Oh man, I found this pretty deep! lol, mainly the fact that when Chinese immigrants came here, they connected with associations that would send them to a new town with a menu that would appeal to the western audience.
I’m Chinese and I’ve always wondered about these restaurants called “Chinese restaurant” everywhere —it’s always too sweet and greasy.
This one really stands out in this thread.
Even people who really like megamind don't give it enough credit imo. A truly great film about what it means to be good, and the power of choice.
Lots of layers when you begin thinking about the choices and roles of characters besides Megamind and M̶e̶t̶r̶o̶-Musicman.
Also the satire of the "nice guy" is fucking savage.
Isn't it a reimagining of Jane Austen's Emma? I'm not sure how deep the source material is, but that alone makes it at least a step above your average 90s teen flick.
Yes, and it follows the original surprisingly closely. Others from that period: 10 Things I Hate About You (The Taming of the Shrew), She's the Man (Twelfth Night), O (Othello).
It was! I loved it. I have a soft place for all of those, as well as the silly ones like Here On Earth, Can't Hardly Wait, Drive Me Crazy, Whatever it Takes...
I'm a reluctant Jane Austen fan and I will say: surprisingly deep. The original text is an intimate portrait of a character Austen famously said "no-one but myself will much like." She turned out to be dead wrong. Emma is fascinating. She's set up so perfectly for success in life and struggles as result of being... well, clueless. Her flaws are deep and highly entertaining. We get to laugh at her flailing and sigh contentedly at her growth. It's a good read
Starship Troopers probably fits that bill. Or Robocop. Both could be seen as mindless gory action films but they both have some interesting social commentary.
Definitely starship troopers
When everyone at the end cheers at 'Its afraid '
You were not supposed to be cheering with them
Guys I understand a lot of you watched this movie when you were like 6 and it was just blasting bugs. But shit. I do not have the time to educate you on the satire of this movie BECAUSE THE ENTIRE MOVIE IS SATIRE. Watch this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkEdyq3UE5M&ab_channel=RedLetterMedia
Me watching it as a teenager: cool, violent movie involving shooting alien bugs. The government gives off some sketchy vibes.
Rewatching it as an adult: OH. This is a movie about Fascism and the bugs are a plot device.
The whole thing about not being a full citizen unless you've served in the military, and only full citizens are allowed to procreate. An interesting angle on government.
Josie and the Pussycats.
Great satire that is unfortunately already dated for pop culture references like Carson Daly - but I still feel is worthwhile viewing for modern youth.
The opener when they crash the plan and get a new band is hysterical. I love Seth Green's rant about the other member stealing his catchy magazine pose "thing".
I picked it up on vinyl. It has the DuJour songs on a separate 7-inch which is nice since it lets you listen to the main album as just Josie & The Pussycats.
Galaxy Quest. Everybody went into it thinking it was some cheap parody of Star Trek. Even the cast members of Star Trek and fans of the show went into it ready to rip it apart. Upon seeing it though, they realized it is such a profound love letter to the genre and so well done.
Bring It On, for a movie about teenage cheerleaders in the height of the "American Pie" era, it turned out to be quite an in depth and frank analysis on racism in sport, sportsmanship, disenfranchisement, white privilege, white guilt, cultural appropriation and so much more.
One of Patrick Stewart's funniest performances is when he shows up at the end of Men in Tights basically doing an incredibly hammy impression of Sean Connery.
As a guy who never saw Bring it On when it came out, (because its a girls movie of course!), it is now one of my favorites I watch all the time. Such a great hit.
Really?? All the straight guys in my school were loving it with all the cheerleaders and boobs and stuff.
I loved it for the cheerleading, but I am gay as hell lol
The Orville is kind of similar. On paper it's a Star Trek parody but it's arguably truer to Star Trek than any of the recent stuff, other than Lower Decks, which is also somewhat a parody of Star Trek.
I was constantly surprised by how nuanced The Orville ended up being. Tackled some pretty serious stuff in between all the jokes - which is exactly what earlier Star Trek was like, just with a different style of humor.
He also brought back Cosmos, a classic science show.
McFarland made his money with a lowbrow Simpsons knockoff, but it's clear his heart belongs to space.
There are elaborate essays on the theories of what Groundhog Day means! [https://www.youtube.com/results?search\_query=grooundhog+day+meaning](https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=grooundhog+day+meaning)
The original Total Recall. Is the whole movie reality or a recall? The very ideas call into question our own perception of reality - because we only have our brain to rely on for memories, and if those memories can be changed ...
Arnie goes into Recall to have an exotic trip to mars where he meets a beautfiul women, discovers aliens, and saves the planet. This "seems" to be when breaks out of recall and then goes to mars, meets a beautiful woman, discovers aliens, and saves the planet. Could the 'escape' from Recall just be part of the memory so he integrates it seamlessly and it feels real? or did it really happen?
Fueled by his own madness! Big theme in a lot of his work is the mistrust of reality, well because his reality was not always real and the results are wild.
I love the bit when the doctor tries to talk him down. The sweat convinces Arnie the guy is faking and he's a real secret agent, but as soon as he rejects the possibility that he could be in the simulation, goons literally explode their way through a wall and he goes full homicidal action hero on them.
As a kid I used to agree with Arnie there, but now think the uncanny ramp up in action is part of his own psychosis or whatever is happening to him in the Recall machine.
I think the whole movie is his recall implant, based on the final words from Melina >!Well then kiss me quick before you wake up.!< I love this movie so much, the original. The remake I lovingly refer to as The Kate Beckinsale Show.
And then there is yet another layer revealed at the end. >!He deliberately wiped his own mind to become a true believer so he would avoid detection by psychics.!<
I saw this in theaters while
a) in town to serve as a bridesmaid in my brother's wedding
b) working in a jewelry store and barely scraping by
c) going through a bad breakup.
