Your Movie and TV Hot Takes

[Gasometer]

The Whale

The whole damn stinking carcass from Brendan Fraser through to it being a Play in a movie; if I’d have known it was a Play I would have waited for the stage show to come to town. By the final act I was willing him to disappear.

 

[spinynorman]

Yes! My tendencies tend toward older films and there is so much skill in story telling and in giving credit to the audience in being smart enough to know what it going on. Montages, newspaper headlines, fade-ins / outs, flashbacks, coded tropes (waves crashing against a beach to signal time passing etc). Audiences knew how to read these inclusions and thus didn't require lengthy exposition and explanation.

In the classical period if a film went longer that two hours it had to have a bloody good reason.

I think it was Harry Cohn - head of Columbia - who watched test screenings and knew a film was too long if his arse started to get numb. Once it got numb, they had to cut it that point in the running time.

Earlier this year I watched a whole heap of Robert Bresson films and it was good to just watch an entirely different use of film grammar to communicate. Nowadays there are very few directors who have the control to add their idiosyncrasies to their films.

On the flip side of Cohn, I also appreciate that when Jack Warner saw Bonnie & Clyde he ****ing hated it, but given its success came to the conclusion he no longer had his finger on the pulse and basically greenlit everything that crossed his desk, which allowed for so much of the freedom of New Hollywood in its emergence. Sadly I don’t see Zaslav going down that path.

 

[Cruyff14]

The Whale

The whole damn stinking carcass from Brendan Fraser through to it being a Play in a movie; if I’d have known it was a Play I would have waited for the stage show to come to town. By the final act I was willing him to disappear.

So boring. Hated it, didn't understand the hype. No good.

 

[phantom13]

Low key agree. Its great but nothing about it makes it special. Its does feel like its an incremental improvement and logical end game of those style of films but its utter devoid of its own style or aesthetic... its essentially stand by me for adults.

I dont see that as an insult personally

 

[phantom13]

Casablanca is the only one there that makes my own personal top 10.

For a movie to be an all time great/classic it should be one that can be enjoyed/re watched many times over.

I have watched Schindler's List twice, a brilliant and very important movie yes that deserves all its awards and praise, but also one so damn tragic and bleak it's one I never want to watch again in my life (Alive is another one)

It's ironic as I am a massive Horror movie fan who can happily rewatch the Hostel movies and other gory freak outs, but Schindler's List and Alive are based on real life events and not something I could easily want to sit and gladly watch on a Sunday Night if I want to enjoy a good story and escapism (which is what I value most in my cinematic enjoyment)

I dont think i really agree with this...

I think on a personal enjoyment level sure, i get it, but there are movies that i think are classics that i have very little interest in rewatching over and over for a host of reasons. Something like Requieum for a Dream or Schindlers List is just too ****ing confronting and sad, something like the Sixth Sense (or my preferred twist thriller the Usual Suspects) have a degree of rewatchability but are favourites for the "oh shit moment.

I think rewatchability has an impact on personal preference but i dont think it impacts on a movies classic status

 

[Red Black and Blue]

I dont see that as an insult personally

It isnt, but a film that has been lauded as the greatest ever, probably more than any over the last twenty years, should be distinct and not just rip an aesthetic off other succcessful films that predate it.

 

[phantom13]

It isnt, but a film that has been lauded as the greatest ever, probably more than any over the last twenty years, should be distinct and not just rip an aesthetic off other succcessful films that predate it.

Yehhhhh. Im not sure that really bothers me, i dont think the aesthetic of the film is a huge factor in its appeal. Iconic characters, well told story, fantastic casting etc.

It might even be some Auteur Theory (based on King and Darabont).

For clarity i dont think Shawshank is the greatest ever but i also think "GOAT" of a movie is kind of a dumb argument, its so subjective and specific to individual taste.

 

[Red Black and Blue]

Yehhhhh. Im not sure that really bothers me, i dont think the aesthetic of the film is a huge factor in its appeal. Iconic characters, well told story, fantastic casting etc.

It might even be some Auteur Theory (based on King and Darabont).

For clarity i dont think Shawshank is the greatest ever but i also think "GOAT" of a movie is kind of a dumb argument, its so subjective and specific to individual taste.

I think aesthetic is very important, If something doesn't have strong art direction, isn't visually or tonally compelling it's not that immersive. The cinematography is very basic, doesn't try to do much.

The iconic characters are everyman types that really haven't had any lasting cultural reference. They mostly speak in cliche and the dialogue feels at times like a high production lifetime movie.

Film is subjective but this thread doesn't exist without the concept that these things can be debated.

 

[phantom13]

I think aesthetic is very important, If something doesn't have strong art direction, isn't visually or tonally compelling it's not that immersive. The cinematography is very basic, doesn't try to do much.

The iconic characters are everyman types that really haven't had any lasting cultural reference. They mostly speak in cliche and the dialogue feels at times like a high production lifetime movie.

Film is subjective but this thread doesn't exist without the concept that these things can be debated.

