Jeremy Gray69 said:question: - Honestly, isn't this spot a total geographic anomaly? It feels like we're two weeks away from civilization no matter which direction you drive!
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
question: ...A woman is the most fiendish instrument of torture ever devised to bedevil the days of man...
I’m going to skip the immediate debate over Heat and try to dig into what exactly De Niro is hiding there. Look, I’m not a huge fan of his recent work either, but we really need to keep a few things in perspective:
1. The man has simply aged. That era when he was wild, driven, and possessed this burning desire to bend the world to his will is long gone. Back then, he found himself in the best possible company with Scorsese and knocked out a massive run of films together. I actually think Renton and Sick Boy touched on this exact issue during that scene with the air rifle in Trainspotting. As people get older, they just get more tired; that fighting spirit starts to fade. He isn't fully immersing himself in his roles anymore. He’s content just soaking up the accolades. Honestly, it’s just a natural part of growing old. Some might argue there are actors who haven't gone through a phase like this, but if you ask me, it applies to most of them—Jack Nicholson is probably my best example.
2. Then there’s the criticism regarding his acting in recent years. Even if we assume his performances aren't quite hitting the mark lately, the bigger issue is that the movies themselves are often lackluster to begin with. We're talking about uninspired themes, cookie-cutter productions, and mediocre directing. The scripts just aren't there. Why does he take these roles? Probably just pure laziness. But even if he isn't "acting bad," I wouldn't say he's performing poorly; I'd say he's performing appropriately for the material, without trying to turn something mediocre into something great. I mean, how could he?
3. So, can he make a comeback? It’s tough. His legendary run gave him a level of charisma that is hard to maintain at his age. I truly wish he would—and I’ll mention him again here—find projects that are actually interesting and resonate with where he is in life now (I’m thinking along the lines of As Good as It Gets or About Schmidt).
4. Or... maybe he played us all from the start? What if he isn't even an actor? What if he’s just some Italian mobster who started out on the streets of New York? Maybe he did a little boxing, fled to Vietnam to dodge a prison sentence, came back, became a big boss, and spent his whole life "acting" in movies just for kicks. Maybe Analyze This is finally his way of opening up and telling us how hard it actually was for him.🙂
The guy grew old, plain and simple. It’s not like it’s his fault. We’re all heading in that direction. He’s accomplished his legacy, but what about the rest of us?
Look, this movie isn't some complex puzzle you need to sit there and overanalyze to figure out what’s actually happening. The whole plot could basically be boiled down to two or three sentences: a guy's job is to take out the Emperor, he cooks up a few lies just to save his own skin, eventually backs out for other reasons, and ends up losing his mind because of the whole ordeal.
It’s honestly pretty chilling to realize that no matter how powerful an Emperor is, he’s still just a pawn in the hands of his own advisors. Even though he has genuine respect for the man who came to kill him—and even though he knows it won't happen and has essentially converted his greatest enemy to his side—he still has to maintain his dignity. He has to punish the person who thought they could actually take him down. The wind blows wherever the Emperor commands, but sometimes, the Emperor speaks exactly how the wind tells him to. It's just perfect.
It was a pretty standard movie for me. The opening hook definitely grabs you, but at its core, it feels like nothing more than a tribute to the >. Compared to other solid films I’ve watched lately—things like >, >, >, or even >—it didn't really stand out as better or worse. My only real worry is that, much like some other forgettable flicks, it might slip my mind in about a month.
Honestly, it bugs me whenever people claim a story is "based on true events." It feels like a cheap way to plug plot holes. If you label something as real, nobody can argue with the logic or say it isn't believable. It's like, who cares if the pacing is off or the characters act weirdly if you're telling me it "actually happened"?
That being said, aside from the initial hook, I actually liked the underlying theme—the idea that anyone can be played, that people are inherently naive, and that no one truly knows you better than what you choose to tell them. But then again, I suppose that’s just how life works.
Eric Jackson43 said:I’ve been really wanting to sit down and watch Hero, but I honestly have no clue where to find it. Any suggestions?
