Recently viewed movie thread - Rental Edition (2 Viewers)

[Daywalker]

Melancholia.

I found the first part of the movie embarrissingly bad for all the great talent assembled. I can handle Dunst being nutso but their are like 3-4 other people who are also completely bizarre. It was preposterous and made it difficult to get into the movie. It was just silly.

The second act was a lot better. I don't understand all the Dunst love though. Thought she was blown off the screen by the actress playing her sister. The sister felt like a real person going through a nightmare, on many fronts, while Dunst was just spouting really bad dialogue.

Their was a good movie there in the second half and probably would have been if they had focused on the sister and her struggle from the start. The shots of the planet coming didn't reinvent the wheel or anything but I was still mesmerized by them and wished they were in a better movie.

1.5 out of 4 stars. Would not recommend to anyone.

I've been avoiding this movie, and this is not helping.

My link FWIW

I remember. This is the very quote that had me interested:

For those Lars von Trier fans who were permanently put off by Antichrist (which I am still happy to have never seen) I think it's worth giving him another chance with this film.

I will add that it is a film that I occasionally find myself mentally revisiting over the past six weeks. Either a theme or a particular shot (particularly the opening sequence which is filled with spectacular imagery). It's slow and has some flaws (mostly in that it shows many actions that a true depressive might commit over time but condenses them into one evening, something which would be highly unlikely to ever occur, and that can make the whole sequence feel implausible to viewers) but it is a very good film IMO.

Didn't have a problem with Dunst' action so much as the bizarre behavior of Alex Skarsgard, Stellan Skarsgard, the lackie PR guy, Dunst' Mom and Dad.The whole work storyline with Stellan Skarsgard and his lackie should have been cut. That whole storyline was a cluster-f.

The opening imagery? Meh. Start the movie. Might have been better if we didn't know what was going to happen.

Their was a whole different movie here that could have been really good. Instead we get a bunch of BS just haphazardely thrown against the wall in hopes of being profound.

 

[Time Kibitzer]

Melancholia.

I found the first part of the movie embarrissingly bad for all the great talent assembled. I can handle Dunst being nutso but their are like 3-4 other people who are also completely bizarre. It was preposterous and made it difficult to get into the movie. It was just silly.

The second act was a lot better. I don't understand all the Dunst love though. Thought she was blown off the screen by the actress playing her sister. The sister felt like a real person going through a nightmare, on many fronts, while Dunst was just spouting really bad dialogue.

Their was a good movie there in the second half and probably would have been if they had focused on the sister and her struggle from the start. The shots of the planet coming didn't reinvent the wheel or anything but I was still mesmerized by them and wished they were in a better movie.

1.5 out of 4 stars. Would not recommend to anyone.

I've been avoiding this movie, and this is not helping.

My link FWIW

I remember. This is the very quote that had me interested:

For those Lars von Trier fans who were permanently put off by Antichrist (which I am still happy to have never seen) I think it's worth giving him another chance with this film.

I will add that it is a film that I occasionally find myself mentally revisiting over the past six weeks. Either a theme or a particular shot (particularly the opening sequence which is filled with spectacular imagery). It's slow and has some flaws (mostly in that it shows many actions that a true depressive might commit over time but condenses them into one evening, something which would be highly unlikely to ever occur, and that can make the whole sequence feel implausible to viewers) but it is a very good film IMO.

Didn't have a problem with Dunst' action so much as the bizarre behavior of Alex Skarsgard, Stellan Skarsgard, the lackie PR guy, Dunst' Mom and Dad.The whole work storyline with Stellan Skarsgard and his lackie should have been cut. That whole storyline was a cluster-f.

The opening imagery? Meh. Start the movie. Might have been better if we didn't know what was going to happen.

Their was a whole different movie here that could have been really good. Instead we get a bunch of BS just haphazardely thrown against the wall in hopes of being profound.

That would have put the movie on it's head bringing the science-fiction aspects of the film to the forefront; I think it's pretty clear von Trier wasn't going for that at all, instead he wanted the film to be psychologically based. I thought Kirsten Dunst was outstanding, but Lars von Trier's arrogance certainly comes through in the Justine character making her aggravating to watch a lot of the time. I thought the work storyline was pretty minor overall and it didn't bother me much.

 

[Daywalker]

Melancholia.

I found the first part of the movie embarrissingly bad for all the great talent assembled. I can handle Dunst being nutso but their are like 3-4 other people who are also completely bizarre. It was preposterous and made it difficult to get into the movie. It was just silly.

The second act was a lot better. I don't understand all the Dunst love though. Thought she was blown off the screen by the actress playing her sister. The sister felt like a real person going through a nightmare, on many fronts, while Dunst was just spouting really bad dialogue.

Their was a good movie there in the second half and probably would have been if they had focused on the sister and her struggle from the start. The shots of the planet coming didn't reinvent the wheel or anything but I was still mesmerized by them and wished they were in a better movie.

1.5 out of 4 stars. Would not recommend to anyone.

I've been avoiding this movie, and this is not helping.

My link FWIW

I remember. This is the very quote that had me interested:

For those Lars von Trier fans who were permanently put off by Antichrist (which I am still happy to have never seen) I think it's worth giving him another chance with this film.

I will add that it is a film that I occasionally find myself mentally revisiting over the past six weeks. Either a theme or a particular shot (particularly the opening sequence which is filled with spectacular imagery). It's slow and has some flaws (mostly in that it shows many actions that a true depressive might commit over time but condenses them into one evening, something which would be highly unlikely to ever occur, and that can make the whole sequence feel implausible to viewers) but it is a very good film IMO.

Didn't have a problem with Dunst' action so much as the bizarre behavior of Alex Skarsgard, Stellan Skarsgard, the lackie PR guy, Dunst' Mom and Dad.The whole work storyline with Stellan Skarsgard and his lackie should have been cut. That whole storyline was a cluster-f.

The opening imagery? Meh. Start the movie. Might have been better if we didn't know what was going to happen.

Their was a whole different movie here that could have been really good. Instead we get a bunch of BS just haphazardely thrown against the wall in hopes of being profound.

That would have put the movie on it's head bringing the science-fiction aspects of the film to the forefront; I think it's pretty clear von Trier wasn't going for that at all, instead he wanted the film to be psychologically based. I thought Kirsten Dunst was outstanding, but Lars von Trier's arrogance certainly comes through in the Justine character making her aggravating to watch a lot of the time. I thought the work storyline was pretty minor overall and it didn't bother me much.

