Movies

[Grefter]

Yeah Sopko pretty much got it on the nose, you demonstrate a basic understanding of the subject matter and can quite clearly stick closely enough to the Style to not lose marks, but your lack of interest in the subject prevents you from forming a clearly extension of the concepts into more complex forms truely needed to excel in this class.  Also your attedance is way down and we have to dock marks for low attendance and not being able to participate in the Tutorials.  You get a technical pass with a 4/10, but if you get more than 2 more they cannot count towards your degree.

Ciato on the other hand, in spite of claims of not being interested in the subject matter, listens to extra curricular supplements all about Dance, Fire and Lesbian Witches being trapped into putting on performances for the coast guard after a Police crime wave lapsed its protection when they could not make the payments required by the Chief of Police.  So Ciato gets a 7/10.

[metroid composite]

but your lack of interest in the subject prevents you from forming a clearly extension of the concepts into more complex forms truely needed to excel in this class.

In all seriousness, I wouldn't say I'm completely uninterested in the subject.  I sought out and read a book over Christmas for understanding men in the workplace, and what they're actually thinking in certain situations that women don't know about.  I found the book pretty informative.  (About half the stuff in the book really was news to me).

[Scar]

The Wood - An old movie that is still one of those movies that reminds me of me and my friends growing up.

Ace Ventura: Pet Detective - Lots of sexual innuendos I did not catch when I was younger. Still funny, and gets bonus points for Marino and having the Dolphins in the Superbowl. <3

The Proposal - Kinda cute, but seemed rushed or sloppy most of the time.

Clash of the Titans 3D - The 3D parts didn't seem to jump out at all. the again we were sitting kinda far back. Then again, this was the first 3D movie I have seen in a theater....ever? Movie was ok, nothing amazing, but not cringe worthy either.

Why Did I Get Married - I think this was my first Tyler Perry movie I had ever seen. Decent enough. Watched this so I could go see...

Why Did I Get Married Too - This. Not as happy as the first movie and ends kinda messed up on a bunch of levels. Still it wasn't that bad.

The Count of Monte Cristo - Awesome. It's just that the book is ten times better.

Twilight - ... They fucking sparkle in sunlight?

Cowboy Bebop: Knocking on Heavens Door -  And finally a movie I recommended! Spike is a bad ass.

~

Yeah, been watching a lot of movies. Most are little dinner dates at my girl's house. I wonder if you can guess which ones are my movies and which ones she wanted to see? heh

[metroid composite]

Twilight - ... They fucking sparkle in sunlight?

Yeah, the Twilight movie somehow manages to ruin the Twilight book.  It's impressive--you'd think "how on earth can you get worse than the source material?" And yet they do!  Significantly!


Worse special effects than most TV shows, bad actors, and some awful dialogue that wasn't even in the book.  The movie also largely fails at portraying the badass side of Twilight vampires (I mean come on: they drink the blood of Grizzly Bears; how do you screw that up so badly?)

[Luther Lansfeld]

Ciato on the other hand, in spite of claims of not being interested in the subject matter, listens to extra curricular supplements all about Dance, Fire and Lesbian Witches being trapped into putting on performances for the coast guard after a Police crime wave lapsed its protection when they could not make the payments required by the Chief of Police.  So Ciato gets a 7/10.

I have something better for you

Naked pictures of your mother.

[Grefter]

Clash of the Titans 3D - The 3D parts didn't seem to jump out at all. the again we were sitting kinda far back. Then again, this was the first 3D movie I have seen in a theater....ever? Movie was ok, nothing amazing, but not cringe worthy either.
Twilight - ... They fucking sparkle in sunlight?

3D movies do not work the way you are expecting them to methinks.  Look up the tech behind them a bit and you may enjoy them a bit more since you will know a bit more what to expect.  I honestly don't know how much it enhances the experience anyway though.

And for serious?  Was that a shock that they sparkle or shock at the bad effects?  If it was the former, duuuude where have you been for the last couple of years?