You can usually find this one in DivX format if you look around. If you're having a hard time downloading it online, try reaching out to some connections over in Canada. I actually managed to snag a copy while I was traveling through there. In those areas, you can still find places that rent out movies just like old-school video stores. Just make sure you're looking for a more recent release!
I watched Hero about three weeks ago and was honestly left stunned. Now that I've stumbled upon this thread, I wanted to jump in and share three quick thoughts:
1. I’ll be honest, I was starting to think big-budget production was just a gimmick—something used to drag us into theaters just to show off flashy technical specs that mostly serve as a glorified commercial for the studio. But Hero actually restores my faith in cinematic scale and why those massive budgets exist. The director wanted to convey the sheer, overwhelming power of an American emperor, and he did it by deploying thousands of extras, endless volleys of arrows, and massive cavalry charges. It’s a massive, imposing ruler. You wouldn't dare try to take him out; you couldn't even approach him unarmed without being within striking distance of a thousand arrows.
2. Lately, it feels like movies have been leaning too hard on convoluted plots, mountains of dialogue, and those forced end-of-movie twists that basically assume the audience wasn't paying attention. It’s like they're serving up a magician's trick instead of a well-told story. Hero, however, essentially tells the same story three different times, and we enjoy every single iteration (it reminded me a bit of the vibe in Run Lola Run), before finally being grounded back in reality. On top of that, they use these "beautifully dirty" tricks—stunning cinematography, vibrant colors, and a sense of deceptive simplicity and purity.
3. Is it possible we're seeing the birth of a new genre? You can't help but compare this film to Tiger and Dragon. Even though the themes differ, the storytelling methods feel strikingly similar at times. The martial arts masters aren't just experts; they're practically gods. They move faster than the eye can follow, with precision more accurate than an atom. They don't play by the laws of physics, not even close. That kind of exaggeration of combat prowess belongs right up there with old fisherman's tall tales. Plus, the characters are romantic again. Good and evil exist, sure, but the world isn't black and white. A seeker of vengeance might choose to let it go, and a mighty emperor might turn out to be a clever pragmatist. A student might sacrifice herself for her own mistakes, and a leader of a wild gang might throw his life away over a tragic love.
It feels like Hollywood has moved its headquarters to the Far East. To where kung fu lives.
analogrider15 said:Did you actually watch the movie, or were you just scrolling on your phone the whole time?
I was definitely on my phone, honestly. There’s nothing worse than finishing a movie and realizing all you have left is a vague, fuzzy memory of having watched it—and usually, that impression is pretty negative. In this case, I walked away feeling like it was just a messy mashup of Colors (Dennis Hopper) and Bad Lieutenant (Abel Ferrara).
Can anyone give me some insight into the media quality here? I just popped in this DivX file, and honestly, it looks like someone filmed it on a handheld camera inside a movie theater. There’s a ton of digital noise, the picture gets blurry at times, and everything feels a bit shaky. I'm starting to wonder—is this actually poor quality, or was it intentionally shot that way to give it a "documentary" feel?
William Morris2 said:I mean, how much of our music choice depends on what kind of mood we're in right now? (Rhetorical question, obviously) 😁 For instance, when I'm winding down for bed, I usually stick to stuff with a mellow, soothing, relaxing tempo. What about you guys?
Haha! I’d love to see someone trying to listen to Ministry right before hitting the hay. Honestly, what kind of substances would you have to be on to fall asleep to 180 BPM and 120 decibels?
I actually have a specific playlist just for highway driving! Stuff like ADF, Propellerheads, and things like that. Basically, anything that keeps the beat moving faster than the wheels on my car.
Then, I have a completely different vibe for that 5 AM drive back home. There’s just something strangely perfect about the combination of an empty road, the sunrise, a growing hangover, and Kruder & Dorfmeister Sessions.
