The Ice Storm Vs American Beauty...

[Psychocandy]

Both of these movies have been compared and generally American Beauty is favored over The Ice Storm. I love 'em both but for some reason The Ice Storm had more impact on me emotionally. The last twenty minutes of the movie played out with very little dialogue and I was so rapt at the tragedy as it played out that I didn't even notice. I left the cinema bewildered as to how much I had actually enjoyed the movie and only after subsequent viewings did I realise how beautiful the movie is both in terms of the masterful visuals and the way it relates it's story at a meditative pace without once cluttering the plot with superfluous storytelling devices. American Beauty is wonderful too but lacks the scope of The Ice Storm due to the (in my opinion) unnecessary whodunnit aspect of the movie. The fact that it's obvious that Kevin Spacey's character is gonna die at the end of the movie also reduced some of the emotional impact the movie could have achieved. Still...great movie.

The Ice Storm - 5/5
American Beauty - 4.5/5

[flowrchild]

American Beauty is one of my favorite movies ever, so I'm gonna have to go with that one. Ice Storm is good too though, better with repeated viewings.

[QUENTIN]

The Ice Storm holds up much better and features the better ensemble cast & script. However American Beauty features amazing acting from most involved and is better technically. Ice Storm is the victor though, as one of my favorite's of the 1990's.

The Ice Storm -10/10
American Beauty -9/10

[notchreturns]

Both are 8/10's, but I prefer The Ice Storm. It has held up over time and I felt more for the characters.

[Danny L]

Ehhh. Ice Storm starred the greatest actors (miss Ricci included) and had the best script. The scene with the keys in the glass bowl is pure pain. Liked it very much.

[EBastard]

American Beauty big time.The Ice Storm really put me to sleep.

[daredevil0214]

American Beauty is my among my top favorite movies so I am also going to have to go with that one. The Ice Storm was excellent as well, one of my top 30 movies maybe, the cast was terrific, but i really didn't go for the whole 70'ish type feel and it was really hard to watch the end for some reason. American Beauty was fantastic, brilliant, and all those other adjectives. It had maybe not the better cast, but the actors in this movie performed their bit the best, better than the Ice Storm. I definitely prefer mendes over lee.

[Hannibal21]

THE ICE STORM
One of the best if not THE best portrayal of American families in the 70's, in my top 100 of all time and features the better cast and better acting. 10/10

AMERICAN BEAUTY is good too but not as good as ICE STORM.

[Voodoodoll]

The Ice Storm was in my top 10 ever (I haven't made a list in ages so couldn't tell you if it still is ;) ). It's probably my favourite piece of ensemble casting and it still makes my blood boil that the academy didn't agree :mad: 10/10

I enjoyed American Beauty too (8/10) but it didn't really engage me like the Ice Storm did.

[Romero&Juliet]

the Ice Storm

[DaMovieMan]

Damn.....

I really gotta see Ice Storm.

I never would of thought that the schmoes here would prefer it to the much loved American Beauty (8/10). Odd. Gotta chech this one out and then ill lay my thoughts as well.

DMM