Interference Random Movie Talk V: The Final Frontier

[lazarus]

Hell, I don't mind if a great director makes the same types of films over and over again, (ie: Wes Anderson and Scorsese's crime dramas) as long as that shit's entertaining, you know?

Contrary to popular belief, Marty hasn't made THAT many crime films: Mean Streets, GoodFellas, Casino, The Departed. By comparison, Coppola did three Godfathers and The Cotton Club. Yet he's not pigeonholed. And you could probably throw Rumble Fish and The Outsiders in there too if you're going to include something as small-time as Mean Streets.

Sidney Lumet is the guy who's been making NYC crime films his entire career.

 

[LMP]

Contrary to popular belief, Marty hasn't made THAT many crime films: Mean Streets, GoodFellas, Casino, The Departed. By comparison, Coppola did three Godfathers and The Cotton Club. Yet he's not pigeonholed. And you could probably throw Rumble Fish and The Outsiders in there too if you're going to include something as small-time as Mean Streets.

Sidney Lumet is the guy who's been making NYC crime films his entire career.

Right, I was more implying that he could keep making them and I wouldn't mind because they're all so damn good. It's what he's most known for, is he not? Raging Bull also has a crime element in it, but it's not the main drive, of course.

That comment was focused more on Anderson than anyone else.

With the exception of Network, I'd say that you're right.

 

[LMP]

In other Scorsese news, we're watching GoodFellas in my film class, which is nice, and I picked up After Hours used the other day from Moviestop.

"Kiki... Horst! I didn't know!"

 

[lazarus]

Right, I was more implying that he could keep making them and I wouldn't mind because they're all so damn good. It's what he's most known for, is he not? Raging Bull also has a crime element in it, but it's not the main drive, of course.

No, you're right, he IS known for that, unfortunately. But if you look at his resume, he could just as easily be pigeonholed as a biopic guy: Kundun, The Last Temptation of Christ, Raging Bull, The Aviator. Consider the wide range of genres and time periods he's captured, and he's as diverse as anyone.

We've had this discussion before though, I think, because I remember dragging Spielberg into it and saying how he hasn't covered as much genre territory. Right?

In other Scorsese news, we're watching GoodFellas in my film class, which is nice, and I picked up After Hours used the other day from Moviestop.

"Kiki... Horst! I didn't know!"

My favorite line from the film, and one that confuses everyone around me whenever I blurt it out randomly.

 

[LMP]

No, you're right, he IS known for that, unfortunately. But if you look at his resume, he could just as easily be pigeonholed as a biopic guy: Kundun, The Last Temptation of Christ, Raging Bull, The Aviator. Consider the wide range of genres and time periods he's captured, and he's as diverse as anyone.

We've had this discussion before though, I think, because I remember dragging Spielberg into it and saying how he hasn't covered as much genre territory. Right?

You're preaching to the choir, pal. I appreciate this guy's work more and more everyday. Hell, I'm watching Casino on AMC right now.

Still need to see Kundun, The King of Comedy, Alice..., and his pre-Mean Streets and various docs and stuff.

My favorite line from the film, and one that confuses everyone around me whenever I blurt it out randomly.

I'd put "Surrender Dorothy!" ahead of that, but a great line nonetheless.

 

[lazarus]

Kundun is different from every other Marty film. Closer to Malick than anything else. Shot by Roger Deakins, score from Phillip Glass. It's not easy to get into but it's pretty amazing from a visual standpoint.

Yet another year he should have won the directing Oscar.

 

[LMP]

Kundun is different from every other Marty film. Closer to Malick than anything else. Shot by Roger Deakins, score from Phillip Glass. It's not easy to get into but it's pretty amazing from a visual standpoint.

Yet another year he should have won the directing Oscar.

Color me intrigued.

I guess that year he wasn't the KING OF THE WOOOOOOOOOOOOORLD. Honky wasn't even nominated.

Man, looking at the noms on IMDb, that entire year was fucked up.

 

[U2DMfan]

Tim Burton's Apes was pretty damn awful. Really a huge letdown.
I don't even know that I could blame Marky Mark for that one.
The concept was poop as well. Tim Roth was a small bright spot, IMO. Hammy but good and hammy.

That boy good.
Yeah, Good and terrible.
You spot that one, you win a pie.

He's doing Alice in Wonderland next. Johnny Depp again=Mad Hatter.
Sounds like a wet dream for trippin' balls.

M Night just needs to try making a film with no gimmick.
I think he's got the directorial chops to do it. Maybe have someone else write the screenplay. That said, I loved Signs, liked Unbreakable quite a bit and think Sixth Sense is overrated, although still very good. AFI Top 100? C'mon. The others, I won't even bother with. I skipped The Happening on reviews alone.

