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Topic: The Movie Thread

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RogerRoger

@Foxy-Goddess-Scotchy Cheers! Yeah, it was a good performance from Cillian Murphy as well (although his appearance did make me wonder how many bat-actors Nolan was gonna re-use). I haven't seen Memento, no, although I've heard good things. Will add it to the list!

@zupertramp Ah, thanks! That works, I've got Netflix. Will track it down when next there!

@Th3solution I reckon I'd even stretch to two degrees of enjoyment, so definitely not a waste of time in the slightest; thanks again! As much as we agree on its character subtext being the best part, I have to ask, where do you place the film's distinction between reality and dreaming? Did you think any of it was "real" or was there a specific moment where you thought it switched?

The music was very good. I'm a fan of Hans Zimmer, with respect to those who aren't. A lot of his work is samey, and so I'm selective about which of his scores I buy to properly listen to, but there's no denying that his "atmospheric undercurrent" style always works during the films themselves. What I heard in Inception reminded me of the bank heist from the beginning of The Dark Knight, which featured a single piece building up a constant tempo of tension throughout; likewise here, there were moments when I knew a big sequence was about to kick off, because I heard Zimmer start to ratchet things up. It helped tie together the multiple layers of reality Nolan kept flicking between. Very effective.

Oh, er... Summer Wars on Blu-Ray (highly recommended) and then a DVD copy of the Haruhi Suzumiya movie, which was given to me by a friend who I'd binged the series with.

@nessisonett Bingo, that's the one! Thank you!

"We want different things, Crosshair. That doesn't mean that we have to be enemies."

PSN: GDS_2421
Making It So Since 1987

JohnnyShoulder

@RogerRoger Yep Nolan does have his favourite actors. I think Michael Caine has been in the majority of them.

Life is more fun when you help people succeed, instead of wishing them to fail.

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.

PSN: JohnnyShoulder

Th3solution

@RogerRoger I’m trying to remember the movie but I specifically recall that the end sequence when the reunion occurs with the kids that the top keeps spinning, and then wavers slightly and spins some more then the picture is cut abruptly. The suggestion to me was that he was residing in an alternate reality at that time, however the top did start to shake a little bit, suggesting it was about to maybe fall? Of course the editing there is certainly intentionally vague to leave it open to viewer interpretation. Does the spinner fall down or does it keep going? I feel like the ending was a dream-state alternate reality, personally. Also the fact that at the airport ending sequence all his companions on the inception heist just kind of watch him walk by, just barely acknowledging him makes me feel they were “characters in his dream” on the previous dream layer, further emphasizing that his whole life we’ve been watching is all the madness of his own lost mind, stuck deep down in the comatose delirium of pushing his dream experiments too far. Nevertheless, the sequence where the spinning top does fall down to signify reality does throw a wrench in that theory. If so, then reality was present up to the point of starting the inception heist into the Cillian Murphy character in the plane and everything following that would be false delusions with the relative time expansion keeping him down there for an eternity. Which, I guess if he found happiness with his kids for a lifetime, despite it not being “reality” then that’s a pretty good redemption. I’m not sure though, and I might be misremembering the details and making an incorrect analysis.

And I’ll keep my eyes open for Summer Wars. Sometimes I look at the enormity of anime and just never know what’s good to start with.

Edited on by Th3solution

“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”

RogerRoger

@Th3solution Your memory serves you well; the top starts to fall, but then keeps going, before the credits kick in and we never find out. I took that to perhaps mean that it didn't matter whether it was real or not, as a comment on the importance and power of dreams. What if the top falling wasn't a marker for reality, but rather a construct of the dream, to keep him comfortable and sane in his eternal dreamstate? Who's to say that the movie was telling us the truth the entire time?

And yes, the airport sequence with everybody looking his way made me feel the same. I mean, it's also the classic heist finale, where they all pretend not to know one another after having gotten away with their objective, but it was shot in such a way that it definitely felt ethereal.

Summer Wars gets a bit of flack from hardcore anime fans, because it's very accessible for a casual audience, particularly a Western one. It's a great gateway but I'll admit, I haven't taken many steps beyond its threshold. I periodically like Naruto (which is another "it's mainstream, so it doesn't count" kinda thing) and have a handful of other experiences under my belt, but some of the most famous and well-regarded examples of the medium left me cold.

Separate from all that, though, Summer Wars is just a superb movie. I adore it.

"We want different things, Crosshair. That doesn't mean that we have to be enemies."

PSN: GDS_2421
Making It So Since 1987

RogerRoger

@JohnnyShoulder Hey, let's be honest, we'd all cast Michael Caine if we could. All of Nolan's favourites are great, but it just raises an eyebrow when you keep seeing the same faces over and over; makes it difficult to see a new character, rather than just the actor beneath.

