Here’s the thing- they hype doesn’t make a move any better or worse than it is. I understand a lot of people’s frustration with this movie, but I’ve seen a lot of people who just won’t see this because they think it is over-rated. Truth is, it’s directed and edited extremely well and the cinematography is great. The acting and the story I really enjoyed but I can see a lot of people not going for them. It’s a good movie, it just seems ridiculous to me to add or detract merit from the movie itself because of others’ opinions about it.
I do really like the comparisons between this and LMS- really pertinent. I think uplifting/positive films tend to be judged more harshly than more ‘serious’ ones, for various artsy societal reasons. But honestly, I think they can be just as good.
There’s a Virgin at Union Square as well, at least until it closes down. The Barnes and Noble has a lot of hard to find DVDs also (my roommate got 120 Days of Sodom the other day). There is a movie theater on Houston near ave A or B, Landmark Sunshine Cinema or something like that that has a GREAT dvd and book collection!
I just finished Pride & Prejudice & Zombies and I’ve started Ulysses which I think might be a horrible idea without a reader but I’m going to do it once on its own and then again with one, I think.
For school, I’m reading Nietzsche’s “The Birth of Tragedy” essay and lots of Walter Benjamin.
“And a box of Godiva chocolates sure is pretty to look at & tastes great. But it has no nutritional value.”
Please don’t tell me that editing and cinematography are not tremendously important parts to a film. That’s just silly. It’s not the only thing, and without decent narrative structure a movie is lost, and I guess we disagree about this in SM. I love the simple, uplifting, exuberant-ness of it. It’s not life-changing or anything but I don’t think it’s empty.
“And isn’t it amazing that Jamal learned the information chronologically in the same exact order in which the questions would later be asked!?”
And isn’t it just AMAZING that Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint somehow manage to get off the face of Mount Rushmore? I’m not trying to put them on the same level or anything, but plot loopholes happen in the best of films.
“I wouldn’t dream of telling you that. But don’t tell me that they’re the only thing that matters or I’ll be forced to point out that all those shiny ornaments and tinsel and twinkling lights don’t fare very well without a tree to hold them up.”
Harry, after I wrote that I clearly said “without decent narrative structure a movie is lost” so I kind of think you’re just taking things out of context and just throwing up criticism. I get it, you don’t think the film has any substance. I don’t think it has the most of any film I’ve ever seen, but I just don’t understand detracting merit from a film because it seems over-hyped. That was my original point.
And as far as the difference between a plot loophole and plot structure, you’re baiting me with semantics. I would call it, to be fair, a poorly thought out aspect of the plot. I should have worded that better, fine, but you missed my point entirely and chose to focus on something else completely to make yourself feel like you won. As I said, the best of movies have similar flaws.
I do agree with you about the kids in the slums. Part of me feels like they were taken advantage of and then another part wonders if anyone had any obligation to take them out of their lives when they were probably paid decently and the job was done. All in all, it turned out well, though.
Michael Almereyda’s Hamlet is my favorite version of that play, but I think Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead is the best film that deals with the play. Zeffirelli’s Romeo & Juliet is, as others have said, excellent (Though I don’t care what anyone says I thoroughly enjoy the Baz Luhrmann one as well, hate me for it if you want). Trevor Nunn did a Twelfth Night (my favorite Shakespeare play) that is really really excellent. Chimes at Midnight by Orson Welles might be one of the best Shakespeare films ever. I also really like the Kenneth Branagh Henry V, especially when I feel defeated. This might be anathema, but Julie Taymor’s Titus is fantastic, except for some gratuitous technological stuff. (BTW- She’s doing The Tempest, set to come out this year which I am really excited about.) The Richard III set in WW2 era is pretty awesome. Normally I’m better at putting these kinds of things into coherent paragraphs but not today apparently. Sorry guys.
@Marq: Boris is an excellent choice. I think that would be epic.
Personally, maybe Coconut Records since there’s such a wide variety of styles on their records. The Avett Brothers are great songwriters, too. In the instrumental/post-rock theme, I’d choose Pelican or mayyyyybe Explosions in the Sky, in addition to those already mentioned.
In his heyday, Hayley Joel Osment really creeped me out. Not just because of the Sixth Sense, but I think it was his eyes. I dunno. Also, in addition to many others, Klaus Kinski and Peter Lorre. Karlheinz Böhm ever since seeing Peeping Tom, but I think that was more because of his character in that film than anything else.
Roscoe- totally agree with you about most of the casting. Dreyfuss is never an actor I’ve liked, so I chalked it up to my own preferences and figured maybe I was missing something. It’s good to hear that someone else, at least, isn’t partial to him.
