Posts by gentlemarlin

Threads like this should be locked immediately, and the authors should get a permanent ban. Even Goebbels or the American propaganda machine would be ashamed of such blatant, shameless lying.

silvergardener6 said:This isn't really a debate. 😂 I don't particularly feel the need to engage in a massive, drawn-out argument with someone who insists that > times deeper than is complete trash.
There's a general consensus on Rotten Tomatoes;

Smart, smoothly directed, and enriched with a deeper exploration of the franchise's thought-provoking themes, Catching Fire proves a thoroughly compelling second installment in the Hunger Games series.

But why? In my opinion, it seems pretty obvious—at least to anyone paying attention to the regimes and conflicts within that world (interestingly, I recently read a news story about protesters using a hand gesture identical to the one seen in the THG series http://www.wired.com/2014/06/hunger-...lute-thailand/—which shares some DNA with Divergent—regarding facing fear and embracing individuality 😂). One could probably find much more detailed analyses in any of the hundreds of reviews out there, which are likely far more thorough and insightful than anything I could write here regarding a topic that isn't even about Catching Fire or The Hunger Games, but rather Mockingjay part 1.

Then go start a blog or just hit "like" on Facebook. You've dropped a few replies to my posts, but not once have you actually said anything substantive because apparently, doing so is "beneath you."

There's a consensus on Rotten Tomatoes.

Argumentum ad populum.

Why? In my opinion, it's as obvious as it gets—at least to anyone who actually follows global regimes and conflicts.

It’s not obvious because you haven't made a single actual point in any of your posts. All you've done is claim the film is relevant or timely just because there are rebellions happening in the world. I already countered that by explaining why the way they depict it in the movie is totally illogical and unrealistic.

(fun fact—I recently read news that protesters used the exact same hand gesture seen in the THG series)

A few fans of the Hunger Games series gathered and started imitating the movie. What exactly is that supposed to prove? People started speaking Spanish after watching soap operas, and people started getting haircuts like their favorite football players.

silvergardener6 said:😂🤣

Now, I am certainly not claiming that THG is some sort of absolute masterpiece—after all, it is still a YA film—but if you can't see the relevance of the THG series when looking at current or past global events, or perhaps the specific ideas it provokes, then I wonder what makes it a superior series compared to the somewhat superficial and hollow Divergent (which, for the record, I gave an okay rating to because it serves as decent entertainment). If you truly believe Divergent is ten times better than THG and Citizen Kane, then I suspect you might be living under a rock, viewing the world through a very shallow lens, or perhaps you are just twelve years old.

I don't see it, but feel free to explain if I missed something. I'm not a fan of abstract arguments.

I already explained why THG isn't relevant to anything happening now, in the past, or in the future. The basic premise of the movie is just illogical and unrealistic—regular public executions used as a way to keep neighbors from rioting, while nobody even knows who's next on the list a year from now.

the ideas it provokes

Like what..?

what makes it a good series compared to the shallow and mindless Divergent (which I gave an OK rating to because it's decent entertainment) while simultaneously claiming it's 10 times better than THG and Citizen Kane—then you probably live under a rock, have a very superficial view of the world, or you're twelve years old.

There's actually a third option here: I might just perceive depth differently than you do. For a large chunk of film critics, "depth" means an actor hysterically overacting or showing massive emotion. Or playing some lunatic. That automatically makes them an Oscar contender. To me, depth is when something reminds me of states of being that transcend normal human functioning, where scenes and characters trigger emotions outside the everyday human spectrum. From that perspective, Divergent at least has scenes where they face fear and deal with it in different ways, whereas I can't think of anything like that in THG.

The core premise of Divergent is that being different makes someone a threat to society, and one faction wants to seize control through mental manipulation. It's actually quite grounded, and we've seen stuff like this play out in reality. Sure, the movie has holes and the ending sucks, but at least there are standout scenes. I can't recall a single one in the Hunger Games.

As for Citizen Kane, it's total garbage. I can't remember a single redeeming quality or a single memorable scene. I'd rather watch the Hunger Games ten more times than sit through Citizen Kane once. Citizen Kane is the textbook definition of the kind of "depth" that doesn't mean anything to me.

silvergardener6 said:If you were to compare Divergent to The Hunger Games, I feel like Divergent would be nothing more than a shallow puddle, whereas The Hunger Games is truly an ocean. If you aren't able to perceive the sheer depth within the Hunger Games series by the time you reach the end of the Divergent series, then perhaps it might be worth revisiting it with a bit more focused mental effort—that is, I suppose, one of the primary reasons (which you seem to have missed) why the THG films received such critical acclaim.

