General Movie Discussion - **please mark spoilers**

[RUBE]

Just my two cents here but I watched both of these movies in the theater. Saving Private Ryan's opening sequence was amazing in the theater and something I'll never forget. I don't know what its like to be in that situation but that is as close as I think a movie can get. On the other hand, I can't remember anything from The Thin Red Line anymore except images of wildlife and a bunker on a hill.

I feel like I need to point out to Jean that watching Saving Private Ryan in the theater was twice the experience it is watching it on a little screen with regular sound. I really believe that it only lost the Academy award because the judges get copies sent to them and don't have to watch it in a theater.

[Iwritecode]

There is one scene in Saving Private Ryan that I literally cannot watch. I always have to flip to something else and then go back after it's over.

Spoiler:

Its towards the end of the movie where the two guys are holed up in the house and the German guys come up the stairs. They shoot one of them through the wall but the other comes in and shots the one guy in the throat. Then the remaining two wrestle around for a bit. But when it gets to the part where he gets his knife out and slowly stabs the guy to death while whispering "shh" into his face, I just can't watch that part. I'm not exactly sure why either.

[Ricky]

Random thought, but Rube's post made me think of it: I think it should be required for all Academy members to actually watch ALL the movies in the categories they're voting on in order to be allowed to place their votes. I'm pretty sure there's no hard rule about that now. They should be locked in a theater for a day, watch the movies, then place their votes on favorites. I can think of about 100 worse ways to spend a day.

[Still Servant]

There is one scene in Saving Private Ryan that I literally cannot watch. I always have to flip to something else and then go back after it's over.

Spoiler:

Its towards the end of the movie where the two guys are holed up in the house and the German guys come up the stairs. They shoot one of them through the wall but the other comes in and shots the one guy in the throat. Then the remaining two wrestle around for a bit. But when it gets to the part where he gets his knife out and slowly stabs the guy to death while whispering "shh" into his face, I just can't watch that part. I'm not exactly sure why either.

Before I clicked the "show" button, I knew that's the scene you were describing. That scene has always stuck with me too.

Also, that scene sticks with me because of the great sound design, I know you don't like to watch it, but next time pay specific attention to the sweat of the German soldier. My dad and I used to show Saving Private Ryan to people in order show off our brand new surround sound system back in the day. You can actually hear the sweat of the German soldier dripping on the uniform of the American soldier. It's little details like that that make me proud to be a fan of cinema.

[Lookwhoitis]

Can believe folks are dissing Malick.

Try some LSD, perhaps your worldview will expand

[Lookwhoitis]

The first Malick film I ever saw was The Thin Red Line in 1998, which also happened to be the year Saving Private Ryan came out. Needless to say, Saving Private Ryan made The Thin Red Line look like a pile of shit. Who knows, maybe if I had seen The Thin Red Line first I would feel completely different. Somehow I doubt that.

What philosophical aesthetic was he pushing in The New World? I must have missed that.

Saving Private Ryan (which I love, as you well know) and The Thin Red Line are very, very different.

The Thin Red Line tackles the spiritual destruction of the souls of those who fight wars unlike any other war film before or since. Where SPR is about grand spectacle and elemental Good vs Evil (and a hefty dose of jingoism), TTRN is about the introspective horrors these expendable bodies go through and the mental edifices they erect to withstand the senseless bloodshed around them. Probably the only film I could compare it to is Apocalypse Now, both dealing with the more internal, anti climatic side of war.

Pretty darn good post

[Merlin1958]

The first Malick film I ever saw was The Thin Red Line in 1998, which also happened to be the year Saving Private Ryan came out. Needless to say, Saving Private Ryan made The Thin Red Line look like a pile of shit. Who knows, maybe if I had seen The Thin Red Line first I would feel completely different. Somehow I doubt that.

What philosophical aesthetic was he pushing in The New World? I must have missed that.

Saving Private Ryan (which I love, as you well know) and The Thin Red Line are very, very different.

Completely agree. Saving Private Ryan is a masterpiece. Easily one of the best War films ever made and Thin Red Line is a pile of shit.

