A BITCH about some god-awful flicks (The Ring/Magnolia etc.)

[noahx29]

Just wanted to bitch about some of the movie's I rented this past weekend, all due to many of your favorite movie lists, the movies I've seen and rented are as follows:

-The Ring
-Magnolia
-Donnie Darko
-Ghost Ship
-Fear Dot Com

-Goodfellas

(POSSIBLE SPOILERS BELOW)

Ok, the first 5 are BIG TIME piece of shit, and I will tell you why! The Ring was NOT a horror movie, it tried to be a thriller of some sort... psychological thriller, that sucked ass, and failed miserably... the movie was just plain weird, and EXTREMELY pointless...

As was Fear dot com, because I couldnt even sit through this dreck! I mean its sheer atrociousness was enuff to make me fall asleep... The way it was filmed was horrible, and this movie didnt make any sense... none of the plot was connecting, it wasnt very fluid... Im sure it wrapped itself all up at the end, but the damn thing couldnt keep my attention long enuff for that...

Ghost Ship, the only good thing about this piece of crap was the first 5 mins or so... If you've seen it, you know what I mean.. Other than that, the acting is horrible, and plot sucks the big one! Mainly the acting tore this down, and I was barely able to finish it, only cuz my girlfriend wanted to see it, so I had no choice!

Magnolia, well it was VERY long, and I was expecting something similar to American Beauty... it's sick to even think people compare the two... American Beauty is a GREAT movie, wheras this atrocity was good the first hour or so... then just died off... the final nail in the coffin was when it started raining frogs.. I mean what the FUCK?!! All credibility and reality in that movie disappeared when that happened... what a horrible fuck-up by the writers!

Donnie Darko has the potential to be an alright movie, and wasnt as bad as these others... Altho it couldve been a whole HELL of a lot better... I liked the dialogue in this, but I just think it couldve been presented better... Thing I didnt like was you didnt know the kid was a paranoid schizo till halfway thru the movie! Hell, I just thought he was a drug junkie... The bunny man with the popped out eye, that was just retarded... I thought the Time Travel concept was quite cool tho, but I thought the twist at the end couldve been presented better..

And finally Goodfellas... While pretty long, and somewhat slow at parts, THIS was the best movie I saw all weekend.. Reminiscent of Casino (I saw Casino first) it was a very good depiction of life in the mafia... The ending left something to be desired, but since it was based on a true story, I guess that makes sense...

Anyway, just thought I'd share my opinions on these flicks... If this is in the wrong forum, then feel free to move it moderators! Also, if you disagree with me, tell me I'm a moron, and that I dont' "get" these movies, It'll be fun! ;)

[Renegade Master]

This is not a rant. This is a crying shame. I shall weep for you tonight.


Magnolia - writers? Paul Thoms Anderson - one man.

And who mentions Donnie Darko, Goodfellas and Magnolia in the same breath as Feardotcom and Ghost Ship, anyway?

It's all about personal taste - but ask yourself this: how can so many people be wrong but you are right?

[noahx29]

Renegade- nobody's wrong or right... it's just my opinion.. I threw all those movies together, cuz they are what I watched this past weekend... Theyre all un-related... and as for the "writer", well raining frogs just killed the whole movie... Anyhow, opinions are fun! I respect yours, and you should, doesnt mean you will... respect mine...

[Renegade Master]

You said they were 'big time pieces of shit'. You also said 'tell me I am right or wrong'. The first does not suggest that it is a mere opinion. The second invited our response to your opinion. Right or wrong. My response is that you are wrong. Thanks for inviting me to say that.

[noahx29]

Your quite welcome! Anyone else...?

[FeverDog420]

Originally posted by noahx29
The Ring was NOT a horror movie, it tried to be a thriller of some sort... psychological thriller, that sucked ass, and failed miserably... the movie was just plain weird, and EXTREMELY pointless...

The Ring wasn't what you expected it to be - therefore, it sucks? Please elaborate why you feel it "failed miserably." It failed to be what you thought it was? I bet you hate Blair Witch for the same reason.

As was Fear dot com, because I couldnt even sit through this dreck! I mean its sheer atrociousness was enuff to make me fall asleep... The way it was filmed was horrible, and this movie didnt make any sense... none of the plot was connecting, it wasnt very fluid... Im sure it wrapped itself all up at the end, but the damn thing couldnt keep my attention long enuff for that...

Ghost Ship, the only good thing about this piece of crap was the first 5 mins or so... If you've seen it, you know what I mean.. Other than that, the acting is horrible, and plot sucks the big one! Mainly the acting tore this down, and I was barely able to finish it, only cuz my girlfriend wanted to see it, so I had no choice!

Who here likes FearDotCom and Ghost Ship? FearDotCom is an unfocused, unintelligible, poorly acted jumble of masturbatory art direction, and nothing on Earth could make me see Ghost Ship.