"We want different things, Crosshair. That doesn't mean that we have to be enemies."

PSN: GDS_2421
Making It So Since 1987

Th3solution

@RogerRoger Yeah, that’s a good point that it’s possible the totem idea was a subconscious construct. Interesting thoughts.
@JohnnyShoulder And I do find it interesting how certain directors reuse actors over and over. I suppose there’s a certain comfort level that people get with one another, not to mention the politicking that agents probably engage in to create these relationships. I do prefer to see variety though, and when the same cast is recycled for another project it detracts a little bit, imo. It’s hard enough for me not to refer to the Robert Fisher character as “Scarecrow” and Mal as “Miranda Tate” even if the director of the two movies hadn’t been the same guy.

“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”

ralphdibny

RogerRoger wrote:

What I did like about it were the questions it raised about character, responsibility and choice. Playing with the whole notion of being responsible for a thought, saying the wrong thing at the right time (or the right thing at the wrong time) and triggering a chain reaction that changes somebody's life immeasurably, was the element which interested me the most. We've all said something we regret, or feel guilty about later in life, so mentally brushing aside the fancy-for-2010 cinematography and high-concept, corridor-rotating action made it a great story to empathise with.

That's quite an interesting take, I must have missed that part in the middle 2 hours I spent asleep in the cinema so I'll keep an eye out for it if I ever get around to watching it again!

I'm not one to swoon over DiCaprio in the sense that I won't go to see a film just because he's in it, but I've found him to be genuinely excellent in every film that I've seen him in like The Beach, Django Unchained, The Wolf of Wall Street etc, but then again they are all films by amazing directors so I'm not surprised.

Also a big fan of Tom Hardy who just embodies every role he plays and Cillian Murphy who has been a favourite since I first saw him in 28 days later

See ya!

RogerRoger

@Th3solution In all honesty, I'm only thinking these thoughts because I have somebody who's discussing it with me (like you said, good to have!) and so, had I watched it in isolation, I might've just taken everything at face value. At least it allows for such perspectives; that isn't to knock simple storytelling, nor to elevate "clever" films (which usually wind me up) but it's nice to have a little mental wiggle room.

@ralphdibny Yeah, when I saw the runtime before starting, I did let out a little groan. It didn't feel almost three hours long, to its credit, but it could've done with a trim here and there.

And I think you're right, Leo's performance usually hits a baseline standard regardless. It's then a director or a script which elevates him a little further. My experience with him is limited (and I haven't seen some of the major hits you've listed there) so I'll keep an open mind. Perhaps I've just watched the wrong films at the wrong time.

"We want different things, Crosshair. That doesn't mean that we have to be enemies."

PSN: GDS_2421
Making It So Since 1987

zupertramp

Not even sure if this belongs in the movie thread or the Covid thread but, like, these entities mad at WarnerMedia... do they not read the news? I swear some days it feels like I'm the only one taking into consideration expert projections on how much longer this is all gonna last. Or at least, it's me and the folks running WarnerMedia, apparently, who I cannot at all blame for their decision to stream movies simultaneous to their theatrical release through 2021. I just... The denial is real over here.

Also Leo D is one of the best in the business. Just needed to throw that out there. Truth be told, though, I could never really stand him until I saw The Aviator. That's when I saw the light lol.

Edited on by zupertramp

PSN: frownonfun
Switch: SW-5109-6573-1900 (Pops)

"One of the unloveliest and least enlightening aspects of contemporary discourse is the tendency to presume that whatever one disagrees with must be very simple—not only simple, but also simply wrong." - Elizabeth Bruenig

nessisonett

@zupertramp Yeah, the Warner Bros thing makes sense to me. Honestly, I really hate to give our multiplex (Cineworld) the money regardless. If a movie is showing in the indie cinema, I’ll go there as it actually feels like an experience, with a lovely 1940s theatre, zero sticky floors and a more curated selection of movies. Warner Bros need to make their money back and cinemas just aren’t going to get the audiences back for a good while, especially in the States.

Plus the price of food in the cinema. Oof. You spend as much on popcorn as the tickets.

Edited on by nessisonett

Plumbing’s just Lego innit. Water Lego.

Trans rights are human rights.

RogerRoger

@zupertramp I hate to admit it, but The Aviator is one of the movies I was thinking of above, when I said that perhaps I'd watched the wrong Leo films at the wrong times! But then my opinions have always been somewhat warped, so maybe it's just me. I'll get around to trying it again someday.

The tragic thing about cinema is that it was dying already anyway. COVID-19 has just compressed the trends of the next decade into twelve months, making them tougher to accept.

Many will end up blaming the pandemic as a result, but it wasn't really its fault (for once).

"We want different things, Crosshair. That doesn't mean that we have to be enemies."

