Rating: Summary: Underrated Classic Review: This film is one of my favorites. It has a genuinely original plot, a superb cast, a non-cliched script, and great humor. This movie works on several levels. On the surface, it is a light-hearted comedy, and stands up extremely well to the best comedies ever made. However, it has much deeper meanings as well. (Warning- Spoilers to follow. If you have not seen the movie, I suggest that you stop reading and experience it for yourself.) When Phil first gets stuck in the existential glitch, after some confusion, he takes advantage of it by eating obscene amounts of junkfood, getting into legal trouble, picking up women, and general self-indulgence, knowing that the next day, everyone will have forgotten about the day's events. Phil grows weary of it eventually, and tries to get Rita, Phil's producer, to love him. However, he goes about love by trying to bend the world around him to fit his needs, and it does not work, as Rita rejects him several times. Phil realizes the utter futility of his approach to life, and kills himself, several times, only to wake up to February 2nd, Groundhog Day. When Phil finally convinces Rita of the truth of his experience, that is his turning point. Rita tells Phil that it could be a tremendous curse or a blessing, depending on how he looks at it. He spends the day(s) helping others and improving his life. Phil is not delivered from his crisis until he lives the day exactly the way he needs to. Rita finally falls in love with Phil, it is through Phil's qualities which are now genuinely his, and not an artificial part of his experience. We never find out exactly how Phil got stuck in the same day, or why. And that is one of the best things about the movie. Any attempt at a detailed answer would almost certainly leave more questions than answers, and would distract from the themes of the film. In short, this is a highly recommended film, and one of the few that I can watch again and again and never get tired of. *****
Rating: Summary: A film to see again and again .... Review: I have two films that I just enjoy seeing again and again. This one and Sleepless in Seattle. Both romantic comedies, both dreamlike and both that just make you realize how special life really is.
Rating: Summary: Then put your little hand in mine..... Review: GREAT MOVIE! Bill's best next to the Ghostbusters movies! I love this movie! Don't own the DVD, but will soon! Everybody should see this movie! "Hi, Ned!" then he punches Ned in the face! hahahahahaha! And the name of this review..... The clock changes to 6:00. RADIO ...then put your little hand in mine 'cuz there ain't no hill or mountain we can't climb... Don't forget your booties 'cause it's cold out there! PEACE OUT!
Rating: Summary: Wonderful Review: This movie starts with a really interesting and original premise and plays with that premise for two hours without losing any freshness. It's a funny story that acts on two levels. For those of you in Philosophy: it's Nietzsche's eternal return! Yeah, no kidding. For those of you who have no interest in philosophy. It's also a very light, sweet, romantic comedy. One of my favourite movies.
Rating: Summary: Groundhog Day Again Review: I first saw this movie when it first came out with my parents. I couldn't really remember it. Maybe it's the fact that I fell asleep when I saw it with them. I never really wanted to see the movie because I thought that it was dumb even though I never watched it. I saw it on television just a few years ago and it is the craziest most funny movie I think that I have seen in a long time. It is one of those "Oh, Gee The Story of my Life" films. It lets us know that life is too short not to have fun and go do what ever we want. It let's us see our life choices and options and other paths we could have taken. If you could change one thing in the day would you. Bill Murray gets the chance in Groundhog Day in his motion in finding the likeness in tradition and the love of Andie McDowell. The repeating days just allow him to fix his mistakes in a comical evolution. Joke is played different everyday. I really love this soon to be classic comedy. Two Thumbs Up!!!
Rating: Summary: It made me think Review: Not only is this a very entertaining and funny movie, it contains food for thought. As I watched Bill Murray's character go through the stages of grief at the discovery that he is stuck in the same day over and over, I realized this is a parallel to our lives. We have our own days to live over and over, but we choose how we will live them and what we can gain from the time that we have.
Rating: Summary: Bill Murray at his best Review: One of my most watched and favourite comedies. I was interested to see some of the other reviews here that compare it to a Karmic journey - that opened my eyes a little. I must confess the fascination for me lies in wondering exactly how long it took him to learn everything he does in the course of that movie. How many times would *you* have to repeat the same day to turn it into the best possible day? How many lives would you try to save, how many people would you try to make happy? How many piano lessons would you take? Would it be an option in the "real" world or would you just go mad from boredom instead? Oh I also like to watch it because it is very funny!
