Movie recommendation

[Big RR]

Actually, I thought it could be an exaggeration, but given how prolific Bollywood is, I could easily see a collection of films lasting longer than that.



As for comparson with the Ring Cycle, please don't go there.

[TPFKA@W]

I loved loved LOVED it; my wife walked out before it was over (during the butt-plug scene IIRC) and when I found her in the lobby later she said, "That was the STUPIDEST movie I've ever seen!"

We're both 76. Go figure.

Based on SueU’s recommendation I tuned into this on Showtime.

Clearly Mrs Econoline and I, as well as my husband, did not take a sip from the koolaide of which most of you apparently chugged down and asked for seconds. We quit about 1/3 of the way in.

Seriously

[Big RR]

Well I finally got around to seeing it, and really didn't care for it. I think it was just a bunch of absurdities and silliness strung together without a coherent point. Unlike @W I endured it to the end to see if a point would emerge, but found none. I'm not ignoring the attempts of the movie to provide the multiverses as a metaphor for mised chances or regrets, but come on- 2 1/2 hours of people with hot dog fingers or holding plastic penises to make this point and show the protagonist that her life wasn't as bad as she thought and that she had a good husband and daughter? I'm not spoiling anything here because there is nothing to spoil--this was pretty clear from the first scene.

I guess there is an audience for this sort of film, but heaping awards on it? Personally, I place this in my hall of movies to avoid at all costs, along with Orca, the Killer Whale; Endless Love; that horrible Scarlet Letter with Demi Moore; and a number of others.

[Econoline]

Based on SueU’s recommendation I tuned into this on Showtime.

Clearly Mrs Econoline and I, as well as my husband, did not take a sip from the koolaide of which most of you apparently chugged down and asked for seconds. We quit about 1/3 of the way in.

Seriously

Good to know, if you ever recommend a movie here.

Just out of curiosity, what would be a movie you would rewatch and recommend to others? Do you ever enjoy science fiction or fantasy at all? (And Big RR, feel free to add your responses here too.)

[Big RR]

Econoline--Science fiction? Well,there's always 2001; but in case that's too highbrow, some more recent ones--Moon, Dune (either version), Man Who Fell to Earth, Ex Machina, Brazil, Blade Runner, Interstellar, come to mind but there are many others, some recent and others from earlier times like Forbidden Planet, The Day the Earth stood Still (original version) and many others.

Fantasy--not a big genre for me, but I loved the three LOTR films (didn't particularly care for the hobbit films), the first Conan, the first two Superman Movies, Wonder Woman; I'm sure there are others.

Honestly, what bothered me about Everything... is the silliness. I like comedy movies but the comedy has to have a point or at least be hard edged. So I can enjoy some of the comedies intended to offend (things like Animal House or comedies that push the edge like Wetlands) or those that have some sort of point (the apparent silliness of the Monty Python films fits this bill as do films like Dr Strangelove).

I saw none of that with Everything...; yes, as I conceded, there was a point, but a pretty weak one which was telegraphed from the beginning (and in case you missed it, there was an extended dialogue about how the protagonist was perfect since she didn't have any ties she wanted to hang onto, hence nothing to lose). There was a lot of quick cut silliness which I didn't enjoy and got to the point of being tedious (kind of iike an extended Jerry Lewis movie). I guess it is simply not my type of movie (and had it not won the Academy Awards, I likely would not have seen it).

There are many movies, past and present, I enjoy, and I have a pretty good DVD collection with films I enjoy watching either alone or with others. I don't begrudge anyone their enjoyment of this film, nor do I think Academy Awards somehow endow films with any special recommendations (I can think of several celebrated movies you couldn't pay me to watch again), but I would hardly use this film as an acid test as to a love of or taste in movies. One of the best things about movies, like music, is that there are enough releases to assure everyone (or at least most people) will likely find something to like. I know my taste isn't shared by many, and I usually preface any recommendations with something to that effect. I have come to the realization that my taste is often out of step with the mainstream, but I will bet I see more movies every year than most on this site, and usually find some to enjoy. As I said to Sue above, chacun a son gout.

