The Film Lovers Thread!

[fashionologie]

hmmm...I can't say much about my experience with Lost in Translation, as I didn't see it in theaters, only later on DVD.

However, I can say that I didn't really see what all the hype was about the movie in general -- I loved the soundtrack, and some of the shots were beautiful, but after loving Virgin Suicides, I expected more out of Sofia Coppola. Hopefully it will be better with Marie Antoinette, which I so desperately want to be good.

 

[adorefaith]

fashionologie- i think what you mentioned about the laughter being an indicator of how far we have yet to go is so true....
it reminds me of watching brokeback mountain in the theatre.... at a few key scenes in the movie, people around me (whether they genuinely were amused, thought it were designed to be funny, or were so uncomfortable their only reaction was laughter) were actually laughing.....

i couldnt believe it....
it made me sad more than anything....
to watch these tragic, powerful statements on screen....
and people just not 'get it'.... have them laugh instead....

perhaps its a blessing in disguise....
because at least they were there in the theatre, exposing themselves to material that was probably far from their realities, and often very uncomfortable for them.....
i'm sure on some level it changed their perceptions....

but i agree, to hear people laugh at something you feel is so tragic or shocking is an eye-opening experience....
i'd be interested to see if the director had designed for it to be that way when being viewed by the 'mainstream' audience...

 

[boho_babe]

^
Thats why I sometimes prefer to watch films at home, in your own company or with someone who you know also appreciates films. . .

 

[oolie coco]

I actually love the theatre experience. It's just that stupid people make me profoundly sad. People who get uncomfortable with people who are different than them just makes me so sad.... How can people not understand that when you laugh at jokes made at the expense of someone because of their race or sexuality, it's incredibly offensive?

I hate the attitude that we should laugh at things that are different or that we don't understand.. it's just people's discomfort and insecurities that make them laugh...

I guess in the way that I am uncomfortable watching violence? I don't know.

 

[bleuFunk]

I love to watch movies in a theater on off-times when there aren't many people. Like weekdays early in the evening. There have been times when i was the only one in the theater. I feel like own the place!

Otherwise, there are too many distractions. When i watch a movie, i want to leave my seat (figuratively) and join the saga.

 

[adorefaith]

yes, i think you're very right oolie.... people's discomfort and insecurity, and often people's fear can make them do and even believe very strange things.....

i often love the theatre-going experience too....
not so much in the big mainstream theatres at all (which is unfortunately what i had to endure with brokeback mountain)....
but i have a small local theatre just down the road that has been redone.... the plush old red seats.... no cup holders... designed like a theatre for plays and musicals....
its divine....

....

 

[purechris]

if you guys are film lovers than you'll really appreciate this:

I just spent 10 minutes with Christopher Lloyd(2046, In the Mood for Love, etc) and his (very) young girlfriend. True to his reputation, he was slightly drunk, but very very nice and chatty with me while his gf tried on a dress.....I told him I liked his jacket and he told me it was from the store on West Broadway with all the half naked gay men, to which I replied "huh, why don't I know about that store" which he found hysterical...... I had no idea who he was until he gave me his Amex to run.....but it's cool that I got to chat up one of the greatest cinematographers in film......and that he bought something


Had to share

 

[oolie coco]

I actually don't mind the big fat mainstream cinema experiences sometimes. It's best for loud comedies, I think.

For example, "Wedding Crashers" was my favourite movie of the year (I'm a sucker for comedies....). It was the greatest experience. It was an entire, full, HUGE theatre of people just laughing. And we laughed from the very first few seconds to the last. It was just so, so, so much fun. Everyone was having a ball, and nobody talked during any important or quiet parts. I think everyone was just enthralled by the fun experience.

 

[fashionologie]

^ that theater sounds amazing, adorefaith...

I honestly was so surprised that Brokeback Mountain has been getting so much attention... I'm dumbstruck, really...

Not because I think the quality of the movie is poor or anything (I unfortunately haven't had a chance to see it yet), but because of the subject matter itself -- I didn't think mainstream America was ready to take a movie that has very blatant homoerotic themes in yet

I think that the only reason this movie is being accepted so well is because it stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger -- who are fairly big Hollywood names. I can see a lot of people just going to see Brokeback not because they actually want to see the movie -- they just want to watch two hot guys... In fact, I saw the preview with some other people on TV one night recently, and the girls I was with were all like "Oh my God, Jake and Heath getting it on, that is so hot..." -- it was like the straight guy/lesbian girls obsession all over again. I don't mean to be cynical, but I think that if the film were indie and had no-name actors, it wouldn't have gotten nearly as much attention nor openness.

