Vic Sage

i love love love the films of Peter Weir... and this is one of the reasons why. Flawed but fascinating, it's haunting, enigmatic, sexy, visually compelling, and with a hint of the magical just below the everyday. I haven't seen the film in a long time, so i don't know if it holds up, but i can't think of a reason it shouldn't. i think its time for a Weir filmography.

Ceetar wrote: eh. it was okay. watched it just before I saw the Avengers last week. Just seemed flat and uncompelling. May have been my least favorite of the bunch. Congrats, Ceetar, you are now officially my own personal Rex Reed... a perfect reverse barometer for movies, sports, everything. You are my true north, and i can always gauge how straight my course is by how diametrically it opposes yours. Thank you. A guiding star is a valuable thing to have in one's life.

i think it suffered from a lack of unicorns.

Edgy DC wrote: Yeah, this one didn't shake me up either. I think it's time for me to cash in my chips with regard to superduperguy films. yeah, if this one didn't do it for you, you can join Transmonk in the anti-unicorn faction. I'm not saying its the best thing since sliced bread (and how did that food product earn its reputation for greatness anyway?), or even the best superhero movie, but it's got a nice blend of character and action, and it delivers its silliness with a sense of humor and clever self-awareness that doesn't tip into cynicism or satire. I really don't know what else people want from a big summer action film.

if Scarlett Johannsen's Black Widow was any hotter, she'd just burst into flames, like a distaff Johnny Storm. The movie takes a while to get going, but once it does, it doesn't stop. It builds its momentum by allowing each character to develop over the first hour, as you come to see them as individuals with their own motivations, and then the bumpy coming together is more believable. Its got a kind of wonderful sense of humor, without losing the dignity with which it treats the genre and the characters. It references the comics and the prior movies without getting lost in festishistic detail. It shorthands their backstories, yet somehow doesn't give them short shrift. It finds its iconic moments, yet develops a fresh take on the characters and allows them to grow. And then it lets it all fly over the last half-hour, delivering straight action movie thrills. It even sets up a sequel without feeling that it cheated, or is somehow incomplete.

"Conan, what is best in life?" "To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women." conan the musical:

Ahnold's Oeuvre: Hercules in New York (1969) - Ahnold's debut is one of the worst films ever made! Stay Hungry (1976) - He redeems himself in this, a 70s art film of sorts directed by Bob Rafelson, with Jeff Bridges and Sally Field. He got positive reviews that enabled him to launch an acting career. Pumping Iron (1977) - lauded documentary on weighlifting; Ahnold confirms his star potential. Conan the Barbarian (1982) - Hollywood's resident Zen Fascist John Milius directed and co-authored (with Oliver Stone) Ahnold's iconic launch into international super-stardom; the film launched the "sword & sorcery" sub-genre. Conan the Destroyer (1984) - this more comical sequel nearly buried the genre. The Terminator (1984) - from anti-hero to outright villain, Ahnold as a murderous robot was type-casting in this brilliant SF actioner from James Cameron. Red Sonja (1985) - A supporting role in a terrible S&S Conan spinoff. Commando (1985) - surprisingly solid contemporary actioner; Ahnold is a retired black ops guy going in and destroying a dictator's regime to save his daughter. Raw Deal (1986) - a lesser actioner; Ahnold as a sheriff going undercover for the FBI. Predator (1987) - Best since TERMINATOR; Ahnold vs a sport-killing Alien in the jungle. The Running Man (1987) - Disappointing dystopian SF with Ahnold as wrongly convicted man trying to survive death by "TV execution gauntlet". He's not convincing as an "everyman". Red Heat (1988) - Buddy cop movie with Jim Belushi, with filmmaker Walter Hill already on a career slide. Need i go on? Twins (1988) - After much success as action hero, Ahnold goes the comedy route with Danny Devito, directed by Ivan Reitman. A hit, but pretty lame. Total Recall (1990) - Now THIS is more like it; edgy filmmaker Paul Verhoeven adapts a classic Phillip K. Dick short story with Ahnold kicking ass on Mars. Kindergarten Cop (1990) - another stupid comedy with Ivan Reitman ("It's not a toomah") Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) - Ahnold is back, this time as the good robot, in Cameron's terrific sequel. Last Action Hero (1993) - Ahnold attempts to spoof his action hero persona in a action/fantasy/comedy mashup of ideas that doesn't even work the slightest little bit. True Lies (1994) - Cameron is back in this fun, sexy actioner with Ahnold as a superspy married to Jamie Lee Curtis. Junior (1994) - Ahnold's "trilogy of terror" concludes with this 3rd Reitman comedy, again with DeVito. Eraser (1996) - ties with RAW DEAL as the worst of his contemporary cop action movies. Jingle All the Way (1996) - family holiday comedy too painful to endure. Batman & Robin (1997) - Ahnold plays Mr. Freeze as a comical villain in the worst BATMAN film since the 1940s serials. End of Days (1999) - Ahnold vs Satan at the end of the millenium. Horror/action from Peter Hyams is at least trying for something, despite falling woefully short. Ahnold dies for the only time (other than as a terminator) on film. The 6th Day (2000) - Ahnold vs clones; SF actioner doesn't make a lick of sense and flops accordingly. Collateral Damage (2002) - Ahnold goes after Columbian terrorists who killed his family, continuing the crapfest since TRUE LIES. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) - Cameron didn't direct this one, but Ahnold came back for Chapter 3, an underrated SF/actioner with high degree of Clair Danes content! Ahnold then became governor of CA, in one of his worst performances to date. But after cameos in Stallone's EXPENDABLES movies, he's now got 3 new movies scheduled for release in the next 1-2 years. So it's just like he said: "I'll be back." top 10 (in order): TERMINATOR CONAN THE BARBARIAN TERMINATOR 2 TOTAL RECALL TERMINATOR 3 TRUE LIES PREDATOR STAY HUNGRY PUMPING IRON COMMANDO

