Posts by bluenomad2

To me, Charles Bronson was always the coolest. Those whiskers did a lot for him, though he was untouchable even without them (Hard Times). That era was packed with heavy hitters—Marvin, Steve McQueen, Clint Eastwood, Steve McQueen, Yul Brynner—but Bronson always hit different for me.



There’s a great nod to him in True Romance 😁

Patrick Martin said:🙂

Man, listen... you can't even talk about that kind of effortless charm without bringing up James Stewart. It’s just different, you know? Like, some guys try too hard, they're all flash and no substance, but he had that thing. That quiet, steady vibe that just works. It's like comparing a cheap knockoff to the real deal. You just don't see it anymore. ☕

Man, give me James Stewart for Westerns any day. He’s the only one I’d rank alongside John Wayne in that genre. Eastwood is fine, sure, but he’s too much of a "cool guy." These two feel real. They actually make me smile.

Reminded me of that scene from The Sopranos where Tony Soprano talks about James Stewart http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvjYuIBy-oQ.

It's a shame. I actually enjoy it when things go over the top with the acting or the plot, provided it serves a purpose. Right now, I can still see those head movements and stares of his 🤣

The one classic I couldn't stand was the >. The cast was mediocre at best. It just didn't grab me. Too ordinary.

Interpersonal relationships are poorly written too. The Walking dead turned into a total soap opera ages ago. The pilot was the peak—it was directed by Darabont before he was forced out. No wonder the show fell apart.

Between the ratings and the quality... people were watching Vampire Diaries and other shallow nonsense.

James Garcia50 said:Perry Mason and Della Street are among the best dressed characters 🙏

Cary Grant ☕

The most elegant actor ever. That’s why one of his films is my all-time favorite. Not just because of him, but you can't deny that effortless elegance he carries.

You've started a decent debate here, so I pulled out the relevant bits. If anyone else has examples or a sudden fashion epiphany, keep it going right here.

I watched it, but without Campbell to make the movies actually work, and without Raimi bringing that fresh direction to the screen, it’s pretty forgettable. Same deal with the new Carrie. There's some talk about Raimi and Campbell working on a series http://www.denofgeek.com/tv/evil-dea...ell-to-feature

Maybe TV shows would finally outshine the movies then 😍

It’s unfortunate that when you quoted me, I saw I had actually written "James Garcia50ga". My apologies, 😁

Sure, Asians are always in the mix, but they've really dominated the scene over the last decade, especially since Korea took the lead.

There was also mention of The Raid 2: Berandal, which honestly beats the first one. A massive action film.

Nicholas Watson Asks:
🤣 🙂
Sorry, but you remind me of someone. 🤣

Of course they aren't.

When it comes to prison themes, the series wins again. Oz. 🙏

Again?

Oz is a 90s series. I saw some debate on previous threads claiming today's shows outshine movies, but that's nonsense. This current era of television isn't better than when we had Wire, The Sopranos, Deadwood, The Shield, Carnivale. It doesn't even touch the quality of the 90s.

Most people look at a five-year window using current shows. You mentioned Wire and The Sopranos, but those wrapped up ages ago—they belonged to a different era. Back then, those series weren't even better than movies, let alone today.

Whenever I see someone asking for lists like that, it tells me everything. It’s usually people who claim modern shows are superior while dismissing current movies without actually doing any research. They were clearly raised on Hollywood.

James Garcia50 listed all those film industries. These days, it's the Romanian New Wave calling the shots, while the Koreans have been dominating since last decade—honestly, all of Asia is on fire right now. The French have cooled off a bit, but Scandinavia is stepping up to fill the gap. What am I supposed to do, just tell someone they have to watch some obscure Romanian gem? [Link to IMDb: The Raid 2: Berandal] So, what’s the endgame here? Honestly, I doubt they'll even watch it. The second they claimed modern movies are bad, it was obvious they haven't done any actual research—they were just raised on special effects.

Second off, even if they do watch it, I doubt they'll change their minds. There are plenty of idiots like that these days. The variety is massive, but obviously, very few people who prefer today's era of television actually enjoy those kinds of dramas. They should just go watch something by Farhadia instead.

The internet is largely responsible for why people think this way. You can find practically anything online these days. But when it comes to TV shows, it’s mostly garbage. Millions of new series drop every year, and the vast majority of them are pure trash. I've already mentioned those mindless comedies or the pathetic attempts at procedurals.

