Movie/TV recommendations

[Gwardinen]

I know that They will come to take away my gamer card for saying this, but I never finished Psychonauts. I'm tempted, now that you've said that, Rodi, but honestly I remember the game as being rather annoying to play in sections so I don't know if I can realistically be bothered to do so.

Kind of a Christopher Nolan kick there, Nappi! Were you going for a theme off Dark Knight Rises or do you just think he's usually good at endings?

I remember the Prestige as having an ok ending, though I can't drag the specifics out of my mind right now. "Reveal" endings are usually fine by me, upon reflection. The Ocean's Eleven model of "and here's how it was all going down" is pretty acceptable, but in some way it feels like a cop out. In terms of the care taken to set it up, of course, I can imagine it can often be pretty difficult, so I'm not trying to disparage anyone's work on something like that. It's just that it feels like it isn't necessarily actually an ending, so much as a clever retelling of the story in short form that happens to be the last thing (or near enough) that the audience reads/sees. Maybe I'm splitting hairs now, or maybe I'm desperate to retain my crotchety old man-esque right to complain, but there is something about that that doesn't quite fulfill my desire for a great ending.

I also didn't see Memento (I know, I'm terrible again) but Inception didn't really seem like it had an ending either. It had a hanging question. Which is fine, that didn't annoy me at all like it did some people. I also thought that it was blown out of proportion in comparison to the rest of the film (much as Mass Effect 3's ending later was), but again it wasn't in any way fulfilling to me. If anything, that kind of ending seems like a tacit admission that endings are difficult and perhaps the most elegant way to handle them most of the time is just to sidestep them. That's kind of what both the "reveal" and the "or is it?" ending types are.

I can't remember why, but I already thought I was probably going to read a couple of Vonnegut's books, so perhaps I'll get on to the Sirens of Titan (so to speak) and get back to you on that one.

[Nappi]

I didn't mean to suggest that Nolan is especially good with endings, or that the movies I mentioned were particularly great examples, but rather that at least some of his works have decent endings even if that of Dark Knight Rises was quite crap.

I know that there are endings that I have thought truly excellent, but I just can't remember them right now. I'll get back to you if I do.

[Orv]

The Prestige ending would be a cop-out if it didn't so perfectly encapsulate the idea of the movie.

[Ben X]

Robocop.

[circadianwolf]

Yeah, of Nolan's films, I think The Prestige has a great ending.

Of great endings in general--there's a big difference, of course, between ending a singular film or video game or novel and ending a series (especially one that wasn't intended to be a series in the first place), and the latter is of course harder to do well. TDKR is unfortunately (but like many recent trilogies) pretty obviously cobbled together from elements of the previous two films--though based on what I've read, it seems that it's not so much that Nolan didn't plan for another sequel as that his idea for the sequel was based on bringing back the Joker.

[Roderick]

This is the fundamental flaw at the heart of this universe: now that the Joker has been introduced, it's impossible not to use him and get away with it. There's some plot contrivance to explain why he wasn't released along with all the other inmates in Blackgate (apparently Joker is the sole inhabitant of Arkham Asylum now), but it's bullshit. The whole thing about the Joker was that you can't capture him, you can't hold him, he will find a way to escape, because he's not a man but a force of nature. Going 'oops, he's in jail now' doesn't cut it in the slightest.

Not that I'm saying a second movie with Joker would've been better or even a good idea (it might, it might not). It's just that you've taken this world to the next level and resetting it with another orderly League of Shadows villain with a straight-to-DVD world destruction scheme won't do. Upping the ante; everything else is boring.

[circadianwolf]

The film itself doesn't even mention him at all, does it?

I think it would have worked to simply ignore him if this film's villain(s) had been compelling at all. Tom Hardy does his best, but Bane's plot is just fundamentally unmotivated and stupid.

Why start a revolution if you intended to wipe them out? To give them false hope? We never see anyone enjoying the damn revolution--in fact we don't see any regular Gothamites at all, just police in hiding and Catwoman doing whatever she's doing, but even she recapitulates her class warfare once she sees some rich people's stuff got damaged. And then it turns out to just be about Talia's smirking revenge anyway. Batman's fighting leftovers.