 

[adorefaith]

very cool, chris....
....
but do you mean christopher doyle....??

fashionologie- i tend to agree with you about brokeback mountain..... i think the star power has a lot of sway in getting the masses to the theatres as is being done with this film..... and of course ideally that shouldnt be the motivating factor....but i think there's 2 things to be said about that....

first, i think people are often drawn to a movie because of its cast (i too am guilty of this, even though i do seek out more indie, unknown productions), and if the quality and message of the movie is superb, they leave realizing there was so much more to it than a particular favorite actress or good looking guy..... and this in turn probably gives them a confidence and a desire to go out and see more films that perhaps they never would have considered, because even their favorite actors are interested in them.... people are often so fearful.... and i think it plays some sort of mind trick on them that if their favorite mainstream popular actor heath ledger does a film about a same sex relationship, then maybe it makes it that much more safe or reasonable to actually explore that material and watch the film.....

and secondly, i think we have to be thankful for the fact that the material is out there.....and that even if people are often being drawn to it for the less-than-ideal reasons, at the end of the day, its important content with an important message and HOWEVER they get there is better than not getting there at all....
they may never open their minds more than that.....and they still may leave the theatre liking the film because angelina or nicole or brad were in it.... but at least we can hope that the film left its mark in some small, maybe subconscious way.....and that that will affect the viewer, even if they themselves dont realize it....

 

[fashionologie]

i think people are often drawn to a movie because of its cast (i too am guilty of this, even though i do seek out more indie, unknown productions)

I think we are all guilty of that...
I don't think there's anything wrong with it...and you're right, it does open up doors...for all of us
For me, I watched an incredible movie -- Dot the I, which I picked up because it had Gael Garcia Bernal, whose movies, whether I really like or not, I always enjoy. (If you haven't seen this movie, please please please see it -- it's amazing.

As for the rest of what you said, I totally agree. You really hit the nail on the head here:

people are often so fearful.... and i think it plays some sort of mind trick on them that if their favorite mainstream popular actor heath ledger does a film about a same sex relationship, then maybe it makes it that much more safe or reasonable to actually explore that material and watch the film.....

 

[bleuFunk]

^ That reminds me of something. I saw "Punch-Drunk Love" in the theater. There weren't that many people there - maybe 15 total. Even before the movie was halfway finished, less than half of the people were remaining in the theater. I couldn't understand why so many of them felt compelled to leave - some of which left within the first 10 minutes or so. All i could think was, they must've been expecting an "Adam Sander" movie.

 

[adorefaith]

fashionologie- thx for the recommendation....
i will try to track it down.....
.....

 

[purechris]

if you guys are film lovers than you'll really appreciate this:

I just spent 10 minutes with Christopher Doyle(2046, In the Mood for Love, etc) and his (very) young girlfriend. True to his reputation, he was slightly drunk, but very very nice and chatty with me while his gf tried on a dress.....I told him I liked his jacket and he told me it was from the store on West Broadway with all the half naked gay men, to which I replied "huh, why don't I know about that store" which he found hysterical...... I had no idea who he was until he gave me his Amex to run.....but it's cool that I got to chat up one of the greatest cinematographers in film......and that he bought something


Had to share

yes I meant Doyle, but typed Llyod...

 

[purechris]

very cool, chris....
....
but do you mean christopher doyle....??

fashionologie- i tend to agree with you about brokeback mountain..... i think the star power has a lot of sway in getting the masses to the theatres as is being done with this film..... and of course ideally that shouldnt be the motivating factor....but i think there's 2 things to be said about that....

first, i think people are often drawn to a movie because of its cast (i too am guilty of this, even though i do seek out more indie, unknown productions), and if the quality and message of the movie is superb, they leave realizing there was so much more to it than a particular favorite actress or good looking guy..... and this in turn probably gives them a confidence and a desire to go out and see more films that perhaps they never would have considered, because even their favorite actors are interested in them.... people are often so fearful.... and i think it plays some sort of mind trick on them that if their favorite mainstream popular actor heath ledger does a film about a same sex relationship, then maybe it makes it that much more safe or reasonable to actually explore that material and watch the film.....

and secondly, i think we have to be thankful for the fact that the material is out there.....and that even if people are often being drawn to it for the less-than-ideal reasons, at the end of the day, its important content with an important message and HOWEVER they get there is better than not getting there at all....
they may never open their minds more than that.....and they still may leave the theatre liking the film because angelina or nicole or brad were in it.... but at least we can hope that the film left its mark in some small, maybe subconscious way.....and that that will affect the viewer, even if they themselves dont realize it....

thx for the typo correction

I agree with what you say adore.....that's why actors taking on roles like these is so important.

