Garsh Darn you asphodel5!!!!

[MooglePorn]

Ever since your comments influenced me to buy some Criterion DVD's, I've been watching all these old favourites of mine and realizing they are crap. Tonight I watched Tomorrow Never Dies and couldn't love it like I used to... the over-acting... the "Hyah!" karate sound the girl makes when she shoots... it was all too much! And the story... there's no statement! No meaning! No art!

Dammit... this is getting annoying. People need fun crap as much as they need meaningful pieces of art. I need my crap asphodel5!

Anyway, anyone else have this problem? Your tastes change and old favourites get worse and worse, until one fateful day you sell them?

[Notoriousaurus]

I don't have this problem. I love films for other reasons then just having a banner along the cover.

[larphillips]

"Gosh darn you?!?" I just wish Moog would've cursed and cursed mightily. Was it the very demure picture of Ms. Hepburn that caused you to clean your potty mouth?

[manicsounds]

I dont feel it is a problem, but you actually used to think that the more recent James Bond movies were actually good?

I mean I know they werent TRYING to make the next "Kane",
but it truly was not even near the old school Bonds.

but maybe I do think like this because of Criterion too....

dammit Criterion, you took so much out of my paychecks....

[clemato]

I like whatever I like and to hell with everyone else. Mistress Mary, Quite Contrary.

Advice is great, but taken with a grain of salt, it's never altered my viewpoint towards a movie enough to get bugged by future viewings.

And, I never care what a critic says unless they agree with me!

[Frank Gunn]

Well, I'd say Criterion has more than its share of boring shite, too. It's not impervious. Don't get me wrong; it's fun to play film-snob down at the Elks Lodge and everything, but still.

[MooglePorn]

Originally Posted by Frank Gunn

Well, I'd say Criterion has more than its share of boring shite, too. It's not impervious. Don't get me wrong; it's fun to play film-snob down at the Elks Lodge and everything, but still.

It's not just Criterion I'm talking about here, it's the whole "fun crap" versus "art"... I used to love both, but now I'm having a harder and harder time watching fun crap.

And it's all his fault.

[MooglePorn]

Originally Posted by larphillips

"Gosh darn you?!?" I just wish Moog would've cursed and cursed mightily. Was it the very demure picture of Ms. Hepburn that caused you to clean your potty mouth?

You can't cuss in titles... I had it as "Damn you" until I hit post...

Originally Posted by Notoriousaurus

I don't have this problem. I love films for other reasons then just having a banner along the cover.

You're missing the point. Read above.

[Frank Gunn]

No cussin', eh? Howsabout mooonshine? We 'llowed to drink moooonshine roun' these parts? Well, I'll be god-damned, son! Kiss m'ass and bark at the moon! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!

[SephirothClone]

Originally Posted by Frank Gunn

No cussin', eh? Howsabout mooonshine? We 'llowed to drink moooonshine roun' these parts? Well, I'll be god-damned, son! Kiss m'ass and bark at the moon! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!

Franklin Gunner Johnson, I reckon yer Momma dont wanna hear dat der nasty tongue you got there now does she? Watch your tongue young man, or you may needs to take a trip to the fertilizer barn!

[manicsounds]

unless Criterion starts doing more Fun Crap into their collection,
maybe that will help out Moogle.

Aside from Armaggedon, Criterion doesnt have many fun crap
in their collection.

Maybe Criterion should license "Ali G Indahouse"
for release from Universal and Fun Crap will be easier to accept.

I watched that movie a few weeks ago,
and I just wasnt that impressed, but it was occasionally fun crap.
actually, mostly crap.

[Frank Gunn]

Originally Posted by SephirothClone

Franklin Gunner Johnson, I reckon yer Momma dont wanna hear dat der nasty tongue you got there now does she? Watch your tongue young man, or you may needs to take a trip to the fertilizer barn!

But, Pa, I's jes' foolin'!

***Frank skulks off to finish his chores***

I's a-gettin', Pa!

[MooglePorn]

Originally Posted by Frank Gunn

No cussin', eh? Howsabout mooonshine? We 'llowed to drink moooonshine roun' these parts? Well, I'll be god-damned, son! Kiss m'ass and bark at the moon! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!

No Moonshine... lots of porn though...

[larphillips]

Originally Posted by manicsounds

unless Criterion starts doing more Fun Crap into their collection,
maybe that will help out Moogle.

Aside from Armaggedon, Criterion doesnt have many fun crap
in their collection.

Maybe Criterion should license "Ali G Indahouse"
for release from Universal and Fun Crap will be easier to accept.

I watched that movie a few weeks ago,
and I just wasnt that impressed, but it was occasionally fun crap.
actually, mostly crap.

Criterion has a few... although it's been AGES since they have done another. I can think of some off the top of my head:

Beastie Boys Collection
The Blob
This Is Spinal Tap
Carnival Of Souls
The Rock
Robocop
etc.

