Oh, I certainly wasn't referring to those little movies you see on TV! (But since we’ve opened that door—honestly, it’s such a struggle here in the States—it feels like theatrical releases barely exist before they're relegated to television movies or, even worse, rushed straight to streaming series!)
However, I did spend quite an extended period living in Germany a while back, and let me tell you, the films they show in their local cinemas— 😲 😲 you simply wouldn't believe it!
Matthew Doyle73 said:In my estimation, the average American film tends to be somewhat inferior, and quite often even less watchable, than an average European production... And frankly, it isn't all that difficult to surpass a "typical" Hollywood blockbuster if you're looking for quality.😬
I certainly tip my hat to you, but have you actually sat down to experience an average German film lately? It was nothing short of a total nightmare! It was a true eye-opener for me. As I sit there watching, I can't help but think to myself... good grief, and here we are complaining that our own domestic movies aren't up to par!
it seems like everyone and their mother said:It honestly feels like there’s this constant, collective bashing of American cinema going on year after year! If you were to ask just about anyone what they think about movies made right here in the States—well, the answer is almost always some sort of groan of disappointment. How many American films have you actually sat down to watch in the last five years? "None at all." Or perhaps, "Just one—and while that one wasn't half bad, American movies in general are just terrible." Based on my own personal experiences in movie theaters, I would argue that an average American film isn't any worse than an average film from anywhere else!
That is absolutely true. Though, if I may be so bold as to refine that comparison—I truly believe an average American film is every bit as good as, if not better than, an average film from Germany, Italy, Canada, Greece, or the Czech Republic. It is incredibly frustrating to witness this preemptive dismissal of American filmmaking—this idea that everything produced domestically is inherently flawed. Seriously, how many have you even watched? Not a single one! The younger generations are taking it to such extremes that they will outright reject even the most iconic American classics simply because they happen to be domestic! Of course, when you make those superficial comparisons to massive Hollywood blockbusters or powerhouse cinematographies like those of France or Britain, American film can certainly seem uninspiring to the casual viewer.
But to suggest that the success of American films at international festivals is merely a passing trend? Well, that is nothing short of total nonsense!
Benjamin Gray66 said:goldberry, oh my, you are certainly putting my memory to the test here since I haven't sat down to watch that film in ages! But wait, didn't Nastasja wear a red skirt? Or was it something else entirely...🙄
Actually, no, she was dressed entirely in white...😕
For those of you who have actually sat down and read the book—do you happen to know why Polanski chose to ignore the fact that Tess wears a red wreath in her hair during that opening dance scene, while all the other girls are sporting white ones? In Hardy’s original writing, isn't that immediate foreshadowing of tragedy, a subtle hint at her being different and perhaps even cursed? So why, in Polanski’s vision, does she wear a white wreath just like everyone else?
By the way, I was truly irritated by the people streaming out of the theater making comments like, "kakv glup kraj!"... Honestly, if you absolutely require a happy ending, why not just go watch some cheesy American romantic comedies instead?
It has come to my attention that I might just be annoying everyone who was grumbling about the runtime while walking out of the theater yesterday —but honestly, if three hours is simply too much for you to handle, why on earth did you choose to see a movie that lasts three hours in the first place?!
Honestly, does anyone with even an ounce of sense actually pick movies based on trailers anymore? (It just occurred to me how absurd this comparison is—it’s like trying to choose a brand of sanitary pads based solely on a commercial and expecting to go running through a meadow in white pants without a single worry in the world!🙄 )
I’m not saying I want to skip the previews entirely! But I certainly won't be making decisions based on a trailer! Hmm....
Perhaps a teaser might suffice, provided it isn't masquerading as a full-blown trailer!
By the way, wasn't it fascinating when there was actually a movement here in America to introduce "prelude" as the official American term for a movie trailer?
For years, have you ever wondered how relentlessly certain feminist circles have sought to crucify her, turning her very memory into a public spectacle of judgment following her passing?
And what is truly the most devastating part? He went on to marry the woman who followed Sylvia, and isn't it just haunting that she also took her own life?
