Quibble on the first point: If I'm not sitting there second guessing the story then that's a sign the script was well written and that's a sign it's a "good movie," at least for me.Quoting Mr. McGibblets (view post)
Quibble on the first point: If I'm not sitting there second guessing the story then that's a sign the script was well written and that's a sign it's a "good movie," at least for me.Quoting Mr. McGibblets (view post)
Authenticity is a euphemism for truth --- ie, the work in question is "logically" consistent in voice and story.Quoting StuSmallz (view post)
I wouldn't use the "Quiet Place" as an example of consistent internal logic. Apocalyptic stories invite the reader or viewer to project themselves into the story, to imagine what they would do in similar circumstances. That's part of the fun. But when we do that, we naturally second guess the world and the characters. "Quiet Place" isn't consistent because it sacrifices detail to arrive at its set pieces. I think that's perfectly allowable; the movie is really about its big action beats. It isn't so concerned about world building because it wants the audience to enjoy the tension around Emily Blunt in the bath tub or those kids in the grain silo.
Who cares about the nail on the stairs or the mysteriously quiet baby?
PS: The opening of "Chinatown" isn't a plot hole. You might find it implausible (I don't) but implausibility isn't quite the same as a logical gap in the plot. There is a major plot hole around Ida Sessions, the secretary character, much later in the film, but it doesn't matter because nobody ever notices.
How about if the script was well written but the movie surrounding it was garbage?Quoting Irish (view post)
Got an example?Quoting megladon8 (view post)
I don't think I've ever seen a movie that had a great script but was trashed by other choices.
Torque is big dumb fun.Quoting Dukefrukem (view post)
BLOG
And everybody wants to be special here
They call your name out loud and clear
Here comes a regular
Call out your name
Here comes a regular
Am I the only one here today?
Quoting transmogrifier (view post)
...okay, we're done.
[]
Quoting Mr. McGibblets (view post)
But I'm not trying to say that films are never improved by having logical plots, or that plot holes can't hurt movies at all (although like I said, either one can depend on whether or not the hole is necessary in order to provoke a greater emotional response within us); what I'm saying is that plot holes on their own are not the sort of thing that can solely determine whether a movie is good or not, which is the kind of argument that I'm seeing increasingly more and more of online in an era where CinemaSins has over 8 million subscribers (ugh). Even in something like Prometheus, one of the most nonsensical films I've seen in recent years (to the point that it's become sort of famous for not making sense), even if you fixed/explained every single hole in that film, that still wouldn't fundamentally make it a good movie, because it would still be a pretty but functionally generic Sci-Fi/Horror movie with broadly-sketched characters that I don't care about because it's clear that they're there to simply be Xenomorph fodder, with an unearned sense of self-importance due to the shallow lip service it pays to greater themes, and the way it tries to coast off of an unnecessary connection to an actual great film series (at least, it was for the first two movies), because those are the actual, crippling flaws of Prometheus, not the quibbles about the plot. If it was actually scary or awe-inspiring on the whole, I would've been able to forgive it every single one of its plot holes to one extent or another, because of the visceral response it could've inspired in me otherwise, but that effect was not fundamentally there, so that's why I didn't care for it... not because the plot didn't make sense, which is just a symptom of bad filmmaking, not the actual cause.
Honestly, no.Quoting Irish (view post)
Wanted to rescue this from the Random thread.Quoting Skitch (view post)
Obviously, do whatever you think is right but from my experience (1) you're under no obligation to tell them anything and (2) once you're on these distribution lists you'll stay on them forever, so don't worry about it. Anybody who limits access because of the content of your reviews is somebody you can write off and laugh about.
That said, you'll get more attention if everything you do is positive and promotional. Follow John Squires on twitter. He's the editor of Bloody Disgusting (yeah, I know) and he's relentlessly positive in promoting stuff he believes in. He simply doesn't talk about movies he doesn't like, unless they're extremely high profile. Even then, he'll find a way to put a shine on a negative take.
If you're looking for mass appeal, you'll learn a lot from how he talks & tweets.
I agree. I just hate when I see nothing but positive reviews for shitty movies, from sources trying to get quotes on dvd covers and free stuff.Quoting Irish (view post)
*thinks for a bit* You know what? I am...not. Its a Bloody Disgusting rep I'm trying to avoid. That may work for them for a year or two, but after a while who the hell is gonna care what you say about anything? We were previously involved with one of their contributors, and it was infuriating how absolutely anything they got sent got high praise, even if it was absolute garbage. Thats the line I don't want to cross, I'd rather have some credibility (says the guy that would happily suck off the film The Stuff at any time of day).