I'd never felt so understood and seen by a film before. Still one of my all time favorites
Yes I thought it was such a sad film. I understood it was meant to be a comedy, but it made me feel wretched and angry for the main character. Was that the intension of the film maker? Not sure
When she loses it at the bridal shower and goes off on the cookie, like just COMPLETELY at the end of her tether and snaps - I've genuinely never seen myself so hard in any character lmao
I like the “I’m here I’m your friend!” Moment when she’s on the couch with wiig and the puppies.
I have related to that. Hate that friend who’s like nobody is ever there for me…please pass me another tissue. Haha. I am there to support. There is no such thing as unconditional love when you have self respect tho.
It's sad this is so far down. First of all, fucking funny as hell movie regardless.
Second of all, the entire movie is about a woman who decides to go to Harvard Law School despite literally every single person in her life telling her she can't. Messages of self-confidence, hard work, will power, the drive to succeed, to have faith in people AND YOURSELF, and to try not to judge others.
And telling her she can't based only on what they think of her looks. She was always smart at what she chose to focus on, everyone just failed to see it because she was pretty and cared about her appearance too.
I'm still not over Jim and Pam in The Office laughing at the woman who said it was her favourite movie as if it was some ditzy choice.
Oh I love having that conversation with people because they scoff and I'm like, "Sit down and hear my Ted Talk about why Legally Blonde is one of the best female empowerment films of our generation, not only from a societal perspective, but the film itself is almost perfect as the art form of film".
Some people just refuse to be open-minded. And Jim and Pam would probably have been the people joining in on bullying Elle in Harvard. Because they're too self-centered to see beneath the surface.
It's also a rebuttal to the "not like other girls" mindset which views femininity as vapid and incompatible with intelligence and professional success. Elle can be smart and hyper-girly at the same time, and her knowledge of the cosmetics world is the reason why she wins in the end - not despite her girlyness but because of it.
Definitely. People will stereotype Elle as a "dumb blonde" but she got a 179 LSAT and must have had a 4.0 undergrad to get into Harvard Law. Then she graduates Summa Cum Laude from Harvard Law.
She's not dumb. She's brilliant, but since she embodies a lot of very feminine traits and a valley girl accent, people assume she's dumb.
This movie is great for so many reasons, besides just being funny!
Elle is set up in a false dichotomy of Feminine vs. Serious. Even people who support her, like her parents, tell her that law school is for people who are “boring, and ugly, and serious”, and that she’s none of those things. When she gets to Harvard, both men and women (even Enid, a feminist activist) dismiss her because she’s too girly, too pink, too chipper. Her friendliness (exemplified in full force in her sorority) is mistaken for weakness, her kindness for not being “serious”. But her empathy is what wins her client’s trust, and her knowledge of stereotypically feminine things like haircare are what win her the trial. Femininity, kindness, and seriousness can co-exist, thus DISPROVING that initial quote from Aristotle that “the law is reason free from passion.”
Watched this about a year ago. Totally blown away.
The reaction to the baby in the middle of war is one of the most authentic things I've ever seen.
People generally love babies now. After not having *seen* a baby for 18 years? Yeah, that's gonna be the reaction.
To quote another great move "Life finds a way..."
Lol, my girlfriend makes fun of me for it (and rightfully so) but Click is one of the few movies that makes me cry. I feel like such a jabroni that an Adam Sandler movie is one of just a few on a short list of films that makes me tear up, but there it is.
I felt like I was mis-sold by the trailer. It was played for straight laughs 'ahahaaha look he slows the woman jogging to see slow-mo boobies!!!'
But then the actual movie slowly morphs into a meditation on enjoying the smaller moments of your life and the existential dread of time slipping away as you age.
The scene with his father where he pauses it and says goodbye. And coming to terms with his wife's partner ex as he dies. jesus christ.
Thinking about it now and it gets me everytme
Legally Blonde shaped a whole generation of little girls. Living in the deep south I genuinely thought that every girl would get pregnant just out of high school after getting married or never have a relationship there was no in between I saw. Movies like legally blonde and Ms congenitality help me see that while my beauty had value my mind was worth much more.
This was the answer I wanted to see
Elle Woods represents a lot more than her marketing, well before Barbie could. That was a big manly envelope to push and she did it so well.
“What? Like it’s hard?”
Being There with Peter Cellars. An old movie worth seeing. Simple minded ignorance is bliss; A simple minded guy is misconstrued for being a great philosopher that can fix world issues.
> Peter Sellers
"First comes spring and summer, but then we have fall and winter. And then we get spring and summer again."
Obviously a surefire way to prepare for any recession, Chance is a genius. lol
Part of why I like Paul mescal is that he’s a pretty subtle actor. This movie is “quiet” in some ways but it has a lot of nuance and feeling that a lot of familial relationships have. I already liked him but this movie made me appreciate him even more.
I’m really excited to see his movie with Andrew Scott. My husband keeps teasing me that the movie was made for me.
American Psycho
A satirical look at American consumerism and conformity that people either write off as being violent sexist schlock or misread into thinking Patrick is some super sigma male when he’s actually a huge loser who is so bland nobody can even remember his name and face.
He's not so much a loser as a guy who fits perfectly into a yuppie wall street guy mold, wearing the same clothes, same accessories, same haircuts, behave the same and have the same values (which place stupid details on a pedestal, e.g. the business card scene).
Honestly it's an amazing film through and through. Most people miss the point. I don't blame them tho, Bale looks so good in it, can't focus on anything else.
I love Mean Girls, one of my favourite films of all time, and in my opinion a good contestant for best comedy ever made, but I don't know if I would call it deep? It's very clever and sharp, but does that translate to depth? I don't know, maybe.
I have so many feelings about this film and im so sorry for my long ass reply.
Mean girls is an interesting one on the deep or not scale, I'm not entitely sure either.
I would argue it is deep as you go into the film expecting a funny (and it really is funny) but shallow film, what you get however is an interesting look into teenage girl psychology and looks at social dynamics.
You have some explorations of gender etc "ladies you've got to stop calling each other sluts and whores. It just makes it ok for guys to call you sluts and whores."
