What are we watching now?

[Spaced Out Ace]

Vampire in Brooklyn was Wes. Never seen it for obvious reasons. Vampires with Woods and Daniel Baldwin I did like a lot. The one with Bon Jovi scares me just thinking about it

I'm well aware. Hence why I said that Wes has also done awful Vampire films.

 

[State of Epicicity]

Dark Star rules!

Anything that can inspaire Alien and Red Dwarf has to have something going for it.

Yes! Dan O'Bannon is hilarious in that.

 

[State of Epicicity]

I haven't read much about John Carpenter; I just know I gravitate toward the mood and feel of his films, and I love many of the acting performances. My favorite had always been Prince of Darkness, but I also love The Thing, The Fog, Assault on Precinct 13, Escape from New York, and Christine.

When it comes to reconciling the person vs the art, that's tough to do across the board in any any art form.

 

[JiveTurkey]

I haven't read much about John Carpenter; I just know I gravitate toward the mood and feel of his films, and I love many of the acting performances. My favorite had always been Prince of Darkness, but I also love The Thing, The Fog, Assault on Precinct 13, Escape from New York, and Christine.

When it comes to reconciling the person vs the art, that's tough to do across the board in any any art form.

The Carpenter films I love; I LOVE. His own inability to accept what he's good at as a filmmaker and embrace it aside; his great movies are great to my tastes.

 

[State of Epicicity]

Now that I think of it, learning that Carpenter's films did poorly overall at the box office, I'd consider that a badge of honor, because I always think that most horror films are terrible and a waste of time! I love horror films, but only when the writing, directing, and acting are good, and that is very rare in that genre, in my book.

Not to say that Carpenter has great acting across the board, but there's a general spirit to the films I named that I truly love, and it weirdly transcends my sharp critiques of acting.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

I haven't read much about John Carpenter; I just know I gravitate toward the mood and feel of his films, and I love many of the acting performances. My favorite had always been Prince of Darkness, but I also love The Thing, The Fog, Assault on Precinct 13, Escape from New York, and Christine.

When it comes to reconciling the person vs the art, that's tough to do across the board in any any art form.

Of the films I like from Carpenter, Prince of Darkness is lowest on the list. Unfortunate, really.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

The Carpenter films I love; I LOVE. His own inability to accept what he's good at as a filmmaker and embrace it aside; his great movies are great to my tastes.

He sort of gave up when what he wanted to do and what he was good at didn't mesh with what he wanted. Seriously, he literally gave up and hasn't directed in a very long time. Kind of sad, really. It seems at times he is borderline bitter about it. I'm glad he is doing music, which seems to be his true love at this point. Perhaps it always was.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

Now that I think of it, learning that Carpenter's films did poorly overall at the box office, I'd consider that a badge of honor, because I always think that most horror films are terrible and a waste of time! I love horror films, but only when the writing, directing, and acting are good, and that is very rare in that genre, in my book.

Not to say that Carpenter has great acting across the board, but there's a general spirit to the films I named that I truly love, and it weirdly transcends my sharp critiques of acting.

What is "good"? I couldn't care less. I just want to be entertained and have a good time. "Bad" acting is some actors calling card and people love them for it.

 

[State of Epicicity]

What is "good"? I couldn't care less. I just want to be entertained and have a good time. "Bad" acting is some actors calling card and people love them for it.

Well, good is certainly contextual and subjective. I can only point out the actors I think are good in context. To me, great acting in horror films would include Jason Miller, Max Von Sydow, and Ellen Burstyn in The Exorcist. This probably represents the pinnacle of acting in any horror film, from what I've seen. Terrible acting to me generally means actors who are not acting at all, who have no connection to the story or the significance of their dialogue or behavior in the film. And part of the job of a director is to be able to guide actors and to prevent bad acting.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

Well, good is certainly contextual and subjective. I can only point out the actors I think are good in context. To me, great acting in horror films would include Jason Miller, Max Von Sydow, and Ellen Burstyn in The Exorcist. This probably represents the pinnacle of acting in any horror film, from what I've seen. Terrible acting to me generally means actors who are not acting at all, who have no connection to the story or the significance of their dialogue or behavior in the film. And part of the job of a director is to be able to guide actors and to prevent bad acting.

Oftentimes, bad acting can be the result of a writer who refuses to allow actors to deviate from the script.

 

[Aelred]

Oftentimes, bad acting can be the result of a writer who refuses to allow actors to deviate from the script.

How much control do writers have over the acting performance?

A writer/director, sure, but there seem to be "writer's rooms" and such these days on many projects.

Cate Blanchett was "good" in Veronica Guerin, not so good in Borderlands. WTF was she doing being cast in that?

She made a "good" Galadriel in the Jackson movies. I'm not sure what Morfydd Clarke could possibly do with the story and dialog given in Rings of Power. But she doesn't "own" the role the way Blanchett did.

So many Franchises have loads of different writers and directors, so we hear things like "we wanted to make Sauron like Walter White" and the constant urge to "subvert expectations" so much we now expect them to make the Jedi the Bad Guys in new Star Wars content.

