You've covered a lot of my favorites but I'll also suggest: Flatliners (1990, ignore the remake) and The Truman Show ((1998). Also Go (1999), which is so well written and hilarious, a cult favorite that's also in my top 10 all time movies. And if you're looking for a forgotten straight-up comedy, Nothing To Lose (1998) is funny as all heck. Love your reactions!
Dude, Jen, you should watch Requiem for a Dream. But that movie will mess up your entire day. It can change your entire life. It came out in 2000 but it was made in the 1990's.
This movie kind of tricks you into thinking that it's just going to be a silly "sucked into the TV" story, and then slowly starts to reveal its depth and humanity. The best kind of bait and switch.
When Margaret picks the red apple from the tree as the camera racks focus to the full moon behind it...one of my all time favorite moments in cinematography. Such a tiny moment, but so gloriously beautiful.
I haven’t watched this movie in years, I forgot how great it was. It’s visually stunning, heartfelt, funny, emotional, and the cast was amazing especially Jeff Daniels he was incredible in this.
This is one I caught on VHS and forgot about for around fifteen years then rediscovered. The scene at the lake with "At Last" playing just fills me with so much joy.
It's an issue in many workplaces. Many railroad accidents over the decades have their causes in too many hours without sufficient sleep. Years ago, I was working a side job at a convenience store after a long day of physical labor and short sleep. A customer came in the door and said that I greeted them, and passed out, falling over backwards like a bowling pin and cracked my head open. Sleep & Hydration are a must...
I don't think people nowadays can really appreciate how hard that b&w/color effect was to pull off. You don't think this as a ground breaking visual effects film, but it really was.
An underrated film. I’ve always felt that the TV Dad was the most sympathetic character. He loves his wife, and is desperate to adapt to the new reality so to not lose her.
He was the perennial bad guy but always so good. Totally agree with the other responses - they are underrated films, but also loved him in TV show Dark Skies.
@@THOMMGBAbsolutely agree. Breakdown is super tight, and an emotionally engaging film on a level that is rarely seen. I bet this baby stops on a @#$%^ dime!
This already has my vote for most surprising movie this month . having no expectations I was blown away by how great a movie and how great Jen's reaction was to it , everyone is in for a treat and a wonderful time 👌🔥
@@thomastimlin1724Oops. Thanks for correcting me. I was born in the 1960s, and my family didn't have a television until the latter half of the decade. I guess that's where my 1950s assumption came from.
A masterpiece. Most underrated film of all time! Forgotten amongst a time where there were too many great films and cinema was peaking in the late 90s. If it came out now, it would dominate the awards and Oscars. I watch it every year... and teach it.
"It's Paul Walker! He's so cute!" I always forget Paul is in this until he rolls up because the cast is so fantastic. He's still in his supporting era here (She's All That, Varsity Blues, The Skulls, etc) but nails the character of the 'nice guy' who does a heel-turn in the face of change. RIP to a beautiful man and underrated talent.
Ann unrecognized gem and I'm so happy that you watched it. Jeff Daniels is seriously one of the best actors out there, and one hell of a musician. His performance in The Newsroom (three season series on HBO) is, in my opinion, is the greatest television series ever, only competition is Ted Lasso. Yeah, the very clever use of color and "colored" is strikingly brilliant, and is the root of the meaning of this film. In these current times, this film should make a huge comeback for obvious reasons. Excellent reaction, Jen!
@@bigdream_dreambig There isn't a person on that show that wanted it to end. They became like a family and it was incredible. Aaron Sorkin is a master of dialog, and it really holds up today with the clown show going on.
This is a hidden gem for sure, as everyone I know who saw this movie loved it, but I rarely ever see it talked about or many reactions for that matter. The story was great, as almost any "prejudice" could be substituted, and nothing really changes. Just a well done, thought provoking film that deserves more recognition.
So glad to see this film getting some recognition. I remember when it was released and i think it deserves to be revisited. Joan Allen in particular is so great (with a special mention to Jeff Daniels too). Edit: Okay I underestimated how good this film is as i hadn't seen it for so long. Although it ostensibly about, and set in, 1950's America, it seems eerily and sadly prescient. I hope more reactors become aware as id love to see more people see and appreciate it (i now need to go through my old DVD storage boxes as im sure i still have a copy somewhere lol)
Fantastic movie that tells a deep message in such a creative way. I love how it lures you in with innocent fun before slowly unfolding into the deeper point.
I lived in the desert SW when I had my first child. One day when he was 3 we were playing outside and it started raining. He stood transfixed looking at the sky and pointing. He just said water. I then realized that he had never seen it rain before. We were in a long drought and it had only rained late at night since he had been born.
When this movie was released in 1998, this era was so far removed from where we were. Now, I feel like we are back in Pleasantville. Such an excellent movie on every level.
