The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

Unless they only like fast catholics?



No but seriously, I know what you mean 100%. I feel the same way with non-golfer Tiger Woods fans. Many of them are friends of mine. Most of them say "I hate watching golf, it soooo boring. Unless Tiger is playing."
Personally, if I think a sport is "boring", I'm not watching it! I don't care who is playing!

You get where I am coming from.

It would be like me having posters of Freddie Mercury on my wall, yet I hate Rock music and I'm not gay.

Disclaimer:

[Show spoiler]Freddie is my music idol.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

I see your point. I was just thinking that in a "Sports" movie, even though the meassge may be team work, and/or comaraderie, and/or will and dtermination, that the "Sports" would get in the way and bother you, since you dislike them. Do you actually dislike sports, or is it just a meh, they do nothing for you kinda thing?




I tried to find my review, but it was lost in The Great Blu-ray.Com Vacuum Pugre a few months ago.

My main beef was wasn not the speed ot the style, it was chronological continuity blunders.

Also, I love nonlinear storytelling in films, especially thrillers. But, IMO there is no reason to employ that technique in documentaries. It's structure was too random and distracting for my tastes. My preference is start at "A", educate me, in order, finish at "Z"

Well, played sports (basketball) and followed all of them in high school (NBA, NFL, occasionally MLB). But two things really drove me away: 1) After high school I stopped playing them and devoted more of my time to the arts: reading, drawing, painting, film and 2) I find little of interest in the games themselves, the formula is always the same, rinse wash repeat; new players in, old players out. I can't see how someone could follow something for decades that requires so little thought.

I respect the act of playing sports, just not watching them. Maybe being as young as I am, I feel there is too much culture, art & history for me to devour before i could even consider investing myself in the arbitrary weekly wins and losses.

Damn! You've been busy today Squid.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Well, played sports (basketball) and followed all of them in high school (NBA, NFL, occasionally MLB). But two things really drove me away: 1) After high school I stopped playing them and devoted more of my time to the arts: reading, drawing, painting, film and 2) I find little of interest in the games themselves, the formula is always the same, rinse wash repeat; new players in, old players out. I can't see how someone could follow something for decades that requires so little thought.

I respect the act of playing sports, just not watching them. Maybe being as young as I am, I feel there is too much culture, art & history for me to devour before i could even consider investing myself in the arbitrary weekly wins and losses.

Damn! You've been busy today Squid.

The only sports I like to watch are individual sports, where there is Psychological Duel taking place. Where it is less about braun, speed, or endurance and more about the Mind War. I care less about the outcome than the actual battle itself.

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Have you seen the House is Black (which if you liked Night and Fog, you'll really love this), The Thin Blue Line, Crumb, For All Mankind, Man with a Movie Camera, High School, Gates of Heaven, Capturing the Friedmans, Nanook of the North, Aileen Wuornos: the selling of a serial killer, Hotel Terminus, Man on Wire, Fog of War, Hearts of Darkness, Roger & Me, Gimme Shelter, Stop Making Sense, inside Job, Fast Cheap and Out of Control, Waltz with Bashir (if it counts)...

Sorry, I got carried away. But needless to say, there are scores if great docs. i immediately listed The House is Black because along with Night and Fog, it's one of the most potent 20 minutes in cinema. It's harrowing, poetic and full of life.

Again, by liking Senna as much as I did, I am not pretending all others don't exist. Hearts of Darkness and For All Mankind are damn good. Inside Job and Roger & Me, good, and definitely important films. Another extraordinary documentary that comes to mind is Bus 174. Thanks for the rec, I'll be sure to check out House is Black. Gimme Shelter and Crumb have been on my radar for a while (I know someone who was there; amateur comic book artist myself).

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

The only sports I like to watch are individual sports, where there is Psychological Duel taking place. Where it is less about braun, speed, or endurance and more about the Mind War. I care less about the outcome than the actual battle itself.

I can get behind that. Team sports, especially Football, just seem pointlessly barbaric to me. I derive no entertainment from people beating the living day lights out of each other. I can enjoy it cinematically because there's a narrative tied to it and, when done right, it can be quite an experience. For example, the football matches in Any Guven Sunday barely make sense, but in doses Oliver Stone creates a grand, ugly, tacky, incoherent spectacle (which is in essence what football is to me).

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

Again, by liking Senna as much as I did, I am not pretending all others don't exist. Hearts of Darkness and For All Mankind are damn good. Inside Job and Roger & Me, good, and definitely important films. Another extraordinary documentary that comes to mind is Bus 174. Thanks for the rec, I'll be sure to check out House is Black. Gimme Shelter and Crumb have been on my radar for a while (I know someone who was there; amateur comic book artist myself).

