INto the Wild by Sean Penn (filmed, scene, adventure, family)

[cremebrulee]

By the way, gotta tell ya, the theaters around here, did not run the movie, which is frustrating...they do that sometimes.

Does anyone know why?

[b. frank]

Originally Posted by cremebrulee

By the way, gotta tell ya, the theaters around here, did not run the movie, which is frustrating...they do that sometimes.

Does anyone know why?

I'm no expert on the movie biz but I think that this movie is a "limited release".
Why do they do that? I'm not sure but I suppose that it's because the bigwigs do not believe that the movie will make much money in all locations - this usually happens to movies that are either too explicit or too "arty" for the general public I think.
The same thing happened to me - I live in a city where all the movies get played but Into the Wild was out for 2 weeks in NY and LA before it came to me (Austin, TX). I was confused and angry - wondering why not here - but then it came out.

Well worth the wait. Penn did a better job than I expected. He successfully cut out all of the editorial bits and just left in the core story and message. He did so much justice to the book.

[cremebrulee]

Originally Posted by b. frank

I'm no expert on the movie biz but I think that this movie is a "limited release".
Why do they do that? I'm not sure but I suppose that it's because the bigwigs do not believe that the movie will make much money in all locations - this usually happens to movies that are either too explicit or too "arty" for the general public I think.
The same thing happened to me - I live in a city where all the movies get played but Into the Wild was out for 2 weeks in NY and LA before it came to me (Austin, TX). I was confused and angry - wondering why not here - but then it came out.

Well worth the wait. Penn did a better job than I expected. He successfully cut out all of the editorial bits and just left in the core story and message. He did so much justice to the book.

Thanks very much...can't wait either...Penn is fantastic....did you see "I am Sam"

[b. frank]

Originally Posted by cremebrulee

Thanks very much...can't wait either...Penn is fantastic....did you see "I am Sam"

That's one of his few starring roles that I have NOT seen.
Almost every performance of his is excellent - I've long thought of him as one of the best actors of his generation.
And now he's proving his talent as a director as well - with real artistic integrity. What a great career he's had.

[LVGAZ]

Incredible moving story - my 12 yr old son and I both thought about it the entire next day -
This was a young man, intelligent, well educated in life - who needed to get intouch with himself before he could judge his previous young life of misfit parents
His readings of Thoreau, made him go deeper inside himself than he thought he would ever go - finding the depths of simplicity and complexities in the people he met and the openness of emptiness in the vast land.
I do believe he gave up - he pushed himself to see how far he could go - to only find at the end he wanted and needed others to beautify and complete his life; but he knew at that point his only mortality was to move to a higher life - for he was too weak.

There will always be CJ McCAndless' out there - hopefully some wiser to supply themselves with " return to life gear". He would have taught us more if he lived - but then again maybe this was story and how he wanted it to be told.

[BlueWillowPlate]

Wow, what a great movie.
Y'all out there who encouraged me to see it, thank you.
I had been afraid to watch it because I knew how it ended, but it was worth it.

His readings of Thoreau, made him go deeper inside himself than he thought he would ever go - finding the depths of simplicity and complexities in the people he met and the openness of emptiness in the vast land.
I do believe he gave up - he pushed himself to see how far he could go - to only find at the end he wanted and needed others to beautify and complete his life; but he knew at that point his only mortality was to move to a higher life - for he was too weak.

Yes, LVGAZ, you articulated this perfectly.
Some might call him a misguided fool.
I dunno. Speaking in metaphors, the kid's aim was true, but the arrow he shot got hit by an errant breeze.
I know Hal Holbrook was nominated for an Oscar for his performance, but still I am not sure this film received the attention it really deserved. All the acting, especially Emile Hirsch, was quietly enthralling.
IMHO the editing and cinematography were flawless, and the soundtrack is the icing on the cake.

[gardener34]

I'll have to check out this movie. Thanks for the recommendations. Another Penn performance that most people have rarely seen is the Woody Allen movie "sweet and lowdown"... really good movie.

[b. frank]

Originally Posted by gardener34

Another Penn performance that most people have rarely seen is the Woody Allen movie "sweet and lowdown"... really good movie.

I second that - great movie about excellent music.
One of my favorite Allen films and another flawless performace by Penn.

[BlueWillowPlate]

Just to make sure y'all know: Sean Penn does not have a performance in Into The Wild--he directed.
While I could not help but feel sympathy for the kid (a lot of us are idealistic in our early 20s), a lot of people think he was a pretentious jerk with way too much hubris.
I am going to read the book next week during my trip, but for anyone interested, this website is an attempt at the truth behind the Into the Wild story.
Into The Wild Debunked
Again, I can't help but feel sympathetic.
I made some stupid mistakes during my 20's, this kid paid for his with his life--but perhaps he is in a better place now.

[cremebrulee]

Originally Posted by BlueWillowPlate

Just to make sure y'all know: Sean Penn does not have a performance in Into The Wild--he directed.
While I could not help but feel sympathy for the kid (a lot of us are idealistic in our early 20s), a lot of people think he was a pretentious jerk with way too much hubris.
I am going to read the book next week during my trip, but for anyone interested, this website is an attempt at the truth behind the Into the Wild story.
Into The Wild Debunked
Again, I can't help but feel sympathetic.
I made some stupid mistakes during my 20's, this kid paid for his with his life--but perhaps he is in a better place now.

Good perspective...good post
I'd like to add, that there are a few adventurers in the world, some of us, liked adventure when we were kids and did some really dangerous stuff....I did...and was lucky...but, this kid, had something else in side....something which beckoned him to do what he did...it was him, his character...a lot of folks have lost their lives doing so....and I don't believe it's all idealistic but something more...something wild, and unbroken, something, deep in the epidimey of our souls which we can't say no to....I've felt that....lived it, and wanted to go further, but my family restrained me...and now, I'm so sorry I didn't....

and to have lived and died, doing what I wanted to accomplish, be it go off on my own and tour the world....well, now looking back, I'm sorry I didn't.

So, yes, he died, but he died, being who he wanted to be, and doing what he wanted to do...and perhaps nothing and no one could change that...it was, I believe, his destiny?

Hugs Creme