Well-Loved Movies I Detest

[BubberMiley]

That's your call...but clearly those of us who lived before Star Trek and the "Internet" know better.

My story begins in nineteen-dickety-two. We had to say "dickety" because the Kaiser had stolen our word "twenty". I chased that rascal to get it back, but gave up after dickety-six miles. What are you cackling at, fatty? Too much pie, that's your problem!

[bush_cheney2004]

My story begins in nineteen-dickety-two. We had to say "dickety" because the Kaiser had stolen our word "twenty". I chased that rascal to get it back, but gave up after dickety-six miles. What are you cackling at, fatty? Too much pie, that's your problem!

Sounds like a personal problem.....visiting Chicago cannot fix that.

[Bonam]

Avatar will become the most memorable example of having a " remote controlled body " . That is distinct from " going native " . If, as Bonam believes, this actually becomes a prevalent technology in the coming century, I am betting that Avatar will be remembered as its fictional predecessor as the Star Trek communicator is remembered as the fictional predecessor of the modern cell phone.

That's a good point. Avatar may well be the first mass market introduction of the concept (though I've seen similar ideas in individual episodes of various sci fi TV series). Anyway, I definitely don't think it will ever compare to Star Trek in terms of its impact on Western society.

Edited July 21, 2010 by Bonam

[TimG]

Avatar may well be the first mass market introduction of the concept

Don't see the difference with Matrix. So do you take blue pill or the red pill?

[Bonam]

Don't see the difference with Matrix. So do you take blue pill or the red pill?

I dunno. In Matrix the avatars exist in a virtual reality whereas I presume that in Avatar (I haven't actually seen it) the avatars exist in physical reality. Unless I'm wrong about Avatar that is a real enough difference.

[bush_cheney2004]

That's a good point. Avatar may well be the first mass market introduction of the concept (though I've seen similar ideas in individual episodes of various sci fi TV series). Anyway, I definitely don't think it will ever compare to Star Trek in terms of its impact on Western society.

I don't think it is very original for the concept, as Hollywood provided plenty of such variants from B grade horror movies from the 50's to dream state mayhem with Freddy Krueger. The pure sci-fi example of such a plot was seen in no other than the famous Forbidden Planet, wherein father Morbious is the monster Id whenever he sleeps.

[Bonam]

I don't think it is very original for the concept, as Hollywood provided plenty of such variants from B grade horror movies from the 50's to dream state mayhem with Freddy Krueger. The pure sci-fi example of such a plot was seen in no other than the famous Forbidden Planet, wherein father Morbious is the monster Id whenever he sleeps.

I haven't heard of or seen any of those, but I'll take your word for it. Like I said though, I agree that the concept is not that original. Certainly I have seen many instances of the idea in individual episodes of Star Trek, Stargate, and other shows. I just feel like Avatar probably succeeded more than most of these in disseminating the idea to a larger audience. I could be wrong on this, shrug.

[bush_cheney2004]

...Certainly I have seen many instances of the idea in individual episodes of Star Trek, Stargate, and other shows. I just feel like Avatar probably succeeded more than most of these in disseminating the idea to a larger audience. I could be wrong on this, shrug.

Exactly....these elements can be seen in 1931's Frankenstein, all the way to Cow and Chicken cartoons today. It is a standard plot vehicle that has been around for a long time....get two tables or chambers, hook them up with some wires, throw the big switch, and swap brains / personalities with other beings or new animated objects.

[Bonam]

Exactly....these elements can be seen in 1931's Frankenstein, all the way to Cow and Chicken cartoons today. It is a standard plot vehicle that has been around for a long time....get two tables or chambers, hook them up with some wires, throw the big switch, and swap brains / personalities with other beings or new animated objects.

Swapping personalities or animating a creature are not the same things as possessing an avatar.

[bush_cheney2004]

Swapping personalities or animating a creature are not the same things as possessing an avatar.

I disagree, as an "Avatar" is just another target object for the process. "Possession" is dependent on the same rudimentary process.

[Moonlight Graham]

...while Star Wars only lingers as a commercial for an entire generation of junk plastic toys and the attendant junk plastic culture.

Completely false. First of all, the only reason George Lucas is a rich merchandising king is because he wanted the rights to the merchandise and FOX let him have it because the studio did not think the movie would be a big hit nor was movie merchandise that big of a thing back then.

2nd, Star Wars came out in May 1977, and there were no production for action figures prior to release and therefore when Star Wars became a surprise hit there were ZERO action figures ready for Xmas 1977, disappointing many kids on xmas morning of course (minus a few items like board games and puzzles that they whipped onto shelves).

Star Wars was not made to sell toys. But toys were made because people demanded them because they are awesome movies (well, at least the original 3).

Edited July 21, 2010 by Moonlight Graham

[Moonlight Graham]

Avatar sucks crap. I agree with people here.

Pulp Fiction - is a good movie, but overrated and didn't blow me away

Dr. Strangelove - is incredibly boring and slow-paced, i had to turn it off. A lot of Kubrick films have major pacing problems (ie: 2001, which i love but damn is it slllooooooooow).

Seven Samurai - boring and horrible production value, had to shut it off.

Saving Private Ryan - agree with peeps that the action scenes are incredible but the film itself is average.

WALL-E - very charming but damn it just got boring i'm sorry.

Gran Torino - meh a bit lame. everyone i know loves it

Blade Runner - not horrible, but much overrated.

