This is topic Julie & Julia (2009) in forum Film Handlers' Movie Reviews at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.


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Posted by Jeremy Jorgenson (Member # 2989) on 08-09-2009, 06:20 PM:
 
Screening this at work - alone - I was impressed with how ridiculously entertaining the character of Julia Child was. A lot of that had to do with Meryl Streep's performance, which was great, but the character herself was so likeable. Then when Jane Lynch joined in as Julia's sister Dorothy, I was just sitting there giddy in the auditorium.

Both of my thumbs are firmly planted up for this one.

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aka Julie and Julia
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 08-09-2009, 07:32 PM:
 
This movie is doing crazy business at my theater, but the movie looks dreadful. Personally, I find Meryl Streep completely unacceptable.
 

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Posted by Jim Cassedy (Member # 4115) on 08-10-2009, 09:30 AM:
 
Here in SF, one theater is running "Julie/Julia" on a
double bill with "Food Incoroporated"!

An incongrous but intersting and entertaing combination!
 

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Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 08-11-2009, 12:32 PM:
 
Gee, Meryl has always said such nice things about YOU, Joe.

I was dragged to this by my lady and expected it to be a boring chick flick, but turns out it really was quite enjoyable. Streep is just a marvel at melting into a character and she captures Child to the tee, all the while making it look so natural. She really is a consumate actor. Doing Child couldn't have been easy, especially doing that voice (which I thought was really going to annoy me at first, but it got to be tolerable -- after all, Child did speak that way). And Streep seems to be having so much fun doing this part -- I got the same feeling watching her in MAMA MIA which was the one saving grace of that film aside from the music. And I agree with Jeremy, when Jane Lynch makes an appearance, the two of them together create such warm and unique characters that the film gets a big lift at that point.

The works wonders for this film is the justaposing of the two stories -- just when your interest in the one story starts to wain, the director switches to the second parallel story and jolt you right back into it. It's excellent timing and editing and a great device. Actually, surprisingly, this is a nice, small picture that deserves a watch.

Now for the Regal Ass-Movies at Sheepshead Bay presentation. After enduring a half hour of what seemed like two hours of video commercials where any horizontal movement looked like disco strobe, enough to give people like me grand mal seisures, we loose the video projector and switch to FILM. And with it comes three persistant never-once-leave-the-screen black horizontal lines, big as life, top to bottom of the image. They are there from frame one (actually spliced so the number 2 -- SMPTE leader -- is visibly flashed on screen) to the last frame of the credit crawl, never leaving the screen for ONE MINUTE of the entire film. Occasionally another horizontal scratch would appear in the emultion, down to the green layer and even at times showing white. I mean, when did this picture open? Freakin Friday? So in four days, and probably with no more than 16 or at most 20 passes, these retarded gorillas managed to damage this print. Maybe they were going for the Cinerama look -- verticle lines in the picture.

And of course to add insult to injury, I counted 3 Crap Codes in reel 3. Who needs crap codes when all they have to do is COUNT THE DAMN SCRATCHES.

I thought Regal was going for Sony 4K digital? Evidently not in this rat hole. I can't wait to see how they will figure a way to muck up digital projection when they get it. We were going out to dinner after the movie so I am thrilled that we didn't buy ANYTHING from their concessions (JoAnne says they have stale popcorn....I say they probably piss in the soda). I am happy I didn't give another penny to these morons.

Movie = 4/5 Presentation = Sewage Effluent....drink up at Regal.
 

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Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 08-11-2009, 06:58 PM:
 
Saw this at a screening. I found the film very enjoyable. Meryl Streep can play almost any female character.

Frank you should have come to see it at a real theatre in Manhattan. The AMC Empire 25 complex, their presentation does not suck ass and they have fresh tasty popcorn too.
 

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Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 08-12-2009, 03:12 PM:
 
I'm really torn on this movie. I liked every scene, but it just seemed to crawl along. I think it was trying a bit to hard to tell the two different stories. I wanted less Julie Powell and more Julia Child.

Terrific performances here, especially by Stanley Tucci and Meryl Streep. Meryl absolutely becomes Julia Child. Just remarkable. Amy Adams is cute, as always, but her character is a bit whiny. Good casting all around, especially Jane Lynch as Julia Child's sister.

I think the problem with the film is that it is trying to tell two very different stories. Each requires some background that takes up time. It's well done, but it really takes its time getting to the major plot points.

Presentation at AMC Lennox was OK...a bit jittery but not bad. Quite a few red dots on reel 3. Definitely an older crowd at this one.

I'm going to give this a B...good but could definitely have been better.

Oh, the trailer for 2012 has the WORST special effects I've seen in years. Looked like something from the 50's!!! I hope they clean those up before this is released.
 

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Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 08-13-2009, 05:32 PM:
 
Interestingly, I was speaking with a good friend of mine just a few minutes who mentioned out of the blue that he had seen HARRY POTTER and asked me why there would be a green line throughout the entire film. I had not told him that I has seen JULIA & JULIA yet. "Gee, what theatre did you see it at," asked I...."Regal's Movies at Sheepshead Bay" was the answer. Why am I not surprised. "It's simple," I explained -- "it's because they have effin gorillas working in the projection booth." Same one who scratched JULIA & JULIA, evidently. I guess this is not an isolated phenomenon re; the Regal conglomorate. Give 'em your $12 and your regally screwed.
 

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Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 08-14-2009, 12:11 AM:
 
Frank, we all get your point about the Regal Sheepshead Bay. Sounds like that location has a serious problem. Does that mean every Regal is the same and nobody at any Regal locaton has any competence or cares about presentation? No need to insult every Regal for the sins of one. I'm just saying.
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 08-14-2009, 02:47 AM:
 

quote: David Stambaugh

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I'm just saying.

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