What I’m loving right now is Rectify; House of Cards and Mad Men are still killing it. Most modern series just rely on manufactured hype. Even the 90s weren't better than movies, despite being stronger than what we have today—they weren't better because the films being made back then were simply superior.

TV series will never catch up to movies. Film quality is always superior. Take Oz, for example. Then you have Midnight Express, Escape from Alcatraz, and Cool Hand Luke. Three completely different prison films.

Some might bring up Green Mile or Shawshank. But Oz stands alone; there's just no comparison. As for Prison Break, it’s a joke. 😁

If someone tries to tell me today that Orange is the New Black is a "great" series, I’ll just roll my eyes. A truly great show is one that leaves you breathless with almost every episode. Aside from some likable characters and a bit of humor, Orange is the New Black doesn't offer anything that makes me say, "That's the one!"

It’s not just that one show. Nowadays, series are built entirely on cheap shock value, constant twists, and nothing but sex appeal. Everything is just overblown.

James Garcia50 said:Everyone’s out here bragging about hype instead of actual quality.
Everyone keeps bringing up Game of Thrones, yet not a single soul mentions Rectify, which is hands down the best series from the last decade.

Not even that—they don't bother investigating anything. Hollywood is their entire world; maybe if they stumbled upon a recommendation from outside the studio system, they'd force themselves to watch it.

Nowadays, South Korean and Romanian productions are dominating. Last year was a powerhouse. Movies will always be stronger regardless of all the garbage out there, and better yet, there are dozens of bad series to choose from.

A million shows come out every year, most of them being those mindless comedies that inevitably fail. Very few series actually manage to sustain high quality long-term. That's just a fact. And we aren't even in a golden age of television. There were much better eras before, and movies were superior back then because they were better than what we have today. It's a cycle that repeats itself.

James Garcia50 said:I don't care about comparisons like that.
Checking box office numbers before a movie doesn't change my mind if the lead actor is a jerk. And I don't read reviews either.
My take on movies and shows is mine alone, based strictly on what I watch.

It’s the exact same story with TV series—pandering to kids and the lowest common denominator of an uneducated mass.

Exactly this.

Unfortunately, most people just rate things based on hype, popularity, or whatever is trending. Just because something is popular doesn't mean it's actually good. By that logic, The Vampire Diaries is high art. 🤣

Looking at this thread, you can see how many people just follow whatever is new and trendy. They have zero credibility.

The Golden Age happened once before. It’s not about personal taste—it's an objective fact. Anyone who actually worked in Television, from the writers and producers to the directors, knows this.

Rod Serling remains one of the most significant figures in the history of the medium, and rightly so. A Golden Age occurs when a wave of series introduces something truly groundbreaking. It isn't defined by popularity, but by the raw innovation and ideas never before seen on screen. We saw it back in the 50s, and the cycle repeats itself constantly. A total Twilight Zone 😁

And now, I'll inevitably have some forum user tell me there was only ever one Golden Age, and that anyone who analyzed previous eras is just a fraud or a liar.

James Garcia50 said:Besides, you're losing it over these new American shows, acting like nothing existed before. As if Americans don't obsessively remake every single European series out there...

Twin Peaks is a masterpiece (not that I even listened to the intro music...)

I'd agree. Season one is some of the best television ever made.

shadowangler50 said:They call it the golden age because we've never seen this many high-quality shows packed into a single era. Sure, there were great shows before, but never this many critically acclaimed hits hitting at once.
Second, it's a golden age because, for the first time, these series are actually outperforming the movies being released alongside them. This is their peak, where they've finally seized dominance from film.

Look, I spend my time scouring the internet for something to watch—new or old—and I've reached the conclusion that modern series are generally superior to the older ones. You can judge based on taste, but I'm judging based on facts.

There was a golden age before too. The internet just makes everything feel like a massive trend.

shadowangler50 said:They call it the golden age because we've never seen this many high-quality shows packed into a single era. Sure, there were great shows before, but never this many critically acclaimed hits hitting at once.
Second, it's a golden age because, for the first time, these series are actually outperforming the movies being released alongside them. This is their peak, where they've finally seized dominance from film.

Look, I spend my time scouring the internet for something to watch—new or old—and I've reached the conclusion that modern series are generally superior to the older ones. You can judge based on taste, but I'm judging based on facts.

They haven't overtaken anything, and they never will.