So, so boring now. IMHO, of course.

But I would have laughed and cheered William McGonagall when, as Macbeth, he refused to die and slew McDuff instead, to roars of laughter and cheers!

 

[State of Epicicity]

We just watched Secret Window from 2004. I just didn't really care, in the end.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

How much control do writers have over the acting performance?

A writer/director, sure, but there seem to be "writer's rooms" and such these days on many projects.

Cate Blanchett was "good" in Veronica Guerin, not so good in Borderlands. WTF was she doing being cast in that?

She made a "good" Galadriel in the Jackson movies. I'm not sure what Morfydd Clarke could possibly do with the story and dialog given in Rings of Power. But she doesn't "own" the role the way Blanchett did.

So many Franchises have loads of different writers and directors, so we hear things like "we wanted to make Sauron like Walter White" and the constant urge to "subvert expectations" so much we now expect them to make the Jedi the Bad Guys in new Star Wars content.

So, so boring now. IMHO, of course.

But I would have laughed and cheered William McGonagall when, as Macbeth, he refused to die and slew McDuff instead, to roars of laughter and cheers!

Ask Bruce Campbell, who said in his book a producer told him to remove "uhs" and pauses in his delivery (if memory serves; it may have been some other minor change). The writer didn't like to have their precious dialog fucked with.

 

[JiveTurkey]

He sort of gave up when what he wanted to do and what he was good at didn't mesh with what he wanted. Seriously, he literally gave up and hasn't directed in a very long time. Kind of sad, really. It seems at times he is borderline bitter about it. I'm glad he is doing music, which seems to be his true love at this point. Perhaps it always was.

On this subject; I tried watching the last film (iirc?) he directed 'The Ward' the other night. Red flag for Amber Heard up front duly noted. I couldn't do it. It was one of those I have read on and off about how it wasn't actually that bad but I have to say, what I watched of it was, indeed, bad

 

[spawnofthesith]

Rewatching People Under the Stairs RN.

 

[JiveTurkey]

Back when enunciation was important

 

[TSJMajesty]

This guy is hilarious! Doesn't stop. Total improv.

 

[LeftyLoungeLizard]

Saw Joker: Folie à Deux w/ wife last night. Mainly because it was bargain night and there wasn't anything else really. And the first movie was surprisingly interesting (I'm tired of the fucking superhero/comic book movie bullshit already).

Let's put it this way:

To quote the New York Post:

‘Joker 2’ moviegoers are leaving theaters mid-showing: ‘What the f–k is this?’​

‘Joker 2’ moviegoers are leaving theaters mid-showing: ‘What the f–k is this?’

“The reviews are not saying it’s bad, but everyone is leaving early. What the f–k is this?” one critic said.

nypost.com

If you dig musicals (I sure as fuck don't) and you like the Joker, go see it:

It's a fucking Joker Musical.

I didn't care for it for three reasons:

1. It was fraudulently interesting enough to keep you hanging on for the next scene (for something to happen) without delivering anything.
2. Stupid imaginary-world cutscenes of Joker and Lady Gaga doing variety shows in front of a crowd.
3. Lady Gaga sings. All. The. Fucking. Time.

Oh and, where the fuck is Batman in all this?

See, this is exactly the kind of overly-serious, pretentious and self-masturbatory shit with these stupid fucking comic book hero movies that turns a lot of people off. Hey, it's a fucking comic book character, guys; written for kiddies.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

Saw Joker: Folie à Deux w/ wife last night. Mainly because it was bargain night and there wasn't anything else really. And the first movie was surprisingly interesting (I'm tired of the fucking superhero/comic book movie bullshit already).

Took ya long enough.

Let's put it this way:

To quote the New York Post:

‘Joker 2’ moviegoers are leaving theaters mid-showing: ‘What the f–k is this?’

‘Joker 2’ moviegoers are leaving theaters mid-showing: ‘What the f–k is this?’

“The reviews are not saying it’s bad, but everyone is leaving early. What the f–k is this?” one critic said.

nypost.com

If you dig musicals (I sure as fuck don't) and you like the Joker, go see it:

It's a fucking Joker Musical.

I didn't care for it for three reasons:

1. It was fraudulently interesting enough to keep you hanging on for the next scene (for something to happen) without delivering anything.
2. Stupid imaginary-world cutscenes of Joker and Lady Gaga doing variety shows in front of a crowd.
3. Lady Gaga sings. All. The. Fucking. Time.

Oh and, where the fuck is Batman in all this?

See, this is exactly the kind of overly-serious, pretentious and self-masturbatory shit with these stupid fucking comic book hero movies that turns a lot of people off. Hey, it's a fucking comic book character, guys; written for kiddies.

The Joker is played out and Harley Quinn needs to go find the medicine woman, whom I hope gives her several lethal doses of strichnyne.

The least they could have done was get Lady Gaga completely nude, then you'd have something to make up for the ticket price. Hey, I thought her butt looked nice in AHS. Sue me.

 

[JiveTurkey]

That movie is getting absolutely stomped on in every way. Juoaquin (sp?) should have trusted his own artistic instincts.