i loved every moment he was in the 20s and loathed every minute he was in the present. that he would be affianced to such a bitch in the first place does not make me like him either, but that he was so liked by Hemingway, Fitzgerald, etc., made me like him again. as to where this fits into the Woody filmography, i'm just too tired to update that thing.

well, kids read 1984 too. Um, yeah, Ceetar, they do... because its one of the great works of English literature and most important statements about politics, language and society in the 20th century. Not just cuz it's a good read. as for THE HUNGER GAMES... well, the jury is going to be out for a few decades to determine whether its literature that should be studied in its own right. As for what its saying that's relevant to teach socio-politically (saying what hasn't already been said by dozens of other better books about dystopias), that's what i'm asking about. I suspect the answer is "well, its like 1984!", to which i say, "then read 1984."

the fact that my 14-year old daughter was instructed to read it for school, and then the school went on a class trip to see it opening day, makes me ask: "why?" I mean, i get why my daughter (whose only read the Twilight books, and whatever they make her read in school) liked it, with a girl protagonist and a love story at its core, but what is its message that is so important the school wants her to read it AND see it? that central governments are bad, states are good, and we should be in open revolt against Obama? Or am i reading too much into something i don't want to read at all? Or is there something else?

British dystopian SF: THINGS TO COME (1936) - HG Welles was the UK distributor of dystopianism in the 19th century. The film adaptation of his work, including this and THE TIME MACHINE (1960) are early cinematic entries. FAHRENHEIT 451 (1966) - Though a French director adapted an American novel, it is a Brit production shot in the UK with Julie Christie and a distinct British feel. THE BED-SITTING ROOM (1969) - Richard Lester's farce is an odd duck A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (1971) - Kubrick was the UK's grandmaster of dystopian visions THE FINAL PROGRAMME (LAST DAYS OF MAN ON EARTH) (1973) - a cult curiosity ZARDOZ (1974) - Boorman's incoherently entertaining mindblower 1984 (1956), (1984) - the early version undermined the novel and was eventually withdrawn from distribution. The remake was brilliant. BRAZIL (1985) - Terry Gilliam's Orwellian vision stands on its own JUDGE DREDD (1995) - Bad but fun; Dredd is a distinctly british character 28 DAYS LATER (2002) - This zombie movie and its sequel created a new standard REIGN OF FIRE (2002) - Dragon apocalypse CODE 46 (2003) - Tim Robbins in this UK indie V VOR VENDETTA (2005) - Alan Moore disowned it but its great on its own terms CHILDREN OF MEN (2006) - powerful drama 28 WEEKS LATER (2007) - the sequel is pretty good too DOOMSDAY (2008) - not what it could have been for more on dystopian films, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dystopian_films on my essay on 70s SF includes discussion of many of these: viewtopic.php?f=11&t=8860

i'm sure that was a conscious decision by the filmmakers, to establish that connection. Jonathan Pryce should also be noted for his lovely Winstonian performance in BRAZIL. British Dystopian Tragedy... i smell a sub-genre coming up.

