Cringey American movie tropes

Fighting Club Constitutional Convention😁
Hey, so we’re talking about the Fighting Club, right? Like, the whole Legend of Autumn thing, those twelve monkeys, Zdrpi and that other guy—whatever his name is—and Seven... actually, wait, I think it was five. Anyway, if you're feeling so bold, why don't you try listing fifty terrible movies starring Brad Pitt for me!

If I had my way, I would ban the display of the American flag entirely, regardless of the context. I’d also prohibit any characters in movies from expressing patriotism; frankly, it just feels unrealistic. Should an American soldier in a film actually be portrayed as a patriot (or even be capable of it!)? It would be much more compelling if they were, say, a bit of a cynic instead. Furthermore, I believe we should restrict certain people from acting altogether. Who honestly thinks it's a good idea to film nonsense like romantic comedies and then cast Julia Roberts in the lead role? I think Nela Eržišnik would have been a far better fit for those parts.
The American flag should definitely be banned too. 👍

Then you get these guys showing up who just happen to be incredibly good looking, so obviously they fit the part perfectly.

😁

What a brilliant analysis. Honestly. 🙄 This whole thread is starting to feel less like a discussion and more like a bunch of hormone-driven shippers competing to see who can obsess more. 😉

Quote : plus, let’s try to separate the quality of the movie from the sheer entertainment value. For instance, the only film actually brought up was "Monkeys," and I’ll admit, BP has a decent cameo there, even if it isn't exactly a heavy-lifting role.

Alright, let's hear it. I want to see your best guesses on how long we have to wait before some studio greenlights a movie about the war in Iraq starring Denzel Washington and gen Hackman...

Initially, I was trying to estimate a timeline for a film centered on 9/11—something with Michael Bay behind the camera—but then it hit me. Those greedy Hollywood producers probably need to wait until the historical revisionism surrounding that horrific tragedy moves out of its current, utterly revolting window...

On top of that, let's try to separate the actual movie from just the general hype.

Seriously, let’s just distinguish the film itself from all the surrounding noise. That would be such a breath of fresh air. You really are something else, restlesssurfer97. 👍 👍
It seems like you're also drawn to those intense American historical psychological dramas, which naturally leads you to look down on Hollywood and Brad Pitt.
But honestly, Brad Pitt is a fantastic actor, whether you want to admit it to him or not. Plus, he’s just incredibly easy on the eyes. 😳 😁 😁
http://us.imdb.com/Name?Pitt,+Brad
I'm not saying that those deep historical dramas aren't better than some of the Hollywood junk out there, but even within a sea of mediocre blockbusters, you can find gems that are truly worth watching. The issue is that they're so commercialized... Oh, please, if all my friends have seen the exact same movie I have, then I don't feel quite so unique anymore. 😳
Maybe I should just say that I simply don't have the budget to force myself to watch all those big productions... 🙄
Though, of course, I still watch them. It reminds me of those people who turn red not because they're being teased about a magazine, but because they're being teased by a Meksikanac. 😁
Mostly just heavy hitters... 🙂
He probably spends maybe twelve bucks a year on movies. And heaven forbid he actually laughs at a comedy. Unless, of course, it's an American historical drama.

It seems to me that Gerald Barrett25 is just trying to score points on PBE, and he’s using this attempt at manipulation to get his way.

Brad Pitt is the real deal, honestly one of those rare younger actors who actually possesses genuine charisma. He’s just got that effortless cool about him—handsome, too, and a damn fine actor. If you ask me, after Arnie, he might be the best leading man out there. And besides, I just need to see someone on screen who actually knows how to laugh...

Richard Howard2 said:Brad Pitt is the real deal—one of those rare younger actors who actually possesses genuine charisma. He’s got an effortless cool about him, he’s easy on the eyes, and his talent is undeniable. If you look at the heavy hitters, he might just be the best actor since Arnold Schwarzenegger. And frankly, I’m just looking for someone worth watching...

😁 😁 😁

But, the issue is that they're just too commercial... Oh, sure, if all my friends are watching the exact same movie I am, then I suppose I can't really claim to be unique.

copperdriver15, man, have a little mercy. I went through that exact same phase myself 😳 (back in the mid-seventies). 😁

lonescout2 said:I honestly think Gerald Barrett25 is just trying to charm his way into PBE with this whole act.

If that’s actually what's going on, then I think we all know exactly where we stand. 😉
By the way, I was sitting around a few days ago watching this obscure existential comedy from Uzbekistan—it was black and white, naturally. It was absolutely phenomenal, honestly better than any big Hollywood blockbuster out there right now. There was this one single shot that lasted about fifteen minutes, just showing a sparrow perched on a telephone pole, and it was simply unrepeatable. 😁 😁

copperdriver15 said:This movie is eight hundred times better than any Hollywood blockbuster. Seriously, that fifteen-minute shot of a sparrow sitting on a telephone pole? Absolutely legendary. Nothing else even comes close.

