It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
^ Back to Top
The MI6 Community is unofficial and in no way associated or linked with EON Productions, MGM, Sony Pictures, Activision or Ian Fleming Publications. Any views expressed on this website are of the individual members and do not necessarily reflect those of the Community owners. Any video or images displayed in topics on MI6 Community are embedded by users from third party sites and as such MI6 Community and its owners take no responsibility for this material.
James Bond News • James Bond Articles • James Bond Magazine
Comments
Of course I have plenty :)), they're more recent than your examples but generally well-regarded nonetheless.
Cidade de Deus (aka City of God)
Raging Bull
Trainspotting
No Country for Old Men
Pulp Fiction
Saving Private Ryan
Forrest Gump
Just like you also specified, I am not claiming these films aren't any good or that they're badly made, they just don't "click" with me.
Or I may just also add, some of them just aren't pleasant for me to watch. For instance, I acknowledge Trainspotting is well-made, but I find drug addiction just a very painful thing to watch, so I don't have the stomach to enjoy it and I do not feel the need to watch it more than once.
Fair enough. I definitely get your point about some things not being as pleasant to watch, which I think is subjective, too, particularly with just how much certain things affect us differently. Some of this can be cultural, even, like how many Christian Americans shrug at disturbing violence but cringe at any nudity. I certainly have my own certain things that make me feel more uneasy than others, though I try to be as openminded as I can while also accepting not everything’s going to be my cup of tea.
There’s not much in the way of “disturbing / gross” that I can’t handle on its own, but the presentation itself of that disturbing and gross stuff is what makes the difference. For instance, I enjoy the Terrifier films, which sicken a good many people for their gruesome, extreme level of violence. For me, though, it’s so outrageously over the top and unrealistic that it usually doesn’t get under my skin, and of course much of it is played for laughs. The Passion of the Christ, on the other hand, was just such a thoroughly ugly and unpleasant experience for me, and I hated having to watch such awful prolonged torture of a person demonstrated in the cruelest, bleakest way possible. I’m not a religious person anymore, but even still it’s hard for me to think about, and I have zero desire to sit through it again.
Anyways, back to where we were, sometimes a film doesn’t bother me at all, but it just doesn’t hit the way I want it to. Or there’s some I’ll like but not adore the way others do, as well. The important thing is we’re just honest with ourselves and don’t give other people crap (unless in a friendly joking way, of course) about their opinions. We can’t help what we like, after all! As much as it might internally bother me to see someone bash The Godfather while praising Frozen, as long as they’re not trolling, I’ve just got to accept it!
Isn’t it just meant to be a dramatic adaptation of Jake LaMotta’s life, basically? When it comes to biopic kind of material, I think if there is a point, it’s simply to shine a light on the highlights and lowlights of people. Of course, it might not always be as satisfying in a conventional film sense, like if a traditional character arc is missing, but I’m okay with that. In the case of Raging Bull, I think it also contains one of the most effective and accurate depictions of insecurity and domestic abuse I’ve ever seen (I unfortunately knew someone in my life for a very long time like this, minus the physical violence), which is I think important to show in films to educate and remind audiences that people like that do exist, and many times they are celebrities. It’s not a film I watch super often since it’s so heavy, but I do own it and like to revisit it once in a while still to enjoy the tremendous craftsmanship of the movie.
Yeah, i know it's based on Jake La Motta's life story, even though the film starts in the middle of his boxing career, with nothing about his earlier life. And no redemption at the end of it. Yes the film is very well crafted, acted and directed. But i kind of come away from it with a big, 'so what?'
Interesting list, and I would agree with most of it! Exceptions being 'Trainspotting', and I think 'No Country for Old Men' is one of The Coen Brothers better films ( apart from the ending, which I hated!)
I'll be honest, I've never been a fan of Scorsese, I don't really like any of his films, Raging Bull as you state is about a deeply unpleasant person, and I hate 'Goodfellas', doesn't do anything for me!
Forrest Gump is dreadful, saw it once, never want to see it again! Saving Private Ryan has a stunning opening, the rest is dull as dishwater!
For a movie, the story is fairly unique, as are the intriguing ideas and questions it brings up. Not everything worked for me (even considering some things aren't intended to make sense), but there is a boldness to it that I love. The dialogue was stimulating. And the visuals? Insane.
I feel something like Julie Taymor's film of Titus inadvertently prepared me for Megalopolis, considering the latter's Shakespearean overtones and how it brings the culture and aesthetics of Rome into the present. The film's quirky use of an urban setting also reminded me of The Cabinet of Dr. Ramirez, a little-known film I still think about to this day. There are other influences, of course, like Metropolis.
