Recently viewed movie thread - Rental Edition (7 Viewers)

[jdoggydogg]

People seemed to hate Alien 3, but Fincher's signature visual style is there.

Link to Fincher's new film trailer

I rewatched Aliens 3 recently for the first time since I saw it in theaters.It wasn't nearly as bad as I remembered. In fact, it was pretty good.

Perhaps the bad reviews stemmed from the fact that the previous film Aliens is a really good sci-fi action flick. Whereas Alien 3 was grittier and much darker.

 

[jdoggydogg]

People seemed to hate Alien 3, but Fincher's signature visual style is there.

Link to Fincher's new film trailer

i think he doesn't wring much depth out of the characters or the plot. the ending is laughably bad. i put it down to his first foray into feature films though. as he has done more films, he has matured as an auteur. there are several directors that have visual panache along the same lines as fincher - tarsem, gondry come to mind - but could use some more seasoning...

I see your point, but Fincher isn't a gimmicky director wihtout substance. Zodiac is a seasoned, mature film that relies on character and plot almost exculsively.

 

[saintfool]

The hate for Alien 3 stems from three things, I think:

1. It renders moot the heroic actions of Ripley saving Newt.

2. Ripley's not supposed to die.

3. The set design, rather than being "cool" like Aliens, is instead just dirty. It's not very fun to look at.

i haven't seen it in a long time and the last time i did, i probably caught it on cable. so if my memory is hazy then please correct me but how can you not have a problem with the ending? bishop appears out of nowhere? the alien pops out of ripley and she grabs it like a giant phallus? i was embarrassed for weaver at the end.

The guy at the end isn't Bishop. He's the owner of the company (Weyland/Yutani). In fact, I think he's referred to by name as "Mr. Weyland." He still wants to profit from the alien. Bishop is just modeled after him.Also, the alien pops out of her and she grabs it so it can't escape, dragging it down into the molten steel instead.

out of left field that Bishop/Weyland appears? that was problematic for me. if it wasn't for you then that's great...and the alien pops out of her and she grabs it - it just happens to look like she grasping a 4 foot long phallus? got it. i know why she's grabbing it but that doesn't make the image and its subtext any less ridiculous.

 

[jdoggydogg]

I think the message of Fight Club is a Zen ideal: the pursuit of material possessions leads to unhappiness. Therefore, to achieve happiness, one must eliminate the desire for these possessions. The most striking moment of the film is where Durden explains that Americans are told that wealth and possessions are the American dream. And when they achieve that dream and are still unhappy, their notion of happiness is shattered.

But he's not any happier when he follows Durden's "destruction" lifestyle either.

Certainly. You could argue that the movie's message is that happiness is a middle-ground between Capitalism and Anarchy.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

The hate for Alien 3 stems from three things, I think:

1. It renders moot the heroic actions of Ripley saving Newt.

2. Ripley's not supposed to die.

3. The set design, rather than being "cool" like Aliens, is instead just dirty. It's not very fun to look at.

i haven't seen it in a long time and the last time i did, i probably caught it on cable. so if my memory is hazy then please correct me but how can you not have a problem with the ending? bishop appears out of nowhere? the alien pops out of ripley and she grabs it like a giant phallus? i was embarrassed for weaver at the end.

The guy at the end isn't Bishop. He's the owner of the company (Weyland/Yutani). In fact, I think he's referred to by name as "Mr. Weyland." He still wants to profit from the alien. Bishop is just modeled after him.Also, the alien pops out of her and she grabs it so it can't escape, dragging it down into the molten steel instead.

out of left field that Bishop/Weyland appears? that was problematic for me. if it wasn't for you then that's great...and the alien pops out of her and she grabs it - it just happens to look like she grasping a 4 foot long phallus? got it. i know why she's grabbing it but that doesn't make the image and its subtext any less ridiculous.

I think you have a dirty mind.

 

[saintfool]

People seemed to hate Alien 3, but Fincher's signature visual style is there.

Link to Fincher's new film trailer

i think he doesn't wring much depth out of the characters or the plot. the ending is laughably bad. i put it down to his first foray into feature films though. as he has done more films, he has matured as an auteur. there are several directors that have visual panache along the same lines as fincher - tarsem, gondry come to mind - but could use some more seasoning...

I see your point, but Fincher isn't a gimmicky director wihtout substance. Zodiac is a seasoned, mature film that relies on character and plot almost exculsively.

i'm not saying fincher is a gimmicky director now but he certainly in his first films. i liked "fight club" quite a bit but he didn't start to mature, imo, until "the game". "se7en" is a triumph of style over substance. it's an enjoyable film but it's lacking in depth.

 

[saintfool]

I think you have a dirty mind.

seriously?

 

[Andy Dufresne]

I think you have a dirty mind.

seriously?

Can't see it. I'm assuming it's the scene in question.The physiology of the chest burster didn't change all that much from movie to movie. If you think it was phallic in the third one then it was in the first two as well. I'm not sure how the scene could be done differently.