Yeah it is clear von Trier was not going for a sci-fi theme and for me that's the dissappointing part because the movie picked up in the 2nd half when it was more of a focus.Movie would have been good if it had focused on the Claire from the start and her dealing with her troubled sister and her wedding. You could have cut the wedding out entirely really. Just Claire dealing with her troubled sister with the potential end of the world coming with the great imagery of the looming planet. Mix in some more Kiefer Sutherland. Good movie there.

 

[VA703]

Memory:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0418879/

MEH!!

5 outa 10

 

[Chaka]

Melancholia.

I found the first part of the movie embarrissingly bad for all the great talent assembled. I can handle Dunst being nutso but their are like 3-4 other people who are also completely bizarre. It was preposterous and made it difficult to get into the movie. It was just silly.

The second act was a lot better. I don't understand all the Dunst love though. Thought she was blown off the screen by the actress playing her sister. The sister felt like a real person going through a nightmare, on many fronts, while Dunst was just spouting really bad dialogue.

Their was a good movie there in the second half and probably would have been if they had focused on the sister and her struggle from the start. The shots of the planet coming didn't reinvent the wheel or anything but I was still mesmerized by them and wished they were in a better movie.

1.5 out of 4 stars. Would not recommend to anyone.

I've been avoiding this movie, and this is not helping.

My link FWIW

I remember. This is the very quote that had me interested:

For those Lars von Trier fans who were permanently put off by Antichrist (which I am still happy to have never seen) I think it's worth giving him another chance with this film.

I will add that it is a film that I occasionally find myself mentally revisiting over the past six weeks. Either a theme or a particular shot (particularly the opening sequence which is filled with spectacular imagery). It's slow and has some flaws (mostly in that it shows many actions that a true depressive might commit over time but condenses them into one evening, something which would be highly unlikely to ever occur, and that can make the whole sequence feel implausible to viewers) but it is a very good film IMO.

Didn't have a problem with Dunst' action so much as the bizarre behavior of Alex Skarsgard, Stellan Skarsgard, the lackie PR guy, Dunst' Mom and Dad.The whole work storyline with Stellan Skarsgard and his lackie should have been cut. That whole storyline was a cluster-f.

The opening imagery? Meh. Start the movie. Might have been better if we didn't know what was going to happen.

Their was a whole different movie here that could have been really good. Instead we get a bunch of BS just haphazardely thrown against the wall in hopes of being profound.

That would have put the movie on it's head bringing the science-fiction aspects of the film to the forefront; I think it's pretty clear von Trier wasn't going for that at all, instead he wanted the film to be psychologically based. I thought Kirsten Dunst was outstanding, but Lars von Trier's arrogance certainly comes through in the Justine character making her aggravating to watch a lot of the time. I thought the work storyline was pretty minor overall and it didn't bother me much.

Yeah it is clear von Trier was not going for a sci-fi theme and for me that's the dissappointing part because the movie picked up in the 2nd half when it was more of a focus.Movie would have been good if it had focused on the Claire from the start and her dealing with her troubled sister and her wedding. You could have cut the wedding out entirely really. Just Claire dealing with her troubled sister with the potential end of the world coming with the great imagery of the looming planet. Mix in some more Kiefer Sutherland. Good movie there.

While there may have been another disaster movie in there somewhere that was never the intent.

The idea for the film originated during a therapy session Lars von Trier attended during treatments for his depression. A therapist had told Trier that depressive people tend to act more calmly than others under heavy pressure, because they already expect bad things to happen. Trier then developed the story not primarily as a disaster film, and without any ambition to portray astrophysics realistically, but as a way to examine the human psyche during a disaster.[4]

The idea of a planetary collision was inspired by websites with theories about such events. Trier decided from the outset that it would be clear from the beginning that the world would actually end in the film, so audiences would not be distracted by the suspense of not knowing. The concept of the two sisters as main characters developed via an exchange of letters between Trier and the Spanish actress Penélope Cruz. Cruz wrote that she would like to work with Trier, and spoke enthusiastically about the play The Maids by Jean Genet. As Trier subsequently tried to write a role for the actress, the two maids from the play evolved into the sisters Justine and Claire in Melancholia. Much of the personality of the character Justine was based on Trier himself.[5] The name was inspired by the 1791 novel Justine by Marquis de Sade.[6]

The planet Melancholia is just an aptly, and obviously, named plot device.It's a unique and interesting film.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

I've had a lot of time to think about it and I've come to the conclusion that Melancolia is a self-indulgent piece of garbage.

But then...I'm not a self-loathing depressive either so...

 

[VA703]

The Barbarian Invasions - Excellent French Canadian film that won best foreign language film in 2004 (while I loved The Twilight Samurai I can't argue with TBI winning the Oscar). Story of a terminally ill father whose diverse group of family and friends rally to be with him in his final weeks. While it is without question a witty (very funny at times) and thoughtful portrayal of a deeply flawed man questioning the meaning of his life during his final days it is also a pretty strong indictment of the Canadian health care system including the notion of euthanasia.

Good film, worth watching.

keep yer politics outta this thread, pal.

im not your pal, guy.

 

[VA703]

Trailer Park Boys

4 outa 5

was entertaining. would watch again.

 

[El Floppo]

Killing Zoe....Been awhile since Ive seen this under the radar heist movie, but loved it as much as I remember, if not more. Dont recall thinking this specifically before, but I loved how this film is set up around Eric Stoltz's character, who somehow is almost a moral compass. Its really a 3 act downward spiral for him going from a euphoric night with call girl Zoe, to a whirlwind drug binge in the slums of Paris, to a hastily attempted bank robbery on Bastille Day that transpires over the last half of the film. Paralleling Stoltz's character story arc is his childhood friend and leader of the group, played by Jean-Hugues Anglade, whose conflicted character slowly descends into madness, willing to do whatever it takes to leave the bank rich. Its a great performance from him that really carries the film. Gritty, uncompromising, and disturbingly fun with a subtle ending that is more open to conversation and tragic than the viewer might realize at first....4.5/5

this is one of my favorite movies from my video store days. i haven't seen this in years but it sticks with me. anglade does steal the show because he's really the only actor in it with any oomph. it's hammy but necessary acting in this film. i wanted to credit roger avary here, as writer-director, for showing he had more in him following his work with QT on "Pulp Fiction". i expected him to have a career more like his contemporary john dahl ("red rock west", "last seduction") but he's gone a different way. still a good film with delpy (who i used to adore) and stotlz.

yeah, see- this is back to freaky mind-meld ####. every word.eta: and btw- I was soooooooo in wub with Julie Delpy. Before Sunrise, Europa Europa, this...

