movies

[Freed Roger]

I don't give a [expletive] what you guys decided. Kevin Spacey getting high with a 17-year-old is just great stuff.

for some reason I can't figure, I just would like to pummel Kevin Spacey.

[cardsfansince82]

accompanied by a really unnecessary beginning and ending.

I spent about 7 seconds trying to figure out if the first and last 20 minutes of the movie had any relevance before giving up. Everything from the implausible reporter stuff to the John Leguizamo newspaper thing to the absurd courtroom scene could have all been cut out and the film would have become measurably better.

[ghostrunner]

I'm down with symbolism and metaphors in movies. I'm just not going to rail on American Beauty because of it. I don't think there was anything "painful" about the characters. And personally, I think focusing on the stereotypes and the suburban backdrop is selling the film short.

You don't like the movie. That's fine. But your critique of the film reeks of the pretentiousness that I have come to loathe in the internet era. Nothing against you. Just one of the reasons I hate the internet.

I never said I didn't like the movie.

And, correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like you're ok with people critiquing a film, just as long as they don't critique it too deeply? That seems like a disingenuous stance. Why not open up critiquing to all aspects of a film? It's a bit like saying someone who enjoys baseball stats should just focus on the game being played on the field (we've all heard that flawed argument before).

The fact that you associate what I would consider a more academic critique with pretentiousness is unfortunate. The flaws I saw in the film were fundamental to my interpretation of the story - for me, the flaws were obvious and immediate. That kind of view has nothing to do with pretentiousness or the internet era.

I'm perfectly fine with you disagreeing with my interpretation. In fact, I welcome it. But when talking about a film as a whole, this idea that some methods of critiquing are fine while others are "pretentious" just doesn't make any sense to me.

For me I actually liked it a lot the first time and got swept up in it. So in that sense, I think it does it's job well. Though I didn't like Bening's character and how she was used from the outset. But upon watching again, it just seems to come by it's points rather cheaply. Spacey's character gets no real examination. His daughter is ready to run away and he's mostly thinking about himself. For me, I'd rather start the movie with his "liberation" and then watch him decide what to do with himself after working in fast food for a while.

To me the good thing about Fight Club is that it didn't stop at the simple euphoria of him being wrapped up in his new anarchist religion. There was actually some price to pay and the cult was exposed to be rather hollow and hypocritical. "His name is Bob Paulsen," etc.... To me, anyone coming away from that movie with a simple anti-consumerist message didn't get it. Most of the reviews at the time seemed to suggest that the movie was actually pushing the anarchist angle.

[Freed Roger]

I rented The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and then my brother came into town and I didn't get a chance to watch it. Had to return it to the library last night. I'll check it out again in a couple days. It's a 2 disc DVD but I'm not sure what all is on it. I liked the other two in the trilogy so I expect to really like this one. I was on a huge Western kick this past summer. It's tough to get off once you're started. I recommend any of the Jimmy Stewart/Anthony Mann pictures.

Oh man you're in for some good [expletive]. Let me know what you think, it's one of my absolute favorite movies.

Most definitely. I liked all three of the Leone trilogy, but The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly was my favorite.

And while you're at it, Richie (and Third Man), I'd highly recommend stepping away from the spaghetti Westerns and watching High Plains Drifter if you haven't seen it already.

I know I'm going to piss off some people, but I like the Eastwood westerns about 100 times more than the John Wayne westerns.

that doesn't piss me off. But JW and Eastwood movies are like apples and oranges. completely diff eras and genres imo.

High Plains Drifter was a ruthless trip. but not a favorite of mine - too surreal for my tastes.

[omaha_red]

I rented The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and then my brother came into town and I didn't get a chance to watch it. Had to return it to the library last night. I'll check it out again in a couple days. It's a 2 disc DVD but I'm not sure what all is on it. I liked the other two in the trilogy so I expect to really like this one. I was on a huge Western kick this past summer. It's tough to get off once you're started. I recommend any of the Jimmy Stewart/Anthony Mann pictures.

Oh man you're in for some good [expletive]. Let me know what you think, it's one of my absolute favorite movies.

Most definitely. I liked all three of the Leone trilogy, but The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly was my favorite.

And while you're at it, Richie (and Third Man), I'd highly recommend stepping away from the spaghetti Westerns and watching High Plains Drifter if you haven't seen it already.

I know I'm going to piss off some people, but I like the Eastwood westerns about 100 times more than the John Wayne westerns.

that doesn't piss me off. But JW and Eastwood movies are like apples and oranges. completely diff eras and genres imo.

High Plains Drifter was a ruthless trip. but not a favorite of mine - too surreal for my tastes.

agreed on wayne and eastwood.. i enjoy them both.. but very differently..
is high plains drifter the one where they...

[SHOW]

paint the town red?

[JL21]

is high plains drifter the one where they...

[SHOW]

paint the town red?

Yep.... and there's a midget mayor.

I spent about 7 seconds trying to figure out if the first and last 20 minutes of the movie had any relevance before giving up. Everything from the implausible reporter stuff to the John Leguizamo newspaper thing to the absurd courtroom scene could have all been cut out and the film would have become measurably better.

Don't forget the dopey ending on the beach.

[The Third Man]

And while you're at it, Richie (and Third Man), I'd highly recommend stepping away from the spaghetti Westerns and watching High Plains Drifter if you haven't seen it already.

That's another damn good western - wouldn't rank it nearly as high as Unforgiven or quite as high as The Outlaw Josey Wales among Eastwood's films but still well worth the $7 I spent on it at Wal-Mart a few years ago.

I know I'm going to piss off some people, but I like the Eastwood westerns about 100 times more than the John Wayne westerns.

Agree 100%.

[Fat_Bulldog]

Movies are cool.

[TimeForGuinness]

I enjoyed Wall-E...cute movie.

[omaha_red]

I enjoyed Wall-E...cute movie.

yes to this.