 

[jdoggydogg]

People seemed to hate Alien 3, but Fincher's signature visual style is there.

Link to Fincher's new film trailer

i think he doesn't wring much depth out of the characters or the plot. the ending is laughably bad. i put it down to his first foray into feature films though. as he has done more films, he has matured as an auteur. there are several directors that have visual panache along the same lines as fincher - tarsem, gondry come to mind - but could use some more seasoning...

I see your point, but Fincher isn't a gimmicky director wihtout substance. Zodiac is a seasoned, mature film that relies on character and plot almost exculsively.

i'm not saying fincher is a gimmicky director now but he certainly in his first films. i liked "fight club" quite a bit but he didn't start to mature, imo, until "the game". "se7en" is a triumph of style over substance. it's an enjoyable film but it's lacking in depth.

SE7EN is a peculiar movie. I am really sick of serial killer movies, and some of the visuals in SE7EN are very disturbing. But Fincher creates a mood and a world that is totally unique, and that's what makes SE7EN a great movie. In the end, it's very bleak and I don't walk away with anything deep to say about the movie. But I think it's still an excellent work.I know that Fight Club has a lot of flash. And I can see why you'd call it less mature than The Game. But to me, Fight Club broke a lot of new ground in the medium, and I think the movie is an achievement that is still unmatched.

Looking at SE7EN and Fight Club, you could argue these are vapid, empty pursuits. However, to me, Fincher makes dazzling, unique, and entertaining works. And that's enough for me given the dearth of directorial talent in the action genre.

 

[KarmaPolice]

I think you have a dirty mind.

seriously?

The embrace with the alien on the way down was fairly motherly, I thought. Kinda held it to her chest like a newborn. Perv.

 

[saintfool]

I think you have a dirty mind.

seriously?

Can't see it. I'm assuming it's the scene in question.The physiology of the chest burster didn't change all that much from movie to movie. If you think it was phallic in the third one then it was in the first two as well. I'm not sure how the scene could be done differently.

except for the fact that she didn't have a chest burster in the first two films? she's not the only woman on a planet filled with men? she's not more androgynous - if not more overtly masculine - with each passing film (up to this point, at least)? in "aliens" there's a strong feminist message but by "A3" it's waaaaay beyond that. she's not even needing men, even going so far as to appropriate the physiognomy of men. it is the ultimate emasculation in film.

 

[KarmaPolice]

I think the message of Fight Club is a Zen ideal: the pursuit of material possessions leads to unhappiness. Therefore, to achieve happiness, one must eliminate the desire for these possessions. The most striking moment of the film is where Durden explains that Americans are told that wealth and possessions are the American dream. And when they achieve that dream and are still unhappy, their notion of happiness is shattered.

But he's not any happier when he follows Durden's "destruction" lifestyle either.

Certainly. You could argue that the movie's message is that happiness is a middle-ground between Capitalism and Anarchy.

This is what I wanted the FBG movie club to turn into.... A lot of people don't take the time to think about Fight Club, they just write it off as violence for the sake of being violent. I think one of the funniest parts of the commentary was Fincher talking about the ratings board and the scene with the dildo. Evidently there was a lot of rules about how big they could be, how floppy, how long they could be in the shot, etc. Funny, but also very sad.

 

[guru_007]

People seemed to hate Alien 3, but Fincher's signature visual style is there.

Link to Fincher's new film trailer

I rewatched Aliens 3 recently for the first time since I saw it in theaters.It wasn't nearly as bad as I remembered. In fact, it was pretty good.

Perhaps the bad reviews stemmed from the fact that the previous film Aliens is a really good sci-fi action flick. Whereas Alien 3 was grittier and much darker.

I'm a big fan of the Aliens series, but Aliens 3 was definitely the weakest of the bunch (AVP not withstanding).I didn't have a problem with the ending actually, to me it just wasn't that good a movie overall.

Alien - edge of the seat tension, awesome set design/first time alien was cool costume. everything about this one was very well done, in particular considering it's nearly 30 years old now. You didn't need cgi to create a scary movie set in outer space.

Aliens - Significantly different feel to it, much more action packed, but still tense. A bit more comedic relief to it, but certainly were spots that were gripping, the motion detectors were a cool effect.

Aliens 3 - yes, newt dying was a downer, but overall there was not too much about this movie that was memorable to me I think that's why it's the weak link, no memorable scenes, dialog, or characters.

