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David
Pure Phase
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 7:33 am Posts: 34865 Location: Maryland
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Hell or High Water
Quote: Hell or High Water is a 2016 American heist crime film directed by David Mackenzie and written by Taylor Sheridan, whose script was the winner of the 2012 Black List. The film follows two brothers who plan a bank robbery to save their family farm and stars Chris Pine, Ben Foster and Jeff Bridges. Filming began on May 26, 2015 in Clovis, New Mexico.
_________________1. The Lost City of Z - 2. A Cure for Wellness - 3. Phantom Thread - 4. T2 Trainspotting - 5. Detroit - 6. Good Time - 7. The Beguiled - 8. The Florida Project - 9. Logan and 10. Molly's Game
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Tue Aug 16, 2016 1:09 am |
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Algren
now we know
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 9:31 pm Posts: 67125
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Re: Hell or High Water
This has "A Modern Masterpiece" on the cover as a quote from a critic. I hate it how people add 'modern' before masterpiece so as to make it acceptable to say 'masterpiece'. People are so afraid to say 'masterpiece' and have readers think that you think it's up there with renowned classics like The Godfather etc.
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Wed Aug 17, 2016 5:44 am |
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thompsoncory
Rachel McAdams Fan
Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2004 11:13 am Posts: 14544 Location: LA / NYC
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Re: Hell or High Water
It's not my favorite genre at all but it's undeniably compelling and well-made, and Chris Pine and Ben Foster in particular deliver fantastic performances (Pine's may be a career best). Jeff Bridges plays Jeff Bridges as per usual, nothing new here with his portrayal, though he does have some great lines. B
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Wed Aug 17, 2016 3:42 pm |
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Libs
Sbil
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 3:38 pm Posts: 48626 Location: Arlington, VA
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Re: Hell or High Water
Hell or High Water has a remarkably assured sense of time (struggling rural economies) and place (rural Texas). Texas feels like its own character in this story of law vs. justice. Director David Mackenzie and screenwriter Taylor Sheridan (who also wrote the impeccable Sicario) put together a film that feels authentically rooted in its characters despite the fact that we've all seen this kind of story before; it's nearly flawlessly executed. A trio of outstanding performances from Jeff Bridges, Chris Pine and Ben Foster add considerably as well. It feels like a breath of fresh air in what has been a somewhat disappointing summer for movies. A-
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Sat Aug 20, 2016 11:32 am |
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tree and a half
Cream of the Crop
Joined: Mon Jan 11, 2016 11:38 am Posts: 2084
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Re: Hell or High Water
Hell or High Water is a cleverly written clever movie. The director consummately skirts the melodrama to dip deeper into the true drama, but not without a laugh out loud comic edge that tempers the horrific tragedy. I will definitely watch this film again, I suspect it's rewatchability will be naught short of epic. As to my score, I would have easily given HOHW an 'A', if it weren't for the comparatively weak acting work of Chris Pine, he really stands out against all the other fine actors, his perpetual smirk is most incommodious. Because of him, I honestly can't score HOHW above *C+*
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Sun Aug 21, 2016 1:44 pm |
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David
Pure Phase
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 7:33 am Posts: 34865 Location: Maryland
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Re: Hell or High Water
Two brothers, one a divorced father who cared for their mother as she died (Chris Pine) and the other a career criminal fresh out of prison (Ben Foster), commit a series of holdups throughout Texas in order to raise the money to save their family's farm, an expanse of land recently found to be rich with oil. On their tail are two Texas Rangers, one an indelicate, wily veteran nearing retirement (Jeff Bridges) and the other his deeply patient partner (Gil Birmingham). A modern Western and a crime drama, Hell or High Water cuts from one well-matched pair to the other, building enormous anticipation for the inevitable moment of collision. The film smartly acknowledges modern economic strife as experienced by rural populations—debt, foreclosures, seismic shifts in industry—but it is elemental and old-fashioned at the core: lawman versus outlaw, the enormity of the Texan sky, the blast of a gun, the roar of an engine. It is a muscular, well-oiled entertainment with just enough art-house atmosphere and existential despair to play in the same league as No Country for Old Men and Killing Them Softly. And the acting is excellent. I refer not just to the four principals, but also the peripheral players (the tellers, the waitresses) and even the extras. They exude authenticity and personality. Though his turn here is very much in his wheelhouse (another variation on "Rooster" Cogburn), this is a glowing reminder of how charismatic and animated Bridges can be after a row of duds, including R.I.P.D. and Seventh Son. He and Birmingham share a vibrantly testy rapport.