....if we're talking about Brokeback I think that it is being marketed brilliantly and the fact that neither character identifies with being "queer" and yet they are tragically in love is what makes the movie so powerful....

.....I went to see it opening nite in a sold out theater of 99% gay and lesbian audience (the one % being Elizabeth Berkley and her hubby) and everybody was laughing.....there were some funny moments. But I have a very twisted sense of what is humorous. Most of the men laughed at the sex scene because it was very "rough" if you will.

I thought TransAmerica was very funny....even though it was a very seriously touching story.

Not that everybody is comfortable and they do laugh when they aren't, but next time the person behind you laughs at something inappropriate don't be surprised to turn around and see me

 

[Curious]

DAMN! I was going apesh*t over a Christopher Llyod run in. Who wouldn't want to meet the Doc??

But, cool story, none the less

As far as the topic, I'm playing film catch up... it's my goal this week to see Narnia in the theatre. I really don't want to miss it!

 

[adorefaith]

chris..... doyle is from my hometown...sydney australia.....
so i'm impressed.....


as for what you say about brokeback and the laughing, you've made me think.....perhaps i did misunderstand the source of some of the laughter......it would be interesting to put the same audience in front of a picture that was a heterosexual couple in some of the same circumstances and see their reaction......

what you mentioned is, i think, a different situation too because you say a great majority were themselves in a gay or lesbian relationship.....coming from a place where you KNOW, and you UNDERSTAND, almost gives you a 'right' to laugh in a way....you know?....

but laughing from a place of fear or judgement (and who am i really to discern whether it was this or the kind of laughing you experienced) is a whole other situation, i think.... i mean, if it gets them through the film, thats fine.....but it did make me uncomfortable in certain parts of the story.... where i felt it was so inappropriate.....

but you're right....people have different ideas of what is and isnt funny.... i guess i tend to be more 'uptight' in situations where i am sensitive to the content.....or just cannot understand how laughter would be your first reaction.....maybe i need to lighten up....
.....

i went to see brokeback in a theatre in calgary alberta....actually not far from where a lot of the filming of this movie was done.....so there's another big difference.....you saw this film in (i'm assuming) a nyc theatre with a huge gay population......and i saw it in a theatre in a city that is for the most part very conservative.....so i think i made assumptions about the motivation of their laughter.....

anyway.....i think ive beaten this point to a pulp.........

if i do shoot my head around and find you laughing, i'll realize i need to lighten the heck up.....

 

[yogini108]

I've been keeping up with what you've been saying for a few days adorefaith, but I've been super busy and haven't had time to respond.

You've pretty much made all the points that I had, but I had the same laughing experience at BBM

There's a highly gay community where I live and the indie theatre is there as well (its honestly such a cool area all in all because of the open minded spirit there)...so thats where I saw brokeback mountain for the first time.

The vibe was throughly enjoyable, and at the one or two lighter moments, there were maybe a few chuckles, but nothing outrageous...for the most part, everyone got to experience the film for themselves...no need for nervous laughter or anything awkward.

I saw bbm a few weeks later with some friends at a more mainstream threatre, and i was completely pulled out of the film from the wierd little things happening..people would laugh when they'd flirt or kiss..it just didnt really make sense..

I guess I just wanted to mention that i had the same reaction, and I understand completely where you're coming from adorefaith

 

[adorefaith]

thats a perfect situation, yogini......to have experienced the film in two settings so different in their audiences......

**out of curiosity - chris and yogini - when you saw the film in the 'open-minded' community, did anyone laugh when michelle williams' character looks out the window of her home to see her husband & jake around the corner passionately kissing eachother...??

this was one moment where i couldnt understand the laughter.......the devastation and confusion and pain of her reaction at realizing her husband was madly in love with someone else (much less a man...) was overwhelming, i thought.... she sat down at that table and you could see the pain just oozing out of her every pore......and the people around me laughed..... most likely at the sight of this passionate embrace between two men.....

but maybe this truly was meant to be a 'funny' moment and i missed it......

 

[purechris]

oh hell's no.....it was more like all the air in the theater was sucked into one big giant gasp!!!! that was pretty harsh.....

......but they looked like they were eating each others faces which I could see somebody laughing at....if they had already seen the movie....well, maybe not......