list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Babel on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Babel/262842/default.aspx Title: Babel
Year: 2006
Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Plot: The tragic aftermath of human carelessness travels around the world in this multi-narrative drama from filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu. Richard (Brad Pitt) and Susan (Cate Blanchett) are a couple from the United States who have traveled to Morocco in Northern Africa on a vacation after the death of one of their children has sent Susan into a deep depression. Richard and Susan's other two children have been left in the care of Amelia (Adriana Barraza), their housekeeper. Amelia is originally from Mexico, and her oldest son is getting married in Tijuana. Unable to find someone who can watch the kids, or to obtain permission to take the day off, Amelia takes the children with her as she travels across the border for the celebration. Around the same time, in Morocco a poor farmer buys a hunting rifle, and he gives it to his sons to scare off the predatory animals that have been thinning out their goat herd. The boys decide to test the weapon's range by shooting at a bus far away; the shot hits Susan in the shoulder, and soon she's bleeding severely, while police are convinced the attack is the work of terrorists. In Japan, Chieko (Rinko Kikuchi) is a teenage deaf-mute whose mother recently committed suicide. This despairing, confused girl experiences such rage and frustration that she causes her volleyball team to lose a match, and later yanks her underwear off and begins exposing herself to boys in a crowded restaurant. Chieko's father then struggles to reach past the emotional distance which separates him and his daughter. Babel earned Alejandro González Iñárritu the prize for Best Director at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 159
Number of Lists: 86
Number of blog posts: 33
Number of discussion threads: 9
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:14:54 GMTBabel2006Alejandro González IñárrituThe tragic aftermath of human carelessness travels around the world in this multi-narrative drama from filmmaker <a href="/players/P___297411/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Alejandro González Iñárritu</a>. Richard (<a href="/players/P____56988/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Brad Pitt</a>) and Susan (<a href="/players/P___215038/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Cate Blanchett</a>) are a couple from the United States who have traveled to Morocco in Northern Africa on a vacation after the death of one of their children has sent Susan into a deep depression. Richard and Susan's other two children have been left in the care of Amelia (<a href="/players/P___475242/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Adriana Barraza</a>), their housekeeper. Amelia is originally from Mexico, and her oldest son is getting married in Tijuana. Unable to find someone who can watch the kids, or to obtain permission to take the day off, Amelia takes the children with her as she travels across the border for the celebration. Around the same time, in Morocco a poor farmer buys a hunting rifle, and he gives it to his sons to scare off the predatory animals that have been thinning out their goat herd. The boys decide to test the weapon's range by shooting at a bus far away; the shot hits Susan in the shoulder, and soon she's bleeding severely, while police are convinced the attack is the work of terrorists. In Japan, Chieko (<a href="/players/P___475244/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Rinko Kikuchi</a>) is a teenage deaf-mute whose mother recently committed suicide. This despairing, confused girl experiences such rage and frustration that she causes her volleyball team to lose a match, and later yanks her underwear off and begins exposing herself to boys in a crowded restaurant. Chieko's father then struggles to reach past the emotional distance which separates him and his daughter. Babel earned <a href="/players/P___297411/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Alejandro González Iñárritu</a> the prize for Best Director at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide159Tag Target (>10)863393http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/u42357drskn.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Babel/262842/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Polls/Re_Which_of_these_recent_Brad_Pitt_roles_is_your_f/657/44182/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: CassieAnnette
Post To: Movie Polls
Post Date: 10/13/2009 8:46:21 AM
