We want you to review Salt
The U-Haul building, serving as an extra with Angelina.
Update: Lou will be reviewing Salt!
Update: The deadline has passed. We'll contact the winner tonight. Thanks to everyone who entered!
As you know, Salt -- the Angelina Jolie movie -- was partially shot here in Albany (the director would like to thank the citizens). And it opens this Friday.
So, we're looking for someone to review the movie. And that person could be you. Here's the deal:
+ Post a comment telling us what your favorite movie is, and explain why. It doesn't have to be anything long. A few sentences will do.
+ Based on the posted comments, we'll pick a winner to review Salt.
+ That person will get two free tickets to see Salt at the Spectrum this weekend -- so you can bring a friend (it's always good to talk about a movie with someone afterward).
+ The winner then sends us a short review of Salt by Monday at 9 am. The review should be no more than 500 words. And we hope you'll pay special attention to Albany's cameos in the movie (787 apparently makes quite an appearance).
+ We post the review later that day.
So, that's the deal. We think this could be fun.
Important: One entry person. You must answer the question to be considered. Your comment must be posted by 5 pm Wednesday July 21. You must include a working email address (that you check regularly) with your comment. The winner will be notified by 11:59 pm on Wednesday and must respond by noon on Thursday July 22.
Earlier on AOA:
+ Lining up for Salt
+ More Angelina and more Albany
+ That's Angelina and that's Albany
+ Angelina Jolie to stop traffic in downtown Albany
screengrab: Sony
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Comments
Hey AOA! My favorite movie is "Almost Famous" and has been for quite a few years now. I love music and have always been interested in the different perspectives and personal relationships people have with it. I think that the movie really conveyed that; that music is a personal thing and everyone feels differently about it which I think it really cool. Also, the story of course, is great and I think a lot of people can relate to William Miller, the main character.
... said Stephanie Preston on Jul 20, 2010 at 4:44 PM | link
children of heaven: i like this movie because it reminds me that i am lucky to live in america and have my family and friends and posessions. it also reminds me that people in poor situations may not feel poor and have the richness of life, love, and happiness to keep them balanced and moving forward. i like this movie because it is a sweet love story, but not one about lovers -- one about a brother.
... said kate on Jul 20, 2010 at 4:49 PM | link
Magnolia
I love the intertwined story and the terrible burden the characters carry from their past. There is a way out from the burden, somewhere beyond, if they can only get over it. And, despite how depressring the movie is, it ends with an optomistic and oh-so-subtle smile.
Plus, it rains frogs. Frogs!
... said Jay on Jul 20, 2010 at 5:04 PM | link
I have many favorites but one movie I particularly like is The Darjeeling Limited. I love Wes Anderson's quirky, subtle humor, the film is very visually striking, and the cast is great.
... said Crystal on Jul 20, 2010 at 5:18 PM | link
I think it's very difficult to pick a favorite movie - how does one decide? The one that came to mind today is Grosse Point Blank though when I was thinking about a movie I love. Great soundtrack, great plot, - action and comedy and squishy love sort of...smart script and John Cusack. Heck yes.
... said nicole on Jul 20, 2010 at 6:27 PM | link
To pick one film among all my favorites - I would have to go with City Lights. It's the best Charlie Chaplin film I've ever seen, and it's the most poignant silent film I've ever watched. I can still watch that film today and feel the emotional pull of the blind flower girl, a tramp with a heart of gold, and the relationship they have. Rent this. Netflix it. You will not be disappointed.
... said Chuck Miller on Jul 20, 2010 at 6:56 PM | link
If you ever wanted to see a super movie the whole family can enjoy over and over again, the sky is the limit. "Sky High" has super heroes, a super cast and is super fun. Kurt Russell and Kelly Preston perfectly play Commander and Jetstream which are the super identities of the Stronghold couple who have a son who is off to Sky High which is a high school for training the heroes and side-kicks of tomorrow. The hero and side-kick classification test is hilarious, the graphics are fantastic and the principal played by "Wonder Woman" herself Lynda Carter is an exciting treat. This movie has a great beginning, middle and ending filled with extremely inventive characters and creative writing and storyline. It is a super classic hit.
... said Rich R on Jul 20, 2010 at 8:17 PM | link
Orson Welles' "The Third Man". Joseph Cotton, the zither and Viennese sewers - what more do you need?
... said -R. on Jul 20, 2010 at 8:36 PM | link
-R:
Dude, "The Third Man" is brilliant. Just watched it again last month. But Welles didn't make it, just took advantage of a near-perfect star turn opportunity: his Harry Lime character is central from page one, but doesn't appear until the story is two-thirds done. Then he nails it. Great picture, great mood, perfect pace. Carol Reed, the director, is the real star here, then Joe Cotten, and then Welles drives it home.
Moving from immediate post-war Vienna to late Cold War East Berlin, there are vaguely similar atmospherics in 2006's "Das Leben der Anderen" ("The Lives of Others"), the finest picture I've seen this decade. We think about the fall of the Berlin Wall and what's followed, but rich stories gather in the space just before epic change. This is one. See it.
(Note: Mad Men works this ground, too. We get to watch the characters navigate toward a future we know but they don't.)
Last, almost nobody has seen Woody Allen's best and sweetest picture, "Broadway Danny Rose," and that's a shame. You'll never forget it, and you'll find new good friends by quoting it -- because anybody who loves "Broadway Danny Rose" is cool. Emmes.