A-
_________________1. The Lost City of Z - 2. A Cure for Wellness - 3. Phantom Thread - 4. T2 Trainspotting - 5. Detroit - 6. Good Time - 7. The Beguiled - 8. The Florida Project - 9. Logan and 10. Molly's Game
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Mon Aug 22, 2016 12:00 am |
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David
Pure Phase
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 7:33 am Posts: 34865 Location: Maryland
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Re: Hell or High Water
Bridges is momentous in the scene where he shoots Ben Foster's character. He simultaneously projects despair, disgust, excitement, rage... You can see this incredible range of emotions play out on his face.
_________________1. The Lost City of Z - 2. A Cure for Wellness - 3. Phantom Thread - 4. T2 Trainspotting - 5. Detroit - 6. Good Time - 7. The Beguiled - 8. The Florida Project - 9. Logan and 10. Molly's Game
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Mon Aug 22, 2016 12:01 am |
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Dil
Forum General
Joined: Wed Oct 28, 2009 9:48 pm Posts: 8942 Location: Houston, Texas
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Re: Hell or High Water
Jeff Bridges was so much fun to watch here. I loved the scenes where he interacted with either his partner or the town's folks. Pine and Foster are also really good in this, but you know Foster is going to bring that extra something to the role. I wouldn't quite put it in the same league as No Country, but it's a very well made film.
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Wed Nov 09, 2016 11:40 pm |
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_axiom
The Wall
Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2005 10:50 am Posts: 16163 Location: Croatia
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Re: Hell or High Water
***1/2 / ***** (B-)
A good movie with some terrific performances. I wouldn't be surprised if it managed to get a couple of acting nominations. It takes a while for the story to get a firm grip and pull you in, but once it does the bleakness and hopelessness of the world the movie built just stays with you.
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Thu Dec 01, 2016 1:04 pm |
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Flava'd vs The World
The Kramer
Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2004 11:36 am Posts: 23903 Location: Classified
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Re: Hell or High Water
Great movie. The visuals, music and acting are all spot on. However, lets give out some props to the edit. It has a sense of urgency that adds depth to everything else. Hell or High Water would have been ruined if it was stretched out to 150 minutes, as is typical of the genre. But we don't need a subplot with the ex wife or the hooker at the casino. Everything we need is on screen.
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Mon Jan 02, 2017 12:26 pm |
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zwackerm
Hold the door!
Joined: Sun Jun 01, 2014 10:26 pm Posts: 20415 Location: Where they shot Knock at the Cabin
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Re: Hell or High Water
I wasn't planning to watch this until it was nominated for Best Picture. So I did, and it's definitely not my genre. I didn't dislike it, it was certainly entertaining in parts, and was never super boring, but it seemed like nothing was happening for most of it. They rob a bank, they don't get caught, rinse and repeat until the end. There are quite a few funny parts actually, and of course all the actors are fine. Butt I couldn't quite see the point.
C
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Mon Jan 30, 2017 12:14 am |
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Algren
now we know
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 9:31 pm Posts: 67125
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Hell or High Water
I really liked this. It's the No Country for Old Men of 2016. Foster, Pine, and Bridges all give great performances. Love the script. Love the banter. Interesting bunch of characters. Good action. Nice nods at the economic landscape. Well shot. Doesn't drag. Right up my alley.
A-
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Fri Feb 03, 2017 1:46 pm |
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stuffp
Keeping it Light
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2015 8:06 am Posts: 11240 Location: Bright Falls
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Re: Hell or High Water
Hell or High Water was such a pleasurable watch. It has a rather small scope and mostly doesn't deviate from some familiar patterns but it's very well acted and made in a flashy appealing way. The dialogue is excellent and together with it's score it puts it at the top of last year's films. The film is great from the start and once the character's motivations have become clear the story pushes forward in enticing fashion. There's a few points of unevenness that could've made the film even better I think, but with its satisfying ending it solidly earns the A grade.
A
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Sun Feb 05, 2017 12:40 am |
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Shack
Devil's Advocate
Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2005 2:30 am Posts: 38234
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Re: Hell or High Water
Ben Foster really makes this and deserved supporting actor nomination, he has to put some soul into the biggest sociopath in the movie and does well. The script requires some suspension of disbelief and it's hard not to consider this a poor man's No Country, but overall a solid bank heist movie.
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Sun May 02, 2021 1:37 am |
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