 

[El Floppo]

Saw the recent Sherlock Holmes on a plane recently. Good airplane time-killer fodder, but I kept asking myself- who's the director with all the gratuitous slow-mo Guy Ritchie nonsense. Oh- right.

 

[jdoggydogg]

Saw the recent Sherlock Holmes on a plane recently. Good airplane time-killer fodder, but I kept asking myself- who's the director with all the gratuitous slow-mo Guy Ritchie nonsense. Oh- right.

It's hard to believe that Guy Ritchie and Robert Downey Jr. teamed up to make this mediocre franchise, but it happened.

 

[KarmaPolice]

I've had a lot of time to think about it and I've come to the conclusion that Melancolia is a self-indulgent piece of garbage.But then...I'm not a self-loathing depressive either so...

Ah, but you only like movies that are 'fun'. Leave the depressing movies to the rest of us snobs in here.

 

[wikkidpissah]

Angels in America - Just finished watching it for the first time since it was originally on. Quite simply, a miracle - perhaps the greatest one in the history of television. Keeps one suspended in ambivalance, the way a great painting does, for over five hours. The pathetic immediacy has lost some of its urgency since the plague was in full swing, but life is still your fault and, yet, you can be saved. A miracle. 4.985/5

 

[Mr. Mojo]

I've had a lot of time to think about it and I've come to the conclusion that Melancolia is a self-indulgent piece of garbage.

But then...I'm not a self-loathing depressive either so...

It seems to have a lot in common, even the name, with another self indulgent piece of crap - Magnolia

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Angels in America - Just finished watching it for the first time since it was originally on. Quite simply, a miracle - perhaps the greatest one in the history of television. Keeps one suspended in ambivalance, the way a great painting does, for over five hours. The pathetic immediacy has lost some of its urgency since the plague was in full swing, but life is still your fault and, yet, you can be saved. A miracle. 4.985/5

The immediacy was largely gone by the time HBO created the televised version approx. 10 years ago; less so when Kushner's play was making its way across the country in the late 90's.

 

[jdoggydogg]

Angels in America - Just finished watching it for the first time since it was originally on. Quite simply, a miracle - perhaps the greatest one in the history of television. Keeps one suspended in ambivalance, the way a great painting does, for over five hours. The pathetic immediacy has lost some of its urgency since the plague was in full swing, but life is still your fault and, yet, you can be saved. A miracle. 4.985/5

You and I have butted heads often enough to where I am cautious to disagree with you. That said, I remember this being very melodramatic and over the top....at least we still have Downton Abbey

 

[Chaka]

The Baader Meinhof Complex - 2009 best foreign film Oscar nominee. This movie suffers from what I consider to be storytelling flaws. There are a lot of time jumps some big, some small but almost all without reference or explanation. Many different characters are introduced throughout almost always without explanation and some of the secondary characters appear so sporadically that when they do have a featured moment it is difficult to remember who they are or why they are significant. The ending is abrupt and while I think it it tries to be poignant or powerful or make some kind of statement it was lost on me.

All that being said this is a pretty fast paced, cool and interesting film that tells the true story of the German domestic terrorist group (the Red Army Faction) who operated from the late sixties through the late nineties and during their heydey ####ed a lot of #### up. The acting is solid the main characters are intense and the story makes a decent attempt at understanding the nature of terrorism and how it is often by a fundamentally intractable ideology that likely can never be satisfied.

The foundation of the RAF occurred during the Vietnam war and they were directly antagonistic towards corporate imperialist ideologies. And after watching this part of me wonders if elements of the OWS movement could splinter off into a legitimate domestic terrorist movement.

Not the best film but interesting, fast paced and exciting.

 

[Chaka]

Lost in Translation - Kinda racist, huh?

It's also kinda slow and kinda boring.

However 1) For me this is Scarlett Johansson's high water mark for hotness. She is hot and will always be hot but this is the film that really does it for me.

2) The chemistry between Scarlett & Murray is really eye popping. They both just nail it and create boat loads of subtext with the way in which they interact. They create a very authentic feeling of a relationship that mighta/coulda been but both know it can't so they don't try. I really appreciated the honesty in their performances. And since the movie is really about the dynamic between Scarlett & Murray I have to say that despite being kinda slow & kinda boring (& kinda racist) I kinda like this film.

Good soundtrack too.

 

[VA703]

An American Haunting (2005) on netflix

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0429573/

what a crappy movie im surprised it had three stars in netflix.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

I've had a lot of time to think about it and I've come to the conclusion that Melancolia is a self-indulgent piece of garbage.But then...I'm not a self-loathing depressive either so...

Ah, but you only like movies that are 'fun'. Leave the depressing movies to the rest of us snobs in here.

I know you're just -ing, but that's not true. I like bittersweet movies just as much as any other.But only if they're good...which Melancholia is not.

 

[Jutz]

Lost in Translation - Kinda racist, huh?

It's also kinda slow and kinda boring.

However 1) For me this is Scarlett Johansson's high water mark for hotness. She is hot and will always be hot but this is the film that really does it for me.

2) The chemistry between Scarlett & Murray is really eye popping. They both just nail it and create boat loads of subtext with the way in which they interact. They create a very authentic feeling of a relationship that mighta/coulda been but both know it can't so they don't try. I really appreciated the honesty in their performances. And since the movie is really about the dynamic between Scarlett & Murray I have to say that despite being kinda slow & kinda boring (& kinda racist) I kinda like this film.

Good soundtrack too.

Other then A Serious Man, this is probably one of the few other non traditional films I really liked. I have a thing for all things asian, so that really made it enjoyable for me. No matter how many times people display the cliche that asian people love karoke, I just can't get enough of it. And besides, who can blame them for loving it so much?I realized while rewatching Fast & Furious Tokyo Drift a few weeks ago, that when a film is shot mostly in an asian setting I end up liking it a lot more. I even specifically thought of this film. It looks like you are living in a pinball machine in some shots. Tony Hawk pro skater 3 on ps2... had a level called Tokyo. It was awesome. Man, maybe I need to visit Japan?

It wasn't just the asian setting that i liked about the movie, but since there wasn't a whole lot going on it put the scenery a little closer to the foreground of the film. I agree with your description of the relationship too, and think that was a quite unique pairing. Just like the lead in A Serious Man never really lost his ####, I like how neither of them really ever lost their #### (IIRC). I guess I feel like I don't often lose my ####, and it pisses me off that the people that do get all the attention, so I like it when a film focuses on rational people. It was a cool calm harmless film in an amazing setting depicting a unique situation. And for that they get a thumbsup.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Hey other KP - I FINALLY started on The Wire. Of course I get through about 5mins of the 2nd episode and the damn thing is tweaking out and skipping. Gotta grab a copy from the library now.

