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I'd like to get a mega post in tomorrow, but for now, I'm just going to say that I love that MMA can still surprise me. It's also crazy the way time changes shit. I hated Bisping on TUF 3 (mainly because he wasn't on Ken's team, and if you weren't on Team Shamrock, you were my enemy), didn't hate him but wanted Hendo to put his lights out when he coached on TUF, but I slowly started coming around after his fight with Wand. You'd think the more Bisping had a mic in front of him, the worse off he'd be for people who didn't like him, but the more I heard him talk, particularly during UFC broadcasts, I just started to like him, and that combined with his gutsy performances, him stringing together some big wins, scoring KOs here and there, he eventually won me over. I was rooting for him big time against Rockhold, who I've never really liked, and when I logged on this morning to that "Bis-King" story, I was shocked and happy. Not as happy as @The Hug Dog, but still pretty happy
I'd like to get a mega post in tomorrow, but for now, I'm just going to say that I love that MMA can still surprise me. It's also crazy the way time changes shit. I hated Bisping on TUF 3 (mainly because he wasn't on Ken's team, and if you weren't on Team Shamrock, you were my enemy), didn't hate him but wanted Hendo to put his lights out when he coached on TUF, but I slowly started coming around after his fight with Wand. You'd think the more Bisping had a mic in front of him, the worse off he'd be for people who didn't like him, but the more I heard him talk, particularly during UFC broadcasts, I just started to like him, and that combined with his gutsy performances, him stringing together some big wins, scoring KOs here and there, he eventually won me over. I was rooting for him big time against Rockhold, who I've never really liked, and when I logged on this morning to that "Bis-King" story, I was shocked and happy. Not as happy as @The Hug Dog, but still pretty happy
Haha mate, I've never celebrated a knockout like that one. Never been so emotionally involved in any victory ever. I'd given him no chance going in. Rockhold is a monster. As they walked into the octagon, 37 year old Bisping didn't look as cut after only a 2 week camp and squinting out of his dodgy eye. Rockhold looked like a fucking invincible adonis.
Mike, tasked with carrying the UFC flag in the UK, (no small task and a lot of pressure) was hated by most on here back in the day. His brash cockiness totally misunderstood. His gift decision against a deaf American used against him. People celebrated him getting KOed by Henderson as if America had broken free of British rule all over again. It was ridiculous. Of course now the accusation is maybe the all American hero was on the juice...
I've followed Mike's career since before his TUF days, spent 100s of pounds on tickets to see him fight.... He was always a bit of a gatekeeper. Hard working but never going to make it. I absolutely believed that. Well as you say, MMA can always shock you and shock me it did. I'm so pleased he made it, not just because he's English (although that helps) but because of how it has all came about. I see it as a true underdog story.
Yeah the Bisping cockiness hate has always baffled me a bit. I think its mostly just cultural diffrences, most people not having a sense of humor about that sort of thing outside certain parts of Europe
Yeah the Bisping cockiness hate has always baffled me a bit. I think its mostly just cultural diffrences, most people not having a sense of humor about that sort of thing outside certain parts of Europe
Yeah he is very misunderstood. Not sure his spiel translates well at all. the English and Americans are vastly different despite sharing a language. I think the Aussies share far more in common with us.
I just remember a lot of people constantly posting that pic of him as a red coat (which was pretty fucking funny) and giving a lot of the we saved your arse in World War 2 type stuff! Bit of xenophobia going on at the time I thought. It doesn't matter especially but it did make the turnaround all the more hilarious.
As for Hendo, I guess that specific backlash made me less of a fan of his. What are peoples thoughts on Bisping saying he was on the gear?
I just remember a lot of people constantly posting that pic of him as a red coat (which was pretty fucking funny) and giving a lot of the we saved your arse in World War 2 type stuff! Bit of xenophobia going on at the time I thought. It doesn't matter especially but it did make the turnaround all the more hilarious.
As for Hendo, I guess that specific backlash made me less of a fan of his. What are peoples thoughts on Bisping saying he was on the gear?
The context i remember is they went for very weak US talent to give UK the win to push UK interest...and Bisping looked stupid gloating about it. Hendo stayed amicable and then FUCKED him up.
He got what he deserved in that fight.
