Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Something's Gotta Give

This is topic Something's Gotta Give in forum Film Handlers' Movie Reviews at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Jennifer Pan (Member # 2035) on 12-07-2003, 01:56 PM:

I guess it was a good movie... It had its funny moments... And predictable..

2.5/5

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 12-07-2003, 03:40 PM:

Predictable, yes, exactly my comment. It would have really been offbeat if certain people didn't end up with certain people but ended up with the person they were dating at the start. Then again, would a woman director let that happen? Nahhhh...

Posted by Pravin Ratnam (Member # 1417) on 12-14-2003, 04:31 PM:

Madstone , Atlanta. Horrible sound(just sound from the screen and it wasn't even good mono). This used to be an auditorium that was THX certified at one time, but was run down by EFW before Madstone took over. Two of the smaller auditoriums actually have decent DTS sound in this multiplex.

I am usually in the minority that is harder on these kind of movies compared to the other members(like Chicago and Love Actually). But I found myself liking this movie despite it being directed by Nancy Myers who helmed the horrible What Women Want. While I don't know what the National Board Of Review was thinking giving DIane Keaton best actress, she does do a very good job. I thought Jack Nicholson does some of his finest comic work here helping erase some of the Nicholson Anger Management(Punch Drunk Love was the real Anger Management to me) memories.

THere was point in the final third where the movie was getting dragged on with the needless Keanu subplot and I was hoping the movie wouldn't fall into the What Women Want crapola zone or your typical Nora Ephron movie wretchedness where the movie just slams the brakes on and bores the crap out of you. Thankfully, the movie never gets to that level of dullness in the final third. In any case, I shouldn't be comparing this movie to those awful movies.

Amanda Peet and Frances McDormand do their jobs fine. Keanu is ok too and never says Whoa.

[ 12-15-2003, 01:04 AM: Message edited by: Pravin Ratnam ]

Posted by Evans A Criswell (Member # 381) on 12-16-2003, 11:07 PM:

Attendance: 2003/12/16 19:15, Carmike Century Cinema 8, Decatur, AL, Auditorium 2 (44 foot width, 28 foot screen in flat mode), DTS

I enjoy most any movie that Jack Nicholson is in. Two I really liked from the past are "As Good As It Gets" and "About Schmidt". While I enjoyed "Something's Gotta Give", I didn't think it quite measured up the the other two I mentioned.

The movie seemed to be quite slow getting going, but once it did, it was better. The movie seemed a bit long and I felt it could have been improved by removing 10 minutes or so.

The "fake-sounding crying that is sort of like a laugh" scene that goes on and on was the worst thing about the movie. I kept wanting it to stop, but it went on and on.

Aside from these issues, I though the movie was very enjoyable and I do recommend it. As for the predictability of the movie, yes, I agree.

I found it rather humorous that two people in different rooms of the house were using laptop computers and an instant messenger to talk.

Keanu Reeves is cute.

The presentation was good, considering that this was the Carmike 8 in Decatur, AL. Aside from the brightness falling off too much at the upper corners, the presentation was OK. 8 commercials were shown before the previews, the most ever for a Carmike theatre attendance.

Posted by Charles Everett (Member # 889) on 12-21-2003, 12:16 PM:

AMC Clifton Commons, 12/20, 5:05 PM matinee. Hall #1, attendance 110+.

Why jump on the director -- because she's a woman? Nancy Meyers directs a movie people actually want to see, not something that's gonna please the "Film Snobs".

The trailer played the "big man in town" angle. The movie diverts from it and takes you into a Hamptons/East Side milieu without being oh-so-hip. Listen early on for Sagaponack -- it's the name of a village near Bridgehampton where Erica (Ms. Keaton) lives.

Yes, the "fake crying" scene went on and on as Evans said. Yes, the movie could have been pruned as Evans hinted. Yes, it's predictable yet enjoyable. That helps keep you warm indoors on a cold winter's day. The white-haired ladies who made up most of the audience would agree.

Amanda Peet finally got to be in a decent movie after a lot of crap. She deserves an Oscar nomination (supporting actress) but the Academy hates comedy and isn't big on romance. Jack & Diane may get Oscar noms based on reputation.

Image was good (though framed high) with a few blemishes -- and no CRAP Code! [Cool]

Sound was OK in Dolby though low enough to be barely audible where I sat near the back. Sound defaulted from digital to analog at the "Feature Presentation" > R1 splice. Preshow was cut off in mid-commercial -- the actual program probably started behind schedule.

Hall #1 is equipped with Rear Window Captioning. Two patrons in the row ahead of me were using the Rear Window devices, which didn't intrude on me or anyone else.