Did anyone else hate Garden State? - Page 2

hasselbrad · 08-09-2004, 03:25 PM

I thought it captured the mood-altered state of the world quite crisply.
I was disappointed that they didn't let us know which exit it took place at, though.

The Black Rider · 08-09-2004, 03:29 PM

I disagree, just playing indie music and incorporating good cinematography is useless unless you can feel the filmmaker's passion and artistry for the mise en scène, which is something Braff has no talent for whatsoever.

Also, I was thinking about it a little bit today and I remembered something that really got to me when I saw it. Look at the attitudes these people have for life and society. They're all cynical, self-indulgent jack-asses (esp. Mark). It's one thing to have characters distraught with their lives, but having them just constantly complaining and being quirky for the sake of quirkiness is completely different, which is part of the reason why I found it so insulting. It was all just negativity from start to finish.

And we're all supposed to empathize with Mark's character because of "how much he loves his friend." He does drugs and rips people off. I don't care how much he loves his friend, he's a creep and I couldn't care less about anything he does.

Renegade · 19-09-2004, 01:37 AM

*Bumpity bump bump*

Yep, I finally saw Garden State *tumbleweed sweeps by as crickets chirp in the background*. The story may have not been original, but it's the way Braff executes it that makes it enjoyable (well atleast for me). I could relate to Braff's character in certain situations, which is why I like this film alot. The comedy wasn't laugh-out-loud hilarious but it was enough to keep a smile on my face

throughout most of the movie, which is what I wanted and expected.

ryan · 19-09-2004, 02:27 AM

i liked it.
nothing spectacular, but i liked it.
natalies performance was pretty good, i think.

Elijahfan · 19-09-2004, 03:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Black Rider

I disagree, just playing indie music and incorporating good cinematography is useless unless you can feel the filmmaker's passion and artistry for the mise en scène, which is something Braff has no talent for whatsoever.

And we're all supposed to empathize with Mark's character because of "how much he loves his friend." He does drugs and rips people off. I don't care how much he loves his friend, he's a creep and I couldn't care less about anything he does.

okay, yes i agree with the music and cinemotography part. i really like it for that, the two trailers just sucked me in.

i liked the character's "quirkiness" as you but it, i mean lost in translation had that somewhat, but i just wasnt feeling it. as for the mark character, yes he was an ass but i think i'd act like that if i cared less about life. i think my liking of the actors overshadowed the characters for me, like mark is played by peter sarsgaard, and he was very good in shattered glass.

on another note, when i think about the film and new jersey, it reminds me of a shirt my brother has. it says "girls arent trash, trash gets picked up" lol

The Black Rider · 19-09-2004, 04:38 PM

Peter Sarsgaard is a good actor, I agree. I quite liked his performance in Shattered Glass.

In fact, I liked all the performances in it except for Braff. I just didn't think he was that good, and he looks exactly like Ray Romano, so that didn't help. And Ian Holm, while a talented actor, is extremely overused. I'd like to see some films that don't feature Holm in its cast; or Judi Dench for that matter.

But, if anything, I can give props to Natalie Portman. She's probably the one factor that kept me from asking for my money back.

Liam · 20-09-2004, 10:44 AM

I havent seen it, but if it makes you feel better, I think its shite.

Boyscout · 25-09-2004, 04:29 AM

Could anyone tell me when it's gonna be the DVD coming out?Cuz I don't think it will be released in China~~~~

Jacoby · 25-09-2004, 04:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boyscout

Could anyone tell me when it's gonna be the DVD coming out?Cuz I don't think it will be released in China~~~~

My guess is March at the earliest. It's not yet in theatres in the UK..so, it's going to take a while.

Margo Channing · 28-09-2004, 10:16 AM

I liked it. I found it funny and and it's eagerness endearing. I think Natalie Portman and Peter Saarsgard were excellent in their roles but I didn't like Zach Braff too much. There were a few places where it dragged but it really kept my interest. It had a ethereal, dreamy mood to it that I enjoyed.

