Most people is pretty quiet right about now. Me, I see a stiff -- one I didn't have to kill myself -- I just get, the urge to, you know, do stuff. Like work out, run around, maybe get some trim if there's a willin' woman about... not that I get flush from corpses or anything. I ain't crazy.

Jayne ,'The Message'


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Strega - Apr 20, 2011 1:55:52 pm PDT #14189 of 30000

(Found the Cronenberg quote: "I want to show the unshowable.")

Okay, was pondering the great/A+ movie thing on the drive home, which passed the time nicely, and here are some of the disjointed thoughts I had:

Some A+ movies: Jaws, Citizen Kane, Casablanca, Shadow of a Doubt, most if not all Kubrick, Unforgiven, A Fish Called Wanda, do I even need to say Miller's Crossing?, Diva, M*A*S*H, Chinatown, and I will think of more as soon as I hit post. My favorite movies include these, but also a lot of others I love despite (or because of) their flaws.

And nothing is perfect, but I guess the best way I can express it is, how close do you come to the target? If you're within the yellow center of the "quality" bullseye you're aiming at? A+. Hit a little further out -- maybe there are a few dangling threads, or something doesn't quite click... or Keanu is in it. So more like an A- or a B? (I had to do letter grades for TWoP recaps for all those years, so it's kind of ingrained now.)

I was trying to think of great movies that I don't necessarily like -- to torture the metaphor even more, "I don't care for this target, but you sure did hit it precisely." And I'm pretty sure they exist, but I'm less likely to see those movies in the first place. (Like, I'm sure there are great sports movies, and great musicals, but... ugh.) I did think of a borderline case, to bring Kubrick up again: The Shining. I don't know when I sat & watched it straight through instead of stumbling upon a edited-for-TV version, but it was on Netflix streaming so I saw it recently. I don't dislike it, but I certainly didn't wind up going, "Wow, I loved that! Can't wait to see it again!" It's too deeply unsettling to make me enthusiastic that way... but that's why I think it's a great movie.


Amy - Apr 20, 2011 2:02:18 pm PDT #14190 of 30000
Because books.

Prim cast in Hunger Games

Oh, she's perfect! She's pretty much exactly what I pictured.

Some A+ movies: Jaws

I always think this one gets discussed for its blockbusterness, and the shark, and the problems filming, but the film itself is so well-written and performed. We probably watch it once a year.

I love Unforgiven, too. One of my all-time favorite movies.


tiggy - Apr 20, 2011 3:42:15 pm PDT #14191 of 30000
I do believe in killing the messenger, you know why? Because it sends a message. ~ Damon Salvatore

I don't think Elizabeth Banks is confirmed quite yet, ita, but it does seem inevitable. she's one of those actresses i don't get. i still think Chenoweth would've been an awesome Effie.

ION i watched Julie & Julia this past weekend. i'm not sure what the opinion of it was here, but i liked it. it did seem like two different movies and was sad that it didn't end with them meeting, but i also didn't know it was based on a true story.


Jessica - Apr 20, 2011 3:54:45 pm PDT #14192 of 30000
And then Ortus came and said "It's Ortin' time" and they all Orted off into the sunset

Hit a little further out -- maybe there are a few dangling threads, or something doesn't quite click... or Keanu is in it.

It makes me sad that Strega does not share the Keanu Love, when we agree on so many other things.


Anne W. - Apr 20, 2011 4:56:13 pm PDT #14193 of 30000
The lost sheep grow teeth, forsake their lambs, and lie with the lions.

Apparently her lack of plucking is raising a storm on the internet.

Right. Because that is the first thing a character would worry about when dealing with near-starvation conditions on a regular basis.

She looks adorable.


Strega - Apr 20, 2011 5:32:45 pm PDT #14194 of 30000

I always think this one gets discussed for its blockbusterness, and the shark, and the problems filming, but the film itself is so well-written and performed.

Yeah, that's one where when I watch it I'm still all, "I went into this knowing it was great, but holy crap is this great!"

It makes me sad that Strega does not share the Keanu Love, when we agree on so many other things.

Aw, it makes my friend Marcia sad, too. If I'd liked any of his movies more I would probably like him more. Or if I liked him more, maybe I would enjoy his movies? I'm not sure which way it goes. He is pretty, but... maybe he shouldn't talk?


Amy - Apr 20, 2011 5:34:22 pm PDT #14195 of 30000
Because books.

He is pretty, but... maybe he shouldn't talk?

Never in an accent of any kind, at least. Otherwise, I'm good with the Keanu.


§ ita § - Apr 20, 2011 5:43:24 pm PDT #14196 of 30000
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

Never in an accent of any kind, at least.

Including many American ones, I fear.


amych - Apr 20, 2011 5:45:59 pm PDT #14197 of 30000
Now let us crush something soft and watch it fountain blood. That is a girlish thing to want to do, yes?

Keanu is allowed to talk in Bill and Ted movies. In anything else, he sounds like he's trying to not be in a Bill and Ted movie.


JZ - Apr 20, 2011 6:48:40 pm PDT #14198 of 30000
See? I gave everybody here an opportunity to tell me what a bad person I am and nobody did, because I fuckin' rule.

Keanu is also allowed to talk in Parenthood. So say I.