 

[Chaka]

Hey other KP - I FINALLY started on The Wire. Of course I get through about 5mins of the 2nd episode and the damn thing is tweaking out and skipping. Gotta grab a copy from the library now.

 

[Cliff Clavin]

Just finished up Deadwood. Has there even been a more anti-climactic finish to a series?

 

[Mr. Mojo]

Lost in Translation - Kinda racist, huh?

It's also kinda slow and kinda boring.

However 1) For me this is Scarlett Johansson's high water mark for hotness. She is hot and will always be hot but this is the film that really does it for me.

2) The chemistry between Scarlett & Murray is really eye popping. They both just nail it and create boat loads of subtext with the way in which they interact. They create a very authentic feeling of a relationship that mighta/coulda been but both know it can't so they don't try. I really appreciated the honesty in their performances. And since the movie is really about the dynamic between Scarlett & Murray I have to say that despite being kinda slow & kinda boring (& kinda racist) I kinda like this film.

Good soundtrack too.

I couldn't believe this movie got so much hype.It was a good idea for a movie that went nowhere and did nothing interesting with a lousy ending.

 

[Chaka]

Lost in Translation - Kinda racist, huh?

It's also kinda slow and kinda boring.

However 1) For me this is Scarlett Johansson's high water mark for hotness. She is hot and will always be hot but this is the film that really does it for me.

2) The chemistry between Scarlett & Murray is really eye popping. They both just nail it and create boat loads of subtext with the way in which they interact. They create a very authentic feeling of a relationship that mighta/coulda been but both know it can't so they don't try. I really appreciated the honesty in their performances. And since the movie is really about the dynamic between Scarlett & Murray I have to say that despite being kinda slow & kinda boring (& kinda racist) I kinda like this film.

Good soundtrack too.

I couldn't believe this movie got so much hype.It was a good idea for a movie that went nowhere and did nothing interesting with a lousy ending.

Not sure why it got the Best Picture, Best Director Oscar nominations (no problem with Murray's nom though) but I still kinda liked it.I didn't think it was a lousy ending though. It felt like an honest ending to an honest week long relationship. There have been many films that play off the brief tortured relationship motif and they typically follow the same formula of intensity, denial and overcoming. I kinda liked the slow burn no payoff aspect ot LiT.

 

[Jutz]

Lost in Translation - Kinda racist, huh?

It's also kinda slow and kinda boring.

However 1) For me this is Scarlett Johansson's high water mark for hotness. She is hot and will always be hot but this is the film that really does it for me.

2) The chemistry between Scarlett & Murray is really eye popping. They both just nail it and create boat loads of subtext with the way in which they interact. They create a very authentic feeling of a relationship that mighta/coulda been but both know it can't so they don't try. I really appreciated the honesty in their performances. And since the movie is really about the dynamic between Scarlett & Murray I have to say that despite being kinda slow & kinda boring (& kinda racist) I kinda like this film.

Good soundtrack too.

I couldn't believe this movie got so much hype.It was a good idea for a movie that went nowhere and did nothing interesting with a lousy ending.

Ever hear of the quote... in a mad world, only the sane are mad.Well, I think the hype was due to that fact that this film was sane. Look at all the movies out there. Most have to do with some extraordinary circumstances that are for the most part unbelieveable. So when a film comes along and just depicts a relatively uninteresting situation where not a whole lot happens (which is what 90% of most peoples lives are like), it sticks out like a sore thumb. I was glad to see someone do something different sans sensationalism.

 

[Chaka]

Lost in Translation - Kinda racist, huh?

It's also kinda slow and kinda boring.

However 1) For me this is Scarlett Johansson's high water mark for hotness. She is hot and will always be hot but this is the film that really does it for me.

2) The chemistry between Scarlett & Murray is really eye popping. They both just nail it and create boat loads of subtext with the way in which they interact. They create a very authentic feeling of a relationship that mighta/coulda been but both know it can't so they don't try. I really appreciated the honesty in their performances. And since the movie is really about the dynamic between Scarlett & Murray I have to say that despite being kinda slow & kinda boring (& kinda racist) I kinda like this film.

Good soundtrack too.

I couldn't believe this movie got so much hype.It was a good idea for a movie that went nowhere and did nothing interesting with a lousy ending.

Ever hear of the quote... in a mad world, only the sane are mad.Well, I think the hype was due to that fact that this film was sane. Look at all the movies out there. Most have to do with some extraordinary circumstances that are for the most part unbelieveable. So when a film comes along and just depicts a relatively uninteresting situation where not a whole lot happens (which is what 90% of most peoples lives are like), it sticks out like a sore thumb. I was glad to see someone do something different sans sensationalism.

I feel the same way, or I go through phases where I feel the same way, but real life is boring and people typically don't want to pay to see real life. I think a lot of people feel like they got duped by the hype surrounding this film and were expecting more than real life.I kinda felt that way when I first saw it.

 

[jdoggydogg]

Lost in Translation - Kinda racist, huh?

It's also kinda slow and kinda boring.

However 1) For me this is Scarlett Johansson's high water mark for hotness. She is hot and will always be hot but this is the film that really does it for me.

2) The chemistry between Scarlett & Murray is really eye popping. They both just nail it and create boat loads of subtext with the way in which they interact. They create a very authentic feeling of a relationship that mighta/coulda been but both know it can't so they don't try. I really appreciated the honesty in their performances. And since the movie is really about the dynamic between Scarlett & Murray I have to say that despite being kinda slow & kinda boring (& kinda racist) I kinda like this film.

Good soundtrack too.

Great soundtrack, beautiful photography, but a pretty dull movie. Scarlett is a mediocre actor.Why was it racist? Remind me.

 

[jdoggydogg]

Just finished up Deadwood. Has there even been a more anti-climactic finish to a series?

As you know, they series ended prematurely. One thing HBO cited was that Deadwood was very expensive to make. That argument is laughable when you consider that Boardwalk Empire and Game of Thrones are probably even more expensive to make.I don't have any insider knowledge of HBO, but it's fairly clear the network was mismanaged for a period. Look at the evidence: Deadwood gets canceled, and the network proceeds to make a lot of equally terrible decisions. Mediocre shows like John From Cincinnati, Treme, and True Blood populate the network while AMC steps up with the brilliant Mad Men and Breaking Bad. There's no doubt that HBO is back big time. But Deadwood was a microcosm for HBO's poor management.

 

[Chaka]

Lost in Translation - Kinda racist, huh?