Aliens Resurrection - this one you either like it or you don't. I happen to like the directors work, and I thought this one was great....up until the very end, I hated that mother/child alien interaction with Ripley. Oh, I totally dig Winona Ryder too, so that was a bonus...big Michael Wincott fan too. Basically in this one I think you're rooting for the aliens to kill the entire military and rooting for the pirates to escape. I like that.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

I'm a big fan of the Aliens series, but Aliens 3 was definitely the weakest of the bunch (AVP not withstanding).I didn't have a problem with the ending actually, to me it just wasn't that good a movie overall. Alien - edge of the seat tension, awesome set design/first time alien was cool costume. everything about this one was very well done, in particular considering it's nearly 30 years old now. You didn't need cgi to create a scary movie set in outer space.Aliens - Significantly different feel to it, much more action packed, but still tense. A bit more comedic relief to it, but certainly were spots that were gripping, the motion detectors were a cool effect. Aliens 3 - yes, newt dying was a downer, but overall there was not too much about this movie that was memorable to me I think that's why it's the weak link, no memorable scenes, dialog, or characters.Aliens Resurrection - this one you either like it or you don't. I happen to like the directors work, and I thought this one was great....up until the very end, I hated that mother/child alien interaction with Ripley. Oh, I totally dig Winona Ryder too, so that was a bonus...big Michael Wincott fan too. Basically in this one I think you're rooting for the aliens to kill the entire military and rooting for the pirates to escape. I like that.

Aliens Resurrection is one of the 10 worst movies I've ever seen in a theater. I hate that movie.

 

[KarmaPolice]

I think you have a dirty mind.

seriously?

Can't see it. I'm assuming it's the scene in question.The physiology of the chest burster didn't change all that much from movie to movie. If you think it was phallic in the third one then it was in the first two as well. I'm not sure how the scene could be done differently.

except for the fact that she didn't have a chest burster in the first two films? she's not the only woman on a planet filled with men? she's not more androgynous - if not more overtly masculine - with each passing film (up to this point, at least)? in "aliens" there's a strong feminist message but by "A3" it's waaaaay beyond that. she's not even needing men, even going so far as to appropriate the physiognomy of men. it is the ultimate emasculation in film.

 

[saintfool]

Looking at SE7EN and Fight Club, you could argue these are vapid, empty pursuits. However, to me, Fincher makes dazzling, unique, and entertaining works. And that's enough for me given the dearth of directorial talent in the action genre.

i'm not taking "fight club" to task really. few films are perfect but it does a reasonably good job of juggling the themes/concepts within it. it's a great film with good performances.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

I think you have a dirty mind.

seriously?

Can't see it. I'm assuming it's the scene in question.The physiology of the chest burster didn't change all that much from movie to movie. If you think it was phallic in the third one then it was in the first two as well. I'm not sure how the scene could be done differently.

except for the fact that she didn't have a chest burster in the first two films? she's not the only woman on a planet filled with men? she's not more androgynous - if not more overtly masculine - with each passing film (up to this point, at least)? in "aliens" there's a strong feminist message but by "A3" it's waaaaay beyond that. she's not even needing men, even going so far as to appropriate the physiognomy of men. it is the ultimate emasculation in film.

Interesting take.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

A lot of people don't take the time to think about Fight Club, they just write it off as violence for the sake of being violent.

I think one of the funniest parts of the commentary was Fincher talking about the ratings board and the scene with the dildo. Evidently there was a lot of rules about how big they could be, how floppy, how long they could be in the shot, etc. Funny, but also very sad.

That included, strangely, Roger Ebert. He chastises the movie for being pro violence. It's actually anti-violence and the fact that the actual "Fight Club" part occurs in the second act of the movie should have tipped him off.I'm surprised that he didn't recognize the film as satire and dark humor.

 

[saintfool]

I think you have a dirty mind.

seriously?

The embrace with the alien on the way down was fairly motherly, I thought. Kinda held it to her chest like a newborn. Perv.

ugh.i'll ignore the crucifixion pose but the rest is laughably bad. she has this serene demeanor as she grapples with this quasi-phallic thing. it's a near post-coital expression as she falls into the molten whatever.

it's not maternal when she's playing with her junk, imo...

 

[Andy Dufresne]

ugh.i'll ignore the crucifixion pose but the rest is laughably bad. she has this serene demeanor as she grapples with this quasi-phallic thing. it's a near post-coital expression as she falls into the molten whatever. it's not maternal when she's playing with her junk, imo...

 

[saintfool]

ugh.i'll ignore the crucifixion pose but the rest is laughably bad. she has this serene demeanor as she grapples with this quasi-phallic thing. it's a near post-coital expression as she falls into the molten whatever. it's not maternal when she's playing with her junk, imo...

and i'm totally sucking in the FFA varsity league....

 

[jdoggydogg]

I think the message of Fight Club is a Zen ideal: the pursuit of material possessions leads to unhappiness. Therefore, to achieve happiness, one must eliminate the desire for these possessions. The most striking moment of the film is where Durden explains that Americans are told that wealth and possessions are the American dream. And when they achieve that dream and are still unhappy, their notion of happiness is shattered.

But he's not any happier when he follows Durden's "destruction" lifestyle either.

Certainly. You could argue that the movie's message is that happiness is a middle-ground between Capitalism and Anarchy.

This is what I wanted the FBG movie club to turn into.... A lot of people don't take the time to think about Fight Club, they just write it off as violence for the sake of being violent. I think one of the funniest parts of the commentary was Fincher talking about the ratings board and the scene with the dildo. Evidently there was a lot of rules about how big they could be, how floppy, how long they could be in the shot, etc. Funny, but also very sad.

