Ask The Gold Trumpet

Started by Gold Trumpet, April 30, 2003, 07:35:07 PM

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godardian

For the record, I found Ellen Burstyn's bit of Requiem for a Dream to be quite compelling mainly because she was able to bring across the naivete degenerating into desperation of her character... Probably my favorite part of that film, actually.
""Money doesn't come into it. It never has. I do what I do because it's all that I am." - Morrissey

"Lacan stressed more and more in his work the power and organizing principle of the symbolic, understood as the networks, social, cultural, and linguistic, into which a child is born. These precede the birth of a child, which is why Lacan can say that language is there from before the actual moment of birth. It is there in the social structures which are at play in the family and, of course, in the ideals, goals, and histories of the parents. This world of language can hardly be grasped by the newborn and yet it will act on the whole of the child's existence."

Stay informed on protecting your freedom of speech and civil rights.

Ghostboy

As the most objective (at least vocally so) film buff on this site:

Do you ever -- or have you ever -- ignored a film's defaults simply because it effects you on a personal level? Can you even do this, when you're so stridently on point about your objections? And if you can't, do you sometimes wish you could?

Gold Trumpet

Quote from: godardianFor the record, I found Ellen Burstyn's bit of Requiem for a Dream to be quite compelling mainly because she was able to bring across the naivete degenerating into desperation of her character... Probably my favorite part of that film, actually.

It's weird....I think a lot of people prolly classify us in the same category of liking and preferring movies they may think more artsy or whatever, but I feel we really have two different tastes in movies as anyone else who'd think I was different than the normal film goer just wanting a good ride.

~rougerum

godardian

Quote from: The Gold Trumpet
Quote from: godardianFor the record, I found Ellen Burstyn's bit of Requiem for a Dream to be quite compelling mainly because she was able to bring across the naivete degenerating into desperation of her character... Probably my favorite part of that film, actually.

It's weird....I think a lot of people prolly classify us in the same category of liking and preferring movies they may think more artsy or whatever, but I feel we really have two different tastes in movies as anyone else who'd think I was different than the normal film goer just wanting a good ride.

~rougerum

Yeah... no way you could assume that just because two people love movies passionately, they're always going to passionately love the same ones, or for the same reasons...

I can see where one could find the Burstyn sections of Requiem to have faults... I really don't think it's a perfect film. But I do think it's moving, even very moving in parts, and any flaws (an assaultive, "rollercoaster" quality that could be called garish if one didn't care for it) that might mar the Burstyn sections also apply to the rest of the film. She did have the one most emotional (for me) line, where she's talking about how she's going to be on TV and people are going to like her. There's plenty of primal emotion and vulnerability in the film, but I think that worked a lot better than, say, Marlon Wayans (very) vaguely longing for maternal love. There's something so elemental about it, wanting to be liked. Jim Kurring saying "I was afraid that you might not like me" to Claudia in Magnolia works the same on me.

I think the film does with its dizzying, assaultive style what Moulin Rouge failed to do with similar but badly executed conceits, and I think that this hyper style is more consistently carried off by Aronofsky. Of course, everyone knows I can't stand Baz Luhrmann...

Okay, carry on GT. I don't mean to hijack your thread!
""Money doesn't come into it. It never has. I do what I do because it's all that I am." - Morrissey

"Lacan stressed more and more in his work the power and organizing principle of the symbolic, understood as the networks, social, cultural, and linguistic, into which a child is born. These precede the birth of a child, which is why Lacan can say that language is there from before the actual moment of birth. It is there in the social structures which are at play in the family and, of course, in the ideals, goals, and histories of the parents. This world of language can hardly be grasped by the newborn and yet it will act on the whole of the child's existence."

Stay informed on protecting your freedom of speech and civil rights.

molly

what do you (anybody) think of Black Hawk Down?

Gold Trumpet

Quote from: GhostboyAs the most objective (at least vocally so) film buff on this site:

Do you ever -- or have you ever -- ignored a film's defaults simply because it effects you on a personal level? Can you even do this, when you're so stridently on point about your objections? And if you can't, do you sometimes wish you could?

I am pretty easy to be charmed and led through an enjoyable movie. When the movie is just trying to be enjoyable and charming, I can usually be a fan boy only. I liked Seconhand Lions because all it wanted to was charm me. It did. I also have a major soft spot for the 80s comedy Better Off Dead. Its just both these movies only wanted to charm and entertain. I love them if they can work for me on that level. Its just a lot of genre films are trying to be more: If at the end of a comedy, a major dramatic note happens or an action films asks to be melodrama with the end as well. They are trying to be other things and force me to look at them in that way and say if they worked or not. Usually they don't but Die Hard is so good and entertaining that with the airy end, who cares. No action movie is as entertaining as Die Hard so others also have favorites of mine to live up to. Its kinda tough. But I do think overall I like where I am in judging movies.

