Ford v Ferrari Deserves More Award Buzz

Ford v Ferrari⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Haven’t talked much about this since its release in November 2019. Restating that it’s the best movie we’ve seen in ScreenX format to date.

Now, given, we’ve only ever seen two movies in that format (the other ironically was showing Ford v Ferrari on the side screens for the first 20 minutes or so of the movie due to a technical error), but still, if you think of being in a driver’s seat and having landscape go by you in a blur along the sideviews that is the beauty of ScreenX.

This is also the movie that’s getting the least award and best movie of 2019 buzz that also did well at the box office.

Here we are 55+ days later in the theater and it’s still cruising along, a respectable 12th place in sales recently, past the $100 million mark and still showing in 700+ theaters.

Ford v Ferrari is slowing down, but still in the top 20 at the daily box office

If I asked you what movie had the highest audience review score on Rotten Tomatoes would you answer with The Irishman ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(86%)? Marriage Story ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (84%)? Little Women ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (92%)? Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (93%)? How about the golden boys of this year’s Golden Globes: Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood ⭐️⭐️⭐️(70%) and 1917 (it’s early yet, but so far: 95%)?

No, to all those films. The only one with any chance to equal or jump ahead is 1917, since that hasn’t been available to watch in the United States theaters until tonight.

The highest audience rating with over 22,500 reviews and 98% audience rating is … (drumroll)

Highest audience score of any recent movie on RT with over 22,500 ratings

Now we can debate the critic portion of RT, but personally I like the audience score. That is the RT gauge that I pay the most attention to and it usually syncs up closer to my own feelings about a movie. Not always, of course, but certainly more often than the RT critic score.

Will Ford v Ferrari get more love at the Oscars next month than it did at the Golden Globes? Hope so. It’s my second most favorite film of 2019.

Reviews by Others

Have seen a few more reviews by others posted since my last recap of Ford v Ferrari to share. Most bloggers like being linked up by other bloggers, so despite the time this takes, I continue to hand select these quotes from the 1,000+ other movie bloggers I follow to highlight their good review write-ups. Enjoy!