But since he became an analyst i haven't minded him personally. Never been a fan of his, but i was happy he KOd Rockhold. The UK fans must have went nuts!
The context i remember is they went for very weak US talent to give UK the win to push UK interest...and Bisping looked stupid gloating about it. Hendo stayed amicable and then FUCKED him up.
He got what he deserved in that fight.
But since he became an analyst i haven't minded him personally. Never been a fan of his, but i was happy he KOd Rockhold. The UK fans may have went nuts!
Yeah the pool of American fighters was shit. UFC were desperate to expand overseas. Not exactly Bisping's fault and he was well aware the mouthier and more outspoken he was the better it would be for his career.
I thought Henderson smashing him after he was out (something he has a habit of, did the same thing on Saturday) was kinda unnecessary. But agsin, was he on the gear? There are a lot of people who think he was on TRT and Mike wasn't
Yeah the pool of American fighters was shit. UFC were desperate to expand overseas. Not exactly Bisping's fault and he was well aware the mouthier and more outspoken he was the better it would be for his career.
I thought Henderson smashing him after he was out (something he has a habit of, did the same thing on Saturday) was kinda unnecessary. But agsin, was he on the gear? There are a lot of people who think he was on TRT and Mike wasn't
Who knows? Doesn't seem like he would be that kind of fighter, and he still lays motherfuckers out now, so it was gonna happen with Bisping circling into his power.
Lombard's KO was worse than Bisping's imo. Jesus! That was the worst I've seen since Overeem kneed Teixeira in K1.
Yeah the Bisping cockiness hate has always baffled me a bit. I think its mostly just cultural diffrences, most people not having a sense of humor about that sort of thing outside certain parts of Europe
I used to think that because I was a big fan of him on TUF 3, but the more I saw him talk, TUF with Dan, and his incident with Rivera, I was done with him as a fan and justifiably so.
But as soon as I heard Weidman pulled out of the fight, I wanted Bisping in. He won the Silva fight on the scorecards (although the fight should've been stopped in between rounds 3/4) and I'd prefer Jacare get a full camp in.
I woke up with the biggest smile on my face Sunday when I saw the news. He's an asshole, but I couldn't be happier for the guy. Awesome shit like this makes me hate myself for not watching every card.
Yeah the pool of American fighters was shit. UFC were desperate to expand overseas. Not exactly Bisping's fault and he was well aware the mouthier and more outspoken he was the better it would be for his career.
I thought Henderson smashing him after he was out (something he has a habit of, did the same thing on Saturday) was kinda unnecessary. But agsin, was he on the gear? There are a lot of people who think he was on TRT and Mike wasn't
I don't know if Dan was on steroids, but iirc he was the first fighter to be be cleared for TRT. I can't recall what year that was. And he hasn't been popped for anything. TRT has been banned for a while and usada has changed the sport. Plus Dan's been knocking the shit out of people since forever. He's a freak of nature.
With the way Mike was circling into that right hand, TRT or not he was likely going down.
In Bruges - I'd always been told that this movie was hilarious so I watched it for a few key lines that I'd been told to look out for, and to finally see the origin of one of my favourite WTF gifs. Before watching I had the impression that people generally found the dramatic film funnier than they expected. I had the opposite experience - going in expecting the humour I was surprised at the sincerity of the drama. By the time Ray had his head in Ken's lap as he cried about killing the little boy I had to step back and ask what movie I was watching. The setting and soundtrack were indeed charming and Farrell was hilariously entertaining with Gleason matching him every step of the way with a content, bemused maturity. Fiennes character had the potential to be funny after the phone call with Ken but the plot seemed to lose itself once his character became more involved. It seemed to me like a film that makes you chuckle when you go back and think about it, and I anticipate an enjoyable re-watch with some friends later on. I was reminded of Guy Ritchie's Snatch and Lock-Stock but a little heavier and more contained overall.
