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Re: Most Recent Movie You've Seen
The main problem with the Cameron timeline is that he kept it open. The ending of T2 should've closed the timeline..or looped it somehow back into the first film. Not sure how to do this but what we got just allowed endless sequels...most of them I have yet to watch.
I should watch this again. It really was mind blowing for its time.
- elevendayempire
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Re: Most Recent Movie You've Seen
The main problem with the Cameron timeline is that he kept it open. The ending of T2 should've closed the timeline..or looped it somehow back into the first film. Not sure how to do this but what we got just allowed endless sequels...most of them I have yet to watch.
I should watch this again. It really was mind blowing for its time.
I think the opposite is true, actually. The original Terminator has a closed-loop storyline (in the original cut of the film you actually see that the factory where the Terminator was destroyed is Cyberdyne Systems):
Time is a closed loop, our fate is sealed, the war against the machines is inevitable.
In Terminator 2, there is no fate but what we make for ourselves. Instead of becoming a war leader, John Connor becomes the true saviour of humanity (huh, "JC," funny that) by preventing the war from happening in the first place. At the end of the film, the war is emphatically not going to happen (again, confirmed in a deleted scene):
August 29th, 1997 comes and goes without incident.
But because Arnie needs to spark some interest in his gubernatorial bid, and because studio suits want more Terminator films, they demand a sequel. But the war was prevented! What to do? In Terminator 3 they conjure up a new future war that doesn't start on August 29, 1997 (because that date has been and gone) but that looks functionally identical to the war from the first two films. And then they utterly betray the intent of James Cameron's hopeful ending to T2, by having Arnie say:
"You only postponed it. Judgment Day is inevitable."
So, to recap: James Cameron initially showed us a fatalistic, doomed view of humanity. Then he flips that on its head and gives us a hopeful ending to the series. And then, because fucking studio suits want a franchise they can milk to death, that hopeful ending is undermined by an even more fatalistic line of dialogue that basically says we might as well give up. Because if Judgment Day is inevitable, why bother fighting at all?
Re: Most Recent Movie You've Seen
Top Gun: Maverick - Since I'll hopefully be going to watch MI this week, figured I should finally watch this.
It's definitely superior to the vastly overrated original. All the jet scenes are top notch. The story itself is pretty flimsy and ridiculous...but I just turned off my brain because it's not really about that.
I'll never watch it again though.
Marathon Man - One of the greatest films of the 70s. I have a new appreciation for the intro...how everything that happens is sparked by a road rage incident.
I would love for a directors cut to eventually get released. More scenes with his brother assassinating someone and of course the uncut torture scenes.
The Principal - Hadn't watched this since I was 13-14...used to be on HBO all time back in the day. It actually holds up well. It reminded me how much I liked Rae Dawn Chong in my youth.
Witness - There was potential here for this to be a hell of a lot better than it is. Way too much time spent in Amish country while ignoring the main plot. The end felt quickly thrown together because they had to wrap it up.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) - While I always liked this film...best Body Snatchers film...I'm moving this into my favorite 70s films list.
Can't find a single fault with it, great cast, great FX, suspense, one of the greatest twists ever, and the grittiness of 70s film set in Frisco.
Escape from New York - Hadn't watched this in decades. Pretty sure the last time I watched it was in the days leading up to watching Escape from LA in the theater.
Was pleasantly surprised. THIS is how you do a film set in a dystopia.
The Snake character really is great....I can see why it's Russell's all time favorite.
It probably deserved a legit sequel in the 80s... instead of the 19997 LA retread.
Their idea Escape from Earth should've been greenlit instead of doing LA.
Re: Most Recent Movie You've Seen
The Roy Scheider character in Marathon Man is probably one of the more underated badass 70s characters.
Watched a few movies set in High schools (don't ask me why):
Dazed and Confused . Finally got through this one. It nails the 1970s details to the point where I sometimes had to remind myself that it was released/made in 1993. Curiously, the only two stars that had staying power were Ben Affleck (not usually a fan but he is fine in his role here) and Matthew McConaghy. Speaking of which, Wooderson comes off as highly creepy as he's in his 20's and still trying to pick up high school chicks. Anyway, this is a coming of age story as a lot of plot is seen through Mitch Kramer's viewpoint. The film also has a "whatever goes in one night" vibe. I wonder how different it would be if the ending was a bit more ambivalent or dark though.
3 O Clock High. This is basically a western set in a high school in the 80s. And I had no problem with it. It's kind of funny how the mai character tries to find ways to get out of the fight and fail. I found the part where he ended up seducing the English teacher pretty hilarious but that might not play as well today.
Election. ok I think I saw this at some point on one of the networks in the 2000s. It seemed like it ran endlessly. Anyway, this thing is black comedy at it's best. Everyone knows or has known a "Tracy Flick" like person, the only question I have to ask is is that person really happy? It seemed the other characters at the end were far happier than she was.