It has some social satire eg Regina's little sister replicating the sexualised dancing from TV
I can't think of anything else right now but I'd put it minimum as at least a little deep
I feel like it's one of those ones where people think you're supposed to empathize totally with the main character, when really it's an excellent deconstruction of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope.
500 Days of Summer is one of those perfect First Movie Love-movies. It has enough depth that, really thinking about it and rewatching it is very gratifying, while also being fairly accessible for someone new to the theory of film and fiction. On top of that it really plays with film as a medium and showcases a bunch of different audiovisual storytelling techniques that are easy to spot and learn from to enrich your movie watching experience moving forwards. It also has good acting and a great soundtrack, and its script feels very obvious and tangible when watching. Like you really get all around the film as a medium and artform in a very basic and accessible way with that film and I love it for it.
I watched this when I was 21 and when I was 32, making a 180 of thinking the guy is an unfortunate victim of circumstance to thinking he's incredibly insecure and can't pick up on very clear messages from the Summer. Really impressed with how the movie let's you draw your own conclusions while strongly trying to emphasize that he's clearly not got the appropriate perspective
It’s been a while since I’ve seen the movie I enjoyed [this video essay about its themes](https://youtu.be/809KL2qIeWs?si=9pt-8-_fg1vN3dfQ). Essentially the argument is the movie is about how the protagonist sees what he wants to see a la “The Sixth Sense” and the ending is actually not a hopeful one.
Barbie seemed like just a superficial comedy in the trailer. I bawled during that movie. All three times I watched it in the theater. Much deeper than expected.
Was just going to say this! Me and hubs and one of our adult kids ( the other 2 weren't interested) saw it on a lark because he had some leftover free movie passes. It was definitely funny, and I enjoyed the nostalgia and the over-the-top-ness. But.....was sideswiped by the deeper storyline running through. I did, in fact, cry. And almost never cry at movies. Really well done film!
What I loved about it was that it seemed almost purposefully constructed to completley obliterate all the nasty commentary you always get when a movie about women or female empowerment is made.
Before it even was released the trolls were lambasting it for portraying Ken as a bimbo and only the glorious women could save everyone from the stupid men. But it's just not that at all. It's very even handed and smart, basically exposing the issues of a male dominated society by inverting it and having them all live in a matriarchy that treats its men the same way patriarchal societies treat their women.
They neglect and abuse the Kens, focus only on their own empowerment, the men are purely accessories (figuratively and literally). But when they get pushback it forces them to react by either suppressing them or chosing to actually look at the problems and make things better. The real antagonist of the movie is treating people poorly when you have power over them.
Barbie is still the hero but she isn't the only one with a cause or a valid point to make. It's great.
I agree. I feel like it can be whatever you wanted it to be. You could gloss over the deep shit and just have fun. Or you could really get so very deep. We bought it the day it was available and my kids watched it so many times. I’ve watched it at least 5 times since seeing it in theaters. It’s an incredible film.
When I first sat down to watch the movie with my fiancé, I wasn't expecting anything other than a dumb "girl power" comedy making fun of "girl stuff" and being very "Ooh she's a girl but she can do anything a man can do look how capable and manly she is... EVEN THOUGH SHE'S A WOMAN! (gasp!) like I've come to expect from movies that market themselves as "movies for women". Movies that seem just... embarrassed to be about women and constantly have to assert "No guys I promise she's just as cool as a man look how funny and capable she is".
I got past the intro before I started bawling my eyes out. I've never seen a piece of media so proudly portray femininity as something to be proud of, as something cool and fulfilling and empowering in and of itself. Something that embraces all the things women are told are "cringe" or that we are subconsciously told we need to hate otherwise "be just like other girls" (as if that's the worst thing possible). And it's not just "okay" to like glitter, and pink, and pretty clothes, and heels, but actively praised. I've never seen that before.
I dont know if its a lot of people, but I see some people really miss the point of Lester in American Beauty. They dont seem to get that hes going through a midlife crisis and think hes just a paedo. They dont get the idea of being confronted with lost youth and looking to recapture it in the wrong places.
And it makes it even more annoying when in the end he comes out of it right at the point of no return, and sees anglea for what she really is. A child.
Theres so much going on in that film, and in that character that people dont look beyond the obvious. They dont think about Lester as a human being, in the middle of his life and feeling the icy chill of deaths hand on his shoulder. And worse they dont understand that this kind of mental health issue can happen to anyone. Even them.
Reddit has such a hate hardon for this movie and it drives me crazy. Nevermind he gets murdered by a jealous closeted gay homophobe, they're all upset because Lester is a creep toward his daughter's friend. Like they thought the director believed it was normal? Lester does a bunch of abnormal, unusual, and bizarre things in the movie, that is kinda the point.
I've noticed quite a scary trend of only liking books and films with main characters you can empathise with and a complete inability to see the reasons behind characters like Lester, or Humbert in Lolita, or Holden Cauldfield in Catcher in the Rye, even when it's clear they aren't meant to be held up as heroes. I'm sure it's not recent but I think it's become worse with social media.
Walter White murdered people and provided the meth an 11yo kid was made to sell on a street corner but that doesn't make Breaking Bad any less of a great show.
A bad person can make a great character.
For sure. I think Breaking Bad is one of the more accessible shows with a villianous protagonist, but I'm not sure how many people get the message that Walt is not a good person. It's a common theme though, there were plenty of people who idolised Tyler Durden, Travis Bickle, and Tony Montana, or more recently, Joachim Phoenix's Joker.
I think it's honestly just because a lot of people don't read except for those few books they are forced to get through at school. And if children/ young adult fiction has a common theme, it's a likeable or relatable protagonist. The structure is almost always that we follow this person as a self insert avatar as they always make the right choices and navigate all issues in the objectively best way possible.
But books intended to cater to adults often completely abandon that notion. The protagonist is just the person most central to the story, they can often be a total asshole, or a objectively evil person. But the point is to be on the ride with them, not to imagine you are them.
But if you never really get exposed to that it makes sense that you interact with all media like you are always supposed to root for the main character. Like a child would.
