Ask a Maven

Re:Movies Spout Needs to Watch

rjsprague — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 16:56:57 GMT

I would suggest for Spout to watch more classic foreign films, but that can be a hard sell. My own personal tastes tend be relatively vulgar in the sense that I enjoy things which might be considered doggerel, if one were to use terms relating to literature.

My problem is that I generally find the reading of a classic fiction novel more enjoyable than watching such a story. For instance I'd much rather read Jules Vernes "Journey to the Center of the Earth" than watch Brendan Frazier's terrible acting in a literary adaptation. Yet I love to watch action films, especially martial arts films.

I recently watched Gone Baby Gone. It is an excellent film. Ben Affleck's brother is the actor that Ben will never be, and Ben Affleck's director is far superior to his acting. I would still consider this film to be a kind of cinematic doggerel, but of the best kind.

Re:Movies Spout Needs to Watch

rjsprague — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 16:49:02 GMT

JimBell:

I remember being at the Univeristy of Texas at Austin in an English seminar group. I'm not blowing my own horn, but I was sort of the go-to person to lead the discussion. Of more interest to me, I was helping a young woman (secretary) who was having considerable trouble grasping the readings. Half way through the course, which the famous professor was botching, he saw a possible escape route: Go down to this new place called the computer lab and conduct the class by a networked discussion. My young friend took over the class. She said it was because she typed at 120 words per minute with almost no errors. I think we should ponder that because it fits with thousands of years of homo sapiens evolution: technology trumps--and you can see where that has gotten us. Fast keyboarding skills in the service of Hitler versus slow conversation in the service of the Dalai Lama means we know who wins the discussion. But I noticed a more profound phenomena, if that is possible. Every time I posted a really thoughtful idea, a profound idea, an idea from a differnet paradigm, it was ignored. It is very, very difficult in face to face discussion to say, "That is the most profuound idea we have heard so far, and we ignore it." But in typing text, it is bizarrely easy to move on to the next topic.

Just a thought.

I've heard you talk about this one so much. It better be good!

Watch it & let me know what you think. It's definately one of my lesser known faves.

People respond more favorably to three word chants as demonstrated by the 2008 campaigns for president in the USA. Profoundness is often regarded jealously, or simply slips between the ears of those who cannot grasp the implications of something that is truly profound.

I recently watched The Two Towers again, and in a conversation between Meriadoc and Pippin I realized that Meri was able to understand the implications of the war that was being waged between Isengard and Rohan, while Pippin was not. Pippin's view of the world was small, in his mind everything would be fine by returning to the shire, bu Meri knew that this would be sort lived if Isengard's forces were victorious at Helm's Deep.

Thus we have two stereotypes: the person who is able to connect the dots, and the person who isn't. People who can't connect the dots are more likely to simply disregard the warnings of those who can because they don't see any connections and therefore perceive the claimed connections to be false. This results in much "I told you so's" and soforth.

Re:Movies Spout Needs to Watch

JimBell — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 10:02:37 GMT

I remember being at the Univeristy of Texas at Austin in an English seminar group. I'm not blowing my own horn, but I was sort of the go-to person to lead the discussion. Of more interest to me, I was helping a young woman (secretary) who was having considerable trouble grasping the readings. Half way through the course, which the famous professor was botching, he saw a possible escape route: Go down to this new place called the computer lab and conduct the class by a networked discussion. My young friend took over the class. She said it was because she typed at 120 words per minute with almost no errors. I think we should ponder that because it fits with thousands of years of homo sapiens evolution: technology trumps--and you can see where that has gotten us. Fast keyboarding skills in the service of Hitler versus slow conversation in the service of the Dalai Lama means we know who wins the discussion. But I noticed a more profound phenomena, if that is possible. Every time I posted a really thoughtful idea, a profound idea, an idea from a differnet paradigm, it was ignored. It is very, very difficult in face to face discussion to say, "That is the most profuound idea we have heard so far, and we ignore it." But in typing text, it is bizarrely easy to move on to the next topic.

Just a thought.

I've heard you talk about this one so much. It better be good!

Watch it & let me know what you think. It's definately one of my lesser known faves.

Re:Movies Spout Needs to Watch

leeroy711 — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 22:38:42 GMT

Risselada:

leeroy711:

Here's one I think more people should see. It's another 'pull you out of your comfort zone' movies. One great performance and brilliant cinematography. The Terrorist. 98 minutes

I've heard you talk about this one so much. It better be good!

Watch it & let me know what you think. It's definately one of my lesser known faves.

