It smacks me largely of (and forgive if I'm wrong) people hunting for niche authority or credibility. It's foreignness and twee stylings would seem right up the alley of many who may be predisposed towards those things.
I like your thoughts and opinions on film, but every now and then... Criticism is one thing, but this sort of pre-emptive blanket ad hominem directed at the people who disagree with you - what gives?
Gotta get that quota up by the end of the month.
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Linespider5ALL HAIL KING KILLMONGERRegistered Userregular
It smacks me largely of (and forgive if I'm wrong) people hunting for niche authority or credibility. It's foreignness and twee stylings would seem right up the alley of many who may be predisposed towards those things.
I like your thoughts and opinions on film, but every now and then... Criticism is one thing, but this sort of pre-emptive blanket ad hominem directed at the people who disagree with you - what gives?
Y'know...
Ross said what he said, but he also kind of said it in a way that specifically indicts anyone who takes issue with it.
I did like Howl's Moving Castle quite a lot, but it also had the unintentional charm of a Terry Gilliamesque walking castle.
He's not targeting ALL fans, just people looking for something blatantly 'foreign' to latch onto, that are not approaching a concept of worldliness with any sense of scrutiny. 'People who do all their shopping at one culture store,' etc.
Spirited Away does something interesting character arc-wise: at the beginning of the movie Chihiro's sullen and whiny and whatnot but then she grows over the course of the movie
and she becomes a go-getter. But then her memory is erased, and it seems like she's reverted back to her old sullen self. But then, at the very end, her father's like "A new home and a new school? It is a bit scary." And (while at the beginning of the movie she hated the fact that they were moving) she says, enthusiastically: "I think I can handle it!"
What a great ending! I got goosebumps. At first you think think the movie's going to end on a slightly unsatisfying note - but then bam! you learn that, while Chihiro doesn't remember her adventures, they still had a positive, unconscious effect on her.
But then I learned those last lines weren't in the original Japanese film! They were added in by Disney's localization team. In the original movie Chihiro is basically unchanged at the end of the movie - the only thing she gets out out of her adventures is a magical hairband with vague protective powers.
I have mixed feelings about those added last lines. Because while I like the American ending better, I feel like if one of cinema's greatest artists decides he wants to break the rules of storytelling and end his movie on a weird, unsatisfying note, well, isn't it best to let him do what he wants?
I would argue that the audience can infer the change in her character being permanent without the added dialogue, which is just a way of making it extra-obvious to the audience. Her not saying "I think I can handle it!" outright doesn't imply that she's not changed/matured at all.
EDIT: Woah, my bad, I didn't realize I was 3 pages behind the most recent post. Sorry!
Spirited Away does something interesting character arc-wise: at the beginning of the movie Chihiro's sullen and whiny and whatnot but then she grows over the course of the movie
and she becomes a go-getter. But then her memory is erased, and it seems like she's reverted back to her old sullen self. But then, at the very end, her father's like "A new home and a new school? It is a bit scary." And (while at the beginning of the movie she hated the fact that they were moving) she says, enthusiastically: "I think I can handle it!"
What a great ending! I got goosebumps. At first you think think the movie's going to end on a slightly unsatisfying note - but then bam! you learn that, while Chihiro doesn't remember her adventures, they still had a positive, unconscious effect on her.
But then I learned those last lines weren't in the original Japanese film! They were added in by Disney's localization team. In the original movie Chihiro is basically unchanged at the end of the movie - the only thing she gets out out of her adventures is a magical hairband with vague protective powers.
I have mixed feelings about those added last lines. Because while I like the American ending better, I feel like if one of cinema's greatest artists decides he wants to break the rules of storytelling and end his movie on a weird, unsatisfying note, well, isn't it best to let him do what he wants?
I would argue that the audience can infer the change in her character being permanent without the added dialogue, which is just a way of making it extra-obvious to the audience. Her not saying "I think I can handle it!" outright doesn't imply that she's not changed/matured at all.
EDIT: Woah, my bad, I didn't realize I was 3 pages behind the most recent post. Sorry!
Yeah, if you had been paying attention you would've realized that liking a Miyazaki movie is only something you do because its foreignness and twee stylings are right up your alley, seeing as you're predisposed towards these things.
It's funny; I've seen Spirited Away at least 3 times, I think, and I don't remember the line from the end, even though I'm fairly sure I watched it in English each time. I guess I'd have to go back and check, but I think I agree with you: the line at the end doesn't make much difference.
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TexiKenDammit!That fish really got me!Registered Userregular
I saw the Clash of the Titans remake this weekend, and it was just average, even for a summer blockbuster movie. I preferred Immortals because it didn't feel like it was hopping from point to point on the script just because (Le Chiffre fills the tough but noble role, you can figure out that no one but Perseus is going to come back from the trip, etc). Someone mentioned that the scorpion fight seemed to exist simply because they wanted to have CGI scorpions in the movie, and it really feels that way.
