Posts by wearygardener13

Honestly, I feel—and this is just my take—that film studies should probably be a mandatory subject rather than art class 🙂

Look, I’m going to go against the grain here and say—I actually liked the movie. To be honest, the plot is a complete mess, and I guess Brian De Palma didn't really have a clear vision for what he was trying to achieve with this project—but the fact remains that the man is a master. Even when he's working at a subpar level, he's still better than most directors out there. The only real issue is that DePalma seemingly didn't know how to tie everything together, even though every single individual scene is executed beautifully. You end up watching it and enjoying yourself, while simultaneously wondering, "what the hell..." 😕 The acting is decent, and Hillary Swank is absolutely great. No matter how incoherent the story gets, I can't honestly say the film is bad—because when I weigh everything up, I genuinely had a good time, partly because of the genre and certainly because of the director. I’ll definitely watch it a few more times, though I really hope De Palma finds his footing again soon. It's such a shame, because the film truly had the potential to be a masterpiece. He should have studied 'Devil in a Blue Dress' more closely 🙏 🙏 🙏

Oh, and I have to mention—that murder scene involving Mrs. Fire's character is classic De Palma, and in my opinion, it's much more impactful than that siege scene everyone keeps talking about 🙏

Serse_Cosmi said:My goodness—so much praise! I guess it’s just... overwhelming. 🙂 Well—I suppose this will be my next film to watch. 🙂 Afterward—I suppose. I suppose this is it—the whole thing. Maybe? 😁

Have you actually seen Deliverance? — I mean, seriously... I guess maybe you haven't?

Good grief—that is an absolute classic. 🙏

Roger Allen3 said:I can't help but feel like it's mostly just people trying to prove they're smart by saying "yes, I actually read books"—more about ego than anything else, I guess.🙂

Well, I'll be the first to admit—I'm probably not the brightest... the only book I've ever finished that actually had a movie version was Oliver Twist.👍 😁

I agree—😳 😬 🙏

For me personally, the end result of the movie is what matters most—faithfully adapting a great book doesn't necessarily guarantee a good film. They are just two different mediums, after all, and some things simply don't translate one-to-one, so they shouldn't have to. I'll throw out a cliché, slightly random example—that show That's my Bush by the creators of South Park. There’s this one scene with a fetus riding a dog, which feels totally absurd in a live-action setting, whereas in South Park, it would probably be perfectly fine and totally normal. I won't go on forever with examples—my limited literary background keeps me in check, I suppose.😳

Basically, I just want to say that I care much more about whether an adaptation works as a standalone movie rather than just being a book projected onto a screen.🙏 🙏

I guess Uwe Boll is practically a saint compared to Hostel 🤮

Vepar said:One more thing—this movie, much like certain newer horror films (take Descent, for instance), really dives into the breakdown of humanity—you know, exploring what happens when someone is pushed into an extreme situation and is forced to become just as primitive and violent as their enemies.

It just lacks those Kafkaesque twists—that sense of a lone individual battling their environment or deep existentialism—so I suppose some critics will never truly appreciate the actual value of Descent.🙄

Gosh, I really can't stand the Hostel 👋

Not me—honestly, the only one I thought actually looked like a genuine person from France was the lead; everyone else just seemed like typical, plain old white guys from the suburbs. Even then, I'm not entirely certain if he's even an immigrant himself—it's just that he didn't seem like a true native from France.

Go find some privacy, please🤮

It’s almost hard to believe—such a brilliant film, and the movie topic was just... well, it was everything.🤮

fused 🤣

p.s.—regarding those Kafkaesque twists and turns—I suppose I’ll weigh in once I've actually managed to get through some of his work 😳

Well, I finally sat down to watch it, and I have to say—I’m siding with Smudge on this one. To start with, until he actually reaches the crime scene, the pacing is just agonizingly slow—it drags—and those moments that should have been high-tension felt incredibly flat. Though, I did find it quite engaging watching the duo discuss that top-secret deal inside the house, especially when the kid nearly busts through the ceiling right into the bedroom 🙄—honestly, you can't use a lack of budget as an excuse for stuff like that 🤮
The central hook is great, I suppose, but that alone isn't enough to make the movie work as a whole. The ending is just... messy and totally underwhelming. My gut feeling is that the director was smart enough to realize the film's only real value lies in you know which specific scenes, so he tried his best to steer clear of Shyamalanism. Unfortunately, he just isn't skilled enough to pull it off. And regarding the lead—I can't tell if it's the director's fault or if the kid is simply a terrible actor, but I really didn't care for his performance 🤮

And yes, Xavier, Shyamalan offers so much more than just a twist in his movies—have you even seen Unbreakable? I suspect you might be a bit of a film snob, personally 😉

Larry Martin11 said:😁
...anyway—to add one more thing to this discussion, though I say it to my own shame—I’ve actually struggled for quite some time to tell the difference between Ray Liotta and Greg Kinnear. 😳Not that there's any doubt about who's the better actor or director—of course not—but still, I feel a bit embarrassed...

🙂

Greg Kinnear is easily the most underrated actor working today—and I say that with full responsibility. 🙏 🙏

The man just needs a few powerhouse films to become a cult icon... 🙏 🙏 🙏

winnie said:It’s probably best to know what I’m getting into when I ask questions here—given all the mockery and the lack of actual answers...

👍 🤣 🤣

Larry Martin11 said:there isn't really a comparison to be made between Christopher Meloni and Elias Koteas...:

Dammit, that should have been my line—😁 😁 To be honest, I didn't quite grasp what on earth you saw in that detective from Law & Order: SVU and that manic deputy from Oz, and it took me—well, quite a long time, I suppose—to realize they were actually two different guys.😲

Well, I guess he isn't much to look at—but he certainly gets the job done 😬

rowdybadger41 said:the dolls were used... 🙂 basically, they were trying to see what kind of damage would be left on them—presumably because they represented humans. 🤔

That’s the explanation they give on IMDb too, but I guess it's totally nonsensical since they're just plastic. You know—if it was an explosion, they'd melt or crack, but if we're talking radiation, then the effect on people would be entirely different than its effect on plastic.

Donna Gomez16 said:I'm kind of in the mood to watch that movie right now.

If you can—watch both the original and the remake; they're both quite good, I suppose. 👍

The opening sequence is just... well, it's peak—really incredible, actually—especially with that 😕bluegrass😕 track by Webb Pierce, "And More," paired with those shots of nuclear blasts and mutated people.

The only thing I haven't quite grasped, though—I guess I don't get it—is why the dolls?

Matthew Campbell83 said:this movie is garbage. it’s basically just a carbon copy of that stupid "Wrong Turn"—only this one takes place in the desert instead of the woods... honestly, where is the creativity? absolute trash.

well, for starters—you have these Americans driving around all proud with their flags, only to end up dying because of things their own country actually did😉

I think the film is actually excellent—it isn't even close to being comparable to Wrong Turn. plus, it's one of those rare remakes that is almost as good as the original.

Regarding the movie Scream—I guess the issue is that people see it as a parody rather than a standard horror flick, which leads them to misjudge it—but it’s actually an excellent film, provided you watch it as a satire of the genre.