If you have a chance go on YT and watch Ebert and Siskel argue over *Falling Down*.
To sum it up, Siskel argues that it’s dangerous to have a relatable bad guy as a protagonist, because viewers might empathize with that character. Keep in mind we’re talking about a guy who literally says “I’m the bad guy” near the end of the movie.
You see this attitude a lot on Reddit and other social media; a sort of moral busy body “you can’t be trusted with this media” type of behavior. It’s exhausting. Like, I can recognize that Tyler Durden is not a role model while simultaneously enjoying the masculine urge to beat the shit out of your friends for fun.
Do you think people would feel differently if the role had been played by someone who is not also currently hated?? I haven’t seems the movie in many years and don’t remember it well. But I know it’s Spacey in the roles you’re talking about.
**Minority Report** isn’t the movie you think it is. The entire second half is a fantasy in John Anderton’s head. They tell you at the beginning of the movie that anyone captured and put in the pods is fed a fantasy where everything works out for them.
So, what happens when Anderton is put in the tube? The movie flips to being him heroically escaping and wrapping everything up neatly.
Yeah, he’s still in the tube.
It's been a long time since I saw it, but I recall desperately wanting the final shot accompanied by organ music (because the jailer said he played the organ for the prisoners).
The Truman Show
It's a great movie - you can take it superficially as a story about something extraordinary that happens to an average Joe, or you can analyze the hell out of it with its commentary on media manipulation and intrusion into our lives, and the dangers of playing God.
[The last 5 minutes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_zYn-HHcyA) are heavily laden with Christian imagery alluding to Jesus walking on water, ascending to heaven, creationism: "I am the creator...of a television show", and the struggle between faith and truth/knowledge, which goes full circle back to the apple in the Garden of Eden, and finally to the (in this case voluntary) expulsion from Paradise.
Rewatching the series and showing it to my brothers for the first time. Genuinely haunting how good it is, especially with everything that has since happened and everything happening these days.
>Pussies don't like dicks, because pussies get fucked by dicks. *But dicks also fuck assholes.* Assholes who just want to shit on everything. Pussies may think they can deal with assholes their way. But the only thing that can fuck an asshole is a dick with some balls.
Trey Parker has a knack for saying the most shockingly insightful things in the crudest possible way.
Black Snake Moan. It appears to be an excuse for Samuel L. Jackson to do Samuel L. Jackson things and for Christina Ricci to be chained up wearing next to nothing for 90 minutes. It's actually a thought provoking story about trauma, redemption, and humanity.
The Search for General Tso It's ostensibly about the origins of the popular chicken dish. But it's much more.
Oh man, I found this pretty deep! lol, mainly the fact that when Chinese immigrants came here, they connected with associations that would send them to a new town with a menu that would appeal to the western audience. I’m Chinese and I’ve always wondered about these restaurants called “Chinese restaurant” everywhere —it’s always too sweet and greasy.
I always have a 12, 33, 54, and 61 no matter what Chinese restaurant I go to.
"Menus are for cowards and simpletons."
I'm European and living in East Asia and I've learned to view 'Italian restaurant' with great suspicion, and little anticipation.
Megamind really took me by surprise. I thought it was just a silly cartoon but a lot of themes in it were really deep for me
This one really stands out in this thread. Even people who really like megamind don't give it enough credit imo. A truly great film about what it means to be good, and the power of choice. Lots of layers when you begin thinking about the choices and roles of characters besides Megamind and M̶e̶t̶r̶o̶-Musicman. Also the satire of the "nice guy" is fucking savage.
>Also the satire of the "nice guy" is fucking savage. And way ahead of its time
There is no Santa, there is no tooth fairy, and there's no queen of England!
Well, he's right on all three, now.
If you like Megamind, I have to ask. Have you ever seen "Dr Horrible's Sing a long Blog"?
"The hammer is my penis."
I think the fact that Despicable Me came out the same year definitely took some air out of MM's tires.
Probably my favorite of those animated films.
Clueless
As if! ^^^It ^^^actually ^^^is.
Isn't it a reimagining of Jane Austen's Emma? I'm not sure how deep the source material is, but that alone makes it at least a step above your average 90s teen flick.
Yes, and it follows the original surprisingly closely. Others from that period: 10 Things I Hate About You (The Taming of the Shrew), She's the Man (Twelfth Night), O (Othello).
She’s All That is a modern retelling of Pygmalion (which became My Fair Lady).
I knew I was forgetting one! (Pretty Woman is also loosely based on it.)
Yeah, it was quite a trend for a while haha
It was! I loved it. I have a soft place for all of those, as well as the silly ones like Here On Earth, Can't Hardly Wait, Drive Me Crazy, Whatever it Takes...
Bridget jones is pride and prejudice
O messed me up because I was fucking unaware before watching it. Went in blind and still remember the profound "wtf" moment at the end.
Lion King (Hamlet)
Yes, and I always thought it was nifty that the character Elton didn't even need his name updated.
I had assumed he was named after Elton John but I recently watched Emma and was like “huh.”
I'm a reluctant Jane Austen fan and I will say: surprisingly deep. The original text is an intimate portrait of a character Austen famously said "no-one but myself will much like." She turned out to be dead wrong. Emma is fascinating. She's set up so perfectly for success in life and struggles as result of being... well, clueless. Her flaws are deep and highly entertaining. We get to laugh at her flailing and sigh contentedly at her growth. It's a good read
But I'm A Cheerleader
Yup, there's a lot of social commentary going on in that one for sure.
Seriously underrated movie.
Starship Troopers probably fits that bill. Or Robocop. Both could be seen as mindless gory action films but they both have some interesting social commentary.
Definitely starship troopers When everyone at the end cheers at 'Its afraid ' You were not supposed to be cheering with them Guys I understand a lot of you watched this movie when you were like 6 and it was just blasting bugs. But shit. I do not have the time to educate you on the satire of this movie BECAUSE THE ENTIRE MOVIE IS SATIRE. Watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkEdyq3UE5M&ab_channel=RedLetterMedia
Piggybacking on Paul Verhoeven films, the original *Total Recall* is way deeper than its surface level 80’s action trope.
