Topic: The Movie Thread

@RogerRoger Definitely agree regarding individual personalities and if someone finds something that works for them, in the end I suppose that's what matters. Psychology does often feel like a decidedly inexact science but y'know, food for thought and all.

And most of my comfort movies aren't very comforting lol. Or I find profoundly sad movies comforting for some reason.

You've reminded me I need to download Airplane for my kids. They're old enough and have never seen it.

@zupertramp @Th3solution I'm inclined to think anger is going to express itself in an individual's behavior one way or another. As someone who was taken to a therapist as a preteen and who was given ineffective methods for dealing with my own aggression (I was supposed to write in an "anger log" when I became upset, lol; I tore that thing in half a day later), I'm inclined to think that different types of people manage anger in different ways. I also think "cathartic anger" expression is more or less healthy depending on what the behavior is and/or how the individual relates to. If you use a rifle to shoot cans to blow off steam, maybe it's a good thing. if you keep seeing your boss' face and imagine his brains splattering across the dirt, maybe you're just rehearsing unhealthy thought patterns that'll lead to something worse in the future.

One of my psychology professors in school was very pointed about drilling home the point that the term "social science" is a bit of a misnomer: while you can (and should) adopt a scientific attitude to the study of human behavior, cognition, and development, people are weird, complex things that can't be studied or categorized in the way you'd study or categorize a rock, and you're rarely going to find that people react similarly to almost any sort of stimulus.

Which is why I added the bit about not knowing what the literature says on this subject, because even if something is true to MY experience, it's not necessarily going to be true for other people.

Personally, when I'm angry, I'll sublimate my feelings into aggressive cleaning. I've thrown away a few things I've regretted after I came to my senses, but it's overall a healthy outlet for emotions that I know will just get me in trouble if I either try to talk about them or especially just repress them.

@RogerRoger I'm not sure I have any movies like that, but I will say that it's extremely difficult to not to grin like an idiot when watching My Neighbor Totoro (specifically the original Fox dub for me, although I also enjoy the film in Japanese; hate the newer Disney dub, unfortunately), which is probably why it originally featured as the back half of a double feature alongside Grave of the Fireflies, which is flat out the most upsetting film I've ever seen in my life. 😂

I've also watched A Nightmare on Elm Street a LOT since I was a kid, although I don't know if I'd call it a "comfort film." I just like it, and it's a great go-to if nothing else will do.

@Ralizah Haha! Sorry for the late reply, but yes. You should absolutely watch Portrait of a Lady on Fire. Despite my cynical tone, I wasn't taking the piss there. I realise that a French-language romantic movie probably doesn't send shivers down your spine, no, but it's a gorgeous movie. I'd go as far as call it the best one I've ever seen. The story is fairly simplistic, but the way it's executed is just a thing of beauty. The leads ooze chemistry left and right, but still manage to play their fairly reserved characters to perfection. The movie has some incredible cinematography and directing, some of the best and best looking I've ever seen in a movie. When people say about movies that every frame could be a painting, that's quite literally Portrait of a Lady on Fire. It's paced incredibly well, and even though in the middle there might be a bit of a questionable decision, the ending is fantastic. It's certainly not your average American romcom, or even just romantic film. I hesitate to say this because I acknowledge it's pretentious nature... but it's art. Hopefully that's enough convincing for you to give it a shot at least! I'd love to hear back what you thought if you do.

P.S. I don't appreciate the Paul Feig slander! Spy, A Simple Favour and Last Christmas were all highly entertaining movies!

@nessisonett Ha! I remember really not liking The Dark Knight when I first watched it, but it was also my first "rated 16" film and Two-Face got me scared out of my pants. The power of Heath Ledger in that movie is undeniable though. I've always wanted to revisit it and see if my opinion of it would've changed now that I'm older (and wiser), but honestly... I'd totally also rewatch Mamma Mia before I'd rewatch The Dark Knight. Maybe we'll have to hold a Mamma Mia rewatch party. This is a HEN party! WOMEN ONLY!

And reading the replies over the last few days, I suppose this isn't the place where I should mention I wasn't a big fan of Midsommar...