I don't mind championing a shitty movie, but we won't do it if we don't actually think it.
Oh yeah. I'm not suggesting you become a junket whore. There's a promotional aspect to the main horror sites (Bloody Disgusting, Dread Central, Daily Dead) that's really pretty gross.Quoting Skitch (view post)
But I think you can talk about the stuff you like and ignore the stuff you don't in a way that doesn't make you an out-and-out shill.
Two more recs: Dave Wain (owns a video store, collects schlock horror VOD movies) and Jayson Kennedy (rabid VHS collector, repairs and maintains old VCRs for the helluva it).
These guys do what they do for the love of it and don't care about mass appeal.
Anyway, congrats on the screener thing. Won't be long before you're attending press screenings and contributing to Rotten Tomatoes!
Last edited by Irish; 03-11-2020 at 11:55 PM.
My mental image reading this is Jaws' first half where the mayor tries to keep the beach open despite the shark.
Midnight Run (1988) - 9
The Smiling Lieutenant (1931) - 8.5
The Adventures of Robinhood (1938) - 8
Sisters (1973) - 6.5
Shin Godzilla (2016) - 7.5
For some reason or another Bloody Disgusting follows me on Twitter. Also I guess I try to see the good in most movies unless they are complete shit or morally questionable. I tend to be really selective about what I watch and listen to these days.
BLOG
And everybody wants to be special here
They call your name out loud and clear
Here comes a regular
Call out your name
Here comes a regular
Am I the only one here today?
I would say that it can be one indication of a good film, but not the fundamental reason why the film is ultimately good or not.Quoting Irish (view post)
But I've never seen anyone call a movie authentic because the underlying logic of the plot was consistent, so could you give me an example to illustrate? Not trying to argue this, I'm just genuinely curious on this point. As for A Quiet Place, the baby did make some noise at certain points (that the rest of the family muffled in various ways), the nail thing is understandable because the mother probably just assumed that the bag had gotten caught on the edge of the step, and I do think the film's internal logic is more consistent then it's often given credit for, like when people unfairly trying to poke holes by working backwards from the conclusion, and ask []Quoting Irish (view post)
I also think that the world-building of the film is underrated as well, as they thought of all these solutions for living in a silent, post-apocalyptic world (the sand everywhere, of course, but also the solar panels for power, and the quiet box to put the baby in), but, at any rate, going by definitions by more objective sources, as well as by everyday applications by multiple individuals, I see implausibilities automatically get clustered underneath the overall umbrella of "plot hole" constantly, so I have to consider them part of that family, if, for no other reason, that just about everyone else is already doing so. Anyway, while I've never noticed any other holes in Chinatown, whatever it is, I automatically agree with you that it doesn't really matter (but then again, you already knew I was going to say that : D ) but just out of curiosity, what is it?
Last edited by StuSmallz; 03-12-2020 at 08:10 AM.
Are you sure about that? Because directorial choices made during the translation from page to screen can absolutely make or break a film; admittedly, it doesn't seem to happen very often, as good screenplays seem to attract good directors to them (naturally), but I can still think of plenty of well-written screenplays that were sunk by ill-fitting or lackluster stylistic decisions made by the director. Take Hell Or High Water, for instance; now, on a writing level, Taylor Sheridan's screenplay seemed quite good given what I saw in the final product, and almost every other aspect of the film (like the performances) were good as well, and it should've been at least a good movie on the whole, if not a great one, but David Mackenzie's direction of it was just so flat and even on the whole that it held the film back from fulfilling its full potential, and even a scene where a bank robber unloads a machine gun on a posse of pursuing trucks had no more tension and excitement to it than any random scene of dialogue, due to the lackluster direction of it (which is a big part of the reason why Wind River was my favorite of the "Frontier Trilogy", because Sheridan's direction of it some actual, engaging style to it).Quoting Irish (view post)
Contrast that with something like No Country For Old Men (which HoHW pretty obviously took after), which is a movie that only differs from the book in terms of a few very minor omissions/alterations, but is still so much more haunting, memorable, and ultimately better than the novel due to its incredible sense of style, not because the Coens did anything flashy with their direction of it, but simply because they took the sparse, underwhelming prowse of the source material, and, of their own volition, created a stark contrast of near-complete silences that seem to stretch out into eternity, until they're abruptly shattered by the sudden, bloody outbursts of violence, while also letting Roger Deakins work his magic with plenty of extended shots of the gargantuan landscapes, taking the time to establish the desolate atmosphere of the Texas plains with their filmmaking that McCarthy didn't with his writing, and all of that is due to the style they choose to apply to the film, which is the biggest reason why that film was so great, IMO.
