The AM Forum

Hands down the best movie i have seen in years .

How'd it compare to the Duke's version??

klc

Far better.  THis has to be the best movie I have seen in years.  Please go see it.  We where just blown away.

C

The Coen brothers know how to make a movie...


                        _-_-bear

I have no desire to see it. It proves that there aren't any 'idea makers' in Hollywood anymore when they have to rehash old hits, as well as cartoons, (Yogi Bear???). I haven't been to a theater in close to 20 years and the crap they keep spewing now a days makes it look like it will be another 20 years.  :P

Yeah, there's a lot of crap out there, but with the huge number of movies made every year if even 1 or 2% of them are good, that's still a movie a month that's worth your time.

There have been quite a few extremely good movies in the past year or so!

There are really only about a dozen stories out there, but there are infinite variations on those basic stories and there are some really fine directors and writers, mixed in with a huge number of hacks!



YMMV

It is far better then the original.  My dad is the biggest Duke fan there is period. I am sitting in his den and its full of JW memorabilia.  Even he said that Jeff Bridges blows JW away in this movie.

I am like alot of you guys. I gave up on movies a long time back.  Nothing was good to me.  I had little interest in going to see a film.  They are so full of technical inacuracies.  Like bullets flying with the case still intact...ect..

This movie blew me away.  It gives hope for the theaters. 

C

If the plasma screen hasn't crapped out by then.

Yeah really..  My mom had a 60 inch plasma.  The cox cable guy came out to set it up since I live a state away.  He plugged the TV into the wall and not the cable box.  So when my mom turned off the Cable box every night the Plasma stayed on full black.  This compressed the 7 year lifetime down to 1.5 years and it was toast.

Today, I purchased a 42 inch Sanyo 1080P, 120HZ LCD for my Dad and step mom, as a gift. He already had Sat TV but was using a 15 year old standard TV.  He is loving life now! Watching the crab show in 1080I.

C

But Strother Martin is SK...darn! Hard to get a good western off the ground without Strother (or for that matter "Cool Hand Luke" --'What we have here is failure to communicate')

Why didn't you get an LED?  There are some out there that are very reasonable in the 40 inch range

If anybody wants to see a different kind of movie fom the usual Hollywood crap go see "The Fighter". Its about a local area guy and his uncle is my mechanic. Ive met Mickey Ward several times and the guy is so down to earth its scary plus he is a big philanthropist to causes in Lowell, MA.

A couple of you may spot me in my 2 seconds of fame ???

Carl

But don't they have a time limit within which they work well, plus they generate a lot of hash on ham bands, don't they?

About time the Western made a comeback. The movie is on my list to go see. I'm tired of terrorists, cops, machine guns and ambulances in movies.

The new LED TV's are actually LCD TV's with LED back lights instead of electroluminescent panels.

Don, KYV, Timtron HLR, Brandon IIF and myself (John, JT) had a great QSO a few nights ago about TV's and OTA and cable and netflix etc. etc.

It seems plasma tv's put out a heck of a lot of RF trash.  What's the experience you guys that own plasmas have with that?

My folks recently purchased a 55" LED 1080p and it looks great except for high motion scenes which tend to chop a little.  Don chimed in that he believes it more likely to be the TV quality as opposed to the medium delivering the content (HD cable or Blueray).  Any thoughts there?

I rarely pay to go see movies now that I have netflix streaming from the internet to the xBOX360 in the living room.  Awesome quality there and a decent selection of movies and even popular TV series.  I also enjoy the NatGeo and History channel documentaries that are available with the netflix.  If one doesn't have a modern gaming console like xbox, wii or sony PS3, there are some "internet streaming" devices available to hook up to the TV.

That said, I occasionally enjoy the theatre experience if the movie is really good or something that offers great visual appeal.  Avatar in 3D was interesting.  My son was wanting to take me and his brother to a movie sometime during the holidays and I think True Grit might just be the ticket, not for the visual aspect, but just because Clark is recommending it. *grin* Actually I did see the trailer and it looks pretty good, besides, I'm not paying.

I have a high-end Plasma monitor and line-doubler/video processor. It consistently fools people into thinking I have a blu-ray setup. This is while playing normal DVDs.  ;D Makes me happy, because DVDs are cheap!

It does, however, spit out a bit of RF. Fortunately, it is not on too much. I'm with many others here in saying that cable or satellite is just not worth it. I haven't had cable for over 12 years, and I don't miss it a bit. In fact, when I do see it, say over at a friends house, it reaffirms my decision to live life without television.