Apocalypse Now runs circles around Thin Red Line too, by the way.

LOL LOL I don't know if I would go so far as calling it a "piece of shit", but generally I'd have to agree with this post.

Spoiler:

LOL My "first date" with my wife was "Apocalypse Now" at the "Zeigfield Theater"!!! Somehow we are still together after 35+ years!!! LOL LOL

[Lookwhoitis]

http://nofilmschool.com/2016/01/why-...al-philosopher

[Still Servant]

Can believe folks are dissing Malick.

Try some LSD, perhaps your worldview will expand

You shouldn't have to be high on drugs to enjoy a director's films.

You guys are acting like Malick has had a string of amazing films, he just hasn't. I loved Tree of Life, but his films are hit or miss, even among people who love his stuff. I'd love to get thoughts from the Malick supporters regarding To the Wonder.

[Heather19]

Random thought, but Rube's post made me think of it: I think it should be required for all Academy members to actually watch ALL the movies in the categories they're voting on in order to be allowed to place their votes. I'm pretty sure there's no hard rule about that now. They should be locked in a theater for a day, watch the movies, then place their votes on favorites. I can think of about 100 worse ways to spend a day.

I agree. I often wonder if they're just picking their favorites without having seen all the nominees. I'm sure they are told to watch all, but how many actually do. Also now is the time when they should start showing the animated shorts, I'll have to look for showtimes.

[fernandito]

Random thought, but Rube's post made me think of it: I think it should be required for all Academy members to actually watch ALL the movies in the categories they're voting on in order to be allowed to place their votes. I'm pretty sure there's no hard rule about that now. They should be locked in a theater for a day, watch the movies, then place their votes on favorites. I can think of about 100 worse ways to spend a day.

Completely agree. Cinema is and always will be the optimal format to enjoy a director's work.

Can believe folks are dissing Malick.

Try some LSD, perhaps your worldview will expand

Omg, can you image TTRL or Tree of Life on LSD? You will come out the other side a changed man.

The only film I ever saw on LSD was Iron Man and it was a fucking trip, in more ways than one

http://nofilmschool.com/2016/01/why-...al-philosopher

Excellent article, thanks for sharing.

Yes, Malick is one of cinema's most under appreciated auteurs.

[Lookwhoitis]

Can believe folks are dissing Malick.

Try some LSD, perhaps your worldview will expand

You shouldn't have to be high on drugs to enjoy a director's films.

You guys are acting like Malick has had a string of amazing films, he just hasn't. I loved Tree of Life, but his films are hit or miss, even among people who love his stuff. I'd love to get thoughts from the Malick supporters regarding To the Wonder.

haha, knee jerk retort (by me)

Havent seen To the Wonder yet. Kind of too freaked out to, as I have the name of the main character and knew a girl with the female leads name as well ROFL

I just love Malick's visual focus as a filmmaker. His imagery is intense.

Liking a different war movie more is one thing but calling the Thin Red Line a steaming pile of shit is what sounds a little pretentious to me lol.

My LSD quip was meant to convey seeing film in a different way. Malick's approach is certainly non conventional

[Lookwhoitis]

Random thought, but Rube's post made me think of it: I think it should be required for all Academy members to actually watch ALL the movies in the categories they're voting on in order to be allowed to place their votes. I'm pretty sure there's no hard rule about that now. They should be locked in a theater for a day, watch the movies, then place their votes on favorites. I can think of about 100 worse ways to spend a day.

Completely agree. Cinema is and always will be the optimal format to enjoy a director's work.

Can believe folks are dissing Malick.

Try some LSD, perhaps your worldview will expand

Omg, can you image TTRL or Tree of Life on LSD? You will come out the other side a changed man.

The only film I ever saw on LSD was Iron Man and it was a fucking trip, in more ways than one

http://nofilmschool.com/2016/01/why-...al-philosopher

Excellent article, thanks for sharing.

Yes, Malick is one of cinema's most under appreciated auteurs.

Fear & Loathing, here.

[Tommy]

You guys are acting like Malick has had a string of amazing films, he just hasn't. I loved Tree of Life, but his films are hit or miss, even among people who love his stuff. I'd love to get thoughts from the Malick supporters regarding To the Wonder.

