nimbleridge5 said:The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. That whole scene in the cemetery where Tuco Ramirez and the dog end up scaring the absolute life out of each other, and then the dog lets out this little yelp and bolts, leading to that frantic, synchronized sprint through all those headstones.😁
Honestly, no matter how many times I’ve sat down to watch that classic, I only just caught that specific little moment... it is absolutely incredible! 😲
Right now, what keeps popping into my head is the death of Brad Pitt's character in Meet Joe Black... every single time, it just cracks me up until I'm crying tears of laughter... seriously, it's one of those scenes I can go back and watch over and over again without ever getting tired of it.
Joseph Hayes3 said:Honestly, my experience with the Google Drive upload was the exact opposite—it was a total disaster of a trailer, but the movie itself turned out to be pretty great!
I am totally with you on that! It’s one of those rare cases where the trailer completely misleads you and sends you down the wrong path, only for you to sit down and realize the actual film is something else entirely... and in this instance, I personally thought the movie was way better than what the trailer led me to expect.
It happens more often than you’d think... just look at the last example—Haywire... such an incredible trailer, totally high-energy, featuring a stellar cast, yet the actual movie turned out to be this confusing mess that was honestly tough to follow... and don't even get me started on all that wasted acting potential...
But anyway... I've got a different question on my mind... if we don't actually open the box, how are we supposed to know if the cat is alive or dead? 😕
The trailer looks seriously promising... the director seems like they've got a real vision here... and honestly, the most important thing for me is that the vampires don't just sparkle in the sunlight... this could actually turn out to be a really captivating movie!
I’ll be the first to admit that the movie has reached legendary status, and I totally respect everything it brought to the table regarding filmmaking, but if I’m being completely honest, I’ve just never been able to connect with this particular Lynch masterpiece.
electriccanyon26 said:A film exploring the six-year friendship between Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud, focusing on how that bond shaped Jung’s trajectory as he began his career in psychiatry. It sheds significant light on his romantic connection with the American woman Sabina Spielrein, one of the early female pioneers in psychoanalysis. The story kicks off when she is admitted to Jung’s clinic due to a neurotic disorder, two years before he even meets Freud.
Keira Knightley delivers a fascinating performance; Sabina is perhaps the most compelling figure here, especially given her role in the overarching narrative. Her fractured psyche is particularly gripping at the start, though the specific details of her illness aren't laid bare. It’s clear her struggles stem from sexual frustration, yet we never learn which pivotal discovery led to her recovery—what the core of her issue actually was. She remains shrouded in mystery, leaving a lingering sense of dissatisfaction because certain pressing questions go unanswered. Ultimately, it seems to be the director's choice to avoid over-explaining the mechanics of psychoanalysis, preferring instead to focus on other elements.
Sabina was naturally a highly sexual person, and whether she was truly "cured" remains ambiguous—at least within the context of this film. This supports Jung's theory that people don't benefit from merely being confronted with their frustrations, especially if viewed through the narrow lens of sexuality alone; this fundamental disagreement between Jung and Freud is handled brilliantly here. The dialogue between the two men is the film's strongest asset. In almost every line spoken, you can catch glimpses of the profound ideas held by these two giants.
There is certainly a heavy intellectual component, but Cronenberg manages to approach the subject matter with such meticulous detail that the result never feels dry, despite the fact that this true story isn't inherently cinematic. I was personally quite skeptical about how this would work—I didn't realize there was a stage play involved—especially since the most critical moments of their relationship hinge on Jung recounting his dreams to Freud and a passing mention of some sort of "murky tide of occultism."
Viggo Mortensen plays Sigmund Freud as an unusual man of few words—extremely restrained, arrogant, with a gaze that conveys coldness, confidence, and a deadly resolve, but also deep-seated vanity, envy, and bitterness. His interpretation has incredible depth; it was a huge surprise to me.
Freud was fearless in defending his theories. He handled the lack of respect from the scientific community at the time with dignity while building a following. He sought a reputation as a pragmatic scientist who had established a legitimate method for uncovering the soul, discarding any moral or religious "deceptions" associated with it. However, that hunger for authority eventually obstructed his pursuit of the truth. Jung, on the other hand, wasn't afraid of being cast out; he was a much more persistent and courageous fighter, willing to sacrifice far more than just his status. Michael Fassbender is, as expected, excellent in his role.