Ciato, I see no reason for this to continue.  I don't have anything else to put in you.  Now go back home, girl, and do whatever it is that you do.

[Idun]

Raise the Red Lanterns - 3/5. I was very upset with the ending because there was no resolution, which I suppose the movie was going for. Just didn't like it. Gong Li is one of my favorite actresses and to see her performance at a young age shows how she's developed significantly in the field of drama. Premise of the movie was interesting. The lanterns were beautiful. Some things were rushed and it seemed like the movie was going at a slow pace, which didn't make any sense to begin with.

Gran Torino - 5/5. Despite people claiming this is still another example of Little Brown Brother being pulled up by his bootstraps and decadent old white man adding meaning to his life because of that, the movie was shot great. Dialogue was great. The level of the violence that it did have was good. Wished they would have perhaps developed his relationship with his sons more though - IE, his second son was only seen at his funeral. This movie portrays that asians are extremely patient people when it comes to racism . . . . the asians here will eff you up about as quickly as a black person. Granted, I guess there is some notability to that because I feel like discrimination for asians is more "acceptable" under a lot of cases, in the sense that people don't start to riot. This is a bad thing. Good movie either way.

[NotMiki]

Ciato on the other hand, in spite of claims of not being interested in the subject matter, listens to extra curricular supplements all about Dance, Fire and Lesbian Witches being trapped into putting on performances for the coast guard after a Police crime wave lapsed its protection when they could not make the payments required by the Chief of Police.  So Ciato gets a 7/10.

I have something better for you

Naked pictures of your mother.

So that's where they went!

[Scar]

Well, like I said earlier I had never seen a movie in 3D before. Mainly because I wear contacts/glasses and would have to wear contacts to enjoy the 3D effects. Also, wearing those shades along with my contacts had always strained my eyes giving me mild headaches.

I didn't want to watch the movie in 3D, but the group I went with all insisted that 3D was the way to go. The reason I mention the sitting in the back as a reason for possibly not getting the full experience or whatever is because my friends, the ones i went with said the closer you sit the better the effects are. I hardly bother to look into things more then that.

That was all I knew going into watching the film. Mythology films entertain me a lot more then most people, so I did find the movie enjoyable. It could have used more Gods, but you know...Hollywood and what have you. Also, I had never seen the original.

[metroid composite]

The reason I mention the sitting in the back as a reason for possibly not getting the full experience or whatever is because my friends, the ones i went with said the closer you sit the better the effects are. I hardly bother to look into things more then that.

I dunno if that's true but it sounds plausible.

They project two images with polarized light (so if you have trouble holding your head straight, 3D won't work >_>.  I've also known people whose glasses had some polarization for sun protection, and wore them under the 3D glasses; yeah, one of the eyes is basically just black).  So...as far as closeness goes, I'm assuming both images are projected at the same angle (i.e. you don't have two screens, one facing slightly left and one facing slightly right) so the distance between the images is a constant distance set by the screen.  And 5 inches on a screen is a lot larger of an effect when you're close than when you're far.

[Fudozukushi]

The reason I mention the sitting in the back as a reason for possibly not getting the full experience or whatever is because my friends, the ones i went with said the closer you sit the better the effects are. I hardly bother to look into things more then that.

I dunno if that's true but it sounds plausible.

They project two images with polarized light (so if you have trouble holding your head straight, 3D won't work >_>.  I've also known people whose glasses had some polarization for sun protection, and wore them under the 3D glasses; yeah, one of the eyes is basically just black).

Huh really?  That would explain why others were complaining of headaches when we watched 3D Avatar and I didn't have one.

[Grefter]

Yeah stuff like that has a big effect on the way the 3D displays for you, unless your theater is really dodgey though seats at the back should be fine considering how much they have to pay for the silverised screens to display 3D on properly the whole thing is setup -specifically- for the theater (You don't spend that much on a screen and projector aaaaand the 3D film stock just to be refunding ticket prices). 

