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Doc Moonlight · Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 1:34 pm Post subject: What's the Best Boston Movie?

With the Academy Awards coming on Sunday and THE DEPARTED in the running, I thought it might be fun to run a poll on the Best Boston Movie. I have listed some choices, but if your favorite is not on the list, feel free to add it.

Poll closes in 7 days. Discussion is encoraged.
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Used to be VOR · Hall of Fame Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 5639

I voted for Boondock Saints, one of the most underated movies of all-time. Willem Dafoe as a flamboyantly gay, opea-loving FBI agent steals the show.

But I do think you forgot to add an all-time classic to the list...Celtic Pride Embarassed

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Quann · Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 2:01 pm Post subject:

No "Southie" or "Blown Away" on the list?

Floyd · Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 2:05 pm Post subject:

What about The Perfect Storm?

umass1234 · Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 2:46 pm Post subject:

My vote is no question Good Will Hunting

The Departed is very good but Good Will Hunting is a classic.

dingo38 · Senior Joined: 17 Nov 2003 Posts: 1601 Location: The Wu

Definitely Boondock
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CapeCodBruiser · Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 4:22 pm Post subject:

I voted for The Verdict. Paul Newman was at his peak with that film and Slapshot but The Verdict captured the "essence" of the city. By the way in Slapshot the team called the Hyannisport Presidents was based on the old EHL Bruins farm club called the Cape Cod Cubs that played at the CC Coliseum in Yarmouth. The Coliseum became a warehouse for Christmas Tree Stores but was once owned by wrestling mogul Vince McMahon.

What about Soul Man with C Thomas Howell (the guy in the original Hitcher movie) that took place at Harvard but was actually filmed at Wheaton College in Norton, Ma. Good 1980's era comedy. You also had Field of Dreams and Lloyd Bridges' (Mandlebaum)/ Tommie Lee Jones in Blown Away that both had filming in Fenway Park.

Old Cage · Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 5:58 pm Post subject:

The original Thomas Crown Affair (1968) gets my vote. Steve McQueen, Faye Dunaway and "Windmills of Your Mind". Great scenes along the Essex River.

The Jimmy Piersall Story Laughing

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Doc Moonlight · Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 6:03 pm Post subject:

I can't go in and add titles, but I'll tally up the "other mentions".

I left off CELTIC PRIDE because I thought I was the only one who liked it. Glad to see I have some company.

I consider THE PERFECT STORM a Glouchester movie, not a Boston one.

I also left off BLOWN AWAY and SOUTHIE because I wasn't sure how many the program would let me list.

My personal choice is BETWEEN THE LINES a comedy about a struggling alternative newspapaer in Boston (based on The Real Paper). To me it really caught the Zeitgeist of Boston in the late 70's. Great cast, too (John Heard, Jeff Goldblum, Gwen Wells, Lindsay Crouse, Bruno Kirby, Marilu Henner [topless]).

I'm also a big fan of THE DEPARTED and THE BOONDOCK SAINTS.
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Quann · Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 6:14 pm Post subject:

Boondock Saints was a great underground movie. It's amazing a movie as good as that goes straight to DVD, yet Adam Sandler can keep making crappy movie after crappy movie that stay out in theaters.

PintOGuinness · Senior Joined: 10 Dec 2004 Posts: 1286

Mystic River
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philosopher · Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 6:47 pm Post subject:

I'm with Old Cage on this one. The original "Thomas Crown Affair" with Faye Dunaway and Steve McQueen was absolutely fantastic. Plus it had a score that was one of the best for the year. The footage of Boston scenery was unparalleled. The remake with Renee Russo and Pierce Brosnan doesn't even begin to approach the levels of acting and cinematography the '68 version has. Hands down, it is my favorite Boston movie.

Quann · Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 6:57 pm Post subject:

umass21 · Hall of Fame Joined: 22 Jun 2005 Posts: 2115

Gotta be Good Will Hunting.

I thought Boondock Saints was overrated. I know that sounds crazy because it came out under the radar, but by the time I saw it it had reached cult status and everyone said it was the best movie ever. I didn't see what all the fuss was about.

MikeUMA · Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 8:29 pm Post subject:

I've seen quite few of these movies, but I go with Good Will Hunting. You don't just see the tourist version of the city, but even in the working-class neighborhoods it looks welcoming.

The brief Boston scenes in Field of Dreams were nice.

I just watched the '99 version of Thomas Crown again recently. I have the '68 version burned on disc, but haven't watched it yet. I didn't realize 'til this thread that it was set in Boston.