Garden State & LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE

Granted, the pullover scene in LMS is very Vacation-esqe, but GS has many stolen ideas as well.

The airplane scene is derivative of Fight Club. The scene when he is sitting on the couch motionless, while everthing else timelapsed is straight out of that Fiona Apple video(or Requiem for a Dream).

As far as Porman's character goes...Lauren Slater authored "Lying" a few years prior to GS about an epileptic who is a compulsive liar. I even think she is from New Jersey, but I am not positive.

I won't even say anything on the Graduate references.

My point is that most everything out there is derivative or recycled in one way or another. As you get older, you naturally see more of it.
 
I loved Little Miss Sunshine, one of my favorite movies of the year.

Garden State, I was really hyped up about and it only slightly let me down.

As for Sideways, maybe I'll like it more if I gave it another chance, but I HATED it when I seen it in the theaters, I don't know maybe there was just too much adult related humor in it for me to like it.
 
Pen Cap Chew said:
Haven't seen GS

LMS gets a 3. It started off good but it died right on the spot when (SPOILER AHEAD, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DON'T READ ON ....)


SPOILER>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Arkin died.



It got lame real fast after that with all the silly Chevy Chase Vacation ripoff nonsense. (I love Vacation BTW.)
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Spot-on comment and I totally agree with you! Arkin was great in this film but when he died the movie died. The last 30 minutes of the film was very confused.

That being said, I'd rate LMS a little higher than you .......... a solid 6 ........... I'd rate it that high because the VAST majority of the other **** movies being put out are even worse. :kali:

JohnG
 
NathanPresley said:
bosindy. what are a few movies you do like ?
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The films I saw for the first time recently, off the top of my head, that I would give an 8 or better: "Half Nelson" "The Proposition" "Matchpoint" "Sin City" and "LMS"

To be honest, I am a late sixties, entire 70's, fan. I recently watched "the Conversation" try getting that ending made today. Got to love Coppola at the height of his powers. Close ups for a reason, well written exposition, No heavy handed edits and camera movement. (At one point the camera is wide and Hackman walks in and out of frame for 2 minutes, and you watch him, man he can act.)

as for GS, to me it is derivative of so many better films, you know the disaffected suburban white male in crisis. The genre started with something brilliant "the Graduate," and has gone down hill from there, culminating in Ed Burns career. or maybe its just that Zach Braff annoys the sh@% out of me. Nevermind
 
Garden State 10

I love Garden State. Zach Braff is a wonderful writer. I felt I had a connection with the film. When I saw it for the first time, I was blown away by it. Braff shot it very well, and I really enjoyed the script (one of my faves over the last few years). I saw it first at a time in my life where I wasn't sure where my life was heading. It was a turning point in my life, (just like it's Large's turning point). Anyway that's my reasoning behind giving it a 10.

LMS. 8 I laughed a few times. I really liked the script, and it was shot pretty well. I agree the end felt rushed, and it slowed down more when Arkin wasn't in it.
 
I'm surprised alot of people don't really like Little Miss Sunshine. I thought it was a very funny movie and the script was great. From the Nietzsche obsessed teenager to the heroin addict grandfather. Steve Carell was very good in this one. I can understand why some don't like Garden State...it was a little emo and the ending was very cliche IMO, but I liked it anyways.
 
i really like both, but i like garden state more, but one of my friends also felt
garden state had a cliche ending. thats the 2nd time i've heard that.

what did you feel like was the cliche ?

them staying together ?
 
i gotta say, these are two of my favorite films. i'd have to give them both 10's for the human condition, dramedy type genre. loved them.

c.g._eads said:
Anyway, I was kind of shocked at the blatant ripoff of Vacation. I mean, had those directors seen that movie?
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i don't know, i kind of took it as an homage. which of course made me love lms that much more.
 
i loved both i thought there very thought on pieces of american quirky side of life that exsists but are rarely seen . plus im a steve carrell fan from way back so im impressed with his ability to light up the screen.
 
little miss sunshine is one of my favorites of the year. and i liked garden state until the ending. both of those movies are great examples of what i have discovered to be my favorite genre: a nice blend of comedy and depression. i just love it. i think that combination makes the funny stuff funnier and the emotional stuff more touching. my favorite example of this genre is Love Liza.
 
I don't get why people even think of Garden State as a movie worth rating. I guess I should watch it again some time. Simply: boring.

Just watched LMS about half an hour ago. Very enjoyable.

GS - 4
LMS - 7
 
I didn't see garden state....Ill have to put that in my blockbuster online queue...

But I just watched Little Miss Sunshine last night and thought it was friggin' fantastic. I can't understand all of the luke warm reviews in this thread. Some are saying the characters aren't real. What? What wasn't real about them? They were your garden variety F'ed up dysfunctional American family.

And who wants to see balls on accurately real people on the screen anyway? I always thought movies were an escape...who the hell wants to watch a movie about their neighbors?

As for SIDEWAYS...well that kicked a$$ and a half. If LMS is a solid 9, SIDEWAYS is 9.5, cause, "I'm not f'ing drinking merlot!"
 
Hated Garden State, I'll give it a 3.

Loved Little Miss Sunshine, I'll give it a 8.

EDIT, made LMS an 8 since I had tears in my eyes at some points. Yeah, I'll admit it. It moved me. The entire time I watched Garden State I just wanted to punch Zach Braff.
 
Jeez, I'm glad I don't see what you guys see with Little Miss Sunshine, I thought it was complete trash. I give it nothing, it's not worth rating. Also, I hear that it's great on a script basis, well if it makes a bad movie then invariably shouldn't that mean that it came from a bad script?

Garden State I haven't seen.

Sideways was genius.
 
Wow, no rating. Harsh. I gave it a 3. I wouldn't call it trash but it's certainly nothing special IMO. It's a copycat, waste of time flick except for Arkin. Arkin is why I gave it a 3 -- without him it would've been a 1.

Anyway, people who like LMS must not know what a good dysfunctional family film is. See "Leolo" -- my favorite film of all time.
 
Garden State = 7 (loved the music and Peter Sarsgaard)
Little Miss Sunshine = 6 (better than the usual slop, but felt contrived and on closer look not that edgey or indie at all-- Hollywood's annointed "indie" film for 2006)
 
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