The [Movie] Thread: Where the term "projection" is A-OK!

jungleroomx

Small stories, grand overarching universes, failed grand overarching universes, big time productions, scary films, funny films, dumb films, scary dumb films, all kinds of films!

We live in an era where there's probably more movies being released than most people can afford to keep pace with!

That's where the PA Movie Thread comes in! If there's one thing we have more of than movies, it's opinions. So let's get those opinions warmed up and ready for some hot, long discussions.

davidsdurions

Opinion: Wachowski’s Speed Racer was not that bad. In fact, I really enjoy it.

Atomika

davidsdurions wrote: »

Opinion: Wachowski’s Speed Racer was not that bad. In fact, I really enjoy it.

@Astaereth

Eddy

davidsdurions wrote: »

Opinion: Wachowski’s Speed Racer was not that bad. In fact, I really enjoy it.

I feel like it's become a bit of a cult hit around the internet

I haven't actually met a person IRL who's even watched the movie but I know they infest these very forums

davidsdurions

Atomika wrote: »

davidsdurions wrote: »

Opinion: Wachowski’s Speed Racer was not that bad. In fact, I really enjoy it.

@Astaereth

Uh oh, did I do a Sucker Punch again?

BloodySloth

I feel like Speed Racer is half a masterpiece and half a disaster, making it a very frustrating watch for me.

Actually, while not as extreme, I feel a bit similarly for every Wachowski thing I've seen. I feel like everything they make has great ambition and creativity marred by some stupid bullshit somewhere.

TNTrooper

Wachowski’s Speed Racer stayed true to the spirit of the cartoon IMO. And in my head cannon Red Line is in the far future of the Speed Racer universe.

Astaereth

Speed Racer is a stylistic marvel but a narrative mediocrity. I love it like you love a brain damaged puppy. It pointed the way forward to a digital collagist cinema that’s still in its infancy. It’s the Velvet Underground of movies based on Japanese cartoons.

Astaereth

This is a gorgeously written (and completely SPOILERS) piece about Taxi Driver and the way the details of its craft create a subjective narrative about a “pathology of loneliness”:

https://cinephiliabeyond.org/approaching-menace-the-american-pathology-of-martin-scorseses-taxi-driver/

I was reading it and found myself humming the classic Bernard Herrmann score...

One of my favorite parts of the essay (no significant spoilers here):

After Travis applies to be a taxi driver, he walks out of the dispatcher garage, and as he does so, the camera pans from right to left across the screen as the cabs drive right, whilst Travis walks in the opposite direction, out of frame, the camera catching him up. Michael Chapman: “Marty has an enormous visual sense and had strong ideas and strong images in his head. He did outrageous things. The shot where Robert De Niro goes this way and the camera goes that way and shows all his world that he experiences and then comes back and finds him. The crew were sort of shocked by it. Crews are very conservative in a curious way, and they’ve made hundreds of shots following somebody, but the idea of letting him go that way and the camera go that way almost offended their sensibilities. After a while they got used to that, because they realized that it was Marty but none of them had worked with Marty before… That’s the biggest thing I remember about it, was how shocking it was to the crew, and how it made them nervous. The movie is full of that, of Marty thinking of something that nobody had ever done.”

knitdan

Opinion: The original Ghostbusters is overrated

Atomika

knitdan wrote: »

Opinion: The original Ghostbusters is overrated

In what context?

It’s got amazing cast chemistry, a brilliant score, great cinematography, narrative cohesion, sublime comedy, and cutting edge effects that largely hold up 30 years later.

But I’ll definitely hear arguments about the film’s sexual politics and its dangerous paean to libertarianism.

ElJeffe

Yeah, what he said.

Speed Racer is a crazy fucking acid trip of a movie that did some amazing things, and i'm glad it exists and that I watched it. But I don't know if I'd call it good. As a story, it's barely competent. But it was an experience.

ElJeffe

Also, I think The Matrix was the one perfect movie the Wachowskis made, and almost everything else has been a weird combination of brilliant ambition and total train wreck.

