The idea of a sort-of “check list” for how objectively good a movie is has always been interesting to me. Generally, when I watch I movie I think of a few things when deciding if I enjoyed it:
-Did it keep me interested? (i.e were there parts of the film when I found myself staring off into space?)
-Was it well produced? (this doesn’t seem to matter too much most of the time)
-Was it beautiful?
The things I think about when deciding if it is a great movie are usually along the lines of:
-Did the story mean anything? Did it tell me something profound or did it simply “examine” some part of our lives?
-Was I involved with the movie? Did I actually care if something terrible or wonderful happened?
-Were the cinematics interesting, but not catchy?
-Will this movie affect my life in a significant way? (other than just shocking me)
I realize this is kind of silly, but I’m just thinking out loud. I think the first few things would be my subjective view while the second set of thigs would determine my objective view. I may love the movie and know it’s crap or I may hate the movie and know it’s gold.
Alright, I know that we’ve already tried to define a mindfuck earlier, but I still don’t think a lot of these movies are even close to mindfucks. I’ve recently been very interested in this kind of movie, so I was looking here to find some new ones to see.
When I think of mindfuck I think of something like Inland Empire (which I know has already been mentioned). After watching that movie I had a hard time reconnecting with reality. In it’s essence I think that’s what a mindfuck is. The other “version” of a mindfuck that I can think may be mentioned is a movie like Momento. There isn’t really a disconnect with reality after watching it, but the movie does an excellent job of involving the viewer and twisting their mind around a confusing, but carefully constructed, plot.
Personally, I’ve been looking for more movies like Inland Empire and I was wondering if anyone would be kind enough to help me find some.
Does anyone else think this movie is an excellent war movie? I personally really enjoy war movies and watch a fair amount of them. This is one of the best I’ve ever seen. It’s fairly long, yet it never seems to drag. The empathy it evokes for the characters is stunning, but it also effectively documents the atrocities commited by some of these people. What I just said may make me seem like a Nazi sympathizer, but what I really believe is that if put in a similar situation, I would act similarly. This is not to say that I would begin to persecute minorites or anything similar (I guess I can’t deny that I wouldn’t, but I like to believe I wouldn’t) but I would fight fiercly for my country, no matter who was in charge once it came to such a dire situation as thiers. It’s a struggle for survival at that point.
I think it would be very difficult to argue that this movie is sympathetic to the Germans. The last lines of the movie essentially explains that the movie is not trying to sympathize for the Germans, and that they were guilty no matter what level of involvement they had.
This all, of course, fails to discuss how well this movie is made. It’s one of the tightest movies I’ve ever seen and displays the horrors of war in a sort of subtle way. This movie doesn’t have to zoom in on corpses and wounds to make it’s point, and in fact the most poignant moments of the movie involve no violence but simply imply it.
I’d love to know what everyone else here thinks about the film, and though the discussion of the portrayal of the Germans is interesting, I would also like to discuss how well this film is done.
I’m having a little trouble understanding what you’re trying to say, but in the end doesn’t she confess that she was guilty even though she was a “young bimbo?”
Witkacy you’re comments are very interesting, but I think I need to watch it again to be able to respond. The last time I saw it was the day it came out on DVD. I saw it twice in the theater, and as you might tell I’m kind of a buff of this period.
By the way, has anyone here read Antony Beevor’s “The Fall of Berlin 1945” and seen this movie? Did it change the way you viewed this movie?
Always wanted to make this point with other Alien fans:
AvP is dumb because Alien loses. I mean really? Granted, Predator is smarter, but he is probably one of the most uncreative monsters out there. He’s basically a human with a fucked face. Lame. It’s really upsetting that a lot of my friends like Predator more than Alien.
And that’s my dumb two cents.
P.S This begs the question: Who do you think would win in a fight? I’m talking 100 aliens vs 100 predators in a big complex.
Movies that have a reputation to be disgusting or intense have the draw of a bad car wreck. I’m drawn to the horror or disturbing elements even though they may be scarring. I can’t really take my eyes away from them, and we’ve all experienced that. My friends and I recently watched the short film “Aftermath” and needless to say it was pretty disturbing. I don’t think I’d watch it again, I don’t really know what to think of it, but if someone asked to watch it with me I’d probably watch it.
The Hills Have Eyes (the recent one)
- Sorry, I don’t really want to watch a bunch of inbred psychos rape some innocent women for 10 minutes.