As others have noted, the inclusion of Don Knotts (deputy Fife from the Andy Griffith show) was a stroke of genius. Andy Griffith, even more than Leave It to Beaver, was the ultimate in feel good black and white rose colored portrayal of 50's (white) american life. The reruns were a sweet retreat and guilty pleasure for kids needing to escape the more uncertain currents of the 70's and 80's.
No toilets reminds me of The Brady Bunch. The kids spend a lot of time in the bathroom getting ready for school and stuff but you never see a toilet. There wasn't one.
There was a trailer for the tv show “All in the Family”. The characters were singing the theme song with different lyrics. “Television’s grown up now”. They sang about couples sleeping together in one bed and using words that hadn’t forbidden. ua-cam.com/video/Ww8QHLSR5ek/v-deo.htmlsi=QMH4sumTRegiOKrq
I think the first instance of someone using a bathroom toilet on TV was on All in the Family. Also, though not the first, the Bunkers were one of the earliest couples to be seen in the same bed. On the Brady Bunch the parents originally had separate beds, but eventually pushed them together. It seems odd that television was around for twenty years before it occurred to anyone to do that.
There is video with the cast of All in the Family singing “television’s grown up now. We don’t need a marriage vow” It goes on to talk about toilets and other things that were forbidden on TV. ua-cam.com/video/IvrIltxWnS0/v-deo.htmlsi=w3hDh6TGpEM-Yz_y
The mom whose daughter had the pink tongue was also a villain in Buffy. She was in the season 3 episode when Buffy comes back from LA and her mom has a new friend (the mom from this) who ends up possessed by a mask and turns people into zombies.
I really enjoyed your reaction to this film, Jen. I saw this in the cinema upon its release and have it on DVD too, I think that it's a bit of a hidden gem of a film.
Quite possibly my favourite movie of the 90s, and certainly one that deserves waaaay more reactions, so thank you! It's clever, and surprising, and meaningful, and entertaining. The colour effects were right on the edge of what could be done effectively at the time. Incidentally, the book flying on the mural, "The Catcher in the Rye", is (in)famous as a much-censored novel about teen rebellion, so that's very appropriate!
Love this movie, it’s sweet without being childish, it’s wise without being terribly preachy, it’s heartbreaking without being tragic…it plays by its own rules and slowly lets you in on what’s going on. Such a gem, always worth seeing again. To answer your question, they shot the movie in color and then digitally removed color from the pieces that needed to be in black and white. Obviously, this gets more complicated the longer it goes on, for early scenes, they could just drop all the color out, but later shots they had to be more deliberate.
Probably one of the most thought provoking and cinematic greats of the 90s. This movie was loaded with so much talent on both sides of the camera. Great choice, Jen !❤
Fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer would instantly recognize the cameos, if they can be called that, by two actors from the show, Marc Blucas and Danny Strong. Marc was in the first basketball scene, and Danny was in the jukebox scene.
Holy crap jen i loved that, 'i Wonder what would make me turn color, prolly hearing great music, or seeing a dog in color ' yes. Love the way ur mind works that eas awesome.
Having the dvd for this movie, I was able to watch the special features. One in particular spoke about the process of making the color-changing scenes. The one thing that stuck out for me was when Bud was applying makeup to hi mom's face. The makeup had to be a certain shade of green in order for the post-production crew to be able to colorize the areas that they needed to do.
I definitely think watching movies would give you color in Pleasantville. Not sure how you haven’t seen all these wonderful movies, but I do enjoy watching with you. Thanks!
This was my first Tobey Maguire movie before he was Spiderman. One of the scenes I find the funniest was when Tobey was trying to get the fireman. And the art book scene was among my favorites. I was pretty young when this came out, and quite a few things flew over my head at the time. Like the basketball scene when all the balls didn’t make it in; I originally thought he was telling the guys about the red rose he saw. Boy did I laugh when I rewatched a couple years later and realize that was not the case. lol and I also didn’t understand the concern over the big beds. I find your puns as you watched very funny. He knows what’s “up.” Is she going to “blow” his mind? Glad enjoyed this! A real, ahead of its time, and underrated gem of a film!
It's darkly hilarious that the beginning of this movie portrays the late 90s in the U.S. as a "pessimistic time", when those of us who lived through that era now look back at the period between the first Gulf War and 9/11 as pretty damn good compared to now. There are good things and bad things about each time period; in the 90s crime was higher than now, racial tensions really flared up hardcore, and medical technology/life expectancy obviously wasn't as advanced as today. On the flip side, politics didn't seem to pervade every aspect of life, social media hadn't poisoned our discourse and destroyed our attention spans, and the overall pace of life was slower and less stressful; forcing us to be more patient, tolerant of others and mindful of our surroundings. For those who lived both then and now, it's an interesting debate.