The Radford version is terrific -- entirely faithful while utterly cinematic. I can't imagine a better Winston Smith than John Hurt; he breaks your heart just to look at him. and of course Richard Burton's last performance, as good as he's ever been. Deakins' cinematography is starkly beautiful, in all its desaturated glory -- it's practically Scandanavian. The Eurythmics songs are unfairly underrated, as they succeed in creating a dissonant kind of electro-pop sound for a vintage 40s looking film. The movie is doomed, hopeless, terrifying. and there is absolutely no valid aesthetic reason to remake it. They will only succeed in fucking it up. Hey, Maybe Smith and Julia will run away together this time! That's what it needs... a happy ending! it WILL WORK!

[u:1unoz8aa]Top Dozen of the sub-genre:[/u:1unoz8aa] EASY RIDER (1969) VANISHING POINT (1971) 2-LANE BLACKTOP (1971) LE MANS (1971) GONE IN 60 SECONDS (1974) THE DRIVER (1978) MAD MAX (1979), II (1981), III (1985) THELMA & LOUISE (1991) TRANSPORTER (2002) DRIVE (2011) what was going on in the culture in 1971?

metirish wrote: AIP/Corman ? are you asking what AIP/CORMAN refers to? American International Pictures was a B-movie studio from the 50s-70s, with Roger Corman as the major producer (and occasional director) and driving creative force. They made youth culture exploitation films (sex, drugs, horror, motorcycles, etc), some with the young Jack Nicholson (including the original LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS). Corman often gave young directors their first feature film experience, including Coppola, scorsese, Demme and many others (including Ron Howard's EAT MY DUST and GRAND THEFT AUTO), because they were cheaper than established directors. Corman also directed a bunch, including the Poe series he did with Vincent Price.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: What about Speed, with Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock? what about it? the intention wasn't to list every movie where people are driving. in SPEED, Bullock is someone forced to drive by a bomber. THESE movies are about people who CHOOSE to drive, generally as an expression of will, or a search for meaning, or to catch something or escape from something. Its very much about the CHOICE to drive. In SPEED, they either drive or blow up. no choice. they're heroes, not anti-heroes.

sharpie wrote: Doesn't BADLANDS belong in there somewhere? it's there. look again.

