Weekly Theme

Weekly Theme for January 12: What Went Wrong??

I wasn't really sure what you call this theme. But basically, I'm talking about those great films that start out with a simple plan, that slowly and surely gets more and more screwed up as the story goes along. Many time (but not always) these are 'heist gone wrong' films, such as Stanley Kubrick's The Killing. Or John Huston's The Asphalt Jungle

Sam Raimi used this in his very aptly titled  A Simple Plan. And my favorite filmmakers, the Brothers Coen have used this beautifully in Blood Simple and Fargo.

Whatch'all think?? I love watching films like this. They are usually a bit more formulaic than what I typically like but there's just something about it that I really like. More importantly, do you have a name for it?

Re:Weekly Theme for January 12: What Went Wrong??

leeroy711:

I wasn't really sure what you call this theme. But basically, I'm talking about those great films that start out with a simple plan, that slowly and surely gets more and more screwed up as the story goes along. Many time (but not always) these are 'heist gone wrong' films, such as Stanley Kubrick's The Killing. Or John Huston's The Asphalt Jungle

Sam Raimi used this in his very aptly titled  A Simple Plan. And my favorite filmmakers, the Brothers Coen have used this beautifully in Blood Simple and Fargo.

Whatch'all think?? I love watching films like this. They are usually a bit more formulaic than what I typically like but there's just something about it that I really like. More importantly, do you have a name for it?

This one's completely different than the ones you listed, but Smiley Face was pretty crazy like that. All she had to do was pay a bill and it turned into a very long and twisted journey. Awesome:) Lesson Learned: Don't smoke pot and try to pay your bills.

Re:Weekly Theme for January 12: What Went Wrong??

leeroy711:

I wasn't really sure what you call this theme. But basically, I'm talking about those great films that start out with a simple plan, that slowly and surely gets more and more screwed up as the story goes along. Many time (but not always) these are 'heist gone wrong' films, such as Stanley Kubrick's The Killing. Or John Huston's The Asphalt Jungle

Sam Raimi used this in his very aptly titled  A Simple Plan. And my favorite filmmakers, the Brothers Coen have used this beautifully in Blood Simple and Fargo.

Whatch'all think?? I love watching films like this. They are usually a bit more formulaic than what I typically like but there's just something about it that I really like. More importantly, do you have a name for it?

I'm not EXACTLY sure why, but Quentin Tarantino and P.T. Anderson come to mind here.

Re:Weekly Theme for January 12: What Went Wrong??

leeroy711:

Sam Raimi used this in his very aptly titled  A Simple Plan. And my favorite filmmakers, the Brothers Coen have used this beautifully in Blood Simple and Fargo.

I feel like most of the Coen's movies fit into this category...you got The Man Who Wasn't There, The Big Lebowski, Raising Arizona, and even No Country for Old Men.

Bottle Rocket is a pretty good heist-gone-wrong movie, and it's about as simplistic as movies can get.  It's one of my personal favorites.  Another one that may work is Dog Day Afternoon...a routine bank robbery turns into a televised sideshow starring a gay Al Pacino.

Re:Weekly Theme for January 12: What Went Wrong??

csprague:

This one's completely different than the ones you listed, but Smiley Face was pretty crazy like that. All she had to do was pay a bill and it turned into a very long and twisted journey. Awesome:) Lesson Learned: Don't smoke pot and try to pay your bills.

I loved that movie. It wasn't the greatest film, but Anna Faris was just perfect in that role. 

Re:Weekly Theme for January 12: What Went Wrong??

Well, my favorite scene that fits this theme perfectly is from Boogie Nights when the gang tries to sell their "drugs" to Alfred Molina's character. Just everything, the Sister Christian song playing, the kid in the background lighting firecrackers, the look on John C. Reilly's face the entire time. Their simple plan just goes completely out of control and the rising tension in palpable.

Re:Weekly Theme for January 12: What Went Wrong??

mercurial:

csprague:

This one's completely different than the ones you listed, but Smiley Face was pretty crazy like that. All she had to do was pay a bill and it turned into a very long and twisted journey. Awesome:) Lesson Learned: Don't smoke pot and try to pay your bills.

I loved that movie. It wasn't the greatest film, but Anna Faris was just perfect in that role. 

I just watched that one last night. I've gotta say I was pretty underwhelmed. Faris was good but most of the movie I got pretty annoyed with her character. If I was her roommate, I probably would have some pretty sick habits too. The bit when she tries to drive away has hilarious though.