The Cinema Thread

[billy.pilgrim]

So what is the primary goal of the major film makers? That would be to make a bunch of money. So how do they make money? They get lots of people to pay a lot to go see their film, and they sell the rights to show it to Redbox, etc. in the hopes more people will pay to watch it. So who are the majority of those who go see the movies? That would be mostly white people, if for no other reason than historically they've just been the overall majority of the population. So would white people generally relate better to a hero who is also white, or one who isn't? So it should be no surprise that a large number of films over the years have had white people in the lead roles. Seems to be changing somewhat, but even historically I don't know that it's usually been some "Birth of a Nation" sub-plot instead of just trying to sell tickets to the audience you've got and want to keep.

I saw JosephDyer's response to your post and instantly thought 'bot'. Then, I read your post and saw that JosephDyer's is somewhat on point. Then, I saw this:

I read some place that R. Lee Ermey basically advertisement libbed the whole opening scene of Full Metal Jacket.

"advertisement libbed"

Spell check did the same to me

[Vrede too]

I read some place that R. Lee Ermey basically advertisement libbed the whole opening scene of Full Metal Jacket.

"advertisement libbed"

Spell check did the same to me

But you noticed, right? Bots don't.

[billy.pilgrim]

I read some place that R. Lee Ermey basically advertisement libbed the whole opening scene of Full Metal Jacket.

"advertisement libbed"

Spell check did the same to me

But you noticed, right? Bots don't.

I've noticed it more than once and fixed it all but at least once. Failing to notice that time, until too late to edit, has helped improve my proof reading skills, but doesn't mean that I don't have other similar mistakes.

[Vrede too]

Don't Breathe (2016)

"Hoping to walk away with a massive fortune, a trio of thieves break into the house of a blind man who isn't as helpless as he seems."

Pretty good thriller.

[Vrede too]

[Vrede too]

I wasn't really thinking of watching it, but Staying Alive is on TV tonight and I looked it up on Rotten Tomatoes:

TOMATOMETER
0%
Average Rating: 2.7/10
Reviews Counted: 24
Fresh: 0
Rotten: 24

[Vrede too]

Identity is a 2003 American psychological thriller film directed by James Mangold from a screenplay written by Michael Cooney. The film stars John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet, Alfred Molina, Clea DuVall and Rebecca De Mornay.

Not bad.

[Vrede too]

The Adjustment Bureau

[Vrede too]

Happy Death Day

"Groundhog Day meets Scream".

[Vrede too]

Other than The Mask, I haven't really liked Jim Carrey comedy films. However, I've really enjoyed him in a couple of dramatic roles, The Truman Show and I just watched Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind again. It holds up very well.

[neoplacebo]

Other than The Mask, I haven't really liked Jim Carrey comedy films. However, I've really enjoyed him in a couple of dramatic roles, The Truman Show and I just watched Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind again. It holds up very well.

My favorite Jim Carrey is from the old tv show In Living Color when he played Fire Marshal Bill. Hilarious.

[O Really]

In Living Color was one of my favorites back in the day, and I still find myself using lines and references, like "Homey don't play that." All the players and characters were howlingly funny, and the Fly Girls gave starts to people like Jennifer Lopez and Carrie Ann Inaba. For years, I wondered why nobody played re-runs, figured it was some contract thing or litigation over who gets paid. Anyway, In Living Color is back on Fusion (Dish 244), and unfortunately it has not aged particularly well and some of the material falls a little flat. Wish I had just kept it in memory and not re-booted.

[neoplacebo]

In Living Color was one of my favorites back in the day, and I still find myself using lines and references, like "Homey don't play that." All the players and characters were howlingly funny, and the Fly Girls gave starts to people like Jennifer Lopez and Carrie Ann Inaba. For years, I wondered why nobody played re-runs, figured it was some contract thing or litigation over who gets paid. Anyway, In Living Color is back on Fusion (Dish 244), and unfortunately it has not aged particularly well and some of the material falls a little flat. Wish I had just kept it in memory and not re-booted.