1. AmandaSushma: “I really like this movie! Usually, I wouldn’t go for such an emotional type of movie, but I didn’t know what it was about. My brother just chose it, and I went with him. Very pleasantly surprised!”
2. Book Beach Bunny: “…fun and interesting if you’re into racing and cars or honestly if you’re just looking for a good movie over the holiday. It’s not going to rewrite the book or anything but it’s worth a watch.”
3. CinemaClown: “…is a competently crafted & technically polished biopic that narrates the real-life events with gusto despite going a bit overboard at times, and is a downright thrilling, incessantly fun & wildly entertaining fare that will satisfy both racing enthusiasts & casual filmgoers”
4. Eternality Tan (Grade: A): “I was surprised to find myself with tears in my eyes because car racing is not easy,”
5. Fast Film Reviews / Mark Hobin (4/5): “The racing scenes are spectacular but in the end, it’s the performances that make this drama transcendent.”
6. Geek’s Landing: “…tells a riveting true story of creativity with enormous flare and respect. Rather than trying to upend the genre, James Mangold utilizes the tools at his disposal to deliver the best the genre can possibly offer and then some.”
7. Homebody Movies: “…a competently-made crowd-pleasing movie not based on any existing or aspiration cinematic universes that serves as a showcase for its stars to shine. There used to be a time when movies like this dominated our cineplexes”
8. Isabelle Reviews Movies (Grade: A-): “another great film from James Mangold. Bale and Damon have impeccable chemistry and the racing sequences take your breath away.”
9. Jason’s Movie Blog: “I really liked this movie. It was definitely quite an engaging feature that boasted plenty of high-octane moments (behind the wheel, of course), but also provide an entertaining narrative with some quality acting talents to play the feature’s characters.”
10. Keith & The Movies (4/5): “…a rousing racing drama that doesn’t shirk on the human element. Bale and Damon have a snappy chemistry, and the supporting cast is fantastic”
11. Lost in the Dark: “If you love a good race car movie (and who doesn’t?), drive at a safe and reasonable speed to your friendly neighborhood cinema to see”
12. Mike Miller / Ticket To Ride: “This film won’t break any box office records but it is a film that will live on through streaming and other media.”
13. Mirza Baig: “…an engaging, emotional, and downright thrilling sports film that is incredibly well told and very well acted.”
14. moviejoltz: “I am not fond of watching car races, but I would see this picture again. The acting was outstanding, matching the well-done script that captured the 1960s perfectly. I found the racing scenes thrilling and felt at times I was sitting in the race cars.”
15. Movie Musings and TV Talk (4/5): “I ended up being quite pleasantly surprised by how invested in the story I became”
16. Movie Reviews from the Dark: “…two-and-a-half hours of history, rivalries, egos, and sport. The racing scenes are exhilarating, and the men are driven by testosterone and compelled to be the best.”
17. Norbert Haupt (2.5/4): “The movie is over two-and-a-half hours long, but worth every minute of it.”
18. Read it or Weep: “…this is one of the best sports films I’ve seen in years.”
19. Red Beard Movie Reviews: “A couple of great performances though and a movie that despite being 2 1/2 hours long kept my attention the entire time”
20. Reely Bernie (4.5/5): “I am a mechanically ignorant but passionately musical educator who finally found a movie that is worthy of the top film of 2019.”
21. Seonyongs Private Place: “…it will give you one of the most gripping movie experiences of this year, so I recommend you not to miss it while it is being shown at movie theaters.”
22. skoce: “This is a good movie. Just a solid, entertaining film”
23. Ten Stars or Less (8/10): “The best part is you literally feel like you’re in the passenger seat as two auto superpowers vie for the same racing title in 1966.”
24. The Blog Complainer (8/10): “is probably the most crowd pleasing movie I have seen in a while. It’s a well made movie filled with great moments and silly ones.”
25. writefury: “High quality writing, cool action, fantastic action and great filming. A really, really great movie, go watch it now.”

Also see: 25+ Ford v Ferrari Reviews – The True Story Behind Ford v Ferrari

Did I miss your Ford v Ferrari review? Use the comments or Twitter to tell me about your movie-related/review blog. I like following movie-related blogs and pull quotes from my reading list as well as other new blogs shared, liked and discovered.

25+ Ford v Ferrari Reviews – The True Story Behind Ford v Ferrari

Ford v Ferrari ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ is an adrenaline filled race car mechanic and automotive engineer’s wet dream.

The bitter rivalry existing between the two brands in the lead up to the endurance challenge of ’66 had its roots in a business deal turned sour. In 1963 Ferrari – in dire need of an injection of capital for the company – had embarrassed Ford when, at the final hour, the Italian businessman walked away from a deal which would have seen the Ford Motor Company buy into the Italian brand and the two become a combined, transatlantic automotive racing force.

The True Story Behind ‘Ford v Ferrari’ – Biography

Before seeing this, I wondered how it could cost $100 million? Certainly there were expensive cars and my guess is a bulk of the budget went to car crashes and explosions plus hefty pay to Damon and Bale the co-stars. Just a guess.

This Forbes article goes into greater detail about how a movie’s budget is calculated.

After seeing it, I still feel like this could have been made for less and would have been just as good, but there was obviously attention paid to detail and those cars are not inexpensive cars.

Other Blogger Reviews

Let’s see what other moviegoers think of Ford v Ferrari. Keep in mind that some/many of these reviews contain spoilers.

