Posts by Emily Thomas3

Let's see how the Americans translated the movie, then we can just download it 🙂

Caught his film at a festival in Chicago. I actually liked him at first, but once the second half kicked in—you know, when the plot really ramped up and the romance started—it felt super thin. It totally ruined my initial impression. 6/10

So, how am I even lying to people when I tell them mine is better? 😉 What the heck, you’ve totally gotten inside my head, argh! 🤣

I don't know, I think I prefer the storytelling a bit more. Even though both movies are awesome, they feature what are probably the two best actors in America right now, and they're hilariously twisted. visitor q The way they handle it... honestly, Storytelling actually has that scene where the kid asks Consuelo what rape is, but Happiness doesn't have anything like that. Plus, Storytelling features B&S on the soundtrack, and they're hands down one of my favorite bands ever.

If you want some solid storytelling, Todd Solondz is definitely worth checking out—honestly, his stuff might even top Happiness. Two movies that aren't strictly "high art" but are totally worth your time are Notes on a Scandal and In the Bedroom, though I personally liked the latter more. You don't see Sissy Spacek singing American pop hits 🤣 every day, and man, does she nail it.

David Price5 said:At its core, it's really a road movie. I watched it ages ago, but I never really thought of it as slapstick. I would have expected more friction between the characters. To me, it feels more like situational humor. Just think back to that jail scene where the number slowly ticks up, or them looking at photos of what they miss most...

See, it always gave me Woody Allen vibes, but it’s been at least 8 years since I last sat down with it, so maybe my memory is fuzzy even though I remember parts clearly. But yeah, you're spot on—it's definitely a road movie.

* بالنسبة لـ America* is such a great flick—honestly, it’s just this silly slapstick comedy packed with super clever bits. You've got Jim Jarmusch playing a car salesman, that guy munching on sandwiches while everyone else survives on onions, the whole revolution thing, the guitarist thawing out, Lincoln, the cousin who fell into a golf course current, and those ridiculous songs. *America* could easily hold its own against the Monty Python crew or any other legends of that kind of humor. I watched *Moises* once a long time ago, but I barely remember anything about it 🤷

Down by Law is definitely the best Jarmusch flick, though Night on Earth is a pretty slick omnibus, and Broken Flowers is actually solid too. You should give some Aki Kaurismäki a shot (Ariel, Leningrad Cowboys Go America where Jarmusch plays a part, The Man Who Hired a Hitman, or La Vie de Boheme)—one of those will definitely hit the spot for you 😬
As far as artsy films that aren't just pretentious nonsense, I'd recommend Chaos and Good Morning Babylon by the Taviani brothers; I'm a huge fan of their style. Babylon is their standout, while Chaos feels a bit more "art house"—Pirandello worked on the script, if that matters to you at all.

And I’m pretty sure they aren't the reason why movie theaters are seeing such a thin lineup lately.

Nicholas Edwards4 said:I guess if I spot more than two old guys, a kid, or a Black person in those opening shots, I’m probably just gonna turn it off.

Seriously though, do you ever actually finish a movie?

Anyone else here struggling with their weight? 🤣

goldenhound32 said:It doesn't matter; at least we've established that baseball fans don't really cheer. And why is that?
I see the average game runs about two and a half hours or longer. Nice.

Oh, right... I forgot to mention... I tend to avoid WWII movies (especially if they dwell on civilian suffering) because there are just too many of them, and I find myself thinking, "For heaven's sake, pick a different era of warfare." Still, I ended up watching Downfall because everything suggested it was a masterpiece. And it truly is.

I dunno. First off, baseball isn't exactly a high-octane sport. Second, they play 162 games a season, so you don't get the same die-hard crowd showing up every single day, which means you lack those intense supporter groups you see in soccer stadiums (over here, the stadium DJ usually handles the energy, and honestly, they do that for most sports too). Third, there’s tons of stuff going on at the park besides the actual game—you’ll see people walking around and grabbing food constantly. Plus, fans of different teams are all mixed together, making it hard to build that one massive, unified group that drives the cheering (at least in the traditional sense).