Body: I loved him in Burn After Reading, Too funny. Sorry it took me so long to reply and that this is no longer open. [quote user="Risselada"] Please reference this thread for the rules of this group. Please vote only once in each poll. Movies referenced in this poll:The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert FordBabelBurn After ReadingThe Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonInglorious BasterdsMr. & Mrs. SmithOcean's ThirteenTroy [/quote]
]]>Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:46:21 GMTCassieAnnetteMovie Polls10/13/2009 8:46:21 AMI loved him in Burn After Reading, Too funny. Sorry it took me so long to reply and that this is no longer open. [quote user="Risselada"] Please reference this thread for the rules of this group. Please vote only once in each poll. Movies referenced in this poll:The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert FordBabelBurn After ReadingThe Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonInglorious BasterdsMr. &amp; Mrs. SmithOcean's ThirteenTroy [/quote] http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Polls/Re_Which_of_these_recent_Brad_Pitt_roles_is_your_f/657/43933/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Movie Polls
Post Date: 9/17/2009 12:08:21 PM
Body: So I picked Chad from Burn After Reading. Of course! It's the Coen brothers duh! But really this is probably my favorite Brad Pitt role ever. It's hard to say, but Jeffrey Goines from Twelve Monkeys might still be my fave. Not that Brad wasn't already willing to make himself look silly on screen, but I still love how the Coens kind of subverted his image to make him such a spaztic dork. And what becomes of the character is such a shocker! "You think that's a Schwinn!" He was tons of fun in the recent Inglorious Basterds too I thought, even though Christoph Waltz definitely stole the show in that film. Those are actually the only two films I've seen on this list. I've been wanting to see Babel and The Assassination of Jesse James for quite a while though so I was curious to see how much votes they would get in this poll. But I was surprised to see that almost every category is getting an equal ammount of votes. I guess that means it's a pretty good poll then! Has anyone here seen Bejamin Button? I'd heard from a lot of people I trust that it wasn't that impressive. Anyone here have any opinions?
]]>Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:08:21 GMTRisseladaMovie Polls9/17/2009 12:08:21 PMSo I picked Chad from Burn After Reading. Of course! It's the Coen brothers duh! But really this is probably my favorite Brad Pitt role ever. It's hard to say, but Jeffrey Goines from Twelve Monkeys might still be my fave. Not that Brad wasn't already willing to make himself look silly on screen, but I still love how the Coens kind of subverted his image to make him such a spaztic dork. And what becomes of the character is such a shocker! "You think that's a Schwinn!" He was tons of fun in the recent Inglorious Basterds too I thought, even though Christoph Waltz definitely stole the show in that film. Those are actually the only two films I've seen on this list. I've been wanting to see Babel and The Assassination of Jesse James for quite a while though so I was curious to see how much votes they would get in this poll. But I was surprised to see that almost every category is getting an equal ammount of votes. I guess that means it's a pretty good poll then! Has anyone here seen Bejamin Button? I'd heard from a lot of people I trust that it wasn't that impressive. Anyone here have any opinions? http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Polls/Re_Which_of_these_recent_Brad_Pitt_roles_is_your_f/657/43908/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: pippin06
Post To: Movie Polls
Post Date: 9/15/2009 4:04:38 PM
Body: Ok. Of those listed, I've seen: BabelThe Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonOcean's ThirteenTroy I have no intentions of seeing Mr. and Mrs. Smith, because I hate Angelina Jolie that much. I went all pop culture and voted Rusty Ryan in the Ocean's movies because he's a perfect counter-foil to George Clooney's smarmy Danny Ocean. I enjoyed Benjamin Button immensely, but he was mostly CGI for that film (voice acting or no). I did not like Troy and didn't mind him in Babel; it just wasn't my favorite film. With that said, I'm looking forward to Assassination, Burn After Reading, and Inglorious Basterds. It seems he has some box office appeal for me :-)
]]>Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:04:38 GMTpippin06Movie Polls9/15/2009 4:04:38 PMOk. Of those listed, I've seen: BabelThe Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonOcean's ThirteenTroy I have no intentions of seeing Mr. and Mrs. Smith, because I hate Angelina Jolie that much. I went all pop culture and voted Rusty Ryan in the Ocean's movies because he's a perfect counter-foil to George Clooney's smarmy Danny Ocean. I enjoyed Benjamin Button immensely, but he was mostly CGI for that film (voice acting or no). I did not like Troy and didn't mind him in Babel; it just wasn't my favorite film. With that said, I'm looking forward to Assassination, Burn After Reading, and Inglorious Basterds. It seems he has some box office appeal for me :-) http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Polls/Which_of_these_recent_Brad_Pitt_roles_is_your_favo/657/43906/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Movie Polls