Recommended

• Rock At The Movies (8/10): “If you are a film lover, you need to see what is arguably the best racing movie ever.”
• HookedOnFilmWA: “…is absolutely thrilling. It features the best racing sequences I’ve seen since Rush (2013). Perhaps even better, because it feels like it has actual cars speeding at 300km/h down actual roads, which, quite often, it does.”
• Ulkar Alakborova (5/5): “Matt Damon as Carroll Shelby and Christian Bale as Ken Miles shine in every scene. Their strangely impressive on-screen chemistry creates the most tender relationship showing the power of friendship off-race and on-race at the same time.”
• Rachel’s Reviews (9/10): “…it’s a wonderful film everyone will enjoy. The story is interesting, the acting is great, script is well done and the racing scenes work.”
• Ken Murray / The Nerd Templar: “I loved Ford v Ferrari. It’s without a doubt my favorite film of the year so far. Bale is just astonishing and Damon holds his own opposite him.”
• Dan Gardner/Runpee: “It’s not often that a movie gets perfect marks on writing, acting, and directing, but — pardon the pun — Ford v Ferrari hits on all cylinders.”
• Mike Shutt: “This is a movie that is two and a half hours of sheer entertainment without needing you to “turn your brain off” at the door. The characters are charming and interesting enough to get you invested, and the craft is sleek and exciting.”
• Jason Bleau / Cinema Spotlight (5/5): ” This might be one of the most perfectly balanced, entertaining and all-around well-made motorsports movies of all time.”
• Alex Brannan (B-): “The narrative loses itself in the politics of corporations and in the superficial conversations about the art of the race. The beating heart of Ford v Ferrari is in its climactic final act, which is then let down by the abrupt emotional appeals of the denouement. But, if only for a moment, the film pushes to 7,000 RPMs.”
• reelhit: ” a fun, well-made film that feels more like a classic film, in the sense that it feels like an older type of film, perhaps made for an older audience. It’s a slower, character-focused drama that I personally feel has been lacking in cinema lately.”
• Society Reviews: “…the type of oscar bait that restores your faith in the genre as well as the industry. The film’s window into classic California Conservatism is one that should be savored because you won’t get much of it from Hollywood these days so enjoy while you can.”
• Doc / Embrace Your Geekness (4.4/5): “a very strong film with some top notch performances and a compelling story.  The third act race is about as well done as you are going to get.”
• Keith Loves Movies: “…not only a thrilling cinematic tale but it is also the kind of film we need.”
• LittleFrog Scribbles (8/10): “…not just for racing fans, I knew nothing about Ken Miles or Le Mans going in (and quite frankly: what utter madness is driving for 24 hours?!), and while the story could be said to slip into cliche of true life biopics, it’s a gripping ride along the way.”
• Polar Bears Watch TV: “I’d take this over a lot of the stuff we got last year, at least. ALSO: it has absolutely no business being 150 minutes long, and you really do feel the length”
• Lee’s Movie Reviews (5/5): “I’m in awe of how good this movie is and how much I was enjoying myself, and if this is how much I enjoyed it while not being a racing fan then I can’t even begin to imagine how cool this movie would be to someone actually interested in the subject matter.”
• 13oldschool: ” This movie was totally entertaining and just plain fun.  At times it was exhilarating!”
• Island Movie Blogs: “The real focus of this movie, is what it takes to be an artist or a creator, and what it takes to please people. Having that at the core of this movie, really does give it a great emotional core for everything else to swirl around. All in all, Ford v Ferrari is a really well made, and even better acted movie that really should be seen in cinemas.”
• TK Theater Production (4/5): “…a well-done racing drama. It had strong performances, an entertaining dynamic between the two leads, great racing sequences, and it delivered the right amount of emotion to make all of those things matter in the end.”
• Todd Mesirow / The Review Garage: “If you love cars, and speed, and racing – then you have to not only see “Ford v Ferrari” on a big screen, you have to put it on your list of films to buy.”
• CJ at the Movies (3.5/5): “The story is not always understandable, maybe because of the British dialogue or big motor mouths, but you’re still able to grasp the concept. In fact, you’re rooting for the Ford Motor Company, and their best driver to win the 24 hour race.”
• Patrick Beatty Reviews (9/10): “I loved this movie, it does run pretty long and some side stories are a little less fleshed out than others. It’s a crowd-pleaser, and I would definitely recommend seeing this in IMAX!”
• Reel Movies Matter (7.5/10): “…a film with true grit that preaches about the benefits of determination, loyalty and commitment to a cause.  Despite my issue with its lack of strong character arcs, a script telling an awesome true story with spellbinding performances by its award-winning cast could still be enough to land Ford v Ferrari in several winner’s circles this movie awards season.”
• Movie Nation: “It stands with the greatest racing movies ever, and it’s certainly the most entertaining. But there is no doubt about one last superlative. “Ford v Ferrari” is one of the best pictures of the year.”
• Filmaholic (4.5/5): “…an undeniable crowd-pleaser, but it’s the incredible talent at display both behind and in front of the cameras that elevate the material and truly make something special of this fascinating true story.”
• Mark Glendenning / Racer: “…captures the essence of two seriously hardcore racers; likewise, while exercising poetic license with the timeline, the film offers a revealing look into the exhausting, thankless and dangerous development work that went into one of America’s most glorious international racing triumphs, along with the reptilian politics behind it.”

