Last Movie You Watched

[SonicMan46]

You can do it, Dave! 

In short, 3D plus shaken seats and some sprinklers throwing water on your face. 

Gotcha!  I've been to a few of those 'super-realistic' experience theaters - the last one was in the Baltimore Inner Harbor years ago (place now closed, I believed) - visuals + the shaking chairs and smells - not sure that I need all of that sensory experiences?  Did you enjoy the extras?  Dave

[Jaakko Keskinen]

Oh, the beginning was my favorite part. I think the whole idea of superheros is ridiculous and comic, and so camp and absurdism are the only ways I can really enjoy the genre.

Oh, my bad.  I actually enjoy camp and absurdities as well, but it needs to be done correctly. As for Skyfall, I liked it fine the first time I saw it but at second time I started to see that much of the movie didn't make that much sense (or maybe I'm just stupid) and it used too much cliches, anti-climactic ending (even though I liked the villain and the way he demonstrates what hydrogen cyanide does to you, even though that's NOT how it works). And, ok, the theme song is corny. The lines are at times so bad that widely vilified man with the golden gun theme song feels like a masterpiece in comparison (and I actually like the man with the golden gun, both song and movie, as stupid and camp as it is, or exactly because of it).

[Jo498]

I think in a documentation about the making of "Fitzcarraldo" Herzog claimed that the Natives they worked with offered him to kill Kinski because they witnessed Kinski's tantrums and verbal abuse and even physical attacks against Herzog. (Some of these tantrums are also on the docu.) Herzog apparently was seriously tempted by the offer...

[Brian]

I think Todd said something like Josh Whedon is the worst script writer in 20 years (because of how terrible Avengers is).  However, I was really impressed by Whedon's script.

The script is largely not bad. When characters have to speak dialogue consistently, the dialogue is not realistic, but it is certainly fun. The various superheros' put-downs are much more interesting than their physical attributes, to me. And the movie does a good job of balancing the lead actors. (Apparently Downey wanted Iron Man to be more prominent than everyone else, but then even he realized that this would not work.) That said, I don't really know what ScarJo was doing there aside from being a woman. As far as I can tell, her superpower is being really persuasive.

The first 20 minutes were campy to me because I was laughing every time, e.g., somebody mentioned a "tesseract", or Loki put on his silly horn costume, or some explanation speech was totally ridiculous. Where there's no spoken dialogue to go by, then the script becomes tired and boring. "The superheroes fight bad guys for 15 minutes using superpowers." Gee, I am filled with suspense, wondering if superpowers will be able to win! It also doesn't help that they just add surprise new superpowers whenever necessary. Need to kill a scary new villain? Blam, now Thor can do something else that's cool. Lawless storytelling.

EDIT: Correction, friend. Six leads, not five. Seven if you count the villain. Downey Ruffalo ScarJo Renner Evans Hemsworth Hiddleston.

EDIT TWO: As usual, Roger Ebert's take on The Avengers is perfection:
""Comic-Con nerds will have multiple orgasms," predicts critic David Edelstein in New York magazine, confirming something I had vaguely suspected about them. If he is correct, it's time for desperately needed movies to re-educate nerds in the joys of sex."

[Mookalafalas]

The script is largely not bad. When characters have to speak dialogue consistently, the dialogue is not realistic, but it is certainly fun.

    How could it be realistic? It's a comic book with Iron Man arguing with Captain America about the Hulk or whatever...  But, yeah, I thought it was great fun, and the dialogue was tight, with real rhythm.  Not at all what I was expecting.  My wife and I had actually gone to see Johnny Depp as a vampire, but it was sold out and we saw Avengers rather reluctantly.  We ended up having a blast.

[Todd]

I think Todd said something like Josh Whedon is the worst script writer in 20 years (because of how terrible Avengers is).

What I wrote was: Joss Whedon is quite possibly the most overrated filmmaker and screenplay writer of the last twenty years, but that's another topic. 

Based on what I've seen written by or directed by him, I stand by that statement.  He attained quasi-cult status based on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which was crap (movie and TV show both, what I could manage to watch of them); his reputation was was enhanced by Firefly and Serenity, both of which were mediocre;  (I missed Dollhouse, thankfully); and then he was given Avengers, which is bloated and silly with poor dialogue.  There are so many other talents I find more compelling.

[Jo498]

Yes, this must be the docu I had in mind. Herzog is a fascinating guy (and so was Kinski, even if he was mad as a hatter). More recently he has done one or more docus about death row inmates in the US. Moving and disturbing stuff!

[Bogey]

Anyone who watches The Avengers looking for an amazing screenplay or compelling dialog are missing the point completely ..  and are oblivious of the source material. These films are about the spectacle and capturing the spirit of the comic-books. On these fronts they are successful.

*pounds table in agreement*

[Todd]

Anyone who watches The Avengers looking for an amazing screenplay or compelling dialog are missing the point completely ..  and are oblivious of the source material. These films are about the spectacle and capturing the spirit of the comic-books. On these fronts they are successful.