Divergent has scenes that are ten times deeper than anything in The Hunger Games.

The Hunger Games series has zero depth. Calling it critically acclaimed is probably the same joke as calling Citizen Kane a masterpiece when it's actually just boring and pointless. The Hunger Games is just your run-of-the-mill action/drama you see everywhere. The only thing "deep" about it is the massive plot hole at the core of the premise: the idea that the central government would organize the Hunger Games to prevent rebellions, when logic and actual sociology prove they'd just provoke the population instead. Or maybe the "depth" is that the contestants need sponsors? Or maybe it's some deep, meaningless love story? Or maybe it's the mindless slaughterhouse that the movie is? It isn't.

I sat through the first two movies since everyone keeps hyping them up, and I honestly still don't get the appeal. I can at least see why people dig Harry Potter, but I just don't see it with The Hunger Games. Maybe the costumes during those chariot scenes were okay. It’s not that the movies are total garbage, they're just mediocre. To me, it felt like a watered-down American version of Battle Royale, just with more filler.

Most of the characters are forgettable, except for a few who might have actually been interesting if they weren't relegated to five minutes of screen time. As for the lead... yeah, pretty average.

The world-building logic is pretty weak. The Districts aren't well-developed, and they just sort of vanish whenever the central government starts cracking under pressure. It isn't realistic, but whatever, I'll let it slide. What really makes no sense, though, is the actual Hunger Games. A government that wants to prevent rebellions wouldn't hold an event that fuels resentment among the very population they're trying to pacify every single year. That's literally the fastest way to spark a revolt.

I thought Divergent was twice as good. Sure, that movie has its own issues, but it actually had some decent moments.

I sat through Once Upon a Time in China yesterday. I’m short on time, so I don't waste it on filler. Honestly, I couldn't find anything interesting enough to keep me focused while I was multitasking, so I didn't even finish the damn thing. Now, someone’s going to tell me I could have figured out I hated it in just a few minutes or that I missed something vital, but I disagree. That’s plenty of time for me to get a feel for the vibe, check out some dialogue, see how the action scenes play out, and decide if there are any characters actually worth following.

I did the exact same thing with another Asian film.

I'm officially done with Asian films for the foreseeable future.

Dennis Martin6 said:Those movies are top-tier—perfectly directed—but I think gentlemarlin is just looking for some Hollywood-style Chinese flicks. Maybe they should give the Detective Dee series or Journey to the West a shot instead.

I'm not sure what "Hollywood-style" means to you. I assume you mean "shallow movies packed with special effects." 🙂 Honestly, that's exactly why I've almost stopped going to the theater altogether.

I've already seen both Detective Dee films just because of the lead actor. I wouldn't rank them above average, though. Crimic is always interesting, but these two feel way too unrealistic.

I'll check out the other one you mentioned and let you know what I think.

Steven Clark2 said:What interests you about Chinese films? Like, what genre?

Genre doesn't matter to me. What matters is a movie having impressive, quality dialogue, solid and engaging characters, or actual wit if it's a comedy.

I'd start with Once Upon a Time in China.

I don't know why, but I kept thinking I had already seen that. Then I went to check on YouTube and it doesn't look familiar at all. Added it to my list. 🙂

Terry Collins9 said:1911, and I don't get why nobody mentioned Red Cliff; after all, it's a John Woo spectacle.

It just didn't click for me.

goldenowl73 said:telling someone they aren't stupid, just mentally stuck in the past, is nothing more than an insult and a useless ad hominem...

Oh please, that’s probably the best description of Michael Collins I've ever heard. LOL 🙂

(But we already hashed that out in a DM, and I don't have any beef with that cardboard.)

I'm done here, but I'd appreciate it if you could just use a separate account when posting on the PDF world (like "Rock 2" or something) so I can actually put you on Ignore. Thanks.

Someone told me to start a new thread, so I'm not sure if I should be using this one instead.

Anyway, I’m on board with what was said. Let Rocky moderate some other sub-forum. Maybe the women's corner. Or Film. But here on the PDF world, he acts exactly like the people I have on my ignore list—except, because he's a moderator, I can't actually block him.

