Serious Movie Discussion XXXVIX

[Bullitt68]

Reboot.

The original OP from Mr. HuntersCreed:

For real movie fans.
This thread isn't for:
-people that think Transformers was one of the top 20 greatest movies of all time.
-people that think Shia LaBeouf is a GREAT actor, or find his halfstache appealing.
-people who's only real opinions are that The Goonies, The Usual Suspects, Fight Club, Donnie Darko, Boondock Saints, Pan's Labyrinth, The Dark Knight, etc. are the greatest films of all time and that's all they can talk about. Though the aforementioned films are great, and discussing them is welcome.
-people that Christian Bale, Christian Bale, Christian Bale, blah, blah, blah, Christian Bale.

This thread is for:
-people who value the artistry that takes place behind the camera, as well as in front of it.
-people who realize that explosions, and special effects aren't the only thing that make a good movie.
-people who have seen a few movies beyond what Hollywood puts out.
-people who know some directors and their styles.
-people who know who one or more of the following are.
--Aaron Eckhardt
--Bruce Campbell
--Vincent DiOnofrio
--Terrence Malick
--Werner Herzog
--Ellen Paige

The list of the original thread regulars' 25 favorite films, a nice gauge for any newcomers to see where/how their taste falls in line with that of the posters who make up this thread.

On November 9th, 2009, the Serious Movie Discussion regulars were asked to submit their 25 favorite movies. Thread regular flemmy tallied up the scores and made a list of this thread's 25 favorite movies. For users thinking about becoming regulars in here wondering about our taste, here is what the list looks like.

1. Pulp Fiction
   
   
   
2. Fight Club
   
   
   
3. Heat
   
   
   
4. Terminator 2
   
   
   
5. Aliens
   
   
   
6. Goodfellas
   
   
   
7. Predator
   
   
   
8. Taxi Driver
   
   
   
9. Die Hard
   
   
   
10. Snatch
    
    
    
11. The Thing
    
    
    
12. The Dark Knight
    
    
    
13. Jaws
    
    
    
14. The Big Lebowski
    
    
    
15. Raging Bull
    
    
    
16. There Will Be Blood
    
    
    
17. The Shining
    
    
    
18. Casino
    
    
    
19. Leon: The Professional
    
    
    
20. The Godfather
    
    
    
21. A Clockwork Orange
    
    
    
22. Children of Men
    
    
    
23. City of God
    
    
    
24. Once Upon a Time in the West
    
    
    
25. Oldboy

So, if a lot of these films are favorites of yours, as well as ours, it's safe to assume you'll fit in very nicely here.

Finally, I would like to reserve this space, on behalf of everyone in this thread, to remember the passing of one of the earliest and most frequent contributors to serious movie discussion: regarding the poster Kansas (aka StillInKansas).

Kansas was one of the best friends of this thread and this forum, and he will be fondly remembered by all of us.

 

[HUNTERMANIA]

first,

- hi Bullitt Long time no talk, buddy

I agree with the others, you should go see Mad Max: Fury Road in theater. Trust me, the soundtrack is sooo epic, go see it in theater.

 

[puppybird]

I like your list!!

If you haven't seen them, here are some classics to check out:

Mesrine (pt 1)
Dead Mans Shoes
True Romance
Point Break
Blade Runner
Chopper
The Ninth Gate
Drive
King of New York
Fist of the North Star
Moon
The Lost Boys
Phantasm
The Burbs
Sexy Beast
Burn After Reading
Big Trouble in Little China

You have probably seen all these anyway you movie buff!!

 

[Darwinist]

So, anyone seen Ex Machina yet? I wasn't a regular in the previous Serious Movie Dscussion thread, so maybe you have discussed this one to death.

[YT]PI8XBKb6DQk[/YT]

I found it to be a highly enjoyable watch, beautifully shot and lit, with some really interesting visual choices. Also a great example of CGI used not for shock n

 

[Aegon Spengler]

Most of my favorite movies are on that list. It's missing Patton.

That's terrible about the poster who passed. I find it very different to see a tribute to a poster who passed away on an anonymous online forum. I never thought I'd encounter that.

 

[Aegon Spengler]

So, anyone seen Ex Machina yet? I wasn't a regular in the previous Serious Movie Dscussion thread, so maybe you have discussed this one to death.

[YT]PI8XBKb6DQk[/YT]

I found it to be a highly enjoyable watch, beautifully shot and lit, with some really interesting visual choices. Also a great example of CGI used not for shock n

 

[Darwinist]

Spoiler

Wow...that's quite a lot of thought you put into that.

Here is one detail that I actually missed while watching the movie that the guys at the Sceptics Guide to the Universe podcast pointed out:

Caleb isn't trapped in the building at the end of the movie. When he goes to the computer to try to get to someone online, the power goes out. The most immediate thought this evokes in the viewer is "Ava thought of everything, and now he's entombed with no way to communicate with the outside world". But the programming that Caleb modified is still in effect - as soon as the power goes out, all the doors are unlocked. He can walk out just fine.

