Miscellaneous Movie Musings - Page 86

Gemini Cricket · 08-09-2006, 08:13 AM

I think I know why Cage made me cringe in the trailer. It's because he's a big movie star type. It ruins my suspension of disbelief to see him in this role. If the movie starred actors that weren't easily recognized, like Pena, then it would work better for me. Cage takes me out of the situation at hand. (Like product placement does...)

I like Cage in the following movies:
'Raising Arizona'
'Moonstruck'
'Honeymoon in Vegas'
'Valley Girl'
and maybe 'Leaving Las Vegas'

innerSpaceman · 08-09-2006, 08:25 AM

Yeah, but you can't always have unknowns. I agree it works better in many situations, but you'd have to have a fresh supply of unknows for every single movie.

Did the same apply with oldtime studio fare? Does the presence of bona-fide movie stars in every single film make it impossible for you to escape into the story?

It doesn't work that way with me. To each his own, but I won't hold today's films to a standard that I never held yesterday's to.

Gemini Cricket · 08-09-2006, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Yeah, but you can't always have unknowns. I agree it works better in many situations, but you'd have to have a fresh supply of unknows for every single movie.

Unknowns have to start somewhere. Before you're discovered you're an unknown. And I don't mean every single movie. I'm talking about historical films like this one. The credibility seems to go when you cast Ben Affleck in a film about Pearl Harbor.

Quote:

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Did the same apply with oldtime studio fare? Does the presence of bona-fide movie stars in every single film make it impossible for you to escape into the story?

Nope. It depends on the movie. ie. It was hard for me to buy Bette Davis as Queen Elizabeth I. I think it depends on the degree of stardom. I'd cringe if Angelina Jolie dyed her hair blonde and tried to play Princess Diana in a film about her death. It would be too distracting. You wouldn't see Princess Di, you'd see Jolie with a dye job.

Cage is an A-List star. The movie wants to come across as being historically accurate. Seeing Cage removes you from that accuracy.

tracilicious · 08-09-2006, 09:36 AM

Speaking of Cage, we just saw The Weatherman. We loved it. Hilariously dry, with just a touch of slapstick. Michael Caine was brilliant in it.

I also loved Cage in The Family Man. Hated him in Face Off.

innerSpaceman · 08-09-2006, 06:56 PM

Eh, I take historical dramas case-by-case. In another dramatic disaster re-telling, I totally bought Kate Winslet as a Titanic passenger, but Leo DiCaprio kept bringing me right back to the present.

I'll have to see what Nick Cage does to me, playing an actual person (albeit one who is not famously recognizable). I'm not sure, in fact, if the "stunt" casting in United 93 of having the actual people play themselves wasn't too far in the other direction, and distracting in its own way.

I usually don't have trouble with people playing Abraham Lincoln or Queen Elizabeth. Perhaps someone who lived in media times might be more difficult to convincingly portray, but I don't know either of these Port Authority cops in World Trade Center from Adam, so I really don't see how I can't buy an actor, even a very famous actor, in the role.

I'll let you know in a couple of days, though. From what I'm hearing, the presense of Nicholas Cage is hardly the big problem with this movie.

Alex · 08-11-2006, 10:05 AM

Watched two movies yesterday: Lost in America and The Falcon and the Snowman.

I must admit to a small filmmaking fetish. No matter how bad a movie otherwise is, if it does one small thing right I'll always have a soft spot for it. And that thing is perfectly capturing the way married people (or a couple that has been together for a long time) fight. The way something starts with "could you please close the dryer door when you empty it?" a few minutes later has turned into an all out verbal brawl that slowly subsides and flares up again and what is said is never what it is about.

Lots of films try to capture this and, in my opinion, most of them fail. The cadence is off. But every once in a while I'm watching a movie and halfway through such a scene I realize that the screenwriter and the director nailed it perfectly. As an example, consider The Real Blonde, a small indie film starring Matt Modine and Catherine Keener from back in the mid-90s. I have zero recall as to what this movie was about, what its story was. Anything at all except that halfway through Modine and Keener have a "couple's fight" that was perhaps the best I've ever seen.

This was the first time I've seen Lost in America since high school. I found it funny then and have always been a huge Albert Brooks fan. Well, let me just say that from my current perspective it is all the more brilliant. The argument between Brooks and Julie Hagerty at Hoover Dam is near perfection. It plays more comedically but it has the cadence perfectly as well as the ebb and flow.

Glad I watched it again.

I was "meh" on The Falcon and the Snowman the story of a kid who ends up working with classified information at a sattelite communications company in 1974 and decides to start selling the information to the Russians. It was ok but nothing particularly interesting and it proved that Sean Penn was just as annoying 20 years ago as he is today.

Looking up the real story after watching it I was disappointed (but not surprised) that the movie whitewashed much of the guy's motivations and cleaned up his capture to make him look much more noble. Also, once I did that I realized I knew someone who had connections to the company in question at the time in question. So I was able to have an interesting conversation with someone on the fringe of the incident.

katiesue · 08-11-2006, 10:11 AM

Flash Gordon (1980)

Love this movie. I know it's total crap but still love it. Queen soundtrack, bad special effects, questionable plot, ahh the costumes. Brings back memories of 8th grade. I thought Sam J. Jones was just the hottest ever.

In watching last night I decided I need one of Ming's orgasm ring thingies. This didn't really occur to me in 8th grade.

Gemini Cricket · 08-11-2006, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by katiesue

I thought Sam J. Jones was just the hottest ever.

So, did I.
"Why do I like this movie so much?" Young GC asked himself at age 9.

SzczerbiakManiac · 08-11-2006, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by katiesue

Flash Gordon (1980)

Love this movie. I know it's total crap but still love it....ahh the costumes.

