I see what Phat Magik means about Lost in Translation. I used to have a personal vendetta against that movie. I absolutely hated it so much that I couldn’t even watch it to the end. Then one day I did, and it wasn’t so bad. Definitely not brilliant, but I have a new appreciation for it.
How about Bruce Springsteen’s beautiful “The Wrestler” in The Wrestler. One of the most moving cinema experiences of my life, capped off by a song that left the whole audience completely speechless as the credits rolled.
10. It implies self-importance and conceit.
9. Hardly anybody reads your individual opinion anyway.
8. Opinions differ, so do lists.
7. They’re too subjective on one hand, yet too objective on the other.
6. They take too long to compile.
5. Even the most knowledgeable film critic’s list can be poo-pooed if someone dismisses it as “just their opinion”.
4. Often one item on the list is just space-filling. Like this one.
3. As the list goes on the items become more and more predictable/repetitive.
2. More and more predictable/repetitive.
1. Citizen Kane.
Writing isn’t easy. You’re lucky if you find that words simply spill onto the page, or if you even have one day of true inspiration to write. I find this the hardest thing. I need to chain myself to my desk and force myself to write, otherwise my mind wanders. I suppose it’s because I already know what the film is going to be in my head, and writing it down seems like the long way. But, unavoidable.
I guess it really is 10% inspiration, 90% perspiration.
Being the shameless patriot that I am, what’s with the lack of Aussie films on the auteurs? I’m busting to add Rolf de Heer’s Ten Canoes as one of my favourites.
Question for those of you outside Australia: what are your favourite Australian films? Do you have any, or are there just too few?
I didn’t used to get all the praise for No Country either. But then I watched it again and again and it just gets better every time. It’s entertaining yet so subtly beautiful at the same time. Tommy Lee Jones’ last monologue; wow! I’m surprised the studios let the Coens end such a tense movie with such a soft note.
As for the best of the 2000s, I think:
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
LOTR trilogy
Mulholland Drive
The Pianist
Ten Canoes
The Wrestler? Just throwing that out there.
Things happen in cycles. Hollywood had it’s great waves in the 30s and 70s, France in the 20s and 60s, so I think Australia is ready for another wave. Maybe in the future they’ll talk about the Australian waves of the 70s/80s and the 2010s.
Well I think we have to put this in context. What plays of centuries ago do we remember NOW?
The most obvious answer is Shakespeare, as he more or less invented most characters, storylines and heck even some words himself. So does that mean that only one filmmaker of this century will be remembered? I’d say that would be a fair guess. One filmmaker who had an illustrious career (sorry Welles), who influenced the language of cinema to come, and whose work is rich and detailed (as Shakespeare was) that it could keep being watched.
Who is that? Probably Kubrick or Hitchcock.
That doesn’t mean they are the best, but just who will survive centuries of distortion and humankind’s need to find celebrity. What do you think of that theory?
To reiterate Michael’s point, I think Forrest Gump has a good chance of surviving, as it is more or less a crash-course in the events of the 20th century, told by an interesting character.
Should the audience be satisfied?
Should the loose ends get tied up?
Should it raise more questions?
Should it have a certain feel to it?
What do you think, and what are the best endings of some movies? I think the ending to Hal Ashby’s Being There classifies as the perfect ending for me; out-of-the-blue, mysterious and symbolic.
This whole “Which version of The Office is better” argument is fuelled mainly because the US version wasn’t terrible. It would be a much easier point to prove that the original was better if the US offspring was crap. But unfortunately, it wasn’t. It wasn’t excellent, but it wasn’t terrible either. So hopefully saying this will help stem the flow of argument:
@ Amman “LOTR 2 and 3”
I think that’s unfair. The book lent itself to be the way the films turned out. You can’t blame them for being good adaptations.
The biggest oscar bait is Titanic, of course. But i’d like to include
Gran Torino
Ray/Walk the Line
For me, Gran Torino could have been great, if the performances weren’t so terrible.
Likewise with the infamous Godfather Part III.
And I’ve never been a fan of Shelly Duvall’s performance in The Shining. I love the film, but I do tend to cringe a little inside whenever she’s onscreen.
i love the jump cut look-to-camera Anna Karina gives us during the philosophy scene in Vivre sa Vie. It’s not an overt breaking of the fourth wall, but enough to just draw attention to the presence of the camera in her life.
