Rating: 
Summary: Not so dead horse
Review: Read the book, loved it.
Saw the movie, loved it even more. Come Oscar time some other
films may find a whole new meaning to the cliche, "You can't beat a dead horse".
Rating: 
Summary: "Seabiscuit" will race into your heart and memory!
Review: In the Depression-Era, America was a lost land, swallowed by depression and poverty, but citizens found a hero in an unlikely place, an awkward race horse named Seabiscuit, who, along with a few flawed men, raced into the winner's circle and people's hearts. Tobey Maguire ("Spider-Man"), Chris Cooper ("Adaptation."), Jeff Bridges ("K-Pax"), and William H. Macy ("Magnolia") all star in old-fashioned filmmaker Gary Ross' ("Pleasantville") winning drama, "Seabiscuit," which is now available on DVD.Complete with PBS-esque narration, a beautiful Randy Newman score, and a set of ace performances, "Seabiscuit" is a family film with enough horses to please little girls, enough heart to please the boys, and is so well-made even the hardened adult film geek will find themselves with a lump in their throat and tears in their eyes. "Seabiscuit," though running a tad long, is a film that you can watch again and again and always cheer as the horse who could captures a lost nation's imagination and hearts!
Rating:
Summary: Seabiscuit, not just a "horse" movie
Review: Bridges & the rest of the actors do an excellent job in depecting how it was during the depression era. How these 3 men came together and this one horse that needed special handling. You'll enjoy it, it's well written, subperb photography, especially the racing scenes with brutal fighting while on top of the horses, masterfully told & filmed. You'll be applauding at the end. Sorry, no "F" words are spoken in it, just good dialog and an excellent story that makes you feel good. It deserves an Oscar.
Rating:
Summary: Fast Track, Poor Finish
Review: Beautiful to both watch and listen to, as David McCullough lends his perfectly pitched voice to set the film's tone. Jeff Bridges is wonderfully cast, excelling again as the larger-than-life character/battler. He also makes a good president in my opinion. But I was left with a few questions at the end of this story... What happened to the white horse Chris Cooper saved and lived with on the outskirts of a Mexican town? Apart from this minor curiosity, Cooper nails yet another role. Why did Jeff Bridges and Elizabeth Banks, Mr. and Mrs. Howard spend so much time around horses and barns, what was the fascination? It seems a bit unlikely that's all they did during the Depression, travel from NY to California by train and pursue a single, seemingly ridiculous long shot. Convenient, but this plot line needed to be explored a bit more for my personal interest. And lastly, and maybe more egregiously, Tobey Maguire plays a convincing down on his luck loser (though his best jockey of the day was less believable and a bit rushed) but why did the film end with his voice over? Come to think of it what happened to David McCullough in the second half of the film? His sign off would have left me far more satisfied. These little distractions only slightly handicapped a winning movie. md
www.bootism.com
Rating:
Summary: A GEM WORTH OWNING.
Review: The movie seems to have its share of nay-sayers (no pun intended) and yes, there here may have been a few liberties with the facts from the book but nothing is sacrificed for Hollywoodesque drama: this is a fascinating rendition of a gripping book. Wrongful expectations are placed on stunning movies like this by the overworked hoopla machine. Oprah for instance praised it because of how it "reinforces the American national pride." Hmm. My suggestion: see the movie for what it is. Tobey Maguire truly shines in this film. The real star is not even a human being. The story (and it's a true one!) is uplifting without getting preachy. It's about achievement in the time of adversity. Funny and sad at the same time. The racing sequences are brilliant. The movie ends where it ought to end, leaving the viewer with a sense of departing nostalgia. Every proud movie buff needs to add this gem to his collections.
Rating: 
Summary: Can't Go Wrong If You Like Horses
Review: If Ron Howard directed 'Seabiscuit', the film would have, in all probability, drowned in its own sappiness. Gary Ross manages to avoid over-romanticizing, which is a considerable accomplishment, bearing in mind Hollywood's usual addendum of tear-jerking moments when it comes to adapting "prize-winning-semi-biographical" novels. I haven't read Laura Hillenbrand's novel, and I think it's for the better - the film was a tad too long anyways, and it would have been inconceivable for me to sit through it if I knew what was coming. It is a well-structured motion picture that won't surprise but will sustain interest. Despite the occasional slip into schmaltz (boy and horse interacting, aawww; Randy Newman's embroidered score), under Gary Ross' practiced ('Pleasantville') guidance 'Seabiscuit' is still a notch above the average Dream Factory melodrama.
The film looks gorgeous. John Schwartzman's camera-work impresses, especially considering his previous efforts ('Armageddon' umm... 'Airheads'...) The mid-20th Century is well-portrayed, and the races are brilliantly photographed.
The film also has heart, and most of it comes from the inspired performances, especially from its three leading stars. Jeff Bridges is one of the most underrated Hollywood actors (his Oscar-worthy performances in Peter Weir's 'Fearless' and the Coen bro's 'The Big Lebowski' were ignored by the Academy), and gives a multi-layered performance as a kind but overly-motivated man, evading recollection of his son's loss by exploiting a young jockey (Maguire in his most nuanced performance since Ang Lee's 'The Ice Storm') and a beat-down small horse with extraordinary abilities. Chris Cooper does 'subliminal' as the horse's proprietor - he's a tranquil animal lover, who saved that horse and put his faith in it.
