Rafael Nadal: The Big Four Run Is Finishing

The cracks have definitely been showing the last couple of years, mostly due to various injuries. I know a lot of people who are ready for the new names to hit the big time but I’ve really enjoyed the big 4 run and hope it will continue for a little longer.

March 12th, 2015 at 11:09 am

I don’t mind new names winning titles but I prefer them to back it up. That’s the thing about the Big 3 + Murray. They don’t just win a slam and fade, they bag a few slams, Masters, a WTF here, and Olympic medal there, etc. Del Potro won the US Open and has reached, I think, 2 Masters finals. He does have the Wimbledon semi but other than that he’s either injured or underperforming at the hard court slams. Cilic hasn’t played since winning the US Open.

I like what Wawrinka did. He won a slam, a Masters, and had some more good results. But with his age I doubt he does a lot more. Maybe another Masters. But he’s not going to be setting the world ablaze.

Nishikori or Dimitrov or whoever it is that wants to make a break through, they need to follow through with it. Otherwise all it becomes is a slight gap in the Big 3 + Murray dominance.

March 12th, 2015 at 11:19 am

Ben,
Agree. These one Slam wonders need to back it up! C’mon guys!
Btw, there were other era’s where there were multiple household names; JMac, Connors, Borg, Lendl, etc. but yes it has been a great run of these top guys for sure. Keep it comin’

March 12th, 2015 at 11:25 am

It was more than the Big 4. We had several incredible players that year in and year out made the Top 10 and showed us how good they were, and by implication, how special Fed, Djoker, Rafa, and probably Andy were.
So thanks and appreciation to Jo Tsonga, Tomas Berdych, Andy Roddick, Nicolay Davydenko, David Ferrer.
Thanks to the oft-injured w/o Rafa’s clay sanctuary – that in good health showed Fed & Co a very hard time and showed their talent level and ability was not vastly inferior to the 3 All-time Greats, and Andy. Players like Marat Safin, David Nalbandian, Tommy Haas, Juan Martin del Potro.

Rafa is right. All good things must end. If they didn’t we wouldn’t cherish them so much when they are in “full flower”. The end is coming. But not for each Great at the same time. Fed had his early glory run with the great luck and fortune that the competition was weaker, but he overlaps the time of Nole and Rafa and of course Andy. Rafa might be slowing down from years of pounding and injury and may have lost some of his great focus on winning as everything..

March 12th, 2015 at 11:45 am

I believe that at least two of the Big 3 (and a half) will be in the top 4 for at least the next three years. It is not as if they are going to fade away that fast.
Fed has at least two good year left in him. Nadal has at least three, Djokovic and Murray have at least 5.

March 12th, 2015 at 12:01 pm

All these ” big three plus Andy ” comments are petty and total shit. Andy has more than proved himself a top class player on many occasions. Fact is he has been there, dropped away then done it again. Been in many Slam finals and semis, and rarely loses to a no mark. This era has also been the best by miles and I have been watching since Smith beat Nastase. Enjoy it while you have it because there is nobody below these four capable of the same level these guys have achieved consistently.

March 12th, 2015 at 12:55 pm

Gary, Andy Murray is a step above… all those below him. But Rafa, Rog and Novak are ALL TIME PANTHEON players. I’m sorry, but Andy is not (yet). He is great, but just look at Slam counts, one of these things is not like the other.

Andy is included in the Big Four because he has been consistently better than ANYONE ELSE on tour for years now. But its a fact that there are three All Time Greats plus Andy Murray that has dominated the last decade.

March 12th, 2015 at 1:15 pm

A lot of tennis for Novak to play atthis level to even be considered on par with fedal.
X
Murray is with Hewitt, Kafelnikov, Roddick.

March 12th, 2015 at 1:23 pm

I’m not trying to insult Murray, but I don’t want to insult Djokovic, Nadal, or Federer, either. Like TV said, they’re all time greats. But most important for me is that they’ve all been ranked number 1. If Murray gets to number 1, I’ll say Big 4.

