Move of the Week: The Princess Bride

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Alexa: I’m just going to come right out and say it – I don’t love this movie. I like it, but I don’t regard it as highly as virtually everyone else I know who’s seen it. I grew up hearing famous quotes from it, as well as lots of high praise heralding it one of the best romances and best comedies ever made. But I didn’t actually see it until college, and I think by that time it had been hyped so greatly in popular culture that it was difficult for it to live up to the acclaim. I was happy to find a reason to watch it again in hopes that this time maybe I would appreciate what all the fuss is about, but it still didn’t really resonate with me. I found it to be a charming and romantic fairy tale adventure and I enjoyed watching it (plus it is delightful to see ice queen Claire Underwood as a doe-eyed fantasy heroine), but I don’t feel the pull to watch it over and over again. I don’t even have any particular critiques to give it other than that it didn’t live up to years of high expectations. It simply isn’t for me, which I acknowledge is about my own tastes rather than a fault of the movie itself.
Joel: Obviously, I’ve seen this movie before. You’ve likely seen this movie before as well, it’s one of the most popular movies of all time. But it can be one of those things that, if you haven’t seen it in awhile, you start to wonder if the the love for this movie is just the rose tinted glasses of nostalgia. Take the time to watch it again, because it isn’t. The Princess Bride is really that good. Right at the beginning of the movie, they say tell you that this movie has everything (action, sword fights, romance, pirates, etc.) and they pretty much deliver on all of those points. It’s one of the best action movies ever made, but at the same time one of the best romance movies, and one of the best comedies. It manages to master and weave together so many different genres. If you watch the Honest Trailers video for this movie, half the joke is that they can’t find anything to make fun of, the movie is just all around that good of a movie. I know you’ve already seen this movie, but I implore you to take the time to watch it again and remember really how good of a movie it is. It’s better than you remember.
Chris: It's a beloved classic for a good reason, it's charming beyond compare and a joy to watch. If you get a chance, listen to the Nerdist podcast with Princess Bride's director Rob Reiner from last year. It's fun to hear how much of a passion project it was and the pride he still has in this movie will make you want to rewatch it all over again as well as read the original book. Watching it again for the first time in a while, I was reminded just how delightful Andre the Giant is in this movie and I swear I'm not just saying that because of my wrestling fandom.




Next Week's Movie: The Jungle Book

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