It's also kinda slow and kinda boring.

However 1) For me this is Scarlett Johansson's high water mark for hotness. She is hot and will always be hot but this is the film that really does it for me.

2) The chemistry between Scarlett & Murray is really eye popping. They both just nail it and create boat loads of subtext with the way in which they interact. They create a very authentic feeling of a relationship that mighta/coulda been but both know it can't so they don't try. I really appreciated the honesty in their performances. And since the movie is really about the dynamic between Scarlett & Murray I have to say that despite being kinda slow & kinda boring (& kinda racist) I kinda like this film.

Good soundtrack too.

Great soundtrack, beautiful photography, but a pretty dull movie. Scarlett is a mediocre actor.Why was it racist? Remind me.

It wasn't terrible but they hit every Japanese stereotype in the book.Scarlett isn't great but she didn't have to do much and was really good with Murray.

 

[jdoggydogg]

Lost in Translation - Kinda racist, huh?

It's also kinda slow and kinda boring.

However 1) For me this is Scarlett Johansson's high water mark for hotness. She is hot and will always be hot but this is the film that really does it for me.

2) The chemistry between Scarlett & Murray is really eye popping. They both just nail it and create boat loads of subtext with the way in which they interact. They create a very authentic feeling of a relationship that mighta/coulda been but both know it can't so they don't try. I really appreciated the honesty in their performances. And since the movie is really about the dynamic between Scarlett & Murray I have to say that despite being kinda slow & kinda boring (& kinda racist) I kinda like this film.

Good soundtrack too.

Great soundtrack, beautiful photography, but a pretty dull movie. Scarlett is a mediocre actor.Why was it racist? Remind me.

It wasn't terrible but they hit every Japanese stereotype in the book.

Scarlett isn't great but she didn't have to do much and was really good with Murray.

Funny. I normally have a good radar for those things, but I don't remember the movie being offensive. One particularly racist stereotype that I'll always remember was the cheap, dishonest Jew in Spike Lee's Mo' Better Blues.

 

[jdoggydogg]

Downton Abbey

I feel like a man who's been lost at sea for weeks, and I've grabbed onto a plank of wood that's saving me. Where have you been all my life, Downton Abbey? This show is so beautiful, so brilliant.

Awhile back, Krista commented in this thread that the TV talk is making her lose interest in this thread. Well, I'm here to say the reason for that is modern television is sometimes so well done, it's often better than most films. We can go on and stick to movies, but that seems archaic at this point. Between the BBC, HBO, Showtime, and AMC, cable TV is setting the bar so high, films often pale in comparison.

 

[Chaka]

Lost in Translation - Kinda racist, huh?

It's also kinda slow and kinda boring.

However 1) For me this is Scarlett Johansson's high water mark for hotness. She is hot and will always be hot but this is the film that really does it for me.

2) The chemistry between Scarlett & Murray is really eye popping. They both just nail it and create boat loads of subtext with the way in which they interact. They create a very authentic feeling of a relationship that mighta/coulda been but both know it can't so they don't try. I really appreciated the honesty in their performances. And since the movie is really about the dynamic between Scarlett & Murray I have to say that despite being kinda slow & kinda boring (& kinda racist) I kinda like this film.

Good soundtrack too.

Great soundtrack, beautiful photography, but a pretty dull movie. Scarlett is a mediocre actor.Why was it racist? Remind me.

It wasn't terrible but they hit every Japanese stereotype in the book.

Scarlett isn't great but she didn't have to do much and was really good with Murray.

Funny. I normally have a good radar for those things, but I don't remember the movie being offensive. One particularly racist stereotype that I'll always remember was the cheap, dishonest Jew in Spike Lee's Mo' Better Blues.

I don't think it was a dishonest portrayal but stereotyping can be a touchy subject. Coppola continually went back to the "Engrish" well. Yeah I get it, Japanese people have trouble with Rs and Ls when speaking English, feel free to move on any time Sofia.

 

[jdoggydogg]

Lost in Translation - Kinda racist, huh?

It's also kinda slow and kinda boring.

However 1) For me this is Scarlett Johansson's high water mark for hotness. She is hot and will always be hot but this is the film that really does it for me.

2) The chemistry between Scarlett & Murray is really eye popping. They both just nail it and create boat loads of subtext with the way in which they interact. They create a very authentic feeling of a relationship that mighta/coulda been but both know it can't so they don't try. I really appreciated the honesty in their performances. And since the movie is really about the dynamic between Scarlett & Murray I have to say that despite being kinda slow & kinda boring (& kinda racist) I kinda like this film.

Good soundtrack too.

Great soundtrack, beautiful photography, but a pretty dull movie. Scarlett is a mediocre actor.Why was it racist? Remind me.

It wasn't terrible but they hit every Japanese stereotype in the book.

Scarlett isn't great but she didn't have to do much and was really good with Murray.

Funny. I normally have a good radar for those things, but I don't remember the movie being offensive. One particularly racist stereotype that I'll always remember was the cheap, dishonest Jew in Spike Lee's Mo' Better Blues.

I don't think it was a dishonest portrayal but stereotyping can be a touchy subject. Coppola continually went back to the "Engrish" well. Yeah I get it, Japanese people have trouble with Rs and Ls when speaking English, feel free to move on any time Sofia.

I suppose it's all about intentions. I remember the silly accusations that were hurled against George Lucas for the new Star Wars movies. Something about Jar Jar being racist? Do people really think Lucas is a racist? I don't know what's in Coppola's heart, but I suspect it's not racism at play in Lost.

 

[Chaka]

Downton Abbey

I feel like a man who's been lost at sea for weeks, and I've grabbed onto a plank of wood that's saving me. Where have you been all my life, Downton Abbey? This show is so beautiful, so brilliant.

Awhile back, Krista commented in this thread that the TV talk is making her lose interest in this thread. Well, I'm here to say the reason for that is modern television is sometimes so well done, it's often better than most films. We can go on and stick to movies, but that seems archaic at this point. Between the BBC, HBO, Showtime, and AMC, cable TV is setting the bar so high, films often pale in comparison.

I watched the first episode and...meh.I will watch a few more because one episode never tells the story but I am not sure what the hype is all about yet.

 

[jdoggydogg]

Downton Abbey

I feel like a man who's been lost at sea for weeks, and I've grabbed onto a plank of wood that's saving me. Where have you been all my life, Downton Abbey? This show is so beautiful, so brilliant.