The Innocent A heist film that isn't a heist film. It's really a French melodrama about love and family and...acting. And you know what? I got sucked into it and didn't give a damn about the heist film. The other stuff was more interesting (Dead Presidents is also like this).
The Crimson Rivers. I've seen this thing a few times AND read the novel it's based on. And the movie never explains the main plot that well and I'm still a little confused at the ending. It's not a bad ending though. But yeah, I found myself gravitating toward the secondary plotline involving Vincent Cassel. also this got turned into a TV series that I haven't seen.
Re: Most Recent Movie You've Seen
Been watching season 4 of The Twilight Zone...the season with the hour long episodes.
Dazed and Confused
It's been so long since I watched that...20-25 years...I don't even remember Affleck being in it.
I remember Matthew McConaughey and Milla Jovovich.
Back then I had the hots for one of the actresses in a minor role. I remember checking IMDB in the mid 90s hoping she'd do other films.
Just looked up the cast...her name is Christin Hinojosa...she played Sabrina.
I need to watch this again.
Election
I love this movie...one of the best films of 1999. A perfect cast...this film helped cement Witherspoon as a major player going into the 2000s.
This reminds me of how Spielberg told Chris Klein he was the next Tom Cruise.
I just looked her up...was gonna check the film she did before this (Cruel Intentions). How in the fuck is she worth 400 million?!? I see she became a producer in the 2010s...I assume a lot of it is from that. I know she was popular in the 2000s obviously...but that's like Jodie Foster- Julia Roberts level.
Re: Most Recent Movie You've Seen
Casino Royale. Rewatched this since I was on an Eva Green kick. Brillant and really worthy of all the kudos it got for invigorating the flagging Bond franchise. This isn't really a "Bond film". It's just one of those 90-2000 noirish film that just happens to have more chase scenes/stunts and explosions. I think that makes it different. There aren't many jokes and the gadgets stuff is kept at a minimum. Oh it's really quotable, one of my favs:
Bad guy: Do you beilieve in God, Mr. LeChiffre?
LeChiffre: No, I believe in a reasonable rate of return.
3 Musketeers and D'Artagan--watchable adaption of the novel. In French. Supposed to be a second part coming in December. This is like one of those old school 80s-2000s Hollywood action films that are gone now. They actual have them using guns in addition to the swords as well, which I liked.
State of Grace--another rewatch. The only question that came to me : why isn't this better known or brought up when great crime dramas of the 90s are mentioned? You got great acting all over the place. This is probably my favorite Gary Oldman role as he goes full out here. Sean Penn, Robin Wright and Ed Harris are all great. You have 1990 (or 89) New York in it's full glory. Not quite sanitized but cleaner than the late 70s-early 80s grittiness. There's a bunch of psychological stuff and great character stuff and how each character is suffering in their own personal hell. Also some great cameo's as well. Hell it even has GNR song in it.
Re: Most Recent Movie You've Seen
I've watched a lot of movies and I wasn't aware State of Grace even existed. I vaguely remember hearing the name at some point now when you mention it, but that is it.
It's a very weird production when I look at the credits. Top of the line ensemble with A list actors and a legend like Ennio Morricone doing the music, but produced at a small time studio with a no name director and a Broadway writer who have done nothing in the movie business since. It seems very out of place for them to come together like that.
Re: Most Recent Movie You've Seen
I've watched a lot of movies and I wasn't aware State of Grace even existed. I vaguely remember hearing the name at some point now when you mention it, but that is it.
It's a very weird production when I look at the credits. Top of the line ensemble with A list actors and a legend like Ennio Morricone doing the music, but produced at a small time studio with a no name director and a Broadway writer who have done nothing in the movie business since. It seems very out of place for them to come together like that.
There's actually a really good story about how Morricone came to do the soundtrack on this. It was supposed to be U2 but they took forever to finish up Actung Baby and the director ended up having to go to Morricone to do the score.
Re: Most Recent Movie You've Seen
I just looked her up...was gonna check the film she did before this (Cruel Intentions). How in the fuck is she worth 400 million?!? I see she became a producer in the 2010s...I assume a lot of it is from that. I know she was popular in the 2000s obviously...but that's like Jodie Foster- Julia Roberts level.
Cruel Intentions was watched many times in my house as a young horny teenager 
I'm tempted to go watch it again now lol.
I'm not surprised Reese is worth $400m to be honest, though not sure how accurate these internet "net worth" posts actually are? I can think of plenty of big movies she's been in without even needing to Google it - #1 being Legally Blonde (and its sequels), Sweet Home Alabama, Walk The Line, Little Nicky, obv Cruel Intentions and Election too. I seem to remember she was also a guest on Friends as well? I think she's a decent actress, enjoyed just about everything I've seen her in tbh 
Latest movie I watched was "Underwater". I watched it once before and enjoyed it so thought I'd give it another watch. Has that "Alien" vibe y'know? Kristen Stewart even looks like Ripley in Alien 3 with the shaved hair. Wouldn't surprise me if she's worth $400m too, she's been in tons of movies and again I seem to recall enjoying the majority of them.