Not Recommended (or undecided)

• Consequence of Sound: “…a classic Hollywood underdog film about friendship and overcoming obstacles. Mangold’s direction is serviceable, but unspectacular, while Bale is a dynamic presence. The film could have done with a less familiar narrative approach.”
• Screen Zealots / Louisa (2.5/5): ” It’s disappointing because the story on which it’s based is so interesting, but this too-straightforward retelling of history is too mainstream, too dull, and squanders a considerable opportunity.”

NOW PLAYING REVIEWS: Ford v Ferrari, The Good Liar, Charlie’s Angels

Want to know what we recommend seeing that opened this 11-15-2019 weekend #46 at the movies? All wide releases were seen, rated and reviewed with links on the movie titles below.

This week our favorite is …

Ford v Ferrari ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ScreenX

With the roar of the engine and accelerating around turns at breakneck speeds, this film kept us locked in — especially enjoyed in ScreenX. The conflict is over who will win the 24 hour Lemans, between Ford and Ferrari and Matt Damon and Christian Bale provide outstanding performances. Definitely recommended.

The Good Liar ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Turning, twisting plot that keeps the viewers guessing what is going to happen to the characters. Expertly acted by Ian McKellan and Helen Mirren. Nothing about the story or the characters is ever quite what it seems.

I really enjoy watching movies like this one. It’s billed as a thriller, and it’s more dramatic mystery than anything. It will play tricks on the viewer and tells a really good story. Recommended.

Charlie’s Angels (2019) ⭐️½

Save yourself from this ho-hum, bland second reboot featuring a slew of Bosleys (there are angels everywhere in this movie) and a new trio of mostly underwhelming angels (Kristin Stewert is the best of the worst). This turkey is mostly style without substance. Not recommended.

Want to see what else we recommend NOW PLAYING at the theater?

Here are other movies we’ve seen at the theater that are recommended. Any movie we rate at least 3-stars is recommended. You should read any 3-star review (click the title), because sometimes we do qualify those recommendations, meaning we were entertained, but it doesn’t mean that it was necessarily that good. 4-star movies are highly recommended and films we rate as 4 1/2 or 5 stars are must see.

1. Harriet ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
2. Joker ⭐️⭐️⭐️½
3. The Lighthouse ⭐️⭐️⭐️½
4. Motherless Brooklyn ⭐️⭐️⭐️½
5. Last Christmas ⭐️⭐️⭐️½
6. Parasite ⭐️⭐️⭐️
7. Black and Blue ⭐️⭐️⭐️
8. Zombieland: Double Tap ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Motherless Brooklyn has dropped screenings, but it’s worth seeking out for Edward Norton’s performance and a good screenplay. The Lighthouse harder to find, due to limited screenings, but recommended for horror fans.

Haven’t seen Jo Jo Rabbit as of this writing. Jo Jo Rabbit is finally playing nearby, so will get that viewed soon. It was previously limited screening. All other films now playing in theaters are not recommended to see in the theater. You can see all our movie reviews on Letterboxd, including those on streaming channels.

Is ScreenX the Perfect Way to Watch Ford v Ferrari?

The answer to the headline: yes.

