Will you see Glory Road?

[psifreek27]

I just attended an Advanced Screening for "Glory Road" last night here in Miami Fl. It was hosted by a newspaper and Radio Disney AM 990 (whom im an employee for)...

I went into it expecting to enjoy it, because it is a bruckheimer sports film and those are always good...but, i can truly say I LOVED THIS FILM!

The Basketball scenes were very exciting, and great camerawork.
The cast of players were very funny,passionate and youthful.
Josh Lucas did a bang up job...this dude is on fire.
The 1950's ish setting is also very cool, im a sap for anything from the time period.
Lots of funny moments.
Lots of inspirational moments.
Great story about overcoming social prejudice and beleiving in ones own abilities.

I would def. reccommend this movie to anyone who enjoys coming of age flicks,sports movies or bruckheimer films.

GO SEE IT!

[DaveWadding]

Who said that every film is blueprint of Rocky? If that's well said, then I don't want to know how something is said badly. I have yet to find that pleasant surprise (except maybe Friday Night Lights, but that's far too gritty for the tyke mentality some people have around here) to make me spend 10 valuable dollars and sacrifice two hours of my life.

I've always been meaning to ask you this, but what's your deal with Friday Night Lights? How is it so much better than any other sports movie? It's basically the same sports movie that they always make, except they lose in the end. That's it. No better or worse than any other sports movie.

[AwallaceUNC]

I also attended an advance screening last night. If you don't want any spoilers, don't read on...


The movie is spotty (a couple of scenes in particular needed some fine-tuning), but overall I rather enjoyed it. It's reminiscent of Remember the Titans -- maybe too reminiscent -- but some of that is dictated by the fact the true stories are similar. Knowing nothing about basketball, this story was new to me and it strikes me as one that deserved to be told in film. There were several moments that had me rolling my eyes, but as many had me laughing or caught up in what was going on. The theater audience (a mostly black audience in a theater located directly in the midpoint between UNC and Duke campuses) was very interesting too; they were very... vocal. it's funny that Disney feels more comfortable with edgier material/language if it's a civil rights sports film. There's more weight to this movie than your typical inspiring coach/sports team flick, but no more weight than Remember the Titans (except this is a more historically significant event, from what I can gather). Worth a matinee or rental. Be sure you stick around for the end credits!

-Aaron

[castleinthesky]

Absolutely not. I have seen this movies a hundred times before under a different name.

Agreed. How many times will this plot structure be rehased? It is really getting rather stupid. "This time lets make it a basketball version, and no one will remember the other one). Please, my money will not be wasted on this film.

[BrandonH]

One could say the same for many other movie types, such as slasher flicks, romantic comedies, adventure stories, etc.

The key is in things like the execution of the story and the charisma of the actors. The saying is that every story is a variation on the same 8-10 basic stories, and there is some truth to that.

[sethn172]

Howdy!

I dunno, the movie looks exciting, but this movie isn't getting a lot of attention due to Narnia. I think either movie seems great!

sethn172

Help put "Manos" back at #1 in the Bottom 100! Vote now: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060666/

[Papa Bear]

I too saw this movie at an advance screening on Friday and thought it was excellent. I was expecting it to be a good movie from what I had read and see in the previews and it well supassed my expectations. It catered to the audience as a whole it may not be something that would hold the attention of viewers under five but anyone above that will find something to grasp to in the film. This movie did a great job of depicting the era that it was about while also shining a light onto the current time and some of the conlicts we still have. The cast did a great job of connecting to the audience you wanted them to surpass their expectations not just for them but for all of us. It also did a reat job of depicting the relationships betwen the charecters in the show between coach and team and husband and wife coach to coach and ect. It shows the way people respond to each other and how it reflects on each of them. So to those who only see this as another "Sports Film" perhaps that is all you would take from and may just want to skip it all together, but if you really look into th film you may get alot more thatn you expect.


Thanks,

T.J. Wolfe

[Escapay]

DVD fodder. I've seen about every sports movie there has been in the last few years and they're basically all the same.

Can you please name this movie?? You seem to just talk and not give facts. Name the movies!!

Why not look them up yourselves instead of asking him to name them? I'm sure if you tear yourself away from UD for five minutes, go to google or imdb, and search for sports movies, you'll find a few.

Anyway, when I first saw the trailer for Glory Road, yes, it does look like Remember the Titans: Basketball Edition. But I'm willing to give this film the benefit of the doubt, and rent it or blindbuy it (I'm not much of a theater person anyways).

