28 Film Discussion Threads Later

[megladon8]

That's very weird.

[Dukefrukem]

I dont have the ability to lock and unlock threads so it will need to be eric.

[transmogrifier]

I hate to bring up Christopher Nolan again, but I have a question about The Prestige. I just rewatched it with my wife tonight because she had never seen it, while I only saw it once in the theaters when it was first released. I liked it a lot more this time around, but one thing bugged me throughout (not counting the overbearing score, and the streeeetccched out final scene that is exposition central and takes for ever to get to the obvious final money shot before the credits roll (I swear, I liked it). Next bit, in spoilers:

The first time I watched it, it seemed very obvious right from the start that Fallon was Borden's twin brother, and I was constantly frustrated that Nolan took so long to get to the obvious reveal. I thought the second viewing would cure that, but it was even more annoying - Nolan can't seem to decide whether he is trying to hide the twist or just let it be obvious to us as outsiders while Angier lets his jealousy and obsession obscure the evidence in front of his face. So my question is, did anyone else feel faintly annoyed with the handling of the Fallon character? I truly think the whole thing would have been better to have no Fallon at all, and just have the "second" brother always out of sight or in random disguises.....of course, keep the fact that they switch places regularly, thus explaining the affair etc. I don't know....

[Dukefrukem]

Now I'm going to rewatch it.

[transmogrifier]

Now I'm going to rewatch it.

It's probably my second-favorite Nolan now - I was fully onboard the grimy pessimism this time around.

[Dukefrukem]

It's probably my second-favorite Nolan now - I was fully onboard the grimy pessimism this time around.

I remember loving it but I haven't watched it since the RT days.

[megladon8]

Jen and I rewatched it earlier this year.

It packs the strongest and most genuine emotional punch of all of Nolan's films, IMO.

Needed more Bowie.

[Skitch]

I haven't seen it recently enough to answer your question trans. I've been hankering to rewatch it though. I thought it was brilliant...and so sad. While I'm a DC fanboy and adore his Batman trilogy, his original work I always rank higher. You're right, Its not without issue, but I'm so struck (or maybe jaded by lack of originality elsewhere?) by his original (by that I mean not based on anything else) work and so happy to see something...NEW...that my soul is forced to give him props. I'd rather have a flawed original Nolan film than...most other films. His ideas are just so damn interesting even if the execution isn't always perfect.

I recall being "holy shit its a twin brother" by the reveal of the brother? Man I haven't watched it in a long time.

The old man with the water jug still haunts me.

[Peng]

Love Kuroneko. Not quite the masterpiece that is Onibaba, but it is up there.

Almost four months later, now I just saw and loved it!

https://66.media.tumblr.com/bb6fcc6f07f459c87e722f3c40b0f9 36/tumblr_pg9senqmwo1xr5zbmo1_400 .gifv

Onibaba (1964) is favorite horror film I've seen in a while. Shindo plunges into the deep, dark recess of humanity during wartime -- full of greed, lust, and violence -- through non-stop foreboding compositions and pure id-driven characters (with help from three bracingly uninhibited performances). All of it create a thick, sustained atmosphere of menace so enveloping that most of it feels like watching a post-apocalyptic film. 9/10

[megladon8]

Making me want to rewatch.

It's been 10 years at the very least. Thinking more like 25 honestly.

[Mysterious Dude]

Does anyone know the title of this violent movie from the 80's that I once saw on TV?

When I started watching it, there was, already in progress, a shootout at a power plant or some other industrial area. The fight seemed to be about a briefcase. The briefcase exchanged hands numerous times and almost everyone that got their hands on it got killed. In the end, a gang of criminals gets the briefcase and drives away. The rest of the movie follows the gang as they drive through the desert. I think they were being pursued by a detective or somebody.

There were at least two women in the gang. Late in the movie, one woman leaves the group and hitches a ride in the opposite direction. Then, she changes her mind and tells the driver to let her out, threatening to jump out of if he doesn't. I think it ends in another shootout at a power plant.

I'm sure it's a terrible movie, but I must know.

[Skitch]

Hmm. I dont. But I would like to see this movie.

[Dukefrukem]

Does anyone know the title of this violent movie from the 80's that I once saw on TV?

When I started watching it, there was, already in progress, a shootout at a power plant or some other industrial area. The fight seemed to be about a briefcase. The briefcase exchanged hands numerous times and almost everyone that got their hands on it got killed. In the end, a gang of criminals gets the briefcase and drives away. The rest of the movie follows the gang as they drive through the desert. I think they were being pursued by a detective or somebody.

There were at least two women in the gang. Late in the movie, one woman leaves the group and hitches a ride in the opposite direction. Then, she changes her mind and tells the driver to let her out, threatening to jump out of if he doesn't. I think it ends in another shootout at a power plant.

I'm sure it's a terrible movie, but I must know.

Now I'm going to research.

[Yxklyx]

Does anyone know the title of this violent movie from the 80's that I once saw on TV?

When I started watching it, there was, already in progress, a shootout at a power plant or some other industrial area. The fight seemed to be about a briefcase. The briefcase exchanged hands numerous times and almost everyone that got their hands on it got killed. In the end, a gang of criminals gets the briefcase and drives away. The rest of the movie follows the gang as they drive through the desert. I think they were being pursued by a detective or somebody.

There were at least two women in the gang. Late in the movie, one woman leaves the group and hitches a ride in the opposite direction. Then, she changes her mind and tells the driver to let her out, threatening to jump out of if he doesn't. I think it ends in another shootout at a power plant.

I'm sure it's a terrible movie, but I must know.

I think you dreamed it.

[Yxklyx]

So, I started to watch The Magnificent Seven (1960). I hadn't seen it a very long time ago - and have seen Seven Samurai about 5 times since then... you know remakes can work if they have some original thought in them but this 1960 movie is one of the cheapest scripts I've ever seen filmed. It's total plagiarism with nothing original in it at all. It plays like a Reader's Digest version of the original. After about 20 minutes I stopped it and popped in Seven Samurai.

P.S. Just saw that Loveless was on Prime for free - check it out!

[Idioteque Stalker]

Just remembered another sex movie. The Wayward Cloud. That's a really good movie.

Currently watching 365 Days. This is worse than 50 Shades of Grey.

[megladon8]

I really liked Secretary.

[Idioteque Stalker]

I haven't seen Secretary, but I hear good things.

365 Days makes 50 Shades look like Last Tango In Paris. Nice scenery and beautiful people boning can't save it from being utter trash. It's every bit as ludicrous as the plot synopsis suggests. Easily one of the worst movies I've seen in years. Not fit to be seen by anyone, but I must admit I had a good laugh.

[transmogrifier]

True Lies is, uh, pretty bad. James Cameron should never, ever try to do a comedy again. I didn’t like it much when I first saw it, and time hasn’t been kind. Those on Letterboxd who think this is one of the best action movies ever made are out of their minds. The whole fighter jet sequence is ludicrous. And not in a good way.

[Skitch]

True Lies is, uh, pretty bad. James Cameron should never, ever try to do a comedy again. I didn’t like it much when I first saw it, and time hasn’t been kind. Those on Letterboxd who think this is one of the best action movies ever made are out of their minds. The whole fighter jet sequence is ludicrous. And not in a good way.

While I dig the movie, I don't think I would ever call it one of the best action movies ever made. I wouldn't argue you most of it, but I still like it. Def has some cringe. Tom Arnold is such a doofus in that flick it makes me laugh.

[Dukefrukem]

True Lies is, uh, pretty bad. James Cameron should never, ever try to do a comedy again. I didn’t like it much when I first saw it, and time hasn’t been kind. Those on Letterboxd who think this is one of the best action movies ever made are out of their minds. The whole fighter jet sequence is ludicrous. And not in a good way.

Hard disagree there. The comedy stuff is excellent and it's probably his best action film.

[Idioteque Stalker]

I watched True Lies maybe five years ago and forgot almost everything about it. I think there's a bridge at one point. Not a great movie.

[Skitch]

Hard disagree there. The comedy stuff is excellent and it's probably his best action film.

I laugh out loud every time Arnold kisses that pole. Its such a small moment but damn does it make me laugh.

Edit: Tom Arnold.

[transmogrifier]

Hard disagree there. The comedy stuff is excellent and it's probably his best action film.

Yeah, nah. It's his worst film by far, though I haven't seen Piranha 2. The comedy is terrible, and the action is boring as all hell. The only thing I liked about it was Jamie Lee Curtis.

[baby doll]

Cameron, ranked:

The Terminator (1984)
Titanic (1997)
Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)
True Lies (1994)
Avatar (2009)

It's been too long since I've seen Aliens but I loved it in middle school.

[transmogrifier]

1. Aliens (93)
2. Titanic (74)
3. Terminator 2 (71)
4. The Terminator (70)
5. The Abyss (69)
6. Avatar (65)
7. True Lies (41)

[Peng]

Even if I rarely consider Cameron among my favorite directors, I realize I never rate the guy's films (sans his Piranha one) lower than 4/5. All of these need rewatches though, since I last saw a film of his back when Avatar was in theater.

1. Aliens
2. Titanic
3. The Terminator
4. Terminator 2
5. Avatar
6. True Lies
7. The Abyss

[Morris Schæffer]

Hard disagree there. The comedy stuff is excellent and it's probably his best action film.

Better action than Aliens and T2? A huge stretch no? But it's a pretty great action comedy overall. More exciting than most 90's actioners and certainly funnier than most Comedies.

[Irish]

So, I started to watch The Magnificent Seven (1960). I hadn't seen it a very long time ago - and have seen Seven Samurai about 5 times since then... you know remakes can work if they have some original thought in them but this 1960 movie is one of the cheapest scripts I've ever seen filmed. It's total plagiarism with nothing original in it at all. It plays like a Reader's Digest version of the original. After about 20 minutes I stopped it and popped in Seven Samurai.

This was my reaction when I rewatched it a year or so ago, too. I like the celebrity of "Magnificent 7" (most of the cast consisted of TV actors who went on to bigger things). I also enjoyed Eli Wallach.

But the movie on the whole ... kinda sucks. It's very definitely Cliffs Notes/ Readers Digest on the source material and it plays as extremely superficial.


Hard disagree there. The comedy stuff is excellent and it's probably his best action film.

Haven't seen "True Lies" in a looooooong time, but the truck gag/ L.A. river sequence in "Judgement Day" is better than anything in "True Lies."

Hell, even the stop motion stuff in "Terminator" is more memorable and more fun than anything in "True Lies."

[transmogrifier]

More exciting than most 90's actioners and certainly funnier than most Comedies.

Face/Off is 100 times better at both than True Lies could ever dream of being. I would list all the other 90s actioners that are better than True Lies, but I would be here all day.

[Morris Schæffer]

Face/Off is 100 times better at both than True Lies could ever dream of being. I would list all the other 90s actioners that are better than True Lies, but I would be here all day.