[Sue U]

Well, I have to say I'm surprised by the negative opinions of EEAAO, but I guess that's why they make chocolate and butter pecan.

Just out of curiosity, what would be a movie you would rewatch and recommend to others? Do you ever enjoy science fiction or fantasy at all?

For me, the genre of a film is a lot less important than the director/writer and/or the actors in it, although I have to say I have had enough of the comic-book franchises (nevertheless, I actually liked Joker). I'll see pretty much anything with George Clooney, Helen Mirren, Viola Davis, Emma Thompson, Denzel Washington, and a half dozen or so others.

Of the movie-makers working today, I tend to like the styles and sensibilities of Wes Anderson, the Coen brothers, Quentin Tarantino and Spike Lee. The movies I recommend and would watch repeatedly generally come from an earlier era, though: Frank Capra comedies (esp. It Happened One Night and Arsenic & Old Lace), the Tracy & Hepburn catalog, Dr. Strangelove (and almost anything else by Kubrick), Lawrence of Arabia, the Sergio Leone westerns, a bunch of Billy Wilder stuff (Double Indemnity, Sunset Boulevard, even Some Like It Hot), and god help me The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension.

[Big RR]

Good list of films there Sue, and I must admit I didn't hate Buckaroo Bonzai (but I could only watch it once; kind of like Howard the Duck). There's a few on the list I don't really care for, but most are worth at least a single watch. I usually don't look much to actors as their films can be pretty uneven, but I like looking at promising directors; Robert Eggers is a pretty good recent example (his mos recent was Northman), but Lars von Trier is another (who makes good movies although I think he's a bit of jerk in real life) and Terrence Malick are two others that produce consistently interesting movies

[Sue U]

Good list of films there Sue, and I must admit I didn't hate Buckaroo Bonzai (but I could only watch it once; kind of like Howard the Duck).

I feel like I'm one of the nine people in America who saw Buckaroo Banzai, and it is so packed with deadpan jokes (both visual and in dialog) that I missed a bunch the first time through. Plus Christopher Lloyd and John Lithgow are just hilarious. Did you know that Jamie Lee Curtis was in the film in a flashback scene as Buckaroo's mother? The scene was cut, but there's a picture of her on the dashboard of Buckaroo's rocket-car. (The scene is on the Youtubes as a "prequel"/alternate opening for the movie).

[Big RR]

Buckaroo Bonzai was a guilty pleasure for me; I watched it based on a recommendation from someone who has similar tastes to me and liked it. Interesting fact about Jamie Lee Curtiss; thanks.

[Crackpot]

I admit I like the slingshotting between crying and camp not to mention the scenery chewing by Lithgow.

[TPFKA@W]

When I posted the it was not directed at SueU or any poster here, but at the movie.

Interestingly a cousin of mine, who is a professional manager, described it as the Urinetown of movies. I had no idea what he meant but it turns out it means this is a movie that everyone likes to pretend to like.

I just thought it was a complete waste of time which is how I feel about 90% or more of most TV and movies.

[MajGenl.Meade]

I feel like I'm one of the nine people in America who saw Buckaroo Banzai

I saw it twice - first time at the movie theater. Don't remember a single thing about it. So don't know if that makes me one of the nine or knocks me out?

And thanks to all for the warnings about EEAAO - wont' bother.

[BoSoxGal]

I’ll put Buckaroo Banzai in my queue, thanks for the head’s up. Also still planning to see EEAAO because I very rarely let the opinions of others steer me away from a film, unless it is universally loathed by critics and viewers alike - I don’t typically waste time on a film that scored rotten in the sub 40% range on RT, but I occasionally will. The only reason I don’t watch and read everything is the limitations of time - I am otherwise so curious that I would, with unlimited time, at least start most things before dismissing anything. So I will often see a film that critics panned but audiences liked, or vice versa, because if anyone saw something in it that resonates then there is a vision there that I might share. I got a good vibe from the Daniels on Oscar night, so I suspect I might enjoy their ride.