Post Date: 9/15/2009 2:42:49 PM
Body: Please reference this thread for the rules of this group. Please vote only once in each poll. Movies referenced in this poll:The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert FordBabelBurn After ReadingThe Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonInglorious BasterdsMr. & Mrs. SmithOcean's ThirteenTroy
]]>Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:42:49 GMTRisseladaMovie Polls9/15/2009 2:42:49 PMPlease reference this thread for the rules of this group. Please vote only once in each poll. Movies referenced in this poll:The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert FordBabelBurn After ReadingThe Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonInglorious BasterdsMr. &amp; Mrs. SmithOcean's ThirteenTroy http://www.spout.com/blogs/chrismorrell/archive/2009/1/29/40070.aspx Post By: chrismorrell
Post To: chrismorrell Blog
Post Date: 1/29/2009 3:49:07 PM
Body: I usually agree with "cinema rian" but not this time...i really did think it was "enough already" with the "only Americans count in the world" message.. (tell me something i dont know) and as soon as i saw the picture of the Japanese,or was it Chinese? guy with the Moroccan man i worked out the "link" in the story....As only Cate and Brad's thread is in English i didnt even bother with the sub-titles..when i did dip into them,the lines were all "dont shoot"...and "stop him" and basically "aaahhgh"...Every single character other than Brad and Cate is undeveloped,stereotypical,cast as outlaws,unable to explain or stick up for themselves..dont Brad and Cate KNOW they are employing an illegal immigrant?..i really couldnt be bothered with this..The phrase "snivveling load of shit" seemed apposite as the credits rolled,and i was sooo glad i didnt bother with the subtitles...i dunno,maybe i was in a bad mood,but ,for me they even blew the "touching ,comforting" scene between Pitt and Blanchette,when she's just "peed her pants" ..they cant help but let their little comfort kiss turn into a proto-hollywood snog... hey deja vu did this get Oscar nominations?
]]>Thu, 29 Jan 2009 20:49:07 GMTchrismorrellchrismorrell Blog1/29/2009 3:49:07 PMI usually agree with "cinema rian" but not this time...i really did think it was "enough already" with the "only Americans count in the world" message.. (tell me something i dont know) and as soon as i saw the picture of the Japanese,or was it Chinese? guy with the Moroccan man i worked out the "link" in the story....As only Cate and Brad's thread is in English i didnt even bother with the sub-titles..when i did dip into them,the lines were all "dont shoot"...and "stop him" and basically "aaahhgh"...Every single character other than Brad and Cate is undeveloped,stereotypical,cast as outlaws,unable to explain or stick up for themselves..dont Brad and Cate KNOW they are employing an illegal immigrant?..i really couldnt be bothered with this..The phrase "snivveling load of shit" seemed apposite as the credits rolled,and i was sooo glad i didnt bother with the subtitles...i dunno,maybe i was in a bad mood,but ,for me they even blew the "touching ,comforting" scene between Pitt and Blanchette,when she's just "peed her pants" ..they cant help but let their little comfort kiss turn into a proto-hollywood snog... hey deja vu did this get Oscar nominations? http://www.spout.com/blogs/kowalski76/archive/2008/10/11/36192.aspx Post By: Kowalski76
Post To: Rebellious Celluloid
Post Date: 10/11/2008 2:15:20 PM
Body: Alejandro González Iñárritu never fails to impress me with his knack for weaving together disparate storylines. Amores Perros and 21 Grams have both taken pride of place on my DVD shelves for a while now, but Babel I would say is his most ambitious effort to date.The story evolves when tragedy strikes a married couple on vacation in the Moroccan desert, touching off an interlocking story involving four different families.Is it his best? Not even close. My main doubts after one viewing all lay within the Japanese section of the film. It feels like it's there to serve as plot filler. Japan, compared to the other two stories characters, depictions of the countries customs and cultural surroundings seems a sight more stereotypical and cliched. Nevertheless, all three stories do leave an impact. Babel is a hard-hitting, well acted, socially conscious drama at best. A good conclusion to the Iñárritu/Arriaga trilogy, now to watch them back to back.