Face/Off is great, but it's Woo being Woo, replete with the expected pigeons. I guess Cameron showed me some new things, like that Harrier jumpjet sequence. Which you call ludicrous, but I'd call inspired. With that thing being able to hover in mid-air, nor did it seem out there that his daughter would be able to cling to it and the baddie being able to jump on it. But there have been some great 90's action films, so I guess what I meant to say was that True Lies belongs on that list, not that it's necessarily a top 3 or 1.

[Irish]

I just rewatched and man it's a depressing movie. There's something ugly and sorta mean-spirited about the whole thing.

The villains are all generic Islamic terrorists, which is unimaginative and boring even considering the time period. There are Rambo sequels with more cultural nuance than this. Then there's 40 minutes of screen time dedicated to the cartoonishly dumb infidelity subplot. I guess they were going for a screwball comedy vibe but in contemporary terms it's just fucking grim. Like, the entire middle of the movie is devoted to embarrassing Jamie Lee Curtis.

Of the 4 major set pieces, only the harrier jets on the causeway really stood out. The rest plays like Cameron imitating Bay and doing it badly. Bay can pace a movie. This one has a solid hour with no action whatsoever, in a movie that runs 2 hours and 20 minutes.

If I were gonna pick an espionage-style-light-comedy, I'd go with "Sneakers" (1992). For suburban-spy-with-clueless-spouse, I'd go with "Mr and Mrs Smith" (2005). Good double bill and waaaaaay more fun than "True Lies."

[transmogrifier]

Best 90s Action Films:

Heat* - 91
Leon* - 89
Speed - 80
The Matrix - 80
Crimson Tide* - 78
Point Break - 76
The Mission - 72
Face/Off - 72
Breakdown - 72
The Long Kiss Goodnight - 72
Terminator 2 - 71
Waterworld - 70
Total Recall - 69
Backdraft* - 68
Strange Days - 67
Enemy of the State - 67
Cliffhanger - 66

(* possibly maybe not action films by the strict definition of the term but screw the strict definition of the term)

For comparison, the best of the 2000s:

Battle Royale - 92
Die Bad - 82
Death Proof* - 82
So Close - 77
Election 2 - 73
The Bourne Supremacy - 72
King Kong - 71
Planet Terror - 71
Dawn of the Dead - 70
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - 70
Quantum of Solace - 70
Hellboy 2 - 70
Exiled - 69
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - 69
The Chaser - 69
The Bourne Identity - 69
Terminator 3 - 69
Miami Vice - 68
Collateral* - 68
Casino Royale - 68
Election - 67
Spy Game - 67
Live Free or Die Hard - 67

And of the 2010s:

Sicario - 75
Logan - 74
Attack the Block - 73
13 Assassins - 72
The Raid 2 - 72
War for the Planet of the Apes - 72
Mission Impossible: Fallout
The Nice Guys - 71
Looper - 71
Godzilla - 71
Rise of the Planet of the Apes - 70
The Raid: Redemption - 69
Inception - 69
Guardians of the Galaxy - 69
The Yellow Sea - 68
Drug War - 68
The Avengers - 68
Skyfall - 68
Gravity - 67
John Wick - 67

Basically, Hollywood has lost its knack for big-budget action by throwing all of their energy into boring shared universe minutiae.

[transmogrifier]

I just rewatched and man it's a depressing movie. There's something ugly and sorta mean-spirited about the whole thing.

The villains are all generic Islamic terrorists, which is unimaginative and boring even considering the time period. There are Rambo sequels with more cultural nuance than this. Then there's 40 minutes of screen time dedicated to the cartoonishly dumb infidelity subplot. I guess they were going for a screwball comedy vibe but in contemporary terms it's just fucking grim. Like, the entire middle of the movie is devoted to embarrassing Jamie Lee Curtis.

Of the 4 major set pieces, only the harrier jets on the causeway really stood out. The rest plays like Cameron imitating Bay and doing it badly. Bay can pace a movie. This one has a solid hour with no action whatsoever, in a movie that runs 2 hours and 20 minutes.

If I were gonna pick an espionage-style-light-comedy, I'd go with "Sneakers" (1992). For suburban-spy-with-clueless-spouse, I'd go with "Mr and Mrs Smith" (2005). Good double bill and waaaaaay more fun than "True Lies."

Mr and Mrs Smith is way better than True Lies. The latter is weirdly misogynistic in places, and as you say, really damn boring in others. I actually don't mind Tom Arnold in general, but his character here is a complete laugh free zone, and I will argue that a character pissing their pants is never, ever funny. And Cameron thinks this is so funny, he has it happen twice. Oh, the wit.

[Skitch]

If I were gonna pick an espionage-style-light-comedy, I'd go with "Sneakers".

10/10. I love that movie.

[Irish]

Best of 90s action:

- Hard Boiled
- Police Story 3: Supercop
- Heat
- La Femme Nikita
- Heroic Trio
- Wing Chun
- Once Upon a Time in China
- Speed
- Iron Monkey
- The Rock
- Under Siege
- Bullet in the Head
- Mission Impossible
- Fist of Legend
- Ronin
- Point Break
- Full Contact
- Blade

Edited to amend special considerations:

- The Matrix
- Terminator 2: Judgement Day

Each one of these has spectacular action sequences that absolutely land but I'm more ambivalent about the rest of the films. "The Matrix" doesn't quite have an ending and was made retroactively worse by its sequels. The middle of "Judgement Day" is boring as shit. Both movies are far too in love with their themes.

[transmogrifier]

I really need to see more non-American action movies from the 90s.

[Dukefrukem]

I stand by that TERMINATOR 2 is the best action movie of all time but I love the "smaller" scale version of Arnold vs everyone.

https://letterboxd.com/dukefrukem/list/camerons-best/detail/

"Have you ever killed anyone?"

"Yeh but they were all bad"


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50kuKLld72E

[Dukefrukem]

I really need to see more non-American action movies from the 90s.

NAhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhh (http://matchcut.artboiled.com/showthread.php?5944-The-Top-18-MERICAN-90s-Action-Movies)

Side note, I'm convincing my wife to go on a Kung-Fu-a-thon with me so I can get to the Best 90s action movie of all time list.

[Dukefrukem]

Best 90s Action Films:

Heat* - 91
Leon* - 89
Speed - 80
The Matrix - 80
Crimson Tide* - 78
Point Break - 76
The Mission - 72
Face/Off - 72
Breakdown - 72
The Long Kiss Goodnight - 72
Terminator 2 - 71
Waterworld - 70
Total Recall - 69
Backdraft* - 68
Strange Days - 67
Enemy of the State - 67
Cliffhanger - 66



There's a couple of films on here I wish I remembered to put on my list. Waterworld for example is always thrashed as bad, but it's really not. And it's quite fitting in the 90s decade.

[Dukefrukem]

I just rewatched and man it's a depressing movie. There's something ugly and sorta mean-spirited about the whole thing.

The villains are all generic Islamic terrorists, which is unimaginative and boring even considering the time period. There are Rambo sequels with more cultural nuance than this. Then there's 40 minutes of screen time dedicated to the cartoonishly dumb infidelity subplot. I guess they were going for a screwball comedy vibe but in contemporary terms it's just fucking grim. Like, the entire middle of the movie is devoted to embarrassing Jamie Lee Curtis.

Of the 4 major set pieces, only the harrier jets on the causeway really stood out. The rest plays like Cameron imitating Bay and doing it badly. Bay can pace a movie. This one has a solid hour with no action whatsoever, in a movie that runs 2 hours and 20 minutes.

If I were gonna pick an espionage-style-light-comedy, I'd go with "Sneakers" (1992). For suburban-spy-with-clueless-spouse, I'd go with "Mr and Mrs Smith" (2005). Good double bill and waaaaaay more fun than "True Lies."

I cannot stand for this True Lies hate.

The stuff with Bill Paxton is awesomely hilarious and I dont mind the action lull during this. It builds a good relationship with Arnold and the weight of his spy abilities.

The harrier jet scene is excellent-

"Hey these missiles won't set off those nukes will they?"

"Negative, that's a negative Flag01... *winces at Tom*


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkyYk1Jr-cg

More Side note. That harrier jet scene got me obsessed with fighter jets during that time and I tried to watch every movie I could with fighter jets. Spoiler, there are not that many good movies with fighter jets. Top Gun is a huge letdown.

[Irish]

I cannot stand for this True Lies hate.

The stuff with Bill Paxton is awesomely hilarious and I dont mind the action lull during this. It builds a good relationship with Arnold and the weight of his spy abilities.

The harrier jet scene is excellent-

"Hey these missiles won't set off those nukes will they?"

"Negative, that's a negative Flag01... *winces at Tom*

More Side note. That harrier jet scene got me obsessed with fighter jets during that time and I tried to watch every movie I could with fighter jets. Spoiler, there are not that many good movies with fighter jets. Top Gun is a huge letdown.

I liked your Cameron ranking quite a bit and especially enjoyed the low, low placement of "Titanic" (cough) but ... "True Lies" is a terrible movie.

Part of my issue with the humor is that it's so off-key with the action. The humor is light and silly and the action is deadly and grim. Like, the whole "Yeah but there were bad people" line landed with a thud for me because (1) we know he's killed people because we've seen him do it and (2) most of the people we've seen him kill have died fairly gruesomely and (3) right after Arnold delivers that line, he snaps an old man's neck "Commando"-style. It's like ... not funny.

Everything around the Bill Paxton character is terrible. If they wanted to do that level of farce, they needed a different cast (and a different director). In short: real comedians who have a sense of timing.

I kept imagining what this movie would have been like if they had cast Dan Ackroyd, Phil Hartman, or Danny DeVito as Schwarzenegger's sidekick instead of Tom Arnold. But then I realized none of those actors would ever want to do it because there's no actual part to play here. Just a bunch of one-liners.

The Harrier jets I'll give ya but I also had the overwhelming sense that I thought those sequences were cool and exciting because the jets themselves were cool and exciting, not because Cameron did anything interesting with them.

[Irish]

Also, just to squeeze this in:

The original theatrical cut of "Aliens" is Cameron's best film by a wide margin and "Terminator" is way better than "Judgement Day."

"Titanic" is a technical marvel but the story sucks. "Avatar" is the same way.

In short: Once he divorced Gale Anne Hurd, Cameron's scripts became shoddier and his movies sloppier because he over-relied on f/x to make up for his shortcomings as a storyteller.

[megladon8]

I agree with every word you said, Irish.

You won one (1) internet.

[Skitch]

T2 >T1

[Dukefrukem]

T2 >T1

For years I let people try and convince me T1 was better.

[baby doll]

T2 >T1Arnold as emotionless killing machine > Rote subplot where he becomes a father-figure to a troubled teen

[Irish]

I swear to God if I heard that kid say "there's no fate but what we make" one more time I will literally scream.