Last edited by StuSmallz; 03-12-2020 at 08:47 AM.
Okay. Good. This is what I wanted to hear.Quoting Irish (view post)
Thanks! And lol, I doubt that, but ya never know...never thought this silliness would last this long in the first place.
Bloody Disgusting is a blog. A fancy blog that literally anyone can contribute to. They designed it that way to get free writers to snag the occasional monkey-typewriter magic collection of phrases to appeal to whatever shitty horror movie is coming out this week and needs a comment on the cover attributed to "Bloggy Disgusting". I see it as a scam.Quoting MadMan (view post)
I know, right? It's almost as if you personally know someone who falls for them all the time.Quoting Skitch (view post)
Last Five Films I've Seen (Out of 5)
The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse (Mackesy, 2022) 4.5
Puss In Boots: The Last Wish (Crawford, 2022) 4
Confess, Fletch (Mottola, 2022) 3.5
M3GAN (Johnstone, 2023) 3.5
Turning Red (Shi, 2022) 4.5
Tokyo Story (Ozu, 1953) 5
615 Film
Letterboxd
Eh, they produce their own movies through Music Box Films, and sometimes ask for press to cover their theatrical releases on Twitter, so that's why I follow their editor-in-chief (when my account is active BTW). I loved a horror film they presented last year (Hagazussa) and was really disappointed to have missed out on their call for reviews of it.Quoting Skitch (view post)
Last edited by Ivan Drago; 03-13-2020 at 04:14 AM.
Last Five Films I've Seen (Out of 5)
The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse (Mackesy, 2022) 4.5
Puss In Boots: The Last Wish (Crawford, 2022) 4
Confess, Fletch (Mottola, 2022) 3.5
M3GAN (Johnstone, 2023) 3.5
Turning Red (Shi, 2022) 4.5
Tokyo Story (Ozu, 1953) 5
615 Film
Letterboxd
Korean cinemas seem to be scratching for things to show because of the pandemic, thus there are a fewer older movies being shown in multiplexes this week:
Schindler's List
Memento
Heat
Carol
Her
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Taken
Get Out
The Wolf of Wall Street
Spotlight
Fate of the Furious
John Wick
Green Book
A Star is Born
About Time
Harry Potter 3
Memories of Murder
Roma
Definitely going to Schindler's List.
Last edited by transmogrifier; 03-16-2020 at 08:13 AM.
Last 10 Movies Seen
(90+ = canonical, 80-89 = brilliant, 70-79 = strongly recommended, 60-69 = good, 50-59 = mixed, 40-49 = below average with some good points, 30-39 = poor, 20-29 = bad, 10-19 = terrible, 0-9 = soul-crushingly inept in every way)
Run (2020) 64
The Whistlers (2019) 55
Pawn (2020) 62
Matilda (1996) 37
The Town that Dreaded Sundown (1976) 61
Moby Dick (2011) 50
Soul (2020) 64
Heroic Duo (2003) 55
A Moment of Romance (1990) 61
As Tears Go By (1988) 65
Stuff at Letterboxd
Listening Habits at LastFM
I Married a Witch remains one of my very favorites.
Think I have to push it into my top 20.
Man, Heat would be great.
1937's Nothing Sacred is brilliant. Smart, witty writing and performances, some beautiful and creative camerawork, and it is a surreal delight getting to see March and Lombarde in colour in their prime.
The only downside I could see in the whole film was some very uncomfortable racism. Which, yes, it's a pretty big downside. But hot damn was this a great movie.
I can see myself wanting to watch this many, many times.
The two knockout punches were hilarious stuff that could never, ever happen today.
If Brightburn is "what if Superman were evil?", then Freaks is "what if the x-men were insanely overpowered?" Its too slow in the first half when they're trying to throw the audience off, but by the half way mark they tell you wtf is going on and it is awesome from then on. I recommend it. On Netflix.
Rewatching Blue Velvet for the first time in 15+ years reinforced my opinion that Mulholland Dr. is Lynch's best
I still need to see Blue Velvet and Eraserhead. I've owned both for years. Need to get on that.Quoting megladon8 (view post)