Movies you hated that everyone else loves about 3 years ago
I see what Phat Magik means about Lost in Translation. I used to have a personal vendetta against that movie. I absolutely hated it so much that I couldn’t even watch it to the end. Then one day I did, and it wasn’t so bad. Definitely not brilliant, but I have a new appreciation for it.
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Best Billy Wilder Movie? about 3 years ago
I suppose he’s more known for his comedies… I’ve seen Indemnity and Some Like It Hot, which is very good, albeit completely different.
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Favorite use of a song in a film. about 3 years ago
How about Bruce Springsteen’s beautiful “The Wrestler” in The Wrestler. One of the most moving cinema experiences of my life, capped off by a song that left the whole audience completely speechless as the credits rolled.
Nobody moved a muscle until it finished. Amazing.
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STOP THE LISTS! about 3 years ago
Top ten reasons not to list things:
10. It implies self-importance and conceit.
9. Hardly anybody reads your individual opinion anyway.
8. Opinions differ, so do lists.
7. They’re too subjective on one hand, yet too objective on the other.
6. They take too long to compile.
5. Even the most knowledgeable film critic’s list can be poo-pooed if someone dismisses it as “just their opinion”.
4. Often one item on the list is just space-filling. Like this one.
3. As the list goes on the items become more and more predictable/repetitive.
2. More and more predictable/repetitive.
1. Citizen Kane.
Go to Comment
When writing or right before writing a screenplay... about 3 years ago
Writing isn’t easy. You’re lucky if you find that words simply spill onto the page, or if you even have one day of true inspiration to write. I find this the hardest thing. I need to chain myself to my desk and force myself to write, otherwise my mind wanders. I suppose it’s because I already know what the film is going to be in my head, and writing it down seems like the long way. But, unavoidable.
I guess it really is 10% inspiration, 90% perspiration.
Go to Comment
Lack of AUSTRALIAN FILMS? about 3 years ago
Being the shameless patriot that I am, what’s with the lack of Aussie films on the auteurs? I’m busting to add Rolf de Heer’s Ten Canoes as one of my favourites.
Question for those of you outside Australia: what are your favourite Australian films? Do you have any, or are there just too few?
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Lack of AUSTRALIAN FILMS? about 3 years ago
Babe is definitely one of my absolute favourites. Although I’m not sure it should count as a fully Aussie film…
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Mulholland Drive -- The Best Film of the 2000s (So Far)? about 3 years ago
@ZBombin
I didn’t used to get all the praise for No Country either. But then I watched it again and again and it just gets better every time. It’s entertaining yet so subtly beautiful at the same time. Tommy Lee Jones’ last monologue; wow! I’m surprised the studios let the Coens end such a tense movie with such a soft note.
As for the best of the 2000s, I think:
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
LOTR trilogy
Mulholland Drive
The Pianist
Ten Canoes
The Wrestler? Just throwing that out there.
Go to Comment
I used to think this movie was great, but i don't anymore about 3 years ago
Forrest Gump.
sigh
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CONVERSATE/COMMUNICATE - USING MOVIE "QUOTES" - I'LL START IT OFF almost 3 years ago
“Are you stupid or somethin’?” – Forrest Gump
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Ditch all the auteurs! Anyone seen "Australia"? almost 3 years ago
Things happen in cycles. Hollywood had it’s great waves in the 30s and 70s, France in the 20s and 60s, so I think Australia is ready for another wave. Maybe in the future they’ll talk about the Australian waves of the 70s/80s and the 2010s.
I hope so. Otherwise we’re screwed.
Go to Comment
It's Year 3009 - What 3 Films Survived Through A Millenium of History? almost 3 years ago
Well I think we have to put this in context. What plays of centuries ago do we remember NOW?
The most obvious answer is Shakespeare, as he more or less invented most characters, storylines and heck even some words himself. So does that mean that only one filmmaker of this century will be remembered? I’d say that would be a fair guess. One filmmaker who had an illustrious career (sorry Welles), who influenced the language of cinema to come, and whose work is rich and detailed (as Shakespeare was) that it could keep being watched.
Who is that? Probably Kubrick or Hitchcock.
