The Movie Thread

Maddox said:
When I first saw this movie, I thought it was just meh. Now, it's one of my favorites. It really grows on you.

I'd disagree though that the film would be any different today with the use of smartphones. Their connection happens when they're together. Texting from one hotel room to another wouldn't create the chemistry needed for these characters to tearfully say goodbye to each other at the end.

Similarly, I'm not sure that social media would change the outcome for these characters when they went back to the States. They had a connection, but it was temporary. There's no real reason for them to carry this relationship forward when returning home since they are both married. We as the audience can identify with their loss as most people have probably had to unwillingly let go of someone from their past. And so we mourn for their loss at the end of the film.

Murray's humor probably won't even make most people chuckle. However, it keeps the film light-hearted because, in reality, everything around these characters is uncertain, especially in this foreign land. Without that humor, this film would be quite dour.

Sofia really did capture lighting in a bottle with this film. From what I heard, the script was minimal and Murray did a lot of improvising. On paper, the script probably doesn't read well at all. And yet it plays so well on screen.
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I used to love this movie back when I was single. I connected with the older guy kind of vibing with the young, feminine Scarlet Johansson. That energy is what we often talk about that's missing from girls over 30.
 
MusicForThePiano said:
The last clean movie to come out. No women, no degeneracy, no modernity, no politics. Based on a fiction novel about the Napoleonic era, but incredibly accurate with all its details.

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100% agree. Pretty much anything Russell Crowe was in at the height of his career was pretty based and he always oozed masculinity and he's a very talented artist. Gladiator, the Insider, Cinderella Man, A Beautiful Mind, 3:10 to Yuma, American Gangster and Master and Commander are all must watches.
 
RedLagoon said:
100% agree. Pretty much anything Russell Crowe was in at the height of his career was pretty based and he always oozed masculinity and he's a very talented artist. Gladiator, the Insider, Cinderella Man, A Beautiful Mind, 3:10 to Yuma, American Gangster and Master and Commander are all must watches.
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Don't forget LA Confidential. Awesome in that one too.
 
SeekingTruth said:
I used to love this movie back when I was single. I connected with the older guy kind of vibing with the young, feminine Scarlet Johansson. That energy is what we often talk about that's missing from girls over 30.
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Totally. I loved her character because she was feminine, innocent, adventurous, and down-to-earth. Those are qualities that most men look for in a woman.
 
Thomas More said:



I liked Pride and Prejudice. I hope this doesn't mean I have to turn in my man card. In my defense, I only saw the first three Harry Potter movies and never saw the rest.

Edit: I like Sound of Music too.
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Many pajeets have contributed to this list. In place of the three Indian movies I would put three more heavily masculine movies that have themes of Christian struggle in them:

Excalibur (1981) - Arthurian movie but with clear-cut distinctions between good and evil, the search for the Holy Grail and the dying of the "old ways". Christian ethos dominates, especially on the topic of personal honor. The duel between Gawain and Lancelot over Guinevere's faithfulness exemplifies this. It was toned down in gratuity after the direction was taken from a jew and given to an Englishman. The original script was supposed to be some kind of R-rated Lord of the Rings live-action movie. No political correctness or jewishness, but the editing is a bit of a drag.



The Searchers (1956) - Western story about the dangers of frontier life in the early 1800s from the Comanches, the most brutal and sadistic of the native American tribes. It was based on the Alan Le May novel which itself used the 1836 abduction of Cynthia Ann Parker by Comanches as a central plot element. John Wayne's sentiments about the tribe and their practices used to be everyday common knowledge to the pioneers, but today it is considered "hate speech". No degeneracy and nothing gratuitous is shown, only described.



The Mission (1986) - A tale of redemption for a slave trader in the Amazon basin. It shows the chaos of differing governments, Catholic and Secular, and their approach to the natives, the folly of how much of the historical attempts to convert them had been, both by the natives own inclinations and the differing strategies by the converters attempting to build a new Christian civilization in South America. You don't have to like jesuits to enjoy the film, but its a rare look into that time with some historical accuracy on how interwoven faith was to the age of exploration. The theme of penance is strong throughout the film, which is very rare. The sentimentality of Irons character is contrasted by the brutality of DeNiro's. Due to the racial realities it portrays it would likely never be made today either.

 
Maddox said:
Totally. I loved her character because she was feminine, innocent, adventurous, and down-to-earth. Those are qualities that most men look for in a woman.
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Yes, one thing that was unique about the movie is that the dynamics are often with Murray leading and Scarlett just being there. It isn't some kind of intellectual sparring match. They don't give all the funny lines to Scarlett to prove some point that women are funnier than men. She enjoys the company of Murray's character for who he is. She simply is not as funny as him and often does just laugh at things he says. But she has a certain presence and aura that he enjoys as well.