You don't understand what a golden age actually implies. For you, it's only a golden age because they're more 🤣

Do some actual research on the golden age of television http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Age_of_Television

http://www.salon.com/2014/06/22/how_...den_age_of_tv/

Read this as well: Hill Street Blues, Twin Peaks, The X-Files, ER...

shadowangler50 said:They call it the golden age because we've never seen this many high-quality shows packed into a single era. Sure, there were great shows before, but never this many critically acclaimed hits hitting at once.
Second, it's a golden age because, for the first time, these series are actually outperforming the movies being released alongside them. This is their peak, where they've finally seized dominance from film.

Look, I spend my time scouring the internet for something to watch—new or old—and I've reached the conclusion that modern series are generally superior to the older ones. You can judge based on taste, but I'm judging based on facts.

You didn't offer facts, just your opinion. I gave you the facts. There are books written about previous golden ages of television—various analyses and influences. That's a fact. What you're claiming is basically a fabrication with zero foundation.

What you wrote is perfectly clear. If it's a golden age, then you assume series are automatically better than movies, which is why I pointed out that there were golden ages before, meaning series were already better back then.

Of course they aren't. Movies will always be better.

So, you haven't even heard of the Twilight Zone? Fine. I'll leave it at that.

Your other points were actually solid. Later, 🙂

I gave you an example. Look at The Twilight Zone; almost every single episode features masterclass directing. I only shared one specific episode because I consider it one of the absolute best. You should probably look into how The Twilight Zone is studied in academia—directing is discussed there quite frequently.

Acting? Yours is fine.

Quality? Even better.

You can't go around accusing people unless you actually have solid arguments and evidence to back it up. By your logic, were films directed fifty years ago worse than they are today?

I doubt Hitchcock, Bergman, or Fellini would agree with you.

Carl Hill53 said:Yeah, I do have a problem. My problem is with the way you talk to people. Honestly, you're just irritating and exhausting.

Just like I believe you didn't watch any TV series before the turn of the millennium.

I'm not even sure I follow you.

Well, I find myself just as irritating and exhausting. 🙂

In what way?

If there's a problem, use the report button. I already reported myself to the moderator just to see if I offended anyone. I like being helpful.😍

No, the issue is that Carl Hill53 has me, ullou, and basically everyone else on his radar. 😍

Then he goes looking for answers. He doesn't even know what he wants. I actually asked him to point out exactly what I wrote that isn't true.

Have these golden ages existed before? Yes.

shadowangler50 wrote "Series have definitely taken over, and rightfully so, the lead from movies. That's why they call this the golden age of television."

By saying that, he implied that a "golden age" automatically means series are better than films. That's why I pointed out that golden ages have been happening for a long time. There have been several; you see them practically every decade. If his logic held up, it would mean series are superior at every single moment in history.

Carl Hill53 said:Quote: shadow dancer

bluenomad2, I am asking you—one more time—to stop addressing the rest of us on this forum like you’re some kind of omniscient deity who’s seen it all and swallowed every ounce of wisdom on the planet. Seriously, just knock it off. If you keep acting like you have all the answers and talking down to everyone else, I might actually have to step in and look into some sanctions regarding your forum identity. Enough already.

Of course the series are being filmed—and will continue to be filmed—parallel to the movie. It’s just how the production works. Also, if I’m being honest, I highly doubt you’ve even seen one percent of what’s actually been shot, yet here you are, acting like some kind of ultimate authority and trying to lecture everyone else with your endless, misplaced expertise.

Let’s face it—we are living in an era where the sheer volume of television is exploding, but honestly? It feels like we’ve reached this weird breaking point where quantity is finally, desperately trying to catch up to quality. I mean, if you look at the trajectory from just a few years ago leading right up to today, there’s this massive shift happening. We’re seeing more shows than ever before, yet that transition from "just another series" to something truly substantive is becoming such a volatile balancing act. I guess you could say we're witnessing a massive influx of content, but whether that actually translates into better storytelling remains to be seen—it's a messy, complicated evolution, for sure.

Look, would you please just stop talking trash? Seriously. P.S.—Twin Peaks is nothing but pretentious garbage.

Quote: shadow dancer

Absolutely.

Go ahead and try. You clearly have an issue, yet I haven't insulted anyone—I'm just correcting facts. Tell me, what part of what I wrote is untrue? You constantly attack everyone for trying to explain things to you.

Carl Hill53 said:Quote: shadow dancer

bluenomad2, I am asking you—one more time—to stop addressing the rest of us on this forum like you’re some kind of omniscient deity who’s seen it all and swallowed every ounce of wisdom on the planet. Seriously, just knock it off. If you keep acting like you have all the answers and talking down to everyone else, I might actually have to step in and look into some sanctions regarding your forum identity. Enough already.