The weird thing was that I rented it on iTunes, and I'm watching it on the TV and pull up the status bar, and I think there's 10 more minutes left on the film, but it's just all the damn credits for the film, and the film just kind of ends on an odd zoomed out shot.
'Hunger Games' devours the competition at box office
By Scott Bowles, USA TODAY
The Hunger Games thundered to the third best debut in history this weekend, with $155 million, charging the box office and launching a franchise that could challenge the Twilight series.
Hunger's haul exceeded most analysts' highest expectations and marked a huge opening for a first-time film. Of the two films with bigger debuts, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 ($169.1 million) and The Dark Knight ($158 million), both are sequels.
The film, based on Suzanne Collins' popular trilogy and starring Jennifer Lawrence, broke from the gate at midnight Friday, earning $19.7 million and seventh place in the all-time midnight screening record books. Hallows remains the runaway champ, collecting $43.5 million in its midnight shows last year.
Still, Hunger mustered plenty to score the highest debut on record for March, besting Alice in Wonderland's $116.1 million.
Gitesh Pandya of Boxofficeguru says that teen fans of the 2008 novel propelled the hit. "A massive built-in audience has been hungry for this movie," he says.
In the long run, Pandya says, the Hunger trilogy could challenge the Twilight series by appealing to both genders.
"One major difference is that (Hunger) has more male appeal," he says, adding that distributor Lionsgate "has been emphasizing the action in its male-skewing TV spots, and the romance is a minor part of the story, anyway."
Males and females responded strongly to the film, promising a healthy run through March and much of April. A whopping 95% of moviegoers recommended the movie, according to survey site Rottentomatoes.com. Critics weren't far behind; 86% of reviewers gave it a thumbs-up, the site says.
The studio plans to release part two, Catching Fire, on Nov. 22, 2013. While details haven't been finalized on future installments, analysts say at least a three-part series is inevitable.
Hunger "is the first true event film of 2012," says Tim Briody of Boxofficeprophets.com. "This is largely unprecedented for any franchise, much less a new one. It's the sort of behavior you'd expect from a sequel, not the first entry in an unproven series."Hunger's numbers came despite the Sweet 16 tournament games of the NCAA basketball championship.
No studio challenged Hunger this weekend, leaving the top of the box office to holdovers.
The remake comedy 21 Jump Street took second with $21.3 million, followed by The Lorax with $13.1 million.
John Carter, the $250 million sci-fi flop, was fourth with $5 million. The fantasy film has done $62.3 million in three weeks.
The action film Act of Valor rounded out the top five with $2.1 million.
Hunger helped propel movie attendance to 22% over the same period last year.
Final figures are due Monday.
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Linespider5ALL HAIL KING KILLMONGERRegistered Userregular
One thing I find incredibly interesting is how uninteresting box office records are to me now.
I don't say this as a cynic. I do think it's a fun little thing to follow, but at the same time I think culture has changed to a point that whereas we used to have a cultural phenomena once every 5-10 years, we now have one once ever 5-10 months.
In a year's time there's going to be some new book series or tv show or property and due to inflation and ticket prices it's going to absolutely trounce the Hunger Games. We're never going to see another "Titanic was the highest grossing movie for x years" again.
We'll also probably never see another standalone, non-franchise, not based on an existing property movie hold that top spot again either.
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VariableMouth CongressStroke Me Lady FameRegistered Userregular
avatar is gonna be a franchise but it did take that spot as one technically right?
or do you think coming from cameron basically makes it non-standalone? I could understand that point of view.
full disclosure, I wasn't even taking Avatar into consideration.
I think in a world without these franchises, Avatar was the natural progression to take over number 1 (like it or not).
I was speaking directly to this year to year baton passing between Harry Potter to TDK to Twilight to Hunger Games to X (obviously my order is incorrect).
So does that mean they'll split the last book into two separate movies?
That's officially a thing now right?
They would have to, anyway.
The scope of the last book is too big for 1 film, isn't it?
As written, no, but that's because Katniss spends most of the book being passive, then there's about 100 pages of awesome urban warfare, then the last 50 pages are made of stupid and shouldn't be used in the movie. You could absolutely make a 2, 2.5 hour movie out of the material just by cutting down the boring beginning and replacing the stupid ending.
In fact the book is already so delineated into "moping, fighting, moping" that I'm not actually sure there's a good cut-off point in there, unless you arbitrarily break halfway through the best part. Otherwise you're going to get a terrible movie made of all moping before you get to the fighting, or something.
Right, all those witty things he likes to say translate well to text, but if you listen to him actually trying to form words with his mouth, he comes across as a gibbering idiot.