Calvary - another perplexing atmosphere, Calvary pushes the dark drama harder than In Bruges but sprinkles in the humour where it can. The startling opening lines lead to what amounts to an allegorical crucifixion as Brandon Gleason's well-meaning priest bites the bullet for the sins of the Catholic Church. Fr. James is warned through a confessional in the beginning that his end is to come in 7 days, and though he admits to knowing the identity of his assassin this is kept a secret from the viewer while each suspect is probed through brief parleys with the main character. Gleason plays the role of the conflicted spiritual leader well, offering his services frequently but all-too-often answering inquiries through his personal moral lens. For me, the film and each character in it highlighted the question: what role is there for the Church as an institution to play today? It's financially beholden and morally circumspect, it lacks the power or will to forcefully intervene on moral wrongs, and it's ancient messages can be difficult to apply to modern cultural norms about romance and race (for example). But as Fr. James comforts a faithful widow, provides for a dying old man, and makes amends with his sparkling firecracker of a daughter, he gives us our answer: a commitment to being virtuous and doing good exactly in those times and towards those people that make it the hardest. The challenges of the other characters are weighty and worldly, but Fr. James reminds even the secular viewer to respect the good, keep some things serious, and remember the power of forgiveness. Captivating and worth watching for the Irish landscapes alone imo.
Thanks to @Bullitt68 and @Rimbaud82 for bringing these up earlier in the thread, they were exactly what I was in the mood for on a weekend where I almost skipped out on watching anything.
In Bruges - I'd always been told that this movie was hilarious so I watched it for a few key lines that I'd been told to look out for, and to finally see the origin of one of my favourite WTF gifs. Before watching I had the impression that people generally found the dramatic film funnier than they expected. I had the opposite experience - going in expecting the humour I was surprised at the sincerity of the drama. By the time Ray had his head in Ken's lap as he cried about killing the little boy I had to step back and ask what movie I was watching. The setting and soundtrack were indeed charming and Farrell was hilariously entertaining with Gleason matching him every step of the way with a content, bemused maturity. Fiennes character had the potential to be funny after the phone call with Ken but the plot seemed to lose itself once his character became more involved. It seemed to me like a film that makes you chuckle when you go back and think about it, and I anticipate an enjoyable re-watch with some friends later on. I was reminded of Guy Ritchie's Snatch and Lock-Stock but a little heavier and more
You know, Bruges kind of reminds me of An American Wherewolf in London, just by the excellent way that both films handle their humor in relation to the drama. They are both immensly funny - yet the humor at no point clashes with the rest of the films, never undermines or colours the drama and seriousness. Thats a really neat attribute.
I always loved that absurd humor in the End, where Ferrel starts imagining - just as he is about to go unconciouss - that maybe Brugess IS hell and hes trapped there for all time. Funny thing to think about in your potential final moments.
I could definitely do another of that style sometime soon, will keep this in mind. Seven Psychopaths is another I'd like to go through again.
Instead I watched my second Aronofsky film (after Black Swan) which was The Fountain. Gonna take me a bit of time to wrap my head around that one though, it wasn't quite what I expected.
You know, Bruges kind of reminds me of An American Wherewolf in London, just by the excellent way that both films handle their humor in relation to the drama. They are both immensly funny - yet the humor at no point clashes with the rest of the films, never undermines or colours the drama and seriousness. Thats a really neat attribute.
I always loved that absurd humor in the End, where Ferrel starts imagining - just as he is about to go unconciouss - that maybe Brugess IS hell and hes trapped there for all time. Funny thing to think about in your potential final moments.
That's a good way of putting it. Even in Calvary there's a huge weight on your back through the whole film, as you know one of these characters is harbouring serious bad intentions, but as each of them teases the good Fr. and goofs around you can't help but laugh at their irreverent antics. Not to mention Aiden Gillen doing his best pirate impression.
I caught this fragment of a review on Wiki which I think describes the films ability to capture competing sentiments well:
Praising Calvary for its treatment of its weighty thematic elements, Lauren Ely for First Things wrote: "Is it possible for a film to capture the horror of the sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church while at the same time presenting a case for the necessity of the institutional priesthood? Against all odds, this is exactly what Irish director John Michael McDonagh's Calvary manages to do."
Ok, The Fountain felt like a bit of a mess. Which sucks because the initial concept of a guy living in this ethereal realm in-between lives and having the ability to go back and experience pieces of each of them is fucking cool. Makes me want to write around it myself. But I expected to see more lives than the 3 that we got, and looked forward to a diversity of interactions Tom would have with his beloved. Even at the end I felt like each ring that he tattooed onto himself should have represented a different life with her. More emotional moments could have been squeezed in - from what we got I found that the scientist's story hit hard, but the other two faltered.