I bet it’s just some pretentious indie director from the Midwest trying to make a name for himself while filming a documentary in rural Nebraska. 🙂

copperdriver15 said:If that's the case, then everything makes sense. 😉
By the way, I was watching this indie existential comedy from Uzbekistan a few days ago. Black and white, obviously. It was phenomenal. Honestly, it blows any big Hollywood blockbuster out of the water. There’s this one shot—it lasts about fifteen minutes—where you just see a sparrow sitting on a telephone pole, and it's absolutely unrepeatable. 😁 😁

😁 😁 Neyebowski, maybe you should just stick to your LJES and leave the heavy lifting to those of us who actually get it... 😉

I mean, look, Brad Pitt is an incredible actor with massive charisma... 🙄 he’s got that same magnetic pull as Richard Gere 🙂

I think Gerald Barrett25 is just getting worked up over PBE, so he's trying to charm his way through this.

Am I really that transparent? 😳

copperdriver15, try staying on topic instead of playing the role of some obnoxious parapsychologist. It’s pointless and honestly pretty rude.

Personally, I love American cinema. In my eyes, it's easily the best national film industry in the world. Because the scale of production is so massive, the ratio of actual good movies to the rest is maybe one in a hundred annually. The American cinematic consciousness is basically built on star power, trailers, and aggressive marketing campaigns. It isn't really about the art of the film itself; it's about consumerism. And I’m not much of a consumer—believe it or not, I don't have a ton of free time to sit around watching movies, so before I commit to something, I usually do a little digging first. The suggestion that avoiding mainstream stuff is a way to be "different" is just a dull argument. By that logic, someone who doesn't listen to Britney Spears, J-Lo, or various boy bands and instead hunts for obscure indie groups is just posing to seem unique. What a load of crap.

Blue Eyes said:😁 😁 copperdriver15, maybe you should just head back to your beloved LJES and leave this movie to the folks who actually appreciate the finer details... 😉

I honestly feel like Brad Pitt is such a phenomenal actor with incredible presence... 🙄 he’s got that same kind of magnetism as Richard Gere 🙂

I don't really see this as some elite club where casual viewers aren't allowed to chime in because they haven't mastered every single cinematic nuance. I'm just not sure why Blue Eyes feels it's her place to politely suggest I go back to watching LJES, but regardless, it felt a bit rude. 🙄

I think Brad Pitt is an amazing actor with so much charisma...🙄he's just as charismatic as Richard Gere 🤮

Is that really how someone who knows their cinema sounds? I have to say, I wasn't particularly impressed by that take. 😢
For anyone who might have forgotten, Brad Pitt has starred in films like:
California, 12 Monkeys, prav romansa, Klub Borac, and Snatch.
Comparing him directly to Richard Gere feels a little shallow to me—kind of like saying all American movies are the same just because they're made in the States.

The idea that doing that is a way to be "different" is just plain silly. By that logic, if someone avoids Britney Spears, J-Lo, or various boy bands just to hunt down obscure indie acts, they're just trying too hard to seem unique. What a load of crap.

I think you slightly misread my point there. My actual thought was that if you're out here listening to Butthole Surfers, you don't get to look down on U2. 😉

Richard Gere and charisma???

Charisma is just being a handsome guy women fall for.

Give me an actual good movie of his, not those cheesy flicks he became famous for. Basically, where he isn't playing some total loser.

When I think of movies starring Brad Pitt, I can definitely recall them even after all this time.

But what about Gere??

Haha! It feels like this epic tug-of-war between highbrow elitism and pure populism just never ends.

To be honest, I really don't give a damn whether a movie I’m heading to see is some profound masterpiece of cinematic art or just a lighthearted way to kill an evening. I feel like I actually have twice the chance of having a good time at the theater compared to those folks who can only stomach one specific genre and turn their noses up at everything else.

In other words—I'm definitely not just being ignorant.

I’d personally ban showing the American flag, period. No matter the context, I don't want to see it.

Perspective is everything—that's the old NewsWorld tagline, right?

Honestly, I don't see much difference between > and > if you look at them through the lens of the target audience—you know, the people they were clearly made for to satisfy certain populist tastes. The only real distinction is the technical skill involved, just how masterfully they edit the footage to trigger a specific emotional response. It sounds a bit harsh, I guess, but... just think about it.

If you look at movies like Cetverored and Black Hawk Down from the perspective of their target audience—the people they were actually made for to satisfy a certain kind of populist appetite—I honestly don't see much of a difference between them. The only real distinction lies in the technical craftsmanship, or rather, how skillfully the footage is edited to pull at your heartstrings. It sounds a bit cynical when I say it out loud, but... just think about it.

Personally, I feel like any movie where Americans come out on top is just a piece of patriotic propaganda.
BUT! Any movie where Americans lose, or aren't portrayed as flawless heroes, is also a form of spin in its own way; it’s just designed to show that there's an internal opposition or a sense of 🙄. So, in the end, films like Apocalypse, M*A*S*H., Kvaka 22, Platoon (which is a tough one to call because Tom Cruise is in it 😁 😁 ), and Full Metal Jacket are essentially just different flavors of the same thing as Cetverored, Saving Private Ryan, or Titanic.
P.S. Man, being a critic isn't actually hard at all; you just have to be a bit of a jerk. Honestly, the moderator could probably turn this into a full-time job. 😎 🙄 😁 😁

I was honestly going to type something out, but I’m kind of holding back because it feels like every single person on this board is some world-class film critic, and I’m terrified I’ll get absolutely torn apart if I dare to say that Brad Pitt is actually a great actor.
Or heaven forbid, Leonardo... man, if I even hint that he's one of the best actors Hollywood has ever produced, I'm pretty sure I'll be getting roasted alive by everyone here.

Are you gay? 😁