Random film thread...

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  • #16
    Re: Random film thread...

    As part of my recent fantasy kick I watched Conan The Destroyer (1984) last night. The first Conan is one of my favorite sword and sorcery movies so I finally caught the second (had seen parts here and there). Heard it wasn't as good and that's true, but it's not as bad as I was expecting. Still some cool visuals, sets, and music, though the best songs were recycled from the first movie. Definitely a lighter and more comic tone in this one. John Milius's and Oliver Stone's script for Barbarian was more serious and thoughtful than people give it credit for, in my opinion, but Destroyer was just popcorn shlock.

    I also watched the old animated Disney Pinnochio (1940) today on Disney+. Hadn't seen it in years but that movie scared the piss out of me as a kid (especially the Pleasure Island and Monstro parts) and it's still kind of scary. It's certainly raw and unapologetic in its message, but at the risk of sounding corny I will call this movie fantastic. It was funny, entertaining, and effective emotionally, especially considering the 87 minute run time. It also made me appreciate those old animators; their attention to detail, especially physics, is impressive.

    Anyway, I think that's about the end of my fantasy list. I might rewatch a few more but I don't think there's many left. Surprisingly few fantasy movies over the years, and even fewer good ones. Maybe more foreign movies? I'd like to hear recommendations if anyone has some.

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    • #17
      Re: Random film thread...

      ^For Southern and catcon-

      Hmm. I like documentaries, even if I might disagree with the message to some extent (or at least their method of persuasion), but I suppose I'll steer clear of this one. I don't disagree at all with conserving our environment and curbing unchecked growth but Moore has earned himself a dubious reputation. The last movie of his I saw was the gun one (Bowling for Columbine, I think) when I was in high school. It's been a while but I guess I thought it was ok. Anyway, I found out later that his misleading inclusion of Matt Stone and the subsequent animation sequence is what led Matt and Trey to portray him as a fat slob suicide bomber in Team America (awesome movie). I thought it was interesting.

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      • #18
        Re: Random film thread...

        Jeremiah Johnson [1972] was on telly this afternoon, but still I cannot watch it. I saw it when I was about ten-years-old, and remember it only as tragedy upon tragedy. I think it set a certain sadness in my heart that has never left.
        Know this: I'm a lazy amateur, so trust not a word what I write.
        "The ugly can be beautiful. The pretty, never." ~ Oscar Wilde

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        • #19
          Re: Random film thread...

          Warning: Political content, but it's really a discussions of the power, persuasion and purpose of film in its documentary form:

          Originally posted by DDoc View Post
          ^For Southern and catcon-

          Hmm. I like documentaries, even if I might disagree with the message to some extent (or at least their method of persuasion), but I suppose I'll steer clear of this one. I don't disagree at all with conserving our environment and curbing unchecked growth but Moore has earned himself a dubious reputation...
          Moore was just an EP on this, and I think was more or less along to provide the "bankable name". However, whether you watch it for its political content, or merely want to take it for its irony and satirical effect, it's very interesting, eye-opening, and free. I'd strongly advise watching at least a few of the follow-up challenge interviews.

          But it reminded me of a script I wrote, "The Rewilders", which is totally pro-environment but I think has drawn the ire of some because it questions the greedy ba$tard$ who inevitably offer themselves to us to lead the way.

          We have to be skeptical of our leaders' motives, always. To merely follow blindly their every word without question rewards only them, not us, even if it makes us feel good because the cause involved seems so great and awesome.

          There is always a price for such uncontested obedience, whichever direction you take the argument. Do nothing and let leaders lead? We lose individual choice. Get and stay actively involved in the cause at every point? That's hard, too, because it seems human nature to simply trust a great leader to do it all for us.

          But personal conviction, and awareness (not denial) of the details is the only way to truly change things.

          (And yes, Animal Farm - the old boss is the same as the old boss - is one of my faves, and is also on YouTube! So, that's where I'm coming from on this, and it certainly drives much of my writing ethos.)

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          • #20
            Re: Random film thread...

            Originally posted by DDoc View Post
            Maybe more foreign movies? I'd like to hear recommendations if anyone has some.
            Amélie (2001), directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet.

            Happy People: A Year in the Taiga (2010), from Werner Herzog.

            Ida (2013), a B&W Polish film co-written and directed by Pawel Pawlikowski.

            Originally posted by Crayon View Post
            Jeremiah Johnson [1972] was on telly this afternoon, but still I cannot watch it. I saw it when I was about ten-years-old, and remember it only as tragedy upon tragedy. I think it set a certain sadness in my heart that has never left.
            See Robert Redford in The Twilight Zone episode “Nothing In The Dark” (1962). I liked the film Jeremiah Johnson (1972). I saw it at an early age as well. Pioneer life was rough and unforgiving is what I took from it. Loved the film The Great Waldo Pepper (1975), too, but not because of Redford, although he was great in the lead role. Simply put, it was a great story. Fun to read along with it from William Goldman’s book Five Screenplays.

            As in all his films, IMHO, Redford‘s delivery of his lines lack inflection or any emotional quality and make his dialogue among the flattest in all of Hollywood. Gotta love Sundance, though, and all that it does for film and cinema.
            Last edited by Clint Hill; 05-11-2020, 03:16 PM.
            “Nothing is what rocks dream about” ― Aristotle

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            • #21
              Re: Random film thread...

              ^Thanks Tigerfang, I'll put those on the list.