March 12th, 2015 at 1:29 pm

Rafa you are just far too humble! Playing along with the media’s narrative- NOT the record books- of a big 4. It’s all a load of big bollocks! In reality it’s like this: the all time top 2 (fedal), colossal gap in standing with atleast 4 former greats clearing their throat and saying “don’t forget me baby”, someone who wants to reach their level (donkey cheese) and a braveheart from Scotland. That’s how it really is. When people look back on this era they’ll say: the court belonged to fedal, their was a joker who amused once in a while and then there was the rest. The big 4 tag suggests an equality in standing between 4: and the reality of the 4 in question could not be any further from that falsehood. Fedal is on a different level to novak, who is on a different level to Andy. That simple.

March 12th, 2015 at 1:30 pm

A historic moment: Brando agrees with Sienna! Yes it will be first up on the 6 o’clock news! “A lot of tennis for Novak to play atthis level to even be considered on par with fedal”: spot on! Reality is it’s not just Andy: but Novak also. He ain’t on feudal level period. Truth is in tennis history only Sampras, laver and Borg can warrant mention in the same bracket as those 2 unique men. That’s it. Novak ain’t on that level……And he knows it too. See what he said immediately after his AO: publicly acknowledging how those guys are on a different plain. He ain’t dumb: he knows the truth. It’s fedal, a real gap, a all time great in Novak, another gap and a great player in Andy Murray. To suggest those 4 are on the same level is idiocy in the face of the reality of their records, achievements, standing in tennis and global popularity. Ain’t no big 4: period.

March 12th, 2015 at 1:37 pm

Haha, all in unison:

When we say, Big Two, EVERYBODY KNOWS WHO WE MEAN.

When we say, Big Three, nobody thinks we mean Murray

So what is the Big Four? The Big Three plus Andy Murray!

March 12th, 2015 at 1:48 pm

Actually Brando, lately you are using FEDAL together a lot.
If we go by your logic: Nadal is not in Fed’s league yet.

Open Era
1 – There is Federer at the top
(maybe Laver could join him depending on if you count the Slams he would have won or if you go by the, he win 3 out of 4 Slmas on grass).
Laver is the hardest to quantify and rank.

Gap

2 – Sampras, Nadal and Borg (Laver) if you (did’t join him with Federer)

Gap

3 – Lendl, Agassi, Connor, Djoko, Mac

Gap

4 – Wilander, Becker

Gap

5 Kuerten, Hewit, Murray, Kaeflnivov, Rafter

Gap

all others with 1 Slam only

Federer as it stand with Slams records, #1 records and a bunch of others records, stand a top. He is the most accomplished players with most of the important records any way you spin it. Comparing him to anybody eles and he will stand alone.

We have to evaluate context, because if we say former all time greats than we can cut it in a group of 5 (see 1 and 2 above) or a group of 10 (see 1, 2 and 3).

So depending on how you are approaching it you can put Djoko in the same sentence with Fedal at all.
As you can say Fedal together with only the 10+ Slams group, and depending on context you can only say Federer and he is the bench match for anybody else.

But to say Fedal purely is already excluding Sampras, Borg Laver and even Emerson who held the Slam record for a long time:-)

March 12th, 2015 at 1:53 pm

@TV: lol, classic!

March 12th, 2015 at 1:57 pm

Gary, I like Andy, but I just hesitate to put him with the other 3 as a co All-Time Great. Andy is troubling because there is a clear gulf between him and a Berdych….but also a clear chasm between him and Rafa on attainment. Andy is a stand alone tweener.
The 3 Greats have over 100 weeks as #1. Fed 300, Novak possibly on his way to over 200 in his career. Rafa a hundred and a half for now, and maybe he leapfrogs Nole again.
Andy has 0 weeks.
Andy has also stopped producing in the area of Masters 1000s, which was his area of success before he won a couple Slams. He’s won 1 of the last 27.
Nole, Rafa, and Fed are in the 20s in Masters 1000 wins.

No one gave Djokovic entree into the fans beloved Fedal duopoly, he wasn’t awarded membership in the Club of all-time Greats because it was the decent thing to do, in the estimation of Fedtards, in particular. He took it.

Andy will stay in Limbo until he has had enough time and opportunities to be added to the Agassis and Macs and Lendls…..or enough time to be safely binned with the hypertalented “almost greats” like Marat Safin.