]]>Sat, 11 Oct 2008 18:15:20 GMTKowalski76Rebellious Celluloid10/11/2008 2:15:20 PMAlejandro Gonz&aacute;lez I&ntilde;&aacute;rritu never fails to impress me with his knack for weaving together disparate storylines. Amores Perros and 21 Grams have both taken pride of place on my DVD shelves for a while now, but Babel I would say is his most ambitious effort to date.The story evolves when tragedy strikes a married couple on vacation in the Moroccan desert, touching off an interlocking story involving four different families.Is it his best? Not even close. My main doubts after one viewing all lay within the Japanese section of the film. It feels like it's there to serve as plot filler. Japan, compared to the other two stories characters, depictions of the countries customs and cultural surroundings seems a sight more stereotypical and cliched. Nevertheless, all three stories do leave an impact. Babel is a hard-hitting, well acted, socially conscious drama at best. A good conclusion to the I&ntilde;&aacute;rritu/Arriaga trilogy, now to watch them back to back. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/8/1/33404.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 8/1/2008 2:01:40 PM
Body: Andrew Sarris may be one of the most influential American film critics, but here’s a claim, located within his recent review of In Search of a Midnight Kiss, that may not hold up to some of his better-remembered theories: “Even when we confront 40-year-old virgins of either gender, movies refuse to show them compensating for the lack of a sexual partner. There is lasting shame involved in this spectacle.” Not to ever, ever profess superiority over Sarris, but I’ve nonetheless compiled today’s list as a way of proving the man wrong. There are actually tons and tons of masturbation scenes found in non-porn movies, from the low brow to the high brow, from as indirect as the boy wizard playing with his wand under the covers in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban to as direct as the non-simulated masturbation in Michael Winterbottom’s 9 Songs and John Cameron Mitchell’s Shortbus (which would probably feature my #1 pick, from the sound of it, if I ever bothered to see it). The following 10 films are some of the most memorable masturbation scenes, excluding any movies that might be considered examples of, in Sarris’ words, “the fringe exploitation genres” (I’ve even gone so far as to leave out mainstream horror like The Exorcist, considering it’s crucifix masturbation is far from the self-pleasuring moments Sarris is clearly interested in). Oh, and I’ve attempted to chart these films artistically from lowbrow to high. 10. Fast Times at Ridgemont High - Everybody remembers this scene because of the fantasy: Phoebe Cates emerges from a swimming pool in slow motion and removes her bikini top. And then Cates’ character walks in on the fantasizer, Judge Reinhold, for one of the most awkward moments in the history of awkward comedy. There’s been plenty of uncomfortable scenes of guys being caught in the act, including those moments in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Little Children and the most obvious masturbation movie, American Pie. 9. Léolo - Speaking of masturbating with food, not even pie-fucking beats the scene in this French-Canadian gem in which our young titular hero decides that his real father is a man who jerked off with a tomato, which later impregnated Léolo’s mother when she fell onto it. There are other less memorable masturbation scenes involving liver and chicken, too. Yum! 8. Spanking the Monkey - I always found the masturbation scenes in this movie so interesting because of how clean a “job” Ray Aibelli (Jeremy Davies) does with his personal business. I guess when you’re probably fantasizing about your mother, your mind is dirty enough, and so (seemingly) uncomfortably jacking off while sitting on a toilet is the best way to go. But couldn’t he just do it in the shower, like Kevin Spacey in American Beauty? I’m surprised that Sarris forgot about this one, since the title alone refers to the act. 7. The Squid and the Whale - If I have to select one movie involving a little kid masturbating (and writing this sentence has already got me feeling immensely ashamed), I pick this one over Todd Solondz’ Happiness (”I came!”), because while both scenes in question are quite disturbing, the one featuring the real-life son of Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates jerking off in a library and then wiping his hands off on some books is at least a little amusing. A lot amusing if you take into account his mother’s appearance in movie #10 above. And if you need another little kid masturbating movie to choose from (I’m not judging), Babel has one too. 6. But I’m a Cheerleader - That Natasha Lyonne sure loves to masturbate! is a quick response to the realization that she pleasures herself in both this film and the earlier Slums of Beverly Hills. The reason that this movie is the more significant of the two is because the masturbation scene is very tastefully done, and yet in its original form, it controversially garnered the film an NC-17 rating, only because, as argued in the documentary This Film is Not Yet Rated, it deals with both homosexual desire and female sexuality. The main evidence: American Pie was released in the same year with an R rating. 