Subj : Re: Usual Suspects
To   : alt.tv.farscape
From : RR
Date : Fri Sep 23 2005 05:20:42

From Newsgroup: alt.tv.farscape

Trouble wrote:

>>> Overrated? If by that you mean when Hollywood makes a movie that
>>> feels the teensiest bit edgy, or original they want
>>> dissporportionately large gobs of credit for their achievement.
>
>> Jesus Paul - your posts are always the hardest to reply to. (I mean
>> that in a good way.)
>
> On the flip side I only put this much effort into a movie reply to you
> because I know you've put some effort into studying/watching/critiqing
> them.

Well, I like to *think* I do, but ATF's full of thinkers, so I can't say I
give them any more thought than anyone else around here.

'Da 'ting is...I generally dislike arguing about a movie I don't like (I
don't even get much enjoyment out of debating the merits of a film I enjoy,
for that matter). I don't want to try to convince somebody that a film they
dug, I perceived of as weak. The beauty of film is in the variety, and I
*do* so appreciate the variety. I enjoyed (back in the day) debating the
merits of FS only because, well, that's where we are (and frankly there was
much to debate).

But films are maybe different than TV. They exist in their little 2 or 3
hour bubble and there isn't much room to grow outside of that (unless, of
course, the film in question is part of a series). There are a handful of
films I hated upon first viewing that I grew to love over time, but they are
truly a handful. Bottom line: if it works for you - more power. I'm not here
to suck the enjoyment of people's lives. In the case of TUS, to me it's a
gimmick film and I'll likely never budge on that opinion. But clearly it's
got a rabid fanbase and deservedly so. I don't view it as shit - it just
doesn't have what I need for the long haul. The movies I love are the movies
I will watch over and over as the years go by. 'Nuff said.

> If I was paying attention throughout the movie, I do not have to see
> it again.
>
>> I don't need a huge twist to get me to watch a movie again. I see
>> plenty of flix repeatedly that do not have twist endings.
>
> see above

I think we've been down this road before. If a film is good enough and deep
enough, I do not feel as if I've truly "seen it" 'til around viewing #3
(give or take a viewing). Perhaps I am dim. ;-)

>> That said, there are certain films in the genre that I do enjoy.
>> "Swimming Pool" leaps to mind. I liked "Unbreakable" and think it's
>> the best of Shyamalan's work. "Vanilla Sky" is a huge fave of mine.
>
> I've only seen one of those... +NetflixQueue?

I assume you've seen "Unbreakable", no? "Swimming Pool" is fantastic - but I
gotta admit, I've only seen it once. Exceptional ending, although it is
perhaps not dissimilar to TUS. What it *does* have that TUS doesn't, is
copius amounts of gratutious 20-year old babe nudity. Big plus +++

"Vanilla Sky" is a total love it or hate it affair, and I suspect much of
how you'll feel about it depends on your tolerance for Tom Cruise. If you've
never liked him before, this likely won't change your opinion of him -
although I do believe it's one of his deeper and more inspired performances.
It's a film I never tire of sitting through.

>> Even if you wanna go back in time I love "Sleuth" and also "Witness
>> for the Prosecution". Those last two knew how to deliver a twist
>> without ruining everything that came before.
>
> I haven't seen these, should I add them to my Queue?

"Sleuth" is huge amounts of fun, but it's possibly somewhat dated and maybe
the surprise(s) aren't as surprising as I'd like to think they are. To say
much more would be wrong.

"Witness" just rocks, plain and simple: Billy Wilder-directed; based on a
play by Agatha Christie; Charles Laughton, Elsa Lanchester, Marlene Dietrich
& Tyrone Power in his final screen performance. God, what's *not* to love
and/or recommend?

-- 
RR

"It's been my experience that every
  time I think I know 'where it's at,'
      it's really somewhere else."
      - William Holden - S.O.B.

.