So wait you haven't seen a bunch of those? I highly reccomend them.

If nothing else, if i refer one person to The House is Black, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. Just know its just as heady and somber as Night and Fog.

I've had Bus 174 on my list if movies to see for awhile now, I need to find a way to see it.

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

So wait you haven't seen a bunch of those? I highly reccomend them.

If nothing else, if i refer one person to The House is Black, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. Just know its just as heady and somber as Night and Fog.

Love that feeling.

A big incentive is its short running time. I haven't been able to squeeze in more than one movie a week lately.

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Sure they did. It doesnt matter that Senna made the same connection, or that he made it first (*connection introduced*). They did make the connection, by following him, you say so your self.....

Of course it matters that they weren't the ones that first made that connection. It was already Senna's established mentality. All they did was listen. You were implying that his fans tried to make some arbitrary connection, which is 1) impossible for them to make themselves if it was established by Senna as his own base for success in the first place. 2). Not arbitrary. Again, Pacquiao/politics is an arbitrary connection. Boxing has nothing to do with politics. Senna himself made it clear that his career had to do with his faith. Thus- inspiration.

A gazillion Catholic non car racing fans became overnight "car racing fans" because a Catholic man said God gave him a talent for speed. When Senna died, they stopped following the sport. They werent following the car racer because he was fast, they were fans because he was Catholic. IMO that is irrational and illogical from a sport/fan viewpoint. I'd like to emphasize that that is not meant to be a derogatory comment about Catholics, it's just my observation about bizarre fan behavior and group mentality. People going to car races, or watching car races on TV, who actually dont give a hoot about car racing. Koo-koo IMO.

Its different when your son/daughter takes up a hobby/sport that you dont care about. You do your duty and go to the games/events to support your child. But following/worshiping a random stranger, in a sport you dont care about?

He wasnt a "random stranger". He was an inspiration on many levels who the people identified with. I'm not going to defend bandwagoning (becoming a racing fan because he's winning) but I will defend his fans. Michael Jordan was one of my primary inspirations growing up. Do I play basketball? Rarely. Do I even watch basketball? Rarely. But I watch his games. I watch him play. That's called inspiration, not being cuckoo. Many people who swarmed to his races didn't go to see an F1 race. They went to see Senna. Again, nothing illogical about that.

Originally Posted by surfdude12

No but seriously, I know what you mean 100%. I feel the same way with non-golfer Tiger Woods fans. Many of them are friends of mine. Most of them say "I hate watching golf, it soooo boring. Unless Tiger is playing."
Personally, if I think a sport is "boring", I'm not watching it! I don't care who is playing!

MJ made bball fascinating. Does that mean I like to watch Kobe hog the ball and score 45 points per half? No. You can admire an athlete more than a sport.

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

MJ made bball fascinating. Does that mean I like to watch Kobe hog the ball and score 45 points per half? No. You can admire an athlete more than a sport.

well if an athlete changes ones view of the sport from "boring" to "fascinating", then heck yeah! I can see that.

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

well if an athlete changes ones view of the sport from "boring" to "fascinating", then heck yeah! I can see that.

If you offered to sell me tickets to see a Lakers game today, I would probably turn them down.

If you offered to sell me tickets to watch Jordan play with the Bulls, heck yeah!

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

There is a line though, at least for me anyway.

I could never watch a documentary about hunting. Ever.

As I mentioned earlier, I dislike rap and hiphop. I am NSE (< Thanks Roger). I dont get it. There must be some value/quality to it becaue a zillion people are tapping their toes and strutting their bling in time. It works for them. But my dislike is quite jumbo. It grates my nerves like fingernails on a chalkboard.

You don't get it because there is nothing to get. Rap has been reduced to a marketing vehicle for celebrities and the MTV youth. It used to have a purpose.

1) to poetically express the grit of the harsh realities of gangsterhood/poverty (aka "hood life").

2) to give the urban population an identity and a dream. They don't have to be big fancy Ad execs anymore, because hip-hop gives them a different ladder to climb, it redefined success. They can just make it big in urban culture and spend the money on bling and hoes. They don't see it as lower class because they created their own class system within their own culture.

That's the best I can explain it anyway. Tupac is the embodiment of what rap actually should be. If you're interested in looking more into it, listen to his lyrics and beats. Unfortunately, nowadays the biggest hip-hop idol is some guy with chrome-plated teeth who drinks cough syrup like water. Times change and things lose meaning.

I know you said it turns you off but hopefully that at least helps you to better understand it.

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

If you offered to sell me tickets to see a Lakers game today, I would probably turn them down.