[Yxklyx]

So I sat down to watch The Magnificent Seven (1960) which I hadn't watched in a very very long time. This script is one of the laziest bits of writing ever - copying Seven Samurai in nearly every scene. Even bits of the original story are summarized by some crappy line just so they could check the story boxes. The movie is just pure crap. I could only stand it for 20 minutes and put in the Kurosawa film.

[Skitch]

Arnold as emotionless killing machine > subplot where he becomes a father-figure to a troubled teen

I enjoy both. T2 is just so damn big in scope.

[Morris Schæffer]

Arnold as emotionless killing machine > Rote subplot where he becomes a father-figure to a troubled teen

This totally works. Ya Know why? Robert Patrick as emotionless killing machine.

[Irish]

T1 >T2

100% agree

[Skitch]

100% agree

You are fake news!

[baby doll]

I enjoy both. T2 is just so damn big in scope.I'm not sure what you mean by "scope," since in terms of plot, Terminator 2 is as much a remake as a sequel. The fundamental difference as I see it is that the original had a certain unity of action, whereas the sequel--due to its huge budget and the shift in Arnold's screen person over the intervening seven years (see Kindergarten Cop)--needs to offer a range of appeals to different sectors of the audience in order to be profitable, and the various elements don't completely hold together. The plot becomes a loose pretext for a series of free-standing attractions: sensational action sequences, the father-son bonding stuff ("heart"), and woman-in-the-nuthouse melodrama (something for the ladies). Of Cameron's later films, Titanic is probably the most successful at integrating its diverse appeals, whereas True Lies pushes the tendency toward profitable incoherence to its limit, to the point that the movie seems to be channel-surfing between two unrelated plots.

[Dukefrukem]

the shift in Arnold's screen person over the intervening seven years (see Kindergarten Cop)--needs to offer a range of appeals to different sectors of the audience in order to be profitable, and the various elements don't completely hold together. The plot becomes a loose pretext for a series of free-standing attractions: sensational action sequences, the father-son bonding stuff ("heart"), and woman-in-the-nuthouse melodrama (something for the ladies).

Do you honestly believe Cameron wrote these scenes so the movie would be more "profitable"?

[Skitch]

I'm not sure what you mean by "scope," since in terms of plot, Terminator 2 is as much a remake as a sequel. The fundamental difference as I see it is that the original had a certain unity of action, whereas the sequel--due to its huge budget and the shift in Arnold's screen person over the intervening seven years (see Kindergarten Cop)--needs to offer a range of appeals to different sectors of the audience in order to be profitable, and the various elements don't completely hold together. The plot becomes a loose pretext for a series of free-standing attractions: sensational action sequences, the father-son bonding stuff ("heart"), and woman-in-the-nuthouse melodrama (something for the ladies). Of Cameron's later films, Titanic is probably the most successful at integrating its diverse appeals, whereas True Lies pushes the tendency toward profitable incoherence to its limit, to the point that the movie seems to be channel-surfing between two unrelated plots.


Man you are all over the place with your specifics and your vagaries. Sorry bd, you've presented so many topics and logic leaps I'd have to spend paragraphs to respond, so I'll just refrain.

I thought T2 added a lot the mythology of the world built in T1, and because of the budget Cameron was able to go bonkers with the action scenes in ways he couldn't before. That's it.

[megladon8]

Don't get me wrong, I love both. And as a kid I fell in love with the sheer scope and technical prowess. Of 2.

But 1 is better.

[baby doll]

Do you honestly believe Cameron wrote these scenes so the movie would be more "profitable"?I believe Cameron is a rational agent and understands that a film with a budget of a hundred million dollars needs to appeal to as wide an audience as possible in order to turn a profit.

[Skitch]

I believe Cameron is a rational agent and understands that a film with a budget of a hundred million dollars needs to appeal to as wide an audience as possible in order to turn a profit.

The same Cameron who has stories written about him nearly every movie how hes lost his mind, his movie is way over budget, and is going to be the biggest bomb and sink the studio? I don't think he writes to the audience. He writes to himself.

[Scar]

I thoroughly enjoy True Lies, save for the, ahem, stripper sequence. Even when I first saw it in theaters (several times), I always felt that scene should've just gone away. EDIT: And the uzi rolling down the stairs. That was too much, severe eye roll inducing.

Aside from that, I thoroughly enjoy it. My friends and I quote the 'yeah but they were all bad' line numerous times. Bill Paxton was hilarious, and I enjoyed Tom Arnold in this, and I can't say I'm generally a fan of his.

"The guy is a goddamn used car salesman..."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RxlP44vf_c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RxlP44vf_c

[Morris Schæffer]

"Is it a snow cone maker? Is it An espresso machine?" A Waterheater?

[baby doll]

The same Cameron who has stories written about him nearly every movie how hes lost his mind, his movie is way over budget, and is going to be the biggest bomb and sink the studio? I don't think he writes to the audience. He writes to himself.Regardless of what's written about his films before they open, they invariably make money, and I would argue that their lack of narrative unity (which I take to be a defining feature of contemporary blockbuster filmmaking in general) is a major reason for his films' commercial success: Terminator 2 seems to me as much an example of "masala filmmaking" as any Bollywood film. Whether Cameron consciously engineers his films to make them appealing to the widest possible audience or whether he "writes to himself" is not something we can know, although I don't think I'm being overly cynical in suggesting that the former is more probable. In any event, my hypothesis that he deliberately engineers his films to appeal to the widest possible audience provides a plausible explanation for why his films have become less unified as their budgets have gone up, while the notion that he "writes to himself" does not. And let's not forget, Hollywood is a business, after all.

[Idioteque Stalker]

Oh, and Lust, Caution. That's a sex movie. Didn't like it.

[Skitch]

Regardless of what's written about his films before they open, they invariably make money, and I would argue that their lack of narrative unity (which I take to be a defining feature of contemporary blockbuster filmmaking in general) is a major reason for his films' commercial success: Terminator 2 seems to me as much an example of "masala filmmaking" as any Bollywood film. Whether Cameron consciously engineers his films to make them appealing to the widest possible audience or whether he "writes to himself" is not something we can know, although I don't think I'm being overly cynical in suggesting that the former is more probable. In any event, my hypothesis that he deliberately engineers his films to appeal to the widest possible audience provides a plausible explanation for why his films have become less unified as their budgets have gone up, while the notion that he "writes to himself" does not. And let's not forget, Hollywood is a business, after all.

It is. And he has a blank check. His latest crazy idea is 5 back-to-back sequels about the blue cats that every single person is saying "Who wants this? This will be a bust." James Cameron wants this.

[Grouchy]

Oh, and Lust, Caution. That's a sex movie. Didn't like it.
I remember loving this one on theaters.

[Ezee E]

True Lies is the type of ridiculous action movie that I look for rather than something like Batman & Robin because it's both preposterous and still works at the same time. Batman & Robin just gets boring after a while, and there's really nothing to admire in it from an action perspective.

With that, I think Terminator 2 is probably the best action movie around. There's just so many different approaches to action and spectacle that it never really gets boring, which is where he failed in Avatar.

[Skitch]

With that, I think Terminator 2 is probably the best action movie around. There's just so many different approaches to action and spectacle that it never really gets boring, which is where he failed in Avatar.
My skin absolutely crawls every single time that helicopter flies under the overpass.

[baby doll]

It is. And he has a blank check. His latest crazy idea is 5 back-to-back sequels about the blue cats that every single person is saying "Who wants this? This will be a bust." James Cameron wants this.The claim that certain Hollywood directors (Cameron, Eastwood, Nolan, Scorsese, Tarantino, et al.) have a "blank check" to do whatever they want always strikes me as overstated and ignores the very real aesthetic, ideological, and commercial constraints these filmmakers tacitly accept. As David Bordwell, Janet Staiger, and Kristin Thompson have demonstrated in detail, Hollywood has a particular concept of what a well-made film looks and sounds like, and the filmmakers I just listed can all be counted on to deliver professional-looking, saleable films. Even with all his clout, Cameron is not going to make films like Evolution of a Filipino Family, which is eleven and a half hours long, was shot on 16mm film and early 2000s digital video, and lacks a finished sound mix; indeed, he probably doesn't even see it as an option, much less a desirable one. Moreover, because Cameron gets a cut of the gross (which is one of the perks of being a commercially successful filmmaker), there's a strong economic incentive for him to make films that do business in foreign markets, especially China. Regarding the four Avatar sequels, clearly his investors want these films for the same reason there are six Terminator movies and a TV spin-off: A franchise has greater earning potential than any single film.

[DFA1979]

I rather like James Cameron's work in a narrow Hollywood sense. He has a lot of style and flash but not too much substance. I would label him as what Michael Bay should aspire to be yet fails to achieve due to being lazy and a propaganda machine for the US military.

[transmogrifier]

Oh, and Lust, Caution. That's a sex movie. Didn't like it.

I liked that very much.

[transmogrifier]

I rather like James Cameron's work in a narrow Hollywood sense. He has a lot of style and flash but not too much substance. I would label him as what Michael Bay should aspire to be yet fails to achieve due to being lazy and a propaganda machine for the US military.

Pretty much. Cameron has a good action sense and a shitty story sense.

[DFA1979]

Pretty much. Cameron has a good action sense and a shitty story sense.

I realized that after Avatar. Which I still liked.

[Grouchy]

The claim that certain Hollywood directors (Cameron, Eastwood, Nolan, Scorsese, Tarantino, et al.) have a "blank check" to do whatever they want always strikes me as overstated and ignores the very real aesthetic, ideological, and commercial constraints these filmmakers tacitly accept.
Scorsese has been pretty vocal recently about not having such blank checks.

[Philip J. Fry]

I might be in the minority here, but I believe Cameron should just hire a writer and focus at what he really excels at: directing the shit out of things and moving forward visual effects.

[Skitch]

None of the filmmakers listed have made 2 of the 3 highest grossing films of all time.

[Irish]

The claim that certain Hollywood directors (Cameron, Eastwood, Nolan, Scorsese, Tarantino, et al.) have a "blank check" to do whatever they want always strikes me as overstated and ignores the very real aesthetic, ideological, and commercial constraints these filmmakers tacitly accept.

It's the end result of publicists using auteur theory and box office as a marketing strategy and film fans adopting that language to sound more legitimate. This happens even when it doesn't make sense. There's no reason why anyone should know Brett Ratner's name, for instance, or what the "#1 film in America" is in any given month.

PS: While it's true that everyone works within certain constraints, the guys you named have a lot more wiggle room to experiment and fuck up. (I mean, "Letters from Iwo Jima," "Death Proof" and "Silence" would have paused most people's careers, if not ended them outright.)

And yet Scorsese went over budget at least once during the making of "The Irishman." Tarantino negotiated final cut with Sony on "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood." Eastwood's most profitable movie is the 40 years old and one where he appear opposite an orangutan. Exploitable IP and franchise filmmaking made Nolan and Cameron; either one would be given carte blanche on another "Batman," "Terminator," or "Alien."