I heard alot of people compare it to LiT and I'd have to disagree. I disliked LiT. It seemed too smug and I couldnt connect with any of the characters, especially Charlotte. She was a little too whiny and a bit smug. I didn't really laugh at any of the "funny" parts. All in all I didn't enjoy LiT and I don't get the hype around it so I was pleasantly surprised when GS was actually a pretty different movie.

The Black Rider · 28-09-2004, 10:32 PM

Well, here's the thing. Lost in Translation had well developed characters who we don't often see. They used little to no profanity, they couldn't be placed into any kind of stereotype, they were believable and they were interesting. I personally didn't see them as smug, whereas the characters in Garden State were nothing but smug (except for Portman), but I went into more detail about that earlier. "They were cynical, self-indulgent jack-asses." They were. In Lost in Translation, they weren't just flipping off the rest of the world for two hours, although I will agree that that film was overrated. I still liked it, though.

Margo Channing · 29-09-2004, 07:35 AM

Quote:

"They were cynical, self-indulgent jack-asses."

Well, I got that from Mark. I live in a college town and there are alot of kids here who don't/didn't go to college and a great deal of them remind me of Mark. Alot of slackers tend to be that way, though certainly not all of them.

I couldn't get behind any of the characters in Lost in Translation. Charlotte laughing at Kelly for choosing the name Evelyn Waugh. It's like it never even occured to her that Kelly did in fact know that Evelyn Waugh was a man. In fact, seeing as he isn't exactly a legend there's probably a very good chance that Kelly knew. Something about that really bothered me. The movie's treatement of the Japanese really bothered my mom, she's been to Japan a few times. I kinda felt for Bob, but not much.

I don't know. Different strokes and all that...

hasselbrad · 29-09-2004, 12:36 PM

Mark lives with his mother...and smokes pot with his mother.
Large has been on some sort of medication for depression since he was 9.
I think the characters are pretty good representations of the medicated population we've become. I doubt there's anyone on this board who doesn't know someone on some sort of mood-altering drug. Zoloft, Prozac, Ritilan, etc.
I think this is what Braff was speaking to.

The Black Rider · 29-09-2004, 11:42 PM

If that's the case, then he probably should've taken a much less sentimental approach. I agree that he does touch upon that, but he seemed to deal much more with the superficial aspect of the story, hence making it stupid.

08-09-2004, 03:25 PM	#21
hasselbrad Senior Citizen Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sugar Hill, GA... finally! Civilization! Posts: 4,590	Nope...loved it! I thought it captured the mood-altered state of the world quite crisply. I was disappointed that they didn't let us know which exit it took place at, though. __________________ "Purgatory's kind of like the in-betweeny one. You weren't really shit, but you weren't all that great either. Like Tottenham." I'll try being nicer...if you'll try being smarter.

08-09-2004, 03:29 PM	#22
The Black Rider Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: New Jersey (Unfortunately) Posts: 192	I disagree, just playing indie music and incorporating good cinematography is useless unless you can feel the filmmaker's passion and artistry for the mise en scène, which is something Braff has no talent for whatsoever. Also, I was thinking about it a little bit today and I remembered something that really got to me when I saw it. Look at the attitudes these people have for life and society. They're all cynical, self-indulgent jack-asses (esp. Mark). It's one thing to have characters distraught with their lives, but having them just constantly complaining and being quirky for the sake of quirkiness is completely different, which is part of the reason why I found it so insulting. It was all just negativity from start to finish. And we're all supposed to empathize with Mark's character because of "how much he loves his friend." He does drugs and rips people off. I don't care how much he loves his friend, he's a creep and I couldn't care less about anything he does. __________________ "As long as the music's loud enough we won't hear the world falling apart."