Netflix is something I do enjoy. Rent the movies you want to see on the home entertainment system. Stream the movies while working on the computer or laying in bed.

But, back on topic, I am really looking forward to seeing True Grit. I just have to convince myself that it's worth the expense to see it in the theater!  ;)

Yes you can watch the streams on the computer, but with an xbox, wii or sony ps3 OR a device like a ROKU, you can send the stream from your wireless router (or wired) to the device that plays it on the TV.  We have the XBOX 360 hooked up in the living room to the TV and surround system and so we can watch the streaming movies there.  Awesome.  

ROKU HD boxes can be found for around 100 bucks if you don't already have a compatible gaming console.  If you don't care about HD (for instance, I only have a 36" CRT Toshiba) you can find the standard ROKU boxes for about 60 bucks.

Now, you won't get 5.1 surround from the netflix streams but you DO get PLII decoding which is pretty decent, better than just stereo for sure.

http://www.netflix.com/NetflixReadyDevicesDetails?pdid=2 (http://www.netflix.com/NetflixReadyDevicesDetails?pdid=2)

Merry Christmas,

Well I remember seeing True Grit at the the drive in back in 1969 -- It was the 1st time I ever heard someone swear on the Big Screen. (SOB's)  I was 10 years old.. Still love that film.. I was up in the air on seeing the new one.. MY XLY had asked if I want to see it.. She was not aware it was a remake. (younger women!)

Read the AMFone review page  ;D I am now looking forward to going..

73 all Steve

Last summer I regularly drove past one of the locations of filming that lasted for about 6 weeks, near Black Mesa, on Santa Clara reservation land in Santa Fe county. Its 3 miles from this QTH (see little photo of 851 in front of Black Mesa). The other New Mexico location was down south of town, north of I-40. They filmed there for many weeks also. Jeff Bridges last hit Crazy Heart was also filmed around SF.

I'm going to see it in a few days, just looking at the trailer online was great. Sounds like he did have a lot of chaw inside his cheek when he talked. Coen brothers deliver classics, other times, not so. Fargo, Big Lebowski, Brother Where Art Thou?....True Grit

I remember seeing the original True Grit with my Dad in the American Theater in Canton NY as a kid. Looking forward to taking my son tomorrow.

Mike WU2D

M,

Isn't Canton a bit of a drive?


klc

See the remake...it will blow you away!  The original pales in comparison.

The Coen bros on Charlie Rose said that they followed the book, not the "screen adaptation" that was the John Wayne movie... so a different thing entirely, not a "remake" exactly.

I dunno, I have not seen the movie.

                        _-_-bear

That makes sense. I am going to order the book and read it. 

C

Okay.  Saw the movie tonight.  Two thumbs up.  8)

Yeah.. Jeff bridges is fricken awesome in that movie. 

C

Little original coming out of Hollywood - mostly remakes (usually poor) and movies made from old TV shows or comic books. Lame.

Jeff Bridges will never overcome his horrible roll in Tron.  His acting in this True Grit remake is pretty poor too. He's trying too hard to be gruff. It comes off as silly and over done.

It's Steve against the world!! Lol

Yep, Jeff Bridges is in the same category as John Wayne. Keep fooling yourself OM! LOL indeed.

It is the processor rate. if you have a 120Hz, you probably will get that. Example is a football game or a hockey game. If you watch the ball as its thrown, you will see pixelation around the ball.

I havea 52" Panasonic 480Hz. Much better when it comes to watching sporting events.

mike

Steve said:
My sentiments exactly. Nothing original.

Steve also said:
Which reinforces the first statement. "Tron: Legacy" ring a bell? Nothing original. Just a constant rehash of old themes. So what's next, "McClintock"?

I saw the original True Grit in 1969, and occasionally watched the TV reruns.  I liked the original a lot.  Then I saw the new one last Sunday, and liked it as much as the original.  I was comparing the old vs new, and some of the dialog from the old version was identical to the new....and some wasn't.  I did like the difference in the ending.  The new ending was completely different than the old.  I won't go into detail in respect for those who want to go see the new version, and I don't want to spoil it.

Its a really good western yarn, and Jeff Bridges nails the Rooster Cogburn character differently, but just as good as JW.

73
Ted  W8IXY

I've never "un-liked" a John Wayne movie, but the original True Grit was the closest I've ever come. The only thing that made it bearable was the Duke himself.

I was motivated to see the new version by some of the comments on here and a review I read which said that "it's as if the Coen Brothers are saying, 'OK, you've seen the movie, now see the book'". That, and a call from some friends today inviting me to join them, put me in the theater at 1400 CST.