And I’ll watch pretty much anything Emma Thompson is in. Well, maybe not Nanny McPhee. At any rate, she is particularly good in Much Ado.
I really like him and his films, but I don’t know that I exactly think that they’re works of art that will persevere into the future, you know? Maybe it’s just that he repeats themes/characters/etc. in his films, though I even found the Darjeeling Limited enjoyable. I think his films are stylistically perfect, at least. Rushmore is one of my favorite films ever.
I really really enjoyed two of the three, and the other I mostly enjoyed. I think it was very much worth seeing in the theater before dvd. The cityscapes are wonderful on the big screen.
I would DEFINITELY second Ronin, what an awesome movie. 28 Days Later is another good one, it might just be my favorite zombie movie. At least in recent days. Plus, most of Danny Boyle’s other stuff is on here, so it would make sense. Bullitt and the Alien films for sure.
How about Big Trouble in Little China? Sure, it’s pure camp but it’s pretty awesome, though it doesn’t exactly need distribution I bet. Or the Thing… does that count as action? Maybe not. Falling Down is a great movie that I’m not personally partial to but could be included on this list, depending on what you consider action. Mostly it’s just depressing, but with guns.
I hated American Beauty while everyone around me really seemed to like it. A lot of people really like Falling Down as well, which is a film I HATE, for no other reason than Michael Douglas really needs to chill out. He needs some yoga or something.
In the same vein as some others have said, I too think it’s my perception/mood/etc. if I don’t like something (that’s supposed to be decent) the first time. That happened to me recently with Les Carabiniers. I just needed to give it another shot.
I absolutely hated Scoop and Match Point, but Vicky Cristina Barcelona was pretty wonderful- though I didn’t think so right at first, after I saw it, but in reflecting on it I like it more and more for some reason.
I wouldn’t say, though, that he’s at his best form. While I agree that he still has a lot to offer and to show us, films like Annie Hall and Manhattan are seminal and classic. I don’t see him as being as revolutionary and genius as he once was, though who knows- he might just surprise me yet, and he certainly knows how to make good use of Scarlet Johannson’s awful acting.
I’m also a fan of Garden State, it’s just enjoyable to watch, though I don’t think it’s the best ever or anything.
I also adore Clueless, and while I don’t know that it’s universally hated or even discussed much, I will go ahead and say it’s probably not regarded very highly. Maybe it has to do with growing up when that was popular, and a later discovered love of Jane Austen. I don’t know, it just always makes me happy. I love camp though.
I was very surprised with how much I enjoyed this movie. It was polished, well-done, and had a tongue-in-cheek quality that really took me by surprise. The plot was intricate and everything was executed pretty well. I’ve never seen anything else McGuigan has directed but I’d certainly give him a shot based on this.
I’m surprised no one had mentioned Mark Rothko, though the images of his paintings don’t do them justice or look particularly spectacular. It’s just that when you’re in a room with them, it’s overwhelming and soothing all at once. They bring you into them, they move when you breathe, almost.
The ones at the Tate Modern in London are exhibited particularly well, in a dimly-lit room with ample bench space.
What is some good and fun brutally violent entertainment to uplift the spirit? about 3 years ago
I’m partial to Battle Royale, personally.
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Should Criterion expand? about 3 years ago
As a business venture, I’m gonna guess that music isn’t going to be a great idea. I do like the television idea though.
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Top 5 Hitchcock about 3 years ago
1. North by Northwest
2. Rear Window
3. Rebecca
4. Vertigo
5. To Catch a Thief
To Catch a Thief might not be as big a masterpiece as, say, Psycho, but I just really enjoy it for some reason.
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Slumdog Millionaire Overrated Film of the Year about 3 years ago
Here’s the thing- they hype doesn’t make a move any better or worse than it is. I understand a lot of people’s frustration with this movie, but I’ve seen a lot of people who just won’t see this because they think it is over-rated. Truth is, it’s directed and edited extremely well and the cinematography is great. The acting and the story I really enjoyed but I can see a lot of people not going for them. It’s a good movie, it just seems ridiculous to me to add or detract merit from the movie itself because of others’ opinions about it.
I do really like the comparisons between this and LMS- really pertinent. I think uplifting/positive films tend to be judged more harshly than more ‘serious’ ones, for various artsy societal reasons. But honestly, I think they can be just as good.
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Last movie you saw and rate it about 3 years ago
Tokyo Sonata 8/10
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Good Shop for Avantgarde films / film art in New York about 3 years ago
There’s a Virgin at Union Square as well, at least until it closes down. The Barnes and Noble has a lot of hard to find DVDs also (my roommate got 120 Days of Sodom the other day). There is a movie theater on Houston near ave A or B, Landmark Sunshine Cinema or something like that that has a GREAT dvd and book collection!