[baby doll]

It's the end result of publicists using auteur theory and box office as a marketing strategy and film fans adopting that language to sound more legitimate. This happens even when it doesn't make sense. There's no reason why anyone should know Brett Ratner's name, for instance, or what the "#1 film in America" is in any given month.

PS: While it's true that everyone works within certain constraints, the guys you named have a lot more wiggle room to experiment and fuck up. (I mean, "Letters from Iwo Jima," "Death Proof" and "Silence" would have paused most people's careers, if not ended them outright.)

And yet Scorsese went over budget at least once during the making of "The Irishman." Tarantino negotiated final cut with Sony on "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood." Eastwood's most profitable movie is the 40 years old and one where he appear opposite an orangutan. Exploitable IP and franchise filmmaking made Nolan and Cameron; either one would be given carte blanche on another "Batman," "Terminator," or "Alien."One minor point: Letters from Iwo Jima was nominated for best picture, so even if the film didn't make a ton of cash, the industry recognized it as meeting their criteria of a good film. Similarly, with regards to The Irishman, the film's recognition within the industry as evidenced by its Oscar nominations--that is, the cultural capital it generated--no doubt compensated for Scorsese going over-budget, which is not the worst thing a director can do since extravagant production values are a form of product differentiation.

Second minor point: Although Shinoda Masahiro's Silence (which is based on the same novel as Scorsese's film) isn't generally considered one of his best films, it neither paused nor ended his career.

[Morris Schæffer]

I rather like James Cameron's work in a narrow Hollywood sense. He has a lot of style and flash but not too much substance. I would label him as what Michael Bay should aspire to be yet fails to achieve due to being lazy and a propaganda machine for the US military.

Welcome new guy! :)

The director of The Terminator? Frequently referred to as one of the best sci-fi movies ever, its antagonist one of the best bad guys ever? The director of T2? Frequently referred to as one of the best sequels ever, as well as an absolute technical milestone? These movies transcend so dramatically anything that Bay has ever done that the comparison, in whatever form to the Bad Boys director, is a strange one.

Would you argue that Alien is style, flash but little substance? I'll wager that you wouldn't. So is Aliens a more apt example then of style, flash but little substance? One of the best sequels ever, expanding Scott's universe in valid and intriguing ways. True, these movies exist primarily to thrill and frighten, but we're absolutely nowhere near a "leave your brain at the door" sort of thing. Their substance is the brilliance in how they're directed, in their premises and how the feelings they elicit from the audience go far beyond "solid, mindless timewaster."

Even Titanic is a huge labour of love for the director. He wasn't interested in the story of Jack and Rose, but in the ship herself and there is great substance in how majestically she's been framed and how accurate Cameron's depiction of her sinking is.

I think Cameron's a great storyteller by the way, but I agree that True Lies and Avatar are his weakest efforts.

[Morris Schæffer]

My skin absolutely crawls every single time that helicopter flies under the overpass.

That's this guy doing the flying, Chuck Tamburro.

https://cms-assets.theasc.com/_headerCarouselImage/Terminator-2-FX-Helicopter-Ride.jpg

[DFA1979]

Welcome new guy! :)

The director of The Terminator? Frequently referred to as one of the best sci-fi movies ever, its antagonist one of the best bad guys ever? The director of T2? Frequently referred to as one of the best sequels ever, as well as an absolute technical milestone? These movies transcend so dramatically anything that Bay has ever done that the comparison, in whatever form to the Bad Boys director, is a strange one.

Would you argue that Alien is style, flash but little substance? I'll wager that you wouldn't. So is Aliens a more apt example then of style, flash but little substance? One of the best sequels ever, expanding Scott's universe in valid and intriguing ways. True, these movies exist primarily to thrill and frighten, but we're absolutely nowhere near a "leave your brain at the door" sort of thing. Their substance is the brilliance in how they're directed, in their premises and how the feelings they elicit from the audience go far beyond "solid, mindless timewaster."

Even Titanic is a huge labour of love for the director. He wasn't interested in the story of Jack and Rose, but in the ship herself and there is great substance in how majestically she's been framed and how accurate Cameron's depiction of her sinking is.

I think Cameron's a great storyteller by the way, but I agree that True Lies and Avatar are his weakest efforts.I don't think any action movie is that intelligent, even including John Woo's best efforts. Like I said I am a James Cameron fan and I do appreciate him being more liberal than many filmmakers in the action genre. Aliens was a great flick but it was not really anything beyond surface level that better war films covered.

[Dukefrukem]

I don't think any action movie is that intelligent, even including John Woo's best efforts. Like I said I am a James Cameron fan and I do appreciate him being more liberal than many filmmakers in the action genre. Aliens was a great flick but it was not really anything beyond surface level that better war films covered.

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcQv71m-41LpKHFFrptu_vNH2GZZ0iRLZKh6Dg&usqp=CAU

[DFA1979]

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcQv71m-41LpKHFFrptu_vNH2GZZ0iRLZKh6Dg&usqp=CAU

I consider Inception to be mostly sci-fi. I like Nolan a lot too but I thought Interstellar was far more interesting than Inception.

[Skutch]

true lies is cool. arnold is cool. curtis is beautiful. wtf is wrong with some of you people.

but t1 > t2. that's obvious.

[StuSmallz]

I don't think any action movie is that intelligent, even including John Woo's best efforts.What about this one?:


https://youtu.be/PLLGN7zv-3k

[Skitch]

true lies is cool. arnold is cool. curtis is beautiful. wtf is wrong with some of you people.

but t1 > t2. that's obvious.

I will find you, and I will shin kick you. lol

[Morris Schæffer]

I don't think any action movie is that intelligent, even including John Woo's best efforts. Like I said I am a James Cameron fan and I do appreciate him being more liberal than many filmmakers in the action genre. Aliens was a great flick but it was not really anything beyond surface level that better war films covered.

Aliens' relentlessly terrifying pace would likely have been hampered immensely by philosophical ruminations on the meaningless nature of war etc...

Yeah, it's not that movie. I think your point is a bit moot, doing the movie a slight disservice. In fact, it is quite possible you have just given the entire action genre an unfair shake with one fell swoop.

On the other hand, and although they don't add much for me personally, the Vietnam comparisons have been made often with regards to aliens, and they're kinda apt.

Not every war film needs to be The Thin Red Line or Paths of Glory.

[Morris Schæffer]

I will find you, and I will shin kick you. lol

Your evil twin brother?

[megladon8]

Saying an entire genre of film has nothing to offer beyond surface level thrills seems pretty closed minded and short sighted.

I would be much more inclined to say that war movies often have very little to say or offer beyond either simplistic "brotherhood born in blood" stuff, or "AMERICA, FUCK YEAH!" (alternatively, "(insert country of film's origin), FUCK YEAH!"

But there are several war films out there that do have more to offer the viewer.

TL;DR there is no genre in existence that has nothing intellectual to offer.

Well...maybe whatever Skitch is watching.

[Skitch]

TL;DR there is no genre in existence that has nothing intellectual to offer.

Well...maybe whatever Skitch is watching.

Listen up, pal...midget pudding wrestling porno is a legitimate statement against their oppression from tall people.

[megladon8]

Listen up, pal...midget pudding wrestling porno is a legitimate statement against their oppression from tall people.

Sounds like something a Skitch would say.

Just keep your kind away from my land

[Skitch]

Sounds like something a Skitch would say.

Just keep your kind away from my land

Oh one day I'm coming back home to the fatherland.

[megladon8]

Oh one day I'm coming back home to the fatherland.

I'm sure New Jersey can't wait to have you back.

[Skitch]

I'm sure New Jersey can't wait to have you back.

Ohhhhhh Caaaaaannnnaaadaaaaa

[baby doll]

I don't think any action movie is that intelligentDefine "intelligent."

[Irish]

I think he means an intelligence in story, plot, or theme.

Otherwise, I can't explain the reaction to "Alien," which obviously has a great deal of intelligence behind its construction but whose story lacks a meaningful depth.

I don't know if they count as "action movies," per se, but I'd offer "The Searchers" and "Princess Mononoke" as counter examples.

Both films lack clear antagonists --- or at least, our ideas of who the antagonist is meant to be shifts over the course of the story --- and while both movies have opposing factions that isn't quite the same as, for example, "Star Wars," with its Rebels and Empire, because neither "Searchers" nor "Mononoke" depicts one group as morally superior to the other.

[DFA1979]

Ohhhhhh Caaaaaannnnaaadaaaaa

Wait this isn't the other Skitch? Maybe you are the evil one.

[DFA1979]

Define "intelligent."

"Having or showing intelligence, especially of a high level." I think that's the textbook definition according to Google.

[DFA1979]

I think Alien is intelligently made. I was discussing Aliens.

[DFA1979]

What about this one?:


https://youtu.be/PLLGN7zv-3k

The Mad Max movies are as much sci fi as they are action. I love them a lot but I don't really think about any of them that much.

[Skutch]

I think Alien is intelligently made. I was discussing Aliens.

I think Irash meant Aliens. Alien 2. The second one. Directed by Jomes Camerun. Released in 1986.

[baby doll]

"Having or showing intelligence, especially of a high level." I think that's the textbook definition according to Google.That's a rather circular definition.

[StuSmallz]

Wrote something about Batman Returns (https://letterboxd.com/stusmallz/film/batman-returns/)not too long ago, and long review short, "smooth storytelling isn't really the main appeal of the film, in light of its incredible style and atmosphere, balancing out the inherent artificiality of its soundstage-bound Gotham City with a rich, chilly Christmas time ambience, as the typically cheerful spirit of the holiday makes for a great seasonal contrast with the film's overall tortured, cynical tone, and Returns also greatly benefits from Stefan Czapsky's grand, elegantly sweeping cinematography, Danny Elfman's darkly whimsical score, Bo Welch's gothic production design, which withers Gotham under the granite stare of massive, ominipresent statues, and of course, Burton's macabre stylistic flourishes, and incredibly colorful, limitless sense of imagination (or at least, so it seemed at this point in his career... ahem)".

[DFA1979]

That's a rather circular definition.

Take it up with Google, I guess.

Batman Returns is one flick everyone likes way more than I do. Still it's a decent flick.

[baby doll]

Take it up with Google, I guess.I have to say, you're not being terribly helpful in terms of clarifying your opinion. If you're going to claim that certain films are or are not intelligent, you should have the courtesy to explain the criteria by which you make such judgements. Given that films are inanimate and thus incapable of thought, it's not at all self-evident where one would locate the intelligence of a particular film.

[Skitch]

Batman Returns is one flick everyone likes way more than I do. Still it's a decent flick.

You might have more support on that opinion than you think. Having grown up with those films I will always appreciate them, but the gun bomb using batman makes me roll my eyes hard.