We know that her character is intelligent and can be funny too. But it isn't shoved down our throats. There are movies with similar themes to this one (movies like Annie Hall and Before Sunrise) where they make the women a lot more overly 'funny' or push them to go back and forth with the men in terms of dominating the convos.

A rare case maybe where a film written about a woman presents gender dynamics closer to what is based.
 
MusicForThePiano said:
The last clean movie to come out. No women, no degeneracy, no modernity, no politics. Based on a fiction novel about the Napoleonic era, but incredibly accurate with all its details.

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Well, there is some politics. There is this overt conflict between Aubrey and Stephen, with Aubrey being the conservative traditionalist, who prefers to stick to what he learned, appreciating and honoring teachings that he himself has doubts about, whereas Dr Stephen tries to argue in favor of a "blank slate", borderline Marxist view, where he believes men can be engineered without violence to follow a vague idea of common sense, their duties ad commitments notwithstanding.
It's a sensible discussion and the way it's resolved, Stephen becomes more united to Aubrey's philosophy and politics, rather than the other way around. It's a fundamentally traditionalist movie, overall. You are right though, it is one of the greats, I watch it a couple of times every year. There is not a single throwaway character, and none of their positions are taken for granted or left unexamined, which marks truly great writing in my mind. Master and Commander is pure art. It's the last big Christian movie, I'd say. There is nuance, but the fundamental catharsis is the two main characters reuniting in true, platonic male friendship.

I don't thin being political necessarily makes a movie bad, but if the political messaging is cheap and dishonest, the product loses its value.
 
Raskolnikov said:
Well, there is some politics. There is this overt conflict between Aubrey and Stephen, with Aubrey being the conservative traditionalist, who prefers to stick to what he learned, appreciating and honoring teachings that he himself has doubts about, whereas Dr Stephen tries to argue in favor of a "blank slate", borderline Marxist view, where he believes men can be engineered without violence to follow a vague idea of common sense, their duties ad commitments notwithstanding.
It's a sensible discussion and the way it's resolved, Stephen becomes more united to Aubrey's philosophy and politics, rather than the other way around. It's a fundamentally traditionalist movie, overall. You are right though, it is one of the greats, I watch it a couple of times every year. There is not a single throwaway character, and none of their positions are taken for granted or left unexamined, which marks truly great writing in my mind. Master and Commander is pure art. It's the last big Christian movie, I'd say. There is nuance, but the fundamental catharsis is the two main characters reuniting in true, platonic male friendship.

I don't thin being political necessarily makes a movie bad, but if the political messaging is cheap and dishonest, the product loses its value.
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You are right that the conflict between traditionalism vs modernism is there, but to the movie's credit, this was a conflict that existed in that era, and the characters state their positions in terms that would be typical of the time. It's interesting that the same conflict still feels up to the minute, but they do a good job of presenting it in its historical context.

Another point. The movie is based on a series of books by Patrick O'Brian, 20 books in all. The movie actually combines major plot elements from two different books, with additional details and lines taken from others. You could imagine the result of this approach to be a hodgepodge story line, but as you said, the story and the characters all fit together perfectly. It really is an exceptional movie.

For realism, they even trained the cast to actually sail a ship like that, with all the complex sail handling and climbing in the rigging.
 
Thomas More said:
You are right that the conflict between traditionalism vs modernism is there, but to the movie's credit, this was a conflict that existed in that era
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Yeah, correct. Films naturally deal with political content if they are period pieces, as most of the history we know is known to us because the events recorded were political in nature.

It's not the case for Master and Commander, but I could even appreciate a movie if its subject were people I disagree with politically.
I love the movie "Reds" from 1981, by and with Warren Beatty. It's about American socialists, and Beatty himself is a lefty, but I like the movie because it deals with the subject matter honestly. The arrogance and decadence of 1910s socialists is depicted very explicitly, as are the character defects that play into their ideological zeal. There's a lot to take away from it, regardless of the personal politics of the maker or the main characters.

I wouldn't be able to tell you the thought process of Beatty when he made it. However, consciously or subconsciously, he produced a very honest and introspective piece or art.

Likewise, I don't know the politics of Peter Weir. I assume he is some sort of Catholic, but whatever he is, he took his characters seriously and gave them all a fair shake, without trying to force his personal politics into it.
 
SeekingTruth said:


I found this end clip. Don't watch if you haven't seen this movie.
Every man that has ever connected with a woman knows this feeling. It hits you hard. It's incredible acting by both of them.
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Think I should watch this film again. I was 32 when I first saw it and it didn't make much of an impression. But that last scene was pretty good.
 
Last night I watched a movie from 2004 called THE GIRL NEXT DOOR

Not exactly proud of it in many ways as was very decadent themed and lots of nudity and sexual references even though it was surprisingly more thoughtful than it seemed from the poster and concept of 'nerd alling in love with the ex porn star door.'