I can't say what others were looking for, but I was not looking for anything profound in The Avengers, just something better than what was on screen.  Of course, I didn't waste time on comic books when I was young, so I guess I don't have the literary background necessary to enjoy the current glut of mediocre comic book films for what they supposedly are.

[Mookalafalas]

What I wrote was: Joss Whedon is quite possibly the most overrated filmmaker and screenplay writer of the last twenty years, but that's another topic. 

Based on what I've seen written by or directed by him, I stand by that statement.  He attained quasi-cult status based on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which was crap (movie and TV show both, what I could manage to watch of them); his reputation was was enhanced by Firefly and Serenity, both of which were mediocre;  (I missed Dollhouse, thankfully); and then he was given Avengers, which is bloated and silly with poor dialogue.  There are so many other talents I find more compelling.

Anyway, not really anything to talk about.  If you think a movie in which Iron Man, the Hulk, Captain America, etc. fight the Norse god Loki is silly, you certainly have a good point .   I didn't see any of those other movies except Buffy, which I agree was terrible.  I saw some of the TV show, which I thought was fine for what it was, but it had an equally ridiculous premise.

[Todd]

If you think a movie in which Iron Man, the Hulk, Captain America, etc. fight the Norse god Loki is silly, you certainly have a good point .

All superhero movies are intrinsically silly.  Not all are Joss Whedon mediocre. 

[Brian]

All superhero movies are intrinsically silly.  Not all are Joss Whedon mediocre.

The parts of Avengers that I liked are the parts that embrace this intrinsic silliness, the parts that say, "Hey, we realize this is all totally ridiculous." And Avengers is much better about this than most. Branagh's operatic Thor was borderline intolerable.

But the parts of Avengers that pretend not to be silly were not fun.

Then again, I'm like you. I never cared about comic books and don't understand why people like them. Where is the drama or interest in somebody having magical powers and defeating bad guys whose motives are always "lust for power" and "sociopathy"? It seems like comic books are a wish-fulfillment response to 20th century villains like Hitler and Stalin. "Wouldn't it be great if we could have prevented the Holocaust by using one hunky dude in red, white, and blue spangled costumes and a magical American flag shield?" is the subtext, I guess.

[Todd]

Many great films are intrinsically silly .. but they are movies, fiction .. and much of it is about fantasy & suspension of disbelief.

I'd go one step further and say that all movies, novels, and plays that use a variation of the omniscient viewer are silly, and all require suspension of disbelief.  So what?  That doesn't make The Avengers a good movie, or Joss Whedon nearly as talented as his fans claim.

And Avengers is much better about this than most. Branagh's operatic Thor was borderline intolerable.

I must disagree on both points.  The Avengers is not better than most, and Thor is far, far worse than your tame critique implies; it is a steaming pile.

[Brian]

I must disagree on both points.  The Avengers is not better than most, and Thor is far, far worse than your tame critique implies; it is a steaming pile.

I'm trying to be charitable to Avengers. I interpreted most of the cheese as intentional cheese, but they make it difficult after the first hour, when the cheese starts to get a little too sincere.

[George]

Well, this sure wasn't silly. My second time through this film and was even more emotionally moved this time. Highly recommended.

[Cato]

On Werner Herzog's documentaries: don't forget Grizzly Man !

[asin]B000BYA4HE[/asin]

Academy Award Best Picture of 1931!

I had not seen this since childhood, and considering that the emotive style of the silent movies is still evident at times, it is not so evident that it damages the enjoyment.  And the political content!  "Rights for Indians" is a crusade for the main character "Yancey Cravat" (what a Dickensian name) played by deep-voiced, barrel-chested Richard Dix.  A Jewish merchant is nearly crucified by a group of drunken cowboys: the hero rescues him.  And the son of slaves - viewed as a foster-son by the main character - is killed in a cross-fire during a bank robbery.  Yancey lifts up his body and brings it into his house, turning away to hide his emotions.

"Yancey Cravat" suffers from Adult ADHD: he cannot settle down and is constantly looking for a new adventure even in his old age. 

Perhaps Criterion or someone will restore the sound and the scratched portions?

Trivia: despite their number and popularity, Westerns won the Best Picture Award only twice.  This one, and...?




Dances With Wolves!

[Todd]

when the cheese starts to get a little too sincere.

You mean like when Bruce Banner reveals that he's always angry.

[SonicMan46]

Perhaps Criterion or someone will restore the sound and the scratched portions?

Trivia: despite their number and popularity, Westerns won the Best Picture Award only twice.  This one, and...?

Dances With Wolves and Unforgiven - Dave

[Todd]

Trivia: despite their number and popularity, Westerns won the Best Picture Award only twice.  This one, and...?

Popularity doesn't guarantee awards.  No sci-fi flick has yet won best picture, for instance.

[Linus]

Kurosawa's Throne of Blood.



Powerful symbolic scenes in abundance, karma everywhere.

Japanese visuals and European literature go very well together it seems!

I've come to think that some of the best scenes in Kurosawa's films often involve the movement of "many small things" -- many soldiers moving on a plain, trees blowing in the wind, a myriad of arrows shot. They're remarkably effective in evoking cause and effect or psychological changes.

The feels, man.

Grade: ****-