I love the version of Across The Universe that Fiona Apple did. Such a fantastic rendition used for this movie. One of my favorite things about this movie.
Rewatching this and this is without doubt one of my favourite jen reactions and it deserves so many more views so i had to add another . Even on a rewatch this movie and reaction blow me away a true jem 💎 of a movie . Thanks as always jen for the wonderful surprisingly awesome movies you bring to us on a regular basis, you truly are the kittens mittens 🔥💙🔥💙
Pleasantville is a great movie for a bunch of reasons. It’s blend of how it starts off, and then fades into a black-and-white show and slowly introduces colour as people become more aware. Definitely one of a kind movie, and I applied the effort and thought overall it was well done.
At the time and until the Star Wars prequels came out, Pleasantville had the most digital scenes of any movie. It was filmed in color then they digitally removed the color as needed. This meant that they had to have special makeup for those scenes in which makeup was featured. When you see Tobey's character wipe the makeup on the mom, it isn't just some silver shade, it is the exact shade that matches that actress's skin color and tone when it is converted to black and white. But they also had to find its complementary color as well (which isend up being like a greenish color). So in the scene where Bill wipes off Betty's makeup, at first her whole face is covered except that one spot by this grey/silver makeup. But when she turns around the makeup has completely changed; now it is only that spot that is colored in by that complementary greenish color and the makeup is being wiped on her face and not off of it
YAY!!!!!! SUCH a great film!!!!!!! Thank you for this! One of my all-time favorite films... I've been preaching this film for years... and it's really not that well-known. Another film that kind of like this (hidden gem that has a great cast, story, soundtrack, cinematography, effects, acting, etc.) is "STRANGER THAN FICTION"... another heart-felt beauty of a film. Cheers!
What a delight. I have not seen many people react to this movie never mind one of my favorite reactors. I really enjoy this movie. I've seen it a dozen times at least and it never gets old. My favorite part is the reveal of the art book. Thanks again for just a wonderful reaction.
You are the absolute best ! Nobody has done this yet. What a wonderful feel good movie full of fantastic ideas and terrific performances. "Where's my dinner ?!?!" More like this - Whip IT! - Drew Barrymore directorial debut with (then) Ellen Page doing roller derby. Meet Joe Black - Anthony Hopkins and Brad Pitt - a quirky movie/ comedy about how precious every second of life and family is and I'm gonna say my fave feel good movie... She's The Man - Amanda Bynes does Twelfth Night pretending to be a boy to get on a soccer team with Channing Tatum.
Thank you for watching this movie, Ms. Murray. It’s one of my absolute favorites. Seeing your reaction in your face and hearing it in your words it was obvious how much you liked it, also. There are so many things happening in this film, both subtle and obvious. It’s the film where I first took notice of Reese Witherspoon as a serious actor. Of course Jeff Daniels, Joan Allen, William H Macy and KT Walsh were brilliant. I would like to suggest (should you actually see this comment) a very underrated movie with Macy and Walsh (and others who are brilliant) called House of Games. It’s a thriller/noir from David Mamet. It is a slow buildup character study but there is a lot that goes on.
_"He really looks like one of my exes"_ - Jen dates hunx. _"I do love the marches of John Phillip Sousa"_ - If you knew Sousa like Jen knows Sousa you'd love Sousa too.
I love your reactions. I loved this reaction. I can't believe you left out one of the best movie lines ever. Person: "What are we going to do Bob" Bob: "Well we're safe for now, thank goodness we're in a bowling alley"
32:10 The DVD extras have a behind-the-scenes showing how they did the mixed black and white and color. I remember that for the makeup scenes, it was essentially done by using green and gray makeup, and then you’d just desaturate the green in post. (Or something like that - it’s been years since I watched the DVD extras.)
“Since every scene from the middle of the movie on had to be in some way digitally changed to have black and white characters interact with characters who are in color, technically this film had the most digital effects shots until Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999).”
This film is so surreal, makes one wonder, what if something like that happens to me. What would I do? 😊Thanks Jen, wonderful pick! Can't wait for CONAN! Always here for more...Eric
Good film Jen. My take on the change to colour is when the character has an original thought. For Jennifer/Mary Sue it's when she admits to herself she needs glasses. For David/Bud it's the realisation that sometimes violence is necessary. My theory has holes because it doesn't work for all characters, Skip for example. Betty is a pivotal character played by Joan Allen, who also plays Pam Landy in the Bourne sequels.
The background music in the soda shop when Bud is explaining the Huckleberry Finn book is " Take Five " by the Dave Brubeck Quartet. It was the first popular jazz tune to feature 5/4 time. It was considered radical and believed to cause heart failure.
Thrilled to find this here. This film is always on the (long) list I recommend to friends and reactors, but you're the first reactor I've seen watch it!
I was so happy to see you do this one. It's a favorite of mine, but nobody reacts to it. Silly and funny at times, but with such depth and complexity underneath. And the actors were all so good in it.