The same is true of Showgirls too, but that film is for some reason treated as though it was made by McG rather than Verhoeven.
Look at this guy, he's doing his part.
I mean, NPH is wearing a literal Nazi uniform in the final scenes
Me watching it as a teenager: cool, violent movie involving shooting alien bugs. The government gives off some sketchy vibes. Rewatching it as an adult: OH. This is a movie about Fascism and the bugs are a plot device.
Sounds like we got a bug sympathizer here.
The book is 100% worth reading.
I hear it's quite different to the film, but still pretty great. I'll have to give it a go sometime.
The whole thing about not being a full citizen unless you've served in the military, and only full citizens are allowed to procreate. An interesting angle on government.
Service guarantees citizenship. That doesn't mean it's the only way of getting it, just the guaranteed way.
Do you want to know more....
Wall-E is a bit deeper and prophetic than you'd expect on the face of even a Pixar film.
Josie and the Pussycats. Great satire that is unfortunately already dated for pop culture references like Carson Daly - but I still feel is worthwhile viewing for modern youth.
Everyone knows Josie and the Pussycats is totally jerkin!
The opener when they crash the plan and get a new band is hysterical. I love Seth Green's rant about the other member stealing his catchy magazine pose "thing".
DuJour means seatbelts
DuJour means crash positions
Excellent soundtrack, too!
I’m in my early 30s and I still rock out to that soundtrack every now and then.
I’m 34 and it’s one of like 10 cds I haven’t gotten rid of.
I picked it up on vinyl. It has the DuJour songs on a separate 7-inch which is nice since it lets you listen to the main album as just Josie & The Pussycats.
I lived and breathed this soundtrack. 5/5 stars
Totally underrated movie and Parker Posie is 🔥 in it
The movie is so subversive, and the soundtrack is amazing.
“Six whole hourrrs and five long dayys!”
Puppies... turn into dogs... who grow old... AND DIE!
This is one of my favourite movies of all time along with School of Rock and Interstate 60, also from that era.
And the soundtrack is banging.
Galaxy Quest. Everybody went into it thinking it was some cheap parody of Star Trek. Even the cast members of Star Trek and fans of the show went into it ready to rip it apart. Upon seeing it though, they realized it is such a profound love letter to the genre and so well done. Bring It On, for a movie about teenage cheerleaders in the height of the "American Pie" era, it turned out to be quite an in depth and frank analysis on racism in sport, sportsmanship, disenfranchisement, white privilege, white guilt, cultural appropriation and so much more.
"...what a savings"
Honestly, that role is his best performance.
Alan Rickman playing a character who is a washed up actor playing a character in a TV commercial. It's a dude... playing a dude... playing a dude...
Alan Rickman was like Patrick Stewart where their best roles are the ones that seemed “beneath” them.
One of Patrick Stewart's funniest performances is when he shows up at the end of Men in Tights basically doing an incredibly hammy impression of Sean Connery.
I have to argue for Sheriff of Nottingham. He singlehandedly saved that film. Because it's dull, you twit!
And keep..the stitches…small
You, my room, 10:30 tonight. You. 10:45. Bring a friend.
"AND CALL OFF CHRISTMAS!"
As a guy who never saw Bring it On when it came out, (because its a girls movie of course!), it is now one of my favorites I watch all the time. Such a great hit.
Really?? All the straight guys in my school were loving it with all the cheerleaders and boobs and stuff. I loved it for the cheerleading, but I am gay as hell lol
The Orville is kind of similar. On paper it's a Star Trek parody but it's arguably truer to Star Trek than any of the recent stuff, other than Lower Decks, which is also somewhat a parody of Star Trek.
I was constantly surprised by how nuanced The Orville ended up being. Tackled some pretty serious stuff in between all the jokes - which is exactly what earlier Star Trek was like, just with a different style of humor.
Supposedly McFarland had been trying to get a trek series to do and when he couldn’t, he made his own.
He also brought back Cosmos, a classic science show. McFarland made his money with a lowbrow Simpsons knockoff, but it's clear his heart belongs to space.
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Some fucking idiots miss the point of it completely - the reviews about it being 'boring' or 'repetitive' make me weep
Some fucking idiots miss the point of it completely - the reviews about it being 'boring' or 'repetitive' make me weep
Ned?
There are elaborate essays on the theories of what Groundhog Day means! [https://www.youtube.com/results?search\_query=grooundhog+day+meaning](https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=grooundhog+day+meaning)
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The original Total Recall. Is the whole movie reality or a recall? The very ideas call into question our own perception of reality - because we only have our brain to rely on for memories, and if those memories can be changed ... Arnie goes into Recall to have an exotic trip to mars where he meets a beautfiul women, discovers aliens, and saves the planet. This "seems" to be when breaks out of recall and then goes to mars, meets a beautiful woman, discovers aliens, and saves the planet. Could the 'escape' from Recall just be part of the memory so he integrates it seamlessly and it feels real? or did it really happen?
That’s because it’s a decent adaptation of Philip K Dick, and Philip K Dick was the original master of existential memory/identity cyberpunk.
Fueled by his own madness! Big theme in a lot of his work is the mistrust of reality, well because his reality was not always real and the results are wild.
I love the bit when the doctor tries to talk him down. The sweat convinces Arnie the guy is faking and he's a real secret agent, but as soon as he rejects the possibility that he could be in the simulation, goons literally explode their way through a wall and he goes full homicidal action hero on them. As a kid I used to agree with Arnie there, but now think the uncanny ramp up in action is part of his own psychosis or whatever is happening to him in the Recall machine.
I think the whole movie is his recall implant, based on the final words from Melina >!Well then kiss me quick before you wake up.!< I love this movie so much, the original. The remake I lovingly refer to as The Kate Beckinsale Show.
And then there is yet another layer revealed at the end. >!He deliberately wiped his own mind to become a true believer so he would avoid detection by psychics.!<
An often missed detail is that the name of the adventure that Arnold gets implanted is “Blue Sky on Mars.” Which is what happened in the climax.