Re:Movies Spout Needs to Watch

Risselada — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 19:06:17 GMT

leeroy711:

Here's one I think more people should see. It's another 'pull you out of your comfort zone' movies. One great performance and brilliant cinematography. The Terrorist. 98 minutes

I've heard you talk about this one so much. It better be good!

Re:Movies Spout Needs to Watch

leeroy711 — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 01:38:22 GMT

Here's one I think more people should see. It's another 'pull you out of your comfort zone' movies. One great performance and brilliant cinematography. The Terrorist. 98 minutes

Re:Movies Spout Needs to Watch

leeroy711 — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 17:25:23 GMT

JimBell:

Good-bye, Lenin--Germany--slightly humorous but thoughtful examination of the major change in eastern Europe

I'd say all of these should stretch the viewers but not so far that they instantly dislike them. They may be foreign but they are quite accessible.

Very good call with Good-Bye, Lenin. It's a very touching story about the lengths a son will go to in order to please his ill mother. Daniel Bruhl is really good in it too.

Re:Movies Spout Needs to Watch--Docs

JimBell — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 07:37:50 GMT

Sure documentaries are popular right now, but what about ones that stretch you?

Shark Water--a young man from Canada sets off to make a little film about the beauty of scuba diving but he runs into something much more serious. What would you do?

Who Killed the Electric Car? (2006)--You think introducing a fuel efficient car is as easy as giving automakers a few billion dollars? This doc shows how complex it can be.

The Take (2004)--Naomi Klein's "left-wing" views are always challengin when she criticizes things (The Shock Doctrine is still selling well), but here she vows to look at something positive. What happens when Venezuelan workers sit unemployed and the factories sit idle and mothballed? The workers take them over and make them work?

Re:Movies Spout Needs to Watch--Shakespeare

JimBell — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 07:26:25 GMT

Stretch--and watch the master, the guy who was all the rage in 1600.

The Merchant of Venice is a super production, straight ahead, with no weird artsy interpretations.

Much Ado About Nothing, directed by Kenneth Branagh, is the epitome of making Shakespeare accessible. (You also get to see lots of famous actors you know playing parts like you've never seen them do before.)

Re:Movies Spout Needs to Watch--Film Noir

JimBell — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 07:22:01 GMT

You could also focus on classic film noir and pick something that isn't too dated.

Murder, My Sweet (1945) is very popular, so you might want to pick something a little less famous but still very good. I'd recommend Out of the Past (1947) as an exemplar of so many film noir themes--and classic photography. A little more obscure but a powerful con artist story is Scarlet Street (1945). Although Mildred Pierce (1945) was nominated for lots of Academcy Awards, I think there is too much heavy pscychological stuff for what you want.

Re:Movies Spout Needs to Watch

JimBell — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 07:15:27 GMT

I third The Commitments and second The Killing (1953).

One way to stretch is to see movies from other countries so that the cultural element becomes a factor--and maybe you'll be more sensitive to the cultural component in American movies. So . . .

Muriel's Wedding--Australia--excellent coming-of-age theme with a strong taste of Queensland

Black Book -- Netherlands--action, action, action, but it builds a serious picture of what it might have been like in the WWII Dutch resistance

Seven Up--England--documentary look, initially, at class differences (watch part of the series)

Turtles Can Fly--Iran--an entertaining and powerful look at the effect war can have on kids

Good-bye, Lenin--Germany--slightly humorous but thoughtful examination of the major change in eastern Europe

I'd say all of these should stretch the viewers but not so far that they instantly dislike them. They may be foreign but they are quite accessible.

Re:Movies Spout Needs to Watch

leeroy711 — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 18:46:15 GMT

seely:

Am I allowed to make a suggestion? One I saw a year or two ago that really stuck with me as a very overlooked gem was The Committments. It was a minor release in 1991, from Ireland, and didn't get the attention it deserved. Its funny, dramatic, heartwarming, and meaningful. One of the all-around best films I've seen. I'd like to think Once drew a lot of its inspiration from this film.

csprague:

I've added most of your suggestions, minus the 70s horror. Keep 'em coming! I've got a blockbuster queue to keep full.

Good call, I second that recommendation.

Re:Movies Spout Needs to Watch

seely — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 17:34:41 GMT

Am I allowed to make a suggestion? One I saw a year or two ago that really stuck with me as a very overlooked gem was The Committments. It was a minor release in 1991, from Ireland, and didn't get the attention it deserved. Its funny, dramatic, heartwarming, and meaningful. One of the all-around best films I've seen. I'd like to think Once drew a lot of its inspiration from this film.

csprague:

I've added most of your suggestions, minus the 70s horror. Keep 'em coming! I've got a blockbuster queue to keep full.