If you offered to sell me tickets to watch Jordan play with the Bulls, heck yeah!

And if you offered me free tickets to see Earl Anthony (the MJ of bowling) bowl, I'd turn them down. That sport does nothing for me. I don't care if its the greatest ever in action.

[legendarymatt92]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

You don't get it because there is nothing to get. Rap has been reduced to a marketing vehicle for celebrities and the MTV youth.

[Show spoiler] It used to have a purpose.

1) to poetically express the grit of the harsh realities of gangsterhood/poverty (aka "hood life").

2) to give the urban population an identity and a dream. They don't have to be big fancy Ad execs anymore, because hip-hop gives them a different ladder to climb, it redefined success. They can just make it big in urban culture and spend the money on bling and hoes. They don't see it as lower class because they created their own class system within their own culture.

That's the best I can explain it anyway. Tupac is the embodiment of what rap actually should be. If you're interested in looking more into it, listen to his lyrics and beats. Unfortunately, nowadays the biggest hip-hop idol is some guy with chrome-plated teeth who drinks cough syrup like water. Times change and things lose meaning.

I know you said it turns you off but hopefully that at least helps you to better understand it

.

This is off the movie topic, but there's a fabulous article that talks about the beginnings of rap music from an "insider's point of view" that I'll link:

http://www.hiphopisread.com/2012/04/...rap-music.html

No one's really sure if it's true or just terrible rumour since it's all vague and anonymous, but it's a very interesting read regardless. I'd recommend anyone read it.

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

And if you offered me free tickets to see Earl Anthony (the MJ of bowling) bowl, I'd turn them down. That sport does nothing for me. I don't care if its the greatest ever in action.

Bowling is buried in our culture here though. F1 is huge in Brazil. It's everywhere over there. It's safer to assume that most ppl are at least moderate fans. At least more so than bowling here.

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

Bowling is buried in our culture here though. F1 is huge in Brazil. It's everywhere over there. It's safer to assume that most ppl are at least moderate fans. At least more so than bowling here.

IMO, that makes it more inexcusable to go see a bball game I find "boring", just because MJ is in it. For factors you bring up (huge marketing forces), the only reason I'd attend such a game would be because someone told me I'm supposed to, and my friends will say I'm "sooo ballin', yo" when I post pics of Jordan on facebook from row 17

At least if I go see the bowling MJ dude bowl, I'm only sitting through a "boring" event without also prostituting my dignity in the process

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

IMO, that makes it more inexcusable to go see a bball game I find "boring", just because MJ is in it. For factors you bring up (huge marketing forces), the only reason I'd attend such a game would be because someone told me I'm supposed to, and my friends will say I'm "sooo ballin', yo" when I post pics of Jordan on facebook from row 17

At least if I go see the bowling MJ dude bowl, I'm only sitting through a "boring" event without also prostituting my dignity in the process

lol funny post but that wasn't what I was saying.

I never found basketball "boring" and didn't loathe it like you do bowling. I just never had a good reason to follow it. My whole point of the Lakers/Bulls post was that in the case of the Bulls game, I would have genuinely wanted to be there. And it would have been to watch Jordan play.

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Well, played sports (basketball) and followed all of them in high school (NBA, NFL, occasionally MLB). But two things really drove me away: 1) After high school I stopped playing them and devoted more of my time to the arts: reading, drawing, painting, film and 2) I find little of interest in the games themselves, the formula is always the same, rinse wash repeat; new players in, old players out. I can't see how someone could follow something for decades that requires so little thought.

I respect the act of playing sports, just not watching them. Maybe being as young as I am, I feel there is too much culture, art & history for me to devour before i could even consider investing myself in the arbitrary weekly wins and losses.

Well said. I kind of share that "nihilistic" view on the cyclic nature of sports. After a while, the point escapes me.

It does require quite a bit of thought, particularly the analytical/strategic side of it, though I've never opened the door to fantasy sports myself.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

Well said. I kind of share that "nihilistic" view on the cyclic nature of sports. After a while, the point escapes me.

It does require quite a bit of thought, particularly the analytical/strategic side of it, though I've never opened the door to fantasy sports myself.

Even the strategy, play calling aspect gets crude and tired. Watch four games of any team sport and you'll know it inside out.

In other News: Purple Rain time! Damn, Prince's music never gets old.

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

In other News: Purple Rain time! Damn, Prince's music never gets old.

Not a big fan, but he doesn't deserve all the hate that he gets. He's a monster on the guitar (saw him live several years ago).

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Disclaimer:

[Show spoiler]Freddie is my music idol.

Same. When I get rich, I am donating half of my money to charity, and the other half to build a giant mural of Freddie Mercury's mustache in my living room.