OWFilm World Cup Round 1: New Zealand vs. India
First Round of OWFilm World Cup
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New Zealand recently suffered the misfortune of being the only nation to be knocked out the group stages of the football world cup without actually losing a game. That same scenario is unlikely to repeat itself in this tournament however as New Zealand are being represented by the final part of one of the most beloved film trilogies of all time. Return of the King, the record-equaling Academy Award Winner takes on Indias Gandhi and the result like always is in your hands. Tale of the Reel after the Jump... The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
OSCAR COUNT (11) IMDB (8.8, #12) ROTTEN TOMATOES (94%) EMPIRE TOP 500 (#34th)
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Return of the King is a film which is pretty impossible not to like. It is so well made and filmed with such bravado that you cant help but admire the hard efforts that made such a picture possible. That being said however the movie is sometimes a little too epic for its own good. Within the first half hour alone, we have seen the same fleeting close-ups and swelling score so many times over that you get the sense that both cast and crew are just trying a little too hard. It is one thing to play up a big moment but to do it in every single scene seems a little unnecessary In terms of drawing you into its epically crafted world and larger than life characters however The Return of the King is a mind-blowing success as it expertly manages the hard balancing act of providing big budget special effects whilst still inciting the imagination of the audience. When it comes to battle scenes and physical set-pieces the film is in true five star territory but the overblown theatrical elements prevent The Return of the King from being a true masterpiece. I personally prefer the darker and less showy Fellowship of the Ring. INTERESTING FACT: The Return of the King won literally every single Oscar it was nominated for; a perfect 11 wins from 11 nominations. The films record sharers Ben Hur managed 11 wins from 12 noms, and Titanic 11 from 14. Titanics 14 nominations also has James Camerons epic tied with All about Eve for the title of most nominated film. Gandhi (1982)
OSCAR COUNT (8) IMDB (8.2, #168) ROTTEN TOMATOES (85%) EMPIRE TOP 500 (Not listed)
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Gandhi is a superbly filmed but ultimately physically draining viewing experience and you cant help but feel that at least forty five minutes of the repetitive footage could have been left on the cutting room floor. Its not that the events of the story or the characterisation arent interesting or well presented but rather that the film continues to tell these similarly natured stories for an extended period of time as if it the director has confused the medium of cinema for a detailed and analytical documentary series. Luckily however Ben Kingsleys tour de force performance manages to maintain the films momentum towards the emotional conclusion and at the end of the picture it is hard not to feel moved and in many ways inspired. INTERESTING FACT: 300,000 extras appear within the films funeral sequence; a record which is still intact to this day. WRITERS VERDICT: The Return of the King may have its flaws but it is still a fantastic piece of cinema and far more rewatchable than the interesting but laborious Gandhi.