I don't know if you saw This Film is Not Rated, but it's an interesting look at the wacky ratings board. Trey Parker and Matt Stone had bizarre things to say about the ratings board. First, they put content on TV that the film ratings board wouldn't allow in an R rated movie. Second, there was a scene that the ratings board didn't like in the South Park movie, so Parker and Stone were told to change it or remove it. Parker and Stone were annoyed, so they did change the scene. But they made it even more ####ed up. This time, it was approved.

 

[jdoggydogg]

A lot of people don't take the time to think about Fight Club, they just write it off as violence for the sake of being violent.

Oh, and people that write off Fight Club as empty violence don't get the movie at all.In the making-of documentary for Natural Born Killers, Tommy Lee Jones was discussing this same issue. He said that people who write off Stone's movie as a shallow celebration of violence have no idea what the movie is about.

 

[jdoggydogg]

Looking at SE7EN and Fight Club, you could argue these are vapid, empty pursuits. However, to me, Fincher makes dazzling, unique, and entertaining works. And that's enough for me given the dearth of directorial talent in the action genre.

i'm not taking "fight club" to task really. few films are perfect but it does a reasonably good job of juggling the themes/concepts within it. it's a great with good performances.

 

[jdoggydogg]

A lot of people don't take the time to think about Fight Club, they just write it off as violence for the sake of being violent.

I think one of the funniest parts of the commentary was Fincher talking about the ratings board and the scene with the dildo. Evidently there was a lot of rules about how big they could be, how floppy, how long they could be in the shot, etc. Funny, but also very sad.

That included, strangely, Roger Ebert. He chastises the movie for being pro violence. It's actually anti-violence and the fact that the actual "Fight Club" part occurs in the second act of the movie should have tipped him off.I'm surprised that he didn't recognize the film as satire and dark humor.

I like Ebert as a writer, and I often agree with his takes. But sometimes I don't understand his intense dislike for some movies. He hated Gladiator. His review.

 

[KarmaPolice]

I think the message of Fight Club is a Zen ideal: the pursuit of material possessions leads to unhappiness. Therefore, to achieve happiness, one must eliminate the desire for these possessions. The most striking moment of the film is where Durden explains that Americans are told that wealth and possessions are the American dream. And when they achieve that dream and are still unhappy, their notion of happiness is shattered.

But he's not any happier when he follows Durden's "destruction" lifestyle either.

Certainly. You could argue that the movie's message is that happiness is a middle-ground between Capitalism and Anarchy.

This is what I wanted the FBG movie club to turn into.... A lot of people don't take the time to think about Fight Club, they just write it off as violence for the sake of being violent. I think one of the funniest parts of the commentary was Fincher talking about the ratings board and the scene with the dildo. Evidently there was a lot of rules about how big they could be, how floppy, how long they could be in the shot, etc. Funny, but also very sad.

I don't know if you saw This Film is Not Rated, but it's an interesting look at the wacky ratings board. Trey Parker and Matt Stone had bizarre things to say about the ratings board. First, they put content on TV that the film ratings board wouldn't allow in an R rated movie. Second, there was a scene that the ratings board didn't like in the South Park movie, so Parker and Stone were told to change it or remove it. Parker and Stone were annoyed, so they did change the scene. But they made it even more ####ed up. This time, it was approved.

Yeah, I saw it and thought it was interesting. The thing that fascinates me most is the sex vs. violence thing. We can show 100 people getting decapitated, but god forbid there be a vibrator on the screen for more than 20 secs. Never understood this and encountered it all the time with parents when I owned the video store - they'll let their kid watch all the action and horror movies they want but won't get stuff that has "sexuality" listed in the ratings. Oh - the other thing that was on the Fight Club commentaries. They had to change a line after Tyler and Marla had sex. She originally says "I want to have your abortion", so they jokingly submitted "I haven't been ###### like that since grade school" and the second one stuck. Fincher laughed and said he thought the second one was a bit worse.

 

[jdoggydogg]

I think the message of Fight Club is a Zen ideal: the pursuit of material possessions leads to unhappiness. Therefore, to achieve happiness, one must eliminate the desire for these possessions. The most striking moment of the film is where Durden explains that Americans are told that wealth and possessions are the American dream. And when they achieve that dream and are still unhappy, their notion of happiness is shattered.

But he's not any happier when he follows Durden's "destruction" lifestyle either.

Certainly. You could argue that the movie's message is that happiness is a middle-ground between Capitalism and Anarchy.

This is what I wanted the FBG movie club to turn into.... A lot of people don't take the time to think about Fight Club, they just write it off as violence for the sake of being violent. I think one of the funniest parts of the commentary was Fincher talking about the ratings board and the scene with the dildo. Evidently there was a lot of rules about how big they could be, how floppy, how long they could be in the shot, etc. Funny, but also very sad.