[Morris Schæffer]

Well, what is an intelligent movie? I guess a movie which doesn't betray the rules of its own universe, with characters who behalve in a realistic manner given the events occuring around them. If the scripts a good one, then the movie's intelligent. Something like that? And such a script can be Spartan. If it establishes Steven Seagal as being proficient in Martial arts, and he's able to clean up a whole room of scum, then the movie's sorta intelligent. Doesn't Mean it's good, or original or super engaging but the man can fight. Arms are gonna be broken.

[Dukefrukem]

Well, what is an intelligent movie? I guess a movie which doesn't betray the rules of its own universe, with characters who behalve in a realistic manner given the events occuring around them. If the scripts a good one, then the movie's intelligent. Something like that? And such a script can be Spartan. If it establishes Steven Seagal as being proficient in Martial arts, and he's able to clean up a whole room of scum, then the movie's sorta intelligent. Doesn't Mean it's good, or original or super engaging but the man can fight. Arms are gonna be broken.

Intelligent Sci-Fi (http://matchcut.artboiled.com/showthread.php?6430-Intelligent-Sci-Fi-Discussion&highlight=Intelligent)

[Skitch]

Intelligent Sci-Fi (http://matchcut.artboiled.com/showthread.php?6430-Intelligent-Sci-Fi-Discussion&highlight=Intelligent)

Holy shit was that thread my fault??

http://matchcut.artboiled.com/showthread.php?2157-Total-Recall-Remake/page6&p=411828&viewfull=1#post411828

[Dukefrukem]

I'm getting a google warning when clicking on that.

Or going to this page of the thread. http://matchcut.artboiled.com/showthread.php?2157-Total-Recall-Remake/page6

[Skitch]

I get that too.

[baby doll]

Well, what is an intelligent movie? I guess a movie which doesn't betray the rules of its own universe, with characters who behalve in a realistic manner given the events occuring around them. If the scripts a good one, then the movie's intelligent. Something like that? And such a script can be Spartan. If it establishes Steven Seagal as being proficient in Martial arts, and he's able to clean up a whole room of scum, then the movie's sorta intelligent. Doesn't Mean it's good, or original or super engaging but the man can fight. Arms are gonna be broken.I wouldn't equate coherence with intelligence. It seems to me there are a couple different ways you could define an "intelligent" movie:

Movies about intelligent characters (e.g., Trouble in Paradise)
Movies in which the narrative is constructed in such a way as to achieve particular effects (the suppression of exposition combined with cross-cutting in The Terminator to lead the spectator to make incorrect inferences about the characters)
Movies in which the action is staged to achieve maximum clarity and impact (Police Story)
Movies whose narrative complexity make unusual cognitive demands on the spectator (October)
Movies in which narrative information is presented elliptically (A Brighter Summer Day)
Movies whose narratives are clear but whose implied meanings are elusive (Teorema)
Movies that make spectators feel smart for watching them

And there are probably others I didn't think of.

[Dukefrukem]

Can we talk about Heat for a moment? What's up with DiNiro's character motivation at the end? Are we supposed to accept the flawed nature of wrapping things up and not letting Bosko "get away" with what he did? Instead of walking away clean?

Because let's step through his character mistakes.

1) attempted to kill Bosko in the parking lot of the diner and subsequently letting him get away in the first place

2) you knew after entering the hotel at the end, the police were staked out because you saw the shotgun at the concierge station

3) even after knowing the hotel is staked out, you go up to the hotel room and make a sloppy exit in the hallway

4) exiting the hotel at the end, and walking away from his girl, seemingly thinks he has everything solved until he sees Pacino running down the street

It just seemed like sloppy choices towards the end.

[Idioteque Stalker]

Closer. Is that a sex movie? Not a lot of sex in it, just a whole lot of dirty talk. I think it might count, not sure.

[megladon8]

Can we talk about Heat for a moment? What's up with DiNiro's character motivation at the end? Are we supposed to accept the flawed nature of wrapping things up and not letting Bosko "get away" with what he did? Instead of walking away clean?

Because let's step through his character mistakes.

1) attempted to kill Bosko in the parking lot of the diner and subsequently letting him get away in the first place

2) you knew after entering the hotel at the end, the police were staked out because you saw the shotgun at the concierge station

3) even after knowing the hotel is staked out, you go up to the hotel room and make a sloppy exit in the hallway

4) exiting the hotel at the end, and walking away from his girl, seemingly thinks he has everything solved until he sees Pacino running down the street

It just seemed like sloppy choices towards the end.

I think it was to show how deeply hurt he was that Pacino kind of "broke the code" to screw him over.

The whole movie is about the idea that cops and criminals (professional ones, at least), while being rivals, still have an unspoken code of conduct and almost brotherhood.

Pacino hurt him on a personal level, and he is retaliating in an emotional way rather than cold and professional.

[Idioteque Stalker]

I finally made a letterboxd account and spent some time today rating movies. Went to "popular films," had it show 18 films per page, then told myself I would stop rating once I reached a page with no movies I'd seen. Ended up being 1449 movies. I followed some of you. Idiotequestalkr.

[Ezee E]

Closer. Is that a sex movie? Not a lot of sex in it, just a whole lot of dirty talk. I think it might count, not sure.

Not really, but it's been a while since something even close to that level of sex in movies, so I'll give it a pass.

Great movie though. Love the dialog.

[Skitch]

I really like Closer.

[Dukefrukem]

I finally made a letterboxd account and spent some time today rating movies. Went to "popular films," had it show 18 films per page, then told myself I would stop rating once I reached a page with no movies I'd seen. Ended up being 1449 movies. I followed some of you. Idiotequestalkr.

Awesome. Now work on that profile.

https://i.ibb.co/4P1DWQt/stalker.png

[megladon8]

Did you watch Heat recently, Duke?

Are you a fan?

[Dukefrukem]

Did you watch Heat recently, Duke?

Are you a fan?

Yeh wife and I rewatched it last night. It's Mann's best and has essentially every actor at the height of their acting careers.

[Idioteque Stalker]

Awesome. Now work on that profile.

Now I'm to the point where I've promised myself I'll stop when there's a page of 72 movies I haven't seen. Thank God for American Pie: The Naked Mile.

[Skitch]

Yeh wife and I rewatched it last night. It's Mann's best and has essentially every actor at the height of their acting careers.

It's so damn good. Flaws, sure. But my god do I love that movie.

[DFA1979]

Heat is fantastic. The Naked Mile is awful. Funny how movies can be that way sometimes.

[Mal]

Heat is truly excellent, though my favorite Mann is Thief.

[Skitch]

Heat is truly excellent, though my favorite Mann is Thief.

I need to rewatch Thief. I blind bought it and only watched once. I don't remember anything but I think I liked it. I guess its time to rank Michael Mann?

[Skitch]

Great
Collateral
Heat
Miami Vice
Manhunter

Good
The Last of the Mohicans
Thief

Okay/meh
Public Enemies
Ali
The Keep

Not good
Blackhat
The Insider

[Grouchy]

I really love the scene in Thief where the villain gives a speech to James Caan who is lying on the floor.

I'm not really a fan of most things Michael Mann, but I'll forever champion Heat and The Insider. Those are some truly great filmmaking. Manhunter and Collateral, also good.

[transmogrifier]

1. The Last of Mohicans
2. Heat
3. The Insider
4. Manhunter
5. Thief
6. Miami Vice
7. Collateral
8. Ali
9. Public Enemies
10. Blackhat

[megladon8]

The lack of love for Public Enemies hurts deep.

And jeez, is Blackhat really that bad?

I remember a funny story from back when it was promoted at ComicCon and when the trailer was shown apparently the place was silent with apathy.

[Skitch]

The lack of love for Public Enemies hurts deep.

And jeez, is Blackhat really that bad?

I remember a funny story from back when it was promoted at ComicCon and when the trailer was shown apparently the place was silent with apathy.

Black hat was just really forgettable.

Like I really forget it.

[Mal]

1. Thief
2. Manhunter
3. Heat
4. The Insider
5. The Keep
6. The Last of the Mohicans
7. Collateral
8. Public Enemies
9. Blackhat

I'd say only PE and Blackhat are on the negative scale.

[Grouchy]

I saw a scene from Public Enemies recently and my reaction was the same as back in 2009 - the time period and the digital cinematography look awful together. It's like a TV with auto sports motion or whatever it's called.

[DFA1979]

I still have 4 left to view from Mann, but here's my list so far:

Heat
Thief
Manhunter
Collateral
Public Enemies
The Last of the Mohicans
Miami Vice

I dig or love all of these.

[Morris Schæffer]

Collateral flirted with banality, like the detour to the hospital.

I liked it, but really not in the same ballpark as Heat for instance.

I would like to see Thief.

The Keep wasn't great, but still oddly memorable.

[StuSmallz]

Collateral flirted with banality, like the detour to the hospital.Well for me, that relatively slice-of-life scene in Collateral (https://letterboxd.com/stusmallz/film/collateral/) works on a number of levels; for one, it works because it is a detour from the main plot, because the movie has to be more than just Vincent forcing Max to drive him to his next target with a gun to his head. With a Thriller as otherwise compact and relentless tense as Collateral, you need the occasional break in the tension to allow for enough of an ebb-and-flow in the storytelling to prevent it from becoming repetitive, and the visit to the hospital accomplishes exactly that (besides, it occurs at a perfectly sensible point roughly halfway into the film; it's not like it happens inbetween the Club Fever shootout and the final chase in the 3rd act, and slows the film's momentum down at that point). A few minutes break from the rest of the Thriller-y shenanigans didn't hurt anything, as far as I'm concerned. Besides that, it's also a nicely, darkly comedic scene, with the obvious humor of the mother being charmed by a hitman threatening her son's life (resulting in that all-time ironic line "You'd have to hold a gun to his head to make him do anything"), and it's also necessary for "filling in" the characters, as the mother's undermining comments about Max help provide some background as to why he has so little confidence in anything else he does, and the scene also comes back into play in the plot later, after Vincent threatens to go back to the hospital to kill her if Max doesn't do what he wants, so the inclusion of that scene keeps Vincent’s words from being some vague, generic threat, as we now have a concrete face as an audience to put to the person that he's now a danger to.

So, yeah... I think that scene's fine the way it is.

:D

[transmogrifier]

Collateral is good, but I can never really love it because Cruise's character is the most incompetent hitman ever, yet the film seems to believe that he is some, cool, consummate professional.

[megladon8]

I found the making-of for Collateral really interesting, particularly Tom Cruise's prep work for the role.

It was the first time I was made aware of just how dedicated he is to every project he works on. The guy is a freaking loon, but I wish I had even half the work ethic and passion that guy has.

[Peng]

1. Collateral
2. Heat
3. Thief
4. The Insider
5. Blackhat
6. The Last of the Mohicans
7. Manhunter
8. Public Enemies
9. Ali
10. Miami Vice

[megladon8]

Manhunter and Red Dragon each have bits that they do better than the other.

