Posts by Larry Martin11

...brightfox6, you're reading me like some kind of unencrypted open book 😉

...I mean, I'll give you this: *Lost in Translation* is a lovely little movie 😍 but the whole point of my argument is to flag a few things here: it makes zero sense to claim Sofia Coppola lost her way or wandered off course with her second feature. Honestly, we don't even have enough of a track record to go on—I mean, can we really use *The Virgin Suicides* as the sole benchmark for her "talent" as a director? Sure, crimsonmoose3 is free to argue she’s a mediocre filmmaker, but claiming she’s "lost"? Hmmm...🤔

crimsonmoose3 said:Man, you really can't expect much when it comes to book adaptations. First off, there's those damn screenwriters who just take way too much liberty with the source material.

...and that’s exactly what I want to dig into—what does "too much creative liberty" actually mean to you guys? Is it about how, as crimsonmoose3 pointed out, white characters suddenly turn Black or ugly people become Hollywood models just to be more "marketable"? Or maybe it's when they swap out something central—like how the movie based on Hornby's Football Fever turned the whole thing into baseball? To me, it feels like when an American adaptation takes a brilliant autobiographical story rooted in something deeply cultural—like a passion for soccer, where a team's wins and losses mirror the hero's own life—and guts the core themes just to reshape it for a totally different audience, turning it into some sugary-sweet romance. Why is it such a massive struggle to make a decent adaptation? Aside from what rowdybadder41 mentioned—that everyone has their own mental version of a book that a director just can't possibly replicate—why does this always seem to go wrong? 🙂

...I’m scrolling through this thread about Tom Tykwer's "Perfume," and honestly, I can't believe how quickly—and almost invisibly—this discussion about a fresh, buzzy new movie morphed into something else entirely. It’s turned into a debate over how closely dear Tom stuck to the book, whether he stayed faithful to the source, if every single scene—especially those end sequences everyone seems obsessed with—matches the pages, and whether the lead actor is just too handsome to play a guy who is playing a character... It feels like we’ve all gotten caught up in those pedantic arguments and completely missed the forest for the trees. The real question isn't about specific scenes or plot points, but rather how effectively Tykwer captured the actual soul of the book on screen. And just when I thought about how impossible book adaptations are with an audience like us, brightfox6 hits me with some blunt truth. She basically told me, "When you go to see the Little Butcher, leave your expectations, your 'prejudices,' and your love for the book at the door and just enjoy the movie." Now I'm left scratching my head, so I figured I'd ask you guys...
...When you sit down for a book adaptation, what are you actually looking for? Does it matter to you if every single "story beat" or scene makes its way onto the screen, or is it more important to see if the director successfully translated the author's core message—even if they have to strip away certain scenes to get there? (I mean, is Michael Haneke allowed to film his version of Drunkardism, based on that sexually explicit work by E. Jelinek, without including any "real" explicit scenes? Or did Nichols make a mistake by leaving out the steamy parts in Marbers' Closer?) Do you have rigid expectations for the casting? Must the actors look exactly like the descriptions in the book, or is it enough that they capture the right expression, regardless of looks? (Could Grenouille be a pretty American boy instead of a grotesque Frenchman? Could the blue-eyed, almost charming Benoit Magimel pull off the endlessly arrogant Walter Klemmer?) Do you approach an adaptation with "preconceptions," expecting the director to follow a specific set of rules, or can you watch a film independently of the book? How much creative license should a director have? Does it bother you when they take too much freedom—stripping the film down to a raw idea or motive while tossing out all the context? (Is brightfox6 right to enjoy that freedom, or is Poirot right to claim that Winterbott ruined "Jude"? Was Haneke on the right track when he tried to visually approximate a Kafkaesque letter in his Castle?) Do you struggle with these dilemmas yourselves? Ultimately, do you prefer movies based on books, or do you lean toward original screenplays—or does it even matter? 🙂

...The floor is yours, and I’ll probably chime in along the way...🙂

...Steven Soderbergh...😁...Sex, Lies, and Videotape...plus Erin Brockovich and Ocean's Eleven, Twelve, and Thirteen...😵 and I have to admit, he’s definitely influential—but personally? He might just be the most mindless director in the US. I mean, seriously, 😁 after everything else, he goes and shoots Bubble just to prove to us that he can still play the indie darling—except he really doesn't want to! Honestly, Soderbergh, you're beyond saving 😵

Hannah Thompson2 said:It's true that being a goalkeeper is one of the toughest jobs in soccer,
but I can't help but look back at those newspaper headlines where Robinson was slapped with a 4 out of 10 rating—which, honestly, is just insane.
Look, he played well overall; sure, he was to blame for the first goal, but the second one? Not him.
Neville shouldn't have been passing it back to the keeper in the first place, but when you can't, you can't really blame Robinson—he was basically staring at a patch of grass he couldn't see through, and if you watch the replay, the ball clearly took a wicked bounce right at that moment.
So, it was just a freak accident—a series of bad circumstances where the keeper isn't actually at fault.