I love Miyazaki, and not because it's cool to like niche stuff. I don't even consider it niche. My fav' movie of his is Valley of the Wind, I was about 12 when I saw it for the first time. I'll admit that could mean I've got some thick nostalgia glasses on, yet I don't think his movies are anywhere near perfect. He has some gorgeous animations and whimsical stories, stories that tend to meander a bit. I think he suffers from what Lucas suffers from, being surrounded by yes men that will never challenge them. My toddler son loves ponyo, but that actual story is just a wreck, a beautiful wreck though.
armageddonbound on
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AstaerethIn the belly of the beastRegistered Userregular
Ponyo was utterly incomprehensible as a narrative, but so goddamn beautiful in an age of shoddy 3D animation that I didn't care in the slightest.
I don't watch Miyazaki because he's foreign or niche; but I think the foreign/niche nature of his work is what leads to the sense of a refreshing originality. Perhaps if I had been born and raised in Japan his movies would feel as staid and familiar as the Disney formula does to me now; but as it is they're markedly different from everything else I watch. And as someone who watches a hell of a lot of movies, I prize that very highly.
It is, by the way, obnoxiously insulting to presume that someone's likes and dislikes come from a place of posturing and bias rather than honest appreciation.
So I just watched Buried with Ryan Reynolds, it was streaming on Netflix. Heard good things on a film podcast I listen to, and was very pleased! I highly recommend this if you have the stomach / patience for a limited storytelling type of film. I dug the heck of out of this movie. (Pun slightly intended.)
End spoilers.
The ending absolutely punched me in the gut. I'm so disturbed and saddened that I don't even want to go to bed right now. =/
I have tried to watch every single Miyazaki film, and disliked them all. Ponderous, thin, childish, samey, and impossibly precious for what is supposed to be considered "serious" animation.
I, for one, appreciate the samey unrisky derivative Whispers of the Heart, a film completely dedicated to John Denver's "Take Me Home Country Roads". I believe it rose above all the other movies that were focused on John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads".
In other anime movie news, I just saw Redline, and it blew my pants, socks and underwear away. It's as if Speed Racer the movie was an anime.
click for Anime chat
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DeadfallI don't think you realize just how rich he is.In fact, I should put on a monocle.Registered Userregular
Saw Immortals. Waaaay bloodier and darker than I was expecting. The previews made it look almost....childish? I dunno. It almost looked like a kid's movie from the trailers. I really liked it, though. I thought it was very pretty.
Also saw Hanna. Not much to say about it, but I enjoyed it as well.
I feel the complaints about movie Tintin as a character also applies to comic book Tintin. He's a blank slate of politeness who for some reason is friends with everyone. His reactions limit themselves to being unhappy when things are bad, happy when things are good and saving things in the nick of due to some factoid he learned somewhere. Essentially, he's Dean from the Venture Brothers except people actually like him and he has even less of a sex drive.
The books are about exotic locales and shark subs. Tintin remains unknown forever.
Linespider5ALL HAIL KING KILLMONGERRegistered Userregular
Watched Safehouse last night, which was a surprise as I wasn't even aware it was out yet, and yet here it already was, at my local also-ran theater.
That should've been my warning right away.
Uh...I don't know. I really can't think well right now after I damn near killed my fish last night and now he might be okay after I thought he was dying and...
Look. Safehouse wasn't that great. The director seemed to know how everything was supposed to look, so he had nothing to bring to do it himself. It was very copy-paste. And the plot was incomplete at best.
Saw 21 Jump Street yesterday, and it was as excellent as people have been saying. Can't remember the last time I cried from laughing that much at a movie. I was in pain--good pain--at just the half-way point.
And as someone who's actually hallucinated at school, the portion of the movie where they do just that hit especially close to home.
Highly recommended.
Xenogear_0001 on
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GreasyKidsStuffMOMMM!ROAST BEEF WANTS TO KISS GIRLS ON THE TITTIES!Registered Userregular
Watched The Fountain last night. I was really looking forward to watching it, but I was left rather underwhelmed and bewildered by the end of it. I think I went in with a different idea of what it was about, and instead I got three parallel stories that I had a hard time tying together. Now I know a few of you will jump on me for saying I wanted something different than what I got so therefore it is bad. That is not what I'm saying. I'm just saying what I got wasn't very good.
Hugh Jackman is fantastic however, and I did enjoy the modern-day plot thread with his wife. The space traveller plot was interesting to a degree as well. On the whole, the film was beautifully shot and the special effects were great. So there's that. But yeah... disappointed with the rest.
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Y'know...
Ross said what he said, but he also kind of said it in a way that specifically indicts anyone who takes issue with it.