And I'd love if ANYBODY would release ALI G INDAHOUSE here in the states! I had to download the thing to watch it, and I had a ball. I'd love to actually own the film.

[larphillips]

Originally Posted by Frank Gunn

But, Pa, I's jes' foolin'!

***Frank skulks off to finish his chores***

I's a-gettin', Pa!

Frank can shift so smoothly between his "Noto 9000" blaxploitation dialogue and his "Bust Moogs Balls" hillbilly. True versatility.

[Frank Gunn]

I was just noticing how the two dialects have a lot in common. Hmmm...

[MooglePorn]

DAMN my balls are achin'!!

[Master Gandhi]

Originally Posted by God

I have spoken.

Unfortunately, your reply came off too mean-spirited in comparison to the tone of MooglePorn's thread topic. For your information, Moog was addressing film snobbery and its relation to the films he has been exposed to lately. He only used Tomorrow Never Dies as an example of a popcorn movie that delivers little more than cheap thrills and he no longer enjoys as much as he used to. Whether you agree with him or not isn't the main issue being discussed. The issue at hand is whether your tastes for film have evolved, remained constant, or even de-evolved perhaps over time. Have you discovered that some of your childhood favorites no longer challenge or entertain you? Are there movies you didn't used to "get" before that now speak more profoundly to you? Surely, you could have offered your opinion without blasting Moog in only your 6th post on this forum. Welcome to the forum, and may you learn more about the veteran posters and the atmosphere of the board before your next thoughtful thread entry.
-----
Personally, I have come across films that I once loved or found highly enjoyable in the past and I now realize that due to my improved ear for good dialogue and awareness of directing techniques, they become less effective for me. This might be better suited for a discussion on movies that we've grown out of, but I figure that's part of what you're talking about. The more variety of movies you see, the more you start to be aware of poor acting, bad writing, lackluster direction/cinematography, etc. and vice versa. The more foreign films I see, the more I begin to analyze the mainstream films I watch. This is not to say that foreign films are better than American Hollywood productions, but when you think about it there are a lot of film boundaries being pushed in films made outside of Hollywood and the horror & gross-out comedy genre films they have been producing time and time again. I would say that most of the films I loved 10 years ago, I still have a certain fondness towards today. I'm not a cynic, or at least I don't try to be one. I look at film as both art and entertainment. I wouldn't expect every film to deliver both things equally. However, an artistic film that isn't entertaining (even from a scholarly standpoint) is most likely a film I cannot appreciate.

Also, as a whole, moviegoers have collectively lowered their standards due to the overall decline in quality filmmaking coming out of Hollywood today. Don't get me wrong, there are dozens of movies that I enjoy each year, but remakes and sequels are all the rage right now and they're usually just made so the studios can cash in on a thriving franchise or a movie star's box office draw. Twenty years ago, if a studio churned out a remake of The Manchurian Candidate, the filmgoing community would have been up in arms, but today it just seems commonplace. I don't care how well-written or acted this remake of Frankenheimer's classic turns out to be, it doesn't change the fact that this movie was already made four decades ago. You'd think Jonathan Demme would have learned not to mess with success after he directed the lousy (and most likely unprofitable) remake of Charade (he called his version The Truth About Charlie).

In closing, I can relate to Moog a little on this topic, but I personally didn't ever think Tomorrow Never Dies was a very good film, even if it was just meant to be taken as nothing more than an action movie. My film tastes have somewhat changed over the course of my life, but I think I had pretty decent taste when I was young because I've revisited certain movies from my childhood and they still manage to entertain me on some levels. The good part about film is that there is so much to choose from that we can all have our own favorites. Now I'll quit droning on and let some other fine chaps share their thoughts on the subject.
----
By the way, I only own 2 Criterion discs as of this post, but I hope to eventually add some more of them to my collection in the future (such as Kurosawa's Samurai films, Brazil, Charade and if I ever fall into a heap of money the Adventures of Antoine Doinel box set). They aren't the end all be all when it comes to DVD producers, but they consistently produce quality packages (albeit, for a hefty price) for many deserving films. And no, just because a film has the Criterion label doesn't make it better than a film in the Fox Studios Classics or New Line Platinum Series line. That's the beauty of film, there's something for everyone...seriously.

[Riedenschneider]

The official crap Criterion breakdown:

The Rules of the Game -crap
The Blob -funcrap
Fiend without a Face -funcrap
All Fellini -all crap
The Night Porter -most definitely crap
Andrei Rublev/Solaris -crap/crap
I Am Curious -funcrap (but not funny)
Flesh for Frankenstein -funcrap
Blood for Dracula -funcrap
Salò -funcrap
The Marriage of Maria Braun/Lola/Veronika Voss -crap/crap/crap
The Rock/Armageddon -crap/crap
George Washington -crap


And Lar, Robocop is neither funny nor crap.