I'm not sure how much of this lands without some background knowledge of the actual history, so I've looked into the details to somewhat justify the film for those unfamiliar with the era. There are moments where characters leave thoughts unfinished when they should have completed them. The non-linear structure might also be a drawback for some. It goes without saying that this is the most unconventional Cronenberg film to date—and I found it exceptional. Perhaps I'm being unrealistic, but for me, this is a 9/10. 🙂
p.s. I'll admit I'd find it hard to recommend this to my casual friends, but I'd definitely suggest it to the Jung enthusiasts. 🙂
electriccanyon26, thank you so much for such a fantastic review! Even though some things make a lot more sense to me now and certain pieces of the puzzle have finally clicked into place, I still stand by my original take: this is definitely Cronenberg's weakest work, and honestly, it just felt like an unnecessary movie to me. I should probably mention again that it's totally on me—I don't know a whole lot about this specific subject matter, and it's never really been something I was super interested in anyway. 🙂
I was honestly looking forward to this one, mostly just because of Cronenberg. To be totally blunt, the subject matter holds zero interest for me, but hey, you can't argue with a powerhouse cast. It’s becoming pretty obvious that Viggo Mortensen has become Cronenberg's go-to guy. I have to admit, though, this might be one of the director's weakest efforts. Without having done much homework on the background of the story, I dove into this celluloid mess headfirst—sort of like a kid jumping into a swimming pool without checking the depth—and I stayed stuck in that state of confusion right up until those sweet, sweet end credits rolled. Look, I know I have some blame here; after all, how do you even approach a movie that doesn't pique your interest in the first place? You find yourself wondering what on earth the director was thinking! But I guess there's no excuse, even if he does have plenty of experience dealing with psychoses (no pun intended). As the scenes kept rolling and the characters kept talking, I just couldn't find my footing in the plot or the acting... honestly, the only thing keeping my focus was staring at the rather frail Keira Knightley... good grief, someone please get that woman a sandwich! It makes me wonder, can an actor's physical appearance really distract that much from their actual performance? I don't know, tell me if I'm crazy. I suppose she did alright? As for Viggo Mortensen, he seemed to do exactly what was required of him, but even for a talent like that, he felt like a total shadow of himself here. And don't even get me started on Vincent Cassel! He just breezes in and out of the film without leaving a mark. If anyone was actually trying to hold this whole chaotic mess together, it was Michael Fassbender. This was truly a bad film.
It was a pretty solid little indie flick! Honestly, Brody really carried the whole thing on his shoulders and did a fantastic job. I’m not entirely sure what people were hoping to get out of this one, though... because from my perspective, the movie delivered exactly what the trailer promised—nothing more, nothing less.
Carol Hughes10 said:I honestly can't believe it—he isn't even mentioned in any of the trailers at AMC! 😠 Why on earth won't they show this in our theaters? Does anyone happen to know where I might be able to download this movie? For goodness sake! 😠😠😠
There's already a CAM version floating around the web if you're interested in checking it out. Honestly, it's nothing new when it comes to the local distributors here... they really aren't acting like The Three Musketeers! 🙄
So, we've basically been handed a female version of Jason Statham here... which, honestly, I'm totally fine with! 🙂 The movie looks like it's going to be an absolute blast to watch...
Wait, were those extended cuts what aired on TV, or was it something else?
Personally, I think the first one is the absolute best, followed by the third. I felt like the second movie lost its way a bit after that incredible first installment... though maybe my expectations were just set too high! But honestly, the third one ties everything together so beautifully. 🙂
By the way, if anyone is curious, I can break down the differences between the theatrical/TV versions and the extended editions. Spoilers ahead, so sorry about that!
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo The Girl Who Played with Fire, pt. 1 and The Girl Who Played with Fire, Pt. 2 The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest
redowl90 said:Does anyone happen to know if there are any film adaptations out for Rose Madder or Insomnia?
From what I've gathered, Rose Madder is slated for 2014, but I haven't seen anything on the radar for Insomnia... which, honestly, isn't a huge loss in my book since I've always found that one to be a pretty weak entry in King's bibliography.
Honestly, I feel like Mick Garris really missed the mark with that mini-series. While the first two episodes manage to hold your attention somewhat, those final two episodes are just a total letdown. To be fair, the book itself wasn't exactly a masterpiece, but this project definitely deserved a much more honest, high-quality remake.
Jamie Kern10 said:Oh, Bo is definitely still out there making movies! After "Protecting Oneself Sinj hand," he went on to shoot "Golden Stick" (Golden Hammer) back in 2005 while traveling through Mexico, and then teamed up with his crew from Miami to pull off "Leveled with the Ground" in 2005. He also gave us the "Borilica martial arts course" in 2007, followed by "The Masked Robber" (2007) and "Big Rocks" in 2009. The real kicker is that he doesn't have the big media outlets or those massive Hollywood stars backing his projects anymore; instead, he’s gone right back to his roots in pure, low-budget trash cinema. There’s still a huge appetite for his work, but I just can't seem to find a distributor willing to get his films onto the big screen in theaters. Does anyone have any bright ideas?
Sadly, I don't. It really is such a shame, though... I am absolutely certain there's an audience out there just waiting to see his creations on the big screen! 🙂