See, Ava didn't want to kill Caleb, nor is she indifferent to his fate. Cutting the power after she had enough of a head start to make it to the helicopter is her way of freeing him.

This actually changes how you view Ava quite a bit, as the immediate vibe I got from the ending was that she had been totally faking all her human vulnerabilities, and didn't care one bit about Caleb or his fate. Cutting the power like that shows that even though she may have been deceitful about loving him, she doesn't want to harm him.

This is the kind of movie I would have loved to have seen while I was at university to debate with my classmates in philosophy classes.

 

[HUNTERMANIA]

Spoiler

Wow...that's quite a lot of thought you put into that.

Here is one detail that I actually missed while watching the movie that the guys at the Sceptics Guide to the Universe podcast pointed out:

Caleb isn't trapped in the building at the end of the movie. When he goes to the computer to try to get to someone online, the power goes out. The most immediate thought this evokes in the viewer is "Ava thought of everything, and now he's entombed with no way to communicate with the outside world". But the programming that Caleb modified is still in effect - as soon as the power goes out, all the doors are unlocked. He can walk out just fine.

See, Ava didn't want to kill Caleb, nor is she indifferent to his fate. Cutting the power after she had enough of a head start to make it to the helicopter is her way of freeing him.

This actually changes how you view Ava quite a bit, as the immediate vibe I got from the ending was that she had been totally faking all her human vulnerabilities, and didn't care one bit about Caleb or his fate. Cutting the power like that shows that even though she may have been deceitful about loving him, she doesn't want to harm him.

This is the kind of movie I would have loved to have seen while I was at university to debate with my classmates in philosophy classes.

I actually had not considered that. How will he call in a helicopter?

 

[Aegon Spengler]

Spoiler

Wow...that's quite a lot of thought you put into that.

Here is one detail that I actually missed while watching the movie that the guys at the Sceptics Guide to the Universe podcast pointed out:

Caleb isn't trapped in the building at the end of the movie. When he goes to the computer to try to get to someone online, the power goes out. The most immediate thought this evokes in the viewer is "Ava thought of everything, and now he's entombed with no way to communicate with the outside world". But the programming that Caleb modified is still in effect - as soon as the power goes out, all the doors are unlocked. He can walk out just fine.

See, Ava didn't want to kill Caleb, nor is she indifferent to his fate. Cutting the power after she had enough of a head start to make it to the helicopter is her way of freeing him.

This actually changes how you view Ava quite a bit, as the immediate vibe I got from the ending was that she had been totally faking all her human vulnerabilities, and didn't care one bit about Caleb or his fate. Cutting the power like that shows that even though she may have been deceitful about loving him, she doesn't want to harm him.

This is the kind of movie I would have loved to have seen while I was at university to debate with my classmates in philosophy classes.

Spoiler

I wouldn't call it "thought", it was more of a fantasy. After I had a dream about her. Not the actress, the robot. An awesome dream.

Why would she ask "will you stay here" if that's accurate? and also, how was she cutting the power? Was she cutting the power remotely or something? Why would he be banging against the window, and the door not open, in the end? Oh I guess because the power hadn't been cut yet.

Ok, there's still the problem of him getting out of there. The death march out of there would likely kill him. I guess it's possible the copter would come at regular intervals to drop off food? But also, he could tell on her, and they might find her somehow. Doesn't it make more sense for her to kill him?

 

[Darwinist]

Spoiler

I think that is the most telling bit really - by allowing Caleb to live, she is exposing herself to vulnerabilties. But she does it anyway. I see it as once he's out of the room, he can survive in the house indefinitely - there is plenty of food there and someone is bound to show up sooner or later.

At the very end we see Ava at a traffic intersection, people watching. Perhaps she is waiting for Caleb to show up? To see if he loves her enough to seek her out against all odds?

 

[Aegon Spengler]

Spoiler

I think that is the most telling bit really - by allowing Caleb to live, she is exposing herself to vulnerabilties. But she does it anyway. I see it as once he's out of the room, he can survive in the house indefinitely - there is plenty of food there and someone is bound to show up sooner or later.

At the very end we see Ava at a traffic intersection, people watching. Perhaps she is waiting for Caleb to show up? To see if he loves her enough to seek her out against all odds?

Spoiler

omg man you've filled my heart full of hope.

My very first thought after seeing that movie was "she left him trapped in the friendzone". Which is far worse even than being trapped in that house. If your inteperation of her motives is correct.... what you say is true, it's possible hes not trapped at all, he's in the game still!

I think the lights going out and her freeing him was the final piece of the test (for the audience to kind of "solve", as a bonus) - her showing concern for Caleb's fake proves she wasn't just a perfect escape artist robot. She was or is something closer to a human. A human that will not age, is willing to kill, and will live forever as a young beautiful woman.

 

[ufcfan4]

That Vikander girl is so hot right now.

Lol Egon I didn't see Ex Machina yet but I want to. Alicia Vikander is sexy as hell.


I did, however, see Mad Max: Fury Road. Absolutely awesome. Agree others' highly favorable assessments of it. In my opinion, it is one of the best action films I've seen in the past decade. The story is straightforward and that's a good thing. The whole visual look of the film, the action setpieces, and the badassery of Hardy and Theron all deliver big time.