Street Trash
- So I guess I didn’t technically walk out of a theater for this, but I walked to my room while my roomates continued to watch. Any movie that treats the gangrape and murder of a woman as funny is not a movie I would ever want to watch.
Last night I went to see Public Enemies, and I thought the gun fights were fantastic. Not only were the shots very well done, but the guns were actually as loud as they are supposed to be. Most gunfights miss the point that guns are EXTREMELY loud, and thus lose a lot of the intensity. It wasn’t only the loudness that made the fight, but I’m only saying it’s a very important aspect.
Has a “reputation” system been considered? I know that it seems petty, but I think a decent reputation system would encourage thoughtful posts. It’s also nice to get some feedback from users here so it doesn’t feel like you’re talking to yourself.
When I begin a movie in the evening, I usually like to enjoy some alcohol during my viewing. I would think most others do this, and I began to ask myself if this was affecting my judgement of films. Surely, films like Return of the Living Dead or DeadAlive become more enjoyable, but what about the other, more serious films? When I begin DeadAlive or the such, I know I just want to be entertained, and I also know that alcohol will enhance that feeling, especially with friends. But when a new film begins, and I don’t know how I will feel about it, am I ruining the experience of that film by drinking?
Now, I don’t want to give the impression that I get soused and pop in the DVD, but I do get a little buzzed. This seems to make the longer, more drawn out scenes of certain movies more bearable. Perhaps if I hadn’t been drinking, these scenes may have bored me or seemed uninteresting.
Does anyone have any input here, or do you have the same concern?
P.S – I tried to search for a topic on this but had no success. If there is a topic already on this, just let me know.
Indeed it is legit. It takes all of 5 minutes. The only problem I found with it is that it asks no questions about the forum whichI believe is the weakest part of the site. I’m speaking only on a design level, and not a content level though. There are plenty of intelligent people here, but filtering out the lists and such is hard to do.
I really meant that if I’m watching something enguaging then I might have a few drinks, maybe two glasses of wine. I didn’t intend to sound like I drink every single time I watch a film. All I wanted to ask is how others felt about the subject, and when they avoid or enjoy it.
Alright, not to be a party pooper, but I think the New Age/Old Age argument has run dry. What I really would like to hear is some more constructive criticism of this film. Many have already said that it has failed to say something important or meaningful, but I am not sure what you think he is trying to say in the first place. I am not sure what he is trying to say, yet I still feel like this is a great film. Also, saying that this is one of the worst films of the year is ridiculous, for the imagery alone elevates it above many, if not most of the films of the year.
There is a surge in 3-D movies so that they can charge you for the glasses. I don’t really see any other reason for this, though if there is one I think it would be really interesting to hear.
So, how exited are we?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1291150/
Me? I’m very excited.
I read an interview somewhere in which Kevin Eastman said that they are going back to the spirit of the original comic. This seems to be in the trend of serious superhero movies coming out lately, and frankly that is pretty excellent to me.
Oh, and he also said CGI would be kept to a minimum. Obviously the turtles will be live action, but I also think it will be based more on karate and the such rather than explosions and such.
I don’t really see how hollywood will be ruining (okay it is very possible for them to ruin it) it if it has the original writer working for it. It seems like he has a legitimate desire to make a decent movie out of this.
CAN FILM CRITICISM EVER BE OBJECTIVE? almost 3 years ago
The idea of a sort-of “check list” for how objectively good a movie is has always been interesting to me. Generally, when I watch I movie I think of a few things when deciding if I enjoyed it:
-Did it keep me interested? (i.e were there parts of the film when I found myself staring off into space?)
-Was it well produced? (this doesn’t seem to matter too much most of the time)
-Was it beautiful?
The things I think about when deciding if it is a great movie are usually along the lines of:
-Did the story mean anything? Did it tell me something profound or did it simply “examine” some part of our lives?
-Was I involved with the movie? Did I actually care if something terrible or wonderful happened?
-Were the cinematics interesting, but not catchy?
-Will this movie affect my life in a significant way? (other than just shocking me)
I realize this is kind of silly, but I’m just thinking out loud. I think the first few things would be my subjective view while the second set of thigs would determine my objective view. I may love the movie and know it’s crap or I may hate the movie and know it’s gold.
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First Film you can remember seeing at the movies almost 3 years ago
Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers The Movie. Saw it the day it came out.