Of course the series are being filmed—and will continue to be filmed—parallel to the movie. It’s just how the production works. Also, if I’m being honest, I highly doubt you’ve even seen one percent of what’s actually been shot, yet here you are, acting like some kind of ultimate authority and trying to lecture everyone else with your endless, misplaced expertise.

Let’s face it—we are living in an era where the sheer volume of television is exploding, but honestly? It feels like we’ve reached this weird breaking point where quantity is finally, desperately trying to catch up to quality. I mean, if you look at the trajectory from just a few years ago leading right up to today, there’s this massive shift happening. We’re seeing more shows than ever before, yet that transition from "just another series" to something truly substantive is becoming such a volatile balancing act. I guess you could say we're witnessing a massive influx of content, but whether that actually translates into better storytelling remains to be seen—it's a messy, complicated evolution, for sure.

Look, would you please just stop talking trash? Seriously. P.S.—Twin Peaks is nothing but pretentious garbage.

Quote: shadow dancer

Absolutely.

Believe me, 👍

Carl Hill53 said:Quote: shadow dancer

bluenomad2, I am asking you—one more time—to stop addressing the rest of us on this forum like you’re some kind of omniscient deity who’s seen it all and swallowed every ounce of wisdom on the planet. Seriously, just knock it off. If you keep acting like you have all the answers and talking down to everyone else, I might actually have to step in and look into some sanctions regarding your forum identity. Enough already.

Of course the series are being filmed—and will continue to be filmed—parallel to the movie. It’s just how the production works. Also, if I’m being honest, I highly doubt you’ve even seen one percent of what’s actually been shot, yet here you are, acting like some kind of ultimate authority and trying to lecture everyone else with your endless, misplaced expertise.

Let’s face it—we are living in an era where the sheer volume of television is exploding, but honestly? It feels like we’ve reached this weird breaking point where quantity is finally, desperately trying to catch up to quality. I mean, if you look at the trajectory from just a few years ago leading right up to today, there’s this massive shift happening. We’re seeing more shows than ever before, yet that transition from "just another series" to something truly substantive is becoming such a volatile balancing act. I guess you could say we're witnessing a massive influx of content, but whether that actually translates into better storytelling remains to be seen—it's a messy, complicated evolution, for sure.

Look, would you please just stop talking trash? Seriously. P.S.—Twin Peaks is nothing but pretentious garbage.

Quote: shadow dancer

Absolutely.

Just as I believe you weren't watching TV series before the 2000s.

Carl Hill53 said:Quote: shadow dancer

bluenomad2, I am asking you—one more time—to stop addressing the rest of us on this forum like you’re some kind of omniscient deity who’s seen it all and swallowed every ounce of wisdom on the planet. Seriously, just knock it off. If you keep acting like you have all the answers and talking down to everyone else, I might actually have to step in and look into some sanctions regarding your forum identity. Enough already.

Of course the series are being filmed—and will continue to be filmed—parallel to the movie. It’s just how the production works. Also, if I’m being honest, I highly doubt you’ve even seen one percent of what’s actually been shot, yet here you are, acting like some kind of ultimate authority and trying to lecture everyone else with your endless, misplaced expertise.

Let’s face it—we are living in an era where the sheer volume of television is exploding, but honestly? It feels like we’ve reached this weird breaking point where quantity is finally, desperately trying to catch up to quality. I mean, if you look at the trajectory from just a few years ago leading right up to today, there’s this massive shift happening. We’re seeing more shows than ever before, yet that transition from "just another series" to something truly substantive is becoming such a volatile balancing act. I guess you could say we're witnessing a massive influx of content, but whether that actually translates into better storytelling remains to be seen—it's a messy, complicated evolution, for sure.

Look, would you please just stop talking trash? Seriously. P.S.—Twin Peaks is nothing but pretentious garbage.

Quote: shadow dancer

Absolutely.

Hehe 😍

hiddenbear4 said:HBO has raised the bar incredibly high—I’d argue they’ve done it all the way up to the level of cinema itself. Take ''Boardwalk Empire'', which I’m currently working my way through.

Stylistically speaking, we're looking at pure cinematic direction here. TV shows used to feel so formulaic, sterile, and frankly monotonous, but this is a whole different beast. For instance, the way they use parallel editing—it pops up several times; you'll see Nucky Thompson holding a press conference to calm the public and announce an end to the violence, while simultaneously cutting to scenes of the D'Alessio brothers being taken out on his orders. Do I even need to mention how much that mirrors the approach in ''The Godfather''? Then there are the camera angles, the framing, the movement... I mean, just think back to that 70-minute pilot directed by Martin Scorsese. What a hurricane of an opening! If they hadn't kept the series going, that single episode would have stood alone as a masterpiece.