Grew up watching nick at night which played all the old black and white shows so that adds a layer of enjoyment to the movie. It’s surprisingly heartfelt as well. It’s a gem of a movie that’s not talked about enough. I also get choked up when Jeff Daniel’s discovers color and new forms of art.
Great reaction Jen. I love this movie. The performances are amazing as well as the blend of color and B&W. The allegory might not have been subtle, but the story is beautiful. I can't believe this is your first Reece Witherspoon movie. On top of Legally Blonde and Election, I recommend Man in the Moon, Just Like Heaven, SFW, Cruel Intentions, Overnight Delivery, and This Means War. Some Jeff Daniels that you might like, Ragtime, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Gettysburg, Speed, The Answer Man, and Cheaters
One of my favorite movies of all time. I had no idea how deep and introspective it was seeing it for the first time. Very underrated film, glad u enjoyed!
What other 90's dramas should we check out?
1990's Playlist: ua-cam.com/play/PLQHhQlj8i5dr8dJVR7bb5cRjIvAT-MeIM.html
You've covered a lot of my favorites but I'll also suggest: Flatliners (1990, ignore the remake) and The Truman Show ((1998). Also Go (1999), which is so well written and hilarious, a cult favorite that's also in my top 10 all time movies. And if you're looking for a forgotten straight-up comedy, Nothing To Lose (1998) is funny as all heck. Love your reactions!
Dude, Jen, you should watch Requiem for a Dream.
But that movie will mess up your entire day. It can change your entire life.
It came out in 2000 but it was made in the 1990's.
Well there's THE MUSE & SAVING GRACE (UK FILM)!!!
FEAR is a good 90's thriller/horror with Mark Wahlberg and Reese Witherspoon.
Phenomenon starring John Travolta
RIP Don Knots. One of the funniest actors ever.
@3DJapan Enid from 'Ghost World' says "I just really love Don Knotts"!
I laughed at the unintentional irony of "He can see them" when he appeared in the TV. By this point Knots was probably fully blind.
RIP
Don Knots being the legendary TV actor that he is was a nice touch for this movie imo.
@@crose7412 That's another great movie that nobody talks about.
This movie kind of tricks you into thinking that it's just going to be a silly "sucked into the TV" story, and then slowly starts to reveal its depth and humanity. The best kind of bait and switch.
When Margaret picks the red apple from the tree as the camera racks focus to the full moon behind it...one of my all time favorite moments in cinematography. Such a tiny moment, but so gloriously beautiful.
I haven’t watched this movie in years, I forgot how great it was. It’s visually stunning, heartfelt, funny, emotional, and the cast was amazing especially Jeff Daniels he was incredible in this.
This is one I caught on VHS and forgot about for around fifteen years then rediscovered. The scene at the lake with "At Last" playing just fills me with so much joy.
Same not watched this in years got it on DVD somewhere.
This is the movie that made me start taking Jeff Daniels seriously.
Easily one of the greatest movies ever. Ever..
I consider this a perfect movie. I see no flaws in it at all. No plot holes. Just perfect. It is like my second favorite all time movie.
Let's pay respect to the camera operator Brent Hershman
Who died from a car crash after working for 19 hours straight making this movie
Doesn't the Union have a rule to prevent that?
It's an issue in many workplaces. Many railroad accidents over the decades have their causes in too many hours without sufficient sleep. Years ago, I was working a side job at a convenience store after a long day of physical labor and short sleep. A customer came in the door and said that I greeted them, and passed out, falling over backwards like a bowling pin and cracked my head open. Sleep & Hydration are a must...
@@EShelby2127ouch! I hope you didn’t get any brain damage from that.😮
Non that I've heard...@@RabbitsFunWorld
I don't think people nowadays can really appreciate how hard that b&w/color effect was to pull off. You don't think this as a ground breaking visual effects film, but it really was.
An underrated film. I’ve always felt that the TV Dad was the most sympathetic character. He loves his wife, and is desperate to adapt to the new reality so to not lose her.
A week in Pleasantville is a half-hour in our world.
RIP, JT Walsh, 1943-1998.
This was his final film as an actor. He passed away from a heart attack. The film was dedicated to his memory.
He really had a goog run of movies. I really like Red Rock West where he starred with Nicolas Cage, Lara Flynn Boyle and Dennis Hopper.
He was excellent in Breakdown, a Kurt Russell film. I think Jen should react to that one. NO ONE has done this mystery/thriller movie.
He was the perennial bad guy but always so good. Totally agree with the other responses - they are underrated films, but also loved him in TV show Dark Skies.
@@THOMMGBAbsolutely agree. Breakdown is super tight, and an emotionally engaging film on a level that is rarely seen. I bet this baby stops on a @#$%^ dime!