PSN: GDS_2421
Making It So Since 1987

zupertramp

@RogerRoger Ah well, to be fair, pilots fall under my definition of nomadic types and if there's one thing that's guaranteed to pique my interest, it's a film/book about people stricken with wanderlust. Still think DiCaprio is great in most films he's in though, even the ones that aren't so good.

I think it's hard to know what exactly would have happened with theaters had Covid not come along. Guess it doesn't much matter now.

PSN: frownonfun
Switch: SW-5109-6573-1900 (Pops)

"One of the unloveliest and least enlightening aspects of contemporary discourse is the tendency to presume that whatever one disagrees with must be very simple—not only simple, but also simply wrong." - Elizabeth Bruenig

nessisonett

I’ve always been indifferent to Leo. Could take him or leave him. I do like Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet though.

Plumbing’s just Lego innit. Water Lego.

Trans rights are human rights.

RogerRoger

@zupertramp Cool, glad you enjoyed it as much as you did! The period setting and fascinating personality of Howard Hughes were the elements which drew me in, and would still hold enough interest for me to give it a second pass, even outside of reconsidering Leo's performance.

@Arugula How much of a horror is Shutter Island, if it even is at all?

"We want different things, Crosshair. That doesn't mean that we have to be enemies."

PSN: GDS_2421
Making It So Since 1987

Th3solution

Regarding Leo D: I’ve been told I need to see What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? but I’ve just never taken the time. I also remember liking Catch Me If You Can but I probably need to try watching it again because my memory is fuzzy on it. I rewatched The Great Gatsby not too long ago (can’t remember if I posted on here my thoughts, so apologies it I’m repeating myself), and actually enjoyed it this go around. My first viewing I really disliked it. Maybe my sensibilities have changed over time. But I have to agree that despite not being a fan of his over the years I have grown to respect his work and at least give it a chance. There’s still something mildly smarmy about him though.

“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”

RogerRoger

@Arugula Good to know, thank you. I've always steered clear because I'm not a "gore and jump-scares" horror fan, which I thought Shutter Island was an example of, but I don't mind psychological stuff.

@Th3solution I quite liked Catch Me If You Can as well, but I chalked that up to the ever-reliable Tom Hanks more than anything else. Like you, I don't have a crystal-clear recollection of it, though. Must be one of those rainy Sunday films!

"We want different things, Crosshair. That doesn't mean that we have to be enemies."

PSN: GDS_2421
Making It So Since 1987

ralphdibny

@Arugula shutter Island is brilliant! But I do love a good what's real/what isn't style mental health horror film. I think I feel the same but more like I could care less about DiCaprio the celebrity but I really enjoy the films he happens to be in

@Th3solution I watched catch me if you can again a few years ago but it was on TV. There's a scene in the movie where Tom hanks says "go F--- yourself" but in the TV version he says "go flog yourself" which just had me cracking up for days 😂, still makes me laugh now just thinking about it. Brilliant film though!

See ya!

zupertramp

Now I'm just curious who everyone's favorite actors are. Not so much interested in the celebrity side either. Just, who best becomes the characters they play? Or whatever your metric is it doesn't much matter. Like a top five or ten.

And as we've established a few of you think Leo is overrated, what are some of your other most overrated? One of mine is probably Will Smith for example. He's not bad; super charismatic and watchable, don't get me wrong but like, he's always basically just Will Smith. They might as well just name his characters Will Smith.

I'll have to think more on the rest now.

PSN: frownonfun
Switch: SW-5109-6573-1900 (Pops)

"One of the unloveliest and least enlightening aspects of contemporary discourse is the tendency to presume that whatever one disagrees with must be very simple—not only simple, but also simply wrong." - Elizabeth Bruenig

nessisonett

@zupertramp There’s not many actors or actresses that I would openly go out of my way to watch, it’s more directors for me as they’re more likely to be involved in the overall quality of the picture. Thinking about actors who always bring a certain something to the role however... I adore Nicolas Cage and his energy although he himself cannot save several dreadful movies. I think Mahershala Ali is probably one of the most underrated actors out there in terms of public opinion. He’s a fantastic actor with a whole lot of great movies under his belt but I don’t think many people would put him up there in their ‘best actors’ lists. I really like Olivia Colman too, she’s hopefully going to get her moment in Hollywood after The Favourite being that brilliant and also widely loved Stateside as well. She’s consistently been up there with the best British actresses on TV over here so I do hope she’s given bigger roles after her stint as the Queen finishes.

In terms of ‘overrated’ actors, Al Pacino. Al Pacino every single day of the week. He just kinda shouts in that weird way of his. Poor Chris O’Donnell looks absolutely terrified in Scent of a Woman.

Edited on by nessisonett

Plumbing’s just Lego innit. Water Lego.

Trans rights are human rights.

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