Awhile back, Krista commented in this thread that the TV talk is making her lose interest in this thread. Well, I'm here to say the reason for that is modern television is sometimes so well done, it's often better than most films. We can go on and stick to movies, but that seems archaic at this point. Between the BBC, HBO, Showtime, and AMC, cable TV is setting the bar so high, films often pale in comparison.

I watched the first episode and...meh.I will watch a few more because one episode never tells the story but I am not sure what the hype is all about yet.

I watched the first episode and I was instantly hooked. So...

 

[Chaka]

Lost in Translation - Kinda racist, huh?

It's also kinda slow and kinda boring.

However 1) For me this is Scarlett Johansson's high water mark for hotness. She is hot and will always be hot but this is the film that really does it for me.

2) The chemistry between Scarlett & Murray is really eye popping. They both just nail it and create boat loads of subtext with the way in which they interact. They create a very authentic feeling of a relationship that mighta/coulda been but both know it can't so they don't try. I really appreciated the honesty in their performances. And since the movie is really about the dynamic between Scarlett & Murray I have to say that despite being kinda slow & kinda boring (& kinda racist) I kinda like this film.

Good soundtrack too.

Great soundtrack, beautiful photography, but a pretty dull movie. Scarlett is a mediocre actor.Why was it racist? Remind me.

It wasn't terrible but they hit every Japanese stereotype in the book.

Scarlett isn't great but she didn't have to do much and was really good with Murray.

Funny. I normally have a good radar for those things, but I don't remember the movie being offensive. One particularly racist stereotype that I'll always remember was the cheap, dishonest Jew in Spike Lee's Mo' Better Blues.

I don't think it was a dishonest portrayal but stereotyping can be a touchy subject. Coppola continually went back to the "Engrish" well. Yeah I get it, Japanese people have trouble with Rs and Ls when speaking English, feel free to move on any time Sofia.

I suppose it's all about intentions. I remember the silly accusations that were hurled against George Lucas for the new Star Wars movies. Something about Jar Jar being racist? Do people really think Lucas is a racist? I don't know what's in Coppola's heart, but I suspect it's not racism at play in Lost.

I don't think it was intentional racism, but racism is often unintentional. And ultimately it doesn't matter what the intent was it matters what the reception is.In my comment about Dowton Abbey above I refrained from asking a question about one of the themes because I thought it would be poorly received regardless of my intent.

LiT isn't bad, I am not at all outraged, but it just had me thinking why it was okay to run with so many Japanese stereotypes.

 

[saintfool]

The Baader Meinhof Complex - 2009 best foreign film Oscar nominee. This movie suffers from what I consider to be storytelling flaws. There are a lot of time jumps some big, some small but almost all without reference or explanation. Many different characters are introduced throughout almost always without explanation and some of the secondary characters appear so sporadically that when they do have a featured moment it is difficult to remember who they are or why they are significant. The ending is abrupt and while I think it it tries to be poignant or powerful or make some kind of statement it was lost on me.

All that being said this is a pretty fast paced, cool and interesting film that tells the true story of the German domestic terrorist group (the Red Army Faction) who operated from the late sixties through the late nineties and during their heydey ####ed a lot of #### up. The acting is solid the main characters are intense and the story makes a decent attempt at understanding the nature of terrorism and how it is often by a fundamentally intractable ideology that likely can never be satisfied.

The foundation of the RAF occurred during the Vietnam war and they were directly antagonistic towards corporate imperialist ideologies. And after watching this part of me wonders if elements of the OWS movement could splinter off into a legitimate domestic terrorist movement.

Not the best film but interesting, fast paced and exciting.

this has been in netflix queue for a long time. for whatever reason i find them, as a topic or historical footnote, kind of interesting. glad that this isn't totally awful.

 

[saintfool]

yeah, see- this is back to freaky mind-meld ####. every word.eta: and btw- I was soooooooo in wub with Julie Delpy. Before Sunrise, Europa Europa, this...

 

[El Floppo]

Angels in America - Just finished watching it for the first time since it was originally on. Quite simply, a miracle - perhaps the greatest one in the history of television. Keeps one suspended in ambivalance, the way a great painting does, for over five hours. The pathetic immediacy has lost some of its urgency since the plague was in full swing, but life is still your fault and, yet, you can be saved. A miracle. 4.985/5

The immediacy was largely gone by the time HBO created the televised version approx. 10 years ago; less so when Kushner's play was making its way across the country in the late 90's.

Yeah- that immediacy/overwhelming-doom/specter of AIDS lost some punch by the time the HBO mini came out... the only and slightest detraction from what was jaw-droppingly good TV.I got to see the plays on Broadway with the original cast and am still blown away by it. Can't think of anything else that's come close (although I'm looking forward to hearing Wikkid or somebody else remind me of some good ones).

 

[jdoggydogg]

Lost in Translation - Kinda racist, huh?

It's also kinda slow and kinda boring.

However 1) For me this is Scarlett Johansson's high water mark for hotness. She is hot and will always be hot but this is the film that really does it for me.

2) The chemistry between Scarlett & Murray is really eye popping. They both just nail it and create boat loads of subtext with the way in which they interact. They create a very authentic feeling of a relationship that mighta/coulda been but both know it can't so they don't try. I really appreciated the honesty in their performances. And since the movie is really about the dynamic between Scarlett & Murray I have to say that despite being kinda slow & kinda boring (& kinda racist) I kinda like this film.

Good soundtrack too.

Great soundtrack, beautiful photography, but a pretty dull movie. Scarlett is a mediocre actor.Why was it racist? Remind me.

It wasn't terrible but they hit every Japanese stereotype in the book.

Scarlett isn't great but she didn't have to do much and was really good with Murray.

Funny. I normally have a good radar for those things, but I don't remember the movie being offensive. One particularly racist stereotype that I'll always remember was the cheap, dishonest Jew in Spike Lee's Mo' Better Blues.

I don't think it was a dishonest portrayal but stereotyping can be a touchy subject. Coppola continually went back to the "Engrish" well. Yeah I get it, Japanese people have trouble with Rs and Ls when speaking English, feel free to move on any time Sofia.

I suppose it's all about intentions. I remember the silly accusations that were hurled against George Lucas for the new Star Wars movies. Something about Jar Jar being racist? Do people really think Lucas is a racist? I don't know what's in Coppola's heart, but I suspect it's not racism at play in Lost.

I don't think it was intentional racism, but racism is often unintentional. And ultimately it doesn't matter what the intent was it matters what the reception is.In my comment about Dowton Abbey above I refrained from asking a question about one of the themes because I thought it would be poorly received regardless of my intent.

LiT isn't bad, I am not at all outraged, but it just had me thinking why it was okay to run with so many Japanese stereotypes.

