The Big Short

Started by cronopio2, January 07, 2016, 11:11:28 PM

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cronopio2

if i were a streaming service, i'd say that if you liked Moneyball, In The Loop or The Wolf of Wall Street, you will like this movie.

i thought the drama and comedy were balanced in a level of exactitude i remember the old simpsons used to have. what matt groening once described as 'rubberband reality' is all over this movie.

very recommended.


Reel

I probably only understood about 3% of what was going on, but that didn't keep me any less glued to the screen. I think a lot of people are in the dark about what happened with that whole financial crisis and Mckay is very patient with us, letting us know we're not stupid because it's hard to grasp what these various terms and figures mean, they were purposefully made complicated to keep us out of the loop. He's doing a great service by using comedy and a stellar cast to make this story interesting, because now we're 6 years removed from that period of time and the stock market crash is just a blip in our memory. It left the news and there were plenty of other much more 'exciting' events to glom onto, but I don't think we ever really recovered. So, it's important to look back on this and note how truly criminal behavior it was, and as long people aren't being prosecuted for it they'll go to any lengths to find that next scam. I'm lucky to have never been in the position of needing a Loan, but this movie makes me much more weary of that entire process when that day inevitably comes. I don't think I'll be able to connect all the dots in this until at least a third viewing, but it'll be worth it because this movie is really digging at some core truths about how our economy functions and we all deserve to be a little bored in gaining a deeper knowledge of that.

pete

I compare this film to my seasonal favorite - Spotlight - both films are about a small group of people uncovering something way too big for the people to grasp, both involved schemes that were way too complex for the average American to understand - The Big Short went thru enormous pains to make sure that those explanations were entertaining and expensive, while Spotlight, like The Wire before it - treated the audience like grownups. In the end there is no comparison - The Big Short is a good campaign film for Bernie but it will have very little staying power - it's like a Michael Moore movie that way, but Spotlight, fingers crossed, will last a good while.
"Tragedy is a close-up; comedy, a long shot."
- Buster Keaton

RegularKarate

Quote from: pete on January 14, 2016, 12:21:28 AM
I compare this film to my seasonal favorite - Spotlight - both films are about a small group of people uncovering something way too big for the people to grasp, both involved schemes that were way too complex for the average American to understand - The Big Short went thru enormous pains to make sure that those explanations were entertaining and expensive, while Spotlight, like The Wire before it - treated the audience like grownups. In the end there is no comparison - The Big Short is a good campaign film for Bernie but it will have very little staying power - it's like a Michael Moore movie that way, but Spotlight, fingers crossed, will last a good while.

I came out of The Big Short saying the same thing. They felt similar, but The Big Short was trying a little too hard. It was entertaining, but we're going to forget about it.

Fuzzy Dunlop

Quote from: RegularKarate on January 14, 2016, 12:56:52 PM
Quote from: pete on January 14, 2016, 12:21:28 AM
The Big Short is a good campaign film for Bernie but it will have very little staying power - it's like a Michael Moore movie that way, but Spotlight, fingers crossed, will last a good while.
It was entertaining, but we're going to forget about it.

I think it all depends on how the next few years play out. Assuming there is another, even more devastating global crash due to the same breed of arrogance and ignorance, the film's significance may grow over time.The Big Short could be to the banking system what Three Kings was to our involvement in Iraq, or Network was to infotainment.