I don't know if you saw This Film is Not Rated, but it's an interesting look at the wacky ratings board. Trey Parker and Matt Stone had bizarre things to say about the ratings board. First, they put content on TV that the film ratings board wouldn't allow in an R rated movie. Second, there was a scene that the ratings board didn't like in the South Park movie, so Parker and Stone were told to change it or remove it. Parker and Stone were annoyed, so they did change the scene. But they made it even more ####ed up. This time, it was approved.

Yeah, I saw it and thought it was interesting. The thing that fascinates me most is the sex vs. violence thing. We can show 100 people getting decapitated, but god forbid there be a vibrator on the screen for more than 20 secs. Never understood this and encountered it all the time with parents when I owned the video store - they'll let their kid watch all the action and horror movies they want but won't get stuff that has "sexuality" listed in the ratings. Oh - the other thing that was on the Fight Club commentaries. They had to change a line after Tyler and Marla had sex. She originally says "I want to have your abortion", so they jokingly submitted "I haven't been ###### like that since grade school" and the second one stuck. Fincher laughed and said he thought the second one was a bit worse.

Definitely. It's stunning that so much violence is seen as wholesome compared to sexual content.

 

[KarmaPolice]

The talk of Ebert reminded me - I tried watching "At the Movies" on Sunday. WTF is this Lyons guy? (from E!, I think). Guy is an absolute doosh. Wasn't a huge fan of Roeper, but would still turn the show on sometimes to catch what's coming out. The new guys are intolerable though.

 

[Patrick Bateman]

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

Marisa Tomei has aged well, she still looks nice. I thought this movie was okay. I liked the real feel the robber had to it, not a fanciful heist, just rather two down and out guys looking to make a score, think of something they have intimate knowledge of and try to make it happen. I thought it was a bit over the top on just how desperate they were, both had decent jobs, but sure they had bills to pay, but doesn't everyone? I didn't buy the whole waify drug dealer guy either, but whatever, it didn't detract too much from the downward spiral. Decent kill of two hours, but nothing earth shattering here either. 2.0/5.0

All I can say is - WOWThis, along with Departed and A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints, was probably 1 of my favorite movies of the last few years

Sidney Lumet directs it to perfection

PSHoffman is Oscar worthy, and Hawke, Tomei, Finney were all great as well. As was Michael Shannon and Amy Ryan in lesser roles.

I think youre really missing something as far as the desperation. PSH is a heroin addict in a failing marriage. Hawke is divorced and owes mucho is child support. Theyre both in desperate situations.

Lumet calls this a 'melodrama', and he hits that on the dot

I thought this movie was absolutely mesmerizing and fantastic start to finish

Can anyone else chime in?

you nailed it. much better than 2.5/5. 4/5 here.

Who gave this movie a 2.5/5? I thought it was extremely well done. Easily a 4/5.

 

[saintfool]

The talk of Ebert reminded me - I tried watching "At the Movies" on Sunday. WTF is this Lyons guy? (from E!, I think). Guy is an absolute doosh. Wasn't a huge fan of Roeper, but would still turn the show on sometimes to catch what's coming out. The new guys are intolerable though.

yeah, it's a real departure from what we're used to. i liked the format that roeper used while ebert was out of commission. the rotating guest hosts really brought some life to the franchise.

 

[yinzer]

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

Marisa Tomei has aged well, she still looks nice. I thought this movie was okay. I liked the real feel the robber had to it, not a fanciful heist, just rather two down and out guys looking to make a score, think of something they have intimate knowledge of and try to make it happen. I thought it was a bit over the top on just how desperate they were, both had decent jobs, but sure they had bills to pay, but doesn't everyone? I didn't buy the whole waify drug dealer guy either, but whatever, it didn't detract too much from the downward spiral. Decent kill of two hours, but nothing earth shattering here either. 2.0/5.0

All I can say is - WOWThis, along with Departed and A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints, was probably 1 of my favorite movies of the last few years

Sidney Lumet directs it to perfection

PSHoffman is Oscar worthy, and Hawke, Tomei, Finney were all great as well. As was Michael Shannon and Amy Ryan in lesser roles.

I think youre really missing something as far as the desperation. PSH is a heroin addict in a failing marriage. Hawke is divorced and owes mucho is child support. Theyre both in desperate situations.

Lumet calls this a 'melodrama', and he hits that on the dot

I thought this movie was absolutely mesmerizing and fantastic start to finish

Can anyone else chime in?

you nailed it. much better than 2.5/5. 4/5 here.

Who gave this movie a 2.5/5? I thought it was extremely well done. Easily a 4/5.

guru_007.... think 'dude' meant 2/5but yeah..Id go as far to say even better than 4/5. That movie didnt have a weakness to it, and even had a few comedic moment, to me

4.71/5

 

[KarmaPolice]

The talk of Ebert reminded me - I tried watching "At the Movies" on Sunday. WTF is this Lyons guy? (from E!, I think). Guy is an absolute doosh. Wasn't a huge fan of Roeper, but would still turn the show on sometimes to catch what's coming out. The new guys are intolerable though.

yeah, it's a real departure from what we're used to. i liked the format that roeper used while ebert was out of commission. the rotating guest hosts really brought some life to the franchise.