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Books about 3 years ago
I just finished Pride & Prejudice & Zombies and I’ve started Ulysses which I think might be a horrible idea without a reader but I’m going to do it once on its own and then again with one, I think.
For school, I’m reading Nietzsche’s “The Birth of Tragedy” essay and lots of Walter Benjamin.
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Slumdog Millionaire Overrated Film of the Year about 3 years ago
“And a box of Godiva chocolates sure is pretty to look at & tastes great. But it has no nutritional value.”
Please don’t tell me that editing and cinematography are not tremendously important parts to a film. That’s just silly. It’s not the only thing, and without decent narrative structure a movie is lost, and I guess we disagree about this in SM. I love the simple, uplifting, exuberant-ness of it. It’s not life-changing or anything but I don’t think it’s empty.
“And isn’t it amazing that Jamal learned the information chronologically in the same exact order in which the questions would later be asked!?”
And isn’t it just AMAZING that Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint somehow manage to get off the face of Mount Rushmore? I’m not trying to put them on the same level or anything, but plot loopholes happen in the best of films.
Go to Comment
Slumdog Millionaire Overrated Film of the Year about 3 years ago
“I wouldn’t dream of telling you that. But don’t tell me that they’re the only thing that matters or I’ll be forced to point out that all those shiny ornaments and tinsel and twinkling lights don’t fare very well without a tree to hold them up.”
Harry, after I wrote that I clearly said “without decent narrative structure a movie is lost” so I kind of think you’re just taking things out of context and just throwing up criticism. I get it, you don’t think the film has any substance. I don’t think it has the most of any film I’ve ever seen, but I just don’t understand detracting merit from a film because it seems over-hyped. That was my original point.
And as far as the difference between a plot loophole and plot structure, you’re baiting me with semantics. I would call it, to be fair, a poorly thought out aspect of the plot. I should have worded that better, fine, but you missed my point entirely and chose to focus on something else completely to make yourself feel like you won. As I said, the best of movies have similar flaws.
I do agree with you about the kids in the slums. Part of me feels like they were taken advantage of and then another part wonders if anyone had any obligation to take them out of their lives when they were probably paid decently and the job was done. All in all, it turned out well, though.
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Where are you from? about 3 years ago
Miami, now living in NYC for a few years.
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Books about 3 years ago
@Drew: Lolita is a totally awesome read. Really captivating.
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Favorite Films For Shakespeare's Birthday(s) about 3 years ago
Michael Almereyda’s Hamlet is my favorite version of that play, but I think Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead is the best film that deals with the play. Zeffirelli’s Romeo & Juliet is, as others have said, excellent (Though I don’t care what anyone says I thoroughly enjoy the Baz Luhrmann one as well, hate me for it if you want). Trevor Nunn did a Twelfth Night (my favorite Shakespeare play) that is really really excellent. Chimes at Midnight by Orson Welles might be one of the best Shakespeare films ever. I also really like the Kenneth Branagh Henry V, especially when I feel defeated. This might be anathema, but Julie Taymor’s Titus is fantastic, except for some gratuitous technological stuff. (BTW- She’s doing The Tempest, set to come out this year which I am really excited about.) The Richard III set in WW2 era is pretty awesome. Normally I’m better at putting these kinds of things into coherent paragraphs but not today apparently. Sorry guys.
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FILMS OF ROMAN POLANSKI - AN EVALUATION about 3 years ago
I didn’t see Rosemary’s Baby until recently and it had an enormous impact on me. It was almost perfect.
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If you could commission a soundtrack... about 3 years ago
@Marq: Boris is an excellent choice. I think that would be epic.
Personally, maybe Coconut Records since there’s such a wide variety of styles on their records. The Avett Brothers are great songwriters, too. In the instrumental/post-rock theme, I’d choose Pelican or mayyyyybe Explosions in the Sky, in addition to those already mentioned.
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what actors do you consider creepy? about 3 years ago
In his heyday, Hayley Joel Osment really creeped me out. Not just because of the Sixth Sense, but I think it was his eyes. I dunno. Also, in addition to many others, Klaus Kinski and Peter Lorre. Karlheinz Böhm ever since seeing Peeping Tom, but I think that was more because of his character in that film than anything else.
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Favorite Films For Shakespeare's Birthday(s) about 3 years ago
Roscoe- totally agree with you about most of the casting. Dreyfuss is never an actor I’ve liked, so I chalked it up to my own preferences and figured maybe I was missing something. It’s good to hear that someone else, at least, isn’t partial to him.
