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Author Topic: 1990s US Bracket: Verdicts  (Read 712570 times)

Thor

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Re: 1990s US Bracket: Verdicts
« Reply #2760 on: March 11, 2009, 10:41:04 AM »
Really nice verdicts everyone. Love the chat idea. That way you'd avoid lamewads like me not getting his verdict finished in time for it to have any bearing on the result, and then losing the file that had the write-up in it so piddling out his verdict like so.... Luckily, in this case it didn't matter. Reservoir Dogs at least has the honour of knowing it flies through the bracket 3-0.

Reservoir Dogs
I really enjoyed watching this again. It's endlessly quotable, perfectly cast, and Tarantino's sheer kid-in-a-candy-store excitement at being given the chance to direct a film is palpable. There's drawbacks to that as well, but I give him credit for also showing a lot of formal restraint (see Sdedalus' verdict for more on how 'classic' the direction is here) and keeping up a high level of contained intensity. This restraint is something that for me, is definitely missing from his post Pulp Fiction/Jackie Brown work, where he's clearly given be given too much freedom and indulgence, and his films feel flabby as result. None of that here; in fact, the film almost reminded me of the staging of Doubt at times! Sure there's some contrivances (I don't necessarily buy Mr. White's total switch of allegiances to Mr. Orange over his supposedly old buddies for example, though I think there's supposed to be some sort of fatally sentimental parental-bonding thing in his character that Keitel tries to put across with his accentuated "You're gonna beee okaaaaaaaaay, You're gonna be OKAAAAY, say the goddaaammmn wooorrddds" bit in the car at the start and his desperate mooing at the end), but overall I think the film stands up as one of the best examples of US indie filmmaking of the 90s. Whether or not you're interested in the same pop-culture references as him, Tarantino seems to have emerged fully-formed as a great filmmaker right off the bat, and that's why the the film is rightly iconic.

Schizopolis
While here, you've got a filmmaker who is totally struggling to find himself and his style, and signaling with the cop-out ending of this 'experimental' and 'personal' film that he'll eventually decide to just operate with a emotional detachment and a focus on technical proficiency and formal technique for the rest of his career. It's a move that has allowed Soderbergh great success across any genre, but I now get why none of his films really do anything for me - he's totally never going to allow himself to put his heart into any of them again, having supposedly revealed all of himself here, in his self-masturbation film. Again, see Sdedalus' verdict. I even pulled out the same screenshot though to describe the film:


And of course, I think Soderbergh's means you to want to do that, hoping that you'll laugh along with/at him, because he's so daring and wacky! I didn't really laugh, but I did smile, and I actually think he's a very gifted comic performer. Unfortunately, that comedy comes from self-loathing, and is consistently puerile and juvenile. Still, I was quite often reminded of Fellini while watching this over-indulgent mess, and of course, Richard Lester, and I could see why its a cult classic for those reasons. It says loudly and repeatedly, "I'm zany!", and some people really dig that kind of thing. For me, it's a bit tiresome, and I was looking at my watch more often than I was getting off with him.
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skjerva

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Re: 1990s US Bracket: Verdicts
« Reply #2761 on: March 11, 2009, 10:42:10 AM »
(I'll be up most of the night tonight prepping a class on Bruce Baillie).

why for?  whatcha talking about?
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smirnoff

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Re: 1990s US Bracket: Verdicts
« Reply #2762 on: March 11, 2009, 11:21:08 AM »
I've never seen Schizopolis but for some reason I take great pleasure in seeing it get ripped on... and lose. So thanks.

'Noke

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Re: 1990s US Bracket: Verdicts
« Reply #2763 on: March 11, 2009, 04:17:58 PM »
I'm just happy reservoir dogs is in the next round.
I actually consider a lot of movies to be life-changing! I take them to my heart and they melt into my personality.

'Noke

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Re: 1990s US Bracket: Verdicts
« Reply #2764 on: March 11, 2009, 04:19:54 PM »
I just learned that Magnolia is facing Dark City in the next round. I think this is good news.
I actually consider a lot of movies to be life-changing! I take them to my heart and they melt into my personality.

ˇKeith!

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Re: 1990s US Bracket: Verdicts
« Reply #2765 on: March 11, 2009, 04:22:32 PM »
I just learned that Magnolia is facing Dark City in the next round. I think this is good news.

Seriously, Dark City should cruise easilly.

Tequila

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Re: 1990s US Bracket: Verdicts
« Reply #2766 on: March 11, 2009, 04:24:56 PM »
Yeah, I mean..just look at all the ambition.
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FroHam X

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Re: 1990s US Bracket: Verdicts
« Reply #2767 on: March 11, 2009, 04:25:43 PM »
I just learned that Magnolia is facing Dark City in the next round. I think this is good news.

Seriously, Dark City should cruise easilly.
[/quote

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FLYmeatwad

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Re: 1990s US Bracket: Verdicts
« Reply #2768 on: March 11, 2009, 04:27:33 PM »
I just learned that Magnolia is facing Dark City in the next round. I think this is good news.

Seriously, Dark City should cruise easilly.
[/quote

I think I would go postal.

Would you also watch Postal?

ˇKeith!

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Re: 1990s US Bracket: Verdicts
« Reply #2769 on: March 11, 2009, 04:29:12 PM »
Yeah, I mean..just look at all the ambition.

 :D

I just learned that Magnolia is facing Dark City in the next round. I think this is good news.

Seriously, Dark City should cruise easilly.

I think I would go postal.

Would you also watch Postal?

whoa, no need to go to length like that - this is just a friendly little (read: huge and unwieldy) movie bracket.

 

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