@@THOMMGB Also A Few Good Men which has a totally stacked cast.
This already has my vote for most surprising movie this month . having no expectations I was blown away by how great a movie and how great Jen's reaction was to it , everyone is in for a treat and a wonderful time 👌🔥
Every Jen reaction is always a treat and this was definitely one of my favourite reactions.
Did you not watch the film FIRST (and THEN the reaction)?
"But she has kids!" Hey, they came with the pilot episode. 😏
It somehow seems appropriate to have Don Knotts appear in the movie. He played deputy Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show in the 1950s.
Dick van Dyke was supposed to play the repairman but pulled out. Don Knotts was a great last minute casting.
@@flarrfanI guess that would have been appropriate too, since he also had his own show back then.
Don Knotts was perfect because, between The Andy Griffith Show and Three's Company, he was probably going to be on the television if you turned it on.
Andy Griffith show was in the 1960's...
@@thomastimlin1724Oops. Thanks for correcting me. I was born in the 1960s, and my family didn't have a television until the latter half of the decade. I guess that's where my 1950s assumption came from.
A masterpiece. Most underrated film of all time! Forgotten amongst a time where there were too many great films and cinema was peaking in the late 90s. If it came out now, it would dominate the awards and Oscars. I watch it every year... and teach it.
"It's Paul Walker! He's so cute!"
I always forget Paul is in this until he rolls up because the cast is so fantastic. He's still in his supporting era here (She's All That, Varsity Blues, The Skulls, etc) but nails the character of the 'nice guy' who does a heel-turn in the face of change.
RIP to a beautiful man and underrated talent.
Ann unrecognized gem and I'm so happy that you watched it. Jeff Daniels is seriously one of the best actors out there, and one hell of a musician. His performance in The Newsroom (three season series on HBO) is, in my opinion, is the greatest television series ever, only competition is Ted Lasso. Yeah, the very clever use of color and "colored" is strikingly brilliant, and is the root of the meaning of this film. In these current times, this film should make a huge comeback for obvious reasons. Excellent reaction, Jen!
YES to The Newsroom. Great show. I was sad when it ended.
@@bigdream_dreambig There isn't a person on that show that wanted it to end. They became like a family and it was incredible. Aaron Sorkin is a master of dialog, and it really holds up today with the clown show going on.
So glad you watched this; it's one of my favorites and I don't think it gets the love it deserves.
jeff daniels is hands down my favourite in this film. he does such an incredible job in this movie.
Also seen in "Speed".
This is a hidden gem for sure, as everyone I know who saw this movie loved it, but I rarely ever see it talked about or many reactions for that matter. The story was great, as almost any "prejudice" could be substituted, and nothing really changes. Just a well done, thought provoking film that deserves more recognition.
So glad to see this film getting some recognition. I remember when it was released and i think it deserves to be revisited. Joan Allen in particular is so great (with a special mention to Jeff Daniels too).
Edit: Okay I underestimated how good this film is as i hadn't seen it for so long. Although it ostensibly about, and set in, 1950's America, it seems eerily and sadly prescient. I hope more reactors become aware as id love to see more people see and appreciate it (i now need to go through my old DVD storage boxes as im sure i still have a copy somewhere lol)
Indeed. The mayor and his supporters definitely wanted to make Pleasantville great again.
Lol exactly, didn't realise how pertinent it was until now @@cyberingcatgirls7069
Fantastic movie that tells a deep message in such a creative way. I love how it lures you in with innocent fun before slowly unfolding into the deeper point.
I lived in the desert SW when I had my first child. One day when he was 3 we were playing outside and it started raining. He stood transfixed looking at the sky and pointing. He just said water. I then realized that he had never seen it rain before. We were in a long drought and it had only rained late at night since he had been born.
Wow!!
@@thomastimlin1724At first his expression scared me. Then I realized. Wild.
Thank you for reacting to this. One of the best hidden gems from the 90s.
When this movie was released in 1998, this era was so far removed from where we were. Now, I feel like we are back in Pleasantville. Such an excellent movie on every level.
I'm so excited for this one! Pleasantville is in my top 3 movies of all time.
As others have noted, the inclusion of Don Knotts (deputy Fife from the Andy Griffith show) was a stroke of genius. Andy Griffith, even more than Leave It to Beaver, was the ultimate in feel good black and white rose colored portrayal of 50's (white) american life. The reruns were a sweet retreat and guilty pleasure for kids needing to escape the more uncertain currents of the 70's and 80's.
Cubist Christmas in the diner windows was amazing.
No toilets reminds me of The Brady Bunch. The kids spend a lot of time in the bathroom getting ready for school and stuff but you never see a toilet. There wasn't one.