Fuck, there were a bunch of potential scenes that I was ready to just love that never really showed up, or at least not in a way that satisfied me. I was really interested in Izzie's acceptance of her death, and how Tom would come to terms with it. But by the time he was up in the nebula in the fucking bubble or whatever crying about the tree, I was so detached. That lotus position and Buddhist uniform and showing up glowing in front of the Aztec guy was just too much. Even the highly contrasted lighting through the scientist's timeline was less than subtle, but more of those "epiphany" moments should have happened in some kind of material reality and they should have left the visual aspect of the final psychological acceptance to the imagination. We didn't need to see bald Jackman crying about a tree as he lead his bubble into a cosmic explosion. Even writing that feels stupid.
If you've ever played Final Fantasy VII, you might remember a hidden scene where you return the slums in Sector 7 and for a moment see a ghost of the dead Aerith tending the flowers. Izzie's image in the tree bubble gave me a similar feeling of comfort, although I knew it must be agonizing for space-Tom. In the beginning he sees her calling for him and says something like "I know how that one ends" and that line shook me up and made me want to find out what he was talking about. I suppose if he had lived over and over with her that would have ruined the temporal continuity of his character, but I still prefer that possibility (and they already sacrificed continuity by killing Spaniard-Tom anyway, if I'm interpreting things right). I'm sure it's been done before but all I'm coming up with at the moment are Edge of Tomorrow and Groundhog Day which aren't quite what I'm looking for.
Bah. I almost want to see it done over just to give it a shot at hitting those notes better. Speaking of which, I'd listened to the soundtrack about a thousand times while studying before even seeing the film, so experiencing it with its film was new and cool. I actually have a little less respect for the soundtrack now though, given the poor thematic execution of the film overall. But "Together We Will Live Forever" is a fucking haunting song and still one of my favourites.
Sorry you didn't appreciate The Fountain -- but I think the things you're looking for... simple difference in taste and also I think things the movie wasn't going for (more lives than those 3 -- those 3 are specifically interconnected, I don't see why would see more lives).
Anyways, I just came on to post that Black Swan is the GOAT movie. My life has changed DRAMATICALLY the past month or so and the past 6-7 months.... I'm a totally different person thinking about totally different things in a totally different environment with totally different challenges and this movie is hitting me in NEW ways in so many scenes watching it still 6 years later... no other movie does that. No other movie is even close to being able to do that. This shit honestly kind of weirds me out, I feel like a soul-connection to this film... like it was waiting for me to get to this point to see these things. I'm fucking blown away.... for the 300th time.
Aztec opening scene.
Tommy in the mystic bubble. Follows image of Izzie reluctantly back into the memory of his original timeline.
Izzie dies, leaves him with notebook to finish story. He commits to saving her and studies world religions to become Enlightened.
Comes back to mystic bubble. Relives several lives where she always dies before he can save her. Expresses frustration with Enlightened world, reveals tattoos represent every timeline he's accessed.
Realize he stole tree from Enlightened world (where Eden still exists) and plans to crash it into nebula (Enlightened world has a similar cosmology to real world for some reason). Plans to spread Tree of Life power through all his timelines to save Izzie in every one.
Realize he's somehow brought the notebook from his original timeline with him to Enlightened world. Recollect that the notebook is likely a true memory of a past life for him and Izzie. Wants to re-write the true ending but having writer's block - a sign that he can't get past his fate being predetermined.
Tree dies. Lawl pwnt.
In his final tumultuous moments before the explosion, is finally able to imagine re-write of Aztec story where Izzie still dies before him but Enlightened self appears in front of Queen Izzie to say goodbye to her, which he was never usually able to do because he was so focused on trying to save her. Says goodbye to her similarly through every timeline. "Together We Will Live Forever" plays because it's the best. Tears all over the place.
As dead tree explodes he accepts Izzie's death in every timeline.
Fin~
*wakes up as someone new?
Sorry you didn't appreciate The Fountain -- but I think the things you're looking for... simple difference in taste and also I think things the movie wasn't going for (more lives than those 3 -- those 3 are specifically interconnected, I don't see why would see more lives).