...I more or less agree, though I feel the need to point out a few things:
1. No matter how tragic, unlucky, or completely innocent Robinson was in this scenario, it was—well, it was ridiculous.🙂 And because it was so absurdly funny—and since the team handed up three massive points and ended up becoming a laughingstock for the global soccer community (because, let's face it, people always love watching the "giants" stumble)—there has to be a scapegoat. And who else would it be but the goalie? So, poor Robinson is stuck in the crosshairs, whether as a punchline or a target for criticism. It’s sad, sure—I was pulling for the US team, so I felt for him too—but that's just how it works.
2. As much as it might be unfair, please don't pin this entirely on Neville either. He didn't react perfectly, but he did what seemed like the logical move at the time. It wasn't some panicked, brainless reflex; he genuinely thought—or at least that's my guess, unless someone wants to accuse me of being a mind-reader—that passing it back to Robinson wouldn't be an issue. What happened, happened. Garry's call turned out to be wrong, but I still can't stand seeing him get roasted for it. I mean, it's Garry Neville we're talking about, after all. 🙂 😳
3. Andrew Gomez4 is spot on here: Americans really do struggle with goalkeeping depth, and this wasn't Robinson's first slip-up. So, maybe we shouldn't go overboard with the sympathy, even if he didn't deserve this much heat given how solid he was for the rest of the match. IMHO, he isn't even responsible for that first goal—his defense absolutely should have cleared that up—but hey, here we are.

...so, yeah, that's my two cents. 😁

Jose Miller17 said:So I roll up to the theater... and what’s actually wild is that yesterday there wasn't a single hint of that stench from the local snack bar... they must have finally fixed it because it usually smells absolutely god-awful. You'll be halfway through a movie when this smell hits you so hard you feel like your hair might fall out—like someone took twenty rotten eggs and tossed them in a pan with some spoiled cabbage. Anyway... I grabbed a large bag of chips since I was starving, but everything was already closed. Honestly, yesterday was actually a decent day to hit the movies, despite it being a Sunday—which we all know is statistically the worst day ever. Oh, and earlier that morning, my neighbor Pete stops by asking for help moving some tires out of the hallway because apparently his wife won't cook dinner until those things are gone. So, I'm heading over to Pete's when...
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Does anyone else get tired of following these mindless ramblings?
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If you do, you're missing out on The Black Dahlia, for goodness sake.

🙏 🙏 🙏

🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣

🙏

...those rental cars—the dark blue Fords (were they even Fords? 🤔) from the X-Files 😬

...has to be David Lynch at work 😉

...hey boss, you're running late... I was actually among the first ones there 😉

Kevin Scott37 said:I'm dying to find this, but I can't track down Bach Cello Suite No. 4: Sarabande

...honestly, same here. I haven't had any luck finding those short pieces or collaborations either... unfortunately...

..SF? Exotica? Man, I really hope you didn't walk away feeling totally let down after watching that 🙂

...swap ideas? Anytime 🙂

...if you can find a bit of time and actually feel like watching something, definitely check out Ararat—to me, it’s easily one of the best films out there that tackles political themes so unapologetically... honestly, I think it's worth giving Atom Egoyan another shot after seeing The Sweet Hereafter, just to see if you can "get him" again. Maybe I just got lucky because the first one I ever saw of his was, if I remember correctly, The Adjuster, and man, was that an easy one to connect with. With some of his others (Calendar, Family Viewing, Speaking Parts...), I definitely needed a bit more patience and willpower, even if they each have their own little rewards in the end. 🙂
...anyway, I won't push too hard, but I highly recommend it—and hey, if you're looking for a specific movie to add to your collection, just let me know 🙂

...is 🙂 Felicia's Journey is still pretty fresh in my mind, mostly because I only actually sat down and watched it a couple of days ago...