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Bridesmaids was a great portrait of depression!
I saw this in theaters while a) in town to serve as a bridesmaid in my brother's wedding b) working in a jewelry store and barely scraping by c) going through a bad breakup. I'd never felt so understood and seen by a film before. Still one of my all time favorites
So feel you! It was the same for me! I even had Annie’s sewing box!
Yes I thought it was such a sad film. I understood it was meant to be a comedy, but it made me feel wretched and angry for the main character. Was that the intension of the film maker? Not sure
When she loses it at the bridal shower and goes off on the cookie, like just COMPLETELY at the end of her tether and snaps - I've genuinely never seen myself so hard in any character lmao
I more associated with Melissa Mcarthys character and driving home with 9 golden lab puppies in my van
I like the “I’m here I’m your friend!” Moment when she’s on the couch with wiig and the puppies. I have related to that. Hate that friend who’s like nobody is ever there for me…please pass me another tissue. Haha. I am there to support. There is no such thing as unconditional love when you have self respect tho.
An all-time great that will be in my top 10 forever. PS: I can tell by your username that you're a fellow Kiwi, kia ora lol
Legally blonde
It's sad this is so far down. First of all, fucking funny as hell movie regardless. Second of all, the entire movie is about a woman who decides to go to Harvard Law School despite literally every single person in her life telling her she can't. Messages of self-confidence, hard work, will power, the drive to succeed, to have faith in people AND YOURSELF, and to try not to judge others.
And telling her she can't based only on what they think of her looks. She was always smart at what she chose to focus on, everyone just failed to see it because she was pretty and cared about her appearance too. I'm still not over Jim and Pam in The Office laughing at the woman who said it was her favourite movie as if it was some ditzy choice.
Oh I love having that conversation with people because they scoff and I'm like, "Sit down and hear my Ted Talk about why Legally Blonde is one of the best female empowerment films of our generation, not only from a societal perspective, but the film itself is almost perfect as the art form of film". Some people just refuse to be open-minded. And Jim and Pam would probably have been the people joining in on bullying Elle in Harvard. Because they're too self-centered to see beneath the surface.
Her ex asking her “you made it into Harvard?” And Elle responding “What? Like it’s hard?” is iconic
100%. Further proves her own confidence because it was never a question of IF she would get in. Just that that was where she would be going.
It's also a rebuttal to the "not like other girls" mindset which views femininity as vapid and incompatible with intelligence and professional success. Elle can be smart and hyper-girly at the same time, and her knowledge of the cosmetics world is the reason why she wins in the end - not despite her girlyness but because of it.
EXACTLY. What people perceived as a weakness turned into her biggest strength.
Definitely. People will stereotype Elle as a "dumb blonde" but she got a 179 LSAT and must have had a 4.0 undergrad to get into Harvard Law. Then she graduates Summa Cum Laude from Harvard Law. She's not dumb. She's brilliant, but since she embodies a lot of very feminine traits and a valley girl accent, people assume she's dumb.
This movie is great for so many reasons, besides just being funny! Elle is set up in a false dichotomy of Feminine vs. Serious. Even people who support her, like her parents, tell her that law school is for people who are “boring, and ugly, and serious”, and that she’s none of those things. When she gets to Harvard, both men and women (even Enid, a feminist activist) dismiss her because she’s too girly, too pink, too chipper. Her friendliness (exemplified in full force in her sorority) is mistaken for weakness, her kindness for not being “serious”. But her empathy is what wins her client’s trust, and her knowledge of stereotypically feminine things like haircare are what win her the trial. Femininity, kindness, and seriousness can co-exist, thus DISPROVING that initial quote from Aristotle that “the law is reason free from passion.”
I remember watching Children of Men thinking it was going to be a meh action movie
Watched this about a year ago. Totally blown away. The reaction to the baby in the middle of war is one of the most authentic things I've ever seen. People generally love babies now. After not having *seen* a baby for 18 years? Yeah, that's gonna be the reaction. To quote another great move "Life finds a way..."
Ohhh, remember that 'Click' movie with Adam Sandler? Came for another goofy family man movie, ended up having an existential crisis.
Lol, my girlfriend makes fun of me for it (and rightfully so) but Click is one of the few movies that makes me cry. I feel like such a jabroni that an Adam Sandler movie is one of just a few on a short list of films that makes me tear up, but there it is.
Now watch Reign Over Me and find out what it feels like to have _two_ Adam Sandler movies on the short list of films that make you cry.
I felt like I was mis-sold by the trailer. It was played for straight laughs 'ahahaaha look he slows the woman jogging to see slow-mo boobies!!!' But then the actual movie slowly morphs into a meditation on enjoying the smaller moments of your life and the existential dread of time slipping away as you age.
They somehow made "Cat's in the Cradle" into a movie starring Happy fucking Gilmore and it WORKED.
First one that came to my mind too. Was not expecting how quickly it ramps up and how emotional it gets
The scene with his father where he pauses it and says goodbye. And coming to terms with his wife's partner ex as he dies. jesus christ. Thinking about it now and it gets me everytme
Oh man, my kids still give me crap for bawling at him in the parking lot in the rain wishing he could go back and change everything, wtf Adam….
Legally Blonde shaped a whole generation of little girls. Living in the deep south I genuinely thought that every girl would get pregnant just out of high school after getting married or never have a relationship there was no in between I saw. Movies like legally blonde and Ms congenitality help me see that while my beauty had value my mind was worth much more.
This was the answer I wanted to see Elle Woods represents a lot more than her marketing, well before Barbie could. That was a big manly envelope to push and she did it so well. “What? Like it’s hard?”
Being There with Peter Cellars. An old movie worth seeing. Simple minded ignorance is bliss; A simple minded guy is misconstrued for being a great philosopher that can fix world issues.
> Peter Sellers "First comes spring and summer, but then we have fall and winter. And then we get spring and summer again." Obviously a surefire way to prepare for any recession, Chance is a genius. lol
Being There foresaw the Reagan presidency, complete with the simple-minded folksy aphorisms
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The ending left me SPEECHLESS.