March 12th, 2015 at 2:00 pm

@Daniel: on the phone now, so I cannot give a full response (will do later and I will kick your arse also (jk old sport)) but in short: fedal are beyond records. They are uniquely synonymous with one another. In the eyes of current, former pros, writers, the public at large: you mention one, the mind suddenly wanders to the other. It’s like Federer once said: he and rafa have long accepted that for Manu they will be seen as one ultimately in the memory for all, since they are so uniquely interwoven into the public consciousness with one another. Ditto with their Cavs. They root for their fav: but who’s progress do they keep a rather close eye on? Lol.

March 12th, 2015 at 2:03 pm

Fans> cavs. Damn auto correct.

March 12th, 2015 at 2:04 pm

Well at least I got reaction which is good. I wasn’t saying Andy was as good as the three above him but they have been collectively the big 4 for years now. Andy is much better than anyone below him by a distance. Despite not having the same number of slams Djokovic is far better than anyone at the moment. Andy was mentioned in the same level as Roddick??? Andy Roddick was a bottler, pure and simple. Federer is best overall IMO but many will disagree with that. Back to Andy M, enjoy him, cause it will be another 77 years till we see his like again.

March 12th, 2015 at 2:05 pm

Actually, a good sporting reference for fedal is mayweather and pacquaio. Those 2 like fedal despite their own identity, record are publicly interwoven in the consciousness with one another. Ditto fedal: it’s beyond the record books with fedal. It’s about their unique presence, charisma, standing, worldwide popularity, iconic figure in not just tennis but world sport and the respect that they command from current and former pros that sees them uniquely seen as THE duo in the history of the sport.

March 12th, 2015 at 2:08 pm

@Daniel

“…so I cannot give a full response (will do later …”

Don’t hold your breath.

You nailed it, putting records in context….

March 12th, 2015 at 2:09 pm

^ you’re doing a fine job of leaving no? Still around poodling after my posts, exchanges? I’m blushing with such attention being shown my way.

March 12th, 2015 at 2:20 pm

Go away you lot! Andy Murray is “The GOAT,” …..or rather “My GOAT!” So there!

March 12th, 2015 at 2:47 pm

@Margot: haha love the attitude Margot! That I don’t give a f–k he’s my 1! I dig it! Personally-regardless of records- at his best Andy is seriously right up there, a serious talent.

March 12th, 2015 at 2:54 pm

@chris ford1, I totally agree w/ you in terms of players outside the top 4, or whatever you want to call them. There have been so many great players over the past 15+ years, and I loved watching them as much as the big 4.

I mentioned this on another thread, but I’ve always hated the phrase “one-slam wonder.” It has this negative connotation and so many of those players were great, even if they couldn’t win one more. It doesn’t matter to me that Roddick, Ferrero, Ivanisevic, or Delpo only won one slam, they are/were great players who shouldn’t be judged by the big 4 litmus test. Then there are the players who didn’t even win one. Players can’t always live up to this amazing standard set by Fedal, but you can’t take that slam away from them. (Just a side note, nothing to do w/ the current debate about Andy).

March 12th, 2015 at 3:03 pm

Far enough, popularity wise and what they bring to the game due to their rivalry, ok.

But achievement wise, as of now, Federer stands alone.

March 12th, 2015 at 4:08 pm

“achievement wise, as of now, Federer stands alone.”: agree. So what did you think of GG?

March 12th, 2015 at 4:25 pm

I watched before already more on tv zapping mode.
I liked the soundtrack. hehe
The movie is so so with a few decent moments. The book is great tough.

The director kind of lost his touch, he did the same in Australia with Nicole and Jackman, I remember the “Somewhere over the rainbow” repeating ad nauseam as well.

March 12th, 2015 at 4:30 pm

Watching Monaco x Gabashvili now and IW courts is a strange one, the bounce is pretty high when they add spin but when they hit flat the ball stays low and seems to be fast. Don’t know if it’s due to Monaco adding a lot of spin but the bounce seems higher, maybe the sun also.

March 12th, 2015 at 4:33 pm

Yeah the soundtrack is awesome especially Lana Del Ray (what a voice- reminds me of classic era ladies such as Ella Fitzgerald, a lot of boom in her voice). But Baz Luhrmann is a rubbish direct. His love for lavishness, excess totally and utterly diluted over the books great quality. It’s a tough one to make. In many ways DiCaprio the actor was the right choice (his own story is Gatsbyesque) but his acting choices (the OD’ing on Old Sport, the cringe worthy yelling, eye brow raising etc) ruin the film also. A poor affair overall aside from the music and lavishness on display. A better choice would have been for Martin Scorsese to have directed a young Daniel Day Lewis and Michelle Pfeiffer. See the criminally underseen and underrated The Age of Innocence and you’ll understand what I mean.

