Movie Thread

zitothebrave said:
I won't argue against the highs of Coppola. For 10 years he made some of the best films of all time. But just for ****s and giggles, we compare the highest box office coppola vs. Scorsese.


Godfather
Bram Stroker's Dracula
Apocalypse Now
Godfather Part 3
Jack
Godfather part 2
The Rainmaker
Peggy Sue Got Married
The Cotton Club
The Outsiders

You could say 4 of them are considered classics (God Father 1+2, AN, and Outsiders) 2 are considered good films but behind the rest of his catalogue (part 3 and Dracula) 4 of those most wouldn't be able to tell you what that are.

Compared to Scorsese.

Wolf of Wall Street
Shutter Island
The Departed
The Aviator
Gangs of New York
Cape Fear
Hugo
Killers of the FLower moon
Casino
The Color of Money

Like Coppolo iconic films off this (Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull)

I haven't seen Killers of the FLower moon. But most of those films are memorable. Several are iconic.

Again Coppola has the highest highs, but just not the total catalogue and several of his films were not that great. I can respect him for his elite 70s career.
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Zito, you forgot Taxi Driver and Mean Streets on the Scorsese docket. Early stuff and Mean Streets is a bit of a mess, but I think Scorsese just consistently packs a punch. Taxi Driver is one of my all-time favorites.

You have to give Coppola the Godfather Saga (although #3 stunk) and Apocalypse Now (especially the uncut version that adds some extremely interesting angles on the colonial experience in Indochina). You forgot to put Tucker on the Coppola's list, and that's another good film.

I guess it boils down to consistency for me and although Scorsese can't seem to find a way to condense a plot, I just think his oeuvre hits the mark with greater regularity than Coppola's. It can be said that there is a difference between filmmaking and story-telling and both Coppola and Scorsese combine these elements. I see Coppola as more invested in the cinematic aspects and Scorsese on the story-telling side of the ledger. Coppola has taken more risks outside of his (and the audience's) comfort zone, but that has led (at least to me) to some mishaps.

Edit: My apologies zito. I didn't see the box office reference.

Edit #2: Coppola's The Conversation is also worth a watch. Not a box office smash, but Gene Hackman is outstanding.
 
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Saw Napolean last night. Battle scenes and Josephine. Epic in a lot of ways, but as others have said, there's a lot that was left on the cutting room floor and, as a result, the story is very truncated and doesn't flow smoothly. The aftermath of the French Revolution that paved the way for the rise of Napolean isn't played out and there are so many characters that fly in and out of the narrative without much other than a scene or two that the overarching story won't make a ton of sense to those who don't have at least some knowledge of the chain of events. Of course, this isn't a documentary. But the battle scenes--a Ridley Scott specialty--are truly magnificent.

Curious to see the director's cut and what gets added in the additional hour-and-a-half.
 
50PoundHead said:
Saw Napolean last night. Battle scenes and Josephine. Epic in a lot of ways, but as others have said, there's a lot that was left on the cutting room floor and, as a result, the story is very truncated and doesn't flow smoothly. The aftermath of the French Revolution that paved the way for the rise of Napolean isn't played out and there are so many characters that fly in and out of the narrative without much other than a scene or two that the overarching story won't make a ton of sense to those who don't have at least some knowledge of the chain of events. Of course, this isn't a documentary. But the battle scenes--a Ridley Scott specialty--are truly magnificent.

Curious to see the director's cut and what gets added in the additional hour-and-a-half.
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Pretty much my thoughts on it. Seemed like an extended trailer for the directors cut.
 
Finally saw Across the SPiderverse. THose movies are such fun. The way they handle the sprawl is exceptional as well. But obviously the art style is second to none. Drawing and designing each world as something new and interesting. Mixing character drawing and animations inthe same world, etc. it's a work of art.
 
A little off-topic, but I am only one that enjoyed the original Spawn movie? It gets **** on all the time when people bring up superhero movies, but I enjoyed it a lot as a kid (even though it wasn't a kid movie).
 
Carp said:
A little off-topic, but I am only one that enjoyed the original Spawn movie? It gets **** on all the time when people bring up superhero movies, but I enjoyed it a lot as a kid (even though it wasn't a kid movie).
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I was a huge Spawn fan so I enjoyed the movie.
 
The Iron Claw won't win any awards, but it's a pretty good (and gritty movie) about professional wrestling and the toll it can take on the wrestlers. Not entirely accurate, but provides a decent history of the WCCW, which was run by Fritz Von Erich, and was a really solid regional operation. For someone of my vintage, it's just another reminder of how Vince McMahon pretty much ruined everything.