As for Prince Eric's duck logic, I can only go with BrandonH's explanation:

One could say the same for many other movie types, such as slasher flicks, romantic comedies, adventure stories, etc.

The key is in things like the execution of the story and the charisma of the actors. The saying is that every story is a variation on the same 8-10 basic stories, and there is some truth to that.

If we were to say every sports movie is the same (a coach turns around a ragtag team and they win whatever the top prize is in the end), then let's apply it to every film.

War films - all war films will be about a disenchanted soldier who will go to war optimistically, see the horrors, lose a few friends, and come back a scarred and emotionally changed man who will have nightmares of battle while trying to sleep at night with his wife and 2.5 children

Horror films - bad actors and actresses will be stalked by a psycho with a mask, bearing some kind of instrument used to kill someone quickly, all the while, girls will be in flimsy skin-exposing wardrobe while guys will have their shirts off for half the movie.

Romance films - two star crossed lovers will meet, and either be:
1. Engaged to other people.
2. Married to other people.
3. Widowed from other people.

But this will not stop them from getting together regardless, and their friends will either:
1. Encourage it, after all, it may be true love.
2. Discourage it, after all, it may be a "transition period".
3. Be wary of it, after all, you know nothing about him/her! But they don't listen to you anyway!

In the end, the two lovers will:
1. Get together after one makes a heartfelt speech to the other.
2. Get together after a big fight and their friends set them up together.
3. Get together and you see a big kiss and strangely the public around them stop to clap their hands.

Action Films - A physically fit man will save the world, or at least a big city, or at least a building, or at least his car, from destruction. Somewhere in the mess, he will meet a woman the complete opposite of him, they will fight then have sex, and in the end, they get together.

Animated Films - a hero or heroine is aided by small furry creatures and they jump into song every so often, all the while, you learn a valuable lesson, such as "Change for the person you want" or "Don't eat apples" or "Bad guys are ugly, therefore, ugly people are bad guys".

Escapay

[BrandonH]

I would give Glory Road 4 out of 5 stars. Josh Lucas gave a great performance, and all of the basketball players were interesting. This is a feel-good movie, but it also delivers its anti-prejudice message very well. I thought the character of Haskins' wife was unnecessary to the story the movie was trying to tell. She had one good moment near the end of the film, but all of her other appearances seemed extraneous.

I know that it got my butt and many others in the theater seats, but I wish the trailer producers had left more jokes and inspirational speeches out of the trailer.

I would recommend this to people for one viewing, either in regular theaters, discount theaters, or as a rental. It is not worth buying unless you have some connection to the people, time period, or sport.

[dvdjunkie]

Everyone who is slamming this film without seeing it first, is way out of line. What I saw was a extremely well-told story about an all black basketball team back in the 60's. Josh Lucas is fabulous as the coach who's only experience was with an all-girls basketball team. The story is true, and not just based on an idea. There is a book about this subject. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie from beginning to end. It is NOT LIKE ALL OTHER sports movies, contrary to what some of the posters here say. Well worth the investment in time and money. If you have a problem paying the regular prices at a theater, try matinee prices, or wait until it gets to your cheapie second run house. But see this movie in a theater, don't wait for the DVD. It is a true experience that needs to be seen on a big screen with big sound.

[tarheelblue23]

I going to wait until this comes out on DVD. I love sports movies, but this is just the same thing over and over. Its all the same......Remember the Titans, Coach Carter etc.

[PixarFan]

Hmm...I remember watching the trailer for this movie back when it was first released. I kept watching the trailer unfold, thinking "this seems exactly like Remember the Titans." Then, partway through, the Remember the Titans theme music plays, and that clinched it for me. I told myself right there that I would not watch some sports movie that was a - of one of the best sports movies in the last ten years.

Last night I was at the theater with a friend, staring up at the list of showings, trying to decide between two movies: Glory Road and King Kong. We both chose Kong without giving it a second thought, knowing that Glory Road was just another same-old, same-old sports flik.

Now I've just read the other reviews people have left about this movie, and my opinion is beginning to change, especially after remembering that I myself recently made a comment on another movie, saying to "never judge a movie by it's trailer." I may go back sometime and give Glory Road a chance...we'll see.

[Pluto Region1]

C'mon Disney, this idea has worked well a couple times in the past, but how many films about a coach who ends up "putting his heart into the game" and using passionate players do we really need?

This point already been made but if the movie is indeed a historical accounting of how blacks first started to appear on basketball teams - I will probably go to see it. I loved the Disney golf movie that was out in November because it was historical and l like watching golf. If they can combine something historical into making it an interesting tale, I am way more inclined to go see it than if it was a silly made up drama about a sports team.

