Posts by restlessfox5

Death and the Maiden

That moment when Paul Vujisić strips down in the tub.

Cinema is absolutely flooded with "masterpieces," but honestly, I'm not a fan—especially when Americans rush to remake something from just yesterday simply because they can't be bothered to watch anything that isn't in English. If you're going to bother with a remake, at least try to compare the two versions first.

Here are two examples I checked out recently:

The Flight of the Phoenix .
The newer version actually has a tighter script, but the original cast is way better—you've got James Stewart, Hardy Krüger, Ernest Borgnine, and a bunch of others.

Ofelas (Norv) Pathfinder (USA)

That 1987 film from Norway is a total masterpiece, whereas the 2007 remake is maybe worth a single watch if you're really bored.

I’m not even gonna bring up America here—honestly, there isn't a single political party or group in this country that actually uses "family values" as a real platform unless they're just trying to suck up to the Church.
Look, I’m not a conservative myself, so "Christian values" don't really move the needle for me personally, but it's pretty obvious those values—whether you call them family-oriented, moral, whatever—are in a tailspin. And from what I can see, it's happening without any real fallout for society.

Sure, some people will point to rising crime rates or the economy tanking, but if you look at the stats in the US or across Europe, crime isn't actually spiking—it's often dropping—it just feels different because of how the media spins it. As for the economic mess? That's got its own set of issues, and the fallout hits "decadent" places just as hard as conservative ones.

The real question is: how much does this breakdown of moral values actually impact a country? Because if there aren't any negative consequences, then what's the whole point of social conservatism anyway?

Christian Taylor3 said:If you ask me, this thread needs a total overhaul—or maybe just a new title altogether.

😁

What do you have in mind?

Gary James88 said:Nothing actually happens in the movie—unless you look away from the screen and hit mute, and even then, something is happening, you just aren't paying attention. People claim nothing happens in Stalker or The Tenant, yet people could write entire novels about both. Please.

I don't really get what "nothing happens" even means here. Are we talking about static camera work and way too much dialogue, or maybe too much action and not enough talk? What's the deal?

I didn't mean that literally *nothing* happens. As for what I meant by it? That's just a subjective take.

Mark Wood79 said:restlessfox5, you opened this thread and immediately dropped something pretty silly... Saying Stalker is a movie where nothing happens? I mean, aren't all movies without explosions, car chases, or shootouts basically "empty" or lacking action? Stalker is actually incredibly active in terms of consciousness and deep thought—it demands total focus from the viewer. That take just doesn't land for me.

Plus, you didn't even give us an intro here, so we have no clue what "nothing happens" actually means to you.

.

Imagine if someone filmed a movie where the two of us and a few others just sat around discussing this stuff all night.
If some high-brow European director picked it up, it might actually turn out to be a decent flick.

Can't think of any recent movies off the top of my head...

Stalker (Tarkovsky) is easily one of my all-time favorites. Stalker (Tarkovsky) (1979) Just revisited the Wikipedia page for Stalker (Tarkovsky)—man, that film is something else. It’s one of those heavy, hypnotic experiences that stays with you long after the credits roll. Honestly, even if you aren't a die-hard cinephile, there's just something about the atmosphere Tarkovsky builds that feels totally unique. It's slow, sure, but it pulls you in. Definitely worth a deep dive if you haven't sat with it lately. An Italian film. Vertigo (1960) Just took a deep dive into the history behind *Vertigo*. Honestly—what a trip. It’s one of those films that just sticks in your brain long after the credits roll. Even when you think you know what's coming, it still manages to pull the rug out from under you. Definitely worth a look if you haven't seen it yet—it's a total classic for a reason..

Like, say, from America... The Last Tycoon. Just finished it—man, what a ride. It’s one of those films that really sticks in your head long after the credits roll. Definitely worth a watch if you haven't seen it yet. Starring Robert De Niro and Jack Nicholson.

If they ever do a remake, I really hope they actually stick to the book.

The Girl Next Door / The Exorcism of Emily Rose is easily the best horror flick from the last decade--hands down.

The world in that movie actually makes a weird kind of sense. You just party hard until you hit thirty, and then http://www.youtube.com/watch#playnex...&v=xSnLU9nyFSA

Just caught this one today.

Honestly, one of the best pieces of SF ever made. Personally, I actually dug it more than the cult classics like Star Wars.

Back in the eighties and nineties—man, those were the days—they used to run this on loop on NBC. (We’ll probably see it pop up again eventually, right around the time they start airing every single Steven Seagal and Marc Dacascos flick on cable).

placidmarlin3 said:Do short films count toward the total?
Because if they do, then The Last Supper is definitely my top pick.😍

A couple of years back at a film fest, I caught some killer shorts—can't remember the titles, though.

I'm not really looking to dwell on the accident. I mean, stuff like that happens to anyone—it's just life—but still...

Basically being John Malkovich and watching Lesbian Vampire Killers.

Why not just let them release the original version in theaters? I mean, the movie is in English anyway.

I totally get why Hollywood might pass on a solid German or French flick, but a British one?!

Saw Bio on NBC again yesterday—honestly, who knows how many times now? It’s one of those movies I could probably watch for the hundredth time and still love.👍

Noah Howard98 said:It’s actually a pretty cool movie—as long as you don't start nitpicking all the logic too much. 😉

I'm not really feeling that sentence.

Samuel Baker3 said:I’m a huge fan of those old-school war movies—you know, those classic combat flicks—but man, some of the fight scenes? They're pretty mindless, to say the least. Just total nonsense.🙏

Or that whole mess with Relja Bašić—you know, the one where an SS officer was undercover with the partisans, who was actually undercover with the SS. Total madness.🤷

There are actually some pretty solid non-American movies out there too. For example... The Battle of AlgeriaCheck out this IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058946/ — or what else you got? 9th Infantry Check this out on IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0417397/