Unpopular Movie Opinions: Part III

[HipsterTrash]

Originally Posted by dvining

Darren Aronofksy is a moron and bad filmmaker.

I feel like Black Swan was the turning point. His work before that was clever and felt challenging, at the time. But everything since he got Oscar nominations he's been kind of wishy-washy and smug.

Black Swan was a decent rip on both Perfect Blue and early Polanski films. Nice to see something like that nominated and win something.
Noah is an intriguing concept for an expensive 30 minute short film stretched far too long.
mother! is just artsy fart smelling to the tenth degree. Love the idea but the execution is horrid.
Haven't seen The Whale but I've heard some bad things about it. At least Brendan Fraser is having a renaissance I can't hate it for that. That guy deserveseverything in life.

[HipsterTrash]

Originally Posted by mwynn

Both versions?

I prefer the Spike Lee version. The comic feel works way better.

Originally Posted by DR Herbert West

Watcher > Rear Window

Hard disagree as that's my fave Hitchcock. But Watcher is a damn fine film more should see.

[dvining]

Originally Posted by HipsterTrash

I feel like Black Swan was the turning point. His work before that was clever and felt challenging, at the time. But everything since he got Oscar nominations he's been kind of wishy-washy and smug.

Black Swan was a decent rip on both Perfect Blue and early Polanski films. Nice to see something like that nominated and win something.
Noah is an intriguing concept for an expensive 30 minute short film stretched far too long.
mother! is just artsy fart smelling to the tenth degree. Love the idea but the execution is horrid.
Haven't seen The Whale but I've heard some bad things about it. At least Brendan Fraser is having a renaissance I can't hate it for that. That guy deservers everything in life.

My turning point was when I revisited The Fountain and realized how utterly empty of ideas it is despite its portentousness.

He had literally one idea in that film, did it three times in exactly the same way all three times, and then thought it was genius. It wasn't genius.

[HipsterTrash]

Originally Posted by dvining

My turning point was when I revisited The Fountain and realized how utterly empty of ideas it is despite its portentousness.

He had literally one idea in that film, did it three times in exactly the same way all three times, and then thought it was genius. It wasn't genius.

I loved that film when I first saw it. Haven't watched it in a while, so I could see my feelings being similar. Possibly.

I will defend it by saying he got screwed over with that one as he had to recast it and the budget was slashed by half. He had to work against the flow to at least make it and make it work.

[snipemonkey]

Originally Posted by Cardboard_killer

Only if you think 55-70 years old is "middle aged"

Well, technically speaking -- since average life expectancy is around 72 years old -- 36 should be considered "middle age".

But people find that too depressing, so we all agree to the comforting fiction that we're all going to make it to 100, at least.

[dvining]

Originally Posted by HipsterTrash

I loved that film when I first saw it. Haven't watched it in a while, so I could see my feelings being similar. Possibly.

I will defend it by saying he got screwed over with that one as he had to recast it and the budget was slashed by half. He had to work against the flow to at least make it and make it work.

I remember being blown away by it in college, too. "Visionary!" and such.

Strip past those visuals, and it's a surprisingly empty exercise in a small idea that he doesn't actually explore all that much.

[snipemonkey]

Originally Posted by dvining

My turning point was when I revisited The Fountain and realized how utterly empty of ideas it is despite its portentousness.

He had literally one idea in that film, did it three times in exactly the same way all three times, and then thought it was genius. It wasn't genius.

Yeah, Aronofsky hits me kind of the same as most of Christopher Nolan -- a lot of hand waving and fancy footwork to paper over very half-baked second-hand ideas and middle-school-level "deep thoughts". I enjoy the visuals but everything else too often comes off as shallow posing. Inception is probably the worst offender -- all the glitz and flop-sweat a Hollywood budget can provide for a whole lotta not very much.

[DR Herbert West]

Originally Posted by Jay H.

You've been drinking the re-agent again, haven't you? It has Yellow #5, which will shrink your nads.

Worth it.

[HipsterTrash]

Originally Posted by snipemonkey

Yeah, Aronofsky hits me kind of the same as most of Christopher Nolan -- a lot of hand waving and fancy footwork to paper over very half-baked second-hand ideas and middle-school-level "deep thoughts". I enjoy the visuals but everything else too often comes off as shallow posing. Inception is probably the worst offender -- all the glitz and flop-sweat a Hollywood budget can provide for a whole lotta not very much.

Sounds like you're trying to reawaken him.

[dvining]

Originally Posted by snipemonkey

Yeah, Aronofsky hits me kind of the same as most of Christopher Nolan -- a lot of hand waving and fancy footwork to paper over very half-baked second-hand ideas and middle-school-level "deep thoughts". I enjoy the visuals but everything else too often comes off as shallow posing. Inception is probably the worst offender -- all the glitz and flop-sweat a Hollywood budget can provide for a whole lotta not very much.

Inception is a puzzle box, and I find it fun on that level. It has something there about fathers and sons, but it's not much.

I do like Nolan a lot, but there's a deeply mechanical nature to his storytelling that turns off a lot of people.

[Jay H.]

So... is it unpopular to love Inception? I think it's extremely entertaining.

[Gacivory]

Originally Posted by dvining

I remember being blown away by it in college, too. "Visionary!" and such.

Strip past those visuals, and it's a surprisingly empty exercise in a small idea that he doesn't actually explore all that much.

Those words can describe how I feel about Requiem for a Dream. It’s a D.A.R.E. or an after school special with some fun visuals.

[spider-neil]

At least I’m entertained when I watch Aaronofsky. When I watch Terrance Malik movies I don’t know what the **** is going on.

[Farerb]

Cars is better than Shrek.

[moreorless]

Originally Posted by Cinemaniac

The second half of Full Metal Jacket > the first half.

I would add that Tarantino based his style quite heavily on it as well.

[L.J.]

Originally Posted by Farerb

Cars is better than Shrek.

Fully agree

[Jay H.]

Originally Posted by Farerb

Cars is better than Shrek.

I never watched Cars - I'm not interested - but I absolutely despise Shrek. Not only is it not funny to me, it completely betrays its message of "love conquers all, no matter who you are or what you look like" by revealing the princess to be an ogre.

[Jay H.]

The only Texas Chain Saw Massacre movie I sorta like is the original, but I respect its place in the genre more than I like it. The sequels/remakes/reboots I can do without.

[RandomMovieFan]

Originally Posted by Jay H.

The only Texas Chain Saw Massacre movie I sorta like is the original, but I respect its place in the genre more than I like it. The sequels/remakes/reboots I can do without.

I like the original but i grew up with the sequel so i love that movie but i kinda liked the Netflix one because it was dumb but the rest are meh or horrible

[L.J.]

Originally Posted by Jay H.

The only Texas Chain Saw Massacre movie I sorta like is the original, but I respect its place in the genre more than I like it. The sequels/remakes/reboots I can do without.

A respectable perspective. Two is ok, but Hooper never matched one. Which if I understand right he purposely made two drastically different. Bays two film are decent.