People definitely get loud during clutch moments, like the final out or a huge rivalry game—especially when the Yankees and Red Sox are playing—but otherwise, the vibe at the stadium is just chill and relaxed.🤣

Oops, went off-topic again. 😢

BTW, you never actually explained why you're so against the suffering of Jewish people (I'm still holding out hope that someone does an adaptation of Maus. Animated, obviously).

What on earth is going on with this kid's hair?

goldenhound32 said:The mere act of spectating is what makes someone a fan.

Yeah. They aren't really cheering; they're just watching. Especially in baseball. Trust me, I catch games for hours every single day. Sure, you might see some noise here and there depending on the stadium or the team playing, but it's not exactly a riot. But the whole point was that baseball doesn't have cheerleaders, which you already knew. Still, you totally dragged me into another pointless debate.

Mark Wood79 said:What am I even supposed to say to you now? You’ve already seen where I stand on this.

Hmm, well, I'd definitely recommend checking out Ghost World and American Splendor. Neither one has all those crazy special effects or superheroes and stuff. Honestly, Ghost World is worth it just for the best performance of Steve Buscemi's life, and Paul Giamatti is absolutely killer in the other one.
I mean, they're both dramedies, even if they're based on comics. Personally, I like Ghost World a bit better, but they're both great flicks.

goldenhound32 said:Well, if they actually show up to the podium, then maybe we'll see something happen. 😁

By the way, "cheerleaders" aren't just fans or spectators. I honestly don't know if there's even an American term that captures the nuance perfectly, but we definitely need a better word for that concept.

@goldenhound32 - For me, that monologue was easily the highlight of the entire film. Honestly, I think the characters could benefit from breaking the fourth wall a bit more often—just to acknowledge their own existence as characters within the narrative.

I don't particularly mind when a film decides to break the fourth wall. It can work if handled correctly. However, I felt that the execution during that specific monologue missed the mark entirely. I'm planning to revisit it on YouTube later to see if it's actually available there, and then I'll provide a more definitive take on what exactly went wrong.

Not really my thing. I mostly stick to watching movies on my PC. While I was browsing through some TV channels, I stumbled upon all sorts of absolute garbage. Honestly, I don't even regret it; it’s all just part of the job.

+1.

Heh, acting like we’re analyzing the complete works of James Joyce... what’s the point of studying this guy's filmography when every single movie he makes—with the exception of JCVD—follows the exact same formula? And let’s be clear here: I’ve sat through far more than five Jean-Claude van Damme films, and that’s not even counting JCVD.

Actually, calling them "fans" is a pretty solid way to translate it. At their stadiums, you usually just have spectators, not hardcore supporters—the only ones actually cheering are, well, the cheerleaders. And come on, don't be such a stickler, I know you can 😉 😬

Mark Wood79 said:Look, I already spoke up when someone claimed that a true cinephile is someone who watches everything—if that's the case, then I'm not a cinephile at all. There's just no way, and honestly, I don't have the TIME. Movies aren't my job; I watch them because I love them, and I'm old enough now to know what doesn't interest me. For instance, take comic book adaptations that I have zero interest in. People can talk to me about how phenomenal the special effects are all they want, but the truth is, I simply don't care, and that's that.

What about Ghost World?

goldenhound32 said:Well, obviously... and that’s precisely the problem. In this instance, the impression left by the movie is being driven by something entirely external to the film itself. And what lies outside the film? It's just Jean-Claude van Damme's previous body of work.

If JCVD had spent his entire career starring in heavy dramas, this wouldn't be perceived as such a great film.

But honestly, knowing the van Damme catalog is key to actually getting this film. Without his past work, this movie wouldn't even exist. That's basically the definition of postmodern.

@Nicholas Edwards4 - there aren't any female fans in baseball.

@goldenhound32 - honestly, that monologue was my favorite part of the movie. I actually think characters should break the fourth wall a bit more often and just realize they're characters.

ontopic: nothing like that here. I mostly watch movies on my PC, and when I turn on the TV, it's strictly sports. I've stumbled across all kinds of random crap while channel surfing, but no regrets—it's all research for the job.

Personally, I wouldn't include anything filmed after the collapse of American cinema 🤷

coca cola kid
mystery of the organism
man isn't just some bird
love affair or tragedy involving a USPS clerk (just so we don't forget Kafka)
+
master of his own body