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Mindfuck Films almost 3 years ago
Alright, I know that we’ve already tried to define a mindfuck earlier, but I still don’t think a lot of these movies are even close to mindfucks. I’ve recently been very interested in this kind of movie, so I was looking here to find some new ones to see.
When I think of mindfuck I think of something like Inland Empire (which I know has already been mentioned). After watching that movie I had a hard time reconnecting with reality. In it’s essence I think that’s what a mindfuck is. The other “version” of a mindfuck that I can think may be mentioned is a movie like Momento. There isn’t really a disconnect with reality after watching it, but the movie does an excellent job of involving the viewer and twisting their mind around a confusing, but carefully constructed, plot.
Personally, I’ve been looking for more movies like Inland Empire and I was wondering if anyone would be kind enough to help me find some.
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Film Magazines almost 3 years ago
So, I searched the forum and I can’t find a thread about this (sorry if there is one already).
I don’t realy know which film magazines are top-notch and I was wondering what you guys read. Any suggestions?
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Film Magazines almost 3 years ago
Thanks for the replies and sorry to post an article that already has a thread! (I promise I searched!)
!
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Downfall almost 3 years ago
Does anyone else think this movie is an excellent war movie? I personally really enjoy war movies and watch a fair amount of them. This is one of the best I’ve ever seen. It’s fairly long, yet it never seems to drag. The empathy it evokes for the characters is stunning, but it also effectively documents the atrocities commited by some of these people. What I just said may make me seem like a Nazi sympathizer, but what I really believe is that if put in a similar situation, I would act similarly. This is not to say that I would begin to persecute minorites or anything similar (I guess I can’t deny that I wouldn’t, but I like to believe I wouldn’t) but I would fight fiercly for my country, no matter who was in charge once it came to such a dire situation as thiers. It’s a struggle for survival at that point.
I think it would be very difficult to argue that this movie is sympathetic to the Germans. The last lines of the movie essentially explains that the movie is not trying to sympathize for the Germans, and that they were guilty no matter what level of involvement they had.
This all, of course, fails to discuss how well this movie is made. It’s one of the tightest movies I’ve ever seen and displays the horrors of war in a sort of subtle way. This movie doesn’t have to zoom in on corpses and wounds to make it’s point, and in fact the most poignant moments of the movie involve no violence but simply imply it.
I’d love to know what everyone else here thinks about the film, and though the discussion of the portrayal of the Germans is interesting, I would also like to discuss how well this film is done.
Thanks
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Downfall almost 3 years ago
I’m having a little trouble understanding what you’re trying to say, but in the end doesn’t she confess that she was guilty even though she was a “young bimbo?”
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Downfall almost 3 years ago
Also, I guess sympathize is not the right word. Perhaps apologize is what I meant.
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Downfall almost 3 years ago
Witkacy you’re comments are very interesting, but I think I need to watch it again to be able to respond. The last time I saw it was the day it came out on DVD. I saw it twice in the theater, and as you might tell I’m kind of a buff of this period.
By the way, has anyone here read Antony Beevor’s “The Fall of Berlin 1945” and seen this movie? Did it change the way you viewed this movie?
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Alien vs. Aliens almost 3 years ago
Always wanted to make this point with other Alien fans:
AvP is dumb because Alien loses. I mean really? Granted, Predator is smarter, but he is probably one of the most uncreative monsters out there. He’s basically a human with a fucked face. Lame. It’s really upsetting that a lot of my friends like Predator more than Alien.
And that’s my dumb two cents.
P.S This begs the question: Who do you think would win in a fight? I’m talking 100 aliens vs 100 predators in a big complex.
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What's the Next Great Movement in Cinema? almost 3 years ago
@Bobby Wise:
Neo-classical huh? I would really love to see that happen.
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films you're too scared to watch almost 3 years ago
Movies that have a reputation to be disgusting or intense have the draw of a bad car wreck. I’m drawn to the horror or disturbing elements even though they may be scarring. I can’t really take my eyes away from them, and we’ve all experienced that. My friends and I recently watched the short film “Aftermath” and needless to say it was pretty disturbing. I don’t think I’d watch it again, I don’t really know what to think of it, but if someone asked to watch it with me I’d probably watch it.
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What films have you walked out on and why ? almost 3 years ago
The Hills Have Eyes (the recent one)
- Sorry, I don’t really want to watch a bunch of inbred psychos rape some innocent women for 10 minutes.