Atomika

ElJeffe wrote: »

Also, I think The Matrix was the one perfect movie the Wachowskis made, and almost everything else has been a weird combination of brilliant ambition and total train wreck.

Where do you put V for Vendetta on that spectrum, if anywhere?

knitdan

It’s just not as good as people make it out to be

Bogart

Over-rated is one of those criticisms that tends to boil down to “I disagree”.

Ghostbusters is an incredible movie.

Caitlin Moran wrote:

To those that deludedly think they prefer Star Wars over Ghostbusters, all I need to do is ask you this: You don’t really want to be a Jedi, do you? In a greige cowl, getting off with your sister, without a single gag across three films? I think if you thought about it a little while longer, you’d realize that you’d far rather be a Ghostbuster: a nerd in New York with an unlicensed nuclear accelerator on your back, and a one-in-four chance of being Bill Murray.

Gvzbgul

I dunno, being Bill Murray isn't so good these days.

Atomika

Bogart wrote: »

Over-rated is one of those criticisms that tends to boil down to “I disagree”.

Ghostbusters is an incredible movie.

Caitlin Moran wrote:

To those that deludedly think they prefer Star Wars over Ghostbusters, all I need to do is ask you this: You don’t really want to be a Jedi, do you? In a greige cowl, getting off with your sister, without a single gag across three films? I think if you thought about it a little while longer, you’d realize that you’d far rather be a Ghostbuster: a nerd in New York with an unlicensed nuclear accelerator on your back, and a one-in-four chance of being Bill Murray.

One of the things that makes the Ghostbusters fun is that they’re all well-defined characters that feel some measure of real. Ray is the wide-eyed optimist, Egon is the aloof braniac, Peter is the guy who pretends he’s cool because he’s kinda ashamed of being a nerd, and Winston is the pragmatic blue-collar voice of reason. They’re all relatable, they’re all fun, and they all play their part.

I’d much rather be a ghostbuster.

Atlas in Chains

Venckman's behavior doesn't age well with me. He comes across much more as a dickhead these days, rather than a lovable scamp. Everything else is pretty airtight and timeless.

Beyond Normal

I finally saw Ant Man and the Wasp last night, and just like the first Ant Man:

Michael Pena freaking stole the show. His character is one of the funniest in these two movies. I just loved the scene where they were arguing about the truth serum.

Thirith

I got started on the Bergman Collection last night, beginning with Smiles of a Summer Night, another example of Bergman being so different and much more varied than the clichéd idea people have of him. I was a bit worried that the comedy might not have aged and travelled well, but the film is as witty as Wilde while being amazingly frank and sexy for something released in the 1950s. And when you least expect it, Smiles surprises you with chilling, dark, sad scenes. It’s a great starting point, making me glad that I went with Criterion’s suggested sequence rather than watching them chronologically.

Doctor Detroit

From the end of the last thread...

TESB SE changes...
Changing the Emperor was okay.
Changing all the dialog in that scene. was kind of dumb.

But yeah, Empire did wind up (eventually) with the least cringe-worthy alterations.

Maybe now that Disney owns Fox they can put out a proper collection...

shryke

Bogart wrote: »

Over-rated is one of those criticisms that tends to boil down to “I disagree”.

Ghostbusters is an incredible movie.

Caitlin Moran wrote:

To those that deludedly think they prefer Star Wars over Ghostbusters, all I need to do is ask you this: You don’t really want to be a Jedi, do you? In a greige cowl, getting off with your sister, without a single gag across three films? I think if you thought about it a little while longer, you’d realize that you’d far rather be a Ghostbuster: a nerd in New York with an unlicensed nuclear accelerator on your back, and a one-in-four chance of being Bill Murray.

Anyone who types the phrase "You don’t really want to be a Jedi, do you?" has clearly never met, like, people. And types out their hot-takes from behind a wall of translucent glass or from below a sewer grate, marvelling at the unknowable shapes passing by and trying to capture what they believe those things must think through their writing.

Coinage

Being a Jedi definitely involves more meditating than I would like

jungleroomx

Atlas in Chains wrote: »

Venckman's behavior doesn't age well with me. He comes across much more as a dickhead these days, rather than a lovable scamp. Everything else is pretty airtight and timeless.