There was a trailer for the tv show “All in the Family”. The characters were singing the theme song with different lyrics. “Television’s grown up now”. They sang about couples sleeping together in one bed and using words that hadn’t forbidden. ua-cam.com/video/Ww8QHLSR5ek/v-deo.htmlsi=QMH4sumTRegiOKrq
I think the first instance of someone using a bathroom toilet on TV was on All in the Family. Also, though not the first, the Bunkers were one of the earliest couples to be seen in the same bed. On the Brady Bunch the parents originally had separate beds, but eventually pushed them together.
It seems odd that television was around for twenty years before it occurred to anyone to do that.
The funny thing about The Brady Bunch was that even though there was no toilet, you did get to hear one flush in the final season.
There is video with the cast of All in the Family singing “television’s grown up now. We don’t need a marriage vow” It goes on to talk about toilets and other things that were forbidden on TV. ua-cam.com/video/IvrIltxWnS0/v-deo.htmlsi=w3hDh6TGpEM-Yz_y
The kid who fixed the jukebox, was actually part of a trifecta of villains on Buffy the vampire slayer tv show.
Looks like Marc Blucas was in it too.
The mom whose daughter had the pink tongue was also a villain in Buffy. She was in the season 3 episode when Buffy comes back from LA and her mom has a new friend (the mom from this) who ends up possessed by a mask and turns people into zombies.
@@Vintage_Izy Pat?
@@timmorris82 yup! I forgot her name when I was typing it up last night 😅
And the teacher at the beginning (1:19) Was also a teacher in Buffy. She was almost killed by Marcie Ross.
I really enjoyed your reaction to this film, Jen. I saw this in the cinema upon its release and have it on DVD too, I think that it's a bit of a hidden gem of a film.
"I wonder what would make me turn color. Probably hearing really great music for the first time or seeing a dog in color."
The books filling in, and me being able to read them, would do it for me. What a fun question!
Meeting Jen... ☺
I'm so glad a long running reaction channel is finally checking out this movie!
At the end of the movie. That guy, and the malt shop guy, are going to tag team his wife, LOL.
Yup
Quite possibly my favourite movie of the 90s, and certainly one that deserves waaaay more reactions, so thank you! It's clever, and surprising, and meaningful, and entertaining. The colour effects were right on the edge of what could be done effectively at the time. Incidentally, the book flying on the mural, "The Catcher in the Rye", is (in)famous as a much-censored novel about teen rebellion, so that's very appropriate!
Love this movie, it’s sweet without being childish, it’s wise without being terribly preachy, it’s heartbreaking without being tragic…it plays by its own rules and slowly lets you in on what’s going on. Such a gem, always worth seeing again.
To answer your question, they shot the movie in color and then digitally removed color from the pieces that needed to be in black and white. Obviously, this gets more complicated the longer it goes on, for early scenes, they could just drop all the color out, but later shots they had to be more deliberate.
Probably one of the most thought provoking and cinematic greats of the 90s. This movie was loaded with so much talent on both sides of the camera. Great choice, Jen !❤
"Well, we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley."
OMG! You are just killing it with your selections!! Love this channel!
24:02 I remember when I first saw this movie in high school, at this scene someone in the back of the class yelled out "Kick his ass, Spider-Man!" 😂
Why would you watch this (great) film at school? For what class?
@DeathToTheDictators it was an end of the year thing for social studies. Like how in history class we watched Gandhi at the end of the year.
Fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer would instantly recognize the cameos, if they can be called that, by two actors from the show, Marc Blucas and Danny Strong. Marc was in the first basketball scene, and Danny was in the jukebox scene.
Holy crap jen i loved that, 'i Wonder what would make me turn color, prolly hearing great music, or seeing a dog in color ' yes. Love the way ur mind works that eas awesome.
Wow this movie aged like a fine wine... more relevant then when it started. A true allegory.
Having the dvd for this movie, I was able to watch the special features. One in particular spoke about the process of making the color-changing scenes. The one thing that stuck out for me was when Bud was applying makeup to hi mom's face. The makeup had to be a certain shade of green in order for the post-production crew to be able to colorize the areas that they needed to do.
You missed the best line where Jennifer says, "I'm wearing like 20 pounds of underwear." I laughed so hard in the theater.
"It's an allegory!"... those darned star-bellied sneeches!
Jen Murray, the best film with Christopher Reeve is Somewhere in Time. Must see for any Chris Reeve fan. Its really beautiful and tragic all at once.
I have eye leakage every time.
@@JohnCulbard I only mentioned it because Jen said she loved Chistopher Reeve, but never played this film. Yea its really beautiful.
The music for Somewhere in Time by John Barry is world class. It's so romantic. Jen would swoon for it.
@@THOMMGB Its really beautiful
Very underrated and great film
Wow, this movie feels ahead of its time with its themes of accepting change
I definitely think watching movies would give you color in Pleasantville. Not sure how you haven’t seen all these wonderful movies, but I do enjoy watching with you. Thanks!