Ugh.

I think the film could have been genuinely compelling if

Bane meant what he said and wasn't planning for the bomb to go off eventually regardless. A sort of weird Metal Gear Solid-esque mercenary-enforced anarchy where he genuinely tried to turn the city over to the people, just using his men to enforce the borders. That would have been something Batman could genuinely struggle with philosophically (in his "soul", perhaps), rather than just ending up again at "can he beat up the bad guys in time?? (yes)". Really, the plot could almost stay the same, just cut Talia/Tate, show some Gothamites enjoying the new regime, have Catwoman side with Bane until the inevitable point where things get much uglier so Batman is justified in coming in to save the day, etc.

[Roderick]

I just remembered another ending that I thought was really good and subtle, that of The Ides of March (one of my favorite movies of 2011 in general).

[TheLastBaron]

Armin Shimmerman was a guest star on tonights episode of TNTs new series Perception. Weird to see him outside that makeup.

The Andrew Ryan makeup?

So a few weeks back I finally decided to watch The Walking Dead, I read the first issues of it years ago btu didn't get into it so I stopped and didn't remember anything. I watched the first season and maybe 5 episodes of the second season, and I really don't like it. I really liked the first episode when it was just Rick by himself waking up and the world had gone to shit and he was trying to find out what was going on. That was awesome but as soon as other people showed up I didn't care any more, partly because group drama isn't what I really wanted out of the show (hence why I liked episode 1) and also I hate literally every character, except maybe Glen, though I have no idea why I like him because I find Steven Yeun's acting pretty bad. Everyone else on the show though I would say I absolutely don't care about at all, except that I do care about them in the sense that I literally hope they all die. Especially Rick's wife, I can't stand her.

I still haven't seen TDKR, despite being a huge Batman fan (I've read pretty much every issue of Detective Comics and Batman, as well as all the other stuff) and being a Nolan fan, I really don't feel that interested in the movie, despite thinking the first two were good, because I can't stand Christian Bale as Batman/Bruce Wayne. I'll of course see the movie at some point and I think every other actor that's been in the movies has been awesome, but I hate Batman and it makes it hard when he's in a large part of the movie.

[Twig]

I feel the same way about The Walking Dead TV show. But I like the comics and don't want (most of) them to die in the comics. U:

The show is really just not good.

[TheLastBaron]

I feel the same way about The Walking Dead TV show. But I like the comics and don't want (most of) them to die in the comics. U:

The show is really just not good.

Hmmmm, maybe I should check out the comics then. I was sort of put off of the idea after watching the show, but now I think there's a good chance I would still like the series.

[dibs]

I kinda wish I had been ten years younger going to Ted.

[Moosferatu]

The Dark Knight Returns

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdtQVzJ3MEI

[Ben X]

I would have liked to see it reflect Miller's linework a little more, and I wonder if they'll have to soften it up much, but I'd be interested in watching that. I see Bruce Timm and Andrea Romano are involved, which are good signs.

[Roderick]

I am on the fence. The trailer isn't half bad, but I really wonder if the animation will be able to express the, you know, comicky uniqueness of the book.

Also, damn, if they stay true to the material, this is going to be one hardcore, depressing animation to watch.

[brkl]

OMG it's Robobatcopman!

[Gwardinen]

That trailer mostly just reminded me how weird the story of the Dark Knight Returns is, particularly the first half. Batman vs the the strange mutant gangbangers. Now when part two comes out, that will make me weep. Either through disappointment in an adaptation that failed to capture the greatness of the original, or through it actually capturing the greatness of the original - the original being fucking sad.

[much shorter]

People I just want to tell you that Peter O'Toole is a genius and that young Peter O'Toole was beautiful. See Lawrence of Arabia if you haven't, one of the best things ever and way sinister for a 60s flick.

[Ben X]

way sinister for a 60s flick.