I'm fairly certain he was always supposed to be a bit of a dickhead.

RedTide

jungleroomx wrote: »

Atlas in Chains wrote: »

Venckman's behavior doesn't age well with me. He comes across much more as a dickhead these days, rather than a lovable scamp. Everything else is pretty airtight and timeless.

I'm fairly certain he was always supposed to be a bit of a dickhead.

Peter is basically a necessary evil for Ray and Egon.

Without him they would not be able to get funding for research/promote their business.

Without Ray and Egon Peter would have to do honest work.

Nobeard

shryke wrote: »

Bogart wrote: »

Over-rated is one of those criticisms that tends to boil down to “I disagree”.

Ghostbusters is an incredible movie.

Caitlin Moran wrote:

To those that deludedly think they prefer Star Wars over Ghostbusters, all I need to do is ask you this: You don’t really want to be a Jedi, do you? In a greige cowl, getting off with your sister, without a single gag across three films? I think if you thought about it a little while longer, you’d realize that you’d far rather be a Ghostbuster: a nerd in New York with an unlicensed nuclear accelerator on your back, and a one-in-four chance of being Bill Murray.

Anyone who types the phrase "You don’t really want to be a Jedi, do you?" has clearly never met, like, people. And types out their hot-takes from behind a wall of translucent glass or from below a sewer grate, marvelling at the unknowable shapes passing by and trying to capture what they believe those things must think through their writing.

Ehhh, I think it's more subtle than that. People want lightsabers and force powers. They do not want long hours of introspective meditation and a lifestyle of iron hard self control and complete emotional denial.

Also the Jedi are dumb and the creation of Darth Vader and all the death and destruction he wreaks is on them.

Paladin

I think the original TMNT was pretty good, but I wouldn't want to be a ninja turtle. Sewers stink, and that one turtle doesn't seem to be having a good time for most of the movie

caligynefob

Cavill is just a beast of man. Would really like to see him as the next bond.

BloodySloth

There's an alternate timeline where he ended up a wonderful, charismatic Superman who everyone loved. Great casting, treated very very poorly.

Kipling217

Nobeard wrote: »

shryke wrote: »

Bogart wrote: »

Over-rated is one of those criticisms that tends to boil down to “I disagree”.

Ghostbusters is an incredible movie.

Caitlin Moran wrote:

To those that deludedly think they prefer Star Wars over Ghostbusters, all I need to do is ask you this: You don’t really want to be a Jedi, do you? In a greige cowl, getting off with your sister, without a single gag across three films? I think if you thought about it a little while longer, you’d realize that you’d far rather be a Ghostbuster: a nerd in New York with an unlicensed nuclear accelerator on your back, and a one-in-four chance of being Bill Murray.

Anyone who types the phrase "You don’t really want to be a Jedi, do you?" has clearly never met, like, people. And types out their hot-takes from behind a wall of translucent glass or from below a sewer grate, marvelling at the unknowable shapes passing by and trying to capture what they believe those things must think through their writing.

Ehhh, I think it's more subtle than that. People want lightsabers and force powers. They do not want long hours of introspective meditation and a lifestyle of iron hard self control and complete emotional denial.

Also the Jedi are dumb and the creation of Darth Vader and all the death and destruction he wreaks is on them.

When it came to Star wars I wanted to be a part of the Rebel Alliance. Plucky underdogs fighting the evil Empire, flying X-wings and getting into blaster fights with Storm-troopers. It was a sci fi update of WWII from the perspective of occupied Europe. Which probably isn't as big a deal to Yanks and Brits, but is a big part of European WWII history.

Same story seen through a different cultural lens.

jimb213

Can I have Jedi powers in the world of Ghostbusters? I wouldn't want to give up pizza, and don't really think I'd enjoy blue milk...

WiseManTobes

jimb213 wrote: »

Can I have Jedi powers in the world of Ghostbusters? I wouldn't want to give up pizza, and don't really think I'd enjoy blue milk...