I did like Howl's Moving Castle quite a lot, but it also had the unintentional charm of a Terry Gilliamesque walking castle.
He's not targeting ALL fans, just people looking for something blatantly 'foreign' to latch onto, that are not approaching a concept of worldliness with any sense of scrutiny. 'People who do all their shopping at one culture store,' etc.
I would argue that the audience can infer the change in her character being permanent without the added dialogue, which is just a way of making it extra-obvious to the audience. Her not saying "I think I can handle it!" outright doesn't imply that she's not changed/matured at all.
EDIT: Woah, my bad, I didn't realize I was 3 pages behind the most recent post. Sorry!
It's funny; I've seen Spirited Away at least 3 times, I think, and I don't remember the line from the end, even though I'm fairly sure I watched it in English each time. I guess I'd have to go back and check, but I think I agree with you: the line at the end doesn't make much difference.
The weird thing was that I rented it on iTunes, and I'm watching it on the TV and pull up the status bar, and I think there's 10 more minutes left on the film, but it's just all the damn credits for the film, and the film just kind of ends on an odd zoomed out shot.
Better this than Twilight
I don't say this as a cynic. I do think it's a fun little thing to follow, but at the same time I think culture has changed to a point that whereas we used to have a cultural phenomena once every 5-10 years, we now have one once ever 5-10 months.
In a year's time there's going to be some new book series or tv show or property and due to inflation and ticket prices it's going to absolutely trounce the Hunger Games. We're never going to see another "Titanic was the highest grossing movie for x years" again.
We'll also probably never see another standalone, non-franchise, not based on an existing property movie hold that top spot again either.
or do you think coming from cameron basically makes it non-standalone? I could understand that point of view.
I think in a world without these franchises, Avatar was the natural progression to take over number 1 (like it or not).
I was speaking directly to this year to year baton passing between Harry Potter to TDK to Twilight to Hunger Games to X (obviously my order is incorrect).
That's officially a thing now right?
The scope of the last book is too big for 1 film, isn't it?
As written, no, but that's because Katniss spends most of the book being passive, then there's about 100 pages of awesome urban warfare, then the last 50 pages are made of stupid and shouldn't be used in the movie. You could absolutely make a 2, 2.5 hour movie out of the material just by cutting down the boring beginning and replacing the stupid ending.
In fact the book is already so delineated into "moping, fighting, moping" that I'm not actually sure there's a good cut-off point in there, unless you arbitrarily break halfway through the best part. Otherwise you're going to get a terrible movie made of all moping before you get to the fighting, or something.
I absolutely loved it compared to the shitty Part 2.
(its probably not safe for work)
Classic Cronenberg, fuck yeah!
Anyone want to beta read a paranormal mystery novella? Here's your chance.
stream
You both are. If you can still count how many times you've seen it, you're wrong.
I don't watch Miyazaki because he's foreign or niche; but I think the foreign/niche nature of his work is what leads to the sense of a refreshing originality. Perhaps if I had been born and raised in Japan his movies would feel as staid and familiar as the Disney formula does to me now; but as it is they're markedly different from everything else I watch. And as someone who watches a hell of a lot of movies, I prize that very highly.
It is, by the way, obnoxiously insulting to presume that someone's likes and dislikes come from a place of posturing and bias rather than honest appreciation.
Eastern Promises was the closest I've gotten to enjoying him so maybe he's on the upswing for me!
^ That one. Obviously all parties involved need to make the time to see it again.
End spoilers.
I, for one, appreciate the samey unrisky derivative Whispers of the Heart, a film completely dedicated to John Denver's "Take Me Home Country Roads". I believe it rose above all the other movies that were focused on John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads".
In other anime movie news, I just saw Redline, and it blew my pants, socks and underwear away. It's as if Speed Racer the movie was an anime.
Also saw Hanna. Not much to say about it, but I enjoyed it as well.
xbl - HowYouGetAnts
steam - WeAreAllGeth
The books are about exotic locales and shark subs. Tintin remains unknown forever.
Solid movie, saw it one of the movie channels last weekend. I liked the contrast between Hanna's naivete and competence. I didn't like
I think I've just met my two best friends. If either of you ever borrow my car, I'll be sure to tell you if it has a blind spot.
That should've been my warning right away.
Uh...I don't know. I really can't think well right now after I damn near killed my fish last night and now he might be okay after I thought he was dying and...
Look. Safehouse wasn't that great. The director seemed to know how everything was supposed to look, so he had nothing to bring to do it himself. It was very copy-paste. And the plot was incomplete at best.
Highly recommended.
Hugh Jackman is fantastic however, and I did enjoy the modern-day plot thread with his wife. The space traveller plot was interesting to a degree as well. On the whole, the film was beautifully shot and the special effects were great. So there's that. But yeah... disappointed with the rest.