March 12th, 2015 at 4:36 pm

““…so I cannot give a full response (will do later …”
So where is it?

March 12th, 2015 at 4:41 pm

^Oh wait, sorry just saw it in your 4:36 post, that must be it.

March 12th, 2015 at 4:42 pm

The Age of Innocence is awesome. Winona should have won best supporting actress by that.

Love Lana Del Rey as well. Her latest album is excellent, West Coast is an amazing song.

I am cinephile myself, and old school, like to watch moveis in theater. Most people nowadays just download everything and to me it kinds of affect your experience. But if you are not willing to spend money in a possible questionable movie, do it at home. But Sci fi, Wars movies, Adventure, Comedy and Terror/Suspense has to be seen in big scree. The crowd experience can influence it.

March 12th, 2015 at 4:47 pm

Agree 100% about Age of Innocence: it’s a masterpiece. And is Ryder’s career best performance. And I agree with you ‘re cinema v home experience. Nowadays I only watch select few at the cinema since contemporary cinema does not interest me. I was kissed off to miss my favorite contemporary director and actor latest collaboration Inherent Vice ( Paul Thomas Anderson and Joaquin Phoenix). You must watch certain films such as sci fi at the cinema. For example, The Dark Knight Rises at home is a average film at best. But in the cinema it was a amazing experience, mainly due to the sound experience adding to it. Other films cannot be watched at the cinema, namely horror films. I love The Shining and The Ring and they do get to me psychologically at home. But in the cinema I found The Shining boring and stale and The Ring was the funniest thing me and my friends ever saw. What was your top 5 for 2014 out of curiosity Daniel?

March 12th, 2015 at 4:57 pm

PS: Lana Del Ray- Blue Jeans is the one for me from her.

March 12th, 2015 at 4:58 pm

Pissed off not kissed off.

March 12th, 2015 at 4:59 pm

@brando
butting in ;) Boyhood, Calvary, Grand Budapest Hotel, Cycling With Moliere, The Imitation Game, Birdman, Sean The Sheep-the Movie.

March 12th, 2015 at 5:10 pm

And Brando re Andy, no other player ever has given me as much pleasure or pain (lol sounding like 50 Shades now, as we’re talking movies ;) as Andy, so no, I don’t actually give an FF.

March 12th, 2015 at 5:14 pm

Fargo is a brilliant film,so was the TV series,based on a true story too,50 Shades of Grey,well im just wondering if the film could possibly be as dull as the books were?….

March 12th, 2015 at 5:17 pm

Top 5 of 2014

– Interstellar, Nolan guy here, love sic-fi.
– Birdman, outstanding director work
– Whiplash, Love music themed films
– Gone Girl, Didn’t read the book so it took me by surprise. Love everything Fincher does
– Hard to pick the fifth a tie between The Imitation Game, Wild Tales, Nitghcrawler and Guardians of the Galaxy (sometimes movies ar just to have fun)

Regarding Lana, there is a theory that Video Games, Blue Jeans and Born to Die is kind of a trilogy of her roller coaster relationship: Video games the beginning when all is nice, Blue jeans star of problems and Born to Die the end when she dies.
All have the same guy in video clips and West Coats (from Ultraviolence) also shows footage of their good years seen by the guy in black and white as if he was remembering her. Shades of cool also with the same guy seen her everywhere after her death.

Love how she connect this songs with video clips with no much razz dazzle but kind of telling a full history.