I have not seen To The Wonder yet but I have seen five of his movies, all of them a string of amazing films.

Badlands is a masterly work.
Days of Heaven is exquisite.
The Thin Red Line is admittedly my least favorite of his but still a beauty.
The New World is a bewitching film but not as good as...
The Tree of Life which left me speechless afterwards.

[fernandito]

I've been thinking about The Tree of Life a lot lately for some reason, even before the topic of Malick was broached.

Such a visually striking film. You could pause the film at any point and the resulting shot is beautiful enough to be a framed photo.

Need to rewatch.

[Ricky]

I agree. I often wonder if they're just picking their favorites without having seen all the nominees. I'm sure they are told to watch all, but how many actually do.

Yeah, I think that's exactly what they do.

[Still Servant]

Can believe folks are dissing Malick.

Try some LSD, perhaps your worldview will expand

You shouldn't have to be high on drugs to enjoy a director's films.

You guys are acting like Malick has had a string of amazing films, he just hasn't. I loved Tree of Life, but his films are hit or miss, even among people who love his stuff. I'd love to get thoughts from the Malick supporters regarding To the Wonder.

Liking a different war movie more is one thing but calling the Thin Red Line a steaming pile of shit is what sounds a little pretentious to me lol.

I was trying to be outrageous and inciting. My feelings towards the film are more indifferent than anything.

I've already stated that I'm willing to go back and watch the film again now that I'm older and wiser (in theory). That's more than I can say for most people that hate a film, but I'm always willing to give something a second chance, especially if it's a film I watched when I was a lot younger. I disliked We Own the Night, but my Godfather really enjoyed it and I told him I'd watch it again. I picked it up for 2 bucks today.

[mae]

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/ad3...9b337a00246978

[Still Servant]

We talk about pretty much every aspect of filmmaking in this forum: acting, directing, cinematography, score, editing, etc. One aspect of film we don't discuss too much is movie studios, so I want to take a moment to shine some light on A24. They're an Independent movie studio that is really killing it lately. This weekend, they scored their biggest box office opening yet with The Witch. Along with the success of Room, this has led the studio to increase their corporate credit facility.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/new...ity-125-868753

Earlier in the year, they had success with Ex Machina, one of the best films of the year. Although it didn't perform well at the box office, they also released A Most Violent Year recently, one of my favorite films of the last five years.

Here is just a brief list of some of the films they've released since 2013 (excluding the ones already mentioned). There are some great films on here and some really underrated gems:

Springbreakers
The Spectacular Now
Enemy
Under the Skin
Locke
The Rover
Slow West
Amy
The End of the Tour
Mississippi Grind

I can't wait to see what kind original films this studio continues to produce.

[Still Servant]

My Favorite Performances by an Actor - 2015

My Favorite Performances by an Actress - 2015

My Favorite Performances by a Supporting Actor - 2015

My Favorite Performances by a Supporting Actress - 2015

[Ricky]

Mike, stop giving me so much to read!

(But really, I like your write-ups.)

[Still Servant]

Mike, stop giving me so much to read!

(But really, I like your write-ups.)

Thanks, Ricky! I appreciate that. I meant to post them one-by-one, but I forgot.

[Ricky]

I'll be out tomorrow, so I think I'll save them for Oscar day.

[Still Servant]

Discussion topic:
I've noticed the gap between the mainstream fan of film and the die-hard film fanatic is getting wider and wider. Does anybody else experience this with friends and family?

I'm starting to wonder if the current state of Hollywood and the kinds of films it's creating are breeding a more mainstream audience.

[Merlin1958]

Discussion topic:
I've noticed the gap between the mainstream fan of film and the die-hard film fanatic is getting wider and wider. Does anybody else experience this with friends and family?

I'm starting to wonder if the current state of Hollywood and the kinds of films it's creating are breeding a more mainstream audience.

Respectfully, you think about this stuff way too much. It's just movies. Go, enjoy, eat some popcorn and come back for more!!! LOL LOL No disrespect intended, my friend