That doesn’t mean they are the best, but just who will survive centuries of distortion and humankind’s need to find celebrity. What do you think of that theory?
Go to Comment
It's Year 3009 - What 3 Films Survived Through A Millenium of History? almost 3 years ago
To reiterate Michael’s point, I think Forrest Gump has a good chance of surviving, as it is more or less a crash-course in the events of the 20th century, told by an interesting character.
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What is your Dream Project? almost 3 years ago
An adaptation of Bertolt Brecht’s play The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui, which parallels the rise of a Chicago mobster with that of Hitler. Love it.
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What makes a great ending to a movie? almost 3 years ago
Should the audience be satisfied?
Should the loose ends get tied up?
Should it raise more questions?
Should it have a certain feel to it?
What do you think, and what are the best endings of some movies? I think the ending to Hal Ashby’s Being There classifies as the perfect ending for me; out-of-the-blue, mysterious and symbolic.
Go to Comment
What makes a great ending to a movie? almost 3 years ago
I think the Godfather Pt 1 has a great one too. We finally realise that the family business has just gone in a full circle.
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The office over 2 years ago
This whole “Which version of The Office is better” argument is fuelled mainly because the US version wasn’t terrible. It would be a much easier point to prove that the original was better if the US offspring was crap. But unfortunately, it wasn’t. It wasn’t excellent, but it wasn’t terrible either. So hopefully saying this will help stem the flow of argument:
The UK Office is perfect. Period.
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I can't seem to edit my favorite auteurs in my profile. over 2 years ago
Except this method doesn’t work if the name has non-Greek alphabet in it. For example, I tried to do it for Milõs Forman, and it wouldn’t work.
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Your most hated 'Oscar Bait' films over 2 years ago
@ Amman “LOTR 2 and 3”
I think that’s unfair. The book lent itself to be the way the films turned out. You can’t blame them for being good adaptations.
The biggest oscar bait is Titanic, of course. But i’d like to include
Gran Torino
Ray/Walk the Line
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Great films with terrible acting? over 2 years ago
Anyone?
For me, Gran Torino could have been great, if the performances weren’t so terrible.
Likewise with the infamous Godfather Part III.
And I’ve never been a fan of Shelly Duvall’s performance in The Shining. I love the film, but I do tend to cringe a little inside whenever she’s onscreen.
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Your most hated 'Oscar Bait' films over 2 years ago
i would also like to add October Sky to the list.
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STOP THE LISTS! over 2 years ago
I imagine I’m jumping on the bandwagon a little too late here, but I have been following StL for some time now, and thought I’d chime in.
From a proud Page One-r.
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Great films with terrible acting? over 2 years ago
I think some of you misinterpreted my OP.
I was thinking of movies that COULD HAVE been great, if not for the terrible performances.
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The scariest or most disturbing film you have EVER seen. over 2 years ago
Has anyone mentioned Oldboy?
Certainly the most violently/sexually disturbing thing I’ve seen.
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STOP THE LISTS! over 2 years ago
just chiming in again….
yes cache is brilliant. i’m planning on watching my copy of the piano teacher sometime soon too… but I wonder if I shouldn’t watch them in order too?
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STOP THE LISTS! over 2 years ago
just chiming in again….
yes cache is brilliant. i’m planning on watching my copy of the piano teacher sometime soon too… but I wonder if I shouldn’t watch them in order too?
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Which movies would you like to see on The Auteurs? over 2 years ago
The Court Jester (1955)
One of the best comedies ever, and certainly the best evidence of Danny Kaye’s genius.
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STOP THE LISTS! over 2 years ago
drew, sometimes I like to watch an unfamiliar filmmaker’s work in order to see there progression over time. sometimes it’s more interesting that way.
other times it’s bloody annoying.
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Name Your 100 Least Favorite Lists Posted On The Auteurs over 2 years ago
this joke has been done before. re: Stop the Lists!
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BREAKING THE FOURTH WALL over 2 years ago
i love the jump cut look-to-camera Anna Karina gives us during the philosophy scene in Vivre sa Vie. It’s not an overt breaking of the fourth wall, but enough to just draw attention to the presence of the camera in her life.
Also, Anna Karina’s gaze could melt marble.
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