Posts by steelstag4

Laura Fox3 said:Speaking of IMDb, there’s this one thread over there where a father is asking if a specific movie is appropriate for 12-year-olds—that’s actually what triggered my thoughts on this whole subject. So, this guy jumps in and explains that while there are some pretty violent scenes, the sexual content is basically just implied; you know, just hearing heavy breathing in the background.

And then, the OP responds with something like, "Well, okay, the violence isn't an issue for us..." 😕 😕

Now... who exactly is the crazy one here?

Honestly, I found that entire exchange hard to believe. This guy has a 12-year-old son, and apparently, graphic violence doesn't bother him because the kid watches stuff like that all the time, yet he draws the line at a movie containing actual sex.🙄
Then, about ten people jump in, and instead of just calling him an idiot, they play it safe and coddle him—you know, the usual "well, yes, there is violence, the sex is mostly implied, maybe you should watch it yourself first to judge..." routine.

Americans are truly 🙂

La Boum 😍

Mark Hughes36 said:And most importantly—I felt almost completely emotionally detached from the characters (with the exception of the older brother, whom I started to feel for toward the end because of how selfish the younger brother was).

Hmm, that’s an interesting take. Maybe we should shift the discussion toward how we personally experienced specific characters.
For me, the impression was the polar opposite of yours. Both of them actually hit me pretty hard. I felt for the older brother because of that unquestioning devotion he shows his father—he doesn't ask where he's been, why he abandoned them, what he does for a living, or where he's taking them... He’s just happy to finally have a father present, even if it's only for a few days. No questions asked. He listens and respects him regardless of everything else.
It's almost like the relationship between a believer and God. Unconditional faith and love.

The younger one, though? It's the exact opposite. He’s furious at his father, acting like a dog that was kicked after being left behind, and now he’s trying to establish some kind of authority and parent the father instead. He defies him at every turn because he demands explanations; he refuses to accept this man just because he happens to be his biological parent.
It's basically the skeptic vs. God. 😁

Both are incredibly intense emotional reactions. If I had to go so far as to say, I think the younger boy is actually more emotional (or at least they are equally driven), because I suspect that beneath all that defiance and the desperate need for answers—and probably an apology—lies a deep-seated fear of being abandoned all over again.

And I wouldn't call the kid selfish at all. He grew up without a father, and now this guy suddenly shows up and starts barking orders? He has every right to be angry.

I found myself constantly wondering how I would handle myself in a situation like that. Honestly? I think my reaction would be much closer to the younger boy's than the older one's.

Look, a rating isn't some magic guarantee that a twelve-year-old is going to grasp every nuance of the plot; it’s really just a way of saying the violence won't be so overwhelming that they can't sit through it.

Sure, a kid that age might miss the deeper subtext, but then again, you see some incredibly mature kids these days, so who's to say?

I took a quick detour over to IMDb to see what people were saying, and honestly, I was just left stunned🙄 by how they handle these classifications. Over here in the States, this movie pulled an R rating, which basically means if you're under 17, you're out of luck unless you have an adult—someone 21 or older—with you. Give me a break.🙄

That aside, though, the movie itself is fantastic.👍

Honestly, this movie is a masterpiece.
Looking at those few stills floating around online and in the newspapers, I had this nagging feeling the whole thing would just be one long, heavy slog of depression and grayness—not just in the plot, but in the entire atmosphere.

The film took me by surprise in every single way, especially when it comes to the cinematography. I’m so glad I made the trip to the theater to see it; seeing this on a big screen is a completely different beast compared to watching it on VHS or a DVD.

As for the acting, they were🙏
Between those two kids, I can't quite decide who was better, though I suppose I leaned slightly toward the rebel type.😉

The End really leaves a bitter taste in your mouth...

If you don't go see this, you're missing out.😉

goldberry said:I’d honestly love to see that again...

Well, there's your chance right there. It's playing on Broadway.
I'm heading out there next week, so I'll check back in once I've had a look and let you know how it stacks up.🙂>

Does this DVD from the New York Times come with the black-and-white version or is it in color?

Goldberry, I think I’ll be skipping your movie recommendations from now on—you’re way too critical😁

Personally, I wouldn't dare be that harsh on a piece of work that basically belongs to an entirely new genre. I call it a docudrama😁
And if we group him together with directors like Moore under the same umbrella, you could easily label it a documentary-anti-advertisement😁

As for those people who are absolutely horrified by the concept of the movie—there’s a very specific reason for that reaction, which is laid out right at the very beginning of the film.

Bottom line: I liked the movie, and I definitely recommend it🙂

goldberry said:Thematically speaking—it’s played out.