And I’ll watch pretty much anything Emma Thompson is in. Well, maybe not Nanny McPhee. At any rate, she is particularly good in Much Ado.
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Do You Like Wes Anderson? about 3 years ago
I really like him and his films, but I don’t know that I exactly think that they’re works of art that will persevere into the future, you know? Maybe it’s just that he repeats themes/characters/etc. in his films, though I even found the Darjeeling Limited enjoyable. I think his films are stylistically perfect, at least. Rushmore is one of my favorite films ever.
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Tokyo! worth seeing before it DVDs? about 3 years ago
I really really enjoyed two of the three, and the other I mostly enjoyed. I think it was very much worth seeing in the theater before dvd. The cityscapes are wonderful on the big screen.
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Action movies that deserve to be in the Criterion Collection about 3 years ago
I would DEFINITELY second Ronin, what an awesome movie. 28 Days Later is another good one, it might just be my favorite zombie movie. At least in recent days. Plus, most of Danny Boyle’s other stuff is on here, so it would make sense. Bullitt and the Alien films for sure.
How about Big Trouble in Little China? Sure, it’s pure camp but it’s pretty awesome, though it doesn’t exactly need distribution I bet. Or the Thing… does that count as action? Maybe not. Falling Down is a great movie that I’m not personally partial to but could be included on this list, depending on what you consider action. Mostly it’s just depressing, but with guns.
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Movies you hated that everyone else loves about 3 years ago
I hated American Beauty while everyone around me really seemed to like it. A lot of people really like Falling Down as well, which is a film I HATE, for no other reason than Michael Douglas really needs to chill out. He needs some yoga or something.
In the same vein as some others have said, I too think it’s my perception/mood/etc. if I don’t like something (that’s supposed to be decent) the first time. That happened to me recently with Les Carabiniers. I just needed to give it another shot.
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Auteur Actors about 3 years ago
Faye Wong from Chungking Express has one, with only that and 2046 in the work she’s done, so maybe they don’t have to be a prolific actor or anything.
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Woody Allen at his best about 3 years ago
I absolutely hated Scoop and Match Point, but Vicky Cristina Barcelona was pretty wonderful- though I didn’t think so right at first, after I saw it, but in reflecting on it I like it more and more for some reason.
I wouldn’t say, though, that he’s at his best form. While I agree that he still has a lot to offer and to show us, films like Annie Hall and Manhattan are seminal and classic. I don’t see him as being as revolutionary and genius as he once was, though who knows- he might just surprise me yet, and he certainly knows how to make good use of Scarlet Johannson’s awful acting.
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Movies you love, but everyone else hates. about 3 years ago
I’m also a fan of Garden State, it’s just enjoyable to watch, though I don’t think it’s the best ever or anything.
I also adore Clueless, and while I don’t know that it’s universally hated or even discussed much, I will go ahead and say it’s probably not regarded very highly. Maybe it has to do with growing up when that was popular, and a later discovered love of Jane Austen. I don’t know, it just always makes me happy. I love camp though.
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Movies you hated that everyone else loves about 3 years ago
For real Jill, Marie Antoinette was pretty but horrible. Concur.
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TOP 10 FILMS FROM YOUR "BIRTH YEAR" about 3 years ago
1985…
Back to the Future
The Breakfast Club
The Purple Rose of Cairo
Ran
Better off Dead
A Room With a View
Teen Wolf
Cocoon
Pale Rider
The Goonies
Yeah, lots of brat pack era stuff, I’m a sucker for that kind of thing.
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LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN about 3 years ago
I was very surprised with how much I enjoyed this movie. It was polished, well-done, and had a tongue-in-cheek quality that really took me by surprise. The plot was intricate and everything was executed pretty well. I’ve never seen anything else McGuigan has directed but I’d certainly give him a shot based on this.
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Our Photography Gallery about 3 years ago
@Jim: I was about to post that Eggleston photo. I adore him.
Another one of his I really like:
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Our Photography Gallery about 3 years ago
Annie Leibovitz is another one I really like, though her stuff is more commercial. It’s wonderful and great and beautiful stuff.
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Our favourite paintings: the great Auteur Gallery about 3 years ago
I’m surprised no one had mentioned Mark Rothko, though the images of his paintings don’t do them justice or look particularly spectacular. It’s just that when you’re in a room with them, it’s overwhelming and soothing all at once. They bring you into them, they move when you breathe, almost.
The ones at the Tate Modern in London are exhibited particularly well, in a dimly-lit room with ample bench space.
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Our favourite paintings: the great Auteur Gallery about 3 years ago
Egon Schiele is another of my favorite painters, I think I saw a self-portrait on here somewhere.
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