Pretty overrated film. After seeing it win awards anyways. I mean, it all looked cool & everything like that & I was interested in what was happening...but it all seemed like it all came together too easily. Everything that did go wrong, Mark solved relatively easily. My biggest issue was that Matt Damon's character sucked balls. Nothing interesting about him what so ever because literally all we end up knowing about him is that he is a botanist astronaut who has parents...lol. Super interesting... We knew more about everyone else than him. & I find it hard to believe that someone would remain so easily sane for that long of time ALONE on fucking MARS. & why the hell are they there in the first place? No clue. Unless I missed something. I don't know... Movie just seemed like it was to show how someone would be saved if they got left on Mars, hah. It kept me interested because I wanted to know how it would be done but that's about it.
Doesn't hold a candle to Interstellar for me. But I suppose they're fairly different. Just both space related.
Likewise, I didn't really like The Fountain. Can't say that I disliked it but the handling of symbolism was so increadibly cringeworthy and... profane that it seriously irked me. Sitting in a Yoga position does not make the character "enlightened", it's just lazy symbolism. When I see such uninspired, unoriginal symbolism, it does not make me think or feel - it takes me out of the movie. When Hugh Jackman "achieved Nirvana", I straight out laughed at his expression. That's the last thing you want to achieve in a movie like this.
If I were to delve into the analytical cesspool alongside you though... one of the themes I remember thinking about when watching it was the " Izzy = Tree" metaphor the film was rolling with. It was quite a while since I saw it though -- so you have to forgive me if my evaluation is a bit sketchy.
Queen Isabelle tells Spanish Jackman that they will live togheter when Jackman finds the tree and achieves enlightment. He goes to the Azteck world - finds the tree. Modern day Izzy becomes the tree upon death (it growing on her grave or something didn't it?). Future Van Helsing then ascends with the tree into the nebula. What happens when they connect? A glowing white light... and then Queen Isabelle appears.
What did Isabella say? We will live togheter when you achieve enlightment? However, it was Izzy herself who inspired Wolvorine and provided him with the seed for the tree that took him there.
Notice, for instance, that Thomas threats the tree similarly to how he threats Izzy. He strokes it's bark similarly how he strokes Izzy. A hint at the metaphor.
So by reaching the nebula, Thomas finally reunites with Queen Isabelle, and restors Izzy, and achieves enlightment. So, when Queen Isabella sends that guy from Swordfish to find the tree, she's actually sending him to find "herself". The quest for enlightment really is about making Jackman understand Izzy. Isabelle is always speaking about these existential things that befuddle Jackman, but he is always madly infatuated in her, so there is love between them but not understanding. The quest for the tree and enlightment was really about setting Jackman on a quest to understand Izzy... thus completing their love. The tree was merely a veicle for the completion of their personal relationship.
Pretty overrated film. After seeing it win awards anyways. I mean, it all looked cool & everything like that & I was interested in what was happening...but it all seemed like it all came together too easily. Everything that did go wrong, Mark solved relatively easily. My biggest issue was that Matt Damon's character sucked balls. Nothing interesting about him what so ever because literally all we end up knowing about him is that he is a botanist astronaut who has parents...lol. Super interesting... We knew more about everyone else than him. & I find it hard to believe that someone would remain so easily sane for that long of time ALONE on fucking MARS. & why the hell are they there in the first place? No clue. Unless I missed something. I don't know... Movie just seemed like it was to show how someone would be saved if they got left on Mars, hah. It kept me interested because I wanted to know how it would be done but that's about it.
Doesn't hold a candle to Interstellar for me. But I suppose they're fairly different. Just both space related.
Yeah I got the feeling that it was all meant as a bit of frivilous fun. While the science on display was entertaining to see -- it never aimed to go into any grim territory psychology-vise. Even the darkest scenes of isolation and impending death where realtively lightly handled. That's not so much of a biggy for me. It was meant as easily diggestible popcorn fun with an angle towards focusing on the science of survival and it did that skillfully.
She gave Kate Mara a run for her money to be sure. But Kate's nimble cuteness overcame Chastain's sophisticated voluptiousness in the end. Hard fought battle though.
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