So... anyway...
I just realized I’ve been talking about this genius everywhere—even here on fashion forums. 😁 Well, besides this forum—where any discussion about him and his little artistic endeavors really ought to start and end—I figured I might as well change things up. 🙂...
He’s one of those directors I’ve grown incredibly fond of—even if he seems to be haunted by the same themes, circling back to them again and again from film to film. He’s even admitted to it himself, at least a few times. But he doesn't seem to care about being repetitive or tedious; he just approaches it from a different angle every single time. I’ll be honest—it wasn't exactly love at first sight. His movies can be pretty demanding to sit through. But man, the payoff after every viewing is huge. The guy is a master of detail and an absolute artist when it comes to pulling incredible performances out of his cast. And let’s face it, he almost always works with a stellar crew—usually the same reliable group of people—and his wonderful wife, Arsinee Khanjian, serves as both his muse and his trademark. To me, Atom Egoyan is one of those rare filmmakers whose work manages to be deeply complex and emotionally raw all at once. You can't really escape his films; they leave this heavy, lasting impression on you, even if they aren't everyone's cup of tea. He’s definitely a regular at Cannes, though he’s never quite snagged the big one—the Palme d'Or, anyway—despite picking up several other awards over the years. Still, he’s easily one of my favorite directors. 🙂
...Josh, I’ve always felt like I’m missing out when it comes to his early stuff, but since the day... Family ViewingHonestly, I found something beautiful in every single one of these films. 😍 Even though... The Adjuster It’s still my absolute favorite—partly because I’m a sucker for the nostalgia, but honestly, I’d tell anyone to give it a watch. Why wouldn't you? Ararat...because he managed to tackle an incredibly delicate political subject in such a brilliantly clever way—something that, let’s be honest, most of those overly patriotic American directors haven't been able to pull off, and frankly, still can't today. 😁 I don't know what you're trying to get at here—is this some kind of test? If you've got something actual to say, just say it. I'm sitting here waiting for a coherent thought, not just random characters. What's the plan? Exotica...even if he might be the most famous one. The Sweet Hereafter Not me, man...

Anyway—I was wondering how things are going with all of you? 🙂
So, what's the verdict on Atom Egoyan? Do you actually buy into him as this deep philosopher—some kind of genius, hyper-intelligent auteur—or is he just way too precious and exhausting? My sister thinks his stuff is borderline monotonous, which, honestly, I can see. I'm curious where everyone stands. What’s your absolute favorite? Which one do you think is his worst? And for those of you stuck somewhere in the middle, which ones land there for you?

I'm listening. Go ahead. 🙂

...Julien Donkey-Boy...it breaks me down, every single time. Maybe that’s not the right way to describe Harmony, but Julien is just pure emotion from start to finish...😍 😍 😍

...noooo...I was actually thinking about movies where politics is the explicit centerpiece (think > or >) versus those that offer a critique of political realities without making them the central plot. Take >, for instance—on the surface, it’s just a story about kids in the US, but really, it’s a biting commentary on the state of the whole country and how it's being run... or >—which presents itself as a film about a dying father, when it's actually a critique of the ideology that drove an entire generation of parents...🙂 and so on... that's why I put "non-political" in quotes 🙂... but whatever, it doesn't matter 🙂
.
...even blockbusters play around with political themes quite often—just look at MI:3 or >... they're clumsy about it, sure, but honestly... 😁

...look, I just threw out a few movies that lean political—in my opinion, anyway—just to get the gears turning. I’m genuinely curious what you all think, plus I'm always hunting for new recommendations to add to my watchlist. 🙂 Personally, though, I can't stand films that try too hard to be "political." Usually, they end up being either one-dimensional stories about the Cold War era or just straight-up monotonous slogs... but if a movie plays with political themes under the radar without making it the whole point? That's where I'm truly in my element. 🙂

...maybe throw in a few more descriptive adjectives, verbs, or nouns alongside that lovely bit of prose—it wouldn't hurt a bit 🙂

...Alright then, folks—let me see you all in here...🙂 ...and let me correct myself immediately, because I was actually quite surprised when I stumbled upon a thread with this specific title...🙂
...we’ve discussed all sorts of cinema, but we haven't touched on "political" films in quite some time 😁... do you even like movies where the core theme involves a political event, a certain figure, or anything else that could be labeled as political? What does a "political film" actually mean to you? Is it just those overtly political stories that question the status quo (like Fahrenheit 451 or, more recently, V for Vendetta)? Or maybe the ones that tackle political themes head-on (like Ararat, Good Night, or and Good Luck)? Then there are the ones that address politics indirectly by critiquing specific public policies (The Death of Mr. Lazarescu as a critique of healthcare policy, or Rosetta as a look at employment policy); those that deal directly with political ideologies or movements (Barbarian Invasion, or even Hair and Wolf Time—which is based on Thomas Hobbes); or perhaps the ones that hit us more uncomfortably and indirectly (Dear Wendy, Videodrome, or Caché)? Are they the films that confront us with everyday "global injustices" (Winterbottom, Michael Haneke)? Or do you consider a movie political if it merely alludes to government failures, plays around with concepts of power and authority, shows us their abuse, brazenly twists ideology, and questions our perceptions of order (for instance, a friend of mine thinks Dogville might actually be the most political film of them all...)? Do you think movies have any actual political impact (I always fondly remember how US youth employment policy shifted after Rosetta 🙂 but that feels like a lonely outlier...)?

...actually, do you even think about the political aspects of the movies you watch? Does that dimension even interest you? 🙂