28 Film Discussion Threads Later

[Watashi]

I don't think that section in Dumbo is racist.

[Raiders]

There's more racist stuff in each and every Tyler Perry film.

[Dead & Messed Up]

I don't think that section in Dumbo is racist.

Maybe "racist" is too strong a word. Stereotyped?

[Watashi]

Maybe "racist" is too strong a word. Stereotyped?

The only thing I can see as being racist, is that they're crows. Their behavior is normal. It's not racist for portraying black people as black people. I mean, it's stereotyped now, but was it really a stereotype for that kind of behavior in the 1940's?

[Grouchy]

Tony Scott's Unstoppable is ok by his standards and the type of movie he's fond of making. I mainly liked that it's an original script for a thriller and not a remake or an adaptation or anything else. I could've used with cooler actors. I guess Chris Pine is ok, but Denzel just bores the living shit out of me these days. Last time I truly enjoyed him in anything was probably Inside Man.

The Green Hornet must be a milestone in the "what the fuck were they thinking?" type of cinema. Visually, Michel Gondry has some nice things to show off about, but he has no discernible script and a bunch of really, really fucking stupid jokes. Christoph Waltz is such an embarassment to himself in this. The set-up (Britt Reid being useless and Kato being the true hero) is actually cool, I'm down with that. It's just the writing that destroys it.

Not very fond of Mark Millar as a writer, but Kick-Ass (the movie) entertained me. It just exhudes a very cool vibe of everybody, cast and crew, having really enjoyed making it. And Cage's Adam West accent is incredible. I don't know how it compares to the comic. Millar's shortcomings are mostly in his dialogue and in creating two-dimensional characters, so there's that.

[Qrazy]

The only thing I can see as being racist, is that they're crows. Their behavior is normal. It's not racist for portraying black people as black people. I mean, it's stereotyped now, but was it really a stereotype for that kind of behavior in the 1940's?

Uhh...

[Raiders]

If the latino penguins in Happy Feet are acceptable to the general public, then this ought to be as well.

[Ezee E]

The only criticisms I found of it were by white critics. Decades after the movie came out no less.

[Mysterious Dude]

I think we should just be grateful that they're crows and not people.

[Ezee E]

I think we should just be grateful that they're crows and not people.

Is that from the Bugs Bunny cartoon?

[Melville]

Rewatching some of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind...

Still respecting it, but what is it that Clemetine even likes about Joel to keep on pursuing him in the first place? What a loser.

Huh? He's just a normal introverted guy. I found the relationship's dynamic very relatable and believable. It's also a fairly cliched romance (as it admits in Clementine's description of what kind of guys go for her), if a more realistic version, so it shouldn't seem all that strange.

[Winston*]

If the latino penguins in Happy Feet are acceptable to the general public, then this ought to be as well.

Or the hyenas in The Lion King.

Actually doesn't every Disney movie contain something slightly racist? It's part of their charm.

[Spinal]

Netflix has the "Director's Cut" of Amadeus available for instant viewing. I've never seen the film before. Should I watch this, or try to get a copy of the theatrical cut?

The director's cut is a perfectly acceptable introduction to the film, in my opinion. There are a couple added scenes involving Mozart taking on a tutoring job that I personally think are not necessary. However, there is a more in-depth confrontation between Salieri and Constanza that I think gives that relationship more venom and tension. Overall, the film should still work just fine.

[Ezee E]

Started Meek's Cutoff. Curious as to why the director would go with the "full-frame" ratio. It's very well shot, but seems limiting in this day and age.

Perhaps I'll take crap for this, but I await a remark that makes sense.

[Yxklyx]

Started Meek's Cutoff. Curious as to why the director would go with the "full-frame" ratio. It's very well shot, but seems limiting in this day and age.

Perhaps I'll take crap for this, but I await a remark that makes sense.

D'Angelo says:

"...the boxy frame forces Reichardt to achieve certain "obvious" effects in unexpected ways, and so we get vibrant, precise compositions rather than generic vistas (plus such stunners as the dissolve that melds two radically different horizon lines)."

Apart from the incredible dissolve mentioned here; and really, it's an amazing one, I found this dull and boring. No drama - no resolution. Nothing new to see here. Yes, there was some really good tension on display but not enough to make this enjoyable or interesting to watch. I was very disappointed after seeing her two other films.

[Yxklyx]

My local video store bought a Blu Ray copy of The Magnificent Ambersons from Amazon - and I got to see it tonight. A mild letdown - yes I see the fuss about the cinematography (I suppose that's what made this stand out in 1942) but the story isn't that great and it's not well told.

[Ezee E]

The horizons here certainly would not be generic...

[MadMan]

Colorado? My memory isn't the strongest, but I recall when I visited and went camping up in the mountains back in 2000 that Colorado was absolutely gorgeous, and not generic at all.

[Ezee E]

Meek's Cutoff is able to create a great sense of atmosphere of what it must be like to go on such a trek, but ultimately, is quite forgetful. It seems to want to be a more artistic Deadwood, but without everything that we like about Deadwood.

There's lush landscapes and some great cinematography here. The scenes with the Indian involved seem to be the highlight for me, but I still think the cropped approach hurts itself more then giving it an advantage. I see no advantage whatsoever.

[B-side]

The Last Laugh was good. I'm still not quite getting the genius of Murnau so many proclaim, but I appreciate the expressiveness of the film, Murnau's ability to organically experiment and his desire to maintain mood well above narrative, even in a silent film. The dream sequence is fantastic, and the ending is certainly sarcastic and a humorous parody of unrealistic happy endings.

[Qrazy]

Started Meek's Cutoff. Curious as to why the director would go with the "full-frame" ratio. It's very well shot, but seems limiting in this day and age.

Perhaps I'll take crap for this, but I await a remark that makes sense.

I saw this last year at TIFF with her in attendance.

Basically she said she did it primarily to reflect the journey of the characters. All of these people cannot see far beyond their present location. This film is about that journey, the full-frame approach is a reflection of this.

[Qrazy]

My local video store bought a Blu Ray copy of The Magnificent Ambersons from Amazon - and I got to see it tonight. A mild letdown - yes I see the fuss about the cinematography (I suppose that's what made this stand out in 1942) but the story isn't that great and it's not well told.

It's well told and the story is fine but unfortunately the major thrust of the narrative has been excised from the film by the editor Robert Wise and a gaggle of stupid producers. Over a half hour has been cut from the film which really shows the fall of these characters.

[Ezee E]

I saw this last year at TIFF with her in attendance.

Basically she said she did it primarily to reflect the journey of the characters. All of these people cannot see far beyond their present location. This film is about that journey, the full-frame approach is a reflection of this.

Sounds better on paper then actually on screen. I still think with them in such a wide open space, all alone, it'd have the effect regardless.

[Lasse]

How the hell did The Beaver turn out to be a pretty decent film? :lol:
I'd like to know what Jodie Foster could do with a "better" story.

[Yxklyx]

Sounds better on paper then actually on screen. I still think with them in such a wide open space, all alone, it'd have the effect regardless.

Meek's Cutoff was a lot like Refn's Valhalla Rising.

As for TMA's story - reminded me a lot of a Dickensian novel but way inferior in nearly all respects.