19-09-2004, 04:38 PM	#26
The Black Rider Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: New Jersey (Unfortunately) Posts: 192	Peter Sarsgaard is a good actor, I agree. I quite liked his performance in Shattered Glass. In fact, I liked all the performances in it except for Braff. I just didn't think he was that good, and he looks exactly like Ray Romano, so that didn't help. And Ian Holm, while a talented actor, is extremely overused. I'd like to see some films that don't feature Holm in its cast; or Judi Dench for that matter. But, if anything, I can give props to Natalie Portman. She's probably the one factor that kept me from asking for my money back. __________________ "As long as the music's loud enough we won't hear the world falling apart."

20-09-2004, 10:44 AM	#27
Liam Bogan Elite Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 1,446	I havent seen it, but if it makes you feel better, I think its shite. __________________ The greatest delight is to mark one's enemy, prepare everything, avenge oneself thoroughly, and then go to sleep. -Stalin

25-09-2004, 04:29 AM	#28
Boyscout Newcomer Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: China Posts: 22	Could anyone tell me when it's gonna be the DVD coming out?Cuz I don't think it will be released in China~~~~ __________________

19-09-2004, 01:37 AM	#23
Renegade Stock Boy Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 794	Bumpity bump bump Yep, I finally saw Garden State tumbleweed sweeps by as crickets chirp in the background. The story may have not been original, but it's the way Braff executes it that makes it enjoyable (well atleast for me). I could relate to Braff's character in certain situations, which is why I like this film alot. The comedy wasn't laugh-out-loud hilarious but it was enough to keep a smile on my face throughout most of the movie, which is what I wanted and expected.

19-09-2004, 02:27 AM	#24
ryan Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 901	i liked it. nothing spectacular, but i liked it. natalies performance was pretty good, i think.

28-09-2004, 10:16 AM	#30
Margo Channing Newcomer Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: USA Posts: 25	I liked it. I found it funny and and it's eagerness endearing. I think Natalie Portman and Peter Saarsgard were excellent in their roles but I didn't like Zach Braff too much. There were a few places where it dragged but it really kept my interest. It had a ethereal, dreamy mood to it that I enjoyed. I heard alot of people compare it to LiT and I'd have to disagree. I disliked LiT. It seemed too smug and I couldnt connect with any of the characters, especially Charlotte. She was a little too whiny and a bit smug. I didn't really laugh at any of the "funny" parts. All in all I didn't enjoy LiT and I don't get the hype around it so I was pleasantly surprised when GS was actually a pretty different movie. __________________ Heaven help me. I love a psychotic!

28-09-2004, 10:32 PM	#31
The Black Rider Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: New Jersey (Unfortunately) Posts: 192	Well, here's the thing. Lost in Translation had well developed characters who we don't often see. They used little to no profanity, they couldn't be placed into any kind of stereotype, they were believable and they were interesting. I personally didn't see them as smug, whereas the characters in Garden State were nothing but smug (except for Portman), but I went into more detail about that earlier. "They were cynical, self-indulgent jack-asses." They were. In Lost in Translation, they weren't just flipping off the rest of the world for two hours, although I will agree that that film was overrated. I still liked it, though. __________________ "As long as the music's loud enough we won't hear the world falling apart."

29-09-2004, 12:36 PM	#33
hasselbrad Senior Citizen Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sugar Hill, GA... finally! Civilization! Posts: 4,590	Mark lives with his mother...and smokes pot with his mother. Large has been on some sort of medication for depression since he was 9. I think the characters are pretty good representations of the medicated population we've become. I doubt there's anyone on this board who doesn't know someone on some sort of mood-altering drug. Zoloft, Prozac, Ritilan, etc. I think this is what Braff was speaking to. __________________ "Purgatory's kind of like the in-betweeny one. You weren't really shit, but you weren't all that great either. Like Tottenham." I'll try being nicer...if you'll try being smarter.

29-09-2004, 11:42 PM	#34
The Black Rider Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: New Jersey (Unfortunately) Posts: 192	If that's the case, then he probably should've taken a much less sentimental approach. I agree that he does touch upon that, but he seemed to deal much more with the superficial aspect of the story, hence making it stupid. __________________ "As long as the music's loud enough we won't hear the world falling apart."

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