Not a ton of wrestling action (and they could have picked a better actor to play Ric Flair), but well-acted and really hones in on the tragedies that beset the Von Erich family. I don't know how many hours per week Zac Efron spent in the gym, but he managed to muscle up to an almost grotesque level.
 
50PoundHead said:
The Iron Claw won't win any awards, but it's a pretty good (and gritty movie) about professional wrestling and the toll it can take on the wrestlers. Not entirely accurate, but provides a decent history of the WCCW, which was run by Fritz Von Erich, and was a really solid regional operation. For someone of my vintage, it's just another reminder of how Vince McMahon pretty much ruined everything.

Not a ton of wrestling action (and they could have picked a better actor to play Ric Flair), but well-acted and really hones in on the tragedies that beset the Von Erich family. I don't know how many hours per week Zac Efron spent in the gym, but he managed to muscle up to an almost grotesque level.
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You need to watch
Heroes of World Class: The Story of the Von Erichs and the Rise and Fall of World Class Championship Wrestling



Amazing documentary told from the people involved with WCCW. WWE did a WCCW doc a few years later, which isn’t nearly as good.
 
What movies did you all enjoy as a kid but if you watched them now, they’re basically unwatchable?


I loved Flash Gordon as a kid. The special effects are trash thirty years later.
Thr neverending Story is another one.
 
Krgrecw said:
What movies did you all enjoy as a kid but if you watched them now, they’re basically unwatchable?


I loved Flash Gordon as a kid. The special effects are trash thirty years later.
Thr neverending Story is another one.
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Hook

It's a mediocre film that I loved as a kid. Knowing Spielberg's skill it makes me sad that it wasn't what it should have been.
 
Krgrecw said:
You need to watch
Heroes of World Class: The Story of the Von Erichs and the Rise and Fall of World Class Championship Wrestling



Amazing documentary told from the people involved with WCCW. WWE did a WCCW doc a few years later, which isn’t nearly as good.
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I'll try to find that. I have some idea as to what was going on when WWE blew everyone other than WCW out of the water. I did some subcontracting work for a couple of guys who were helping Verne Gagne try to reimagine the AWA here in Minnesota. There was a plan in the late-1980s to merge the WCCW, UWF, CWA, and AWA into a Midwest and Texas regional organization, but Bill Watts, who ran the UWF, changed his mind and the whole thing fell apart. Verne Gagne was notoriously cheap and ran the AWA with an iron fist, so I don't doubt that Verne's stubbornness played into Watts' decision. There was some talent exchange between WCCW, CWA, and AWA, but there were squabbles over money so the plan never came to fruition.

The WCCW did formally merge with the CWA to create the USWA when the bigger deal fell apart, but that agreement was short-lived. Again, over money.

WCCW had a tremendous roster of guys and always had great rivalries going on. Unlike WWE, they seemed to incorporate athleticism and the kayfabe seamlessly.
 
50PoundHead said:
The Holdovers is the best movie I have seen in years. It's certainly not going to be for everyone and it's not going to kill at the box office, but Alexander Payne has really put together a great little movie. It's set in the 1970-71 school year (which was my senior year in high school) and Payne got the look and feel just right. No car chases. No existential crises. No gigantic message. Just a very good story told extremely well. Paul Giamatti is superb.
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Just watched this and I have to agree it was fantastic. Sort of a Good Will Hunting meets Dead Poets Society type of vibe.
 
bravesnumberone said:
Alexander Payne has a pretty good list of strong movies. Nebraska is one of my all-time favorites.
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He's had a couple of clinkers, but in an era of LARGE movies, Payne has made a number of really wonderful movies that revolve around interesting characters and smaller, yet interesting, plot lines.
 
Finally caught Killers of the Flower Moon. Kind of glad I watched it at home. While the spectacle of it would have been amazing on screen, it was so ****ing long. It wasn't bad long. Just so long. Missing part of the film to piss would have sucked.

If the trend of films is to keep making 3+ hour films, build in intermissions please. It's what the consumers would want. A short 15 minute intermission to let people piss and maybe grab some more popcorn or soda would be a huge win for both theaters (already facing less showings could offset it with more concession sales) and fans. Because one thing I hate is missing things. And for a movie around 3 hours that's pushing it. When I say 3 hours I don't mean 3 hour run times like Endgame, where the actual film ends before 3 hours. it's when it get sto 3:30 adn you're dealing with 3+ hours of content.
 
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