Like 'em or not at least the old guys came off as knowing what they were talking about even if they liked goofy movies sometimes. This new guy just feels like joe blow off the street that would try to convince us that Never Back Down is worth seeing in the theater. Just a putz.

 

[tdoss]

A lot of people don't take the time to think about Fight Club, they just write it off as violence for the sake of being violent.

I think one of the funniest parts of the commentary was Fincher talking about the ratings board and the scene with the dildo. Evidently there was a lot of rules about how big they could be, how floppy, how long they could be in the shot, etc. Funny, but also very sad.

That included, strangely, Roger Ebert. He chastises the movie for being pro violence. It's actually anti-violence and the fact that the actual "Fight Club" part occurs in the second act of the movie should have tipped him off.I'm surprised that he didn't recognize the film as satire and dark humor.

I like Ebert as a writer, and I often agree with his takes. But sometimes I don't understand his intense dislike for some movies. He hated Gladiator. His review.

I honestly didn't like Gladiator as much as most.It just strikes me as a blatant ripoff of a lot of other films...most notably "Braveheart".

 

[tdoss]

I think the message of Fight Club is a Zen ideal: the pursuit of material possessions leads to unhappiness. Therefore, to achieve happiness, one must eliminate the desire for these possessions. The most striking moment of the film is where Durden explains that Americans are told that wealth and possessions are the American dream. And when they achieve that dream and are still unhappy, their notion of happiness is shattered.

But he's not any happier when he follows Durden's "destruction" lifestyle either.

Certainly. You could argue that the movie's message is that happiness is a middle-ground between Capitalism and Anarchy.

This is what I wanted the FBG movie club to turn into.... A lot of people don't take the time to think about Fight Club, they just write it off as violence for the sake of being violent. I think one of the funniest parts of the commentary was Fincher talking about the ratings board and the scene with the dildo. Evidently there was a lot of rules about how big they could be, how floppy, how long they could be in the shot, etc. Funny, but also very sad.

I don't know if you saw This Film is Not Rated, but it's an interesting look at the wacky ratings board. Trey Parker and Matt Stone had bizarre things to say about the ratings board. First, they put content on TV that the film ratings board wouldn't allow in an R rated movie. Second, there was a scene that the ratings board didn't like in the South Park movie, so Parker and Stone were told to change it or remove it. Parker and Stone were annoyed, so they did change the scene. But they made it even more ####ed up. This time, it was approved.

Yeah, I saw it and thought it was interesting. The thing that fascinates me most is the sex vs. violence thing. We can show 100 people getting decapitated, but god forbid there be a vibrator on the screen for more than 20 secs. Never understood this and encountered it all the time with parents when I owned the video store - they'll let their kid watch all the action and horror movies they want but won't get stuff that has "sexuality" listed in the ratings.

I've never understood this either...people have a problem with their kids seeing something as natural as boobs...but are OK with letting them see something as disturbing as a curbstomp.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

I honestly didn't like Gladiator as much as most.It just strikes me as a blatant ripoff of a lot of other films...most notably "Braveheart".

A little. More politics in Gladiator, though. Especially the Extended Cut.

 

[jdoggydogg]

The talk of Ebert reminded me - I tried watching "At the Movies" on Sunday. WTF is this Lyons guy? (from E!, I think). Guy is an absolute doosh. Wasn't a huge fan of Roeper, but would still turn the show on sometimes to catch what's coming out. The new guys are intolerable though.

Lyons is a dork. But his taste in movies is a LOT better than Roeper's.

 

[krista4]

Bob Le Flambeur: Often considered the first of the French New Wave films. I have to admit I'm generally not a big French New Wave fan, but I liked this one a lot. The style, the story, the characters--it's a perfect noir film and beautifully photographed. Didn't realize until seeing it how many films have tried to do what Melville did here. 4.5/5



Paradise Now: Fantastic Palestinian film about two potential suicide bombers' last days. It's a surprisingly balanced but very affecting film. Fascinating and disturbing. 4.5/5

 

[KarmaPolice]

The talk of Ebert reminded me - I tried watching "At the Movies" on Sunday. WTF is this Lyons guy? (from E!, I think). Guy is an absolute doosh. Wasn't a huge fan of Roeper, but would still turn the show on sometimes to catch what's coming out. The new guys are intolerable though.

Lyons is a dork. But his taste in movies is a LOT better than Roeper's.

Really? Seems like the guy has zero clue. Roeper did like a bit of crap though.

 

[hooter311]

Maybe I'm biased because I've read all of Palahniuk's novels, but I thought the message of Fight Club was fairly clear. Its about an entire generation of young men being raised by their mothers and developing a complex to acquire material things in life in place of their father figure. The remedy they choose to strike against anything that ties us to those materials which is why they choose to attack the credit buildings. If nobody has debt, assets decrease drastically in value and everyone essentially goes back to "zero". The strategy falls apart at the end, because the main character realizes he truely doesn't desire everything he has worked so hard for to put into motion and realizes his pursuit is almost as pointless as his original life.