Downton Abbey: I don't expect everyone to love the show the way I do, although I'm vexed when they don't.Lost in Translation: I work with a lot of international students here at the college (Brazil, Japan, the Congo, Hong Kong, Tibet, etc.), so I get exposed to many forms of non-native English. I hear a multitude of skill sets - from English that is quite difficult to understand to English that is near perfect. And naturally, these pronunciations will sometimes fall into what could be heard as stereotypes. For Lost, the mechanics and motives of the film's production are everything to me. If casting hired a lot of Japanese actors with the sole criteria of their acting ability, then obviously we can't question their motives. If Coppola hired one actor over another because his accent was thicker, well that's just odd. But that's so absurd, my brain has a tough time imagining something so tacky.

 

[El Floppo]

The Baader Meinhof Complex - 2009 best foreign film Oscar nominee. This movie suffers from what I consider to be storytelling flaws. There are a lot of time jumps some big, some small but almost all without reference or explanation. Many different characters are introduced throughout almost always without explanation and some of the secondary characters appear so sporadically that when they do have a featured moment it is difficult to remember who they are or why they are significant. The ending is abrupt and while I think it it tries to be poignant or powerful or make some kind of statement it was lost on me.

All that being said this is a pretty fast paced, cool and interesting film that tells the true story of the German domestic terrorist group (the Red Army Faction) who operated from the late sixties through the late nineties and during their heydey ####ed a lot of #### up. The acting is solid the main characters are intense and the story makes a decent attempt at understanding the nature of terrorism and how it is often by a fundamentally intractable ideology that likely can never be satisfied.

The foundation of the RAF occurred during the Vietnam war and they were directly antagonistic towards corporate imperialist ideologies. And after watching this part of me wonders if elements of the OWS movement could splinter off into a legitimate domestic terrorist movement.

Not the best film but interesting, fast paced and exciting.

this has been in netflix queue for a long time. for whatever reason i find them, as a topic or historical footnote, kind of interesting. glad that this isn't totally awful.

It was on IFC or Sundance or something every night for a stretch there. Caught most of it and felt kind of meh-to-middling about it. Interesting story, but as Chaka points out with some film-making flaws mostly born out of needing to tell a very big story within the constraints of a couple of hours. I guess it's worth the watch.

 

[Time Kibitzer]

Lost in Translation - Kinda racist, huh?

It's also kinda slow and kinda boring.

However 1) For me this is Scarlett Johansson's high water mark for hotness. She is hot and will always be hot but this is the film that really does it for me.

2) The chemistry between Scarlett & Murray is really eye popping. They both just nail it and create boat loads of subtext with the way in which they interact. They create a very authentic feeling of a relationship that mighta/coulda been but both know it can't so they don't try. I really appreciated the honesty in their performances. And since the movie is really about the dynamic between Scarlett & Murray I have to say that despite being kinda slow & kinda boring (& kinda racist) I kinda like this film.

Good soundtrack too.

Great soundtrack, beautiful photography, but a pretty dull movie. Scarlett is a mediocre actor.Why was it racist? Remind me.

It wasn't terrible but they hit every Japanese stereotype in the book.

Scarlett isn't great but she didn't have to do much and was really good with Murray.

Funny. I normally have a good radar for those things, but I don't remember the movie being offensive. One particularly racist stereotype that I'll always remember was the cheap, dishonest Jew in Spike Lee's Mo' Better Blues.

I don't think it was a dishonest portrayal but stereotyping can be a touchy subject. Coppola continually went back to the "Engrish" well. Yeah I get it, Japanese people have trouble with Rs and Ls when speaking English, feel free to move on any time Sofia.

Not only that, but IIRC literally every single Japanese character in the film was portrayed as shallow, stupid, and/or socially oblivious.

 

[Chaka]

Lost in Translation - Kinda racist, huh?

It's also kinda slow and kinda boring.

However 1) For me this is Scarlett Johansson's high water mark for hotness. She is hot and will always be hot but this is the film that really does it for me.

2) The chemistry between Scarlett & Murray is really eye popping. They both just nail it and create boat loads of subtext with the way in which they interact. They create a very authentic feeling of a relationship that mighta/coulda been but both know it can't so they don't try. I really appreciated the honesty in their performances. And since the movie is really about the dynamic between Scarlett & Murray I have to say that despite being kinda slow & kinda boring (& kinda racist) I kinda like this film.

Good soundtrack too.

Great soundtrack, beautiful photography, but a pretty dull movie. Scarlett is a mediocre actor.Why was it racist? Remind me.

It wasn't terrible but they hit every Japanese stereotype in the book.

Scarlett isn't great but she didn't have to do much and was really good with Murray.

Funny. I normally have a good radar for those things, but I don't remember the movie being offensive. One particularly racist stereotype that I'll always remember was the cheap, dishonest Jew in Spike Lee's Mo' Better Blues.

I don't think it was a dishonest portrayal but stereotyping can be a touchy subject. Coppola continually went back to the "Engrish" well. Yeah I get it, Japanese people have trouble with Rs and Ls when speaking English, feel free to move on any time Sofia.

I suppose it's all about intentions. I remember the silly accusations that were hurled against George Lucas for the new Star Wars movies. Something about Jar Jar being racist? Do people really think Lucas is a racist? I don't know what's in Coppola's heart, but I suspect it's not racism at play in Lost.

I don't think it was intentional racism, but racism is often unintentional. And ultimately it doesn't matter what the intent was it matters what the reception is.In my comment about Dowton Abbey above I refrained from asking a question about one of the themes because I thought it would be poorly received regardless of my intent.

LiT isn't bad, I am not at all outraged, but it just had me thinking why it was okay to run with so many Japanese stereotypes.

Downton Abbey: I don't expect everyone to love the show the way I do, although I'm vexed when they don't.Lost in Translation: I work with a lot of international students here at the college (Brazil, Japan, the Congo, Hong Kong, Tibet, etc.), so I get exposed to many forms of non-native English. I hear a multitude of skill sets - from English that is quite difficult to understand to English that is near perfect. And naturally, these pronunciations will sometimes fall into what could be heard as stereotypes. For Lost, the mechanics and motives of the film's production are everything to me. If casting hired a lot of Japanese actors with the sole criteria of their acting ability, then obviously we can't question their motives. If Coppola hired one actor over another because his accent was thicker, well that's just odd. But that's so absurd, my brain has a tough time imagining something so tacky.

What if Coppola hired a bunch of good Japanese actors and directed them to play up the stereotypical Japanese "Engrish"? The script required that at some points.

 

[El Floppo]

Lost in Translation - Kinda racist, huh?