Kundun was one I put off for years.
I can't even say I realized it was Scorcese until after I had already seen it.

 

[U2DMfan]

score from Phillip Glass. .

Hell, I would watch the next Vin Diesel movie if Glass did the score.
I remember seeing Thin Blue Line when I was a young ignorant asshole and even then, I loved his style.

He basically made The Truman Show work for me.
Well, I think there was some Chopin also in it as well. That can't hurt.
They won the Golden Globe, along with Dallwitz, whom I don't know, so I don't credit him as much, you see, that's how Romero rolls.

 

[LMP]

Romero.

 

[lazarus]

Power to the people:

DARK CAMPAIGN - An unofficial grassroots effort to support “The Dark Knight” for the 2008 Academy Awards.

 

[Slapnutz]

Power to the people:

DARK CAMPAIGN - An unofficial grassroots effort to support “The Dark Knight” for the 2008 Academy Awards.

Surely it's not the school holidays already? Those crazy kids.

 

[LMP]

Power to the people:

DARK CAMPAIGN - An unofficial grassroots effort to support “The Dark Knight” for the 2008 Academy Awards.

Saw that earlier today, too.

It deserves a nom, no doubt, but as much as I enjoy the hell out of this film, it's not the best film of the year, you know?

 

[lazarus]

Well, I only thought Kaufman's film was better, and not by much.

All I can say is that I didn't leave the theatre with a bigger high this year than after The Dark Knight. Both times.

Maybe I should have posted this in your Year-End thread.

 

[LMP]

Possibly, but it doesn't matter to me where it's posted.

If movies like E.T., Raiders..., and Star Wars couldn't win in the past, I'm skeptical that TDK stands a chance with the old-ass safe Academy voters. To be fair, I haven't seen Chariots of Fire or Gandhi, and Annie Hall winning BP is probably one of the only things the Academy's over gotten right, Best Picture-wise, but you know what I'm getting at. Then again, The Departed and No Country, while not my personal picks for the year's "best," are still fucking awesome films and great to see with the title of a Best Picture Winner.

If TDK were to win, I'd be ecstatic. It's certainly a fantastic and entertaining film, but looking back on it, it has serious flaws in its last half hour which hold it back from being a 10/10 instead of a 9. Would it be possible for them to release a Director's Cut into theaters, with the supposed 30 minutes of cut footage and submit that for Academy voting or something? Hell, even one or two scenes here and there would strengthen the film a great deal.

Synecdoche won't get a BP nom either, and that sucks, since it's one of the ballsiest films I've seen in a while, too... all of the focus on Hoffman seems to be for Doubt and Sony Classics is really dropping the ball by not advertising this one enough. Original Screenplay needs to be between Kaufman and Woody... and Kaufman deserves to be mentioned in the Director category, too, even if his film isn't nominated.

 

[Lancemc]

A "director's cut" of The Dark Knight would probably get me to revisit it.

 

[LMP]

Side note: Did any of you guys see the Benjamin Button TV spot with Arcade Fire's "My Body Is a Cage" playing behind it?

I caught it during Thanksgiving but can't find it anywhere on the Interwebz. Truly amazing stuff.

 

[lazarus]

Possibly, but it doesn't matter to me where it's posted.

If movies like E.T., Raiders..., and Star Wars couldn't win in the past, I'm skeptical that TDK stands a chance with the old-ass safe Academy voters. To be fair, I haven't seen Chariots of Fire or Gandhi, and Annie Hall winning BP is probably one of the only things the Academy's over gotten right, Best Picture-wise, but you know what I'm getting at. Then again, The Departed and No Country, while not my personal picks for the year's "best," are still fucking awesome films and great to see with the title of a Best Picture Winner.

If TDK were to win, I'd be ecstatic. It's certainly a fantastic and entertaining film, but looking back on it, it has serious flaws in its last half hour which hold it back from being a 10/10 instead of a 9. Would it be possible for them to release a Director's Cut into theaters, with the supposed 30 minutes of cut footage and submit that for Academy voting or something? Hell, even one or two scenes here and there would strengthen the film a great deal.

We're seriously crossing threads here, but keep in mind that Return of the King won Best Picture. Over a Clint Eastwood awards-bait film. With two performances that won Oscars. The whole argument about the award being for all three films--so what? They were ALL nominated for BP. That's impressive. And obviously they weren't just swayed by all the money the films made. They found something deeper, something moving, in the story.

And while I don't think Jackson's films are the greatest thing since sliced celluloid, it was certainly worthy of recognition. But the point is that if they can get over the fantasy hump in terms of Best Picture Winners, then anything is really possible. Except maybe horror.

