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Re: Most Recent Movie You've Seen
I finished the Sopranos again.
Season 1-4 the bad storylines can be counted to two or three per season.
Starting with season 5 the bad storylines are becoming more frequent. Every other episode or so, and then in season 6 you see them every episode. "Johnny Cakes" from 6a is probably the worst of them all. I counted zero interesting story lines and maybe a few minutes of good scenes. Usually it doesn't get that bad, but especially season 6a is dominated by crap.
To give some examples. To me the only storyline in Season 1 edging on boring is the Coach Hauser is a pedo plot from "Boca". A Hit is a Hit with the rap storyline is out of place and not the best, but not really boring. That's it as far as sub par plot lines go in the entire season.
In Season 5 we get a bad storyline smack in the opening episode. "The Bear is Tony". The idea is not bad the way it links up with later episodes, but the scenes are straight up tedious with just a handful of good lines. In fact the whole Carm and Tony gets a divorce story is a bad idea. Them being married is integral to the show. To screw with the fundamentals of your show is a sign you are running out of ideas.
The worst comes in episode 6 with Carm having a love affair with the college professor. It takes up half an episode and is bereft of interesting dialogue or situations. I don't like Tony trying to fuck Adriana either. I get the idea was to destroy his relationship with Chris, but how is that a good idea? These are the main protagonists of the show, they're family, you want them to get along.
Overall Season 5 is pretty good. Many good scenes. However the trend is there and very soon it's going to fall off a cliff. The Vito is a fag storyline is the only thing keeping the first part of season 6 afloat. Granted it is a very funny storyline, but it can't make up for all the mediocre stuff. Basically every scene where Tony is in the hospital is a total bore fest. AJ trying to be a tough guy is just pathetic. The Perry Anunziata character they brought in just so Tony could have a moment in one episode, then he's window dressing for the next season and a half, and he wasn't a very good character to begin with. Eugene is a rat then kills himself immediately after was a waste of time. I don't want to watch people being depressed all the time. You watch movies to get away from all that. And Juliana Skiff, compare this "Tony's love interest" with Irina, Gloria and Valentina. Or the one legged one. Holy shit what has happened to this show!
6b is better in the first half then goes nuclear with the AJ storyline. The war with New York is a major anticlimax. And did anyone want to see Tony kill Chris? Of course it is all very well done and there are many good scenes but you don't want to see a show destroy itself like this.
1-4 is classic Sopranos, you can't go wrong with any of these.
Season 5 I give top grades to episodes 2-4 & 7-10.
The only episode in season 6 I would consider giving a top grade is "Sopranos Home Movies", the opener in 6b. Even that's a stretch. The most entertaining episode is definitely "Live Free or Die" where Vito gets outted.
Re: Most Recent Movie You've Seen
Yeah the Johnny cakes crap almost kills that final season.
What should've been in its place....and made more sense....is Vito getting closer to Phil and with his newfound health and ambition...considers making a move backed by Phil.
This could have ignited the war.
In fact the whole Carm and Tony gets a divorce story is a bad idea
Its main problem is they drag it out too long...the entire season.
I also don't understand why they didn't use it as an opportunity to bring Carmela's sister into the series...it was the perfect time to do it. She could have moved in with Carmela and AJ during the separation.
She was mentioned a couple times throughout the series yet never appears on the show.
Eugene is a rat then kills himself immediately after was a waste of time
One of my favorite episodes of the entire series...it made me realize not only the potential such a storyline had....but also that the Eugene character was wasted.
"Eugene is a rat" should've happened a year earlier...and maybe have him or Adriana realize that the other is also a rat.
I also liked how much his wife obviously hated Tony....yet we're shown no reason why.
Also....his son is a drug addict....so why isn't he hanging out with Chris and his crew?
The storyline felt quickly thrown together.
I don't like Tony trying to fuck Adriana either
I would've preferred Tony going after Tony B's girlfriend/fiance....it would've created more tension between the two. Plus I like that actress...she could've been in more episodes.
Basically every scene where Tony is in the hospital is a total bore fest
I kinda liked it.... mainly the part with Sil as acting boss and the scenes with the rocket scientist.
Other than that...yeah...they stretched it out too long.
AJ storyline
Almost ruins the season....and way too much time is devoted to him in the last two episodes.
And did anyone want to see Tony kill Chris?
If Chris was going to die...and considering how much of his storyline revolved around drugs...he should've died in a random episode at a random moment....like a drug addict.
Example....he comes over to pick Tony up, needs to take a piss so goes to the bathroom...but never comes out. He's lying in there dead from an overdose.
On the other hand...the character was needed for the war with NY because Tony has a skeleton crew at the end. It's laughable. That's when I realized Carmine was right... they're a glorified crew.
Yeah.... definitely running out of ideas. I'd like to see the alternate timeline where Chase sticks to his initial vision....series ends at season 4 during a war with Johnny and the final scene is Tony heading across the bridge to the meeting where he's going to be killed.