The guy churns out the same amount of nonsense and trolling as Michael Collins. He's completely immune to logic or actual arguments. It wouldn't even be an issue if he wasn't a moderator and I could just hit the ignore button.

Ethan Jones98 said:I’d suggest two really great ones—and I know tastes vary, obviously—Not One Less and Happy Times, both from Zhang Yimou's earlier period. They focus on "ordinary" people caught in unusual circumstances. It's also quite nice that, unlike some of his other work, the ending isn't just everyone killing each other.

I'm also looking for recommendations for similar movies... though honestly, they don't even have to be similar, as long as they're good.

Ugh... I read the summaries for those movies and honestly, they sound terrible to me. If I wanted to watch nothing but small-scale struggles, I'd just watch soap operas. I want to see epic, larger-than-life characters. That’s actually why China appeals to me—it's massive and imposing. 🙂 Plus, they have the budget for grand spectacles. It doesn't always have to be historical epics or wuxia; the aforementioned Cold War is actually really solid.

There was a time when Chinese filmmakers were churning out great movies like an assembly line, but now it feels like they've hit a wall. I really thought they were on track to rival Hollywood, but it looks like it'll be a long time before that happens (if it ever does).

It's honestly hard to believe that nobody here watches Asian films (including those from Hong Kong) and has zero recommendations to share.

Susan Hernandez said:But that’s exactly why we have the "Asian film" thread. 😉 You might find some decent recommendations for other Chinese movies over there.

The Asian thread is meant for smaller film industries, not for giants like Indian, Chinese, or Japanese cinema. Besides, we already have dedicated threads for Japanese and Indian films (and Iranian, etc.).

For those who aren't aware: looking at the numbers, the top four film-producing countries are India, the USA, Japan, and China.

(I can't believe there isn't already a thread dedicated to this.)

Chinese historical epics and wuxia films are already legendary.
That said, I recently sat through two Chinese films with more "modern" themes, and they were actually pretty solid. So, I’m putting it out there—if anyone has recommendations for other high-quality Chinese films, please let me know.

The two I just mentioned are:

1. Cold War (2012)
An explosion goes off in public and a police van with its crew gets hijacked. That’s all I’m saying. Don't go straight to IMDb because those mindless reviewers love to drop spoilers everywhere. This movie is unpredictable (which is incredibly rare), intriguing, smart, and features great acting.

2. Thelma & Louise (2012).
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2370792/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
If anyone happens to know the melody playing at 00:35:27 (the kissing scene), hit me up. As for the movie itself... I don't even know how to describe it. It's pretty uneven; some parts feel like a typical American indie flick, while others are contemplative pieces meant for people who actually appreciate deep dialogue.

The 1938 version of Robin Hood is hands down the best one ever made.
I just revisited *The Wizard of Oz*, and honestly, I’m still trying to wrap my head around how much this movie shaped everyone's childhood. It’s one of those absolute classics that stays with you. Even after all these years, there's something about that transition from sepia to color that hits differently. It's iconic for a reason.

The rest of them—including this one—are fine for a single viewing, but they’re totally forgettable. It’s been a while since I sat through Ridley's Robin Hood, and honestly, I can't recall a single standout moment. All I can remember are the parts that really got on my nerves.

Don't bother. It's a Los film. Just cheap comedy built on toilet humor... way too dragged out.

gentlemarlin said:Dear gentlemarlin,

You have received an infraction on Reddit.

Reason: Trolling

This infraction is worth 35 point(s)

So, who's running this thing? Where can I check the leaderboard?

I really need to know if Tinder users and everyone else are ahead of me. Personally, I'm breaking my own records, but I have no idea if I'm hitting Olympic levels here.

Here are the disciplines I'm competing in this month over on the politics / world subreddit:

Trolling: 35 points
Hate speech: 500 points

(Doesn't include anyone who has been permanently banned from the site.)

(Not sure if I posted this in the right spot. I tried to DM rezon@tor, but his inbox is totally slammed.)

The elections in Senegal.

Let's spend a few hours really chewing on this topic.

darkhawk43 said:Look, don't go thinking you can just haul two or three tons of Kraš onto the shelves and call it a day. What exactly are you expecting—that Jadranka Kosor is going to show up at a trade fair in Washington, D.C. and personally broker the deal for you?

Great. While their government rolls out the red carpet for foreign corporations—even if they have to use military force to break into markets like they did in Iraq or Libya—our own administration exists solely to squeeze us with endless taxes and fees.