Thursday Movie Picks: Tall Buildings
1) Man on Wire
This wonderful documentary was about a man named Philippe Petit who hung a tight rope between the Twin towers and walked across. It almost plays out like a heist.
2) The Walk
This is the movie version of Man on Wire starring my favorite actor, Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Sure, it's not the documentary but it was a good film and managed to use 3D filming to its advantage.
3) Annie
"This floor better shine like the top of the Chrysler building!"
I'm not much for heights so I was reluctant to watch Man on Wire but when Drew did one of his series on documentary Oscars it sounded intriguing so I gave it a shot and loved it.
ReplyDeleteThat reticence and the 3-D has kept me from The Walk however, now that it's on DVD I might give it a look and hope it won't induce vertigo.
I never would have thought of Annie for this. It's been a long time since I watched it and while I didn't love the film it was okay. A nice off beat catch.
My first and last came to me immediately when I read the theme but I had to cast around a bit for my second, it was a bit tougher than I expected I had used several of the ones I came up with before.
The Towering Inferno (1974)-It’s the grand dedication ceremony for the world’s tallest building, The Glass Tower a 138 story skyscraper in San Francisco and the party is being held on the top floor loaded with movie stars, politicians and the building team in attendance. But trouble’s abrewing when architect Doug Roberts (Paul Newman) arrives back in town to find that corners have cut and the wiring for the building is substandard. He’s right to be worried since when a small fire breaks out on the 81st floor it spreads quickly trapping the guests while the fire department works feverishly to save them. One of the big three Irwin Allen disaster films of the 70’s, along with Airport and The Poseidon Adventure, this was an enormous hit on release with an amazing cast of some of the biggest stars of the time-Steve McQueen, Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Fred Astaire, Robert Wagner, Robert Vaughn and Jennifer Jones (in her final film) plus dozens of recognizable performers in smaller roles.
Plaza Suite (1971)-Three act Neil Simon comedy based on his stage success all takes place in Suite 719 of New York’s Plaza Hotel. Each vignette stars Walter Matthau in different roles with three different leading ladies, Maureen Stapleton, Barbara Harris and Lee Grant in tales of a marriage in crisis, an assignation and a long married couple whose daughter has locked herself in the bathroom moments before her wedding downstairs. None are bad but the first and third are the strongest.
Fourteen Hours (1951)-Robert Cosick (Richard Basehart) is at the end of his rope and has decided to commit suicide by jumping from the ledge of the 15th floor of the Roosevelt Hotel high above the city. As police officer Charlie Dunnigan (Paul Douglas) tries to reason with him calling in both his girlfriend (Barbara Bel Geddes) and his mother (Agnes Moorehead) the event turns into a sideshow lasting 14 hours. Quite similar to the recent Man on a Ledge but a better film this was Grace Kelly’s screen debut in a small role.
I haven't seen any of these. I remember the trailers for Man on Ledge, so I suppose I have somewhat of an idea about what Fourteen Hours is like.
DeleteBefore I decided on my theme within a theme, I almost went with Annie myself...just because of that line. Love it!! Man on Wire is masterful. The Walk is only for the walk itself. Good picks!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad Annie crossed someone else's mind! lol
DeleteI still haven't seen The Walk but since I suffer from vertigo I'm not sure I'll ever watch it.
ReplyDeleteI can definitely see why you would avoid it. Especially in theaters, it actually freaked me out during one shot because it looked so real.
DeleteWhoa, tough theme this week...at least for me (us?).
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen either of these flicks, but I'm pissed that I didn't catch the JGL theatrically. I bet it would have been awesome visually.
My wife attempted to have our kids watch Annie. It didn't go well.
I love Annie (that one, not the remake) The Walk was really great in theaters, it's one of the rare times that 3D works.
DeleteI almost chose The Walk-great film and put me on the seat of my pants!I could never, ever be up there even to help him. I have to see that documentary and just watch it off Youtube. I still have to see Annie but that is inspired
ReplyDeleteThe doc used to be on Netflix, though I'm not sure if it still is.
DeleteI don't have Netflix:)
DeleteI have crippling scare of heights so just the first two gifs are too much for me
ReplyDeleteI don't like heights when I'm near a ledge. I have no issue with airplanes or zip lining but as soon as I have to stand next to a rail on a high building, nope.
DeleteWow, you and I have a same pick in Man on Wire. That is an awesome film.
ReplyDeleteIt is. I've never seen a documentary be so exciting.
DeleteI still haven't seen The Wire.. I don't know.. my Gordon-Levitt loving days are seemingly over.. where is he ?! I haven't seen him around but I guess he is busy making babies and keeping them a secret. :(
ReplyDeleteLOL Yeah, pretty much. His last movie was Snowden and he mostly keeps busy with Hit RECord. Hopefully he'll be back soon though.
DeleteInteresting going with both Man on Wire and The Walk. I saw the doc first and absolutely loved it. When I finally saw The Walk I was kind of bored by it because the doc told the same story better. Well, I was bored until I got to the actual 'walk.' At the point the movie floored me because it was spectacularly done.
ReplyDeleteI would've never thought of Annie for this topic, nice call. My sister watched this version almost every day for a couple months when we were kids. And I'm not exaggerating. A couple weeks in I hated that movie, lol.
Man on Wire was definitely a lot better than The Walk. It was just so exciting for a doc. It felt like a heist film.
DeleteNothing beats Man on Wire :)
ReplyDeleteAgreed. :)
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