[tarheelblue23]

Ok, I have officially decided not to see this movie. I know this sounds nit picky but I am an advid sports fan and want to see something that is historicaly accurate. A friend of mine saw it last night and said he was upset that instead of talking about teams that were good during that time period they were talking more about teams that are good today. There is a part in the movie where one of the coaches says he feels they can not out recruit Kentucky or Duke. Well....Duke was an ok team during the 60's but was not really considered an elite team(they did not even win a championship until 91), UCLA and Kentucky were the dominant teams. We have to listen to the media hype Duke all the time now, I sure as heck dont want to hear them hyped during a time period that they werent even winning championships. I would also like point out that in the previews they show a lot of dunks and behind the back passing. This was not allowed during this time period. Many peope are not aware of this but dunking was not allowed until the 70's and the streetball style was frowned upon. Like I said I know its nit picky but I like see the time periods portrayed accuratly.

[Kenai]

And as said before people, don't forget, Disney has ANOTHER sports movie called "Invicible" with Mark Wahlberg coming out this fall,too. Ha ha! That'll make like what sports movie now...no. 6?

[BrandonH]

I don't know all the details, but in the historical clips shown at the end, you clearly see a Texas Western player dunking over Pat Riley, so I'm pretty sure dunking was allowed in college ball in 1965.

[tarheelblue23]

BrandonH thats one of the clips that they said was not accurate. The NCAA did not allow dunking in 1965.

[gadgetmobile]

I just saw the movie, and it exceeded my expectations. Let me start by saying that I am a huge college basketball fan. (Go Tar Heels!) While the movie did remind me of "Remember the Titans", it stepped it up a level to college athletics. These players were not thrown together due to geography like the Titans, but were recruited and made a decision to attend Texas Western. The movie mainly focuses on Coach Haskins, but gives plenty of time to the players, too.

Ok, I have officially decided not to see this movie. I know this sounds nit picky but I am an advid sports fan and want to see something that is historicaly accurate. A friend of mine saw it last night and said he was upset that instead of talking about teams that were good during that time period they were talking more about teams that are good today. There is a part in the movie where one of the coaches says he feels they can not out recruit Kentucky or Duke. Well....Duke was an ok team during the 60's but was not really considered an elite team(they did not even win a championship until 91), UCLA and Kentucky were the dominant teams.

tarheelblue23, I love your screen name, but the movie did not err historically. This movie was about the 1966 NCAA Championship. Duke was in the Final Four that year. The point being made in the movie was that Texas Western did not have the recruiting budget of a Kentucky or a Duke. I think everyone would agree that Duke University financially is a well-endowed institution and that Duke would have recruiting money available that Texas Western would not have had in 1966. There was nothing in the movie that put Duke or any other team out there as an "elite team", besides maybe Kentucky. I don't like the publicity that Duke gets now, either, but I certainly didn't feel like they got a plug in this movie.

[Pluto Region1]

....I sure as heck dont want to hear them hyped during a time period that they werent even winning championships. I would also like point out that in the previews they show a lot of dunks and behind the back passing. This was not allowed during this time period.

Well then that throws the whole historical accuracy in doubt.... whats the point to seeing it, if it is not accurate? I mean if they don't get the research right on how the game was played (seems to me to be a major part of the film that should be checked) then what ELSE did they not check on in their research before making the film?

[Timon/Pumbaa fan]

Well even thought I expressed negative feelings for this movie, I ended up seeing it today.

Well I'm glad to say this was a example of "you can't judge a book by it's cover". I really enjoyed it. Is it another sports film? Yes, but it's still very entertaining.

Josh Lucas was a very good actor and performed a believeable performance. I was also very hooked with the story from beginning to end and the music was excellent(I give it extra points for playing a Buddy Holly song! )

While it's not my favorite sports movie(that would have to be "Miracle" which was amazing), I thought this movie was amusing and heartwarming. Yeah it does rehash "Remember the Titans" slightly, but I actually enjoyed it more than RTT, as it offers a more emotional story IMO.

However the cinematography was AWFUL. I don't know why, but certain scenes seemed shot poorly and the lighting was funny in certain places.

But overall, a very entertaining sport movie from Disney which blew away my low expectations. Definetely a good way to start movies in 2006!

BTW when you see it, be sure to stay for the credits as they have interviews of the actual coach and players at the end.

7 or an 8/10

P.S. Saw the new trailer for The Pink Panther! It's official, I'M TOTALLY SEEING IT!