Clearly, above all things, the film belongs to its horses - gracious, they elegantly gallop towards their fate - the viewers are treated with multiple angles of the race, as well as POV shots of the jockeys that are invigorating. Seabiscuit, in spite of his minor bulk, is utterly believable as the champion of the stadium. It's not all triumphs for him, and the film, despite the flaws, competently guides its audience into cheering for its protagonist.
Not a masterpiece by any standards, 'Seabiscuit' is for horse-lovers and/or for younger kids, as a source of inspiration. The messages are pounded into the viewer's head, borderline frustrating, but Ross' assured direction will keep an average viewer mildly riveted.
PS If you are not too into melodramas, horses, or Tobey Maguire boasting thinning red hair, then consider 'Seabiscuit' a 'rainy Sunday night movie'. On a Friday night, you'll think of ten thousand other things to do but be enveloped in Hollywood gloss. But on a rainy Sunday night, with a partner of the opposite sex perhaps, it would mae a purrfect treat.
Rating:
Summary: This should have accompanied the feature film as a box set!,
Review: "Seabiscuit: The Lost Documentary" (color version - also available at www.legendfilms.net) is the hottest Seabiscuit documentary this holiday season. The color documentary made by Seabiscuit's owner is the ideal accompanyment to the feature coming out Dec 16th. The two DVDs or VHS tapes are a perfect gift with this documentary providing the historical accuracy complementing the liberties taken by the screenplay. A must buy for all Seabiscuit fans.
Rating:
Summary: a so-so seriously done good movie
Review: the whole shooting of this movie is very good, but tried very hard to justify the gambling purpose of horse race. if there is a great greyhound race dog, it might be more touching than a horse. so why not invent another great sublime story about chicken fight, or dog fight? anything could be great and touching if you could hire a good screenplay writer to make it great, and then shoot it seriously like this movie. by watching this movie, i've learned one thing, if you have money, you could justify anything, gambling investors could become great hearted people. oh, a horse lover, what a great person he will be. a horse lover, a dog lover, but never a cow lover since he got to eat 16 ounces steak regularly (give me a break). with great purpose to show their greatness by hiring struggling poor guys way below the social ladder to also become great legends in (gambling horse racings) history. if we understand that any history could be manipulated and rewritten, these great horse lovers, of course, are really great people.
Rating:
Summary: Seabiscuit
Review: "You don't throw something away just because it's banged up a bit," says trainer Tom Smith of his current horse with a wounded leg. This proverbial line of dialogue presents one of the major themes of Seabiscuit; it's a film about second chances, turning nothing into something, and rising to victory during the darkest of times and circumstances (the fight of the underdog). The film borrows its title from the legendary racehorse Seabiscuit, who rose from the depths of mediocrity and assumed worthlessness to become a vastly adept racer capable of remarkable things. Long before "The Biscuit" ever set hoof in an arena, he already had one strike against him: he was too small. To boot, he was notoriously lethargic with a violent temperament. After the horse shook too many disappointed heads and caused too many grimaces (resulting in him being shoved from owner to owner at rock-bottom prices), his career as a racehorse was finally given the chance to flourish as he falls into the caring hands of hard-working and determined automotive businessman Charles Howard. He employs empathetic trainer Tom Smith, who had worked with less-than-perfect horses in the past, and young jockey Red Pollard, a bruised-and-battered boxer who also happens to be 5'7"-considered too tall for a jockey and a perfect match for the likewise imperfect Seabiscuit. The band of underdogs finally set out to race, and together they bring Seabiscuit to victory and acclaim, while simultaneously helping each other to accomplish their goals and realize their dreams. And because this story is true, their triumphs become all the more satisfying and genuine.
The film shines courtesy of outstanding performances by the lead actors. In "period pieces" such as this one, actors are presented with a double-challenge: say the lines passionately and believably, and be able to make the character realistic within the context of that period. The period in this film is the 1930s, in the wake of the Great Depression, and the performances by Jeff Bridges, Tobey Maguire and Chris Cooper beautifully reflect the feelings, the dreams, and the ideology belonging to many people during the period. It was wise for the filmmakers to emphasize the historical context in which the story of Seabiscuit took place: such aforementioned ideals of hard work and determination are greatly enhanced by the circumstances of this disappointing time in history. Rather than completely delineating the back-stories of each of the central characters, the filmmakers give us snippets of what looks to be extracted straight from a Depression documentary, using still images and dictated factual information to bolster our understanding of the early-30s zeitgeist. We can then slip into the characters' stories en media res and clearly understand each of their motives. The film also boasts technical prowess. The cinematography is often used creatively to represent elements of the theme. At times, the higher-angle shots can be quite breathtaking. The editing works well; a fine mixture of extended shots and quick cutaways captures all of the nail-biting suspense of horseracing. Seabiscuit is an inspiring and beautifully told story of the ability to achieve even the most impossible of goals during the most unforgiving of circumstances.
Rating:
Summary: Instant Family Tradition
Review: This movie truly touched my heart. If you are a horse lover, you'll adore this movie. If you are not a horse lover, you'll adore this movie. I was skeptical at first because I know nothing of horses or racing, but I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to follow the story and to truly feel through the superb acting and storyline. This movie inspired me to read the book from which it was based from! I highly highly recommend this picture to anyone who enjoys movies on the same level as Forest Gump or Chariots of Fire.
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