Thanks Pauley! I love discovering all these movies!
This was my first Tobey Maguire movie before he was Spiderman. One of the scenes I find the funniest was when Tobey was trying to get the fireman. And the art book scene was among my favorites. I was pretty young when this came out, and quite a few things flew over my head at the time. Like the basketball scene when all the balls didn’t make it in; I originally thought he was telling the guys about the red rose he saw. Boy did I laugh when I rewatched a couple years later and realize that was not the case. lol and I also didn’t understand the concern over the big beds.
I find your puns as you watched very funny. He knows what’s “up.” Is she going to “blow” his mind? Glad enjoyed this! A real, ahead of its time, and underrated gem of a film!
Happy first day of Spring Jen!
It's darkly hilarious that the beginning of this movie portrays the late 90s in the U.S. as a "pessimistic time", when those of us who lived through that era now look back at the period between the first Gulf War and 9/11 as pretty damn good compared to now.
There are good things and bad things about each time period; in the 90s crime was higher than now, racial tensions really flared up hardcore, and medical technology/life expectancy obviously wasn't as advanced as today. On the flip side, politics didn't seem to pervade every aspect of life, social media hadn't poisoned our discourse and destroyed our attention spans, and the overall pace of life was slower and less stressful; forcing us to be more patient, tolerant of others and mindful of our surroundings.
For those who lived both then and now, it's an interesting debate.
I used to like this movie it's misleading and horrible.
I love the version of Across The Universe that Fiona Apple did. Such a fantastic rendition used for this movie. One of my favorite things about this movie.
Rewatching this and this is without doubt one of my favourite jen reactions and it deserves so many more views so i had to add another . Even on a rewatch this movie and reaction blow me away a true jem 💎 of a movie . Thanks as always jen for the wonderful surprisingly awesome movies you bring to us on a regular basis, you truly are the kittens mittens 🔥💙🔥💙
Pleasantville is a great movie for a bunch of reasons. It’s blend of how it starts off, and then fades into a black-and-white show and slowly introduces colour as people become more aware.
Definitely one of a kind movie, and I applied the effort and thought overall it was well done.
You stumbled on a good one here. I have watched it many times
The song wasn't Elvis. It was by the great Gene Vincent.
At the time and until the Star Wars prequels came out, Pleasantville had the most digital scenes of any movie. It was filmed in color then they digitally removed the color as needed.
This meant that they had to have special makeup for those scenes in which makeup was featured. When you see Tobey's character wipe the makeup on the mom, it isn't just some silver shade, it is the exact shade that matches that actress's skin color and tone when it is converted to black and white. But they also had to find its complementary color as well (which isend up being like a greenish color).
So in the scene where Bill wipes off Betty's makeup, at first her whole face is covered except that one spot by this grey/silver makeup. But when she turns around the makeup has completely changed; now it is only that spot that is colored in by that complementary greenish color and the makeup is being wiped on her face and not off of it
YAY!!!!!! SUCH a great film!!!!!!! Thank you for this! One of my all-time favorite films... I've been preaching this film for years... and it's really not that well-known.
Another film that kind of like this (hidden gem that has a great cast, story, soundtrack, cinematography, effects, acting, etc.) is "STRANGER THAN FICTION"... another heart-felt beauty of a film. Cheers!
What a delight. I have not seen many people react to this movie never mind one of my favorite reactors. I really enjoy this movie. I've seen it a dozen times at least and it never gets old. My favorite part is the reveal of the art book. Thanks again for just a wonderful reaction.
I heard Brubeck Take Five in the sound track, The perfect song in this movie. Pleased to say I saw him in concert back in the 90's
You are the absolute best ! Nobody has done this yet. What a wonderful feel good movie full of fantastic ideas and terrific performances.
"Where's my dinner ?!?!"
More like this - Whip IT! - Drew Barrymore directorial debut with (then) Ellen Page doing roller derby. Meet Joe Black - Anthony Hopkins and Brad Pitt - a quirky movie/ comedy about how precious every second of life and family is and I'm gonna say my fave feel good movie... She's The Man - Amanda Bynes does Twelfth Night pretending to be a boy to get on a soccer team with Channing Tatum.
Much overlooked movie... I have enjoyed this show the 1st time I watched it:)
You're awesome to do this one. More people should watch Pleasantville.
Thank you for watching this movie, Ms. Murray. It’s one of my absolute favorites. Seeing your reaction in your face and hearing it in your words it was obvious how much you liked it, also. There are so many things happening in this film, both subtle and obvious. It’s the film where I first took notice of Reese Witherspoon as a serious actor. Of course Jeff Daniels, Joan Allen, William H Macy and KT Walsh were brilliant.
I would like to suggest (should you actually see this comment) a very underrated movie with Macy and Walsh (and others who are brilliant) called House of Games. It’s a thriller/noir from David Mamet. It is a slow buildup character study but there is a lot that goes on.