Nothing wrong with going to 3D and being underwhelmed or not even wanting to go (See previous post about me trying it out even with my damaged eye and feeling like throwing up afterwards), just saying knowing what to expect from the effects might help appreciate them better.  The reality of most of the effects at the moment is just WOO THIS LOOKS KIND OF LIKE IT IS COMING AT YOU (just like it was the last 2 times 3D got trendy).  It is just an illusion of 3D obviously and when you aren't expecting it to be that it can be very underwheming and feel really flat (Avatar is supposedly better use of it, but some of that would be James Cameron being talented and choosing his shots to actually use it as a part of the cinematography).

[DjinnAndTonic]

Re: MC's Mulan the Tranny Version:

You're really reading way too much into that... >.>;;

Just my general impression of the movie was that it was attempting to capture the feel of China in those times and how oppressed women were (are). The feminist message was 'Look what she can do without that oppression', regardless of what tactics she had to utilize to get out from under that oppression. The piece is too mired in the culture of its setting for me to read anything much deeper than that from it (without starting the literary wankering). 

[OblivionKnight]

Watched a shitload of movies (new and older) since I last posted here.  Don't think I have the time or energy to do a full, in-depth comparison on each one, but a short bit is fine.  Some I chose to watch, others I...uh...didn't >_>

In the queue for this week: Zombieland, Inglorious Basterds


Twilight and New Moon: Ugh.  From what I understand, from what people who've read the books told me, the movies follow the books pretty well.  The first one is...watchable.  I guess.  The second one has to be the most boring and convoluted thing I have watched in ages.  Edward is a slut and Bella is...ugh.  Seriously, EVERYONE loves her?  She has to have some mental problem - she's like fucking Ebony Darkness Dementia Raven Way...in fact, she seems almost exactly like her - loved by everyone, has a bland as sin personality...god.  I just...the sheer stupidity is insane...obviously, I thought that maybe the books were different in terms of character presentation, but I've been told they really aren't.  How the fuck did Stephanie Meyer get this successful?  So...awful...

Shutter Island: Great adaptation of the book, great psychological thriller.  I saw the twist coming, but a large part of it was still a surprise.  Well worth my time.

Alice in Wonderland: Man, I have one thing to say to the stupid parents who took their kids here and complained it was too much for them - TIM FUCKING BURTON.  Otherwise...Alice is boring as sin, but the rest of the characters' performances were badass, Depp especially.  Another very good movie.

Forrest Gump: Wow.  I have never seen it until now, and...wow.  The movie lives up to its hype.  It is excellent, filled with history, drama, and hilarity.  Excellent movie, though of course, being in the medical profession, I wonder how healthy the lives of the two remaining Gumps will be, considering what happened to the other >_>  Still, excellent movie.

The Princess and the Frog: As people say - best Disney movie in ages.  Very unique, and the villain is fantastic. 


....bleh.  I can't remember the names of some of the others I've seen ;_;  Guess they're weren't that impressive <_<
 

[Grefter]

Man you have like almost the last 6 months of good/awesome cinema for me packed in there.  Pick up Sherlock Holmes and Men Who Stare at Goats when you can and you have pretty much done it all.

[metroid composite]

Re: MC's Mulan the Tranny Version:

You're really reading way too much into that... >.>;;

Just my general impression of the movie was that it was attempting to capture the feel of China in those times and how oppressed women were (are). The feminist message was 'Look what she can do without that oppression', regardless of what tactics she had to utilize to get out from under that oppression. The piece is too mired in the culture of its setting for me to read anything much deeper than that from it (without starting the literary wankering). 

Well yes.  I was more trying to poke fun at the feminism reading of the movie rather than make any real comment on "Mulan is definitely a movie about ____."  The point is more "if you want to read too much into something, you can."

[Meeplelard]

The point is more "if you want to read too much into something, you can."

Pretty much always the point I make.  "If you look hard enough into something, you WILL find it" is the way I put it though, cause people use whatever damn proof they find to display it.