LQ
... said Lou Quillio on Jul 20, 2010 at 10:05 PM | link
It's gotta be The King. I've seen enough of American movies to know what's coming or even better, spoiled myself before I see it. Rented this one awhile ago when I worked in a video store, and was riveted. It's about this preacher's first son, who comes into his life again and wants to be acknowledged, but is turned away. This son, played by Gael Garcia Bernal, insinuates himself into his father's life, with devastating results. It's a hell of a movie.
... said Rina on Jul 21, 2010 at 2:13 AM | link
Out of a whole slew of films I could of picked from, "Falling Down" is by far one of my favorites.
Since the essences that make up our human nature interests me, the destructive path Michael Douglas' character, Bill, goes down is very entertaining to witness. He is his own antagonist, and with each stop he takes throughout the day, his humanistic nature gets more monstrous.
I love that this is symbolized through the use of weapons he picks up along the way. From a bat, to a butterfly knife, to a bag full of guns; we expect that the ending will be a big blowout since he has fully snapped. In contrast, it isn't. A film that could have directed the audiences to hate and root against this antagonist, instead leaves us with pity and sympathy for him.
Not only did "Falling Down" allow me to get a sense of importance for characterization, but it showed me that a film can be both fun and deep at the same time. The mere fact that this film can allow us to feel for a unheroic character with so many layers of symbolism, but still be entertaining and visually gripping as it is; makes this film a watchable film and one of my all time favorites.
... said Christopher Clemente on Jul 21, 2010 at 7:16 AM | link
Kung Fu Hustle
If you're able to get past the goofy name and slightly cartoonish qualities sprinkled in, this movie has it all. Drama, romance, action, comedy... It deals with some adult themes and warrants multiple viewings, but overall, it's just a good story to get wrapped up in. And of course, who doesn't like a good kung fu movie with subtitles?
... said Jason on Jul 21, 2010 at 9:36 AM | link
My favorite film is The Shawshank Redemption. It's is the film adaptation of a Stephen King book, and one of the best at that. It's not a horror novel but an incredibly intricate human interest story, both heartbreaking and uplifting. The story, the sublime performances, Morgan Freeman's breathtaking narration and Thomas Newman's original score continue moves me. There are some moments that will bring me to tears no matter how many times I watch it. I treasure this film.
... said Summer on Jul 21, 2010 at 10:29 AM | link
The Last King of Scotland is a favorite for me. While the plot is complete fiction, it is anchored by actual historical events and the complexities of intertwining reality with non-reality are what intrigue me most. Forrest Whitaker's character, Uganda's formidable dictator Idi Amin, convincingly transforms from a charismatic, jovial leader to a manic, paranoid mass murderer. Filming in Uganda, using locations central to Amin's rule, lends an unmistakable realism that easily convinces viewers - even those native to Uganda - that this film is "real." Creating a believable cinematic world is a tremendous feat for any filmmaker and Director Kevin McDonald is surely proud. Unfortunately, controversial cultural issues now exist thanks to the entertainment industry's historic alternative, one which many Ugandans now believe to be their country's story.
... said Kim Clune on Jul 21, 2010 at 10:35 AM | link
I can't review the movie this weekend, but I still wanted to weigh in on my favorite film. Certainly The Third Man is way up there. And Miller's Crossing is not unlike a Graham Greene story with its moral ambiguity and intrigue. In my opinion it is the Coen brothers best work (with Lebowski a close second). The first time I saw this movie on the big screen, I found the imagery so indelible and haunting that I went back to see it again for a later showing that evening. Since then, I have seen the movie dozens of times, and each time I feel I get a deeper understanding of the complex and well played characters.
... said Daniel B. on Jul 21, 2010 at 11:36 AM | link
My favorite movie is Serendipity. Love, love, love how it sucks you in, and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Just when you think it's heading one way, BAM, they take you in a whole different direction.
What can I saw, I'm a hopeless romantic.
... said Joslyn on Jul 21, 2010 at 11:52 AM | link
I'm one of those "too many to count" people when it comes to the Favorite Movie question, but if forced to chose I'd have to go with Back to the Future (the trilogy's great, but mainly Back to the Future 2). I've seen that movie a million times and each time I discover something new that I've never seen before. Things get complicated with alternate universes and going back and forward in time, but it's all weaved together so well that you can follow along pretty easily, and I thinkeveryone can find themselves rooting for Marty McFly in the end to save the day and himself from being erased.
... said Casey on Jul 21, 2010 at 1:34 PM | link
My favorite film is the 2004 epic Alexander, featuring Angelina sounding like Natasha from the Rocky & Bullwinkle show.
... said Mooose & Squirrrel on Jul 21, 2010 at 3:19 PM | link
AOA my favorite movie is still Stranger than Fiction with Will Ferrell. Unarguably his best movie to date, being a very subtle comedy, and containing a stellar cast and a fresh movie theme. Dustin Hoffman steals the show with his literary professor dissection of what narration can mean and foreshadow. The Story with in a Story, separate from the daydream within the author sequences which remind me a little of Inception, create the feeling between the author and the character of Harold Crick.
... said megan on Jul 21, 2010 at 4:13 PM | link
"Elf Storage"
... said Pam on Jul 21, 2010 at 10:29 PM | link