On a side note, yesterday while food prepping for the week I watched a film which I’ve already seen a few times and could easily watch a few more - Genius, starring Colin Firth and Jude Law as legendary editor Max Perkins and the brilliant writer Thomas Wolfe - the really brilliant one, who wrote Look Homeward, Angel. There is a scene in the film - which is beautifully shot in totality, wonderfully acted and written and vastly underrated at 52%/46% on RT, I would like to know what Roger Ebert would have said about it - where Perkins and Wolfe discuss the origins of human storytelling, and how it is at the core of our excruciating lifelong journey to forge connection. It’s wonderful that EEAAO found its audience and of course there is no vision that captures the audience entirely. I can’t think of one brilliant work of literature or film that didn’t have detractors but for all the people who loathe and find nothing of value in Moby Dick, the worth is undeniable by any rational person even if they disliked it. I put zero stock in any opinion that dismisses out of hand the entirety of a thing, especially in the absence of willingness to look at the thing even briefly. A closed mind does nobody any good, least of all itself.

[Big RR]

BSG--I generally don't rely on the recommendations of movie critics, but a really good critic will explain the story and features of the move (Siskel and Ebert's show was a pretty good example of this), and I will usually use that to help make a decisions to see a film or not; since I generally look for more obscure films, there often isn't a lot of information out there on them (the internet has helped in this regard), so the reviews are all I have (coming attractions are basically commercials to try and get people into the film and reveal little). There are some critics that I factor their recommendations in, and others whose panning the movie is a factored in as a reason for me to consider it; indeed, I recall for years seeking out the films on Rex Reed's ten worst movie of the year since I knew much of what he hated are films I would like (I think he still is writing, but I haven't read any of his reviews for almost a decade.

And thanks for mentioning Genius; it's a while ago, but I recall it being and offbeat film that I enjoyed. I think it's pretty hard to make a film about artists and the artistic process; most come across as cornball or trite, but this one was not. It's worth the watch.

[Crackpot]

Have I mentioned how much I hate autocorrect recently?

(That was supposed to be cringe and camp)

[BoSoxGal]

I finally watched this movie yesterday, Mother’s Day - just for the extra anguish lol.

Definitely funny and wildly imaginative etc. Not so much up my alley in some ways, so I cannot exclaim it is my favorite movie ever or even recently. I very much appreciated the thematic nature of the film and it made me weep more than once. The wacky weird stuff and especially the whole martial arts thing is not my favorite, but I am glad I didn’t let that dissuade me from watching the movie in its entirety. I think on many fronts the film is more than deserving of the accolades it earned. It speaks to the zeitgeist of the times, I think, in a way that resonated with many people.

[Big RR]

You almost scared me there BSG; I thought you mentioned the 1980 (I think) slasher film Mother's Day. That was good as an example of its genre, but not much else.

[BoSoxGal]

I think I might have seen that movie at a party once, not sure though.

Thinking of a favorite movie of all time is an impossibility to me, my tastes are too diverse - like the multiverse lol. But to give an idea of the sort of film that I would hold up as far and away better than most even very good others, I would point to an utterly brilliant film like The Tree of Life.

I do have a natural inclination toward melancholy so I am unlikely to take the greatest cathartic pleasure in a comedy, though Life is Beautiful was a notable exception.

[MajGenl.Meade]

BSG I expect you have seen this one

[Big RR]

BSG--you mention two very good films there; I especially enjoyed The Tree of Life. Have you wated any other Mallck fiims? I would recommend Badlands and The New World as quite good, although his entire film list is worth the watch.

And since you mention a tendency toward melancholy, I would recommend Lars von Triers' film Melancholia; it wasn't everyone's cup of tea (I saw it at an early screening and a number of people walked out), but it is great in seeing how people deal with incredible adversity (he end of the world) and how depressed people cope the best (I've always suspected that since they really don't expect things to be better, while the glass half full crowd are apt to collapse when things go real bad). As I said before, I think von Trier is a jerk in real life, but he makes incredible films; while they're all worth a watch, one other I highly recommend is Breaking the Waves, quite frankly one of the best films I have ever seen.