Re:Movies Spout Needs to Watch

csprague — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 21:32:40 GMT

I've added most of your suggestions, minus the 70s horror. Keep 'em coming! I've got a blockbuster queue to keep full.

Re:Movies Spout Needs to Watch

Risselada — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:11:06 GMT

csprague:

Risselada:

csprague:

So, every week at Spout we watch a movie and discuss it. Sounds fun, no? Well, it is. However, selecting the movie every week is not without it's challenges and as the lucky person who fills up our queue, I feel a lot of pressure to meet several requirements that often seem conflicting.

1) The movie needs to be one which we would not normally watch. The point is to be stretched outside of our movie comfort zone.

2) If you pick a really tough movie that ends in a really uncomfortable way every week, people will stop coming to watch.

3) There is a wide spectrum of movie preferences/tolerances present at Spout. We aren't all the movie freaks that you would expect. Many of us consider ourselves to be fairly average in our movie knowledge and preferences. Often, watching something with subtitles can seem like a challenge.

4) It needs to be short. We can't spend more then 2 hours on a movie out of our work day.

So yeah, we are looking for short/normal length movies that will stretch us, but won't make the average movie goer want to run and hide every week at movie time. I greatly anticipate your suggestions.

the unpopular movie-picker,

Christi

Do you have a list of everything you've watched so far?

And even better, to go along with the list, which selections seemed to be the most successful?

Here's a list of all the movies we have watched so far: http://www.spout.com/films/1287614/ViewFilmList.aspx

The popular stuff was either the fun documentaries like Just for Kicks or Wordplay, or classics like It's a Wonderful Life. The Unpopular stuff was I'm Not There, Being There, and The Rules of the Game.

Thanks. Here are the first two movies that popped into my head with those qualifications

The Devil and Daniel Webster - a classic
1) I doubt many people have seen it. I would consider it a "classic" but even many people who watch a lot of older movies or classics may not have seen it.
2) There's nothing that will make people too uncomfortable. But it does certainly allow for a lot of reflection.
3) No subtitles
4) Runtime: 107 minutes
Like It's a Wonderful Life it has supernatural elements and lessons learned.

Off the Charts: The Song-Poem Story - a fun documentary
1) Not many people have even heard of this one
2) There's a lot of fun quirky people in this. Nothing that will keep people from coming back.
3) No subtitles, except for a few fun sing-a-longs
4) Only 58 minutes long!
I just watched this one recently. It's quite fun!

I actually love The Rules of the Game, but I didn't as much the first time I watched it. I would recommend to anyone not sold on it to listen to the commentary and watch all of the special features on the Criterion Collection DVD set. You will get a better understanding why this is often called the greatest movie ever made.

I also liked Being There, but it wasn't necessarily my absolute favorite. I think it takes a certain kind of appreciation.

I'll give some more suggestions later if you'd like

Re:Movies Spout Needs to Watch

joem18b — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:06:40 GMT

Here's one that I really enjoyed but that no one else that I know has seen, probably because of the title. After a hundred misses, National Lampoon finally got one right.

The Beach Party at the Threshold of Hell (2006)

Re:Movies Spout Needs to Watch

leeroy711 — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:05:08 GMT

csprague:

Risselada:

csprague:

So, every week at Spout we watch a movie and discuss it. Sounds fun, no? Well, it is. However, selecting the movie every week is not without it's challenges and as the lucky person who fills up our queue, I feel a lot of pressure to meet several requirements that often seem conflicting.

1) The movie needs to be one which we would not normally watch. The point is to be stretched outside of our movie comfort zone.

2) If you pick a really tough movie that ends in a really uncomfortable way every week, people will stop coming to watch.

3) There is a wide spectrum of movie preferences/tolerances present at Spout. We aren't all the movie freaks that you would expect. Many of us consider ourselves to be fairly average in our movie knowledge and preferences. Often, watching something with subtitles can seem like a challenge.

4) It needs to be short. We can't spend more then 2 hours on a movie out of our work day.

So yeah, we are looking for short/normal length movies that will stretch us, but won't make the average movie goer want to run and hide every week at movie time. I greatly anticipate your suggestions.

the unpopular movie-picker,

Christi

Do you have a list of everything you've watched so far?

And even better, to go along with the list, which selections seemed to be the most successful?

Here's a list of all the movies we have watched so far: http://www.spout.com/films/1287614/ViewFilmList.aspx

The popular stuff was either the fun documentaries like Just for Kicks or Wordplay, or classics like It's a Wonderful Life. The Unpopular stuff was I'm Not There, Being There, and The Rules of the Game.

