, simply because it's THAT good and I don't want to spoil it for you. OK, three words: Joseph Gordon-Levitt. He takes this movie and puts it on his shoulders, he does most of the heavy lifting in this dramedy. Even the gregarious Seth Rogen can't put a dent into how truly good this movie is. I smell Oscar nom for Mr. Levitt, if not something is wrong with the system.

Based on a true story, involving Rogen true-life friend, it strikes a even balance between drama and comedy that is rare to find these days. It is a good story told damn-near perfectly by director Jonathan Levine (who directed The Wackness, 2008) and written by Will Reiser, the actual guy who is Rogen's friend. Ok so, spoiler alert. But don't go thinking this is a comedy or even a heavy drama about a guy with cancer.

It is a drama, yes. It is about a guy with cancer, yes. But it's about what he goes through and how his friends and family cope with it and the journey they all take. It is well written and well directed, period. And it does have scenes that you have not seen before - trust me. Although it is sprinkled with standard Hollywood fare throughout,it does not overwhelm the basic premise of the movie. As for Seth Rogen, he plays his usual graphic comic relief dude role, but in this movie it actually works. There is a method to his madness and both he and Gordon-Levitt have great chemistry which is the driving emotional force of this film.

I'm going to honor a distinguished critic, and personal favorite, Roger Ebert, by using his now world-renowned descriptive criticism - Thumbs Up!

On a personal note: I lost my younger sister to breast cancer almost a year ago (December 2010), so this movie had a significant meaning for me. I thought carefully before going to see it, to say the least, and it brought back memories I tried hard to bury and others that made me smile. It also gave me new insights as to how my sister lived her life after she was given the tragic news, but also the little bit that I could do to take her mind away from the daily pain. For those who know someone, or have a loved one with cancer - just be there, treat them as normally as possible. This movie somehow touches upon that. Could I have done more, sure, but I have no regrets.

R.I.P. Millie, I love you.

SGG

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Sunday, October 30, 2011 6:41 AM

ANTHONYT

Freedom is Important because People are Important

Hello,

I enjoyed the film. It evoked all the emotions. However, it was a poor date film. My date did not feel romantic when the movie was over.

--Anthony

_______________________________________________

"In every war, the state enacts a tax of freedom upon the citizenry. The unspoken promise is that the tax shall be revoked at war's end. Endless war holds no such promise. Hence, Eternal War is Eternal Slavery." --Admiral Robert J. Henner

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Sunday, October 30, 2011 8:40 AM

KWICKO

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." -- William Casey, Reagan's presidential campaign manager & CIA Director (from first staff meeting in 1981)

There was a small film, Brick, that JGL starred in a few years back, and it never seemed to do much at the box office, but I quite liked it. He played a high school kid who gets entangled in a crime ring. It's done very much in a film noire style, with its own gangster lingo, etc., and it's kind of a mobster film, kind of a private detective movie, and more.

It was certainly different, and made a JGL fan of me on the spot. I liked him in Inception, but felt that film just went on at least a half hour too long. I'll definitely see 50/50 when it comes out on video. I somehow missed (500) Days of Summer, though, but it's still on my short list of movies I need to see.

"Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservatives." - John Stuart Mill

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Monday, October 31, 2011 9:38 AM

BLACKSHAMROCK5

Saw the movie this weekend and I absolutely loved it. JGL is starting to be one of the actors that I will watch regardless of the premise of the project.

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Monday, October 31, 2011 10:39 AM

KWICKO

Quote:
Originally posted by blackshamrock5:
JGL is starting to be one of the actors that I will watch regardless of the premise of the project.

I'm leaning the same way - and I thought he was kind of annoying in "3rd Rock". He's turned into quite an actor. Oh, and his side project "HitRecord.com" has some kinda cool stuff, too.

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Monday, October 31, 2011 1:21 PM

SHINYGOODGUY

I never thought about that aspect, ha ha, no it's not a good date movie. So fellas be forewarned! :)

SGG

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Monday, October 31, 2011 1:47 PM

SHINYGOODGUY

Brick was a very good movie that got some buzz within the Sundance/Indie community, a kind of sleeper film. And as Arthur in Inception he was awesome (a role that was made for his talents) he was the perfect foil for DiCaprio. People often overlook the importance of a solid character actor in a film such as Inception. The chemistry with DiCaprio/Cobb was spot on and made the movie go.

As an aside, don't you find that Nolan gets the best from his actors in his movies - just saying.

JGL and Mila Kunis are the 2 actors today that have made some excellent choices in choosing their movie roles, kudos to them for being smart. If you want another really good movie to watch with JGL try The Lookout, it's a caper movie and he's excellent. Once again a small and smart indie film. 500 Days of Summer is quirky and offbeat, but good and JGL delivers yet again. So yeah, he's pretty much a sure thing. You will not be sorry to follow his career and film choices. The Dark Knight Rises will be awesome.

SGG

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