The truth is, your taste in music says a lot about who you are. Back when I was younger, it was a huge factor in deciding who I hung out with. But honestly, even the people I didn't particularly vibe with didn't have tastes that were drastically different from mine. Back then, the divides felt sharper, though there were fewer people to choose from overall. As you get older—unless you live in a tiny town and never leave—you realize there are so many more people out there, and you can't afford to limit your social circle just to people who listen to the exact same stuff as you. Still, it remains true that by looking at someone's playlist, you can learn a thing or two about their life story—their upbringing, their education, and sometimes even their political or religious leanings.
While having the same taste in music (or movies, or anything else) isn't a dealbreaker for me anymore when making friends, it definitely makes it easier to find common ground and break the ice during those first few hangouts if we share a similar soundtrack.
And let’s be real: music is rhythm, rhythm is sex, and sex is a pretty big deal. I have a hard time imagining rolling around in bed with someone while Magazin is playing in the background 🙂 (though, I suppose I wouldn't turn down Halle Berry just because she wanted to listen to some cheesy pop song!)
silentpuma9 said:Hey, come on. If you thought the movie was such garbage, there's no need to come in here and trash it like this...
GET YR OWN TOPIC.... 😁
Oops, my bad! I didn't realize the thread title was actually "Training Day - positive review." Won't happen again, I promise.
I wish I could remember enough specific details about the flick to really tear it apart properly. Honestly, if I had to sit through it a second time, I don't think I'd make it.
This movie is so incredibly gripping and moving that even two months after watching it, I found myself pulling up AllMovie just to refresh my memory on what actually happened—and honestly, I’m still struggling to wrap my head around it. It’s such a heavy, significant piece of cinema that every single letter I type in this post feels like it's carrying ten times the weight of the film itself.
I really hope some Hollywood producers take notice of my talent here and compensate me at least as much as I paid them to watch the flick ($0.80) plus a little something extra for the time I spent on it ($80). After that, maybe we can all just move on and forget the whole thing, which is something I've been doing pretty successfully lately.
The whole movie reminds me of that old saying: "you can't have your cake and eat it too," because at the end of the day, Cage's main goal is definitely to stir up some trouble.
It’s beautifully shot, though I don't entirely buy into the argument that a "movie" doesn't need to be a "film" to be good. Even this one qualifies as a "film," even if people trying to bridge the gap between art and pure entertainment want to play it safe with their definitions.
Eric Jackson43 said:Since you went ahead and totally ruined my theory, the least you could do is tell me—was it actually worth it? Does life feel just a little bit easier for you now? 😕
It’s definitely a lot easier. 🙂 Thanks for making that happen for me. By the way, mus is fantastic, but there’s already a dedicated thread for him. I haven't seen Equilibrium yet, so maybe give Hero a watch instead.
Look, I’m not stupid, but I am definitely frustrated. Instead of starting individual threads for each of these movies, you guys just dump them into some random sub-topic that I happen to stumble upon because it's relatively new. You’ve only listed a few titles with pretty lukewarm takes, too. Honestly, I could list five movies right now that would actually make for a decent discussion—whether they're masterpieces or total disasters—but I don't want to. I'd rather just stop these low-effort threads from popping up; they have about as much substance as a cheap adult film script. Anyway, moving on:
Yeah baby, give it to me!!
Is this how you want it, man?
Deeper, deeper...
She's getting hot, come join us!
No problem at all, make some room.
You can have as much space as you want; she's open from every angle.
Nooo, no way. I want both of them in the same spot!
Even after watching it a dozen times, I still catch little details I missed before. It just leads me to one conclusion: they’re dim-witted, maybe even a bit more than that—but hey, that only holds true until I walk into the room.
Logan said:I honestly don't know what else to say besides the fact that I just can't stand DiCaprio, and because of that, I think the movie is total garbage! I have no idea why this film gets so much hype.
Look, you don't actually need DiCaprio to be the reason this movie is bad. Sure, he might drag it down, but even he has had some great moments in other films where you really have to hand it to him. This one is just so poorly made that any praise we give it feels like we're just trying to justify wasting our money. Honestly, we'd have been better off spending that cash on a cheap round of drinks at a local dive bar instead.