Magnolia, well it was VERY long, and I was expecting something similar to American Beauty... it's sick to even think people compare the two... American Beauty is a GREAT movie, wheras this atrocity was good the first hour or so... then just died off... the final nail in the coffin was when it started raining frogs.. I mean what the FUCK?!! All credibility and reality in that movie disappeared when that happened... what a horrible fuck-up by the writers!

Why is its length a problem? No good movie is too long, just as no bad movie is short enough. And, again, because it wasn't what you thought it was, it sucked? Perhaps you should lose your pre-conceived notions and watch it again with an open mind.

The frog sequence is a Biblical reference: Exodus 8:2 (http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/ex/8.html). It's not the movie's fault that some things are over your head. Must every movie be made for the average American dolt? (In general; I'm not specifically referring to you.)

Donnie Darko has the potential to be an alright movie, and wasnt as bad as these others... Altho it couldve been a whole HELL of a lot better... I liked the dialogue in this, but I just think it couldve been presented better... Thing I didnt like was you didnt know the kid was a paranoid schizo till halfway thru the movie! Hell, I just thought he was a drug junkie... The bunny man with the popped out eye, that was just retarded... I thought the Time Travel concept was quite cool tho, but I thought the twist at the end couldve been presented better..

You didn't like that you weren't given every plot point in the first five minutes? And how would you present dialogue better? I'm not sure what you mean.

"That was just retarded." Very astute observation there, thanks.

[noahx29]

Alright that's what Im lookin for!

Magnolia, biblical references and length aside, just wasnt up to par... I thought it would be a good movie about real life situation and people interacting in them, LIKE THE BACK OF THE BOX SAID, but I was wrong... Pre-conceived, only because the box and some people on the boards said so...

And The Ring gave me pre-conceived notions simply because it is EXTREMELY over-rated, so therefore I expected it to be good, and I was sorely disappointed..

Donnie Darko, poor execution as to how he was a schizo, and the whole time travel thing...

Ghost Ship needs no explanation, I think we can agree it sucks ass...

And for the record, I LOVE Blair Witch Project.. in my top 10!

thanx for you opinions tho, cuz I most definately agree with you... Americans are dumbasses! Hence the above trash that's being served by the heap...

[Mick]

Originally posted by FeverDog420
The frog sequence is a Biblical reference: Exodus 8:2 (http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/ex/8.html). It's not the movie's fault that some things are over your head. Must every movie be made for the average American dolt? (In general; I'm not specifically referring to you.)

Didn't PTA basically say that the 8:2 references were an afterthought? If memory serves me well, he based the raining frogs on fairly recent (ie, way after Exodus :)) reports of frogs being transported during storms. When someone mentioned the similarity between the frogs in his script and the Bible he decided to add in the Biblical references.

Donnie Darko wasn't a paranoid schizo.

The ending of GoodFellas is great, IMO, I don't think anyone could've written a more fitting fictional ending.

[noahx29]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Mick


Donnie Darko wasn't a paranoid schizo.



Then if not, what was he, a drug junkie or what?

[Mick]

Originally posted by noahx29
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Mick


Donnie Darko wasn't a paranoid schizo.



Then if not, what was he, a drug junkie or what?

Nah, he wasn't either. Why would he have to be a junkie or ar a schizo? Sure, he seems a little weird, but he's not crazy.

[Cronos]

both Magnolia and Donnie Darko are excellent, well written and acted. although Magnolia may be long, i found it very interesting and i didnt want to turn it off, and donnie darko is one of my favourite films of all time

[quoth_the_raven]

wait so this a rant basically to tell us that you dont like certain movies?

isnt that more of an expression of opinion, rather than a rant????? :)

[noahx29]

Well I dont know.. I think it belongs to the rant forum, cuz Im ranting or bitching about how horrible I think these movies are... Im sorry, but Donnie Darko had some sort of problem, yes he was extremely intelligent from what I saw, but he was jaded somehow, be it by drugs or paranoia... He even admitted that he was a schizo, when he was talking to his counselor, I think she's the one who told him that...

Anyhow, minus the falling frogs from the sky, and William H. Macy's part, Magnolia wouldve been a pretty decent film... It's odd because I like movies such as Fight Club/American Beauty/Vanilla Sky/Pulp Fiction, but I dont care for such movies as Magnolia/Fargo/Resevoir Dogs... its all a matter of opinion... its wonderful, aint it? ;)

[Mick]

Originally posted by noahx29
Well I dont know.. I think it belongs to the rant forum, cuz Im ranting or bitching about how horrible I think these movies are... Im sorry, but Donnie Darko had some sort of problem, yes he was extremely intelligent from what I saw, but he was jaded somehow, be it by drugs or paranoia... He even admitted that he was a schizo, when he was talking to his counselor, I think she's the one who told him that...

I don't remember her telling Donnie that he was a schizo. But even if she did, so what? He wasn't. Donnie says that he has an imaginary friend (Frank) because he doesn't think the shrink will understand that he's a time-traveller, but Frank is real, so he's not a schizo.