I didn’t say aesthetic wasn’t important but with Shawshank I seriously doubt it’s anyone’s major factor in liking the movie. It’s pretty high on production value, costume, period setting, I think that coupled with a compelling story etc. is why people who love it, love it.

I don’t agree on the remainder of your criticisms but alas I don’t really care enough to debate them.

I’m not suggesting you’re doing this but hating on Shawshank and other popular films is almost as well worn as liking them at this point too.

 

[Red Black and Blue]

I’m not suggesting you’re doing this but hating on Shawshank and other popular films is almost as well worn as liking them at this point too.

What is this thread?

 

[phantom13]

What is this thread?

Is this a jeopardy answer is the question? Cause I didn’t suggest you couldn’t dislike the film.

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

Superman 2 - Richard Donner Cut is just about the only Director's Cut/different version of a movie that is superior to the original (from what I have seen anyway)

Although i do like the extended version of Terminator 2: Judgement Day on the Blu-Ray/4K release.

It's good to have Directors Cut/alternate versions as part of a physical media release package, but generally speaking, nothing beats the original/authentic releases (only wish George Lucas would stop being a stubborn ass and green light the original non SE Star Wars Trilogy on 4K/Blu Ray/DVD etc)

 

[Red Black and Blue]

Is this a jeopardy answer is the question? Cause I didn’t suggest you couldn’t dislike the film.

It's a serious question, both posts were saying it's pointless to compare greatest movies as it's subjective. My interpretation of the thread is without some understanding of or reference to consensus, the thread has no basis and I'm trying to see what I've misinterpreted.

 

[phantom13]

It's a serious question, both posts were saying it's pointless to compare greatest movies as it's subjective. My interpretation of the thread is without some understanding of or reference to consensus, the thread has no basis and I'm trying to see what I've misinterpreted.

Yo haven’t misinterpreted anything. I suppose as the thread started I more had in mind “Julia Roberts sucked in Erin Brickovich”.

 

[phantom13]

Superman 2 - Richard Donner Cut is just about the only Director's Cut/different version of a movie that is superior to the original (from what I have seen anyway)

Although i do like the extended version of Terminator 2: Judgement Day on the Blu-Ray/4K release.

It's good to have Directors Cut/alternate versions as part of a physical media release package, but generally speaking, nothing beats the original/authentic releases (only wish George Lucas would stop being a stubborn ass and green light the original non SE Star Wars Trilogy on 4K/Blu Ray/DVD etc)

Kingdom of Heaven for me

 

[sandeano]

Superman 2 - Richard Donner Cut is just about the only Director's Cut/different version of a movie that is superior to the original (from what I have seen anyway)

Although i do like the extended version of Terminator 2: Judgement Day on the Blu-Ray/4K release.

It's good to have Directors Cut/alternate versions as part of a physical media release package, but generally speaking, nothing beats the original/authentic releases (only wish George Lucas would stop being a stubborn ass and green light the original non SE Star Wars Trilogy on 4K/Blu Ray/DVD etc)

Here is Melbourne over the last week or so The Astor Theatre is screening a gleaming new 4K print of Amadeus. The problem is that it is the inferior director's cut that is just 20 minutes of unnecessary padding to what was a finely constructed narrative. And the problem is that this is now the 'official' version, with the original cut (the one that scooped the Oscars) no longer available unless you can locate a crappy old pan and scan VHS copy.

 

[No Quarter]

The typical conflict with the warden, fights with other inmates, time in the ‘hole’ etc.

What else can you cover?

 

[spinynorman]

The Shawshank Redemption is fine, but I'd prefer my "greatest film of all time" to challenge me rather than comfort me.

On its aesthetics, it's very much a screenwriter's film rather than a director's one. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing - Casablanca is a screenwriter's film too and you won't hear me say a bad thing about it. But as I get older, the sentimentality of Shawshank becomes more cloying. It's handsomely made and well performed, but not overly interesting. I'll take Carrie, The Shining and, yes, Stand by Me, for King adaptations, over it.

 

[AFDogs]

Everything Everywhere All At Once is too hard to get through. I've tried watching it 3 times and turned it off everytime.

 

[phantom13]

Everything Everywhere All At Once is too hard to get through. I've tried watching it 3 times and turned it off everytime.

I really like EEAAO but it is a bit of a narrative slog

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

Paul Feig's All Female Ghostbusters is the best Ghostbusters movie since the original 1984 Classic (and that includes 1989's Ghosbusters 2)

Such a shame so many toxic male entitled fan babies threw the cots out of the pram and kept sabotaging the film by constantly potting negative reviews on it without even seeing it.

10 Ways The Ghostbusters 2016 Reboot Is Underrated

Ghostbusters' 2016 reboot offers audiences a highly enjoyable piece of cinematic entertainment that is underrated.

screenrant.com

Melissa McCarthy is also awesome and I won't hear a bad word against her.

 

[sandeano]

Everything Everywhere All At Once is too hard to get through. I've tried watching it 3 times and turned it off everytime.

Really disliked that film. Undergraduate, migraine-inducing slop with the earth-shattering takeaway of "please be kind to each other".