[Riedenschneider]

Originally Posted by Master Gandhi

Unfortunately, your reply came off too mean-spirited in comparison to the tone of MooglePorn's thread topic. For your information, Moog was addressing film snobbery and its relation to the films he has been exposed to lately. He only used Tomorrow Never Dies as an example of a popcorn movie that delivers little more than cheap thrills and he no longer enjoys as much as he used to. Whether you agree with him or not isn't the main issue being discussed. The issue at hand is whether your tastes for film have evolved, remained constant, or even de-evolved perhaps over time. Have you discovered that some of your childhood favorites no longer challenge or entertain you? Are there movies you didn't used to "get" before that now speak more profoundly to you? Surely, you could have offered your opinion without blasting Moog in only your 6th post on this forum. Welcome to the forum, and may you learn more about the veteran posters and the atmosphere of the board before your next thoughtful thread entry.

Gandhi, that is officially the most ironic (and saddest, if meant seriously) response in the history of the File. Excellent!

[mlemmond]

Originally Posted by Riedenschneider

The official crap Criterion breakdown:

The Rules of the Game -crap
The Blob -funcrap
Fiend without a Face -funcrap
All Fellini -all crap
Andrei Rublev/Solaris -crap/crap
I Am Curious -funcrap (but not funny)
Flesh for Frankenstein -funcrap
Blood for Dracula -funcrap
Salò -funcrap
The Marriage of Maria Braun/Lola/Veronika Voss -crap/crap/crap
The Rock/Armageddon -crap/crap
George Washington -crap


And Lar, Robocop is neither funny nor crap.

You left Night Porter off, most definately crap.

[Riedenschneider]

Originally Posted by mlemmond

You left Night Porter off, most definately crap.

Holy crap, you're right.
I edited the list to save its integrity. Thank you.

[Frank Gunn]

Originally Posted by Avatar-less Supporting Actor

Unfortunately, you have committed the sin of worshipping false profits or idols, even if it is a DVD label.

Man, God can't spell worth a shit.

[Marq]

Moogle, it should be noted that asphodel5, like myself, is an admanant supporter and fan of the Charlie's Angels film series.

Ried, I only have 3 from your crap list which isn't so bad I suppose....

[asphodel5]

I'm thrilled. My name finally graced a thread title in a non-OT area.

I'm not quite sure how to respond. I'm glad that you're getting something out of some "high-art" fims, but don't fear. There are plenty of "fun" films out there that won't clash with your newly found sensitivities. For me, I appreciate the fun that is found in the Die Hards, Charlies Angels, LOTR, Moulin Rouge!, Fight Club, X-Mens, The (first) Crow, Tim Burton, Natural Born Killers, pretty much all Paul Verhoeven's work, The Mummy movies, Blade movies, various silly horror, etc. That isn't to say that those films don't have problems (or that people won't make fun of you for liking them), but for me, all of them are wonderful escapist fare. Some are much more than that, but I love them all.

On the other hand, don't fool yourself into thinking that everything that's old or foreign is automatically good or better than anything produced in the last 15 years in the US. I think that the initial tendancy for people who are new to non-mainstream stuff (whether that is music, indie films, foreign films, import grocery stores etc.) is to look back on their old habits and favorites with shame or contempt. That's not to say that you shouldn't re-examine things and decide, "No, I don't need to watch that EVER again.", but you (not Moogle, just generally) need to be careful not to disregard things just because superficially they don't fit your new mold. I'm not saying that because I'm against elitism. On the contrary I'm all for it. I'm saying it because you might do yourself a dis-service and miss out on something good.

The Summer crop of movies is a good example. I always cringe when I see a lot of the trailers, but I usually end up seeing them. I guess that only time will tell, but from the looks of them, Van Helsing, Spiderman and a few others will lure me to the multiplex.

At this point, I'm not sure where all of this is going. I guess the gist of it is this: You're enjoying highly regarded foreign films
Keep enjoying them, but don't forget that there is still some fun to be had. If you're lucky you'll find some features that are the best of both worlds (A Woman is a Woman for example).

Oh, and for all of you who weep nightly because I haven't been reviewing many movies recently, don't fear. Finals are 3/5 over. Massive amounts of movie viewing will return to my life in a few short days.

[mlemmond]

Originally Posted by Frank Gunn

Man, God can't spell worth a shit.

Well he's just used to using burning bushes and such, the keyboard takes awhile to get used to. But I am suprisedby the lack of thy, thine and thou's being used.

[Marq]

Originally Posted by asphodel5

Oh, and for all of you who weep nightly because I haven't been reviewing many movies recently, don't fear. Finals are 3/5 over. Massive amounts of movie viewing will return to my life in a few short days.

Weeping is right!

All very well said, asphodel.
But I must take note with "import grocery stores" (?) This sounds like it's worth looking into, as it is certainly a foreign market to me. Mind you, the last thing I need is a new way to spend my money...