 

[LMP]

We're seriously crossing threads here, but keep in mind that Return of the King won Best Picture. Over a Clint Eastwood awards-bait film. With two performances that won Oscars. The whole argument about the award being for all three films--so what? They were ALL nominated for BP. That's impressive. And obviously they weren't just swayed by all the money the films made. They found something deeper, something moving, in the story.

And while I don't think Jackson's films are the greatest thing since sliced celluloid, it was certainly worthy of recognition. But the point is that if they can get over the fantasy hump in terms of Best Picture Winners, then anything is really possible. Except maybe horror.

I'll respond to this in the other thread.

 

[elevation2u]

didn't Annie Hall win over Star Wars?

 

[lazarus]

Yes...

 

[LMP]

I was breaking down Best Picture winners with my buddy the other day, and it's really amazing how out-of-touch voters were in the '80s, especially. Which films have really stood the test of time from that decade? Platoon? Rain Man? I can't comment on The Last Emperor or Amadeus since I haven't seen those yet, but I haven't heard any complaints about those films from anyone respectable.

Driving Miss Motherfucking Daisy... seriously?

It's easy to play revisionist history, since all great films should get better or retain their awesomeness with time, so I can understand how some movies are overrated at a certain juncture, but it's still fulfilling to see something like Cuckoo's Nest win (in one of the best years for BP noms ever) or something.

 

[elevation2u]

just making sure....

 

[lazarus]

I was breaking down Best Picture winners with my buddy the other day, and it's really amazing how out-of-touch voters were in the '80s, especially. Which films have really stood the test of time from that decade? Platoon? Rain Man? I can't comment on The Last Emperor or Amadeus since I haven't seen those yet, but I haven't heard any complaints about those films from anyone respectable.

Driving Miss Motherfucking Daisy... seriously?

There were some discussion on another site about the 80's, and while the actual winners may have been bad, the nominees are actually much better than I remembered, perhaps even moreso than the 90's. Up until the '88 roster, where it starts to get pretty weak.

For instance, and I'm only including notable stuff here:

1980
Ordinary People (Redford)
Tess (Polanksi)
Raging Bull (Scorsese)
The Elephant Man (Lynch)
Coal Miner's Daughter

1981
Atlantic City (Malle)
Reds (Beatty)
Raiders (Spielberg)

1982
E.T. (Spielberg)
Missing (Gavras)
Tootsie (Pollack)
Gandhi (Attenborough)
The Verdict (Lumet)

1983
Terms of Endearment (Brooks)
The Right Stuff (Kaufman)
The Dresser (Yates)
The Big Chill (Kasdan)
Tender Mercies (Beresford)

1984
Amadeus (Forman)
The Killing Fields (Joffe)
A Passage to India (Lean)

1985
Out of Africa (Pollack)
The Color Purple (Spielberg)
Kiss of the SPider Woman (Babenco)
Witness (Weir)
Prizzi's Honor (Huston)

1986
Platton (Stone)
Hannah and her Sisters (Allen)
A Room With a View (Ivory)
The Mission (Joffe)

1987
The Last Emperor (Bertolucci)
Broadcast News (Brooks)
Hope and Glory (Boorman)

Compare those slates to their respective 90's years and you might be impressed.

 

[lazarus]

Sorry, I forgot to include Michael Apted as the director of Coal Miner's Daughter. Maybe his awful Bond film temporarily removed him from memory.

 

[LMP]

Interesting. There's still a whole slew of films I have to see from the '80s though, most of them were nominated. It's probably the decade I know the least about, prestige film-wise. The disparity between "entertaining" films and "prestige" films from that decade is really what astonishes me, actually. That line has sort of blended over time.

We still don't see stuff like Back to the Future, Blade Runner, Brazil, Full Metal Jacket, The Last Temptation of Christ, The Abyss, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Empire of the Sun, Stardust Memories, etc...

The '90s noms are terrible, too, considering how many fucking amazing films came out that decade. Again, this is coming from me, so grains of salt are required here.

I'll settle with saying that most Oscar noms are terrible in hindsight. How's that?

 

[mad1]

LemonMcPhisto, I dont get your picture.

 

[impy13]

Side note: Did any of you guys see the Benjamin Button TV spot with Arcade Fire's "My Body Is a Cage" playing behind it?

I caught it during Thanksgiving but can't find it anywhere on the Interwebz. Truly amazing stuff.

Caught it. As if I wasn't already going to see it, that cemented it.

 

[LMP]

LemonMcPhisto, I dont get your picture.

My avatar or what?

Caught it. As if I wasn't already going to see it, that cemented it.

I'm going to watch it at least 20 times when it hits The YouTubes.

 

[impy13]

Well then commence watching:

YouTube - BB