There is a man is at the wheel� he is driving fast, destination unknown. He may be chased, or in pursuit. He may have loved once, or been loved, and he may be fleeing justice, or seeking it, but now all the meaning in his life is defined by his skill and his velocity. He is merely an object in space, and his only remaining relationship is with his machine. He is likely to meet his fate at gunpoint, or at a point of impact, or find himself at the vanishing point, where open blacktop meets the distant horizon. He is a burnt out shell of a man, a ronin, the existential anti-hero at the wheel, hurtling toward his fate� and these are the movies that define him: FAST & THE FURIOUS (1955) � this is the first AIP/Corman B-Movie� guy on the run, girl in danger, hijacked jaguar� time to race! THE WILD RIDE (1960) � quintessential AIP/Corman juvenile delinquency flick for the Beat generation, with Jack Nicholson making trouble, racing around and dying young. BONNIE & CLYDE (1967) � notorious lovers on the run in their vintage 30s cars, careening around to banjo music, until they�re shot to death in their car. VANISHING POINT (1971) � This is the absolute epitome of the genre. 2-LANE BLACKTOP (1971) � Monty Hellman�s philosophical road picture BADLANDS (1973) � Bonnie & Clyde�s younger version, more interested in killing than stealing. DIRTY MARY CRAZY LARRY (1974) � Peter Fonda on the run in a Dodge Charger GONE IN 60 SECONDS (1974), (2000) (� also DEADLINE AUTO THEFT / THE JUNKMAN follow-ups) � stunt-driver HB Halicki wrote, produced, directed and starred in this no-budget chase film about car thieves. Halicki died in a car stunt making a sequel. The big budget remake with Nick Cage sucks. SUGARLAND EXPRESS (1974) � Spielberg�s first feature, with Goldie Hawn on the run. RETURN TO MACON COUNTY (1975) � young Don Johnson and Nick Nolte in this sequel to MACON COUNTY LINE, about delinquents looking to drag race. TAXI DRIVER (1976) � He prowls the night, waiting for a rain to come and wash the scum from the streets� that is, until he realizes that HE is the rainstorm he�s been waiting for. THE DRIVER (1978) � Walter Hill�s take on the existential wheel man. BREATHLESS (1983) � while not quite as good as Godard�s version (1960), they both celebrate the aimless criminal and his lover on the run THELMA & LOUISE (1991) � a distaff version of Bonnie & Clyde, they end up driving off a cliff rather than live lives as southern housewives. Can�t say I blame them. HEAVEN�S BURNING (1997) � An Ozzie Bonnie & Clyde, with young Russell Crowe. AMERICAN PERFEKT (1997) � Robert Forster as a psycho-psychiatrist on the run with a body in the trunk. TRANSPORTER (2002), II (2005), III (2008) � Jason Statham as a merc who transports illicit packages in a cool BMW � no questions asked, of course. DEATH PROOF (2007) � Tarentino�s psycho automotive serial killer meets his match in pack of deadly female stunt drivers. DRIVE (2011) � Ryan Gosling picks up the mantel of the wheelman not to be crossed, and knocks it out of the park Moonshiners: these southern gothic actioners are a subset of the genre; usually low-budget exploitation by AIP, but Robert Mitchum set the standard in THUNDER ROAD and the Dukes buried it. THUNDER ROAD (1958) WHITE LIGHTNING (1973) MOONRUNNERS (1975) DIXIE DYNAMITE (1976) BAD GEORGIA ROAD (1977) THUNDER & LIGHTNING (1977) DUKES OF HAZZARD (2005) Driver comedies: the comic approach to the man behind the wheel has basically taken the form of extended chase films, usually involving illegal races, or chases, or crashes on a ridiculous scale. IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD (1963) � also RAT RACE (2001) FIREBALL 500 (1966) EAT MY DUST (1976) GUMBALL RALLY (1976) CANNONBALL (1976) GRAND THEFT AUTO (1977) SMOKEY & THE BANDIT (1977), II (1980), III (1983) BLUES BROTHERS (1980) CANNONBALL RUN (1981) Cross-genre driver movies: the existential driver pops up in horror and SF, most notably the MAD MAX movies. DEATH RACE 2000 (1975) � black comedy/SF became a cult classic MAD MAX (1979), II (1981), III (1985) � the ultimate in �burnt out shell of a man on the road� movies THE LAST CHASE (1981) � bad sci fi but on the nose, theme-wise. CARS (2006) � animated cars, but no drivers! SPEED RACER (2008) � the cartoon comes to life, but no anti-heroes. DRIVE ANGRY (2011) � another over-the-top Nick Cage on the run film, escaped from Hell and chased by Satanists. Horror Cars: some horror films feature the car or the driver as a supernatural force chasing the protagonist, which doesn�t really fit the genre but what the hell: DUEL (1971) � Spielberg�s first was a TV film but got a theatrical release. CARS THAT ATE PARIS (1974) � Peter Weir�s Ozzie flick RACE WITH THE DEVIL (1975) � Satanists chase Peter Fonda CHRISTINE (1983) � Stephen King�s killer car Big Rigs, Bikes and Trains: The Trucker movie - sometimes the car is a big rig, and the driver is seeking justice, or a paycheck, or just survival. THEY DRIVE BY NIGHT (1940) WHITE LINE FEVER (1975) SORCERER (1977) � Friedkin�s remake of WAGE OF FEAR (1953) CONVOY (1978) Bikers - sometimes they drive 2 wheels, not 4. GIRL ON THE MOTORCYCLE (1968) EASY RIDER (1969) ELECTRA GLIDE IN BLUE (1973) GHOST RIDER (2010), II (2012) And sometimes, it�s a train. EMPEROR OF THE NORTH (1973) RUNAWAY TRAIN (1985) The Big Race: these aren�t really anti-hero movies, featuring instead race car drivers driving legitimate races, but they do have some overlap. THE GREAT RACE (1965) - Blake Edwards "race around the world" comedy with Tony Curtis, and Curtis's similar followup, THOSE DARING YOUNG MEN IN THEIR JAUNTY JALOPIES (1969) GRAND PRIX (1966) � James Garner WINNING (1969) � Paul Newman LE MANS (1971) � Steve McQueen LAST AMERICAN HERO (1973) - Jeff Bridges, true story about a moonshiner who becomes a stock car champion. GREASED LIGHTNING (1977) � ditto, with Richard Pryor STROKER ACE (1983) - good ole boy Burt Reynolds, in his comic redneck NASCAR driver mode (as opposed to comic redneck outrunning-the-cops mode) DAYS OF THUNDER (1990) � Tom Cruise TALLADEGA NIGHTS (2006) � Will Ferrell Car chasers: some movies just feature a spectacular car chase or 2, but otherwise don�t fit the genre. Worth mentioning are: THE GREAT ESCAPE (1963) � McQueen racing on a motorcycle, jumping barbed wire BULLITT (1968) � McQueen as a cop in hot pursuit on the hilly streets of SF THE ITALIAN JOB (1969) � Caper film with Michael Caine FRENCH CONNECTION (1971) � Friedkin�s race under the L THE GETAWAY (1972) � McQueen and McGraw on the run SEVEN UPS (1973) � Cops in hot pursuit MCQ (1974) � The Duke in a cool car TO LIVE & DIE IN LA (1985) � Slick Michael Mann and his LA cops RONIN (1998) � caper film with DeNiro and getaway chase through Europe FAST & THE FURIOUS (2001), II, III, IV, V � this Vin Diesel series fetishizes car culture like none other. The only problem is it�s about an undercover cop, not an existential anti-hero, so not within the genre. Lifetime achievement award: Steve McQueen � the Tao of Steve required maintaining a detached cool even astride a Harley vaulting barbed wire fences to evade Nazis, flying a car over the hills of San Francisco, racing at Le Mans, on the run with Ali McGraw, bounty hunting atop a train, shot flying a jet as Thomas Crowne, financing a documentary on bikers, and generally living his life at maximum RPM. Nick Cage has desperately attempted to join his elite rank, but he lacks the chops, and his movies usually suck.

