28 Film Discussion Threads Later

[Skitch]

Dude, the post begins "with intention to make my wife laugh". Not "here is my dead serious interpretation of the film".

[transmogrifier]

.... that ironically is the best country on the planet?

Yeah, no.

[Peng]

I lived in US for a year and loved my experience there, and even I laughed out loud at that.

[baby doll]

I'm curious by what metric(s) Duke judges the United States to be the greatest country in the world (apparently it's not access to health care, although I doubt he means to imply that the US is great in part because it restricts access to health care).

Personally, I tend to think less highly of countries where the head of state can commit crimes with impunity, appoint their manifestly unqualified children to key positions, and profit from their office, but admittedly that's a personal preference.

[transmogrifier]

I lived in US for a year and loved my experience there, and even I laughed out loud at that.

I don't think there is a "best" country on the planet, because there are too many metrics involved and it is too subjective. You can say "the best country I have lived in" or "the most economically powerful country" with no problems, but to walk around chest-puffed out boldly proclaiming that your country is the best on the planet ​, especially when it is the only country you have ever lived in, says more about successful brainwashing than anything else. As a random example, Switzerland has a better GDP per capita, press freedom index, happiness index, life expectancy, patent applications per capita, corruption perception index, poverty rates, infant mortality rate, suicide rate, and democracy index than the US.... so, maybe the Swiss should be the arrogant ones?

[Skitch]

Countries are dumb.

[Ezee E]

Looks like quite a few companies, including my own, have suspended all work travel for the next two weeks to try and get ahead (or at least contain) coronavirus. No Minnesota or Dallas for me.

[Peng]

They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969) is as great and devastating as I'd heard from its reputation, increasing over the years. The tagline ("People are the ultimate spectacle") may be the film's most fiendish trick, revealing the tightrope it needs to walk on in order to keep you glue to the screen without succumbing into off-putting miserablism. The film puts you both behind the scene, plunging the depth of Depression-era economic despair's ugly exploitation, and also on the dance marathon's audience seat with one of cinema's most potent time bombs of a premise, so full of potential casualties that you can't look away from this two-hour slow-motion car crash -- a pregnant woman, an old man, a girl whose glamor you know has to be undercut somehow, and so on.

What prevents the film from being in the same gross, goosing spirit of the dance's emcee is so many minor human details and rich performances devoted to each character, putting them firmly on the side of "people" rather than "spectacle" of suspense dominoes to be knocked down. On paper, the plot turns for more than one character towards the end may be slightly clunky as to be almost too manipulative, but the way these actors -- especially a phenomenal Jane Fonda -- sell them, it just feels like a fitting, profoundly sad inevitability of a crushing system. "And don't give me no sunshine lectures." 9/10

[Irish]

I'm curious by what metric(s) Duke judges the United States to be the greatest country in the world

Not Duke but ... I'll take a shot

[Dukefrukem]

I particularly love your Boston Massacre choice.

[Grouchy]

I always thought it was a bit excessive to call that a massacre, since three to four people died.

[Skitch]

DOLEMITE MOTHER FUCKERS

Okay, Dolemite is a compelling argument.

[megladon8]

Yep, the USA is the only country to have science, math and social progress all right!

[transmogrifier]

Irish’s post sort of sums up my confusion: dare suggest the US is not the greatest country on Earth, a healthy percentage of Americans seem to be programmed to launch into rah-rah patriotism mode. It’s a mindset that eludes me.

[Ezee E]

Foreigners like to get all defensive on why America isn't the best country, but usually don't offer a better alternative.

bait

[megladon8]

Americans like to get all defensive about why America IS the best country, despite never having been anywhere else.

[transmogrifier]

Foreigners like to get all defensive on why America isn't the best country, but usually don't offer a better alternative.

bait

I've already made my claim that there is no "best" country.

If Irish was just listing things that make him proud of his country, that is fine - no arguments from me.

I only have an issue with this "greatest country on Earth" nonsense.

[Irish]

DOLEMITE MOTHER FUCKERS

Okay, Dolemite is a compelling argument.

Everyone else from Ohio: "Neil Armstrong! There's our hometown boy!"

Skitch: "Fuck YEAH! RUBY RAY MOORE!"

Foreigners like to get all defensive on why America isn't the best country, but usually don't offer a better alternative.

bait

Notice how the guys beefing the loudest all come from countries that still print a picture of the Queen of England on their money.

also bait

[megladon8]

Actually our 10 dollar bill now has a black woman on it.

We are obviously better than you now.

#progressive
#wokecountry

[Skitch]

Everyone else from Ohio: "Neil Armstrong! There's our hometown boy!"

Skitch: "Fuck YEAH! RUBY RAY MOORE!"

Its Rudy, motherfucker.

[baby doll]

Not Duke but ... I'll take a shot

Just to play devil's advocate...

[Skitch]

Monica Belluci...also a strong argument against America being the biggest suck country ever.

[Irish]

Just to play devil's advocate...

Your counter is a buncha hot chicks? Did Morris hack your login?

Hot chicks don't count. Every country in the world has beautiful people, which is why they weren't represented on my list.

Try again, my well-meaning subject of the Queen!

[megladon8]

Monica Bellucci could devil my advocate!

If you know what I mean!

[baby doll]

Every country in the world has beautiful people

Have ya been to England?