briskhound2 said:Can someone please explain to me, like I'm some first-grader, why there's so much hype surrounding Taxi Driver? This Oscar stuff gets on everyone's nerves. The movie basically glorifies a complete moron—someone incredibly unstable and, frankly, obsessed with the filth of the world around him. Fine, I get it. But what's the big deal? The guy grabs a gun and kills a couple of people at the end. Happy End, suddenly, and all his mental issues vanish and he's functioning like a normal human being. I wouldn't even mind if he'd just smoked a joint at the end, but... Christ, saying Rocky won an Oscar over Taxi Driver is probably a million times overdone. Yeah, sure, the movie is simple, yeah, the lead is a bit of a simpleton, and yeah, the "messages" are about as subtle as an elephant in a greenhouse, but damn it, the movie has a much stronger impact than Taxi Driver. Or is it that old cliché—is it Sylvester Stallone vs. Robert De Niro? Does the first have to be mediocre for the second to be considered a genius?
Actually, he isn't obsessed with the filth; he despises it. There’s a massive difference. Beyond that, it's a story about a man who is completely isolated from society, totally alone. Maybe a lot of people have gone through a phase like that at some point in their lives, which is why the film resonates with them. Plus, you have Robert De Niro's top-tier acting, incredible direction, and one of the best depictions of New York City ever put to film. Even the soundtrack is brilliant. Personally, I don't see this movie being put on such a ridiculous pedestal. 🤷
I think Rocky is a great movie too, but it's still weaker than Taxi Driver and Network. Network is also a masterpiece, though as a huge fan of Taxi Driver, I truly believe it would have been more deserved if Network had been crowned the best.