Positively brilliant! It's enjoyable, it's gritty (no pun intended) and the performances are outstanding. Finally, a Mattie Ross we can believe, a La Boeuf that isn't Glen Campbell (always a plus) and Jeff Bridges at his finest. Don't miss this one.

I hope this is an indication of more westerns to come out of Hollywood. The Western is the highest form of filmic art, you know.

Happy New Year!

ldb
K5WLF

Agreed. We saw the Shootist on the big screen when it was released, John Wayne's last film, and it was excellent. Even though was missing a lung and several ribs by then. I heard recently the the film makers couldn't get insurance to cover him for the movie.

There will never be another John Wayne, but Bridges fills the role quite well.

If you have read the biography of Billy the Kid, I think Johnny Depp could do quite well in any movie made about him.

From Wikipedia:

One widely reported characteristic of McCarty  ()Billy the Kid) has stood the test of research: his personal charisma and popularity. Various accounts recorded by friends and acquaintances describe him as fun-loving and jolly, articulate in both his writing and his speech, and loyal to those for whom he cared,  He was fluent in Spanish, popular with Latina girls, an accomplished dancer, and thus especially well-loved within the territory's Hispanic community. There, he was regarded as a champion of the oppressed."His many Hispanic friends did not view him as a ruthless killer but rather as a defender of the people who was forced to kill in self-defense."

If I was writing a Western, he would be my next candidate to cover.

I've been to Lincoln, NM. What a history down there. What a neat place. We have almost thought of retiring down there.

Frank Coe, who rode as a Regulator, recalled years after the Kid's death: "I never enjoyed better company. He was humorous and told me many amusing stories. He always found a touch of humor in everything, being naturally full of fun and jollity. Though he was serious in emergencies, his humor was often apparent even in such situations. Billy stood with us to the end, brave and reliable, one of the best soldiers we had. He never pushed in his advice or opinions, but he had a wonderful presence of mind. The tighter the place the more he showed his cool nerve and quick brain. He never seemed to care for money, except to buy cartridges with. Cartridges were scarce, and he always used about ten times as many as everyone else. He would practice shooting at anything he saw, from every conceivable angle, on and off his horse.

I am waiting for that flick!

In 2010, Bill Richardson considered pardoning, posthumously, McCarty for his role in the death of a law enforcement officer. The pardon was considered to be following through on a purported promise was made by then Governor Lew Wallace 130 years ago. However, a pardon for him would be reprehensible as he murdered three law enforcement officers.

On December 31, 2010, on the last day of his term, NM Gov. Bill Richardson announced his decision not to pardon McCarty citing "historical ambiguity" surrounding the conditions of the deal surrounding pardon.

I have found aged campfires here on the HG Radio Ranch. Old enough so that moss has grown over the burned rocks. And I have found a few Paper 10 gauge shotgun cartridges. The campfires were a long time ago; the Old West is all real to me.

Here's one story I liked. Back in the late 1800s, gunslingers would only load 5 cartridges in a 6-shooter. The gun's hammer would sit on an empty chamber, so that dropping it wouldn't cause it to accidentally fire. ( I do that with my .357 mag) Billy was playing cards in a saloon with a drunk that kept saying he could blow him away. Billy asked to see his revolver, and he turned the cylinder so that the next shot would be on the empty cylinder. Returning the gun to the braggart, he announced who he was.

Guess who lost the subsequent exchange of gunfire..

BS!!!!

I'd have to agree with that. Johnny Depp would be an excellent choice to play Billy. And maybe either Sam Elliott or Tom Selleck as Pat Garrett? How old was Garrett at the time of the alleged event?

One of the theories about Billy the Kid is that he wasn't really killed by Pat Garrett, but rather got away and spent the rest of his life under the name of Brushy Bill Roberts in Hico, Texas. Hico is about 20 miles south of Stephenville (where I live) and has a small museum there about Billy/Brushy Bill. It's pronounced "Hy-co", BTW, not "Hicco" as a Skywarn volunteer at NWS Fort Worth did during a severe WX event last year  ;D

Happy New Year!

ldb
K5WLF

Continuing on the BtK thread, Lincoln is indeed an interesting village. I read a rather academic history of the Lincoln County war that explained how they got into such a bad way there. I spend a lot of time in Lincoln County each summer, in the next village of Ft. Stanton and in Capitan. We have a large cave project there that is under exploration and mapping, my 'other' pastime. Sometimes I feel like the Kid ought to be still running around in the country there.

I'm glad our former governor didn't pardon the dude.