I think the message of Fight Club is a Zen ideal: the pursuit of material possessions leads to unhappiness. Therefore, to achieve happiness, one must eliminate the desire for these possessions. The most striking moment of the film is where Durden explains that Americans are told that wealth and possessions are the American dream. And when they achieve that dream and are still unhappy, their notion of happiness is shattered.

For me, a director's visual style and feel for the camera is more important than if they make "good" films. A lot of the time, great directors hinder themselves by choosing material or worst yet, using only their own, to use when telling their story. If I were choosing a director to put my story to film, this would be my list:

1. Coen Brothers

2. Del Toro

3. Danny Boyle

4. Richard Kelly

5. Gus Van Sant

6. Peter Jackson

7. Spike Jonze

8. Christopher Nolan

I'd add PT Anderson and Darren Aronofsky to that list.

Paul Thomas Anderson was a glaring omission from my list. He belongs in the top 3. I knew I was forgetting somebody. I'm not sold on Aronofsky, I always thought Pi was overrated and The Fountain didn't do it for me. Of course Requim for a Dream was awesome, but that has been a while ago.

 

[saintfool]

Bob Le Flambeur: Often considered the first of the French New Wave films. I have to admit I'm generally not a big French New Wave fan, but I liked this one a lot. The style, the story, the characters--it's a perfect noir film and beautifully photographed. Didn't realize until seeing it how many films have tried to do what Melville did here. 4.5/5

this was the lesson i learned when watching these films. it's like kirosawa hijacking the western too. they love the american genre films from hollywood's glory days. they refine and distill them for their own purposes. these then get picked up by a new generation of filmmakers that return to hollywood.

 

[jdoggydogg]

The talk of Ebert reminded me - I tried watching "At the Movies" on Sunday. WTF is this Lyons guy? (from E!, I think). Guy is an absolute doosh. Wasn't a huge fan of Roeper, but would still turn the show on sometimes to catch what's coming out. The new guys are intolerable though.

Lyons is a dork. But his taste in movies is a LOT better than Roeper's.

Really? Seems like the guy has zero clue. Roeper did like a bit of crap though.

Never mind. He blows. I had him confused with the bearded guy that Roeper was co-hosting with on At The Movies.

 

[jdoggydogg]

Maybe I'm biased because I've read all of Palahniuk's novels, but I thought the message of Fight Club was fairly clear. Its about an entire generation of young men being raised by their mothers and developing a complex to acquire material things in life in place of their father figure. The remedy they choose to strike against anything that ties us to those materials which is why they choose to attack the credit buildings. If nobody has debt, assets decrease drastically in value and everyone essentially goes back to "zero". The strategy falls apart at the end, because the main character realizes he truely doesn't desire everything he has worked so hard for to put into motion and realizes his pursuit is almost as pointless as his original life.

I think the message of Fight Club is a Zen ideal: the pursuit of material possessions leads to unhappiness. Therefore, to achieve happiness, one must eliminate the desire for these possessions. The most striking moment of the film is where Durden explains that Americans are told that wealth and possessions are the American dream. And when they achieve that dream and are still unhappy, their notion of happiness is shattered.

For me, a director's visual style and feel for the camera is more important than if they make "good" films. A lot of the time, great directors hinder themselves by choosing material or worst yet, using only their own, to use when telling their story. If I were choosing a director to put my story to film, this would be my list:

1. Coen Brothers

2. Del Toro

3. Danny Boyle

4. Richard Kelly

5. Gus Van Sant

6. Peter Jackson

7. Spike Jonze

8. Christopher Nolan

I'd add PT Anderson and Darren Aronofsky to that list.

Paul Thomas Anderson was a glaring omission from my list. He belongs in the top 3. I knew I was forgetting somebody. I'm not sold on Aronofsky, I always thought Pi was overrated and The Fountain didn't do it for me. Of course Requim for a Dream was awesome, but that has been a while ago.

I didn't like The Fountain. But I think Requiem for a Dream is so strong, I'd put him on a short list of talented young directors.

 

[saintfool]

Never mind. He blows. I had him confused with the bearded guy that Roeper was co-hosting with on At The Movies.

i actually liked him. he seemed to have decent taste. he also seemed to be hopped up on something which made him kind of a classic movie geek...

 

[jdoggydogg]

Never mind. He blows. I had him confused with the bearded guy that Roeper was co-hosting with on At The Movies.

i actually liked him. he seemed to have decent taste. he also seemed to be hopped up on something which made him kind of a classic movie geek...

He used to host Siskel and Ebert's PBS show for years, but I don't remember much about him. I haven't seen him recently, but I remember him being pretty bland.

