Last movie you've watched
- Thread starter metal_wrath
- Start date
That was the obvious point though: oil is so complex, corrupt, shadowy, etc., its impossible to simplify and understand.
Belligerent
Greekus Urungus
Alphadog
Yes Justin Timberlake is a shit actor...but its a good movie.
Suprised the hell outta me too.
Yes Justin Timberlake is a shit actor...but its a good movie.
Suprised the hell outta me too.
Satanstoenail
My Larpstyle determines my Derpstyle
I agree, but if you're going to make a movie about it, surely some importance should be given to involving the viewer? If the point is that oil is complex, why does that mean that the movie has to be hard to follow? I'm not saying it should be dumbed or watered down, but the plot was complicated to an unnecessary level imo. It felt messily put together.
Perhaps it was a bit too postmodern or artistic for the average movie-goer? And since it was a major Hollywood release, not a art house film, this could explain alot of the confusion.
Personally, I loved it as it really never tried to dumb anything down or sentimentalize, etc as 99.99% of Hollywood movies do. I just finished watching Stranger than Fiction, a perfect example of a wonderful idea and perfectly good movie, ruined by a hammy sentimental final act (the last 30 minutes were atrociously bad and overwrought).
Oh, Blades of Glory was good for some big laughs.
angelofdeath9308
Member
- Oct 8, 2005
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Satanstoenail
My Larpstyle determines my Derpstyle
Perhaps it was just badly put together? And perhaps intellectual types loved it because it appeased their sense of superiority over "average movie-goers", and enabled them to be condescending to anyone who happened to dislike it?
True. Its not the best movie ever or anything, but it was good and interesting. I still think if it was a art-house movie released to just a few theaters, one wouldnt find it condescending.
derek
Grey Eminence
Quite untrue, infact. Regardless of how certain people receive/talk about it, the inherent worth of the film remains, so bad mouthing it really speaks more to your insecurities regarding self elected intelligentsia as opposed to your film taste.
But he brings up a good point/theme: the average person wants entertainment, and is largely hostile to any attempts at higher art, and finds such attempts arrogant and condescending. And truly this is an interesting point, as there is no objective determination or valuation of aesthetics other than the passing of history. I'm also put off by snobby prognosticators of taste, and academia's forays into pop culture. And in most cases, especially with movies, serious attempts at art and using art to make wider points, end up terribly condescending and, well, terrible.
What really concerns me though, is how widespread and popular the anti-intellectual and taste opinion is. People seem to demand simplistic entertaining things, and purposely ignore even the great and important pieces of art due to their insecurity. Well, I will stop. But this is a interesting topic.
Satanstoenail
My Larpstyle determines my Derpstyle
derek
Grey Eminence
It's not entirely unwarranted. I can think of many examples from simply the people I've met in my time working at a University. Many of them are self elected intellectuals, and thoroughly shallow to go with it. That said, I'm not sure whether the backlash is out of insecurity or genuine dislike for pompous smart asses.
I was thinking that. Say possibly, out of being continuously refuted, ridiculed and patronised by such types might someone develop an insecure hatred towards them? Just a thought.
Anyhoo, been watching the first 5 'Rocky' movies lately, since I've always been a massive fan (well, I don't know if I can say that since I've still not seen the latest instalment
). A friend who sadly passed away recently gave me a loan of them, and his older brother revealed not long ago that they were in fact his , but that there was no hurry to return them. The first 2 are probably my favourites, with the fourth being the most entertaining (in a very "Blockbuster" sense), despite its unutterable silliness and overblown style. I might post more about them later.I was thinking that. Say possibly, out of being continuously refuted, ridiculed and patronised by such types might someone develop an insecure hatred towards them? Just a thought.
Anyhoo, been watching the first 5 'Rocky' movies lately, since I've always been a massive fan (well, I don't know if I can say that since I've still not seen the latest instalment
The Rocky movies were always my favorites. The last Rocky was ok too. Shame boxing has died. I really dont care for that Ultimate Fighting stuff.
I think MMA is more exciting than boxing is. I mean boxing now it seems is so slow, and strategy is more straightforward than MMA since there is only punching. In MMA anything can happen, and I'd much rather watch people of different fighting backgrounds test eachother. It makes for more interesting fights, and they have smaller gloves as well. Not only that, but it is the best way of determining who the best fighters in the world are since there are multiple disciplines.
Ars Diavoli raises a good point. Heavy-weight boxers have never entertained me all that much, to be honest. Far too sluggish and, frankly, dull for my liking; like two neanderthals attempting to battle with their weight and strength after running marathon. It's strategic, sure enough, and Title fights can be a good watch, but on the whole it doesn't do much for me. Middle Feather-weight or whatever it's called is much more exciting, I find. I agree, though, about the 'Ultimate Fighting' show not being great in the sense that it's a bit too unruly and savage. Put simply, there aren't enough rules in place for it to be a completely fair fight, in my view.