5. Mulholland Drive - A less beautiful yet no less exploitive depiction of female masturbation occurs in David Lynch’s enigmatic film. Despite the fact that guys tend to enjoy watching a girl pleasure herself, only the most sadistic of men could be turned on by Naomi Watts crying and painfully attempting to get off. 4. Bad Lieutenant - When I first heard about the scene in which Harvey Keitel’s corrupt cop masturbates in front of two teens in a car he pulls over, I thought it had to be the most debauched scene in film history. Of course, I was only 15 when it came out and wasn’t yet familiar with a lot of cinema. By the time I actually bothered to watch the scene many years later, it was less shocking than I expected. Still, as far as depraved things a character can do in a movie — at least in theory — it’s up there, and it’s certainly one of the first scenes that comes to mind when I think of movie masturbation. 3. Amarcord - Oh, right, here’s another movie with little kids masturbating. But it’s a Fellini movie, so obviously it’s incomparable to the three referenced earlier. Although an amusing scene, featuring a bunch of kids masturbating in unison in a car, it’s much less disturbing, as it simply displays the act as a part of growing up. 2. Being There - “I like to watch.” Hopefully you’ve seen this wonderful film, and that’s all I need to say. But just in case you’re not familiar, here’s the scene: Eve Rand (Shirley MacLaine) attempts to seduce the rather simple Chauncey Gardner (Peter Sellers), who responds by saying, “I like to watch.” Of course, he means the television, but Eve takes the statement to mean he wants to watch her pleasure herself. And so she proceeds to humiliate herself on the floor while Chauncey hilariously takes enjoys an exercise show on the TV. 1. Adaptation - Really, the whole movie is one big masturbation scene. There is a literal masturbation scene, though, in which Charlie (Nicolas Cage) fantasizes about Susan Orlean (Meryl Streep), and it’s pretty good on its own. But it takes the top spot for affirming that screenwriter Charlie Kauffman created the literary equivalent of beating off. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:01:40 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com8/1/2008 2:01:40 PM Andrew Sarris may be one of the most influential American film critics, but here’s a claim, located within his recent review of In Search of a Midnight Kiss, that may not hold up to some of his better-remembered theories: “Even when we confront 40-year-old virgins of either gender, movies refuse to show them compensating for the lack of a sexual partner. There is lasting shame involved in this spectacle.” Not to ever, ever profess superiority over Sarris, but I’ve nonetheless compiled today’s list as a way of proving the man wrong. There are actually tons and tons of masturbation scenes found in non-porn movies, from the low brow to the high brow, from as indirect as the boy wizard playing with his wand under the covers in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban to as direct as the non-simulated masturbation in Michael Winterbottom’s 9 Songs and John Cameron Mitchell’s Shortbus (which would probably feature my #1 pick, from the sound of it, if I ever bothered to see it). The following 10 films are some of the most memorable masturbation scenes, excluding any movies that might be considered examples of, in Sarris’ words, “the fringe exploitation genres” (I’ve even gone so far as to leave out mainstream horror like The Exorcist, considering it’s crucifix masturbation is far from the self-pleasuring moments Sarris is clearly interested in). Oh, and I’ve attempted to chart these films artistically from lowbrow to high. 10. Fast Times at Ridgemont High - Everybody remembers this scene because of the fantasy: Phoebe Cates emerges from a swimming pool in slow motion and removes her bikini top. And then Cates’ character walks in on the fantasizer, Judge Reinhold, for one of the most awkward moments in the history of awkward comedy. There’s been plenty of uncomfortable scenes of guys being caught in the act, including those moments in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Little Children and the most obvious masturbation movie, American Pie. 9. Léolo - Speaking of masturbating with food, not even pie-fucking beats the scene in this French-Canadian gem in which our young titular hero decides that his real father is a man who jerked