Posts by Sean Patel4

Life is just a series of unfortunate events, thanks for asking.

So, late last Tuesday, I was involved in an accident where I veered off the road and took out a light pole. There were five others with me; three sustained minor injuries, and one minor walked away unscathed. Given the circumstances—mostly because I was in such shock that I didn't even feel the impact and had no idea my car was totaled—I dropped everyone off at the emergency room about 50 yards away and then just slipped away on foot. About half an hour later, the police showed up at my house, took statements from the group, and identified me as the driver. Instead of bringing me in, they met me at the scene for questioning. Naturally, I denied everything, claiming I was already home, and refused the breathalyzer. They suspended my license for eight days and handed me some paperwork citing my refusal to cooperate and the failed breath test before letting me go. The following day, I went to the hospital for a fracture and some bruising; I mentioned the accident, but they didn't bother drawing blood. To be fair, I'm only 22, a relatively new driver, and the car wasn't exactly a powerhouse compared to a $33 🙄

1. What kind of legal trouble am I looking at here? (Assuming none of the passengers decide to sue me)

2. Am I liable for the property damage? (The light pole)

3. Is there a chance this ends up on my permanent record?

Lawrence Booth2 said:I consider this a true masterpiece.

Upon a second viewing, I find myself in total agreement.

Jerry Martin19 said:When and where is this setting even supposed to be? This movie fails to capture either vibe. The depiction of New York Cronenberg provides nothing, not even in that scene with the Chelsea football fans—they look like a bunch of kids who were paid to wear blue scarves just to signal they belong to a club. The director missed out on all the gritty details that make a city like New York feel real, leaving me so lost I didn't even know the setting until it was mentioned... and even then, it still didn't feel like NYC. It’s hard to believe the location has zero charm, feeling more like some empty outdoor studio set than an actual city. The characters are thinly sliced by some of the actors (well, one specifically), but mostly it's the "fault" of a cliché, weak script. Naomi Watts isn't exactly spectacular here, but her character is so incredibly trope-heavy there's no room for a rich performance anyway. Viggo Mortensen left a bad taste in my mouth in his previous Cronenberg work (A History of Violence), and while he shows he can do slightly better here, it's still not enough. His dedication to the look—shamelessly sporting those tattoos in pubs even when cameras weren't rolling, or traveling to Moscow with an interpreter to soak up the accent and learn Mafia customs...—is brave, sure, but his internal characterization is practically non-existent, about as deep as Arnold's Terminator. Vincent Cassel and Armin Mueller-Stahl do a decent job playing the father, but their performances are overshadowed by a weak portrayal of the Mafia family. It follows the logic of those early star trek episodes with DeForest Kelley, Leonard Nimoy, and William Shatner, where the high-ranking officers (including Captain Kirk) always head down to the planet to handle things personally while the rest of the thousands of crew members just "hang out" on the Enterprise. Honestly, it would have been better if Cronenberg had at least aimed for that level of scale, because his Mafia "crew" doesn't even exist. There aren't any sinister henchmen opening car doors with terrifying respect or guarding the entrance to their house... instead, you just get one single Viggo Mortensen with his fake badass, nasty clichés that don't work even under pressure. Overall, it's a disappointing showing from Cronenberg, a guy I deeply admire for Videodrome, The Dead Zone, Dead Ringers, and even the underrated eXistenZa. He shouldn't try this dramatic narrative approach if it means stripping away what makes him who he is: that edgy, magical, supernatural atmosphere his films are known for...

totally agree with this review.

I am in complete agreement regarding this point.
As for the rest, I do not 🙂

Yes, it’s a solid film. I caught it once back when I was just a kid, though the details are a bit fuzzy now; I really ought to give it another watch.
They use that whole gimmick where they manipulate the environment, don't they? 🤣

My impression was positive, but I'll provide a more thorough critique once I've revisited it...

Julie Delpy 👋

I have absolutely no intention of sitting through that again.🤷

wiredtiger10 said:If you want my take, it’s essentially two movies masquerading as one. On one level, you have your typical buddy comedy, but underneath that, it’s a slow descent into total chaos.

...plus, the soundtrack is absolutely flawless!

Alright, let's get back on track and stop the off-topic chatter. 😬

wiredtiger10 said:*Harsh Times* is an absolutely brilliant movie. There’s that scene where they go to that Black man's place and call the house so that Eva (who's great!) thinks he's looking for work, but she ends up overhearing everything. What absolute creeps.

It's honestly hilarious.🤣
For me, *Harsh Times* sits comfortably in my top ten; there is a certain intangible magic to it that I can't quite put into words.

To avoid drifting too far off-topic, I find it somewhat curious that this director was chosen to helm a project starring a Felon, considering the actor's previous two films weren't particularly well-received—at least based on their IMDb ratings—but regardless, he managed to pull off a truly impressive job.

goldenhound32 said:I am at a loss as to how one could improve upon perfection when there isn't a single error to be found here.

In my estimation, it would possess a much more refined character...
Since you rated it a 9/10 yourself, this version would surely nudge that score up to a 9.5.

An excellent film, though I can't shake the feeling it would have reached even greater heights had they handed the director's chair over to David Ayer...

Charles Smith4 said:It'll probably be Billy Bob Thornton.

Where on earth did that come from? I thought the whole conversation was about CGI.🤔

briskbison41 said:Since he's behind it, I'm sure it'll turn out great.
I didn't see anything on that page about who they've cast as Freddy.

Whoever plays Freddy will probably be running on a Pentium or an Athlon, at least in my estimation.😉

wearytinker8 said:Here's how I picture it, especially with Michael Bay producing;

Michael Bay's "A Nightmare on Elm Street"

snippet from the video description - So Michael Bay is going to be helming A Nightmare on Elm Street remake. That can't possibly be a disaster, right? 😂

It looks far too good to be true... though with Sin City 2 and 3 on the horizon, we certainly have plenty to look forward to...

Since we're already discussing this subject, I suggest everyone take a look at this as well:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106364/

How incredible is this!!!
Honestly, the first story feels a bit clunky, but the rest are absolutely stellar. As for the animation, it goes without saying—it’s top-tier. In short, it’s a fantastic release that builds some serious hype for next year's movie. 😁

😂
Is this an IBTL situation, or am I going to end up getting my card revoked by Smoggy again just for trolling? 🤔

A rock star alongside Mark Wahlberg🤣

David Price5 said:If you combine light years and miles, you get a light-mile...

I have been reflecting on those comparisons. The US isn't necessarily superior to Europe when it comes to filmmaking. Not every Hollywood production is a massive blockbuster with a $200 million budget, and frankly, not all European films follow that rigid, old-school formula either.

I'm not sure what you think I'm getting at, but I see your point. I was merely poking fun at him because he said what he said, and he took the joke in stride...
Let's not descend into a pedantic debate over whether a light mile represents the time it takes for light to travel one mile.😉