Great movie. Personally I put it in the same category as Blast From the Past. A lot of fun, don't think of it too often but when I see it, I watch it.
I love your thoughts on this movie at the end. So true. ❤
Love this movie. It really embodies the idea that instead of fighting back, we should fight forward.
Oh this is a fun movie. And Wandavision took some inspiration from this. Good to see you doing this one.
So proud you watched this movie! This is a top 10 for me :)
Such a beautiful movie! that first red rose is so powerful 🥀
_"He really looks like one of my exes"_ - Jen dates hunx.
_"I do love the marches of John Phillip Sousa"_ - If you knew Sousa like Jen knows Sousa you'd love Sousa too.
I heart this movie so much. It invites you in with whimsy and then opens your heart and mind. I can't praise it enough.
I love your reactions. I loved this reaction. I can't believe you left out one of the best movie lines ever.
Person: "What are we going to do Bob"
Bob: "Well we're safe for now, thank goodness we're in a bowling alley"
Yes, it's a deceptively powerful movie that sneaks up on you... And each time you watch its more and more like that. Great reaction. Thank you.😊
32:10 The DVD extras have a behind-the-scenes showing how they did the mixed black and white and color. I remember that for the makeup scenes, it was essentially done by using green and gray makeup, and then you’d just desaturate the green in post. (Or something like that - it’s been years since I watched the DVD extras.)
I was thinking mere days ago that I don't think anyone's reacted to Pleasantville yet. I love this movie so much :)
“Since every scene from the middle of the movie on had to be in some way digitally changed to have black and white characters interact with characters who are in color, technically this film had the most digital effects shots until Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999).”
I absolutely LOVE this movie. Haven’t watched it in years, so I’m so glad I could watch it with you
And ends with a cover of one of my favorite beatles songs.
I'm glad that you watched and enjoyed this, Jen! It's been a long time since I last saw it, and I didn't remember much detail.
This film is so surreal, makes one wonder, what if something like that happens to me. What would I do? 😊Thanks Jen, wonderful pick! Can't wait for CONAN! Always here for more...Eric
Good film Jen. My take on the change to colour is when the character has an original thought. For Jennifer/Mary Sue it's when she admits to herself she needs glasses. For David/Bud it's the realisation that sometimes violence is necessary. My theory has holes because it doesn't work for all characters, Skip for example. Betty is a pivotal character played by Joan Allen, who also plays Pam Landy in the Bourne sequels.
The background music in the soda shop when Bud is explaining the Huckleberry Finn book is " Take Five " by the Dave Brubeck Quartet. It was the first popular jazz tune to feature 5/4 time. It was considered radical and believed to cause heart failure.
I just watched this last week! I saw it in the theatre. It’s one of my all time comfort films. 😊
Thrilled to find this here. This film is always on the (long) list I recommend to friends and reactors, but you're the first reactor I've seen watch it!
Yaaay!!!! Thank you so much for doing this off the beaten path film!!
Hi Jen hope you are having an great and awesome day ❤️
Thanks John you too :)
This is one of my all time favorite movies! Again, a great reaction by you pretty lady!
I was so happy to see you do this one. It's a favorite of mine, but nobody reacts to it. Silly and funny at times, but with such depth and complexity underneath. And the actors were all so good in it.
Grew up watching nick at night which played all the old black and white shows so that adds a layer of enjoyment to the movie. It’s surprisingly heartfelt as well. It’s a gem of a movie that’s not talked about enough. I also get choked up when Jeff Daniel’s discovers color and new forms of art.
Great reaction Jen. I love this movie. The performances are amazing as well as the blend of color and B&W. The allegory might not have been subtle, but the story is beautiful.
I can't believe this is your first Reece Witherspoon movie. On top of Legally Blonde and Election, I recommend Man in the Moon, Just Like Heaven, SFW, Cruel Intentions, Overnight Delivery, and This Means War.
Some Jeff Daniels that you might like, Ragtime, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Gettysburg, Speed, The Answer Man, and Cheaters
One of my favorite movies of all time. I had no idea how deep and introspective it was seeing it for the first time. Very underrated film, glad u enjoyed!
Love this movie. Thank you for letting me see it through your eyes
"It's an allegory!" Very much so. At least one.
One of my all time favourites.
@@nataliefaust7959 thanks, drew it myself.
Gary Ross directed this. He also directed Tobey McGuire in "Seabiscuit." Don't know if you have reacted to it, but I recommend.
Awesome reaction of my favorite movie!!!!!!😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊
I’m so happy you reacted to this! This is one of my favorite movies. 👍🏻👍🏻
I remember the first time I saw this. I caught it by accident on cable, one night.
What a great surprise. 😊
Damn this movie has a lot more social commentary than I remember.