Re: Most Recent Movie You've Seen
The Godfather - Man...this really does deserve its "greatest film ever made" label. Just epic from start to finish. A real experience...they'll never make movies like this again. I was tempted to watch part II but I went to bed. Maybe I'll watch it tonight.
Like some other iconic films, they lucked into that cast and director. Sergio Leone and Peter Bogdanovich were offered the film before Coppola got it.
Some of the actors considered for the roles before landing Pacino and Brando....
Ernest Borgnine or Laurence Olivier as the Godfather?!? Holy shit...
Jack Nicholson
Burt Reynolds
Warren Beatty
Robert Redford
Ryan O'Neal
Dustin Hoffman
Martin Sheen
It's an entirely different film with anyone of those guys instead of Pacino.
Out of that list...the absolute worst is Nicholson. He was smart to decline. Can't imagine Reynolds neither.
Hell... Robert De Niro was almost Sonny! Had that one small change not happened...it obviously alters part 2 as you have to get someone else for the prequel.
Crazy world.
Re: Most Recent Movie You've Seen
The Godfather - Man...this really does deserve its "greatest film ever made" label. Just epic from start to finish. A real experience...they'll never make movies like this again. I was tempted to watch part II but I went to bed. Maybe I'll watch it tonight.
Like some other iconic films, they lucked into that cast and director. Sergio Leone and Peter Bogdanovich were offered the film before Coppola got it.
Some of the actors considered for the roles before landing Pacino and Brando....
Ernest Borgnine or Laurence Olivier as the Godfather?!? Holy shit...
Jack Nicholson
Burt Reynolds
Warren Beatty
Robert Redford
Ryan O'Neal
Dustin Hoffman
Martin SheenIt's an entirely different film with anyone of those guys instead of Pacino.
Out of that list...the absolute worst is Nicholson. He was smart to decline. Can't imagine Reynolds neither.
Hell... Robert De Niro was almost Sonny! Had that one small change not happened...it obviously alters part 2 as you have to get someone else for the prequel.
Crazy world.
Honestly, I think it is the one film you can say is name one film that you can say is uniquely "American". It's got the entire gamut--the concept of the American Dream, the changing dynamics of the 20th century (Vito refuses to sell drugs, instead wants to hold onto to the old ways), it's a film about family and fathers and sons. It doesn't come off as dated as some of the older films (cough...Gone With the Wind) and you can see the freedoms of the 1970s cinema in it too.
Sidenote: having watched a bunch of 70s-80s stuff, those films made the cities characters in ways that these modern films couldn't. And NYC is a main character in the Godfather. And the 3hr run time flows by. I'm not a huge fan of Part II. Tried watching it a while ago, gave up after 2 hrs, it was just too much for me.
I don't think Borgnine or Olivier (too British and upper class imo) could have pulled it off like Brando did. On the Michael role, the only guy I think could have pulled it off from that list is Hoffman. Reynolds, Nicholson, O'neal (he's sort of lightweight and I say this as someone who LOVES, the Driver) don't fit at all. You need a quiet, scheming, ice cold type for Michael.
I see Beatty always as more of a comedic guy. No clue about Sheen or Redford as to how they would fit.
Caan was cast perfectly and I don't think DeNiro had established his tough guy persona as well.
Re: Most Recent Movie You've Seen
Seen a bunch of movies lately:
One False Move. From the same director of Devil in a Blue Dress. This one is earlier. Darkness all around. Also I've realized that Billy Bob Thorton is born to play an asshole. Fine film all around. Quite gritty. Kinda 70s ish where it's ambivalent all around with the characters. They don't make movies like this anymore.
White Sands; 90s film featuring a pretty good cast: William Dafoe (as the lead), Samuel L. Jackson, Mickey Rourke and Mary Elizabeth Mastromino. I had a good time watching this one. Jackson is doing his thing before Pulp Fiction. Rourke plays an interesting bad guy and this is one of the few films with Dafoe as a lead.
Looker. I had fun watching this again. It's one of those 70s conspiracy style thrillers set in the early 80s. And has that 80s vibe. It's kind of goofy when you think about it. But Crichton prophesized how we would all become slaves to the TV (now internet/smartphones). Also there a nice dig at cosmetic surgery before it became en vogue.
I'll sleep when I'm dead. Clive Owen movie. This is perfectly fine, but there is one huge problem with it. And I've think I've seen this before once. But the ending (or part of it) is such a deflater. It just doesn't make much sense. Or I got a "that's it ?" reaction. This is what happens when you don't hit the landing or nail the twist or reasoning.