By the way, isn't it fascinating how incredibly strict the estate of Sylvia Plath is when it comes to the rights to her poetry?
It feels like a lifetime ago that I first stumbled upon those treasures while browsing the web, didn't it? I remember being so delighted that I carefully saved them all for safekeeping! But then, after about six months had passed, what happened? I turned around to find that almost everything had vanished, leaving behind only a single solitary file with a heartbreaking little note explaining that the copyright holders had issued a takedown notice! Isn't it just the most frustrating thing to lose something you worked so hard to collect? In most instances, one finds that such treasures are exceedingly rare, primarily because their rightful heirs have strictly forbidden any form of publication!
Can you believe that even here in the States, a collection of her poems was actually released about six or seven years ago?
grandpa the du du monkey said:Does this anyone else find themselves thinking about those silly competitions where people try to prove who is the most "All-American" person alive?🙄
Goodness gracious, I certainly never intended to be even remotely part of something like that!
crimsoncrane6 said:because the gaps between the songs were incredibly brief—we're talking mere seconds—and there wasn't really that classic moment where the band works up the crowd into a frenzy. It was fine, I guess... just okay...
I honestly feel like only someone who isn't particularly well-versed in Nirvana could say something like that...
but hey, no harm done, at least you're making an effort to get to know them...
For me, the entire experience was nothing short of brilliant... though I have to admit, my very first thought when they finally stepped out onto the stage was—good grief, how much have they aged!
But, as Tyler Grant76 pointed out, can one truly be objective about something like this? After all, I am looking at the very people who were absolute gods to me back in high school...🙏
Jeremy Flores10 said:Do you know what the absolute worst part about working on Sundays is? It’s that everyone else is out enjoying themselves, going on trips and having fun, while you’re stuck grinding away in some damn store!
But tell me, would you really be sitting there reading the newspaper every single day? And don't you ever stop to wonder who is working hard on Fridays and Saturdays just so those papers can be waiting for you at the newsstand every morning? Yet, you find yourself pitying the retail workers who have to work on Sunday! (For what it's worth, I am one of those workers, and I'm working today too!). Why isn't anyone advocating for a law that would prohibit newspapers from being sold on Sunday? Or perhaps we should consider our phones or the internet, since there always needs to be someone on duty to keep everything running smoothly... and those people are surely underpaid as well, wouldn't you agree?
Hell, why shouldn't we just pass a law to ban Sunday work entirely?????😁
P.S. But in all seriousness......I am just so incredibly happy that, in a country that is supposedly secular, they aren't trying to push through legislation based on religious whims! Hallelujah!
George Clooney is actually quite short. I recall reading somewhere in a magazine that he stands at just 5'6"...
I also happen to be a walking encyclopedia of useless trivia🙄 ...and I tend to retain the most ridiculous facts....(though I certainly remember this one because the whole article was about how many Hollywood leading men are surprisingly short—like Tom Cruise, or Clooney, and so on... suggesting that shorter guys actually carry themselves better on screen😕 ..whatever....)
As much as I hate to admit how predictable it might be, my absolute favorite has to be the autobiographical Lady Lazarus... though, if I’m being honest, I think Lady Lazarus and Daddy actually tie for first place in my heart!
I don't have my books with me here at the office, so I'll just have to copy-paste them once I finally get home...
And one of my all-time favorites—it isn't necessarily the deepest piece of literature ever written, but I absolutely adore it! Here is a quote from The Bell Jar: There's nothing like puking with somebody to make you into old friends! 👍 🙂
Oh, I assure you, I am not being coy... it simply escapes my understanding how several people have already jumped to the conclusion that I believe Gwyneth Paltrow is British!
Wait, didn't I specifically mention that she was British? Nowhere to be found! Does anyone else feel that sense of complete and utter emptiness? Is there truly nowhere left to turn? Well, I am certainly aware that she is American!
I find myself wondering, quite simply, why is it that she is constantly being pushed into these lead roles for film adaptations of the great English literary classics? Is it truly because she isn't British herself?