@zupertramp @Ralizah Thanks for the insight. I agree that it’s likely a more complex issue that depends on several factors - individual personality traits, circumstantial triggers for the anger, the outlet being used to cope, etc. As you say, controlling for these variables is near impossible in a human psychological study, so we just have to piece it together best we can. The discussion is akin to the ‘violence in video games‘ debate and whether violence breeds violence. Most of us gamers feel it’s preposterous to suggest our games are making us violent individuals. Most in our community think that it depends on the age and emotional maturity of the individual, and the same could be said here of movies, music, or writing in an anger journal. Whatever the coping mechanism, it could backfire or lead to a healthy control of unsettling emotion.

@RogerRoger As far as ‘comfort food’ movies, I usually go to my favorites like Star Wars and Harry Potter. But I find particular solace in The Lord of the Rings. I think it’s because of the themes of “the little guys hold the keys to saving the world” theme, and that always buoys me up to think that no matter how bad things are, and no matter how small and helpless I may seem, like Frodo I am endowed with power that can overcome even the darkest threat.

Another more classic comfort movie that serves as a comedic distraction for me would be The Princess Bride. I must have seen that a thousand times.

My ‘comfort food’ movie is absolutely Happy Gilmore. Seen it a million times but it just never fails to make me laugh.

@Tjuz Batman Begins + The Dark Knight > Disney's entire MCU run

I'll absolutely give that film you mentioned a watch as soon as I'm able.

Happy Gilmore is a really good call. And I'm no Sandler fan.

Also, for the record, I'm team Dark Knight. Watched the whole trilogy again recently and honestly even Rises was much better than I remembered. I'd still get rid of Hathaway as Catwoman if I somehow could.

And side rant but speaking of poor casting, saw Little Women last night and man did they blow it on Father March. Completely took me out of the film. Oh well.

@zupertramp I really didn’t like that Little Women and I’m a fan of the book, the 90s version and Greta Gerwig. Ok, part of that is due to me just not liking Florence Pugh as an actress and also because of Timothée Chalamet stans wetting themselves over Laurie, literally the worst character in literary history. My hatred of Laurie extends across different media, across time and space. Never has there been a single character that personifies the ‘nice guys finish last’ attitude like Laurie. Also somewhat confused by the changes from the book at the end. Apparently it’s what Louisa May Alcott intended but she still went on and perfectly happily wrote sequels that followed the original ending?

@Ralizah Haha, if that was supposed to trigger me, you're sadly mistaken! I'm not big fan of the MCU at all, and much prefer DC's stuff like Joker, Shazam and Birds of Prey. Even though I can barely remember either of those Batman movies you mentioned, I can fairly safely say that I'd probably agree if I were to watch them!

Glad to hear you'll be giving Portrait a shot, though. I'll be eagerly awaiting your thoughts, along with a 1,000 word essay like the ones you write for your video game reviews.

@nessisonett Never seen the original nor have I read the book so I was going into it blind. Just thought it was off-putting to have Saul walk in out of nowhere. Really seemed out of place to me. And it's interesting you point to Florence Pugh as a negative because she's partly why I even gave it a shot, okay that and the Greta Gerwig/Saoirse Ronan team up.

I didn't dislike it but I think it would have been better if it had just been told chronologically, for the most part. Some things didn't hit as hard as they could have because of the mixed order. Seems unlikely that the book is like that but I don't know, maybe it is?

Can't really relate on the Chalamet/Laurie hate as I don't mind the former and know too little about the latter... well, other than what I saw in this film which, eh, seemed fine.

@zupertramp I like Chalamet as an actor, the weird queerbaiting aside which I mostly put down to his rabid fan base. I do think it would be interesting for you to go from that version to seeing a more traditional take on the book, maybe it would be different going in that direction. I just don’t like Florence Pugh in the movies I’ve seen her in, nothing against her as a person. She’s come up a fair bit recently talking about movies here 😂

@Tjuz Still haven't seen Birds of Prey, but I like Shazam well enough (it's funny, but in more of a wholesome way and less of a snide Marvel way where every other line is delivered with some level of snark).

If I'm being honest, though, my favorite non-Nolan DC stuff is animated. This is going back a bit, but have you ever watched Batman: Mask of the Phantasm? Really excellent companion piece to The Animated Series.

Wow, the Mulan stuff got worse. Not only is the lead actress right up the CCP’s arse, the credits specifically thank the “publicity department of CPC Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomy Region Committee”, y’know the region where roughly a million Uyghur Muslims are in concentration camps. We’ve known for ages that Disney are dodgy but this is definitely not looking good.