It's also kinda slow and kinda boring.

However 1) For me this is Scarlett Johansson's high water mark for hotness. She is hot and will always be hot but this is the film that really does it for me.

2) The chemistry between Scarlett & Murray is really eye popping. They both just nail it and create boat loads of subtext with the way in which they interact. They create a very authentic feeling of a relationship that mighta/coulda been but both know it can't so they don't try. I really appreciated the honesty in their performances. And since the movie is really about the dynamic between Scarlett & Murray I have to say that despite being kinda slow & kinda boring (& kinda racist) I kinda like this film.

Good soundtrack too.

Great soundtrack, beautiful photography, but a pretty dull movie. Scarlett is a mediocre actor.Why was it racist? Remind me.

It wasn't terrible but they hit every Japanese stereotype in the book.

Scarlett isn't great but she didn't have to do much and was really good with Murray.

Funny. I normally have a good radar for those things, but I don't remember the movie being offensive. One particularly racist stereotype that I'll always remember was the cheap, dishonest Jew in Spike Lee's Mo' Better Blues.

I don't think it was a dishonest portrayal but stereotyping can be a touchy subject. Coppola continually went back to the "Engrish" well. Yeah I get it, Japanese people have trouble with Rs and Ls when speaking English, feel free to move on any time Sofia.

I suppose it's all about intentions. I remember the silly accusations that were hurled against George Lucas for the new Star Wars movies. Something about Jar Jar being racist? Do people really think Lucas is a racist? I don't know what's in Coppola's heart, but I suspect it's not racism at play in Lost.

Jar-Jar, the dumb Jamaican. The Trade Empire (or whatever), sinister asians. Anakin's blue slave owner, money-grubbing Jew. That series was rife with overt (even to a really, really stoned guy) and painfully obvious racial/ist stereotypes. And that's not to mention the Polish Ewoks.

 

[Chaka]

Lost in Translation - Kinda racist, huh?

It's also kinda slow and kinda boring.

However 1) For me this is Scarlett Johansson's high water mark for hotness. She is hot and will always be hot but this is the film that really does it for me.

2) The chemistry between Scarlett & Murray is really eye popping. They both just nail it and create boat loads of subtext with the way in which they interact. They create a very authentic feeling of a relationship that mighta/coulda been but both know it can't so they don't try. I really appreciated the honesty in their performances. And since the movie is really about the dynamic between Scarlett & Murray I have to say that despite being kinda slow & kinda boring (& kinda racist) I kinda like this film.

Good soundtrack too.

Great soundtrack, beautiful photography, but a pretty dull movie. Scarlett is a mediocre actor.Why was it racist? Remind me.

It wasn't terrible but they hit every Japanese stereotype in the book.

Scarlett isn't great but she didn't have to do much and was really good with Murray.

Funny. I normally have a good radar for those things, but I don't remember the movie being offensive. One particularly racist stereotype that I'll always remember was the cheap, dishonest Jew in Spike Lee's Mo' Better Blues.

I don't think it was a dishonest portrayal but stereotyping can be a touchy subject. Coppola continually went back to the "Engrish" well. Yeah I get it, Japanese people have trouble with Rs and Ls when speaking English, feel free to move on any time Sofia.

Not only that, but IIRC literally every single Japanese character in the film was portrayed as shallow, stupid, and/or socially oblivious.

I'm not sure I got shallow, stupid and/or socially oblivious so much. None of the Japanese characters were on screen long enough to be developed in any meaningful way. But I agree that some of those characters played to stereotypes too (karaoke, pachinko, the Japanese Johnny Carson guy). A lot of it seemed to be trying to create a feeling of culture shock for the protagonists, which was one of the themes of the film that brought Scarlett & Murray together.

 

[Chaka]

Lost in Translation - Kinda racist, huh?

It's also kinda slow and kinda boring.

However 1) For me this is Scarlett Johansson's high water mark for hotness. She is hot and will always be hot but this is the film that really does it for me.

2) The chemistry between Scarlett & Murray is really eye popping. They both just nail it and create boat loads of subtext with the way in which they interact. They create a very authentic feeling of a relationship that mighta/coulda been but both know it can't so they don't try. I really appreciated the honesty in their performances. And since the movie is really about the dynamic between Scarlett & Murray I have to say that despite being kinda slow & kinda boring (& kinda racist) I kinda like this film.

Good soundtrack too.

Great soundtrack, beautiful photography, but a pretty dull movie. Scarlett is a mediocre actor.Why was it racist? Remind me.

It wasn't terrible but they hit every Japanese stereotype in the book.

Scarlett isn't great but she didn't have to do much and was really good with Murray.

Funny. I normally have a good radar for those things, but I don't remember the movie being offensive. One particularly racist stereotype that I'll always remember was the cheap, dishonest Jew in Spike Lee's Mo' Better Blues.

I don't think it was a dishonest portrayal but stereotyping can be a touchy subject. Coppola continually went back to the "Engrish" well. Yeah I get it, Japanese people have trouble with Rs and Ls when speaking English, feel free to move on any time Sofia.

I suppose it's all about intentions. I remember the silly accusations that were hurled against George Lucas for the new Star Wars movies. Something about Jar Jar being racist? Do people really think Lucas is a racist? I don't know what's in Coppola's heart, but I suspect it's not racism at play in Lost.

Jar-Jar, the dumb Jamaican. The Trade Empire (or whatever), sinister asians. Anakin's blue slave owner, money-grubbing Jew. That series was rife with overt (even to a really, really stoned guy) and painfully obvious racial/ist stereotypes. And that's not to mention the Polish Ewoks.

Interesting. I always pegged the Ewoks for Albanians.

 

[hooter311]

And that's not to mention the Polish Ewoks.

Awesome.

 

[Cliff Clavin]

Just finished up Deadwood. Has there even been a more anti-climactic finish to a series?

As you know, they series ended prematurely. One thing HBO cited was that Deadwood was very expensive to make. That argument is laughable when you consider that Boardwalk Empire and Game of Thrones are probably even more expensive to make.I don't have any insider knowledge of HBO, but it's fairly clear the network was mismanaged for a period. Look at the evidence: Deadwood gets canceled, and the network proceeds to make a lot of equally terrible decisions. Mediocre shows like John From Cincinnati, Treme, and True Blood populate the network while AMC steps up with the brilliant Mad Men and Breaking Bad. There's no doubt that HBO is back big time. But Deadwood was a microcosm for HBO's poor management.

Did not know it was cancelled prematurely. Even so, they had great build up during the 3rd season only to have basically nothing happen in the finale.