Secular Elation

Heh, sorry.

I just cannot tolerate that movie.

That's too bad, I find Kevin Smith's movies extremely amusing (with the exception of Dogma). The criticism that the dialogue is unbelievable is valid, but really I've heard people in real life have conversations very close to what you'll find in his films. And he never fails at pulling a guffaw out of me.

I completely agree with you there. The Lion King should be above all the other Disney films on that list.

August Spies

sucks to be you, I quite honeslty have conversations similar to Kevin Smith movie ones almost every day. Maybe you should transfer to a better college?

I think Kevin Smiths movies (or at least the first two) are incredibly well written and witty. Some of the best written actually, up there with Wes Anderson and Coen brothers.

blackthorne

On related notes, I'd say while the dialogue written in Kevin Smith movies are only marginally unrealistic, it simply doesn't compare to the unrealistic and pretentiously sappy dialogue of a Cameron Crowe movie...excellent as they are, however.

And while I don't necessarily disagree with the Big Lebowski's place on this list, I consider it to be overrated in some ways. While the characters shine as always ("I'll stick that trigger up your ass and pull it till it goes click"), the movie felt extremely disjointed and a tad too long...not to mention the humor didn't always "click" for me (I don't think John Goodman has ever been funny).

Doctor X

Why I hate popularity lists.

The film Ikiru is probably one of the best ever made with one of the best performances ever done.

Lawrence of Arabia trounces the Godfather films which seem trite and constipated against realistic mafia films such as Godfellas.

Why you do not give peasants the vote. . . .

--J.D.

Feather

Nope, I saw The Princess Bride for the first time when I was in college and recognized it immediately for the classic that it was and is.

I really have to wonder if ol' Secular Elation isn't just being contrary for the sake of being contrary regarding popular movies.

Secular Elation, just out of curiosity, what movies do deserve to be in the top 250 (you don't have to necessarily place them exactly)?

Edit, to give my perspective: And, having watched the IFC here off and on, I must say that "independent" films aren't any better than hollywood crap. Movies are, after all, a form of mass entertainment. That's their purpose, from my point of view. If I want deep, touching, philosophical, or nuanced interaction I'll read a good book, nice and slow like, over the course of a week or three. It's hard for me to not giggle or become intensely bored when a movie attempts to be any of these things. Movies--all of them--for me are like my fantasy/sci-fi books--"cotton candy" for when I want my mind to slightly turn off a bit.

Doctor X

Secular Elation merely recognizes that Princess Bride has all of the redeeming qualities of a gnat invested sore on the sphincter of a Yankees fan.

--J.D.

Feather

I don't think many gnats would take kindly to your suggestion of their preferred feeding venues.

The Evil One

The Princess Bride has some very good humourous moments, most of them involving Cary Elwes, one of the best deadpan comic actors there is. But the overall premise of the little ill boy is deeply annoying, as are some bits of the "inner" film, so my overall verdict on it is: iffy.

Also, there is a way to watch TPB and a way not to watch TPB. The way to watch TPB is quietly, on an evening when you're too tired for anything challenging, preferably after a glass or two of an acceptable wine. The way not to watch TPB is the way I watched it, crammed in a small living room with several excitable female students chanting the dialogue at great volume half-a second before the actors on screen.

Just on the "Shawshank Redemption" - a poll of my old university film society (a few hundred people) also came up with that as the best film of all time.

Doctor X

Feather:



The Evil One:

I agree, that damn film was over-sold by fans. I was amongst a group that watched it expecting the funniest thing ever. We stood and stared at the thing. I find people who think quoting "I am Indigo Montoya" is "funny" to prove more deserving of a tonsilectomy via a rigid proctoscope than those who quote Monty Python as if no one else had ever here of it ni.

--J.D.

August Spies

I disagree about the BL, I think its brillant. But when I said it was one of the best written I meant more like it has amazing dialogue and such.

One more thing on the Mallrats/Clerks bit. Again, I certainly have/heard dialogue like that all the time but obviously not that much of it. However, fiction (of any type) is never ever ever ever ever supposed to recreate real dialogue. Real dialogue mostly sucks. Dialogue in fiction is supposed to advance the plot. If people wanted to be true to life movies would like this this:

"yo man, like do you want to eat or something?"
"um... maybe. Hmm, i'm kind of hungry"
"yeah I'm only kind of hungry"
"hmm"
"so"
"well, hmm, where would we eat?"
"I dunno where do you want to eat?"
"hmm... hmm.. I dunno, no someplace fancy and sit down"
"yeah agreed."
"order a pizza?"
"man we did that yesterday"
"no we didn't"
"or maybe it was tuesday"
"no it was monday man"

well you get the idea.