Rating: Summary: Bill Murray's performance is terrific! Review: Bill Murray plays self-centered and sarcastic TV weatherman Phil Connors in "Groundhog Day". Giving everyone contemptuous and snide remarks, it's no wonder that both his TV producer Rita (Andie MacDowell) and cameraman Larry (Chris Elliot) find him completely dislikable. On an assignment, Phil along with his crew is sent to the small town of Punxsutawney, PA to report on the annual celebration of Groundhog Day. Phil of course can't wait to get out of the town but 'disaster' strikes when a blizzard comes in fast and hard, making it impossible for Phil to leave the town of Punxsutawney. Strangely enough, Phil wakes up the next morning, finding out it 'isn't' the next morning, he has again woken up on February 2nd, 1992! Day after day, he must live through the same Groundhog Day! Will he ever be able to break out of the time loop or is he destined to live the same day over and over? Phil desperately wants to go back to his normal life. And more than anything, he wants to be the kind of man Rita would fall in love with, just as he becomes to fall in love with her.... By reading the summary on "Groundhog Day", those who have never watched this movie are probably thinking 'what a strange movie this sounds like.' But I assure you, I myself was very surprised how good the plot was and how every actor and actress was perfect in their parts. The most notable acting done in the movie was by Bill Murray. I have always liked Bill Murray, he has a sense of timing, giving off jokes at the perfect moment. He is just sooo funny! And he is not only a great comedian, he also gets to show off some of his serious and romantic side in "Groundhog Day". As he continued to live the same day again and again, you can't help but get attached to his character and even begin to like him, especially as he begins to change. The supporting actors Andie MacDowell and Chris Elliot do a good job in their roles, too, but Bill Murray certainly steals the whole movie. I must also acknowledge the superb screenwriting job done by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis (Ramis is also the Director and Producer of "Groundhog Day"). The plot is actually very 'smart', creating a very interesting perspective. The movie is a bit repetitive at times (of course it is, that's the whole point!) and feels a bit bogged down, but the story always picks up. The ending was so nice I couldn't help but want to jump up and down and shout hurray! A truly triumphant ending! I highly recommend this movie for those who like incredible acting with plenty of drama, humor, and romance in the plot. The movie is rated PG because of some innuendo, crude humor, and adult themes. Not for younger kids to watch since they might find the story a bit hard to follow and a bit dull. Great for teens and adults. Another movie I highly recommend is "The Truman Show" starring Jim Carrey. An incredible movie, the PG-rated film is similar to "Groundhog Day" in that the movie centers on the life of Carrey's character whose life is stuck an interesting perspective. Some bits of interesting trivia on "Groundhog Day": *Murray was bitten by the groundhog twice during the filming of this movie.* *Murray and Ramis have both been Honorary Grand Marshals for the Groundhog Day celebrations in Punxsatawney, PA.* *The movie was not filmed in Punxsutawney, but actually in Woodstock, Illinois. There is a small plaque that reads "Bill Murray stepped here" on the curb where Murray continually steps into a puddle.* *In one of the early scenes of Phil at the piano teacher's house, when he is fumblingly playing Rachmaninoff's "Rhapsody on a Theme by Paginini", is actually Bill Murray playing. He does not read music, but he learned that much of the song by ear.*
Rating: Summary: What a great film Review: Not only one of the best comedies ever made. This is one of the most heartwarming movies ever made. Bill Murray gives his best performance in this movie. When you watch this, it makes you want Bill to come out with another movie, he's a very unnapreciated actor. Very talented.
Rating: Summary: What vain weathercocks are we... Review: When I first saw this movie, I could only think that it was incredibly stupid, but the second time, I saw that there is a very important message. As the vain, conceited, ill-tempered and mean spirited weatherman, Phil Connors (played by Bill Murray) is forced to live each life day after day, in a type of private hell, we see how there is a spiritual message here. We are all here to learn lessons and our dilemmas will continue to be repeated until we rectify our mistakes. In a sense the same theme as the Scrooge story. Bill Murray was also superb in 'Scrooged'! A superb performance by Andie McDowell as the movie's leading lady.
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