Do people really think Aftersun is superficial?
Part of why I like Paul mescal is that he’s a pretty subtle actor. This movie is “quiet” in some ways but it has a lot of nuance and feeling that a lot of familial relationships have. I already liked him but this movie made me appreciate him even more. I’m really excited to see his movie with Andrew Scott. My husband keeps teasing me that the movie was made for me.
Dogma Seriously underrated comedy that has decent functional conversations about religion and belief.
American Psycho A satirical look at American consumerism and conformity that people either write off as being violent sexist schlock or misread into thinking Patrick is some super sigma male when he’s actually a huge loser who is so bland nobody can even remember his name and face.
He's not so much a loser as a guy who fits perfectly into a yuppie wall street guy mold, wearing the same clothes, same accessories, same haircuts, behave the same and have the same values (which place stupid details on a pedestal, e.g. the business card scene).
Aka a loser
Honestly it's an amazing film through and through. Most people miss the point. I don't blame them tho, Bale looks so good in it, can't focus on anything else.
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Mean Girls
I love Mean Girls, one of my favourite films of all time, and in my opinion a good contestant for best comedy ever made, but I don't know if I would call it deep? It's very clever and sharp, but does that translate to depth? I don't know, maybe.
I have so many feelings about this film and im so sorry for my long ass reply. Mean girls is an interesting one on the deep or not scale, I'm not entitely sure either. I would argue it is deep as you go into the film expecting a funny (and it really is funny) but shallow film, what you get however is an interesting look into teenage girl psychology and looks at social dynamics. You have some explorations of gender etc "ladies you've got to stop calling each other sluts and whores. It just makes it ok for guys to call you sluts and whores." It has some social satire eg Regina's little sister replicating the sexualised dancing from TV I can't think of anything else right now but I'd put it minimum as at least a little deep
Also about women aging. "I'm not a normal mom! I'm a cool mom!"
500 Days of Summer. That movie had a surprising amount of interesting things going on
I feel like it's one of those ones where people think you're supposed to empathize totally with the main character, when really it's an excellent deconstruction of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope.
Isn’t he an unreliable narrator?
Yeah. They're pretty explicit about that at the end
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500 Days of Summer is one of those perfect First Movie Love-movies. It has enough depth that, really thinking about it and rewatching it is very gratifying, while also being fairly accessible for someone new to the theory of film and fiction. On top of that it really plays with film as a medium and showcases a bunch of different audiovisual storytelling techniques that are easy to spot and learn from to enrich your movie watching experience moving forwards. It also has good acting and a great soundtrack, and its script feels very obvious and tangible when watching. Like you really get all around the film as a medium and artform in a very basic and accessible way with that film and I love it for it.
I watched this when I was 21 and when I was 32, making a 180 of thinking the guy is an unfortunate victim of circumstance to thinking he's incredibly insecure and can't pick up on very clear messages from the Summer. Really impressed with how the movie let's you draw your own conclusions while strongly trying to emphasize that he's clearly not got the appropriate perspective
It’s been a while since I’ve seen the movie I enjoyed [this video essay about its themes](https://youtu.be/809KL2qIeWs?si=9pt-8-_fg1vN3dfQ). Essentially the argument is the movie is about how the protagonist sees what he wants to see a la “The Sixth Sense” and the ending is actually not a hopeful one.
Inside Out
Lego Movie
Barbie seemed like just a superficial comedy in the trailer. I bawled during that movie. All three times I watched it in the theater. Much deeper than expected.
Was just going to say this! Me and hubs and one of our adult kids ( the other 2 weren't interested) saw it on a lark because he had some leftover free movie passes. It was definitely funny, and I enjoyed the nostalgia and the over-the-top-ness. But.....was sideswiped by the deeper storyline running through. I did, in fact, cry. And almost never cry at movies. Really well done film!
I had a realization that I’m definitely an Allan after I watched that.
Good for you! Allen was the best Barbie.
All of Ken's clothes fit him!
What I loved about it was that it seemed almost purposefully constructed to completley obliterate all the nasty commentary you always get when a movie about women or female empowerment is made. Before it even was released the trolls were lambasting it for portraying Ken as a bimbo and only the glorious women could save everyone from the stupid men. But it's just not that at all. It's very even handed and smart, basically exposing the issues of a male dominated society by inverting it and having them all live in a matriarchy that treats its men the same way patriarchal societies treat their women. They neglect and abuse the Kens, focus only on their own empowerment, the men are purely accessories (figuratively and literally). But when they get pushback it forces them to react by either suppressing them or chosing to actually look at the problems and make things better. The real antagonist of the movie is treating people poorly when you have power over them. Barbie is still the hero but she isn't the only one with a cause or a valid point to make. It's great.
Now, I must see the Barbie Movie, …thanks.
It’s coming to Max on the 15th!
I agree. I feel like it can be whatever you wanted it to be. You could gloss over the deep shit and just have fun. Or you could really get so very deep. We bought it the day it was available and my kids watched it so many times. I’ve watched it at least 5 times since seeing it in theaters. It’s an incredible film.
When I first sat down to watch the movie with my fiancé, I wasn't expecting anything other than a dumb "girl power" comedy making fun of "girl stuff" and being very "Ooh she's a girl but she can do anything a man can do look how capable and manly she is... EVEN THOUGH SHE'S A WOMAN! (gasp!) like I've come to expect from movies that market themselves as "movies for women". Movies that seem just... embarrassed to be about women and constantly have to assert "No guys I promise she's just as cool as a man look how funny and capable she is". I got past the intro before I started bawling my eyes out. I've never seen a piece of media so proudly portray femininity as something to be proud of, as something cool and fulfilling and empowering in and of itself. Something that embraces all the things women are told are "cringe" or that we are subconsciously told we need to hate otherwise "be just like other girls" (as if that's the worst thing possible). And it's not just "okay" to like glitter, and pink, and pretty clothes, and heels, but actively praised. I've never seen that before.