off with a tomato, which later impregnated Léolo’s mother when she fell onto it. There are other less memorable masturbation scenes involving liver and chicken, too. Yum! 8. Spanking the Monkey - I always found the masturbation scenes in this movie so interesting because of how clean a “job” Ray Aibelli (Jeremy Davies) does with his personal business. I guess when you’re probably fantasizing about your mother, your mind is dirty enough, and so (seemingly) uncomfortably jacking off while sitting on a toilet is the best way to go. But couldn’t he just do it in the shower, like Kevin Spacey in American Beauty? I’m surprised that Sarris forgot about this one, since the title alone refers to the act. 7. The Squid and the Whale - If I have to select one movie involving a little kid masturbating (and writing this sentence has already got me feeling immensely ashamed), I pick this one over Todd Solondz’ Happiness (”I came!”), because while both scenes in question are quite disturbing, the one featuring the real-life son of Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates jerking off in a library and then wiping his hands off on some books is at least a little amusing. A lot amusing if you take into account his mother’s appearance in movie #10 above. And if you need another little kid masturbating movie to choose from (I’m not judging), Babel has one too. 6. But I’m a Cheerleader - That Natasha Lyonne sure loves to masturbate! is a quick response to the realization that she pleasures herself in both this film and the earlier Slums of Beverly Hills. The reason that this movie is the more significant of the two is because the masturbation scene is very tastefully done, and yet in its original form, it controversially garnered the film an NC-17 rating, only because, as argued in the documentary This Film is Not Yet Rated, it deals with both homosexual desire and female sexuality. The main evidence: American Pie was released in the same year with an R rating. 5. Mulholland Drive - A less beautiful yet no less exploitive depiction of female masturbation occurs in David Lynch’s enigmatic film. Despite the fact that guys tend to enjoy watching a girl pleasure herself, only the most sadistic of men could be turned on by Naomi Watts crying and painfully attempting to get off. 4. Bad Lieutenant - When I first heard about the scene in which Harvey Keitel’s corrupt cop masturbates in front of two teens in a car he pulls over, I thought it had to be the most debauched scene in film history. Of course, I was only 15 when it came out and wasn’t yet familiar with a lot of cinema. By the time I actually bothered to watch the scene many years later, it was less shocking than I expected. Still, as far as depraved things a character can do in a movie — at least in theory — it’s up there, and it’s certainly one of the first scenes that comes to mind when I think of movie masturbation. 3. Amarcord - Oh, right, here’s another movie with little kids masturbating. But it’s a Fellini movie, so obviously it’s incomparable to the three referenced earlier. Although an amusing scene, featuring a bunch of kids masturbating in unison in a car, it’s much less disturbing, as it simply displays the act as a part of growing up. 2. Being There - “I like to watch.” Hopefully you’ve seen this wonderful film, and that’s all I need to say. But just in case you’re not familiar, here’s the scene: Eve Rand (Shirley MacLaine) attempts to seduce the rather simple Chauncey Gardner (Peter Sellers), who responds by saying, “I like to watch.” Of course, he means the television, but Eve takes the statement to mean he wants to watch her pleasure herself. And so she proceeds to humiliate herself on the floor while Chauncey hilariously takes enjoys an exercise show on the TV. 1. Adaptation - Really, the whole movie is one big masturbation scene. There is a literal masturbation scene, though, in which Charlie (Nicolas Cage) fantasizes about Susan Orlean (Meryl Streep), and it’s pretty good on its own. But it takes the top spot for affirming that screenwriter Charlie Kauffman created the literary equivalent of beating off. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/jakestevens/archive/2008/6/23/31551.aspx Post By: JakeStevens
Post To: JakeStevens Blog
Post Date: 6/23/2008 12:23:32 PM
Body: So I'm checking out some other reviews, and I keep seeing the same basic message, which is along the lines of "complex" and "intricately woven". Really? I don't think it was all that complex if you simply pay attention to the story and to the details. It's just a well thought out story with some great actors in it. In my opinion, this is a MUCH better film than "Crash" in all aspects, as I thoroughly enjoyed this film, while I thought "Crash" was amateurish and the dialogue unrealistic. Watch it with NO INTERRUPTIONS or DISTRACTIONS and I think you'll find it's a fine story (albeit a rather depressing one).