[Ivan Drago]

I want to watch Thief so bad. I love Tangerine Dream.

[DFA1979]

I want to watch Thief so bad. I love Tangerine Dream.

Folks it's on Criterion and the sale is going on now. I own it.

[megladon8]

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels is dated and almost cliché now, but you can still see how it would have been fresh ang original at the time of its release.

Some decent comedic bits and sharp dialogue make up for some very sloppy technicals even given the budget.

Not much of a Ritchie fan, but glad I finally saw the movie that put him on the map.

Think I prefer Snatch.

[Skitch]

I love Lock Stock. Not saying it's perfect or anything but damn does it make me laugh.

Left foot right foot, the body will follow, they calls it walkin'!

[Ivan Drago]

Folks it's on Criterion and the sale is going on now. I own it.

I like watching movies before buying them.

[DFA1979]

I like watching movies before buying them.

I do blind buys a lot. Mostly with Criterions.

[DFA1979]

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels is dated and almost cliché now, but you can still see how it would have been fresh ang original at the time of its release.

Some decent comedic bits and sharp dialogue make up for some very sloppy technicals even given the budget.

Not much of a Ritchie fan, but glad I finally saw the movie that put him on the map.

Think I prefer Snatch.

I dig both those movies but yeah Snatch is better. Brad Pitt is fantastic at comedy.

[megladon8]

I do blind buys a lot. Mostly with Criterions.

Same with me.

I live in the boonies on terrible internet. Streaming services are not a luxury I get to indulge in often.

I buy anything I want to see.

I have 9 movies on their way to me right now!

[DFA1979]

Same with me.

I live in the boonies on terrible internet. Streaming services are not a luxury I get to indulge in often.

I buy anything I want to see.

I have 9 movies on their way to me right now!

I have streaming and Internet but sometimes it's nice to own a movie. I don't have to worry about if it leaves a service or having to sign up for one to watch it. It's mine. What movies did you get?

[DFA1979]

Her was pretty good, maybe even almost great. But I couldn't fully get into that movie. I was left a bit creeped out by the whole love plot with an operating system. Is that going to happen more and more if AI becomes self aware and intelligent? Maybe I just don't trust technology to benefit mankind and not enslave us in the end. One could make the argument we already slaves to technology anyways.

[megladon8]

I have streaming and Internet but sometimes it's nice to own a movie. I don't have to worry about if it leaves a service or having to sign up for one to watch it. It's mine. What movies did you get?

Mostly garbage, a few gems...

47 Meters Down
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Gretel and Hansel
Mold!
Pyewacket
The Invisible Man (2020)
The Meg
Overlord
Upgrade

[DFA1979]

Mostly garbage, a few gems...

47 Meters Down
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Gretel and Hansel
Mold!
Pyewacket
The Invisible Man (2020)
The Meg
Overlord
UpgradeI've only seen The Meg and Overlord. Both good movies.

[Idioteque Stalker]

Well, shit. This Kandahar dvd I just got from Netflix has only an English dub. It's a shame because this movie seems cool so far and the dub is really hindering my enjoyment.

Lately I'm experiencing more and more difficulty finding the movies I want. Zulawski's Possession has been on my watch list for years, but curiosity isn't enough for me to spring for a $40 blu ray. Farewell My Concubine was at the top of my queue with a "very long wait" for months, and now it's unavailable. I had to order a used $30 dvd of Deconstructing Harry. Show Me Love is also hard to find.

These aren't super obscure movies. In the age of streaming, you'd think I'd be able to find a way to watch a Woody Allen movie without overpaying for someone's old dvd.

EDIT: nvm regarding Kandahar, there was just some weird lip-syncing with some of the film's early English speakers.

[Grouchy]

Huh... Torrents?

I've been using Stremio for like a week now. It depends on how stable your internet connection is (obviously) but it works like a charm most of the time.

[Mal]

47 Meters Down was a perfectly silly, suspenseful summer movie. I enjoyed it more than Open Water.

[Skitch]

Huh... Torrents?

I've been using Stremio for like a week now. It depends on how stable your internet connection is (obviously) but it works like a charm most of the time.

I use Kodi.

[DFA1979]

I fully endorse piracy at this point. Way too many streaming services and physical media is taking hits.

[Morris Schæffer]

47 Meters Down was a perfectly silly, suspenseful summer movie. I enjoyed it more than Open Water.

What was silly about it? Suspenseful I will admit, but I recall no silliness. Doesn't mean I felt the flick was one for the history books.

[Mal]

What was silly about it? Suspenseful I will admit, but I recall no silliness. Doesn't mean I felt the flick was one for the history books.

From what I recall, the constant exposition and the general setup is B-movie quality.

[Yxklyx]

Well, shit. This Kandahar dvd I just got from Netflix has only an English dub. It's a shame because this movie seems cool so far and the dub is really hindering my enjoyment.

Lately I'm experiencing more and more difficulty finding the movies I want. Zulawski's Possession has been on my watch list for years, but curiosity isn't enough for me to spring for a $40 blu ray. ...

I bought Possession on DVD for only $10 a few years ago - is the Blu Ray really quality content? Just get the DVD - this is one case where the content means the transfer isn't as important.

[Idioteque Stalker]

I bought Possession on DVD for only $10 a few years ago - is the Blu Ray really quality content? Just get the DVD - this is one case where the content means the transfer isn't as important.

Only dvd I can find on amazon is region 2. Otherwise I would take your advice and buy it.

[Idioteque Stalker]

Kinsey. That might be a sex movie. Not sexy, but still.

I keep thinking of movies. Maybe I'll turn it into my first list on letterboxd.

[Morris Schæffer]

Body of evidence. Madonna, dafoe and candle wax. the holy trifecta.

[megladon8]

I like Secretary.

It's what 50 Shades thought it was.

[Idioteque Stalker]

I like Secretary.

It's what 50 Shades thought it was.

I might watch this tonight.

[Ezee E]

Has anyone seen Come and See?

My quick thoughts:
Bookended by photographs, one with Russian soldiers planning to go into battle, and the other with German soldiers showing their accomplishment. In between might be the toughest war film that I've ever seen.

Impeccably crafted by Elem Klimov, it's certainly worth the time to watch if you can handle this type of movie. It's a descent into madness that not even a handful of movies have been able to accomplish, and there's plenty to talk about afterwards with its use of surrealism, traumatic sequences, and images that may or may not be in the protagonist's mindset.

I applaud Criterion Films for getting this movie seen, as I never really heard of it until the last six months when they released it. It's truly a hidden gem that should be seen.

[Idioteque Stalker]

I saw Come and See after Raiders praised it years ago. Rewatched it Saturday. One of the best, and few, truly anti-war movies. It takes a little bit to find its groove I think, but once the mud scene happened I was hooked again. The extended final sequence is super effective and horrifying. Finding it is the third highest rated film on letterboxd is what reminded me of it.

[Mal]

Come and See is probably the first movie I ever saw that truly felt to me like an important piece of art, 15ish years ago. I remember it being brought up on RT back in the day, which I believe is why I sought it out at the time. Shook me hard, haven't seen it again since, but its likely my favorite portrait of war. I was planning on seeing it in a theater in Cambridge, MA in March... but COVID happened and the theater shut down. Picked up the bluray, very happy to own it.

[Ivan Drago]

Saw it based on several recommendations on RT. I loved it but thought I'd never watch it again. Still recommended it to Rebort when we did a film swap on Axis (remember those?), and he loved it, too. Years later, my arthouse theater announced they were getting the 4K restoration and I had every intention of going to see it, but then COVID happened, and they had to temporarily close. Debating whether or not to get the Criterion blu-ray.

[DFA1979]

I still haven't seen it. One of these days.

[Ezee E]

I didn't see it in theaters, but the restoration looks great on the TV.

I was hooked at the first photo. I knew things weren't going to go well, but the praising of the Russian soldiers, their singing, and then quick dismissal of the protagonist... It all goes downhill there, and the sound design of the first bombing sequence is something that I feel is still original to this day. Although Nolan definitely could thank this movie for the sequence itself, just used it in a different way.

[Morris Schæffer]

Feels like the most recent movie that has a close kinship to come and see would be son of Saul.

[Ezee E]

Feels like the most recent movie that has a close kinship to come and see would be son of Saul.

Have you seen The Painted Bird?

[Morris Schæffer]

Have you seen The Painted Bird?

No, it's not even a familiar title.

[Ezee E]

No, it's not even a familiar title.

B&W movie that came out last year. Very similar feel in that a kid who's not all there (think he was mute) goes from one wartorn German house to another, viewing terrible things happening to terrible people, and sometimes terrible things happening to innocent people.

Udo Kier and Barry Pepper pop up in it.

It's terrible, but uses the troubled kid as the "audience view" into antiwar approach. It definitely intends to gross out or shock the viewer more than Come and See's approach.

[Ivan Drago]

I don't know if anyone here has Mubi, but they added a library of films in addition to the ones that expire 30 days after their arrival, and one of them is The Turin Horse.

I know what I'm watching this weekend!

[megladon8]

Upgrade is so goddamned good.

[Idioteque Stalker]

Despite everyone encouraging me to torrent, I am currently watching Show Me Love on youtube with Swedish audio and French subtitles, even though I don't speak either language. God I love this movie.

[Grouchy]

https://img.picturequotes.com/2/51/50635/come-over-to-the-dark-side-quote-1.jpg

[megladon8]

Watched Eyes Wide Shut last night for the first time in at least 15 years.

Always enjoyed it, but at this point it may have graduated into my favorites list.

What a rich, powerful experience it is.

[Yxklyx]

Has anyone here seen King Vidor's The Crowd? I can't find it anywhere!

[Idioteque Stalker]

Watched Eyes Wide Shut last night for the first time in at least 15 years.

Always enjoyed it, but at this point it may have graduated into my favorites list.

What a rich, powerful experience it is.

Can't wait to watch my new blu ray next week!

[Skitch]

Can't wait to watch my new blu ray next week!

"Rich" is such a good term to put to that film. Its thick as hell. I love it. Kidman is outstanding and so is Cruise.

[megladon8]

Can't wait to watch my new blu ray next week!

Just like all of Kubrick's work, I feel like I could spend endless hours dissecting it with someone.

It's now either my number 2 or 3 Kubrick.

[megladon8]

"Rich" is such a good term to put to that film. Its thick as hell. I love it. Kidman is outstanding and so is Cruise.

They are both amazing, yes. I think Kidman was the MVP. She knocked it out of the park.

[Skitch]

They are both amazing, yes. I think Kidman was the MVP. She knocked it out of the park.

You're absolutely right, but as a married man, her speeches are so fucking savage (and true to life) they're brutally hard to watch.

[megladon8]

You're absolutely right, but as a married man, her speeches are so fucking savage (and true to life) they're brutally hard to watch.