Unlike, say, Peeping Tom, Psycho, Cape Fear, The Manchurian Candidate, Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?, The IPCRESS File, Blow-Up, Point Blank, Rosemary's Baby, The Damned, Carnival Of Souls, Night Of The Living Dead, Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!, Performance or The Witchfinder General?

[vimes]

Unlike, say, Peeping Tom, Psycho, Cape Fear, The Manchurian Candidate, Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?, The IPCRESS File, Blow-Up, Point Blank, Rosemary's Baby, The Damned, Carnival Of Souls, Night Of The Living Dead, Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!, Performance or The Witchfinder General?

It might be oversharing and but after reading this,

I pictured both you and 'much shorter' in some sort of smoky cinephile's bar. Him in a circle of few, you on your own.

Upon overhearing 'much shorter' 's remark, you suddenly erupt from your seat and upset your chair and the table while doing so. Silence reigns as you stand still for a few seconds, the eyebrow ruffled, nostrils pulsating, the puffing end of your pipe accusingly pointed at 'much shorter'. As 'much shorter' mouths the beginning of a smirk 'Wha--" to break the silence, you begin listing the movie titles. At first, you only lean toward him as words flows out your mouth, but after a few, you begin to take monolithic steps toward him; each one driving 'much shorter' away from you: first out of his chair, then out of the bar and in the street. The weather out is nasty: dark clouds are rolling crackling up ahead and a strong wind carrying dust and leaves hit you both. You seem oblivious to that though, as your voice carries over the Elements. Much shorter keep on stumbling backward, incapable of not looking at you. He finally crosses the road as cars roar by in shrieking honks. He finally hits the rail and discover he's at the riverdrong. A gulf of wind reveal a look of white terror on his face. He looks back in horror at the bubbling dark water below then turns back to face you. You are uffing and puffing and for a second, relief can be read on the tired traits of his moist pale skin. But you suddenly you growl that final "Witchfinder General" that terrorizes him for good: he topples backward, tip over the rail and fall into the water with a wilhem scream.

Way back at the entrance of the bar the small crowd of customer that followed you out scarcerly applauds the feat.

You straightened your tweed jacket, take one look back at the water below, spit on the ground then turn around and go back inside.

Anyway, I agree that the 60s had their share of very dark movies - Peeping Tom is probably one of the most unsettling movie I've watched. But I agree with 'much shorter' in the sense that "Lawrence of Arabia" is a case of its own. Back when I was a kid, I remember it being broadcast every summer and being sold as an adventure movie and certainly not as a cold look at a tormented and fundamentally dysfunctional character that it actually is. Admittedly, I only understood that aspect of the film when I watched it again when I was a teenager, but still, it was very surprising that such a big studio movie used that kind of angle.

[much shorter]

Unlike, say, Peeping Tom, Psycho, Cape Fear, The Manchurian Candidate, Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?, The IPCRESS File, Blow-Up, Point Blank, Rosemary's Baby, The Damned, Carnival Of Souls, Night Of The Living Dead, Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!, Performance or The Witchfinder General?

I've seen very few of those movies. I'll try to express myself better: Lawrence of Arabia settled me for an old-timey adventure flick, but around the point where

Lawrence executes one of his own men to settle a tribal conflict, a man he earlier risked his own life saving

I realized that this wasn't what I thought it would be. And when Lawrence later

admits that he LIKED executing said man

you start forming a completely different opinion.

All in all it was a pretty interesting psychological drama compared to what I was expecting, that combined with the cinematography made it very unsettling to me, especially considering how raw it was when it comes to those dark scenes and Lawrence's actions during them.

[Orv]

I don't think I'll ever need to watch The Godfather, Scarface, Donnie Brasco, Goodfellas or The Untouchables ever again. AMCs Mob Week is probably the best "genre/style week of films/programming" that has ever been.

[Orv]

Did anyone enjoy Deadwood? Would you like less cursing, more Mad Men in your Deadwood? Watch Hell on Wheels, it is fantastic. Chief O'Brien stars as a real jackass of a rail magnate/baron.

[Ben X]

Agree, very much enjoying HoW.

[Orv]

Everything is ruined forever.