Yes! Frelling awesome costumes! I love the bugle bead work on Ming's cape collar thing! It actually inspired me to try my hand at some bead work.

Quote:

Originally Posted by katiesue

I thought Sam J. Jones was just the hottest ever.

Two words: prison speedo!
[drool]

Alex · 08-11-2006, 09:50 PM

Saw Scoop tonight.

It isn't bad but it isn't all that remarkable either. Johannsen overplays it a bit in a few scenes but looks really nice in her red swimsuit. Woody Allen is Woody Allen which is a bit like going and seeing the Tim Conway show in Vegas. Sure, it might still be funny but it has a lot of creakiness to it.

08-09-2006, 08:13 AM	#1
Gemini Cricket ... Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 13,244	I think I know why Cage made me cringe in the trailer. It's because he's a big movie star type. It ruins my suspension of disbelief to see him in this role. If the movie starred actors that weren't easily recognized, like Pena, then it would work better for me. Cage takes me out of the situation at hand. (Like product placement does...) I like Cage in the following movies: 'Raising Arizona' 'Moonstruck' 'Honeymoon in Vegas' 'Valley Girl' and maybe 'Leaving Las Vegas'
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08-09-2006, 08:25 AM	#2
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	Yeah, but you can't always have unknowns. I agree it works better in many situations, but you'd have to have a fresh supply of unknows for every single movie. Did the same apply with oldtime studio fare? Does the presence of bona-fide movie stars in every single film make it impossible for you to escape into the story? It doesn't work that way with me. To each his own, but I won't hold today's films to a standard that I never held yesterday's to.
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08-09-2006, 09:36 AM	#4
tracilicious avatar transition Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: in-between Posts: 2,487	Speaking of Cage, we just saw The Weatherman. We loved it. Hilariously dry, with just a touch of slapstick. Michael Caine was brilliant in it. I also loved Cage in The Family Man. Hated him in Face Off. __________________ And now Harry, let us step into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure! - Albus Dumbledore
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08-09-2006, 06:56 PM	#5
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	Eh, I take historical dramas case-by-case. In another dramatic disaster re-telling, I totally bought Kate Winslet as a Titanic passenger, but Leo DiCaprio kept bringing me right back to the present. I'll have to see what Nick Cage does to me, playing an actual person (albeit one who is not famously recognizable). I'm not sure, in fact, if the "stunt" casting in United 93 of having the actual people play themselves wasn't too far in the other direction, and distracting in its own way. I usually don't have trouble with people playing Abraham Lincoln or Queen Elizabeth. Perhaps someone who lived in media times might be more difficult to convincingly portray, but I don't know either of these Port Authority cops in World Trade Center from Adam, so I really don't see how I can't buy an actor, even a very famous actor, in the role. I'll let you know in a couple of days, though. From what I'm hearing, the presense of Nicholas Cage is hardly the big problem with this movie.
	Submit to Quotes

08-11-2006, 10:05 AM	#6
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	Watched two movies yesterday: Lost in America and The Falcon and the Snowman. I must admit to a small filmmaking fetish. No matter how bad a movie otherwise is, if it does one small thing right I'll always have a soft spot for it. And that thing is perfectly capturing the way married people (or a couple that has been together for a long time) fight. The way something starts with "could you please close the dryer door when you empty it?" a few minutes later has turned into an all out verbal brawl that slowly subsides and flares up again and what is said is never what it is about. Lots of films try to capture this and, in my opinion, most of them fail. The cadence is off. But every once in a while I'm watching a movie and halfway through such a scene I realize that the screenwriter and the director nailed it perfectly. As an example, consider The Real Blonde, a small indie film starring Matt Modine and Catherine Keener from back in the mid-90s. I have zero recall as to what this movie was about, what its story was. Anything at all except that halfway through Modine and Keener have a "couple's fight" that was perhaps the best I've ever seen. This was the first time I've seen Lost in America since high school. I found it funny then and have always been a huge Albert Brooks fan. Well, let me just say that from my current perspective it is all the more brilliant. The argument between Brooks and Julie Hagerty at Hoover Dam is near perfection. It plays more comedically but it has the cadence perfectly as well as the ebb and flow. Glad I watched it again. I was "meh" on The Falcon and the Snowman the story of a kid who ends up working with classified information at a sattelite communications company in 1974 and decides to start selling the information to the Russians. It was ok but nothing particularly interesting and it proved that Sean Penn was just as annoying 20 years ago as he is today. Looking up the real story after watching it I was disappointed (but not surprised) that the movie whitewashed much of the guy's motivations and cleaned up his capture to make him look much more noble. Also, once I did that I realized I knew someone who had connections to the company in question at the time in question. So I was able to have an interesting conversation with someone on the fringe of the incident.
	Submit to Quotes

08-11-2006, 10:11 AM	#7
katiesue Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: San Diego Posts: 4,678	Flash Gordon (1980) Love this movie. I know it's total crap but still love it. Queen soundtrack, bad special effects, questionable plot, ahh the costumes. Brings back memories of 8th grade. I thought Sam J. Jones was just the hottest ever. In watching last night I decided I need one of Ming's orgasm ring thingies. This didn't really occur to me in 8th grade. __________________ My life is so exciting I can hardly stand it.
	Submit to Quotes

08-11-2006, 09:50 PM	#10
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	Saw Scoop tonight. It isn't bad but it isn't all that remarkable either. Johannsen overplays it a bit in a few scenes but looks really nice in her red swimsuit. Woody Allen is Woody Allen which is a bit like going and seeing the Tim Conway show in Vegas. Sure, it might still be funny but it has a lot of creakiness to it.
	Submit to Quotes