More movies should be like this.
The Apu Trilogy (1955-1959). The movies were all slow-paced, but they still flew by as I watched, since the stories and characters were so interesting. It’s definitely some of the best examples of slice-of-life storytelling I’ve seen. My order of preference for these is Apur Sansar > Pather Panchali > Aparajito, but all offered compelling moments and concepts.
Today was the first time I'd seen it, it was very, very good. Epic & emotional. A level of realism rarely achieved in these kind of movies.
Really good film. I had it built up in my mind for a long time, ever since way back when one of my teachers saw it in theaters with his son and couldn't stop talking about it, but only finally saw it myself too in the last year or two.
I remember seeing it in high school because my parents forced me to go along.
Best nap I ever had.
Count me in as a fan too. Always love ocean-themed period pieces and this one has it all. Also think this is Crowe's best ever performance.
That poster rocks, I remember this film on release, I was obsessed by Jackie at that point in my life.
I lived through all the great man's attempt's at western cinema breakthroughs.
Danny Boyle's space set film continues to dazzle, with great performances, a terrific score, and visuals that hold up amazingly well considering when they were done. I even don't mind the third act change. A seriously underrated sci-fi film.
@Mallory, I'm so glad someone agrees with me. I think this is an underrated masterpiece. Everything works for me: visuals, story, cast, cinematography, score (!), and yes, even the "twist" halfway through the film. I had the pleasure of seeing the film in theatres in 2007 and I was on the edge of my seat from start to finish. In terms of live-action Sci-Fi, I'd put this one in my top 5 ranking, along with 2001, Blade Runner, Alien, and Invasion Of The Body Snatchers ('78) / Interstellar.
According to Wikipedia, "the film received generally positive reviews from critics, highlighting its visual style, direction and performances, but criticizing the third act and scientific inaccuracies." What's not to like about the third act? And "scientific inaccuracies"? I mean... it's science fiction -- emphasis on "fiction". The science should serve the narrative, not the other way around. I'm a science teacher by profession, but I can handle inaccuracies if they make sense in the film. Moonraker's "It's the chemical formula of a plant" makes me want to throw my drink at the screen, but nothing in Sunshine upsets me.
It's an amazing film. Plus: Michelle Yeoh!
Oh I loved that when I was around 13 as well. Shame it doesn't hold up. I think I'll stick with my glorious memories of it...
Great movie I have it on Bluray, really looking forward to Boyle's 28 Years Later, I still would like to see him direct Bond.
Any Chan films from that period you could recommend?
After Hours (1985) - A funny favorite I've seen several times now, one of my absolute top Scorsese features. I'm a sucker for the trope of the boring everyman being inserted into wild situations and settings, and it's rarely been done better than it is with Paul Hackett in After Hours. I think of this as an 80s, urban Alice in Wonderland, where everyone and everything is mad besides the pitiable protagonist. Pitch-perfect dark comedy throughout, and a go-to nighttime feature.
Thief (1981) - First time I've seen this gem. The outstanding visuals and fabulous Tangerine Dream soundtrack make it totally worth it alone, but there's also a consistent, intense vibe that really gripped me. James Caan is excellent in it, and the last 40 minutes are just insane in the best possible way.
You never saw Thief before? I'm so glad you corrected that mistake, sir. ;-) It's Mann's second best film IMO. The score, the cast, the roughness... it all works very well. The eighties at their best.
I take it that you like the film, @Ludovico, since you're using the word "classic". In that case, I'm glad. Back when EWS was released, it drew mixed comments from critics and general viewers alike. But I have always been impressed with the film. I love how Kubrick exposes one of Hollywood's hottest couples (at the time) to its (albeit fictional) deepest intimacies. I love the clever use of blue and red colours in the film. I especially love the tension built around what looks like a dangerous masked cabal. Cruise's nocturnal wanderings, accompanied by that deliciously ominous piano tune, play like a dream. The jealousy of a man who is envied by many, poses an interesting narrative frame. The good doctor's many temptations in the film are a constant reminder of the fragility of marriage. And I love how Kidman and Cruise play their parts.
And @DarthDimi, crazily enough I’ve barely seen any Mann films. I definitely feel the need to explore more, especially after Thief. I still haven’t even seen… Heat!
Together with 2001 and The Shining, it's in my Kubrick top 3.
I don't think EWS is in my top 3, though. Paths Of Glory and Spartacus (yes, that one) join 2001 -- my favourite film ever -- in that warm top 3 spot. :-)