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Since the old thread got too long and took ages to load, we continue forth (think of it as a sequel, to use a movie metaphor).
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So by now some of you guys may know about my obsession with the David Fincher film "The Game" which I went as far as to create multiple tribute albums/alternative soundtracks to (as well as a comprehensive online and IRL scavenger hunt based on the film). Anyway, I thought instead of creating a thread on the film- which I may do as well- that I'd draw focus to the screenwriters John Brancato and Michael Ferris--which not much is known or published about them outside of just their list of credits, at least that I could find. This screenwriting duo who penned the film's story, have a vast resume of films - and they all share a similar thread: very paranoid, conspiratorial thrillers that are usually psychological, often creepy, and typically very mind bending and puzzling. I also think they deserve an IDM award for the types of movies they write. Naturally, the 1997 pair up of Brancato and Ferris with Fincher for The Game was just a dead on perfect move. And adding Michael Douglas as character Van Orton just put the icing on the cake. Here is a list of their films: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Brancato_and_Michael_Ferris What I've been finding most fascinating lately is the detailed connection I discovered between several of their films- namely The Game and Terminator 3: Rise of The Machines... No true spoilers here or anything (soft spoilers at best).. In The Game, fraudulent corporation Consumer Recreation Services are a massive part of the film's focus and the company behind the "game" that Michael Douglas plays. They are referred to in various parts to the film (partial spoiler alert) as CRS - but using different words for the same acronym all under the guise of different offshoots of the same company (Cable Repair Specialists, California Regal Sedans, etc). In Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, (and for the first time in the series), its revealed that Skynet project's parent company (who built the Terminators themselves) is called Cyber Research Systems which uses the same acronym CRS. There's even a wiki on it: http://terminator.wikia.com/wiki/Cyber_Research_Systems I can't help but think there may be a connection--at the very least a simple nod to the evil corporation theme of Brancato and Ferris' previous films... but possibly even more deep and complex of a link (which would be amazing). I've scourged Google for any published mention of this connection, and found 1 mere sighting where another person mentioned something, but was very surface and wasn't really intentional linking. Either way, it seems hard to imagine these were coincidental, and now I'm on a quest to watch every Brancato/Ferris film to see if there are other threads running through their various screenplays. So far, I've seen The Game, The Net, Catwoman, Terminator 3, Flight of Black Angel, and an episode of The Others. Anyone else familiar with their work, or keen on any of this? p.s. Fun side note- and [spoiler ALERT for both The Net and The Game] In their 95 screenplay for The Net, an evil corporation is also featured- called The Praetorians- computer hackers bent on stealing people's identity and using anti-virus software to actually infect computers with viruses to create mayhem and steal information-- almost identical to the goal of CRS in The Game. (Also, found it pretty cool that the software company Sandra Bullock works for is called Cathedral Software ... ahem... CathedRal Software. I know I know, that's a stretch). p.p.s. this thread is literally the first time I've seen any mention of these screenwriters on the web that i could find (outside of databases, wikipedia's, credits on product pages etc). I know screenwriters are often behind the scenes, but damn, it's crazy to me how obscure these guys seem to be as far as information, etc. I did find their production company website, but it's outdated and seems to be more of just a framework. I was excited to hear their narration on the directors commentary feature of The Game's Criterion Collection edition though. :) -
Can anyone recommend me movies in the vein of Drive (2011), Maniac (2012), that sort of stuff? I love this kind of dark, rainy, inner city setting. I even started playing Max Payne 2 again because of this. If I'm not mistaken, a lot of this stuff stems from the 50s, but I'm not sure if I'll enjoy, so I'm guessing 70s and up would be best. Thanks a lot! PS. You can recommend games too if you like, Gemini Rue is a great noir adventure / puzzle game
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been thinking about this topic for a while being the nerd i am. this is the other or "ugly" half of Hollywood, the people making less than millions, but more endearing and infinitely more talented than some of the "stars", especially the ones getting by solely on looks. they usually play the antagonist, or sidekick, but the really talented individual can parley a leading career into character roles as they age (Vincent Price is an excellent example). anyway, i love these guys Giovanni Ribisi (former child star now intergalactic corporate douche bag) Patton Oswalt (stand-up comedian has moved into dramatic and comedic film roles) Stephen Root (brilliant chameleon actor and voice over artist - i.e. half of "King of the Hill") William Sadler MC Gainey Clancy Brown (been in everything from Shawshank Redemption, LOST, Batman Animated Series, as well as video game voice artist) Jackie Early Haley (another child star gone thru the wringer in life to come out the other with a resurgent carrer in Watchmen, etc) and of course the king of Hollywood nepotism, the excellent Clint Howard! who else am i forgetting? please give me some ladies' names, there are some great ones out there i'm sure.
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Josh Cooley has a book coming out featuring famous scenes from R-rated movies in the style of children's books. Really cool stuff!