]]>Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:23:32 GMTJakeStevensJakeStevens Blog6/23/2008 12:23:32 PMSo I'm checking out some other reviews, and I keep seeing the same basic message, which is along the lines of "complex" and "intricately woven". Really? I don't think it was all that complex if you simply pay attention to the story and to the details. It's just a well thought out story with some great actors in it. In my opinion, this is a MUCH better film than "Crash" in all aspects, as I thoroughly enjoyed this film, while I thought "Crash" was amateurish and the dialogue unrealistic. Watch it with NO INTERRUPTIONS or DISTRACTIONS and I think you'll find it's a fine story (albeit a rather depressing one). http://www.spout.com/groups/Filmgaming/Re_TOP_5_MOVIES_TO_TEACH_AN_ALIEN_ABOUT_EARTH/563/31481/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: AlexaSchlosser
Post To: Filmgaming
Post Date: 6/20/2008 9:46:07 PM
Body: 1. Love Actually -- Maybe not the most realistic representation of love on planet Earth, but the copious amount of varied stories on the theme might be helpful to an arriving alien. 2. Elf -- The story is pretty much an alien trying to fit into the real world. I think any non-Earthling could benefit from some of the tips Papa Elf imposes on Buddy, especially not to eat leftover gum. 3. Babel -- Very important Netflix fodder for an alien because it does not just showcase American cities and American problems, it is an Earth affair that tackles issues of communication, something an alien could easily relate to. 4. Lost in Translation -- A variation on the alien-in-a-new-land theme. Bill Murray gives a performance that maybe the most apathetic and sarcastic of aliens could get down with. Although I don't think that an alien is going to find its Scarlett Johannson counterpart quite as easily, or beautifully. 5. The Good Girl -- How do you know that this alien isn't going to visit a small town in the Midwest? There's no way he's going to understand the ways of the world with only movies with locations in large cities. He will need a taste of the muted and mundane side of life as well. I think it's important to note that these are all relatively new movies not because I don't appreciate what older and classic films have to offer for those of the green-skinned ilk, but it's important for a newcomer to understand the times as they are now, not as they were in the 50s or 60s. Both eras could render him completely useless in everyday interactions. Oh and I did want to posit a possible sub-question about the absolute worst movie to show an alien coming to Earth for the first time. Something along the lines of Lord of the Rings or Terminator 2 that might really confuse or frighten someone not aware that life on Earth does not actually consist of people made of steel who can melt and re-form or have hair like Edward Furlong.