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Vic Sage wrote: sorry, can't make the time commitment this year. BOOOOOOOO. You suck! mom, is that you?

sorry, can't make the time commitment this year.

it was a rush to the past, with the 2 big winners (ARTIST, HUGO) being nostalgic homages to the history of cinema, Christopher Plummer and Meryl Streep winning Oscars, Woody getting another screenplay award, Scorsese getting passed over again, and 9-time host Billy Crystal mixing things up in an easily digested stew. Even the ridiculously out of place Cirque bit was typically atrocious for Oscar telecasts in the 70s and 80s. I think last year's bad box office and the threats of piracy and new technologies has hollywood running scared, reaching for their guns and bibles (metaphorically speaking).

I love these existential anti-hero movies; this is a solid entry to the sub-genre. It's interesting that many of these types of films are about drivers... VANISHING POINT comes to mind. THELMA & LOUISE, to some extent. But THIEF doesn't. i'll work up a list with analysis at some point. oh, here it is: viewtopic.php?f=11&t=17501

it sucked BHMC. disappointing on so many levels.

I read GATSBY in HS and it was a life-changing experience. "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past." Indeed. I saw the Alan Ladd version in college; not great, but pretty good. The Redford version is a complete snooze. Instead of being about the decadent corruption at the heart of the "American Dream", it's about costumes and art direction. Baz Lurhman, unfortunately, is the type of director likely to follow that rabbit down the same hole. On a side note, despite (or maybe because of) its hysterical energy, like an acutely ADHD raccoon convulsing from Ritalin withdrawals, MOULIN ROUGE is one of my favorite movie musicals ever. I can't defend it, i just love it. It's one of the most heartbreakingly romantic movies I've ever seen.

can't we limit draft to a 25 man roster?