One thing I noticed from pop cultural artefacts from 2000-2005. They were often over the top, sexual, ridiculous but at least vibrant, colourful and energetic. A lot of just doing dumb goofy stuff but at least trying to do that. There was a joy to breaking down certain barriers (especially of good taste in regards to sex and language) but usually still some kind of heart at the center of it as well. The heart might just be the lust for life itself still apparent though displaced.

Since then I feel like it's all become a lot more grey and depressing and pandering.

I'm not going to talk about this movie like it's a great work of art...

It did have some 'Heroes journey' type structure....


1 - The Call to Adventure

In the beginning of the movie, the main character looks at all the jocks with girls doing fun and wild stuff. He is stuck with nothing going on in his life. Always the time when the call to adventure beckons...The opening montage of high school moments to 'UNDER PRESSURE' is incredibly strong and the film is worth watching just for that.

2 - The refusal of the call

A memorable example when the MC sits in the car looking at some guys goofing off. He is about to drive off and join them to the beach but some Walter Mittyish fantasy image of catastrophe stops him. His fantasy life kills the urge to experience something new.

3 - Meeting the Mentor

Who actually ends up being THE GIRL NEXT DOOR. He sees her across the street and spies on her getting changed. It's actually surprisingly similar to SOMETHING WILD by Jonathan Demme in a sense as this woman randomly entering his life starts showing him some 'fun.' The taking off clothes in the street thing I guess symbolic of letting go of his old dorkish identity.

4. Crossing the Threshold

A bunch of stuff here such as going to jock parties, breaking and entering. Being more of a 'risk taker' or walking on the wild side alongside the chick next door.

5. Tests, allies, enemies

Finds out the gal is a porn star and then the porn star producer guy comes into the scene and threatens to take the girl away.

6. The approach to the inmost cave

This one is harder to pinpoint but I'd say it's probably losing all the money saved in the trust fund for a kid from overseas (odd plot point) as that is what he had worked hard for

7. The ordeal

Despite being beaten and drugged and losing all money, still must deliver a speech on 'moral fiber' to the class.

8. The reward

Seems to devise a plan to get money back. Finally has acceptance of the community and appears to know his place in it.

9. The road back

The plan is concocted to erase enemy although it involves what appears to be filming a porn film at school and various dangers such as being caught or actors being too scared to be filmed

10. The resurrection

The MC is about to star in the porn film himself but eventually is reminded not to by a kiss mark on their hand...

11. The Return -

Film gets made anyway and turns out to actually be sex educational video

12. The freedom to live

Now he is rich and has the girl and lives happily ever after...I guess..

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Now I write that it was more complicated and didn't fully fit the heroes journey arc, but it was an interesting experiment. The overall plot was more engaging than it might seem though it was no Lord Of The Rings in regards to it's storytelling.

The flaws of the movie are basically the morally dubious quality of so much of it as the porn industry and sexual obsession being such a key part. But the message is also to look beyond that to 'love.' It still promotes pre-martial sex however. And even sadder, one character's 'self-actualising' seems to basically being well-endowed. Also, the main character was just too generic overall.

It was OK though. Certainly not as bad as you might think looking at the poster.
 
Just finished The Deer Hunter (1978). Very heavy movie but it really captures a moment in time and kind of acts as a time machine that "takes you somwhere." Weird vibe with great cinematography. Young Meryl Streep is very feminine. Great acting between her and DeNiro without all of the overt and graphic sexuality. Even the violence in the movie is subdued (yet highly effective). I don't know, the movie just kinda hits you in the gut and sticks with you.
 
PurpleUrkel said:
Just finished The Deer Hunter (1978). Very heavy movie but it really captures a moment in time and kind of acts as a time machine that "takes you somwhere." Weird vibe with great cinematography. Young Meryl Streep is very feminine. Great acting between her and DeNiro without all of the overt and graphic sexuality. Even the violence in the movie is subdued (yet highly effective). I don't know, the movie just kinda hits you in the gut and sticks with you.
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Like other Michael Cimino films, it has slow moments like the wedding scene. But to its credit, it provides the starting point for the characters' feelings about the war: patriotic and willing to fight. When they return home, they are injured, both physically and mentally, and the glory they thought they would feel is replaced by a stark reality; that their lives will never be the same.

The defining scene of this film, though, is undoubtedly the Russian roulette scene. It's incredibly visceral and makes you feel like you're sitting next to these characters and forced to play this deadly game, much like they are. As the viewer, when DeNiro's character takes that kill shot to the Commie leader, it's incredibly fulfilling.

A great movie for sure.
 
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Kentucky Gent said:
Has anyone been to see "Conclave"? If so, please leave a brief review without spoilers. Thanks in advance.
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I'm waiting for it to hit Netflix or one of the other streaming channels, but I heard Ralph Fiennes's performance is very good. I loved him in The English Patient, so I'm anxious to see what he does in this film.
 
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