Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Every Star Wars movie he ever directed without Harrison Ford was unwatchable.
Disagree. The SW prequels, while hardly anywhere near as good as the originals, were not unwatchable. Disappointing? Maybe. But far from unwatchable. And even Howard the Duck is loads of fun for "bad movie night." Red Tails looks promising.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OreNative78
In American Graffiti the main character was nostalgia (and Richard Dreyfuss bailed him out there, too).
Yep. Although I don't see either of those as a bad thing. I can be as nostalgic as anyone, even though I wasn't born until the '70s. And I always like Dreyfuss.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OreNative78
I honestly think the guy just gives a vague set of instructions, tells an assistant to make the actors stand somewhere, and then cures the mistakes in post-production.
So did Hitchcock.
The problem with what you're talking about in the SW films isn't the actors. The problem is the writing. "Aw, golly gee whillickers, mom, you always say the one problem in this universe is no one helps each other." Lawrence Olivier could not have pulled off that line. You can't give a good actor bad material and expect it to come out good.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OreNative78
Wow, I don't see the Michael Bay comparison at all.
Really? Helicopters chasing a tanklike Batmobile across rooftops? Water-evapo-beams? You didn't find that the least bit silly? And Nolan's fisticuffs scenes are either confusing or just plain boring. It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world for Nolan to sit down and spend about 3 days watching good fight scenes so that he can learn how to do them right.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OreNative78
I always wonder how much of that is just getting the right cinematographer, and how much is a director's eye. BUt I agree (except for claiming that Gladiator was bad. Come on!)
It may be all due to the cinemtographer. Whatever the case, his movies are always painting-quality beautiful. To each his own, but I thought Gladiator was a terrible movie. If I ever teach a film class, the week we study "How to Make an Anachronism," I'll show Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, and Scott's Robin Hood.
Disagree. The SW prequels, while hardly anywhere near as good as the originals, were not unwatchable. Disappointing? Maybe. But far from unwatchable. And even Howard the Duck is loads of fun for "bad movie night." Red Tails looks promising.
Geez, I forgot all about Howard the Duck. It's amazing how many chances you get in Hollywood!
Quote:
The problem with what you're talking about in the SW films isn't the actors. The problem is the writing. "Aw, golly gee whillickers, mom, you always say the one problem in this universe is no one helps each other." Lawrence Olivier could not have pulled off that line. You can't give a good actor bad material and expect it to come out good.
LMAO, very true.
However I think it's a combination of writing and not being adept at giving actors the kind of instruction they need to look good in the context of the movie. Actors are very dependent on directors to tell them "hey, you're a little emotionally overwrought here as compared to scenes 1, 2 and 3, tone it down." I don't think Lucas ever really cared. But yes, the writing was drop-dead hilarious. No show cashed in on that more than Family Guy!
Quote:
Really? Helicopters chasing a tanklike Batmobile across rooftops? Water-evapo-beams? You didn't find that the least bit silly? And Nolan's fisticuffs scenes are either confusing or just plain boring. It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world for Nolan to sit down and spend about 3 days watching good fight scenes so that he can learn how to do them right.
The snow scenes and rooftop firefight scenes in Inception, the chase scene in TDK (as you mentioned) and the chase scene between Robin Williams and Al Pacino in Insomnia were all well shot and suspenseful. I mean that's 2 geriatrics running after each other in Alaska, and it was taut, suspenseful and believable.
I have no issue with him going a little whacky in a comic book movie. Yes, it's absurd that a vehicle is catapulting from rooftop to rooftop, but then again, it's absurd that a civilian dresses as a bat and has access to billion-dollar military equipment at the same time.
Quote:
It may be all due to the cinemtographer. Whatever the case, his movies are always painting-quality beautiful. To each his own, but I thought Gladiator was a terrible movie. If I ever teach a film class, the week we study "How to Make an Anachronism," I'll show Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, and Scott's Robin Hood.
Better than some of Tony Scott's stinkers. Domino? Holy crap. You talk about incomprehensible/confusing cuts. I think that movie resulted in an increase in grand mal seizures, nationwide.
However I think it's a combination of writing and not being adept at giving actors the kind of instruction they need to look good in the context of the movie. Actors are very dependent on directors to tell them "hey, you're a little emotionally overwrought here as compared to scenes 1, 2 and 3, tone it down." I don't think Lucas ever really cared.
You're right about that. It's something all of his actors have complained about. I love it when Carrie Fisher rants about this. She's hilarious.
That being said, again, Hitchcock did the same thing. I'm paraphrasing from memory here, but he once said about directing actors: "They are actors. If they don't know how to act, I'm not going to hire them. If they do know how to act, I'm not going to meddle."
Quote:
Originally Posted by OreNative78
Better than some of Tony Scott's stinkers. Domino? Holy crap. You talk about incomprehensible/confusing cuts. I think that movie resulted in an increase in grand mal seizures, nationwide.
I've never seen that one. I'll put it on my list of "Movies to Avoid." Thanks!
Katie Holmes was great in Wonder Boys. But that's just an all around great movie.
Anne Hathaway was great in Get Smart. But again ... great movie.
I hated both movies. Probably because I can't stand Tobey Maguire, and I think I'm developing a strong aversion to Steve Carell despite being a huge fan of The Office and 40-Year-Old Virgin. I honestly think The Office will be much better without him.
Hathaway at least has an Oscar nod. She has chops. I never really liked the concept of Catwoman, however, so it could be hit or miss. I don't have a problem with the casting, just the character.
I couldn't disagree more about Hathaway. She is not an actress, not to mention a good one; she's a movie star. Her preparation for the role of Selina Kyle? She lost 20 lbs. She is certainly better than Katie Holmes but not by much.
Hathaway has been horribly miscast as Selina Kyle. Those pictures look terrible and are pretty much confirmation of what I had been dreading about this film, which sucks b/c the role could have been great had someone else been cast in it. Michelle Pfeiffer was a great Catwoman in Burton's version.
I also disagree that the character should be done away with; she's a great comic character who shouldn't be eliminated b/c a director interpreted her poorly and/or an actress did a terrible job portraying her on-screen.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