Bound. I never really appreciated how great this film until I last saw it. Great heist/noir film. I love the dialog in it. You kind of have to pay attention. It sounds like stuff from the 40s-50s. Joe Pantoliano almost steals the film. He goes nuts in the second half and it's a joy to watch. This thing is beautifully shot too. The budget wasn't much but it looks great. There are some twists and turns to this thing I totally forgot. Also worth it to see Chris Merloni as a villian in his pre SVU days.
Re: Most Recent Movie You've Seen
Sidenote: having watched a bunch of 70s-80s stuff, those films made the cities characters in ways that these modern films couldn't. And NYC is a main character in the Godfather
This is true of some TV shows as well...
Watch some old Law and Order episodes...and then try watching that new reboot.
They just can't do it anymore.
Another great film where the city is a character is Foul Play(San Francisco).
Everything is sterile now...it no longer matters which cities any of these new movies or tv shows are set in.
I'm not a huge fan of Part II. Tried watching it a while ago, gave up after 2 hrs, it was just too much for me.
While I like II...it definitely has some issues.
The prequel section should've been it's own movie...the way both stories are edited lessens the impact of both. It's why I like that chronological version of both films.
The Cuba/Hyman Roth stuff goes a bit overboard...it's only real highlight is the scene where Michael finds out the truth about Fredo. What a scene it is though...love the look in Pacino's eyes when he hears that.
One False Move. From the same director of Devil in a Blue Dress
I need to watch this...Devil In A Blue Dress was amazing.
Looker
I need to watch this too...it's on one of my massive queues on one of those movie sites.
Sounds like it might need a proper remake...so does Videodrome.
Yeah Bound is awesome. I don't like how it's mainly known for the lesbo thing because it's just a killer movie period.
Re: Most Recent Movie You've Seen
This is true of some TV shows as well...
Watch some old Law and Order episodes...and then try watching that new reboot.
I watched a few eps of that and gave up. I mean the novelty of it wore out quick for me. It just seemed so sterile compared to the original. And as a big fan of L&O it pains me to type that. Fuck, I enjoyed that other Law and Order spinoff w/Merloni and Dylan McDermott more than the reboot of the original.
While I like II...it definitely has some issues.
The prequel section should've been it's own movie...the way both stories are edited lessens the impact of both. It's why I like that chronological version of both films.
The Cuba/Hyman Roth stuff goes a bit overboard...it's only real highlight is the scene where Michael finds out the truth about Fredo. What a scene it is though...love the look in Pacino's eyes when he hears that.
That's kind of my issue with it. The ping ponging between past and present kinda annoyed me because I would be getting into it and we'd go back or forward. There defintely is an artform to directing one of these films with multiple plotlines.
I need to watch this too...it's on one of my massive queues on one of those movie sites.
Sounds like it might need a proper remake...so does Videodrome.
Yeah, without spoilering anything, there is a plotline in the film that could have been expanded and really turned into a totally different film all by itself.
Vanilla Sky. Not bad. I kind of love it when Cruise goes out of his comfort zone and does a different non-blockbuster film. I remember this thing opened in the dead season of films (aka Sept and Oct). And that was the right move. This one is too smart/complicated for people expecting the usual Cruise action film. This might be the one film where I don't have an issue w/Penelope Cruz' English accent. She just has a precense in this film. Kurt Russell is also really good here. The film is more about life and love than a thriller.
Re: Most Recent Movie You've Seen
Star Trek Next Generation
Not really a Star Trek fan but I always liked this show. It's cheap and apart from Patrick Stewart the acting isn't great. A clear reminder of the time when there was a gulf between television and theater movies. The writing though is good, and I just love the setting. Roddenberry was a communist so the whole premise is ridiculous, and it also makes it an ugly show, but his utopian fantasy is quite comfortable. Traveling around the universe in that clean ship, beaming around and you can make any item you like from energy. Unlike today where such a show spends most of its time on politics, the sci fi takes the front seat here. After the Sopranos I need a break from dreariness. This is perfect for that.
Re: Most Recent Movie You've Seen
The Borg episodes were amazing back in the day. I should watch them and see if they hold up.
Of course they ruined the Borg storyline in that movie by making them have a queen.
Serpico - Hadn't watched this in probably 30 years...was like a new movie.
It was great but definitely has some pacing issues. Can't really criticize this though as it's a true story and they tried keeping it as close to reality as possible.
I need to watch Sea of Love soon. Only thing I remember about it is Pacino and Goodman are cops.
Re: Most Recent Movie You've Seen
I need to watch Sea of Love soon. Only thing I remember about it is Pacino and Goodman are cops.
I watched it a few years ago. The only thing I remembered is that the image had this annoying washed out look.
Titane--man was this a let down relative to my expectations. I liked the director's previous film, Raw. So, I was kind of amped for this one and it starts out well. Chaos abound for like the first 30 mins or so. Then it turns into some sort of family drama. And one main plotline is never really resolved. Kind of goes off the rails for me to the point where I dozed off twice. It looks great but is an ultimately empty film.