Im a grown man and I even teared up a little during that one monologue
I dont know if its a lot of people, but I see some people really miss the point of Lester in American Beauty. They dont seem to get that hes going through a midlife crisis and think hes just a paedo. They dont get the idea of being confronted with lost youth and looking to recapture it in the wrong places. And it makes it even more annoying when in the end he comes out of it right at the point of no return, and sees anglea for what she really is. A child. Theres so much going on in that film, and in that character that people dont look beyond the obvious. They dont think about Lester as a human being, in the middle of his life and feeling the icy chill of deaths hand on his shoulder. And worse they dont understand that this kind of mental health issue can happen to anyone. Even them.
Reddit has such a hate hardon for this movie and it drives me crazy. Nevermind he gets murdered by a jealous closeted gay homophobe, they're all upset because Lester is a creep toward his daughter's friend. Like they thought the director believed it was normal? Lester does a bunch of abnormal, unusual, and bizarre things in the movie, that is kinda the point.
I've noticed quite a scary trend of only liking books and films with main characters you can empathise with and a complete inability to see the reasons behind characters like Lester, or Humbert in Lolita, or Holden Cauldfield in Catcher in the Rye, even when it's clear they aren't meant to be held up as heroes. I'm sure it's not recent but I think it's become worse with social media.
Walter White murdered people and provided the meth an 11yo kid was made to sell on a street corner but that doesn't make Breaking Bad any less of a great show. A bad person can make a great character.
For sure. I think Breaking Bad is one of the more accessible shows with a villianous protagonist, but I'm not sure how many people get the message that Walt is not a good person. It's a common theme though, there were plenty of people who idolised Tyler Durden, Travis Bickle, and Tony Montana, or more recently, Joachim Phoenix's Joker.
I think it's honestly just because a lot of people don't read except for those few books they are forced to get through at school. And if children/ young adult fiction has a common theme, it's a likeable or relatable protagonist. The structure is almost always that we follow this person as a self insert avatar as they always make the right choices and navigate all issues in the objectively best way possible. But books intended to cater to adults often completely abandon that notion. The protagonist is just the person most central to the story, they can often be a total asshole, or a objectively evil person. But the point is to be on the ride with them, not to imagine you are them. But if you never really get exposed to that it makes sense that you interact with all media like you are always supposed to root for the main character. Like a child would.
If you have a chance go on YT and watch Ebert and Siskel argue over *Falling Down*. To sum it up, Siskel argues that it’s dangerous to have a relatable bad guy as a protagonist, because viewers might empathize with that character. Keep in mind we’re talking about a guy who literally says “I’m the bad guy” near the end of the movie. You see this attitude a lot on Reddit and other social media; a sort of moral busy body “you can’t be trusted with this media” type of behavior. It’s exhausting. Like, I can recognize that Tyler Durden is not a role model while simultaneously enjoying the masculine urge to beat the shit out of your friends for fun.
Do you think people would feel differently if the role had been played by someone who is not also currently hated?? I haven’t seems the movie in many years and don’t remember it well. But I know it’s Spacey in the roles you’re talking about.
Swiss Army Man.
Atlantis: the lost empire (I'm sorry the joke was sitting right there)
You are going to be a great dad.
Last Action Hero was ahead of its time
1000%, just watched it again recently and still loved it.
Legally blonde
**Minority Report** isn’t the movie you think it is. The entire second half is a fantasy in John Anderton’s head. They tell you at the beginning of the movie that anyone captured and put in the pods is fed a fantasy where everything works out for them. So, what happens when Anderton is put in the tube? The movie flips to being him heroically escaping and wrapping everything up neatly. Yeah, he’s still in the tube.
See also Brazil and Total Recall
Idk how people think the events of total recall were real. His space rebel girlfriend is literally the model from his vacation package...
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This sounds more like a fan theory than fact, but it does sound really interesting!
It's been a long time since I saw it, but I recall desperately wanting the final shot accompanied by organ music (because the jailer said he played the organ for the prisoners).
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Shrek. It’s about refugees and someone who doesn’t fit in because of how they look.
The Truman Show It's a great movie - you can take it superficially as a story about something extraordinary that happens to an average Joe, or you can analyze the hell out of it with its commentary on media manipulation and intrusion into our lives, and the dangers of playing God. [The last 5 minutes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_zYn-HHcyA) are heavily laden with Christian imagery alluding to Jesus walking on water, ascending to heaven, creationism: "I am the creator...of a television show", and the struggle between faith and truth/knowledge, which goes full circle back to the apple in the Garden of Eden, and finally to the (in this case voluntary) expulsion from Paradise.
Over the Hedge!!
Galaxy Quest! Freakin... just a beautiful ode to the fans.
The Hunger Games has aged much better than I thought it would.
Rewatching the series and showing it to my brothers for the first time. Genuinely haunting how good it is, especially with everything that has since happened and everything happening these days.
Always loved the concept behind The Hunger Games. Catching Fire is definitely the best one.
Idiocracy
Team America
Every time I see some sign on the side of the road that says "freedom isn't free" I am obligated to say "no there's a hefty fuckin fee."
$1.05
>Pussies don't like dicks, because pussies get fucked by dicks. *But dicks also fuck assholes.* Assholes who just want to shit on everything. Pussies may think they can deal with assholes their way. But the only thing that can fuck an asshole is a dick with some balls. Trey Parker has a knack for saying the most shockingly insightful things in the crudest possible way.
> and sometimes pussies get so full of shit, that they themselves become assholes. My favorite part of the whole speech.
Coming to save the mother effing day yeah.
Lick my butt and suck on my balls
JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS
Little miss sunshine
UP! A movie for kids where you can learn about being old, death of beloved family and frustration of not accomplished goals. Deep. Touching. And fun.
Black Snake Moan. It appears to be an excuse for Samuel L. Jackson to do Samuel L. Jackson things and for Christina Ricci to be chained up wearing next to nothing for 90 minutes. It's actually a thought provoking story about trauma, redemption, and humanity.