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Talking Pictures: How to Watch Movies
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Customer reviews
- Talking Pictures: How to Watch Movies
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- Customer reviews
Top positive review
Enjoyable and changed how I saw films immediately
August 26, 2017
I was interested in the book because I have read the author’s reviews in the “Washington Post” for years and the reviews in both the “Post” and “Time” were positive. However, you never know how these “guides for the lay person” types of books will turn out--with them being slogs often enough.
However I found “Talking Pictures well written and it added dimensions to my understanding of not only movies, but television series and to an extent literature as well. Very readable and it went quickly. The films used to illustrate concepts were well chosen and one benefit of the book has been to see (or re-see) films recommended.
One caveat: many of the descriptive passages were structured along the lines of “it could be either this or that, or this other thing or that other thing, or this or that...it wasn’t annoying but as the book progressed it did have kind of an “ear worm” effect to it.
However I found “Talking Pictures well written and it added dimensions to my understanding of not only movies, but television series and to an extent literature as well. Very readable and it went quickly. The films used to illustrate concepts were well chosen and one benefit of the book has been to see (or re-see) films recommended.
One caveat: many of the descriptive passages were structured along the lines of “it could be either this or that, or this other thing or that other thing, or this or that...it wasn’t annoying but as the book progressed it did have kind of an “ear worm” effect to it.
10 people found this helpful
Top critical review
Wish I could rate it higher
August 28, 2018
Ann Hornaday is a such a likable movie critic that I felt bad about my 3 star rating affecting the overall scoring of her book. It is a solid analysis of movies with helpful tidbits. But, the truth is that the book lacks the punch that you would fine in Pauline Kael's classic treatments on movies, or even more recently Hornaday's former colleague Stephen Hunter. What would really be fun is to have Hornaday really cut loose like she does at times with her appearances on the Tony Kornheiser Show. But, more so, I would have liked her to go into depth with a particular movie each chapter rather than picking from here and there with multiple movies. She has the movie-chops to do that. Perhaps its coming in a future book.
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August 26, 2017
I was interested in the book because I have read the author’s reviews in the “Washington Post” for years and the reviews in both the “Post” and “Time” were positive. However, you never know how these “guides for the lay person” types of books will turn out--with them being slogs often enough.
However I found “Talking Pictures well written and it added dimensions to my understanding of not only movies, but television series and to an extent literature as well. Very readable and it went quickly. The films used to illustrate concepts were well chosen and one benefit of the book has been to see (or re-see) films recommended.
One caveat: many of the descriptive passages were structured along the lines of “it could be either this or that, or this other thing or that other thing, or this or that...it wasn’t annoying but as the book progressed it did have kind of an “ear worm” effect to it.
However I found “Talking Pictures well written and it added dimensions to my understanding of not only movies, but television series and to an extent literature as well. Very readable and it went quickly. The films used to illustrate concepts were well chosen and one benefit of the book has been to see (or re-see) films recommended.
One caveat: many of the descriptive passages were structured along the lines of “it could be either this or that, or this other thing or that other thing, or this or that...it wasn’t annoying but as the book progressed it did have kind of an “ear worm” effect to it.
August 27, 2017
An excellent discussion of introductory film appreciation. The author does a very good job of making a potentially pretentious subject more accessible to those who want to explore why they like one movie more than another, without diving into which independent art house film goes best with a sense of smugness and some avocado toast. The book is broken into the essential building blocks of the film-making process and provides a list at the end of each chapter of both classic and contemporary movies that excel at that particular element.
February 10, 2018
For those of you unfamiliar, Ann Hornaday’s movie reviews for my local Washington Post are exquisite——Hornaday is hyper-literate, empathic, and wise. Unlike most critics, she is not afraid to express her love for Gravity and a Bourne flick as well as the typical indie faire.
This book was very interesting. I learned some new lingo and to appreciate movies on a deeper level—-I can’t say I’d never HEARD of these approaches before; the categories in the book make up the syllabus of a typical Film Theory class. It is Hornaday’s application of these questions and ideals to specific examples which make this book such a fun read.
I made a long list of movies to watch whilst reading each chapter and I can’t wait to dig in.
This book was very interesting. I learned some new lingo and to appreciate movies on a deeper level—-I can’t say I’d never HEARD of these approaches before; the categories in the book make up the syllabus of a typical Film Theory class. It is Hornaday’s application of these questions and ideals to specific examples which make this book such a fun read.
I made a long list of movies to watch whilst reading each chapter and I can’t wait to dig in.
August 9, 2017
In the knowledgeable and insightful writing style that readers of The Washington Post have come to know and respect, Ms Hornaday offers a way to look at films that is beneficial to casual film fans and also to professional filmmakers. She exhibits a deep understanding of the mechanics behind the art of filmmaking as she analyzes the various components of the process. And she draws on a vast bank of interviews she's conducted over her career with leading figures in the industry to add enlightening color to her analyses. This book is an invigorating read -- entertaining as well as informative.
October 12, 2017
With this book you will learn the answer to that question and many others. I love movies but I never realized just how complex it is to get the final product on the screen and get it right... until now. Great book. Well written with examples and explanations for each aspect of movies Ms Hornaday presents. It was interesting to consider just why it is I really liked one movie but found another just kind of "meh." Each chapter covers one of the Oscar categories and concludes with a list of 4 or 5 movies that represent best examples of the discussed category. Want to learn how to discuss movies like a pro ? This book is a great start!
April 21, 2018
Living in Washington, DC, I've been reading Hornaday's reviews and find I often disagree with her. Our tastes in films seem to be radically different. However, her book is well written and well reasoned. It was fun to read her opinions on classic directors and films and to see where her critical aesthetic comes from. The book, arranged by production elements such as editing, directing, and sound, cogently presents her arguments and gives one a good basis in understanding what one should look for in a film. I still don't always agree with her, but now I understand her reasoning.
November 15, 2018
Ann's first chapter captivated me with her richly-styled prose. Never florid, however - every word serves a purpose, supporting and illuminating her ideas. Overall, the book is a great introduction for movie buffs as to who does what in movie-making, and how you can better understand the artistic choices made and more fully appreciate the performances given. It will enhance your enjoyment of the movies. And if you like more, this "Extra" encourages you to check out her podcast with Arch Campbell and Marc Sterne, At the Movies with Arch and Ann.
I have read several books in this category and this is one of the best at citing examples from movies that most movie goers ...
August 23, 2017Ann has written an extremely entertaining and enjoyable book for the average movie buff. I have read several books in this category and this is one of the best at citing examples from movies that most movie goers have seen, rather than referencing predominately artsy or foreign films that I do not have time to watch (yet). She clearly enjoys movie realism (verisimilitude) and that is apparent in most of her favorites and examples, but she does not ignore others genres (like her discussion on all the sounds Lucas created in Star Wars). This truly is a great read for film lovers and it will have you wanting to go back and re-watch some outstanding films with a greater appreciation and enjoyment.
July 28, 2017
Unless you were a film major, and maybe even if you were, you'e bound to learn something about making and watching movies. Hr use of both contemporary and older (not all "classic") films for reference made we want to see old favorites again and see some I would never given a thought to.
July 18, 2017
Who doesn't love Ann? I've had to go back and watch movies that I own that she highlights in the book and I see them with a whole new light.