We have one theater fairly close that has the ScreenX technology and this looked like it might be (the best) way) to experience the feel of being in a race car along with the actors at while watching Ford v Ferrari ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4DX would be another way, with the motion sensors in play. The whole wrap-around theater with visuals (the walls along the side of the theater are used in some scenes, for a 270 degree view of the picture) was, in fact, a very cool experience to us.

“We are incredibly excited to showcase the highly anticipated ‘Ford v Ferrari’ on the panoramic screens of ScreenX,” said JongRyul Kim, CEO of CJ 4DPLEX. “Audiences will be riveted by this amazing true life story and as they are fully immersed in the complexities of the story, ScreenX will add to the experience further and expand the action packed racing sequences in a way that only ScreenX can.”

CJ 4DPLEX And The Walt Disney Studios Presents 20th Century Fox’s “Ford v Ferrari” In The Stunning 270-Degree Panoramic ScreenX Format

If you have a cinema offering the ScreenX experience near you, we highly recommend. It is well worth the extra $4 per ticket for Ford v Ferrari. Matt Damon and Christian Bale are great in this movie, by the way. This is one of my favorite movies of 2019.

(Odd correctional sidenote: I’ve been calling this Ford VS. Ferrari instead of Ford v Ferrari. How did I miss that?!?!)

Opening 11-14-2019 in Theaters: Charlie’s Angels (2019), Ford v Ferrari, The Good Liar

Wide releases on 11/14/2019 include Charlie’s Angels (2019), Ford vs. Ferrari

Wednesday here and you know what that means: more new movies opening wide in theaters starting tomorrow! I have to interrupt my Disney+ streaming watching because soooo much good content there to watch/rewatch. Some movies I haven’t seen for literally 30+ years!

I digress, let’s see what’s new out this weekend, because last weekend didn’t go as well as planned for a film that I really enjoyed.

First up …

Charlie’s Angels (2019)

I’m a fan of the original TV series, not so much of any of the reboot movies, will this be better?

I’m nervous about this one is going to turn out. What gives me hope is I really like Elizabeth Banks, but am not sure about her taking on the role of Bosley (originally played by David Doyle in the TV series).

Didn’t feel Bill Murray as Bosley either though, so who knows? I get it, a classic jiggly TV show is getting “woke” — but am not sure if I’m getting awakened yet. Am going in very cautiously optimistic and yet still looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

Part of what’s burning away some of my interest is the last reboot with Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu and Cameron Diaz wasn’t that spectacular. But at least I knew who they were … I don’t know any of the actresses in this reboot, except for Banks as Bosley.

Anticipation: 4 / 10

Ford vs. Ferrari

Matt Damon as a brilliant auto engineer? Hmm …. maybe?

Matt Damon has an uphill battle to convince me that he is some wizard auto engineer. He’s a good actor, so maybe he’ll be successful, and I’m more than intrigued by this “inspired by a true story” case of David vs. Goliath in the auto racing car designed for maximum speed movie.

What is the deal with the budget for this being $100 million? I’m very puzzled unless Damon and co-star Christian Bale are getting paid a boatload to star. The sets can’t be that expensive to recreate … can they? Or maybe it’s all the old cars and they are wrecking some in the process? $100 million is a boatload of cash to spend on a movie.

If this movie doesn’t open strong we’re going to see a bunch of headlines about how it “bombed” and lost a ton of money leading the news come Monday morning, if not sooner.

This has the best trailers, too of the films opening wide this week.

Anticipation: 6/10

The Good Liar

An old guy taking advantage of elderly women’s vanity? Yeah, I can get interested in a movie about this, but hopefully the old guy gets his comeuppance or has some sort of major character arc. The trailer suggests maybe that will be the case. We’ll find out soon.

Anticipation: 5/10

ANTICIPATION for Week of 11/14/19 MOVIES

How much on scale of 1-10 anticipating the 11-14-2019 movies?

1. Ford vs. Ferrari – 6/10
2. The Good Liar – 5/10
3. Charlie’s Angels – 4/10

Are there screenings in our area to see these movies?

All three are wide screenings and available in our area, so the plan is to watch, rate and review all.