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Excellent theory. I agree that if he'd accepted Commodus' offer it would've bought him a little time, but not much. When Commodus murdered Marcus Aurelius (not the actual history, I know), it also sealed Maximus' fate.
Saw it a few years ago. Absolutely floored me. Brilliantly creepy slow build to one of the best horror film endings of all time. Ehren Kruger seriously should've gotten a Best Screenplay nomination.
Definitely one the greatest and most productive careers in Hollywood history. I doubt anyone could have predicted this when he was on Rawhide in the early 1960s. He learned his craft well by watching efficient directors like Sergio Leone and Don Siegel. 71 acting credits and 41 directing credits (soon to be 72 and 42). Hats off to a legend!
I thought the same thing. I kept wondering how much normal-sized security these communities would need 24/7. And how one lunatic driving a bus could destroy an entire community.
I really enjoyed the film and thought Hong Chau was absolutely perfect as Ngoc Lan. She totally embodied the gritty determination of many immigrants. No time for bellyaching, there's work to do!
Both movies made fantastic use of minuscule budgets and created very unnerving atmospheres, but I think TCM was the better, scarier film. That dinner table scene is still genuinely terrifying.
But you have a watch on. Why don't you just look at your watch? LET ME SEE YOUR WATCH!
No show was ever better at highlighting life's minor frustrations. ;)
Interesting. I assumed they'd used the correct tuition for the time period and worked out Will's math properly. Guess it's a good thing he followed Skylar. ;)
So if we used your tuition figures for four years...1997 tuition $29K/year x 4 yrs=$116K. 2020 tuition $84K/year x 4 years =$336K. Works out to about 4.7% inflation/year...which is higher than average.
Fast Times has always stood out to me as way more honest than most high school movies--especially since high school has its fair share of downer moments.
As for Gen Z, there's a movie called Eighth Grade (2018) that's set in middle-school, but right on the cusp of high school. Fun movie with a great performance by Elsie Fisher.
Both films make me think about Robert Putnam's <i>Bowling Alone</i>. Both Jack and John turned to material goods/narcotics because they lacked a strong circle of friends and family. The internet has really exacerbated this since online communities (while enjoyable) aren't a true replacement for being physically present with others. Today, most first world residents know very little about their neighbors (just like Jack and John). For many, most of their work happens on a screen and then they retreat to their homes where they relax via more screens (which tend to feed them only what they want to see). In previous decades, activities such as church worship or lodge membership were far from perfect, but they did encourage people to think about more than just themselves. Ultimately, both Jack and John want to be part of something bigger than just themselves.
I still saw heroic rural characters in the film. Arvin obviously loved and defended Lenora. It broke his heart when <spoiler>she accidentally hung herself</spoiler>. And Grandma Emma was poor, but she took great pride in her cooking which everyone loved (even the villainous Pastor). For me, she was the most honorable character in the film and showed that just because someone is economically poor doesn't mean they aren't rich in talent and spirit. I guess what I took away from the movie is that there are good people and bad people in every community and sometimes you have to observe them before you know which is which.
I honestly don't think that was Pollock's intention. He worked blue collar jobs in Ohio for decades so that was the world he was drawing from for his writing. The book has its villains (Carl, Sandy, Pastor Teagardin), but also its heroes (Arvin, Grandma Emma, Lenora).
Toni Morrison grew up in modest circumstances and wrote a number of books with both honorable poor black characters and villainous poor black characters. Like Pollock, she drew from the world she grew up in.
I do agree that some writers push certain agendas, but I don't think that's the case here.
Hustlers is the kind of movie you watch once.
Goodfellas is the kind of movie you watch...geez, I've lost count.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50353733-made-men
Read it a few years ago. Enjoyed it more than the film. And the book's ending was definitely clearer. The film had moments of excellence (especially the scene between the Jake's "girlfriend" and the janitor in the school's hallway--that one broke my heart), but it was awfully drawn out whereas the book really zipped along. If they'd cut 30-40 minutes from the film, it would've been stronger.
Loved his monologue in "Ronin" as he quietly paints a figurine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPg6D9D_GW4
Saw High Plains Drifter for the first time a few months ago and was completely mesmerized. You hit the nail on the head with the mood of mystery and dread. Hangs over the whole movie like a dark cloud. And the flashbacks add to the overall effect. I didn't guess the twist until close to the end and was impressed at how well it was handled. Great script by Ernest Tidyman.
It's eerie, but I'm really starting to wonder if the modern world has been built to "break" every decade or so.
Point #2 really got my attention. Then I started making a list. It really is every ten years.
https://www.collaborativefund.com/blog/permanent-assumptions/
1968-1969 (MLK & RFK Assassinations, Vietnam War Protests, Racial Protests)
1979-1980 (Iran Hostage Crisis, Recession)
1990-1991 (First Gulf War, Recession)
2000-2001 (Recession, 9/11 Attacks, Start of War on Terror)
2008-2009 (Global Financial Crisis, Recession)
2019-2020 (Covid-19, Recession, Public Protests)
I've only seen three Scofield films (A Man For All Seasons, Quiz Show, and The Crucible), but his performances were so excellent that they're the reason I own all three.
This film has always had a special place in my heart, but, to be honest, I've never given much thought to the costuming except to imagine how uncomfortable 16th century English clothing must've been.
I came across this article which may answer your question.
http://frenchrenaissancecostume.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/The-French-Hood-14-Jan-2017.pdf
Both the cap and the hood get shorter, more tightly fitting and worn further on the back of the head. The cap sometimes has a chin strap, presumably to secure the cap/hood combination as it sits far back on the head.
Appreciate the quality posts by you and Ace_Spade. Minority Report has always been a rewatchable for me whenever I catch it on TV. I've always associated it with Fight Club maybe because of the griminess and materialism critiques. Both films emphasize that disappointment and pain are part of life. It's not something we should seek out, but when we encounter it we shouldn't necessarily try to anesthetize ourselves with drugs/alcohol or material goods. Anderton's case is an extreme one and I wouldn't fault anyone in his circumstance trying to dull the pain, but in the case of the Narrator/Tyler Durden he makes a conscious choice (misguided, some might might say), to break out of his Fürni catalog lifestyle in the most dramatic way possible.
Food in Films: Everytime I watch the post-op fridge scene, I cringe, "No, not that sandwich! Not that milk!"
🤣 That really was one of the best lines in the whole movie.