Street Trash
- So I guess I didn’t technically walk out of a theater for this, but I walked to my room while my roomates continued to watch. Any movie that treats the gangrape and murder of a woman as funny is not a movie I would ever want to watch.
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gun fights almost 3 years ago
One Eyed Jacks anyone?
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gun fights almost 3 years ago
Last night I went to see Public Enemies, and I thought the gun fights were fantastic. Not only were the shots very well done, but the guns were actually as loud as they are supposed to be. Most gunfights miss the point that guns are EXTREMELY loud, and thus lose a lot of the intensity. It wasn’t only the loudness that made the fight, but I’m only saying it’s a very important aspect.
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Help make The Auteurs totally awesome almost 3 years ago
Have stickies been discussed?
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Help make The Auteurs totally awesome almost 3 years ago
Has a “reputation” system been considered? I know that it seems petty, but I think a decent reputation system would encourage thoughtful posts. It’s also nice to get some feedback from users here so it doesn’t feel like you’re talking to yourself.
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Is it in his head or has Sam been Big Brothered..? almost 3 years ago
Alex K: I just watched Brazil for the first time a few days ago, and your explanation of De Niro’s character is excellent. Thanks for the insight.
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Alcohol and Film almost 3 years ago
When I begin a movie in the evening, I usually like to enjoy some alcohol during my viewing. I would think most others do this, and I began to ask myself if this was affecting my judgement of films. Surely, films like Return of the Living Dead or DeadAlive become more enjoyable, but what about the other, more serious films? When I begin DeadAlive or the such, I know I just want to be entertained, and I also know that alcohol will enhance that feeling, especially with friends. But when a new film begins, and I don’t know how I will feel about it, am I ruining the experience of that film by drinking?
Now, I don’t want to give the impression that I get soused and pop in the DVD, but I do get a little buzzed. This seems to make the longer, more drawn out scenes of certain movies more bearable. Perhaps if I hadn’t been drinking, these scenes may have bored me or seemed uninteresting.
Does anyone have any input here, or do you have the same concern?
P.S – I tried to search for a topic on this but had no success. If there is a topic already on this, just let me know.
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Did you receive email from THE AUTEURS? Phishing or for real? almost 3 years ago
Indeed it is legit. It takes all of 5 minutes. The only problem I found with it is that it asks no questions about the forum whichI believe is the weakest part of the site. I’m speaking only on a design level, and not a content level though. There are plenty of intelligent people here, but filtering out the lists and such is hard to do.
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Alcohol and Film almost 3 years ago
I really meant that if I’m watching something enguaging then I might have a few drinks, maybe two glasses of wine. I didn’t intend to sound like I drink every single time I watch a film. All I wanted to ask is how others felt about the subject, and when they avoid or enjoy it.
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The Fountain almost 3 years ago
Alright, not to be a party pooper, but I think the New Age/Old Age argument has run dry. What I really would like to hear is some more constructive criticism of this film. Many have already said that it has failed to say something important or meaningful, but I am not sure what you think he is trying to say in the first place. I am not sure what he is trying to say, yet I still feel like this is a great film. Also, saying that this is one of the worst films of the year is ridiculous, for the imagery alone elevates it above many, if not most of the films of the year.
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The Recent Surge in 3-D Movies. Thoughts? almost 3 years ago
There is a surge in 3-D movies so that they can charge you for the glasses. I don’t really see any other reason for this, though if there is one I think it would be really interesting to hear.
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Netflix Queue almost 3 years ago
another list?
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STOP THE LISTS! almost 3 years ago
Are the mods working on the list problem?
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Netflix Queue almost 3 years ago
ok. fine. queue, which is a fancy word for line…. or list
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New Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Live Action almost 3 years ago
So, how exited are we?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1291150/
Me? I’m very excited.
I read an interview somewhere in which Kevin Eastman said that they are going back to the spirit of the original comic. This seems to be in the trend of serious superhero movies coming out lately, and frankly that is pretty excellent to me.
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New Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Live Action almost 3 years ago
Oh, and he also said CGI would be kept to a minimum. Obviously the turtles will be live action, but I also think it will be based more on karate and the such rather than explosions and such.
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New Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Live Action almost 3 years ago
I don’t really see how hollywood will be ruining (okay it is very possible for them to ruin it) it if it has the original writer working for it. It seems like he has a legitimate desire to make a decent movie out of this.
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New Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Live Action almost 3 years ago
Also, Eastman said he would really like to have Rockwell play Casey Jones or at least one of the thugs.
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