😕

Carol Jackson45 said:What’s the consensus on "Amazing Grace"?

Personally, I thought it was excellent.
I’m really hoping it gets a proper theatrical release so more people can actually see it.

I’ve tended to gravitate toward films that tackle heavy, gut-wrenching subject matter—think things like documentaries about the Taliban regime, "Amazing Grace" dealing with the drug trade and poverty in Colombia, or "The Unfinished Story" looking at illegal immigration. What I appreciate is how they all managed to steer clear of cheap sentimentality and those tired old clichés.
Maybe it's because they weren't churned out by the "Hollywood dream factory."😉

And yeah, Justin Patel, there was "Supersize Me," and you could catch it for free.🙂
But this one will definitely hit theaters.

ruggedmarlin15 said:The Sunshine State should finally hit the screens tonight (Saturday) at midnight over at the MM Gallery. Is this our third lucky break? 😉

ruggedmarlin15

And I’m finding this out at the absolute eleventh hour. Literally.😁

Honestly, I wouldn't even risk it. Last year, I went to MM specifically to catch that Chinese flick, The Postman. The subtitles ended up being a total disaster, which basically rendered the whole movie useless.
I officially give up😁

My first major disaster of the day🙄
After they pushed the Garden State screening back to midnight tonight, we finally got nothing at all.
First off, they rolled the wrong movie—the one that’s actually supposed to play tomorrow. After about ten minutes of pure chaos and people shouting, they realized they had the wrong file loaded.
Then we just sat there waiting for about half an hour🙄 during which hardly anyone even bothered to show up and tell us things would be starting soon.
And then—technical difficulties. No movie. It was already nearly 12:45 AM.
They ended up playing some documentary instead. To be fair, it was actually good; credit where credit is due.
But still—I honestly don't get how a mistake this massive can happen.

Does anyone have Garden State on DivX? 😁

On the bright side, Supersize me is playing today at 4:00.👍

Woohoo now! 🙂
I finally convinced myself I can make it to the Garden State tomorrow, since I couldn't swing it today. 🙂

Quick question for everyone—regarding those free screenings in SC (like Garden State and Supersize Me), do you actually need to pick up tickets beforehand, or is it just a matter of showing up and walking in?

Walter Myers4 said:Back in the day, my old man used to swear by a little trick before any big party: he’d down a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. It was his way of trying to bypass the whole messy cycle of getting hammered and dealing with that soul-crushing hangover the next morning. He figured if you lined the stomach properly, you could essentially opt out of the chaos entirely.

Have you ever actually given it a shot?

So, Spike, have you finally sobered up yet? 😉

Absolutely nobody is saying anything here😕
The SC is totally dead, so where did you all disappear to? 😉

I finally sat down and watched Osama today. Spoon, thanks for the suggestion 👍

I caught the 8:00 PM screening tonight.

The lineup kicked off with a short Spanish flick called Ann and Manuel. It’s about this guy who breaks up with his girlfriend, and she ends up getting a dog just to cope with the heartbreak. 😁
It was actually quite sweet—the cinematography was gorgeous, which really helped pull you into the mood.

After that, we moved on to an Iranian feature titled Unfinished story. It tackles the heavy subject of illegal migration in Iran. I found it to be incredibly realistic (or at least, it certainly felt that way), balancing humor with some truly gut-wrenching moments.

All in all, it was a solid start to the evening. 👍

SATURDAY 10/16

6:00 PM
Mary
Maria Peteer Calin Netzer, Romania
4.5/10

8:00 PM
Mary, full of grace
Joshua Marston, USA
7.0/10

Alright, here’s the lineup of feature films I managed to dig up from the main program.
🙂

THURSDAY 10/14

6:00 PM
How I Killed My Father
Teon Strugar Mitevska, North Mexico
6.4/10

FRIDAY 10/15

6:00 PM
The Leap
Cate Shortland, Australia
7.5/10

8:00 PM
Stray Dogs
Marziyeh Meskhini, Iran
7.3/10

10:30 PM
Blind Window
Li Yang / Germany, Hong Kong, China
7.2/10

amberfalcon172 said:Whoa!

THURSDAY OCT 14

Midnight
GARDEN STATE
Zach Braff / USA

Check it out, the user rating is sitting at an 8.3/10

Here are a few more links from IMDb:

WEDNESDAY OCT 13
6:00 PM
En Garde
Ayse Polat, Germany

8:00 PM
Osama
Siddiq Barmak, Afghanistan
7.6/10

10:30 PM
Mean Creek
Jacob Aaron Estes, USA
7.3/10

Are we going to see short synopses for the films included this year, similar to what they did last year?