~rougerum

Ravi

Quote from: GhostboySleeping Beauty kicks ass. Wonderful use of the 2:35:1 ratio, which if I'm correct wasn't used again in animation until that lame horse movie from Dreamworks.

A Bug's Life and The Iron Giant were 2.35:1.  I think Titan A.E. was too, but I can't recall.

GT, I'd like to hear your further thoughts on the Apu Trilogy, specifically about each film and also the trilogy as a whole.

Gold Trumpet

Quote from: mollywhat do you (anybody) think of Black Hawk Down?

from page 7 of this thread:

Black Hawk Down - There is something greatly rewarding, but also damaging in the pure realism of combat in this movie. Now, the movie has been understood as operating for the realism of combat mainly instead of some story. It doesn't really attain that realism. To attain it, the first 45 minutes leading up to the battle are unnecessary. It just tries to paint an atmosphere to get us to identify with these kids. Don't need it. The actual people going out there and fighting and us identifying all our shared identity to what war means to us already does that. Also, the face count is pretty high. So many soldiers in that first part that besides recognizable faces from other works, its really hard to identify with anyone. The the end, the moments of recollection after the war. Again, in the face of painting realism in war, not needed. Commentaries from random soldiers try to paint spefic thoughts and reactions into our heads of what went across their mind and how they are. And yet again, not neccessary. Our history with the identity of war and just watching the physical push of war in this film would have allowed us to understand the soldiers in our own way. The ending commentaries feel likes notes of drama at the end so the film can end on a good musical note attempting to create purposeful higher drama. The scenes of war, which take up most of the movie, are excellent though.

~rougerum

godardian

Quote from: The Gold Trumpet
I am pretty easy to be charmed and led through an enjoyable movie. When the movie is just trying to be enjoyable and charming, I can usually be a fan boy only. I liked Seconhand Lions because all it wanted to was charm me. It did.

Yet another example of where we can differ. I hated Secondhand Lions, not because of the terms it was made on, but becaues I felt it failed on those terms; to me, it felt labored and charmless.
""Money doesn't come into it. It never has. I do what I do because it's all that I am." - Morrissey

"Lacan stressed more and more in his work the power and organizing principle of the symbolic, understood as the networks, social, cultural, and linguistic, into which a child is born. These precede the birth of a child, which is why Lacan can say that language is there from before the actual moment of birth. It is there in the social structures which are at play in the family and, of course, in the ideals, goals, and histories of the parents. This world of language can hardly be grasped by the newborn and yet it will act on the whole of the child's existence."

Stay informed on protecting your freedom of speech and civil rights.

godardian

I received my Stanley Kauffmann books today... idly flipping through Regarding Film (I'm far from a cover-to-cover purist for these kinds of books), I landed on his glowing review of Sister, My Sister on page 75. This is encouraging; I also love that movie.
""Money doesn't come into it. It never has. I do what I do because it's all that I am." - Morrissey

"Lacan stressed more and more in his work the power and organizing principle of the symbolic, understood as the networks, social, cultural, and linguistic, into which a child is born. These precede the birth of a child, which is why Lacan can say that language is there from before the actual moment of birth. It is there in the social structures which are at play in the family and, of course, in the ideals, goals, and histories of the parents. This world of language can hardly be grasped by the newborn and yet it will act on the whole of the child's existence."

Stay informed on protecting your freedom of speech and civil rights.

Gold Trumpet

Well, Godardian, lets hope your enthusiasm extends beyond just one review. SoNowThen can't stand the man. Hopefully you won't join his club. And don't worry Ravi, I haven't forgot about you. College is killing me now and I'm searching for time to watch The World of Apu. The other two have been well in my thoughts. I've just never seen The World of Apu, yet. I hope to comment very very very soon on them all.

~rougerum

NEON MERCURY

what is your fav. film art poster...

Gold Trumpet

Quote from: NEON MERCURYwhat is your fav. film art poster...

I'm not good with old original film art posters......so I usually go with Criterion. My favorite two from Criterion are actually posters that have little to do with the tone or purpose of the movies. They just are very good posters imo. The first link was actually my avatar on the old board. The second is my desired avatar for this one:

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00005B1ZK.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00008RH1H.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

~rougerum

SHAFTR

Quote from: The Gold Trumpet
Quote from: NEON MERCURYwhat is your fav. film art poster...

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00008RH1H.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

~rougerum

I'm watching this tuesday.
"Talking shit about a pretty sunset
Blanketing opinions that i'll probably regret soon"

NEON MERCURY

Quote from: The Gold Trumpet
Quote from: NEON MERCURYwhat is your fav. film art poster...

I'm not good with old original film art posters......so I usually go with Criterion. My favorite two from Criterion are actually posters that have little to do with the tone or purpose of the movies. They just are very good posters imo. The first link was actually my avatar on the old board. The second is my desired avatar for this one:

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00005B1ZK.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00008RH1H.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

~rougerum

.. 8) ..