Fight Club - good film, but overrated.

The Hangover - average comedy at best.

[kimmy]

I doubt being the first (highly debatable at that) film to put some technological concept into a movie is going to secure any sort of immortality for Avatar. That isn't the sort of thing that makes movies immortal.

Anyway, it'll be remembered by people who love good films - easy !

yeah, probably like 3 of them. I bet film history is littered with good movies that few people still living have seen or even heard of. I bet Annie Hall is going to end up that way. Nobody watches it in 2010. What chance has it got of being remembered in 2110?

-k

[jefferiah]

Great topic. I actually do not like many movies at all. I do not like many of the movies mentioned here.

I don't like Star Wars, I don't like Avatar. I don't like Goodfellows. I don't care for Tarantino. Fight Club...I can't understand how anyone enjoyed that. I actually do like a few Woody Allen movies I've seen. Hannah and Her Sisters comes to mind. Out of movies that came out in the past few years the only one I really liked was Zombieland, which I never expected as it is not what I usually like.

I think I prefer TV shows more. Though there are not many that I like in recent years. I really loved Frasier and I still watch reruns today. Seinfeld, Cheers, Newhart. Those were great shows. The great thing about a tv show is it comes in smaller portions. Half hour stories. Yet at the same time the overall story continues for several years. I like the familiarity of seeing characters I love. There is greater opportunity for character development in a tv show than in a 2 hour movie.

[ToadBrother]

But Matrix is the original and will be remembered for that. Avatar offered nothing new. The entire 'going native' meme is a derivative of 'dances with wolves' or 'pocohontus'.

What exactly is original about Matrix? Ever heard of Tron?

[ToadBrother]

Seven Samurai - boring and horrible production value, had to shut it off.

That one is just... wow...

Maybe you saw a shitty print, some of those films from the 40s and 50s were very poorly done transfers (Renoir's Rules of the Game was a victim of that, too). But I watched the Criterion edition, and it sure didn't look like horrible product values to me, far better than most of the pap being done during that era.

Edited July 21, 2010 by ToadBrother

[Michael Hardner]

yeah, probably like 3 of them. I bet film history is littered with good movies that few people still living have seen or even heard of. I bet Annie Hall is going to end up that way. Nobody watches it in 2010. What chance has it got of being remembered in 2110?

-k

Lots. The Gold Rush, Safety Last, Birth of a Nation, Battleship Potemkin - all of these are fantastic films of times gone past that continue to amaze lovers of good film, and fine their way into the hearts of film makers, who in turn rework them and put them on the screen for the popcorn munchers.

Ever heard of Preston Sturges ? How about the Coen Brothers ?

[Michael Hardner]

Seinfeld, Cheers, Newhart. Those were great shows.

True - but Star Trek wasn't that popular until later.

How many people watch reruns of The Honeymooners or Family Ties versus, say, Twilight Zone ?

[jefferiah]

Woody Allen, though, can't be condemned across the line as he has so many different types of films. Annie Hall still stands as a great romantic comedy

Annie Hall was alright. For Woody movies I would pick Hannah and Her Sisters, Husbands and Wives, Bullets Over Broadway, and the Curse of The Jade Scorpion. Everybody Says I Love You was pretty good too.

Edited July 21, 2010 by jefferiah

[Michael Hardner]

Annie Hall was alright. For Woody movies I would pick Hannah and Her Sisters, Husbands and Wives, Bullets Over Broadway, and the Curse of The Jade Scorpion.

Manhattan - good story - Broadway Danny Rose, and Sleeper are fun.

If you don't like Woody Himself there's the Purple Rose of Cairo.

[jefferiah]

Manhattan - good story - Broadway Danny Rose, and Sleeper are fun.

If you don't like Woody Himself there's the Purple Rose of Cairo.

Out of the ones I named, Bullets Over Broadway is the only one sans Woody. I like Woody. I also liked the documentary about his Dixieland band.

Edited July 21, 2010 by jefferiah

[ToadBrother]

Annie Hall was alright. For Woody movies I would pick Hannah and Her Sisters, Husbands and Wives, Bullets Over Broadway, and the Curse of The Jade Scorpion. Everybody Says I Love You was pretty good too.

To my mind, his greatest film was Crimes and Misdemeanors. Allen's a great writer and has his flashes of pure genius, but Crimes and Misdemeanors is probably his most sustained piece of cinematic brilliance.

[Jack Weber]

Ok....

For me it's pretty simple...

Good movie?

The Shawshank Redemption

Bad movie?

Big Juggz #35

It just did'nt work for me like the previous 34 editions...

Edited July 21, 2010 by Jack Weber

[Moonlight Graham]

What exactly is original about Matrix? Ever heard of Tron?

Are you kidding? Brilliant premise. A total mind f**k.

Isn't Tron about getting sucked into a computer? The Matrix would be the opposite, where Neo gets "sucked" into reality & earth being a mere program.

[ToadBrother]

Are you kidding? Brilliant premise. A total mind f**k.

Brilliant? It was idiotic, particularly the "human battery" bit.

Isn't Tron about getting sucked into a computer? The Matrix would be the opposite, where Neo gets "sucked" into reality & earth being a mere program.

That hardly means it's not a knock-off. When I watched the Matrix, I thought of Tron and Blade Runner. I didn't find it that good a story, and never could see why it was so popular. This sort of thing has been around in science fiction for decades.