The cinematic inspiration is obvious, too, through symbolic nods and mentions of films from that era. In the first season, Margaret Schroeder goes to the movies to watch Chaplin's Kid with the kids; in season 3, Gina Lollobrigida describes ''Nosferatu'' to her boss Rosetti; someone brings up the comedies of Buster Keaton; Mickey Doyle talks about the ''Baghdad Thief'' in season 4; and by season 5, which is set in 1931, we've already had mentions of Lewis Milestone's ''Front Page'', along with gangster classics like ''Public Enemy'' and ''Little Caesar''. I have to say, I was actually hoping for those little touches before I started watching, and it’s been such a treat when they show up. You saw similar stuff in ''The Sopranos''.

The acting is top-tier as well, and I don't think I even need to bring up the perfectionism in the production design and costuming. In some scenes where the dialogue felt a bit slow to me, I didn't actually mind because I found myself just soaking in the interiors... studying the furniture... or checking out the clothing and hairstyles. The CGI used for the Atlantic City sets doesn't bother me, though in certain shots (mostly wide or medium shots), you can definitely tell it's digital. The characterization is also excellent. Sure, there are some clichés, but every character feels like a real person with a soul... flesh and blood people... everyone has their own weight to carry.

The content of the show, much like ''The Wire'', is uncompromising and hits you right in the gut. It's the kind of thing that wouldn't fly in Hollywood today—it just wouldn't be considered. Like ''The Wire'', the series portrays corruption and depravity at the highest levels, skillfully mapping out the web of graft connecting politicians, businessmen, and criminals. The script does tend to get a little bogged down in that classic American way (you know, the last-minute rescue trope), but overall, it's very well written.

It seems like that new "New Hollywood" generation we were all calling for has landed exactly where we least expected it—on television, which has become the ultimate sanctuary for creative freedom.

I have to correct you because that isn't accurate. You still have formulaic shows today, just like you did back then. But just as we have brilliantly directed shows like Boardwalk today, we had them before too. I'll point to the Twilight Zone again; we're talking about the 50s, yet most of the series takes place in the 60s.

If you watch the episode The Eye of the Beholder, you'll see camera angles you won't find in any modern series, not even in Boardwalk. The Eye of the Beholder is a classic, one of the best episodes.

Watch The X-Files, specifically the episodes Jose Chung's enough and triangle. The first is directed in a Rashomon style, while the second is shot like Hitchcockian Rop. Or take the episode Bad Blood; again, that Rashomon style.

Speaking of Hitchcock, he has an excellent series, Alfred Hitchcock Presents. You'll find top-tier direction in every single episode. And that series is over half a century old.

Do you remember the series homicide: Life on the Street? It's right up there with The Sopranos, featuring excellent direction without any of the usual formulas. So, there were brilliantly directed shows before, but we're mostly talking about the absolute best ones. Just like Boardwalk.

Quote: shadow dancer

shadowangler50 said:Why are TV series dominating movies right now?

The answer is simple: they're just better.

And why are they better? Because they actually bother with a plot. Movies have become nothing more than a bloated mess of CGI and recycled storylines that we've all seen a thousand times before. Honestly, the only people finding that stuff engaging are kids under 15 who haven't seen enough cinema to know any better.
Sure, every once in a while a film comes along that feels like a breath of fresh air compared to today's Hollywood standards, but those are rare exceptions that only prove the rule.

Then you have international films from outside the US that focus on storytelling, but they run into a reality problem. Why do people watch movies and shows in the first place? For entertainment. Most people aren't looking to sit through a heavy drama about domestic violence or environmental crises; they deal with enough of that in real life. They want to unwind and escape reality, not dive deeper into it.

Series have rightfully seized the throne from movies. It’s no wonder everyone calls this the golden age of television.

This is exactly what I was talking about on the last thread. That bolded part tells me you don't have the slightest clue how TV eras actually work.

Those golden eras started back in the '50s with the Twilight Zone, moved through the '90s with Twin Peaks, and hit a peak when The Sopranos arrived late in the decade. Each period produced shows that completely revolutionized television.

People are getting it completely wrong. They think we’re living in some unique golden age of television, but that’s a misconception. Golden ages have been popping up every few decades for over half a century now.

The internet works wonders.