]]>Sat, 21 Jun 2008 01:46:07 GMTAlexaSchlosserFilmgaming6/20/2008 9:46:07 PM1. Love Actually -- Maybe not the most realistic representation of love on planet Earth, but the copious amount of varied stories on the theme might be helpful to an arriving alien. 2. Elf -- The story is pretty much an alien trying to fit into the real world. I think any non-Earthling could benefit from some of the tips Papa Elf imposes on Buddy, especially not to eat leftover gum. 3. Babel -- Very important Netflix fodder for an alien because it does not just showcase American cities and American problems, it is an Earth affair that tackles issues of communication, something an alien could easily relate to. 4. Lost in Translation -- A variation on the alien-in-a-new-land theme. Bill Murray gives a performance that maybe the most apathetic and sarcastic of aliens could get down with. Although I don't think that an alien is going to find its Scarlett Johannson counterpart quite as easily, or beautifully. 5. The Good Girl -- How do you know that this alien isn't going to visit a small town in the Midwest? There's no way he's going to understand the ways of the world with only movies with locations in large cities. He will need a taste of the muted and mundane side of life as well. I think it's important to note that these are all relatively new movies not because I don't appreciate what older and classic films have to offer for those of the green-skinned ilk, but it's important for a newcomer to understand the times as they are now, not as they were in the 50s or 60s. Both eras could render him completely useless in everyday interactions. Oh and I did want to posit a possible sub-question about the absolute worst movie to show an alien coming to Earth for the first time. Something along the lines of Lord of the Rings or Terminator 2 that might really confuse or frighten someone not aware that life on Earth does not actually consist of people made of steel who can melt and re-form or have hair like Edward Furlong. http://www.spout.com/groups/Filmgaming/Re_TOP_5_MOVIES_TO_TEACH_AN_ALIEN_ABOUT_EARTH/563/31468/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: mercurial
Post To: Filmgaming
Post Date: 6/20/2008 3:35:35 PM
Body: Without knowing the specifics (their intellectual stylings, are they little green men or resemble earthlings?, etc.) here are the films I would expose the mysterious extraterrestrials to: 1.) Galaxy Quest - If they are just toying with us and waiting to decimate our planet, this will show them that it'll be pretty easy. If they are peaceful E.T.-like beings then it will show them a range of human emotion, the range of human technology, and our interest in understanding other worlds. 2.) History of the World, Part I - Face it, it's an hour and a half summation of human experience on Earth and a good representation of how humans act and perceive themselves. 3.) Xala - Might as well show them how corrupt and pathetic humans can be upfront. 4.) The Wizard of Oz - We're dreamers till the day we die so why not show them a fantastic exploration of hope, love and imagination that typifies us human beings. 5.) Babel - Very good recent example of life on Earth and the growing interconnectivity between human beings on every part of it. Again with the love, loss, fear and myriad other emotions that would be good for an extraterrestrial to know prior to trying to communicate with us on a large scale. If it were television shows it would be a lot easier, just give 'em a couple seasons of The Simpsons and Planet Earth.
]]>Fri, 20 Jun 2008 19:35:35 GMTmercurialFilmgaming6/20/2008 3:35:35 PMWithout knowing the specifics (their intellectual stylings, are they little green men or resemble earthlings?, etc.) here are the films I would expose the mysterious extraterrestrials to: 1.) Galaxy Quest - If they are just toying with us and waiting to decimate our planet, this will show them that it'll be pretty easy. If they are peaceful E.T.-like beings then it will show them a range of human emotion, the range of human technology, and our interest in understanding other worlds. 2.) History of the World, Part I - Face it, it's an hour and a half summation of human experience on Earth and a good representation of how humans act and perceive themselves. 3.) Xala - Might as well show them how corrupt and pathetic humans can be upfront. 4.) The Wizard of Oz - We're dreamers till the day we die so why not show them a fantastic exploration of hope, love and imagination that typifies us human beings. 5.) Babel - Very good recent example of life on Earth and the growing interconnectivity between human beings on every part of it. Again with the love, loss, fear and myriad other emotions that would be good for an extraterrestrial to know prior to trying to communicate with us on a large scale. If it were television shows it would be a lot easier, just give 'em a couple seasons of The Simpsons and Planet Earth. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/family/MemberTagFilms.aspxfamily
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