[Luther Lansfeld]

Forrest Gump is one of my all-time favorite movies. <3

[Lady Door]

Twilight and New Moon: Ugh.  From what I understand, from what people who've read the books told me, the movies follow the books pretty well.  The first one is...watchable.  I guess.  The second one has to be the most boring and convoluted thing I have watched in ages.  Edward is a slut and Bella is...ugh.  Seriously, EVERYONE loves her?  She has to have some mental problem - she's like fucking Ebony Darkness Dementia Raven Way...in fact, she seems almost exactly like her - loved by everyone, has a bland as sin personality...god.  I just...the sheer stupidity is insane...obviously, I thought that maybe the books were different in terms of character presentation, but I've been told they really aren't.  How the fuck did Stephanie Meyer get this successful?  So...awful...  

To my knowledge, the reason the books were so successful is BECAUSE Bella is bland and blank. It provides much less resistance for a tween girl to insert herself as Edward's one and only truest love that ever existed super special person than, say, a well-developed, interesting and unique female persona.

... actually, I want to go out on a limb and say that's pretty much how many females are portrayed in pop culture, and for precisely that reason. A woman's worth is in her context, not herself, etc. Stephanie Meyer just boiled it down to its most basic, pop-fiction formula and dropped it into the super-sexy vampire paradigm.

(Because you all want to hear my amateur take on gender theory in your Movies thread, I know.)

[NotMiki]

Bella's your typical silent main, then.  And she has appeal for just the same reasons they do.  Not a tough concept.

[metroid composite]

Bella's your typical silent main, then.  And she has appeal for just the same reasons they do.  Not a tough concept.

Nah, Bella fails at life more than your typical silent main.  Like...most silent mains can play badminton without hitting several people.  Most silent mains don't find themselves in probable death situations from which they need rescue quite so often.  Most silent mains don't hear voices in their heads, and don't willingly do incredibly stupid things just to try and hear MORE voices in their heads.  Most silent mains aren't so blatantly selfish and intentionally manipulative.  I guess she matches the average stupidity of silent mains well-enough, though.

[Anthony Edward Stark]

A woman's worth is in her context, not herself, etc.

Do keep in mind that Stephanie Meyer IS Mormon. From my experiences in Utah this is general belief there.

[NotMiki]

Why would you want to play badminton without hitting people?  Nailing your opponent with the birdie is fun, and it counts as your point, too!

I still say the Bella/silent main comparison is apt, though looking at her compared to a harem anime main character is probably a closer fit, given how you describe her.  Silent mains are void of personality in a generically heroic kind of way.  Main characters of harem shows are more generically pathetic: stumbling, unable to express themselves, indecisive.  Nice, to be sure, but unambitious.

They're all ciphers.  The only difference is what minimal characteristics the author thinks form the appropriate baseline.  (Or to put it bluntly, "how can I make my character as good as possible without having them be any better than how the worst of my target audience sees themselves?")

[Grefter]

I like this interpretation of Twilight as a Harem comedy for people with no concept of humor.

And of course you can interpret a movie in a lot of ways, it is damned fun mc and the world is a better place because you can write things about how Mulan is about trannies.

This of course completely does not change the point of the argument that Mulan is NOT about any particularly Feminist viewpoint and that as a flagship of "Disney aren't all bad about females" it does not do a great job.

[metroid composite]

Mulan is NOT about any particularly Feminist viewpoint

Oh, well yes.  If nothing else, Feminism is strongly anti-violence, and particularly opposed to violence-against-women.  To give you an idea, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is generally NOT considered a feminist work, since it's all about women getting into fights.

If anything, Mulan subscribes to the school of Buffyism--that women are physically stronger and better fighters than men for...no particular reason other than role-reversal.


Wait a sec...I'm going to check some release dates...

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: First aired in 1997
Disney's Mulan: Released in 1998

Hmm...I'll give Disney the benefit of the doubt here--1 year is not a lot of time to copy something.