When she tells him about the dream where she's fucking untold numbers of other men, while she watches him and laughs at him.

Remove testicle and place in blender.

[Skitch]

Brutal. BRUTAL! I totally understand why Stanley said it's his favorite movie he made, he was always chasing honesty and its unbearably honest.

[megladon8]

The entire thing can be read in umpteen different ways.

A couple destroyed by honesty, and the necessity of some level of secrecy in marriage.

Commentary on the class system in modern America.

Conspiracy theory about the Illuminati.

The tangible effect that modern work and career stresses have on family life.

Every reading of the movie has legitimacy, and none are incorrect.

Every one of Kubrick's films (that I have seen) share this trait, and it's pretty much WHY I love talking about movies. You could tell me that Eyes Wide Shut was - to you - an allegory for the Korean War, and I'd be like "yeah that was probably intentional. Tell me what you saw."

It is insane how thematically rich his movies are.

[Skitch]

Yep agreed 100%.

[baby doll]

Has anyone here seen King Vidor's The Crowd? I can't find it anywhere!I saw it on TCM about ten years ago. It's mind-bogglingly great, despite being quite possibly the most depressing film ever produced by a major studio.

[baby doll]

The entire thing can be read in umpteen different ways.

A couple destroyed by honesty, and the necessity of some level of secrecy in marriage.

Commentary on the class system in modern America.

Conspiracy theory about the Illuminati.

The tangible effect that modern work and career stresses have on family life.

Every reading of the movie has legitimacy, and none are incorrect.

Every one of Kubrick's films (that I have seen) share this trait, and it's pretty much WHY I love talking about movies. You could tell me that Eyes Wide Shut was - to you - an allegory for the Korean War, and I'd be like "yeah that was probably intentional. Tell me what you saw."

It is insane how thematically rich his movies are.Kubrick's not the only filmmaker whose films inspire a variety of interpretations; on the contrary, it's probably the case that most films can be interpreted in different ways, even bad ones (e.g., one could read Uncle Buck as being about John Candy's repressed incestuous desire for his niece, which causes him to behave like a psychotically jealous lover--or more generally, as being about female sexuality as a threat to the established patriarchal order). Moreover, the interpretations aren't latent in the film but are produced by the spectator; whether something is "intentional" or not is obviously irrelevant, since films aren't messages to be decoded. (Even a literal understanding of what happens in a narrative film requires making inferences that go beyond what's actually shown onscreen.) If Kubrick's later films seem particularly amenable to a variety of readings, that's due in part to their deployment of art cinema conventions: The black monolith and the star child in 2001 call out for interpretation by virtue of being enigmatic. (As Bordwell puts it, "the slogan of art cinema might be 'When in doubt, read for maximum ambiguity'.") In any case, it's not clear where those interpretations actually get us. In the case of Eyes Wide Shut, what is it actually saying about class in the US in the 1990s: That rich people really don't want the rest of us to find out about their orgies? Big deal. As for it being about the need for secrecy in a marriage, that's pretty much the film's explicit meaning as articulated by the Kidman character in the final sequence.

I think Susan Sontag said it best almost sixty years ago in "Against Interpretation":


nterpretation is the revenge of the intellect upon art. Even more. It is the revenge of the intellect upon the world. To interpret is to impoverish, to deplete the world—in order to set up a shadow world of "meanings." It is to turn the world into [i]this world. ("This world!" As if there were any other.)

[dreamdead]

Spent last week slowly going through Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s 6-hour film Happy Hour (on Amazon Prime). It's always understated, lingering on slow developments between relationships and examining the changes across 4 women in their mid-30s. It's a study on the ennui of work and family life in Japan, where Hamaguchi lets two scenes get extended takes (basically letting the camera linger for half an hour of "real" time) that enables the film to achieve a truly lived-in quality. There are instances where this pays off memorably--my favorite is a scene between one of the women and the son of another, where information divulged leads to moment of thanksgiving amidst general apathy--even as the film just sort of peters out after 5 hours of tracking. This and Barry Jenkins's If Beale Street Could Talk have been quiet balms for me these last few weeks.

In more infuriating news, apparently Shane Carruth has a history of abuse (https://twitter.com/BoomerCia/status/1287108369392820224). Such a complete bummer for someone like me who loved Upstream Color, taught it multiple times, and found its treatment of abuse and trauma so incredibly affecting. Solidarity with Amy Seimetz.

[megladon8]

Why would he post a restraining order against him?

That's really weird.

[Idioteque Stalker]

I'm not good at twitter, but it appears from the photo Shane didn't intend to reveal that document--or maybe it's some sort of passive aggressive thing. Either way, very disappointing. Just revisited Upstream Color the other day.

[Skitch]

Why would he post a restraining order against him?

That's really weird.

*looks at picture*

Theres no way that wasn't on purpose. I adore Primer (I need to rewatch Upstream Color). I have gut feelings about people with no context or proof or reason. My gut has always kind of assumed he was an asshole. Sad to see this is the kind of asshole he is.

[Mal]

I don't know if anyone here has Mubi, but they added a library of films in addition to the ones that expire 30 days after their arrival, and one of them is The Turin Horse.

I know what I'm watching this weekend!
Thanks for sharing, I haven't watched this one yet and now is the time!

[baby doll]

In more infuriating news, apparently Shane Carruth has a history of abuse (https://twitter.com/BoomerCia/status/1287108369392820224). Such a complete bummer for someone like me who loved Upstream Color, taught it multiple times, and found its treatment of abuse and trauma so incredibly affecting. Solidarity with Amy Seimetz.Does this mean you wouldn't teach it anymore?

[Peng]

I'm not good at twitter, but it appears from the photo Shane didn't intend to reveal that document--or maybe it's some sort of passive aggressive thing.

Amy Seimetz's new film She Dies Tomorrow is about to be released, and that pic was a few days after the trailer for it came out. Coupled with the fact that it's arranged so we can clearly see both names and the details of what the paper is without mistake, and I really have a hard time seeing it as accidental.

[Ivan Drago]

Thanks for sharing, I haven't watched this one yet and now is the time!

No problem!

I sadly ended up not having the time to watch it this weekend, but it'll be a priority for next weekend for sure!

[dreamdead]

Does this mean you wouldn't teach it anymore?

That's a trickier question than you likely intend. My present institution is really only a literature job so my only place to teach a film is in a 20th to Contemporary world literature class. In that class I've taught Jia Zhangke's A Touch of Sin multiple times, but that's really about it (I've thought about Maya Deren's shorts). When I was first at the job I got to teach a special topics course on 21st Century Cinema, and I taught Carruth's film, as I thought its basically wordless final stretch was a challenge to film norms and deserved consideration. But it, unlike something like Mulholland Dr., never quite opened up to students.

Do I think art by problematic artists should be strictly avoided? Not necessarily. My temperament is to be less forgiving with living artists than dead ones, since royalties and all. A contemporary example: There's a recent question of the private letters that Flannery O'Connor wrote to friends that are tempered in their appeal to racial equality--basically, she stresses that she'd publicly meet and be friends with African Americans in New York but not Georgia--even as her stories excoriate those same racial biases. Does that mean that I might not teach her work? It'd depend what thematic or concept I'm using her work to help illuminate. I'm still grappling with O'Connor and whether the brutal humanity in the stories is more vital than the measured willingness to advocate for equality in the American South (a South, it should be noted, that I presently reside in). With Carruth's film those concerns move from a reclamation of the specifically female-centered trauma (I always identify more with Seimetz's character than his in the film) to an uncomfortably layered repudiation of that sort of community of tortured people learning to live with and work through their traumas. Now the extratextual context of the restraining order undoes that sort of communal therapy. Even if one chooses to argue that this restraining order resides out of the context of the film, the film's very working is precisely about some of those issues, and it forces the film to uncomfortably reside in me now. I acknowledge that adult life is grappling with those uncomfortable residings, but I expect that my appreciation for UC might fade in the midst of this knowledge.

To sidestep this question slightly: I was asked to contribute to an academic collection on American sci-fi films since 2000 at the beginning of this month. While I had initially suggested Upstream Color, I pivoted to suggesting that I write on Boots Riley's Sorry to Bother You--among other things, it helps to reshift the white-dominated focus of the collection's American coverage. While Riley's film is not "strictly" sci-fi, it does a fascinating blend of satire and world-building that warrants closer study for how it intersects with sci-fi themes. Now, at the end of the month, I get to breathe a sign of relief that I don't have that extratextual context to grapple with, and to wonder at how it diminishes my appreciation of a film that I'd treasured. Maybe more time will lead to one of Carruth or Seimetz talking about this personal trauma and offer greater clarity about the specifics of the restraining order, but 1) they're under no obligation to, and 2) my time on this earth is short enough that I'd rather not commit six months to thinking and writing on UC. A week of teaching it might be different if the opportunity arises again.

[Dukefrukem]

In more infuriating news, apparently Shane Carruth has a history of abuse (https://twitter.com/BoomerCia/status/1287108369392820224). Such a complete bummer for someone like me who loved Upstream Color, taught it multiple times, and found its treatment of abuse and trauma so incredibly affecting. Solidarity with Amy Seimetz.

This fucking sucks.

[Skitch]

Does anybody know the story behind it? No I'm not victim blaming or auto-siding with the man, but literally anyone can get a restraining order for any reason (and btw, restraining orders do fucking nothing, trust me, I know first hand).

[Dukefrukem]

No. All we have is speculation based on that photo. Restraining order sounds bad though.

[[ETM]]

It could be a coincidence, but the court date is today, and the paper is visible just enough for the name to be perfectly legible, which means it's likely intentional, for whatever reason...

Sent from my Mi 9 Lite using Tapatalk

[Skitch]

;624420']It could be a coincidence, but the court date is today, and the paper is visible just enough for the name to be perfectly legible, which means it's likely intentional, for whatever reason...

Sent from my Mi 9 Lite using Tapatalk

I don't for a second believe a director framed this shot on accident.

[Ezee E]

Bet he wishes his time machine worked.

[Skitch]

Bet he wishes his time machine worked.

It probably does, but we're in the timeline where it doesn't lol

[Ezee E]

It probably does, but we're in the timeline where it doesn't lol

Duuuuuude. Rep given.

[DFA1979]

I liked both of his films. Guess it's safer to assume a lot of famous and or talented people suck so you aren't disappointed later on.

[megladon8]

Anyone see the one he starred in recently called The Dead Center?

[Peng]

Does anybody know the story behind it? No I'm not victim blaming or auto-siding with the man, but literally anyone can get a restraining order for any reason (and btw, restraining orders do fucking nothing, trust me, I know first hand).

The story behind it is out now, and it's worse than I thought.

1287894678948454400


Actress and director Amy Seimetz has obtained a temporary restraining order against her ex-boyfriend, director Shane Carruth, accusing him of years of mental, emotional and physical abuse.