It's a relentless, exciting ride. Highly recommend it.

 

[Aegon Spengler]

That Vikander girl is so hot right now.

Lol Egon I didn't see Ex Machina yet but I want to. Alicia Vikander is sexy as hell.


I did, however, see Mad Max: Fury Road. Absolutely awesome. Agree others' highly favorable assessments of it. In my opinion, it is one of the best action films I've seen in the past decade. The story is straightforward and that's a good thing. The whole visual look of the film, the action setpieces, and the badassery of Hardy and Theron all deliver big time.

It's a relentless, exciting ride. Highly recommend it.

Mad Max is one of the best action films of all time. It doesn't feel like a throwback either, it feels like the future. That's how a damn action movie ( a serious one) should be made.

It reminds me of terminator 2 in a lot of ways. Strong female lead, dystopia, hope being snatched from hopelessness...

 

[ufcfan4]

Mad Max is one of the best action films of all time. It doesn't feel like a throwback either, it feels like the future. That's how a damn action movie ( a serious one) should be made.

It reminds me of terminator 2 in a lot of ways. Strong female lead, dystopia, hope being snatched from hopelessness...

Yeah Terminator 2 is a good comparison. Yeah to me it definitely stands as how an action movie should be done.

 

[Flemmy Stardust]

I want to see Ex Machina for sure. My only chance of seeing it with company is when my best bud/astro physicist/film enthusiast visits next week, provided he didn't already see it.

 

[Flemmy Stardust]

Most of my favorite movies are on that list. It's missing Patton.

That's terrible about the poster who passed. I find it very different to see a tribute to a poster who passed away on an anonymous online forum. I never thought I'd encounter that.

He was a real good dude. Extremely sad what happened to him.

 

[HuntersCreed]

Hear!

 

[Bullitt68]

hi Bullitt Long time no talk, buddy

I know. Been busy over here, though that'll end soon. Did a conference talk recently (on Bruce), doing another one next week (on Seagal), wrote an essay for the new Martial Arts Studies journal (yelling at people who bash American martial arts movies), and just got commissioned to contribute a chapter to an anthology on action movies (I get to be the first essay in the book talking about the invention of film and the emergence in the first few decades of the narrative tropes and visual techniques that came together to form what we know as action movies).

Lots of fun stuff happening in my world, although the workload has slowed my TV watching (running through House for the first time, watched a bunch of episodes years ago and always wanted to give it a proper watch and I'm glad I finally did, it's a phenomenal fucking show) and that plus watching the Blackhawks charge towards another Stanley Cup means I'm not going to be on the timeline I wanted with being able to rewatch the first two seasons of Hannibal in time for the third season premiere. I'm going to try to be on top of it as quickly as I can, but I'm going to be avoiding the Hannibal thread for a while which means I'll be expecting you to hold down the fort :wink:

And speaking of action movies. . .

I agree with the others, you should go see Mad Max: Fury Road in theater. Trust me, the soundtrack is sooo epic, go see it in theater.

I think Mad Max is the first unanimous consensus we've had in here, certainly the first in a long ass time. Every fucking one of you guys keeps going on and on, you're starting to wear me down. The next week or so is jammed for me, but I'll probably end up catching it in the near future.

I'm still not all that excited, but ignoring all of you guys being in sync would be pretty stupid, and I try to limit my stupidity :icon_chee

Point Break

Hello, puppybird. You've got a lot of great selections there, but this one reminded me: Have people seen the trailer for the new version?

[YT]SQvPRb4HADE[/YT]

No Swayze, no thanks. This new version has none of the magic that made Point Break such an incredible movie and Swayze made Bodhi such a special character that I can't see anything in this remake but a crappy, hollow action movie trying to fill in the emptiness of the script with extravagant set-pieces.

I'm watching wolf of wall street now. Fucking hilarious so far

You'd only just watched it for the first time? What was your verdict?

Saw Mad Max again and like it even more now. I might be jumping the gun, but this really might be Inception/Looper level on my list.

I said I'd see it, Jesus, calm down already.

And as much as I hate to admit it, because Bullitt gonna Bullitt when he sees this, it's kind of amazing how much more I enjoyed it this time than I ever enjoyed The Wire

Bullitt's gonna fucking kill me for not watching Burn Notice -- I watched one episode but I just, IDK, I'll give episode 2 a try, I'll do that, lmao, I feel guilty not watching it

I'm gonna let you in on a little secret, Ray: Kmart sucks.

[YT]3fE0KiunvTs[/YT]

 

[HUNTERMANIA]

Wow, congrats on all the IRL stuff bro, that's awesome. You sound busy as hell in a good way.

 

[Aegon Spengler]

Hey Bullet, that's neat that you're involved in the film industry, what is it that you do or did to become a contributor to a book on martial arts films?! (Congrats btw)

I'm a comedian myself, done a few paid gigs but I'm mostly just an amateur still. Chipping away though, I been writing a webseries for a friend, just a bunch of sketches we'll debut at an open mic night, kind of a poor man's SNL.