@nessisonett Not defending Disney here but if they'd shot in another province would it then be okay to have filmed a movie set in Northern China, in China? I mean surely not everything can be shot in Georgia, right?

EDIT: Actually, I guess that is defending Disney but for what it's worth, I don't want to be.

@zupertramp 90% of these movies are CGI anyway! It just feels a bit Goebbels-esque, filming movies while ignoring the people in cages roundabout.

@nessisonett True. Even while typing my comment I was kinda thinking how probably the average person wouldn't know Northern China from the Mountain States (that certainly goes for me too) but I don't know, I guess I just don't expect much from Disney so I'm not all that upset. And I care even less about the opinion of some lone actor.

Still, nothing wrong with pressuring a company (and individuals) to do more. So my devil's advocate bit is probably unnecessary, at best.

I watched Cinderella 2015 5 years ago.
This is my favorite part.

@Th3solution Good shout on the Princess Bride, I've also seen it many times and one of those films I've repurchased every time a new format has come out. Other comfort food films for me would include the aforementioned BttF trilogy, Tremors as well as The Incredibles and The Iron Giant.

This weekend I watched the last two Rebirth of Mothra films, which are on the same disc.

Rebirth of Mothra II (Blu-Ray)

The Premise:

• After mysteriously violent starfish (yes, you heard that right) start swarming the seas, a group of Okinawan school kids join up with a magical creepy off brand Furby called Gorgo (which can heal wounds by peeing on them, ew) and Mothra's little retainer women on a quest to find the resting place of an ancient civilization, whom are said to have a treasure capable of bringing the calamity to an end. Of course, there's a seafaring Kaiju involved as well, which is where film's most famous moth comes into play.

The Takeaway:

• This is honestly the weakest of the trilogy, IMO. While the first & third RoM films have the rilvalry between Mothra's retainers & their estranged sister Belvera more tightly woven into their narratives (as well as ancient threats with a history with Mothra), they feel sort of tacked on here. It's more of a kid friendly adventure movie with ancient ruins (including an "invisible bridge" scene aped from Indiana Jones), and a couple of bumbling adult pursuers who are after Gorgo for the fame of discovering a new species. It's best bits are a couple of gags early on in the film, the first where the kids accidentally send a caterpillar flying down the front of their teacher's shirt, and the second a completely random shot of a falling cigarette catching a cat's tail on fire. Oh, and Mothra gains the ability to transform into a Moth/Shark hybrid during the climax. Truly odd film.

Rebirth of Mothra III (Blu-Ray)

The Premise:

• Wisdom, Courage, Pow... er, Love, these are the three sides of the Trif... er, Elias Triangle, and only by putting their differences behind them & joining forces can Mothra's retainers & Belvera give Mothra the power to face her biggest challenge yet, King Ghidorah, whom has returned to Earth after millions of years to bestow upon humanity the same fate it extended to the dinosaurs, extinction (and to kidnap children, lots & lots of children, to eat).

The Takeaway:

• This was a pretty solid Kaiju film if you like the genre. The rivalry between the sisters is finally resolved, and after some time travel shenanigans Mothra recieves a pretty cool armored makeover. Also lots of SEGA product placement. The family that gets involved in all of this are farmers, and the father definitely has a stuffed Tails, and I think a little stuffed Knuckles in his truck, while two separate Stuffed Sonics can briefly be seen mere seconds apart during a scene in the house. Lastly, there's a kid playing with the detachable part of the Dreamcast controller in school, of which we get a close up shot of after he's kidnapped by Ghidorah & it's left on the floor.

The Package:

• As with the other Godzilla/Mothra films I have, it has a collection of both films' original Japanese trailers.

So this Cuties thing seems to have gotten out of hand, or those disgruntled with its existence sure are getting a lot of attention anyway.

I will say the poster in question is a little bonkers. But then so is that Toddlers and Tiaras show. Also I guess there's nothing creepy about the Miss Teen USA apparently (and the stories that come with it).

Still it's fairly clear, no one involved in the making of the film seems to think the poster represents the movie. It's also clear someone at marketing screwed up but the film itself, in all probability, is not unadulterated child porn.

But I guess when your entire political identity revolves around unmasking the lizard people and their child sex rings...