March 12th, 2015 at 5:22 pm

@Margot: lmfao you’re always welcome to butt in by me Margot! :-) and roflmao ‘re Andy and 50 shades of grey. As for your top 5 selection: Birdman: pure awesomeness! So glad it won Best Picture at the Oscars! Grand Budapest Hotel: I usually hate Anderson (too whimsical, childish for me) but this film was hilarious and how did Fiennes not get nominated? He’s arguably the best dramatic actor with a real flair for comedy with this and In Bruges. Boyhood? Impressive concept, very much an original in its form. But I found it narratively inert, lacking in any vitality. It felt like a checklist film to me. Have not seen the others you mentioned. Have you seen Whiplash though? Nightcrawlers? Bother were amazing for me. My 5 would be: Birdman, Grand Budapest Hotel, Whiplash, Nightcrawlers, Mr Turner. I recommend Mr Turner for you Margot, I think it could be one you would greatly enjoy.

March 12th, 2015 at 5:26 pm

HC,

I actually went to see 50 shade in the movies first day (guilty pleasure). The begging I laugh a lot because the movie was packed and woman went crazy, giggling and all. It made it fun.

The movie is not the bomb some say. Has some good taste sex scenes considering the theme, bit the actors could have more chemistry. You kind of don’t fell the passionate insane atraction.

Not to sound misogynist here, buy if you think on how woman tend to go for the wrong guys and always like man they can “fix”, you can see the frenzy with the books. It’s like the Grey character is everything a woman wants: Rich, Handsome, Complex, Damaged. He say he doesn’t do romance, but take her to flight, gives her presents, appears out of the blue, is jealous, protective, dominate and an amazing lover. And also play the piano (cliche much). So,no wonder so many woman fantasize about him, it’s like the writer (even tough my sister said the books were poorly written) hit the nail on woman fantasy.

March 12th, 2015 at 5:31 pm

Daniel,
Your ranking is useful, but needs tweaking. Wilander belongs in group 3.
Edberg, who you have left out altogether, belongs in group 4 with Becker.

March 12th, 2015 at 5:33 pm

Brando,

Saw all the others. Loved Budapeste as well.
And felt exactly the same ref Boyhood. Lacked something for me although the director work is commendable. I was really glad it didn’t won neither Best picture nor director as though Birman deserved better, too bad Michael Keaton didn’t won Best Actor. The Theory of Everything is great but the actor made the bomb Jupiter Ascending where he was awful. You can’t win an Oscar when you give that performance in the same year.

March 12th, 2015 at 5:35 pm

Howard,

Thanks, I sensed I was forgetting someone because usually my group 4 had 3 guys:-)

March 12th, 2015 at 5:36 pm

@Daniel: how could I forget Gone Girl? What a film! Love Fincher. He’s got a Hitchcock like touch with maintaining suspense in a film with a Kubrick like control over his filmmaking process. Nolan- eh. I loved TDK and TDKR but Interstellar felt like a science class not a film. Just like Inception. I found it pretentious, oblivious to the audience in terms of having a involving, open narrative and way too long. His best is still insomnia for me (go Al!). ‘re Lana Del Rey: love video games (remix of it especially). Did not know that it was a trilogy of a kind. The thing about Lana is that she marries a great voice with a personal touch in her music: and that is a killer combination. It’s not artificial, impersonal, factory line fluff but something with a life, vitality of its own kind. In mainstream music: she’s unique. Unlike McDonald’s, ie Taylor Swift. Yuck.

March 12th, 2015 at 5:37 pm

Daniel i bought the books out of curiosity,and all three were basically the same,and as you said had just about every cliche possible,and indeed very poorly written,as a woman i do admit to liking a bit of Erotica sometimes,but the writing in these books was quite comical,and i agree about the leading actors whom are both gorgeous but have zero chemistry,but if you put your tongue in your cheek i suppose its just harmless fun anyway,however i doubt ill be watching at the pictures,ill wait for the DVD release….

As i said though Fargo is a brilliant film,based on a true story, have you seen it?,so was the TV series,the Coen Brothers have done some amazing films Barton Fink is another one….

March 12th, 2015 at 5:45 pm

@Daniel: eddie redmayne winning was atrocious. I just absolutely hated how he was during award season. Whose butt did he not kiss during award season? Tuck. I much preferred Keatons performance and old school touch of humility. And I thought redmayne was overshadowed in his own by the beautiful, English rose that is Felicity Jones. I found her much more interesting than redmayne who technically hit all the right notes but lacked in showing any emotional verisimilitude in his performance. It felt like a ‘hey watch me perform this technique clinic’ as opposed to inhabiting the role and taking you on a thoroughly absorbing journey. The film was tepid and Oscar bait personified I thought.