              Speaking of Goldman, I just finished Adventures in the Screen Trade today. That was a fun book. I'll check out Waldo Pepper and some of his other movies. I've watched Butch and Princess Bride multiple times but I'm not sure which others. I'm thinking of picking up the Princess Bride novel as well. Anyway, he seemed pretty funny and humble. I may be off base saying this but judging by some of the passages in his book he might have been a little neurotic.

              On a side note I found out recently that Mark Knopfler did the music for Princess Pride. I had no idea but it makes sense. That's why Inigo's theme was so damned good and a little reminiscent of "On Every Street".

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              • #22
                Re: Random film thread...

                Two thought-provokers viewed on consecutive nights:

                Last Night:
                Upstream Color
                - small budget
                - pretty ambiguous
                - sort of Lynch meets Cronenberg, in places

                Tonight:
                Mr. Nobody
                - bigger budget
                - less confusing
                - sort of Eternal Sunshine or Butterfly Effect meets Benjamin Button

                I had to pay attention to both of them (ie. put them on pause when I went to the can), but I admit that 15 minutes into Upstream Color I had to check Wiki's synopsis to see what in the hell was going on - and whether or not it was worth the effort. But I decided to carry on, and it picked up right after that. It was still mind-boggling, but artistically so.

                I'm a sucker for what if's and the type of story that Mr. Nobody provided, but if I were to be forced to watch either one again it'd certainly be Upstream Color.

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                • #23
                  Re: Random film thread...

                  Originally posted by DDoc View Post
                  ^Thanks Tigerfang, I'll put those on the list.

                  Speaking of Goldman, I just finished Adventures in the Screen Trade today. That was a fun book. I'll check out Waldo Pepper and some of his other movies. I've watched Butch and Princess Bride multiple times but I'm not sure which others. I'm thinking of picking up the Princess Bride novel as well. Anyway, he seemed pretty funny and humble. I may be off base saying this but judging by some of the passages in his book he might have been a little neurotic.

                  On a side note I found out recently that Mark Knopfler did the music for Princess Pride. I had no idea but it makes sense. That's why Inigo's theme was so damned good and a little reminiscent of "On Every Street".
                  If you see any or all of those three movies, I hope you’ll be as pleasantly surprised as I was by how great they are and how long after seeing them you’ll continue reflecting on them. They’re well-crafted works and all three have memorable stories. Of the three, Happy People: A Year in the Taiga (2010), from Werner Herzog, is a documentary film. The other two are comedic and dramatic entertainment.

                  Adventures in the Screen Trade was the first book by William Goldman I read and the most memorable for me because of it. Other great Hollywood books written by William Goldman I’ve read are Which Lie Did I Tell? (and that’s not an interrogative by its author; read the book to discover the humorous source for the book’s title) and The Big Picture. I never got the impression that William Goldman was neurotic. He seemed like a laid-back writer to me. Goldman’s style of writing hooks a reader into its rhythm and pace and is easy to read. When you’re finished with any of his books, you wish you weren’t or that it hadn’t ended and he’d kept on telling more stories.
                  Last edited by Clint Hill; 05-11-2020, 07:33 PM.
                  “Nothing is what rocks dream about” ― Aristotle

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                  • #24
                    Re: Random film thread...

                    Another great "free" documentary: AlphaGo, the battle between AI and humans in the game of Go. Great music score under the closing credit, too (but then I listen to trance all day long, soooo...)

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                    • #25
                      Re: Random film thread...

                      Originally posted by DDoc View Post
                      Maybe more foreign movies? I'd like to hear recommendations if anyone has some.
                      One more favorite for you: The Red Violin (1998), directed by François Girard

                      Countries: Canada | Italy | USA | UK | Austria
                      Languages: French | English | Mandarin | Italian | German
                      “Nothing is what rocks dream about” ― Aristotle

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                      • #26
                        Re: Random film thread...

                        I was going to mention Red Violin, but couldn't find it 'free' online to share. Terrific movie, though, with a wonderful score and a great perf by Sam Jackson. He didn't have to paint the air blue throughout, like he does on all of his Tarantino films.

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                        • #27
                          Re: Random film thread...

                          Originally posted by catcon View Post
                          Terrific movie, though, with a wonderful score and a great perf by Sam Jackson. He didn't have to paint the air blue throughout, like he does on all of his Tarantino films.
                          Agreed.
                          “Nothing is what rocks dream about” ― Aristotle

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                          • #28
                            Re: Random film thread...

                            For no good reasons, this gem of a film from 2016 somehow or another did not resonate with the majority of audience members: Hail, Caesar!

                            Written, produced, edited, and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, for me it ranks among their best work. It's now available on Netflix. Follow the hyperlink to the Wikipedia page for enlightening information on the making of the film.
                            “Nothing is what rocks dream about” ― Aristotle

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                            • #29
                              Re: Random film thread...

                              Thanks again, Tiger. Got all the others in my list now and I will certainly check out Caesar as well. I'd heard mixed things about it but I love the Coen bros- NCFOM, O Brother, True Grit remake, Fargo, and the recent Buster Scruggs are some of the best movies I've ever seen.

                              Anyway, Tootsie the other night for a change of pace. A decent movie.

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                              • #30
                                Re: Random film thread...

                                Cool, DDoc. Next up for us in the way of “change of pace” entertainment is Extraction on Netflix. Happened upon the trailer for it on the Netflix banner and the girlfriend got goosebumps. She doesn’t go for gung ho military-type or war-related movies, but she does have a thing for those Hemsworth boys, so my guess is that’s what I’m watching next.
                                “Nothing is what rocks dream about” ― Aristotle

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