Tropic Thunder (If Robert Downey Jr. were black he'd be...)

[balmakboor]

I didn't even realize it was Tom Cruise until something about his facial expression gave it away 2/3 of the way through. I'd read nothing about the movie beforehand.

Looking forward to seeing the Blu-ray director's cut soon. It's easily in my top 10 for 2008.

[Spinal]

Regardless, Downey carries the movie on his shoulders, everyone else's performance (Cruise included) was secondary.

I agree with this. Cruise was certainly not my favorite aspect, but I found plenty to enjoy outside of that.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Did you laugh when Ben Stiller made his fat suit boobs dance to Milkshake at the end of Dodgeball as well?

I don't think you got the joke.

[Watashi]

Yeah, this film jumped into my Top Ten after a rewatch.

It's all about Downey Jr. and John Toll.

Plus, I think Sven would really dig the director's cut. There's a shout out to Renny Harlin.

[number8]

I like how John Toll plays the cinematographer on the set. You see him behind Steve Coogan standing next to a camera. How the hell did he shoot that scene, then?

[Raiders]

I like how John Toll plays the cinematographer on the set. You see him behind Steve Coogan standing next to a camera. How the hell did he shoot that scene, then?

Probably the same way some directors find a way to also act in their films.

[Qrazy]

But the scene (and his whole character) is such a transparent attempt to achieve such an audience reaction that I find it hard to believe that Cruise himself didn't write the part to raise his profile. When I saw the film at theatres, my entire audience was just nervously laughing on their way to the exits.

I liked the film overall, though.

Both times he danced were actually the only times in my theater where there was dead silence. That in and of itself was kind of hilarious actually.

[Qrazy]

Probably the same way some directors find a way to also act in their films.

lol yes, 8 I assume you were joking?

Frankly I didn't find the cinematography that impressive. But most of that probably has more to do with Stiller's inability to construct a decently storyboarded sequence and the generally crap editing tying the imagery together. Still outside of a few highlights compositionally I was underwhelmed. Toll obviously knows how to light a scene but other than that... a pretty minor effort from him imo. Although actually come to think of it aside form his work on The Thin Red Line I don't give a shit about most of his work. Braveheart, Gone Baby Gone, Almost Famous and Vanilla Sky was all solid work but not particularly outstanding.

[Rowland]

Stiller did not make a career out of being an extremely high-profile, critically acclaimed leading actor. Tom Cruise is an internationally renowned celebrity with a reputation for being quite serious and guarded and such. To see him portraying such a physically and personally vile and disgusting character is quite unexpected. To see him make fun of his own persona in such a totally outlandish manner is quite comical and ironic. Watching Ben Stiller make his typical fart jokes is neither. Fair enough?Stiller was making fun of our expectations for that sort of humor by ending Dodgeball with as grotesque and asinine a fat-person-dancing-to-ironic-song joke he could make, which isn't really all that different. In both cases, it's smugly self-congratulatory and condescending. IMO.

[Raiders]

lol yes, 8 I assume you were joking?

I would assume so too, but I like to cover all the bases.

[Watashi]

I understand where 8 is coming from. Usually when an actor stars in their own directorial feature, the DP is always behind the camera. In Tropic Thunder's case, both the director and DP were on screen, so 8 was wonder who was shooting the entire scene then.

[Rowland]

I understand where 8 is coming from. Usually when an actor stars in their own directorial feature, the DP is always behind the camera. In Tropic Thunder's case, both the director and DP were on screen, so 8 was wonder who was shooting the entire scene then.Assistant DP or second-unit DP would be my guess.

[number8]

It's not just that. In the commentary, Stiller talks about how ridiculously complicated shooting that scene was, because they didn't hire actors to play the fake crew. They used their real crew. When the boom operator, sound recordist, DP, camera man, camera assistant, dolly operator, make up artist, etc. are all on screen, who the fuck was manning behind camera?

Also, because the director is the main character and constantly says "Cut" as his dialogue, they had to come up with a new term for cut so the crew would know that they're cutting for real. They decided on, "Stop rolling. No, seriously, stop." :lol: Steve Coogan was especially confused the entire time.

[megladon8]

I really wasn't too impressed with this movie. Pineapple Express was so much funnier.

And I didn't understand half of what RDJ said.

I'd still really like to see the DC, though. I bet it'd look great in Blu-Ray. It was really nicely shot for a comedy.