March 12th, 2015 at 5:49 pm

Margot did you ever watch Mr Cary Grant in North By Northwest,that was an amazing thriller with a very Albert Hitchcockian type feel to it?….

March 12th, 2015 at 5:53 pm

Sorry Alfred Hitchcock….

March 12th, 2015 at 6:01 pm

Fargo is great. The Coehn’s are top notch. Loved true grit lately and No Country for Old Man.

March 12th, 2015 at 6:06 pm

Can’t forget the Shredder scene till today ref Fargo:-)

March 12th, 2015 at 6:14 pm

Daniel women enjoy a bit of titilation,and men enjoy a dark drama,i actually prefer a dark drama,the Coehns are indeed top notch and i loved the ones you mentioned,have to get this in but The French Connection 1 and 2 are arguably two of the best films ever made IMO,Gene Hackman is just about the best actor ive ever seen too….

March 12th, 2015 at 6:16 pm

Daniel urgh shudder lol,i also shudder in that its based on a true story eek,there will also be a second series this Autumn apparantly….

March 12th, 2015 at 6:19 pm

Haven’t seen the series. Eagerly awaiting for Game of Thrones return,

March 12th, 2015 at 6:41 pm

I’ve always admired Rafa’s humility and honesty. These qualities are endearing to fans and non-fans alike. With the exception of haters.

Certaily my choice for The GOAT!

March 12th, 2015 at 10:19 pm

In addition there is still a few things for Nadal to be won to sit on Feds lap on the thrown.

you can see a scene here of Middle ages castle.

with
Fed on thrown. I’m sure he has some fancy outfit.
Nadal on queens thrown. How is that gonna work out?
Djoker as a real chester. Cunningly stealing limelight and making fun of Fedal.
Murray should be a rich fancy farmer, trying to get ahead but he merely gets clobbered by all three.

Stage is set for a Shakespearian act.

March 13th, 2015 at 2:07 am

My turn Brando, how could I forget “Whiplash?” So horrible, so totally gripping! In that lat scene, my stomach was knotted with tension!
Generally love the Coehns but they have done a couple of turkeys.
“Boyhood” my standout film of 2014, but really didn’t like “Theory.” Generally don’t like biops anyway, Cash movie with Phoenix being brilliant exception.
Hippy, yes seen that one, it was good. Feel the same about Hitch as Coehns tho. Some turkeys.

March 13th, 2015 at 2:14 am

nightcrawler, wow; jake gyllenhaal is so underrated!

March 13th, 2015 at 2:22 am

Javier Bardem is intimidating to say the least in NCFOM.

But the top dog Coen movie stay and will be for ever
The big Lebowski.

How on earth could that movie be made? Every single shot/scene has some hilarious plot. And the actors deserve full credit for delivering such timing etc.

You said it man! The Jesus.

March 13th, 2015 at 2:45 am

Yeah, jane agree.Does very interesting stuff, eg “Brokeback.”

March 13th, 2015 at 3:02 am

I guess it is easier to get consensus over GOAT then over best movie.
I like French connection and the movie holds ground throughout the computerised era so he is already alltime Great. But top 15 IMO.

March 13th, 2015 at 3:14 am

http://www.pe.com/articles/lesson-762149-nadal-obsession.html
A great write-up on Rafa. You all should read it.

March 13th, 2015 at 4:28 am

Margot true but the French Connection 1 and 2 were both amazing films real edge of the seat thriller stuff,love a good phycological thriller,as opposed to an out and out horror,i often think what you dont see can be way more scary sometimes,never seen Hightcrawler but i will on Janes recomendation….

Daniel never seen Game of Thrones its never appealed to me somehow,would like to see The Vikings whom are my ancestors,i would watch the Fargo TV series the film was fantastic,but the series is even better….

Sidney nice post that would be my choice too,all just mine or rather our opinion though i suppose lol….

March 13th, 2015 at 5:23 am

^Sorry Nightcrawler not Hightcrawler^….

March 13th, 2015 at 5:24 am

My favorite Hitchcock……”Rear Window”, “Vertigo” “North by Northwest” …….in that order. Loved Fargo but the only one I saw that was involved
with the Oscars this year was Gone Girl….loved it!
I’m gonna miss 50 shades it might interfere with my heart condition known as A-fib…a very rapid heart rate….the old ticker might not could handle it…..if you get my drift!! LOL But to tell you the truth,I’m not intrigued by it in the least. I rather go to a tie down GOAT roping…… :)

March 13th, 2015 at 5:26 am

@Gary 12:55

The last word in your comment “consistency” is the key word. That says it all, imo. That’s what sets those guys apart from the rest.

March 13th, 2015 at 5:30 am

Doesn’t Connors have some kind of stand alone record? I will look it up later for my own satisfaction…and I could be dreaming. 4:00 am and I have got to get some Zzzzzz…..yawn…..:)…btw I live to talk about movies, my favorite past time next to tennis.

March 13th, 2015 at 5:35 am

3 and a half men!

March 13th, 2015 at 6:39 am

@Margot: you gave props to my main man Phoenix- you can do no wrong in my book now! Free reign: say what you want, Brando’s in your corner!:-) I loved Joaquin in Walk the Line. He nailed the intense, inner turmoil of Johnny Cash excellently and how accurate was his singing too? Amazing. Excellent chemistry with Reese Witherspoon. But outside those 2, I didn’t really like the film. I’m like you: I just dislike biopics greatly. They lack,energy and verve. Only Dog Day Afternoon brought some spark, excitement to the screen. But how could it not do with a young Alfredo James Pacino at the forefront. And Whiplash was jawdroppingly good. Simmons deserved all the awards he received. And again I’m with you: not a particular fan of the Coens. I admired No Country for Old Men, but I did not love it like There Will Be Blood from the same year. I hated, loathed True Grit as I love westerns and that was about the most dullest I have ever seen. Fargo I found miserable to watch, but I confess it was winter and I was feeling miserable so I might need to rewatch that. Good conversation.

March 13th, 2015 at 10:16 am

Hitchcock: LOVE him! Got fortunate enough to see my all time 10 masterpiece from hitch Vertigo in 70mm in the winter: was lucky too. That film is such a gem. There’s so much going on in that film. It’s like Taxi Driver for me. The underlying, psychological elements are deeply interesting to muse over. Hitchcock was just a masterpiece of cinema. The ONLY film of his I have that I would give my lowest mark to for Hitch is To Catch A Thief: and even then that’s a 7/10! All the rest go from either excellent or a masterpiece: Notorious (damn Ingrid Bergman was beautiful), Rear Window, Dial M for Murder (Kelly’s best screen performance), North by Northwest (probably the most entertaining popcorn film of all time in how it’s less about concept but more about sheer entertainment) and Psycho (Perkins was all time good in this). And I still have not seen work such as Rebecca, Shadow of Doubt, Rope etc that is greatly acclaimed. A genuine legend for me.

March 13th, 2015 at 10:26 am

https://twitter.com/honesgirl/status/576263704393580544
Rafa & Andy.

March 13th, 2015 at 12:00 pm

Aaaaaahhh brando, you just mentioned a film I really like “Dog Day Afternoon!” Did you ever see “inside Man?” Similar in a way. Loved that film and not really an Owen fan.
Phoenix was brilliant as Cash, that voice, incredible and the intensity- amazing performance. Liked River too.
Guess my preference is for dark thrillers, Infernal affairs, China Town, LA Confidential, In Bruges. You get the picture. But like a lot of other stuff too, films of Ken Loach, The Bourne Trilogy, Mikel Hanneke etc etc.
@OK As you can guess, I can talk about films for ever and ever!

March 13th, 2015 at 1:29 pm

@Margot 1:29 :)

@Brando…..Two things we agree on Hitchcock and RAFA! :)

March 13th, 2015 at 2:50 pm

@Margot:

Yes I did get to see ‘Inside Man’- found it very enjoyable. Denzel was strolling through that one in his usual cool way which I enjoy but Clive Owen was the standout for me in that one. And I did enjoy Christopher Plummer with his sly old fox way’s.

Love all the others you mentioned barring Infernal Affairs as I have yet to see it. I probably would say film noir is my absolute favourite genre. The gems from the 1940’s especially.

March 13th, 2015 at 7:30 pm

@Okiegal:

3 things Okie- that we both rock on here! :-)

March 13th, 2015 at 7:32 pm