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hmm, so i decided i want to watch any good films that involve some kind of mental disorder. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_featuring_mental_disorders had a look at this list. which seems to be lacking stuff. lost highway.. ferris bueller's day off.. probably many more. it has some medium-level shit like the jacket and the machinist. ended up watching Manic which was ok. about to watch Hesher and Sucker Punch,which i have feel won't be that great. but yeah, list your favourite ones. doesn't matter how obvious. edit: oh yeah, there was a british TV drama set in a mental institution. i saw when it aired, at some point in my teens. anyone know what it's called? enjoyed it at the time,curious to see if it was actually good.
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Let's ave em Halloween series Planet Terror Bram Stoker's Dracula Evil Dead I The Shining 30 Days of Night Trick R Treat The Mist The Thing
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Ashes of Time Redux: This was a "re-cut" and re-release of Wong Kar Wai's Ashes of Time. The music was distractingly horrendous but overall I thought it was excellent. It takes some of the compositions vaguely reminiscent of John Ford's shots of Monument Valley but everything is incredibly washed out. If you are a fan of WKW's nostalgic meditations on romance, betrayal, and regret, then you will like it. If you like violence, you will like it. If you like both, like me, you might really like it. Maybe this was the first real Chinese spaghetti western? Vicky Cristina Barcelona: Woody Allen's actors seem to have a mandate to act very badly and in VCB, there are moments of truly horrid performance (although none involved Cruz, so maybe she deserved all the recognition). That being said, I thought it was brilliant. It subverts the female fascination with exotic European men, in particular their accents, by making such women look justifiably like fucking buffoons. What made it a great film was its reluctance to follow through on this notion by ratcheting up the detached mean-spirited bullshit that's so in vogue these days. Instead, Allen's heroines actually mature, learn from their experiences, and while they may not become our idols by the time the credits roll, we at least identify with and like them a bit. I did, anyway. Considering how dreadful Match Point was, maybe I just had incredibly deflated expectations. The Visitor: Fuck this movie in its earhole. I liked The Station Agent. Sure, it was bland and a bit conventional and a LOT sentimental. Yet everything that was wrong with Agent is amplified ad nauseum in The Visitor. This was the most unrestrained liberal trash I've witnessed in many years. If Michael Moore started writing fictional narratives, The Visitor would be the result. Considering the endless heaps of truly unjust horseshit emigres have to endure when seeking asylum or trying to start a better life in the UK or USofA, why not stick to the basics when telling their story? This film just antagonizes isolationists with disingenuous nonsense by telling a story so preposterous that even self-described liberals (myself included) feel our intelligence being insulted with every plot twist. I was hoping this was made with ironic bad taste, but I'm afraid it's the genuine article: a two-hour string of manipulative, pretentious bullshit. Changeling: I actually liked the old 80's George C. Scott horror film called The Changeling, but Eastwood's Changeling wasn't half-bad. Jolie is pretty, she is talented, and she wore nice clothes. The photography was grade AAA, with lots of fluid Hollywood movement. Although a wildly embellished biopic, Eastwood handled the feminist undertones of the screenplay with subtlety and nuance. Unfortunately, he hoisted up the "villain" of the film as a remorseless, goggly-eyed freak, the sort of creature that begged to be put down by the state. So much for restraint...speaking of which, the entire second act was an inelegant gamble that tried to distill all the horrors and political indignance of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest while John Malkovich as a Presbyterian squarehead tries so earnestly to save the day. Meh, this was a mixed bag, but worth watching.
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Just found this trailer for a new Muppets Movie. I'll definitely check it out :sup: [youtubehd]Mq5LfuvRBVM[/youtubehd]
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what movies are most in need of an ideeem album synchronicity pairing, as in Dark Side of the Moon/The Wizard of Oz? i did a jazz search before this and 2001: A Space Odyssey and Solaris were mentioned in one thread, but i'm curious what else y'all had in mind. i've never seen Primer, but that movie has come up a few times IIRC. other ideas, folks?
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And by Hollywood, I mean "those huge companies like DreamWorks and LionsGate that keep churning out big-budget movies." I hap'd upon this article while newsing my morning read: So there is a goddamn re-make re-boot of Conan The Barbarian, now. In 3D. There will be sequels. Its main competition is a goddamn re-make of Planet of the Apes. And do I really need to comment on "Spy Kids 4"? You damn dirty producers. Myself, I am really looking forward to the re-make of Blade Runner. These "big" films have eaten all the food in the fridge, all the canned goods, and even that last scary can of Manwich that's bulging with botulism. Then they still wanted more, so they began eating the formica countertop, then the walls. At this point, they are devouring the foundation beams that keep their penthouse apartment on the top floor. Someday, there will be a re-make of "The Graduate," and the movie that re-launched cinema in '67 will complete the circle and finish it off. Drama aside: Can it go on like this? Will big-budget films continue to exist in their current form? Is Hollywood too big to fail?