[MadMan]

I believe it was the DC that I watched (a friend bought it on Blu Ray). But I'm not sure. And I really don't care. All I know is that I saw a very funny, entertaining movie that featured some rather sharp barbs at Hollywood. And yes all of the parts with Tom Cruise were humorous or awesome. RDJ easily stole the show of course, but the rest of the cast were no slouches either.

Still so far comedy wise I prefer Burn After Reading. I will be trying to catch up on more of 2008 after the semester ends.

[Sycophant]

I believe it was the DC that I watched (a friend bought it on Blu Ray). But I'm not sure. And I really don't care.Reality check! You sure put us in our places there.

This movie basically had three things:
1. Robert Downey, Jr.
2. Steve Coogan
3. Nick Nolte

It also had Matthew McConaughey in the most tolerable role of his career, but he was still Matthew McConaughey. There was also that thing with Tom Cruise as Young Evil James Lipton, but that was far more awkward than it was funny.

[Sven]

It also had Matthew McConaughey in the most tolerable role of his career, but he was still Matthew McConaughey. There was also that thing with Tom Cruise as Young Evil James Lipton, but that was far more awkward than it was funny.

I don't know if I'd call it "funny" (though I was laughing), but "awe-inspiring" definitely fits. For me, anyway. Very little in that film did I find lacking. Maybe I was just in a great mood that day.

[number8]

I don't know if I'd call it "funny" (though I was laughing), but "awe-inspiring" definitely fits. For me, anyway. Very little in that film did I find lacking. Maybe I was just in a great mood that day.

Me too. I was in a great mood all five times I watched it.

[MadMan]

Reality check! You sure put us in our places there. Um that wasn't my intention. But ooookay.


This movie basically had three things:
1. Robert Downey, Jr.
2. Steve Coogan
3. Nick Nolte

It also had Matthew McConaughey in the most tolerable role of his career, but he was still Matthew McConaughey. There was also that thing with Tom Cruise as Young Evil James Lipton, but that was far more awkward than it was funny.Coogan really wasn't onscreen long enough to make much of an impact. His character wasn't that funny, either. What happened to him was hilarious, yes, but that doesn't not mean he was good in this movie. In fact I thought he was the weak link of the film.

Since I will eventually write a review of this movie I didn't mention Nolte or McConaughey, who I also thought were quite good in this. Look I can understand those who don't think Tom Cruise's performance in this movie was funny. I thought that the awkward elements of his role were partly why it was funny. I guess its just me. All alone.

[Sycophant]

Coogan really wasn't onscreen long enough to make much of an impact. His character wasn't that funny, either. What happened to him was hilarious, yes, but that doesn't not mean he was good in this movie. In fact I thought he was the weak link of the film.
On the contrary. He made such a positive impact on me in his few initial scenes, especially his scene with Nolte, that when he left the movie so early, I was a bit sad. And I didn't find what happened to him to be all that hilarious, either. So nyeh.

[MadMan]

On the contrary. He made such a positive impact on me in his few initial scenes, especially his scene with Nolte, that when he left the movie so early, I was a bit sad. And I didn't find what happened to him to be all that hilarious, either. So nyeh.I almost felt like he really wasn't in the movie. There are a bunch of actors who could have filled the same role and had the same effect. But then I think that was the whole point, that the role wasn't really that important to the picture's overall success. I did like his scene with Nolte in the tent-that was good stuff. And it wasn't that what happened to him was hilarious. It was the after effects of it. When Stiller held up his head, with that stupid surprised look on his face, followed by grabbing onto and pulling out the blood and guts, I completely lost it. I still think that the entire scene with Stiller messing around with the head, completely oblivious to the fact that the director is in fact dead, was the funniest part of the movie.

[Dead & Messed Up]

While Downey Jr. dominated the flick, I liked how everybody got a moment to shine. Even Stiller really went for it with that Apocalypse Now climax, which was maybe my favorite part of the flick.

And Tom Cruise's Les Grossman was a hilarious poke at the way upper-tier Hollywood types think they're hip and with-it...but it could've been cut a bit short.

[Watashi]

This is the best FYC ad I've ever seen.

http://www.slashfilm.com/wp/wp-content/images/lazarusconsiderationad-440x564.jpg

[Spun Lepton]

Cruise stole this movie away from RDJ. I loved his character.

7/10

[chrisnu]

Oh my goodness, this was so much fun. I'm gonna watch this a few more times, with the commentary on. Downey will stay in character by staying in character. Awesome. The gag with Jack Black ran a bit thin, but the payoff was worth it. :lol:

Coogan :lol: