I don’t think Casablanca counts because it was actually Rick’s choice to let go of Ilsa in the end.
Anyway, the two movies that come into mind for me is Breathless and (500) Days of Summer.
I recently attended a screening of Boogie Nights at the Arclight and for the most part the audience was quiet. However during the New Year’s Eve scene with Little Bill (William H. Macy) getting the gun out his car, two or three people started cheering and the same people laughed when he shot himself in the face at the end of the scene.
I felt that P.T. Anderson was building up with Cigarettes and Coffee, Hard Eight, and Boogie Nights, and peaked with Magnolia. He has gone downhill from there, compared to his other works that is. On a four star scale I would give a 4 to all of P.T. Anderson’s movies except for There Will Be Blood, which I would give 3.5 stars.
Roscoe: “Truly, it isn’t the subject matter as such that that bothers me.”
You know, I’m gonna have to say that it probably is the subject matter that you were bothered by. You keep referring to the characters in Boogie Nights to be “scumbags” when you do not elaborate at all of why you feel that way. So are you saying that Buck Swope (Don Cheadle’s character), who only wanted to open his own stereo store but was rejected by the loan company for being a pornographer, was a “scumbag?”
The only are things that you mentioned in your “critique” of the movie is that the movie “wanders” and it’s graphically violent. I, first of all, do not understand your standards on violence because I felt that the scenes of violence in Boogie Nights were mostly brief while Daniel Plainview found satisfaction in inflicting pain on Eli in There Will Be Blood. And I am not just talking about the final scene of the movie, but the scene where Daniel slaps Eli, pulls on his hair, and smothers him with oil. Second, I cannot understand at all by what you mean when you describe the plot of Boogie Nights to be “wandering.” Every time anyone asks for you to elaborate what you mean by that you just reply by saying something like, “Oh you just have to understand that people have differing opinions.” Well, we all understand that but it isn’t the fact that you don’t like Boogie Nights that bothers us, it’s that you just never explain your reasons behind what you feel. You just keep accusing people of attacking you for having a different opinion than them when that clearly is not the case.
You also keep saying that there was nothing for you to take from Boogie Nights while there was something to take away from in There Will Be Blood. Well if it was a morale that you wanted to take away from the movie, than there really is none. Boogie Nights is very objective in how it shows the lives of these sad people who have formed a family within their porno universe. They have locked themselves into that universe and when they try to break out into society that has rejected them, they find a cold world that does not care about them at all. So I could say that this coldness was what made you disregard the movie and say that there was nothing to take away from watching it, but then I could not understand why you are praising There Will Be Blood for being “thought-provoking.” The question I have for you is, what was it that you found was the morale of There WIll Be Blood or what was is that you were able to take away from There Will Be Blood? Until you can actually explain to me your reasoning behind everything that you have stated about Boogie Nights and There Will Be Blood, I’m gonna have to say that you had a bias on Boogie Night’s subject matter. Or I could even make the more disappointing conclusion that you are one of those people that just like to fell “above” everyone of a certain group by bashing what they like.
Roscoe: “You know, I’m gonna have to disagree with you on that. Once again, it isn’t the subject matter that bothers me. I feel the characters in BOOGIE NIGHTS to be scumbags because they are, well, sorry, scumbags. I detest them all pretty thoroughly.”
Well you, again, did not give any reason behind your belief that the characters in Boogie Nights are “scumbags.” You just said that you thought they were “scumbags” because they were “scumbags,” so I’m gonna have to hold on to my reasoning that you have a bias against the subject matter.
“I don’t think I have a bias against the porn industry or the people who work in it. I have a bias against bad movies about the porn industry and the people who work in it. There is a difference, and an easily distinguishable one.”
Yeah I do agree that there is a difference between the two, but you never do distinguish yourself from the group that has a bias against the subject matter and those who have a bias against bad movies made about a subject matter. All you really do is hurl statements criticizing the movie without giving any reasoning or explanation behind why you feel that way. The only thing that you slightly elaborated on was your hate for the violence in this movie.
“Yeah, an argument could be made that it is some kind of release of narrative tension . . .”
But isn’t this statement describing There Will Be Blood more than Boogie Nights? Daniel Plainview was all about releasing his tension through violence, and the narrative of that story was seen through the point of view of Daniel Plainview. Boogie Nights depicts violence as something that happens and it’s over, not as a narrative release. But you dismiss any criticism of Boogie Nights that would then apply to There Will Be Blood by saying that There Will Be Blood gets away with it because it’s interesting. The only elaboration you gave about why you found There Will Be Blood interesting was that you liked how Daniel Plainview cut himself away from society and ended with violence.
“And making nasty little personal digs about my motives isn’t cool. The little bit about me being ‘one of those people that just like to fell “above” everyone of a certain group by bashing what they like’ is just silly. We’re here to talk about movies, not make pissy little comments about each other.”
Well yeah we are here to talk about movies, but you are the one that is making pissy little comments on a movie that he does not like. I do not care if you think Boogie Nights is the worst movie of all time, as long as you give some support to what you are saying. Then we could actually have a constructive argument on it. But you shut down any form of an argument that could take place by restating what you’ve already said before and saying that people are attacking your beliefs when all we’re asking is some details to why you are saying what you are saying. And when I said that you might be one of those people who have to feel above a certain group of people by bashing what they like, well I was just stating the worst case scenario. However, now, after you have not given me any answers to my questions and instead choosing to make cheap shots at me, I’m gonna have to lean closer to my assumption that you might be one of those people.
Yeah I always felt that his greatest contribution was his enthusiastic insight on movies although I love Raging Bull. But there is a conflicting side to me in his other films, including Goodfellas and Taxi Driver. He has an energetic style of directing and that enthusiasm, for me it seems, carries on to his portrayals of violence. For example in my retrospective of Goodfellas, the scene at the beginning where the Joe Pesci characters stabs the man in the trunk repeatedly made me feel that Scorsese was trying to hook us into his movie by deriving excitement from the scene of violence. It has been a while since I’ve seen Goodfellas and some of his other films so maybe my memory is doing me an injustice, but that’s my reaction to some of his films right now.
Count Dracula (Klaus Kinski from Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht)
Carl Showalter (Steve Buscemi from Fargo)
No-Face (from Spirited Away)
Kakihara (Asano Tadanobu from Koroshiya 1)
Jack Skellington (from Nightmare Before Christmas)
Bill Murray (Bill Murray from Coffee and Cigarettes)
Criterion giving a box set to a bunch of popular, mainstream American films that you can already easily acquire (with the possible exception of Drive, He Said) is incredibly irritating. If they wanted an American box set, they should’ve done a No Wave box set.
People who complain about modern cinema just needs to go out and see more films instead of making another variation on the “Is cinema alive and doing well…or not?”-type thread.
@Tomsaulo
It is elitism to prove some kind of point with what is purely your own opinion on what is “artistic.”
The Greatest Film of the 2000s almost 3 years ago
Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead
Go to Comment
Which Film Critics Do You Read? almost 3 years ago
I usually only read Roger Ebert, but when I’m really interested in a film then I’ll look for a second opinion from Richard Roeper or A.O. Scott.
Go to Comment
Watchmen Appreciation Thread almost 3 years ago
The Hollis Mason death scene in the director’s cut of Watchmen was brilliant.
Go to Comment
You know your a cinephile when? almost 3 years ago
Drew: “When everything in the world is seen as a film to you.”
This is a very true statement.
Bob Stutsman: “When all your friends are going to a real orgy, you stay home and watch Eyes Wide Shut.”
This one’s hilarious.
Go to Comment
can you name a truly great american film in the last 5 years... almost 3 years ago
Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead
(500) Days of Summer
Pixar’s Up
The Wrestler
Waltz with Bashir
Go to Comment
best film about an unattainable women? almost 3 years ago
I don’t think Casablanca counts because it was actually Rick’s choice to let go of Ilsa in the end.
Anyway, the two movies that come into mind for me is Breathless and (500) Days of Summer.
Go to Comment
Audience Reactions almost 3 years ago
I recently attended a screening of Boogie Nights at the Arclight and for the most part the audience was quiet. However during the New Year’s Eve scene with Little Bill (William H. Macy) getting the gun out his car, two or three people started cheering and the same people laughed when he shot himself in the face at the end of the scene.
Go to Comment
what did you watch today? almost 3 years ago
Just re-watched Bottle Rocket for about the 10th time.
Go to Comment
criterion predictions almost 3 years ago
Downhill Racer
A Christmas Tale
Gomorrah
This is a very disappointing update. At least they announced Costa-Gavras’s Z a while back.
Go to Comment
Top performances of all time. almost 3 years ago
I did not see Dylan Baker from Todd Solondz’s Happiness mentioned yet.
Go to Comment
what did you watch today? almost 3 years ago
In the Loop- 5/5
It’s kind of saddening that an alarming amount of people feel that The Hangover is the best comedy of the summer.
Go to Comment
Favorite performances by child actors almost 3 years ago
Ana Torrent in Cria Cuervos . . .
Go to Comment
PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON - Oeuvre almost 3 years ago
I felt that P.T. Anderson was building up with Cigarettes and Coffee, Hard Eight, and Boogie Nights, and peaked with Magnolia. He has gone downhill from there, compared to his other works that is. On a four star scale I would give a 4 to all of P.T. Anderson’s movies except for There Will Be Blood, which I would give 3.5 stars.
Go to Comment
PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON - Oeuvre almost 3 years ago
Roscoe: “Truly, it isn’t the subject matter as such that that bothers me.”
You know, I’m gonna have to say that it probably is the subject matter that you were bothered by. You keep referring to the characters in Boogie Nights to be “scumbags” when you do not elaborate at all of why you feel that way. So are you saying that Buck Swope (Don Cheadle’s character), who only wanted to open his own stereo store but was rejected by the loan company for being a pornographer, was a “scumbag?”
The only are things that you mentioned in your “critique” of the movie is that the movie “wanders” and it’s graphically violent. I, first of all, do not understand your standards on violence because I felt that the scenes of violence in Boogie Nights were mostly brief while Daniel Plainview found satisfaction in inflicting pain on Eli in There Will Be Blood. And I am not just talking about the final scene of the movie, but the scene where Daniel slaps Eli, pulls on his hair, and smothers him with oil. Second, I cannot understand at all by what you mean when you describe the plot of Boogie Nights to be “wandering.” Every time anyone asks for you to elaborate what you mean by that you just reply by saying something like, “Oh you just have to understand that people have differing opinions.” Well, we all understand that but it isn’t the fact that you don’t like Boogie Nights that bothers us, it’s that you just never explain your reasons behind what you feel. You just keep accusing people of attacking you for having a different opinion than them when that clearly is not the case.
You also keep saying that there was nothing for you to take from Boogie Nights while there was something to take away from in There Will Be Blood. Well if it was a morale that you wanted to take away from the movie, than there really is none. Boogie Nights is very objective in how it shows the lives of these sad people who have formed a family within their porno universe. They have locked themselves into that universe and when they try to break out into society that has rejected them, they find a cold world that does not care about them at all. So I could say that this coldness was what made you disregard the movie and say that there was nothing to take away from watching it, but then I could not understand why you are praising There Will Be Blood for being “thought-provoking.” The question I have for you is, what was it that you found was the morale of There WIll Be Blood or what was is that you were able to take away from There Will Be Blood? Until you can actually explain to me your reasoning behind everything that you have stated about Boogie Nights and There Will Be Blood, I’m gonna have to say that you had a bias on Boogie Night’s subject matter. Or I could even make the more disappointing conclusion that you are one of those people that just like to fell “above” everyone of a certain group by bashing what they like.
Go to Comment
films that made you love film almost 3 years ago
Boogie Nights
Go to Comment
Top Films of 2009 - so far almost 3 years ago
1.) Up
2.) (500) Days of Summer
3.) In the Loop
Gake no Ue no Ponyo was on my 10 best last year and the America version that was released this year was awful.
Go to Comment
Most Memorable Villain almost 3 years ago
Kakihara (Tadanobu Asano) in Koroshiya 1
Go to Comment
PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON - Oeuvre almost 3 years ago
Roscoe: “You know, I’m gonna have to disagree with you on that. Once again, it isn’t the subject matter that bothers me. I feel the characters in BOOGIE NIGHTS to be scumbags because they are, well, sorry, scumbags. I detest them all pretty thoroughly.”
Well you, again, did not give any reason behind your belief that the characters in Boogie Nights are “scumbags.” You just said that you thought they were “scumbags” because they were “scumbags,” so I’m gonna have to hold on to my reasoning that you have a bias against the subject matter.
“I don’t think I have a bias against the porn industry or the people who work in it. I have a bias against bad movies about the porn industry and the people who work in it. There is a difference, and an easily distinguishable one.”
Yeah I do agree that there is a difference between the two, but you never do distinguish yourself from the group that has a bias against the subject matter and those who have a bias against bad movies made about a subject matter. All you really do is hurl statements criticizing the movie without giving any reasoning or explanation behind why you feel that way. The only thing that you slightly elaborated on was your hate for the violence in this movie.
“Yeah, an argument could be made that it is some kind of release of narrative tension . . .”
But isn’t this statement describing There Will Be Blood more than Boogie Nights? Daniel Plainview was all about releasing his tension through violence, and the narrative of that story was seen through the point of view of Daniel Plainview. Boogie Nights depicts violence as something that happens and it’s over, not as a narrative release. But you dismiss any criticism of Boogie Nights that would then apply to There Will Be Blood by saying that There Will Be Blood gets away with it because it’s interesting. The only elaboration you gave about why you found There Will Be Blood interesting was that you liked how Daniel Plainview cut himself away from society and ended with violence.
“And making nasty little personal digs about my motives isn’t cool. The little bit about me being ‘one of those people that just like to fell “above” everyone of a certain group by bashing what they like’ is just silly. We’re here to talk about movies, not make pissy little comments about each other.”
Well yeah we are here to talk about movies, but you are the one that is making pissy little comments on a movie that he does not like. I do not care if you think Boogie Nights is the worst movie of all time, as long as you give some support to what you are saying. Then we could actually have a constructive argument on it. But you shut down any form of an argument that could take place by restating what you’ve already said before and saying that people are attacking your beliefs when all we’re asking is some details to why you are saying what you are saying. And when I said that you might be one of those people who have to feel above a certain group of people by bashing what they like, well I was just stating the worst case scenario. However, now, after you have not given me any answers to my questions and instead choosing to make cheap shots at me, I’m gonna have to lean closer to my assumption that you might be one of those people.
Go to Comment
Top Films of 2009 - so far over 2 years ago
Still Walking
The White Ribbon
Where the Wild Things Are
In the Loop
Go to Comment
Martin Scorsese over 2 years ago
Yeah I always felt that his greatest contribution was his enthusiastic insight on movies although I love Raging Bull. But there is a conflicting side to me in his other films, including Goodfellas and Taxi Driver. He has an energetic style of directing and that enthusiasm, for me it seems, carries on to his portrayals of violence. For example in my retrospective of Goodfellas, the scene at the beginning where the Joe Pesci characters stabs the man in the trunk repeatedly made me feel that Scorsese was trying to hook us into his movie by deriving excitement from the scene of violence. It has been a while since I’ve seen Goodfellas and some of his other films so maybe my memory is doing me an injustice, but that’s my reaction to some of his films right now.
Happy Birthday Martin Scorsese!
Go to Comment
Martin Scorsese over 2 years ago
Double post. Sorry.
Go to Comment
WORLD CUP: 1/8 FINAL VOTING- JAPAN V CAUCASUS + UKRAINE over 2 years ago
Harakiri 1 – Arsenal 0
Go to Comment
WORLD CUP: 1/8 FINAL VOTING- SPAIN V ITALY over 2 years ago
El Sur 1 – La Strada 0
Go to Comment
If you could have a dinner party with six movie characters, who would you invite? about 2 years ago
Count Dracula (Klaus Kinski from Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht)
Carl Showalter (Steve Buscemi from Fargo)
No-Face (from Spirited Away)
Kakihara (Asano Tadanobu from Koroshiya 1)
Jack Skellington (from Nightmare Before Christmas)
Bill Murray (Bill Murray from Coffee and Cigarettes)
Go to Comment
BBS: Americana almost 2 years ago
Criterion giving a box set to a bunch of popular, mainstream American films that you can already easily acquire (with the possible exception of Drive, He Said) is incredibly irritating. If they wanted an American box set, they should’ve done a No Wave box set.
Go to Comment
Directors' Cup Voting, Round 4, Match 6: Derek Jarman (Caravaggio) vs Šarūnas Bartas (Seven Invisible Men) over 1 year ago
Derek Jarman (Caravaggio) 0 vs Šarūnas Bartas (Seven Invisible Men) 1
Go to Comment
Did the Shift of Emphasis to Teen Audiences Severely Lower the Quality of Films? over 1 year ago
People who complain about modern cinema just needs to go out and see more films instead of making another variation on the “Is cinema alive and doing well…or not?”-type thread.
@Tomsaulo
It is elitism to prove some kind of point with what is purely your own opinion on what is “artistic.”
Go to Comment
YOU, YES YOU, WITH YOUR NAME IN LIGHT BLUE over 1 year ago
Go to Comment
Five star films with the least amount of dialogue....? over 1 year ago
Go to Comment
The Auteurs Film & Cast Member Database about 1 year ago
Achilles and the Tortoise
Trash Humpers – The current image is not a still from the film.
Bad Lieutenant
Fargo
Nothing Personal – The current image is not a still from the final film.
Go to Comment