You better get moving in different circles then :wink: I could not relate to these people at any level and the parts of the movie I watched seemed totally pointless.

Watch the whole movie. Please. :wink:

Honestly, these four characters are probably the most believable one's I've ever seen. Personally, I couldn't relate to them, but they sure are like a lot of people out there.

I will be your Co-host people

Yep, matatonio and I will be co-hosting the announcement ceremony on Thursday night, most likely starting at 5:30PM, PST. That'll be somewhat inconvenient for the folks in Europe, but it's probably the best fit since it will take at least a couple of hours.

Annouce the nominations?

Yes, the nominees, in a separate thread.

Listen to Chris and watch the film completely.

And as for moving in different circles, I don't think it's really possible. As Chris said, the portrayal of thse people is one of the most realistic ones I have ever seen. Personally, I can't relate much to them, but I know people who can relate to them very well and these people are very close to me. This movie is as realistic in portraying modern relationships as it gets. The four characters are all jerks, but this is what they are supposed to be. They are supposed to be despiseful and mean, we are supposed to not like them. In that, the movie succeeded well.

These people are very real. Most relationships in real life are full of deceptions, and that's why many people can immediately identify with the characters in the movie. Most negative comments I read aren't really "I can't relate with those people", but rather "I don't need to go to theater to be told that life sucks and relationship sucks; I already know that." It's more because the story is too real.

They may be real to some but not to me. If I had endure that kind of relationship I would rather not have any at all. Fortunately for me it is fiction and I don't like to watch stuff like that anyway.

In our house we have never watched a minute of Reality TV. No Soaps, no Fox (X-files is long gone)

The shows we watch are CSI (LV & Miami), Law and Order (all 3 of them) and Cold Case. Forensic Files/Court TV etc.

News: BBCworld, Internet (lost respect for the american media) and I am a voracious reader, mostly fiction though.

Chris, Dr. L and Xiayun: Thanks for the encouragement to finish watching Closer. I am not saying others could not like it or even love it. Unfortunately, It is just not the type of movie I like.

As a matter of fact, I have never watched a minute of Reality TV either. No Big Brother or Survivor for me...

However, the whole CSI, Cold Case and Forensic Files shows...don't they all show how bad life is as well (even if it's a different aspect)?

But the thing there are people on those shows like Grissom (Petersen) I just love and the good guys outweigh the bad \:D/

I have a problem when there is no balance. That is why my love for The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile grows with each viewing, which BTW is over 100 for TSSR and at least 50 for TGM. There is a balance between good and evil. I refuse to believe that our society has reached a point that all the relationships we have in life could as vile as depicted in Closer.

We don't all watch movies because they are carbon copies of our beliefs, we watch films to experience thoughts and emotions which are real to others in order to experience a different point of view.

It doesn't matter if Closer fits your reality, it definately is a reality for some people, and it's a valid one. And in no way does Closer pretend to depict "all relationship". Your refusal that it exists is like me refusing to admit that Hotel Rwanda is based on a horrible true story of horrible people doing horrible things to other people.

It is fine that you don't want to experience that, but it feels like you are being over judgemental and closed minded of the world around you.

In my real world, for example, there is no good and evil, only endless shades of complicated grey. That doesn't mean I can't appreciate something where good and evil are clearly defined.

We're hijacking the thread. :wink:

Still only 21 people. I'm a little concerned. I know Lecter will be submitting it literally at the last hour, but there are a lot of other movie-buffs whom I'm expecting a ballot (Zing, Dkmuto, Levy, MikeQ, Atoddr, Riggs27, Snrub, loyalfromlondon, etc.).

Yeah people c'mon, get your Ballots in!.....Please

I'll have mine in soon. I just really want to rent Motorcycle Diaries on Tuesday before submitting it.

Ditto.

Well... I'm being forced to rent it... by torrino. Though I shouldn't, because he wouldn't watch Resident Evil and You Got Served like I told him to. You know what! SCREW IT!

I'll send it in today. :razz:

If you don't mind, guys, I'll PM some people asking them to vote

Lecter, just remember I screwed up a bit, and though the top 90 received ballots with the proper submission date, everyone else didn't. So if someone you are emailing has a post-count lower then the top 90 they may not even know its not due until the 20th. I went back in and changed as many ballots still in my outbox as possible, but a good 60 had been picked up by then (from people with smaller post counts) and I don't know who's I managed to change or not. Good luck, but I'm sure you guys will get another 15 or so ballots. The final round will be higher.

Zingy, you're going to see Motorcycle Diaries too? Well let me make a deal with you, if you can watch it tonight, 'cause I got lucky and have the Collateral DVD sitting pretty in my bag right now (rented it last night) and I will talk to you about Foxx and Cruise if you talk to me about Bernal and la Serna. Do we have a deal?

20th? I thought they are due the 17th...

It was my fault. When dolce sent out the first batch of ballots, we were still having the deadline set on the 20th, then I changed it to 17th since I won't be around for the weekend.

I don't think a lot of people checking on this thread often, so we do need to send another set of reminder PMs. Arthur, it'll be great if you could find time doing that.

Here is a suggestion! SInce not everyone comes int0o the cooler, I noticed Mav already has a stickied note in both the Movies and Box Office forum. Perhaps someone could update the title of those threads to announce the 17th deadline, and also plant a post in those threads with the link to this thread (front page) where its smacked in boig red letters about the mistake, and there is also a list of entries since I still have about 20 ballots in my outbox no one picked up and might now realize are in there.

I actually was pretty lazy when I posted those threads in the other forums, so basically all I did was direct people to a link that leads to page one. I think many people are holding on as long as they can. It's a bit of an overwhelming number of movies that they have to vote on, unlike the awards ballot , where all they have to do is pick one from a short list. We have 22 now, and I still haven't finished mine yet.

Don't worry, I'll push people to voting!

I can't watch it tonight. It doesn't come out until tomorrow. :wink:

We're up to 26 now. Probably will end up with around 35, and I'll be happy with that number.