Just thinking of some that I've enjoyed recently:

The Killing (1953) - American noir/heist from Stanley Kubrick. 89 minutes

Sisters (1973) - Earlier Brian De Palma - Good example of 70's Horror. 92 minutes

Le Samouraï (1967) - This is a French movie with very minimum dialogue. Very hip 105 minutes

Freaks (1932) - This one should get you comfortably out of your comfort zone 62 minutes

The 39 Steps (1935) - Just thought I should throw in an old Hitchcock. 86 minutes

Romance & Cigarettes (2005) 106 minutes/ Illuminata (1998) 120 minutes- A couple of quircky films directed by John Turturro. Beware: Romance & Cigarretes is a musical staring Tony Soprano.

Abel Raises Cain (2005) - This is the best doc I've seen this year (which includes Man on Wire). 82 minutes

Re:Movies Spout Needs to Watch

csprague — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 15:37:29 GMT

Risselada:

csprague:

So, every week at Spout we watch a movie and discuss it. Sounds fun, no? Well, it is. However, selecting the movie every week is not without it's challenges and as the lucky person who fills up our queue, I feel a lot of pressure to meet several requirements that often seem conflicting.

1) The movie needs to be one which we would not normally watch. The point is to be stretched outside of our movie comfort zone.

2) If you pick a really tough movie that ends in a really uncomfortable way every week, people will stop coming to watch.

3) There is a wide spectrum of movie preferences/tolerances present at Spout. We aren't all the movie freaks that you would expect. Many of us consider ourselves to be fairly average in our movie knowledge and preferences. Often, watching something with subtitles can seem like a challenge.

4) It needs to be short. We can't spend more then 2 hours on a movie out of our work day.

So yeah, we are looking for short/normal length movies that will stretch us, but won't make the average movie goer want to run and hide every week at movie time. I greatly anticipate your suggestions.

the unpopular movie-picker,

Christi

Do you have a list of everything you've watched so far?

And even better, to go along with the list, which selections seemed to be the most successful?

Here's a list of all the movies we have watched so far: http://www.spout.com/films/1287614/ViewFilmList.aspx

The popular stuff was either the fun documentaries like Just for Kicks or Wordplay, or classics like It's a Wonderful Life. The Unpopular stuff was I'm Not There, Being There, and The Rules of the Game.

Re:Movies Spout Needs to Watch

Risselada — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:14:27 GMT

csprague:

So, every week at Spout we watch a movie and discuss it. Sounds fun, no? Well, it is. However, selecting the movie every week is not without it's challenges and as the lucky person who fills up our queue, I feel a lot of pressure to meet several requirements that often seem conflicting.

1) The movie needs to be one which we would not normally watch. The point is to be stretched outside of our movie comfort zone.

2) If you pick a really tough movie that ends in a really uncomfortable way every week, people will stop coming to watch.

3) There is a wide spectrum of movie preferences/tolerances present at Spout. We aren't all the movie freaks that you would expect. Many of us consider ourselves to be fairly average in our movie knowledge and preferences. Often, watching something with subtitles can seem like a challenge.

4) It needs to be short. We can't spend more then 2 hours on a movie out of our work day.

So yeah, we are looking for short/normal length movies that will stretch us, but won't make the average movie goer want to run and hide every week at movie time. I greatly anticipate your suggestions.

the unpopular movie-picker,

Christi

Do you have a list of everything you've watched so far?

And even better, to go along with the list, which selections seemed to be the most successful?

Movies Spout Needs to Watch

csprague — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:15:28 GMT

So, every week at Spout we watch a movie and discuss it. Sounds fun, no? Well, it is. However, selecting the movie every week is not without it's challenges and as the lucky person who fills up our queue, I feel a lot of pressure to meet several requirements that often seem conflicting.

1) The movie needs to be one which we would not normally watch. The point is to be stretched outside of our movie comfort zone.

2) If you pick a really tough movie that ends in a really uncomfortable way every week, people will stop coming to watch.

3) There is a wide spectrum of movie preferences/tolerances present at Spout. We aren't all the movie freaks that you would expect. Many of us consider ourselves to be fairly average in our movie knowledge and preferences. Often, watching something with subtitles can seem like a challenge.

4) It needs to be short. We can't spend more then 2 hours on a movie out of our work day.

So yeah, we are looking for short/normal length movies that will stretch us, but won't make the average movie goer want to run and hide every week at movie time. I greatly anticipate your suggestions.

the unpopular movie-picker,

Christi