On one occasion in 2016, Seimetz alleges that Carruth jumped on her in a hotel room and strangled her until she struggled to breathe, according to filings attached to her application for the order. She also alleges that Carruth has continued to harass and abuse her since she broke up with him in 2018.


Seimetz filed for the order on June 12, saying that Carruth’s messages had become increasingly disturbing and that she was terrified of him. In a May 15 message, which is attached to her request, Carruth allegedly said “You are Shiva, the goddess of death. I see you. I will know when it’s time for you to be done… You should be scared. You don’t know what I’m going to do… You should be scared.”

In the application for the restraining order, Seimetz said that a private investigator had conducted a “threat assessment report” and found that Carruth posed a “moderate to high level of threat.” A forensic psychologist who consulted on the report noted that Carruth had demonstrated “fixation” and had made “direct homicidal threats,” according to the report, which was attached to her filings.

“Mr. Carruth’s most recent contact has caused me extreme anxiety and emotional distress,” Seimetz wrote. “I am terrified for my safety and I fear that Mr. Carruth will show up at my home, physically harm me or even kill me. The fact that Mr. Carruth continues to harass, abuse, and threaten me years after our relationship ended scares me.”

A hearing on whether to make the restraining order permanent is set for Tuesday.

Seimetz obtained an earlier temporary restraining order in 2018. At that time, she alleged in a court filing that Carruth had screamed at her repeatedly while drunk, put his hands on her, and called her a “stupid whore” and a “stupid c—.”

In 2018, Carruth denied any physical abuse and the judge declined to make the order permanent. According to Seimetz’s recent application, that emboldened Carruth to continue harassing her in emails and text messages.

In a December 2018 email, also attached to her filing, he wrote “You want to fight me? Bring it. I will kill you.”

In August 2019, she pleaded with him to stop contacting her, according to the emails. In response, he allegedly wrote: “I know exactly where your house is… you’ll never beat me.” Later he said, “Understand how dangerous you are making this encounter.”


Reading the details makes me at least surer now that he shows the picture in order to mess with her film's release.

[Skitch]

Ugggghhhhh what an asshole. I have dealt with this kind of ex before. Its a fucking nightmare.

[megladon8]

What the fuck, dude.

Men like that need to go away forever.

[DFA1979]

Holy shit. Also why can't the headline mention Amy Seimetz's name? Reducing her to just ex girlfriend is pretty cruel and unnecessary.

[Dukefrukem]

Holy shit. Also why can't the headline mention Amy Seimetz's name? Reducing her to just ex girlfriend is pretty cruel and unnecessary.

What state ate you from DFA? West Coast?

[Lazlo]

Today it was announced that the oldest theater in my city, The Manor, would not reopen after the pandemic. It was 73 years old, two screens dedicated to "indie" and foreign stuff. Tragic, and to make matters worse: in the past three years we've gone from 13 screens across three different art house theaters to zero. Two closed, one was bought by AMC, renovated, and is now just six more screens of the widest releases.

The closing had been long rumored even without the pandemic, but man this hurts. There's a million people living in this city and we can't even support one art house. Nope, we simply must have more apartment buildings and breweries.

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/biz-columns-blogs/whats-in-store/article242858576.html

Following up on this:

The Charlotte Film Society is working on opening a non-profit theater with three screens in one of the trendier neighborhoods sometime next summer. They're using a lot of the seats and some other items salvaged from the now-closed Manor Theatre and it'll be run by many of the same management staff. This is great and exciting news and they've launched a GoFundMe to raise $150,000 from the general public that'll also be used as a sign of support for bigger investors. Check out the story and, if you want us to have cool movies and a cool venue in Charlotte, consider chipping in! You'll receive a much-deserved "atta-boy" from me!

Life after the Manor Theatre: A nonprofit art house cinema is planned for a fast-changing part of NoDa (https://www.charlotteagenda.com/226191/life-after-the-manor-theatre-a-nonprofit-art-house-cinema-is-planned-for-a-fast-changing-part-of-noda/)

GoFundMe (https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/charlotte-community-cinema)

[DFA1979]

What state ate you from DFA? West Coast?

Iowa.

[Dukefrukem]

Iowa.

You post like another member on here... who hasn't posted since you showed up. He's also from the same state you are.

[megladon8]

Huh?

[Dukefrukem]

Huh?

I think it's madman on a burner.

[transmogrifier]

I think it's madman on a burner.

Scar figured that out within a day :)

[Wryan]

That's sad to hear Lazlo. I loved going to the Manor now and then when I lived in Charlotte and when I visited my parents' house when they still lived there. I hope they can get a new place up and running.

[Scar]

Scar figured that out within a day :)

*shrug*

Part of my job is observing people.

[Skitch]

*shrug*

Part of my job is observing people.

*suddenly very uncomfortable*

[Scar]

*suddenly very uncomfortable*

You really should wear pants more often.

[Dukefrukem]

Scar figured that out within a day :)

He texted me his theory, but I wasn't convinced... until DFA's last night posting history.

[Grouchy]

Blown away. But why?

[Lazlo]

That's sad to hear Lazlo. I loved going to the Manor now and then when I lived in Charlotte and when I visited my parents' house when they still lived there. I hope they can get a new place up and running.

Yeah it was quite the blow. The Manor wasn't anything fancy, but it was a big part of my teenage years, a place I went with the newfound freedom brought by driving, and a place where my love of movies flourished. I saw more than 120 movies there and it was always special, even if the movie sucked. So many of my favorite memories are tied to that place. I hope with all my heart this new place becomes a reality.

[DFA1979]

Took you guys long enough. Also Scar and I are friends on Facebook after all. Duke why did you think I was on the West Coast? I just got tired of the old account so I pm-ed Ezee and got him to approve a new one. I figured that the location title and sig (both Bauhaus song lyrics) plus the Apocalypse Now avatar and username were pretty good hints.

I'm not sure if I will finish my backlog thread. Maybe.

[DFA1979]

Yeah it was quite the blow. The Manor wasn't anything fancy, but it was a big part of my teenage years, a place I went with the newfound freedom brought by driving, and a place where my love of movies flourished. I saw more than 120 movies there and it was always special, even if the movie sucked. So many of my favorite memories are tied to that place. I hope with all my heart this new place becomes a reality.

That sounds cool. I hope it works out.

[DFA1979]

You really should wear pants more often.

Sig worthy haha.

[Scar]

Took you guys long enough. Also Scar and I are friends on Facebook after all. Duke why did you think I was on the West Coast? I just got tired of the old account so I pm-ed Ezee and got him to approve a new one. I figured that the location title and sig (both Bauhaus song lyrics) plus the Apocalypse Now avatar and username were pretty good hints.

I'm not sure if I will finish my backlog thread. Maybe.

Honestly, the first avatar you used with your new account was the biggest red flag. I believe it was the Driver one that you had sported previously. Then a mention of Iowa, and then it was a quick mental comparison of posting styles.

[DFA1979]

Honestly, the first avatar you used with your new account was the biggest red flag. I believe it was the Driver one that you had sported previously. Then a mention of Iowa, and then it was a quick mental comparison of posting styles.

I dumped the Driver one because it's not very big. This isn't my burner this is my official account. The old one is closed. Dead for good.

[Skitch]

You really should wear pants more often.

Look at Judegey McPantsworth over here...

[Dukefrukem]

Took you guys long enough. Also Scar and I are friends on Facebook after all. Duke why did you think I was on the West Coast? I just got tired of the old account so I pm-ed Ezee and got him to approve a new one. I figured that the location title and sig (both Bauhaus song lyrics) plus the Apocalypse Now avatar and username were pretty good hints.

I'm not sure if I will finish my backlog thread. Maybe.

Well, either the west coast or mountain time. When I wake up and logon to MC in the morning, you have a history of posting in multiple threads between 1-3am my time. So when I click on NEW POSTS, all i see is MadMan responses. And that's what I woke up to yesterday only it was DFA.

[Ivan Drago]

Anyone see the one he starred in recently called The Dead Center?

I did; it was shot where I live! I know the director and a lot of my actor friends and crew friends worked on it, too. It's got its flaws but I really enjoyed it.

[DFA1979]

Well, either the west coast or mountain time. When I wake up and logon to MC in the morning, you have a history of posting in multiple threads between 1-3am my time. So when I click on NEW POSTS, all i see is MadMan responses. And that's what I woke up to yesterday only it was DFA.Well I do work nights, but I get off work at 10 pm these days. Certain folks at The Bronze forum have called me the forum vampire, which I always thought was hilarious.

[Idioteque Stalker]

Look at Judegey McPantsworth over here...

"Home is where the pants aren't."

I think I read that on a bumper sticker.

[Ivan Drago]

There's still loads I have to marinate over regarding The Turin Horse, but despite it plodding along toward the end, the two main characters’ monotonous isolation feels so haunting, and the film’s depiction of an apocalyptic landscape made me think about the state of our world so often, that I had to take more breaks throughout this than I did for Sátántangó, and this is 1/3rd of the latter film’s runtime. What’s sadder and more ominous than being alone in times of despair is living through said times of despair in a strained relationship with the only companion one has. Tarr knows that silence is the scariest sound in the world, and it’s employed with chilling, melancholy results in what was his final film.

Also, the old man and his daughter sitting to look out the window, longing for the wind/dust storm to end reminded me of the times I've gone to sit at my balcony, where I've often thought about the past since the pandemic started. The parallel was quite frightening.

[Qrazy]

What's up you fuckers. I'm still alive! How are ya?

[transmogrifier]

What's up you fuckers. I'm still alive! How are ya?

Jesus, it's 2007 again.

[Dukefrukem]

Wow. Welcome back

[Qrazy]

Jesus, it's 2007 again.

Quarantine Time Machine. Babyyyyyy.

Thanks Duke. Prob won't be crazy active but had a notification in my inbox and got all nostalgic for a hot minute.

Have you guys seen all ze movies yet? I'm at 3,691 give or take.

[megladon8]

Holy shit, great to see you!

[Grouchy]

Hahah awesome! According to Criticker I've seen 3498 of 'em.

[Ezee E]

Black Narcissus -

This movie is far, far ahead of its time and no wonder it's one of Scorsese's most influential movies.

It's grand in scope, displays a strong conflict of faith, and the artistic approach to flashbacks...

Wow! Just a bummer it took me so long to come to this one!

[Idioteque Stalker]

Black Narcissus has been creeping up my queue for years and years. Now that it's finally made its way close to the top, of course I scroll past it on HBO Max. Didn't know it was a huge influence on Scorsese.

[DFA1979]

What's up you fuckers. I'm still alive! How are ya?

Hiya Qrazy, welcome back. I was once MadMan.

[DFA1979]

Jesus, it's 2007 again.

LET'S DO THE TIME WARP AGAAAAAAAIN!

[Ezee E]

Hiya Qrazy, welcome back. I was once MadMan.

Now he's just TemperedMan