You wouldn't want Ghostbusters around if you were a Jedi, mostly once you turned into a force ghost....

Fencingsax

Nobeard wrote: »

shryke wrote: »

Bogart wrote: »

Over-rated is one of those criticisms that tends to boil down to “I disagree”.

Ghostbusters is an incredible movie.

Caitlin Moran wrote:

To those that deludedly think they prefer Star Wars over Ghostbusters, all I need to do is ask you this: You don’t really want to be a Jedi, do you? In a greige cowl, getting off with your sister, without a single gag across three films? I think if you thought about it a little while longer, you’d realize that you’d far rather be a Ghostbuster: a nerd in New York with an unlicensed nuclear accelerator on your back, and a one-in-four chance of being Bill Murray.

Anyone who types the phrase "You don’t really want to be a Jedi, do you?" has clearly never met, like, people. And types out their hot-takes from behind a wall of translucent glass or from below a sewer grate, marvelling at the unknowable shapes passing by and trying to capture what they believe those things must think through their writing.

Ehhh, I think it's more subtle than that. People want lightsabers and force powers. They do not want long hours of introspective meditation and a lifestyle of iron hard self control and complete emotional denial.

Also the Jedi are dumb and the creation of Darth Vader and all the death and destruction he wreaks is on them.

I mean, people want proton packs, not to watch friends to turn into giant demon dogs.
Giant marshmallow men would be neato.

Lavender Gooms

I don't want to be a Ghostbuster because I am afraid of all ghost.

ElJeffe

Atomika wrote: »

ElJeffe wrote: »

Also, I think The Matrix was the one perfect movie the Wachowskis made, and almost everything else has been a weird combination of brilliant ambition and total train wreck.

Where do you put V for Vendetta on that spectrum, if anywhere?

That part was covered by the weasel word "almost". I really enjoy V, though maybe not as much as some.

BlackDragon480

ElJeffe wrote: »

Atomika wrote: »

ElJeffe wrote: »

Also, I think The Matrix was the one perfect movie the Wachowskis made, and almost everything else has been a weird combination of brilliant ambition and total train wreck.

Where do you put V for Vendetta on that spectrum, if anywhere?

That part was covered by the weasel word "almost". I really enjoy V, though maybe not as much as some.

You have to applaud Hugo Weaving for being able to go full BRIAN BLESSED on a set without having his eyes or mouth visible save for that one scene with Inspector Finch.

Styrofoam Sammich

BloodySloth wrote: »

There's an alternate timeline where he ended up a wonderful, charismatic Superman who everyone loved. Great casting, treated very very poorly.

You can even see it in the last 20 minutes of Justice League

Nobeard

So I came across an article on Cracked (yes yes I know, just trust me) about movie posters from different parts of the world. This is not a new thing, I think Cracked themselves have done it before, but I wanted to share because some of these are pretty darn good. In particular I like the Japanese chirashi, which are "mini-posters with custom art the size of leaflets." Linky: http://www.cracked.com/article_26142_8-movie-posters-from-other-countries-that-are-simply-awesome.html

DarkPrimus

Atlas in Chains wrote: »

Venckman's behavior doesn't age well with me. He comes across much more as a dickhead these days, rather than a lovable scamp. Everything else is pretty airtight and timeless.

He's a narcissistic sleezeball, but even so he's way more scrupulous than so many other 80s comedy protagonists. He respects consent and the inability to give consent!

MegaMan001

DarkPrimus wrote: »

Atlas in Chains wrote: »

Venckman's behavior doesn't age well with me. He comes across much more as a dickhead these days, rather than a lovable scamp. Everything else is pretty airtight and timeless.

He's a narcissistic sleezeball, but even so he's way more scrupulous than so many other 80s comedy protagonists. He respects consent and the inability to give consent!

Peter Venkman is a complete asshole.

However, he does not have sex with a possessed woman and instead sedates her with a powerful anti psychotic for her own safety.

That's a pretty low bar to clear, but by God he does it.

He also doesn't use any casual racial epithets or misogyny, so in the general world that was the 1980s I think he did okay.