Yeah, it was one of my favorites back when it was on. I had looked for DVDs of the show but never saw any in stores. If I'm not mistaken there was some kind of falling out among the Wayans brothers is why the show ended. I also liked the guy who was Kramer on Seinfeld (Micheal Richards?) when he'd play with army men and hit the dirt when his mom would call for him from the window. It was a laugh till it hurts sort of show.

[neoplacebo]

Opps! Wait.....Michael Richards played that part of a kid playing with army men on the old show Fridays......another of my favorites. I probably got them mixed up due to an extensive and illustrious experimentation with dangerous and illegal substances. Which reminds me of the crazy pharmacist who was also on Fridays.

[Vrede too]

I finally got around to watching Magic Mike. It was okay, not great IMO. Seeing the male dance world was interesting and the acting was good, but I thought the plot was cliched and weak.

Anyhow, I came across this:

On its opening weekend, Magic Mike attracted an audience of 73% females, with 43% of the audience being over the age of 35. Dan Fellman, Warner Bros. Pictures President of Domestic Distribution, said this phenomenon could be compared to Sex and the City, which had also appealed to large groups of women.

and this:

A film like Magic Mike, for example, underperformed in blue markets but hugely overperformed in red ones: St. Louis and Nashville saw leaps of more than 30 percent over typical ticket sales, while Kansas City saw a honking 75 percent box-office bump. In New York City and Los Angeles — where advertising and marketing costs are most expensive — Mike fell short of averages by 30 percent and 15 percent, respectively.

Apparently, red states have more frustrated women and gay guys.

[Vrede too]

Watched Letters from Iwo Jima for the 1st time since on a big screen when it came out. Good movie.

I came across this:

The US declared Iwo Jima secure on 26 March 1945, after suffering 26,039 casualties. Only 1,083 of the 22,786 Japanese defenders survived to be captured. A small number of holdouts continued to remain at large, leaving their fortified caves at night in order to steal food from the American garrison. The last two holdouts, Naval machine gunners Yamakage Kufuku and Matsudo Linsoki, surrendered on 6 January 1949.

Almost 4 years, wow.

[Whack9]

Watched Letters from Iwo Jima for the 1st time since on a big screen when it came out. Good movie.

I came across this:

The US declared Iwo Jima secure on 26 March 1945, after suffering 26,039 casualties. Only 1,083 of the 22,786 Japanese defenders survived to be captured. A small number of holdouts continued to remain at large, leaving their fortified caves at night in order to steal food from the American garrison. The last two holdouts, Naval machine gunners Yamakage Kufuku and Matsudo Linsoki, surrendered on 6 January 1949.

Almost 4 years, wow.

There were a handful of Japanese soldiers that didn't surrender until 1974 as well:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroo_Onoda

[Vrede too]

There were a handful of Japanese soldiers that didn't surrender until 1974 as well:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroo_Onoda

Yeah, that's crazy, too, but I can see them pulling it off in the Philippine or Indonesian jungle easier than I can on Iwo's barren rock and ash.

[neoplacebo]

Anyone ever seen Rancho Deluxe? It's from about mid to late 70's; has Jeff Bridges, Slim Pickens, and I forget who else. It's a cult classic and the cinematography is great; most of it shot in Montana. Jimmy Buffet did the soundtrack.....the song "Livingston Saturday Night" is part of it.

[Vrede too]

White savior narrative in film

Nothing earthshaking there, I was thinking some of these things watching Conrack, though it's good to get reminded. Then, I scrolled downs to List of films. Holy crap, look at all of them! Avatar, Cool Runnings, The Green Berets, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, The Matrix, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Three Kings! That's not to say that they're automatically "bad" or should have been made differently, but my perspective has been broadened.

John Lewis Introducing 'Green Book' at the Oscars Sparked Outrage on Twitter

Despite getting "pretty much everything about racism in America totally wrong," Green Book won Best Picture at the 2019 Oscars tonight. And to introduce a white savior road trip movie-one awash in controversy throughout this awards season-the Academy trotted out Civil Rights icon, Senator John Lewis....

I have not seen Green Book and thus have no opinion on its win, impeccable John Lewis introducing it or his words about it. However, when I first heard it described 'white savior movie' came to mind.