 

[El Floppo]

You agree with this, but then said that Egoyan is >>>>>>>>>> Fincher and Nolan. Isn't the above quote stating that he's done 2-3 must see movies, the last being about 10 years ago? What makes him so much better than the other two directors in your opinion ?

for me, i'm a snob. i don't put much stock in the artistic merits of the batman movies. they are fun but they're still genre films. so i go back to nolan's other films - "momento", "insomnia" and "the prestige" - for a sense of who he is as a director. two of those films are really fantastic while the third is pretty meh for me. "momento" is fantastic and strikingly original. "the prestige" was one of my favorite films of 2006. he's building a really impressive body of work.fincher is a fine director and getting better with each film. he's gone from super stylized, shallow films like "alien 3" to more nuanced work like "zodiac". he's really ambitious as a director. his best work as a director is still "fight club", imo, even though i think it can't quite decide what it's message is ultimately. egoyan seems to make really personal films. his output over the last 10 years is disappointing but he did 6 quality films in the 90's. he's operated outside hollywood and seems hesitant to surrender completely to that kind of career. his latest film - "adoration" - is slated for release in the next few months and is getting positive reviews.

Almost exactly what SF said.Egoyan's films carry far more emotional stock, IMO, along with being intellectually and visually satisfying. I'd put Sweet Hereafter and Exotica up against just about any two films out there. For me- Fincher's Se7en and Fight Club are fantastic, but lack the intellectual and emotional content as the Egoyan twosome. I wasn't as jazzed about Zodiac as others on the board. Nolan... Memento is the only one that really works for me anywhere near my appreciation for the 4 movies mentioned above. His others are solid- don't get me wrong- but probably due to content, not in the same league.

 

[Statorama]

Never mind. He blows. I had him confused with the bearded guy that Roeper was co-hosting with on At The Movies.

i actually liked him. he seemed to have decent taste. he also seemed to be hopped up on something which made him kind of a classic movie geek...

Michael Williamson from the Tribune. I thought he was good as well.The new incarnation of At The Movies is awful. Although I do like their "rent it" option, and their insistance on showing Christie Lemire (sp?) for 5 minutes every week. Rowr!

 

[yinzer]

Never mind. He blows. I had him confused with the bearded guy that Roeper was co-hosting with on At The Movies.

i actually liked him. he seemed to have decent taste. he also seemed to be hopped up on something which made him kind of a classic movie geek...

Michael Williamson from the Tribune. I thought he was good as well.The new incarnation of At The Movies is awful. Although I do like their "rent it" option, and their insistance on showing Christie Lemire (sp?) for 5 minutes every week. Rowr!

I thought his name was Michael Phillips?

 

[yinzer]

The Happening: Horrible. It might be one of the worst movies I've ever seen. Normally I like Marky Mark movies but this piece of trash just didn't do anything right. There may not be another movie with this many plots holes. M. Night Shamalamamasldf is a complete hack. I will never watch one of his movies again.

.0001/5

Restraint: Excellent movie. There were so many different ways the story could have gone and any of them would have fit great. The lead actor, Stephen Moyer, was great. 3.5/6

First off, this isnt a Marky Mark movie. Any movie directed by MNS, is a Shyalamalan movieHes terrible, I dont know why anyone goes to see is movies

His only half decent movie was Sixth Sense, and I didnt even like that because I knew Willis was dead 10 minutes in. 'Stir of Echoes' has a similar plot but blows Sixth Sense out of the water

Signs - was decent until you find out aliens can be killed by water - WEAK

Unbreakable - TERRIBLE

Village - didnt see it, but everyone I know who did says TERRIBLE

Lady in the Water - this had to be so bad, I dont need ppl to tell me TERRIBLE

Happening - this officially looked like 1 of the worst movies of the year, so I know not to waste my time on something this TERRIBLE

Why did someone who like you said (Wahlberg) typically only does movies that, if not good, are at least entertaining, sign onto a movie this bad?

His best piece of work was his Mastercard commercial

lol... now, I agree with you about M Shamlamadingdong- but the vitriol is kinda funny considering you've only seen 3 of his movies. (I did see Village and Water and they were TERRIBLE).

I had to add to this because I just saw an add and apparently 'The Happening' is coming out on tuesday (didnt pay attention to the date, bc MNS sucks)But the opening line of the ad was, "M. Night Shyalamalan's first R-Rated movie", and I couldnt quit laughing

I guess theyre trying to say his other movies were so bad only bc they werent rated-R

....and actually El Floppo, I remembered I did see The Village - I watched about the first 35 minutes and probably switched to G-String Divas

 

[El Floppo]

....and actually El Floppo, I remembered I did see The Village - I watched about the first 35 minutes and probably switched to G-String Divas

VERY good choice.

 

[jdoggydogg]

The Usual Suspects

I own this DVD, so I think I've seen it 12 times. I think this is a perfect movie. Great acting, great story, tremendous script. And as is the case with most of my favorite movies, almost all of the best stuff is in the script. Much of the excitement lies in the dialogue, not explosions and action. Plus, I forget about the humor in this movie. Some very funny lines, as well.

A+