A deleted scene on the DVD shows that the shrink doesn't think he's nuts, and has been giving him placebos all along, so I don't think the intention was to make him look like a druggie either.

I don't think you've really understood the film if you think that he's a schizo.

[Dignan]

Donnie never actually took any drugs in the movie. The pills his psychiatrist made him take were mere water pills- to give the effect that this "illness" of his is, indeed all in his mind.....

And DD ruled(no not DareDevil!)

[the p&j experiance]

I agree with you on most of your thoughts...most of 'em.

The Ring - Pure shit
Magnolia - Not pure shit, but shit nonetheless
Donnie Darko - I disagree with you on this one, I LOVE this movie
Ghost Ship - Pure shit (except for the first scene)
Fear Dot Com - Purest Shit of the bunch
Goodfellas - Great film, one of the best ever made IMO

[Raymond Babbit]

Originally posted by Mick
I don't remember her telling Donnie that he was a schizo. But even if she did, so what? He wasn't. Donnie says that he has an imaginary friend (Frank) because he doesn't think the shrink will understand that he's a time-traveller, but Frank is real, so he's not a schizo.

A deleted scene on the DVD shows that the shrink doesn't think he's nuts, and has been giving him placebos all along, so I don't think the intention was to make him look like a druggie either.

I don't think you've really understood the film if you think that he's a schizo.

I agree with you, but there was one point in the movie where the shrink is telling Donnie's parents that he's a borderline paranoid schizophrenic.

[The Postmaster General]

- Doesn't Donnie Darko take medication in like the first 15 minutes of the movie. I'm pretty sure he does. I think that's a good sign that he has some sort of issues. I think the rabbit was pretty well explained.


- The frogs in Magnolia wasn't written as a bible reference. Like Mick mentioned, it was an afterthought. However, the raining frogs is something that has been written about for centuries. It is naive to think that PT Anderson made it up.


- It doesn't make sense that you didn't like The Ring because you thought it was supposed to be a horror.


- feardotcom, and Ghost Ship.... Where did you hear they were good?




I think your rant is in people recommending movies you don't like. Funny stuff. I've seen some stinkers because of these boards, but also have seen some great flicks.

[the night watchman]

Originally posted by noahx29

Ok, the first 5 are BIG TIME piece of shit, and I will tell you why! The Ring was NOT a horror movie, it tried to be a thriller of some sort... psychological thriller, that sucked ass, and failed miserably... the movie was just plain weird, and EXTREMELY pointless...



How can a movie about the ghost of a psychic girl wreaking having on the living by supernatural means be "a thriller of some sort" rather than a horror movie?

[noahx29]

Nightwatchman, maybe YOU thought it was "scary" or in the genre of "horror" but I didnt... it had NO scares, NO tension, NO atmosphere, NO anything that would make me believe that it was horror... it was a lame "mystery" movie at best...

And yes, I think my rant was more towards the shitty recommendations, and fav lists that I based my choices on... OH well, live and learn I suppose.. heh

[the night watchman]

"Re-Animator" and "Dead Alive" aren't scary either, and neither are classics like "Dracula" or "Frankenstein" normally considered scary anymore, but I don't know of anyone who wouldn't consider them horror movies, or would classify them as simply mysteries or thrillers. "The Ring's" use of horror movie tropes, like vengeful ghosts and frightful ways of dying, put it squarely in the horror genre. Genre isn't a question of personal opinion, it's a matter of intent and method. A movie that fails to be scary is still a horror movie if uses the tropes of the genre in the mode of the genre.

[El Bracamonti]

all i know, is some of the movies on your shit list are some of my all time favorites. especially donnie darko. incredible film.

[Justin Harris]

Originally posted by noahx29
Blair Witch Project.. in my top 10!


And you say Fight Club is one of your favorite movies. You dare put that and a movie like Blair Witch Project in your top 10? I'd spit on you if I could.

[the night watchman]

Originally posted by Justin Harris
And you say Fight Club is one of your favorite movies. You dare put that and a movie like Blair Witch Project in your top 10? I'd spit on you if I could.

That was uncalled for.

[Justin Harris]

Originally posted by the night watchman
That was uncalled for.

I know. He put Blair Witch in his top 10 with Fight Club.

[the night watchman]

No, genius, wanting to assault someone for their opinion is uncalled for and immature.

[the night watchman]

Here's a refresher course of the top two rules of the board:

1) You do not disrespect, insult or put down your fellow movie fan on our board. Civil debates only.
_
2) You do not disrespect, insult or put down your fellow movie fan on our board. Civil debates only.

[The Postmaster General]

Are those really the first two rules? I don't remember that. I think I remember them being the same. Have they been changed or something?


Either way.

I gave some unanswered to points for the poster to think about.


Yeah... Those are the first two rules. That makes sense to me. R-E-S-P-E-C-T does not spell "spit on you". You might have meant it in jest, and maybe the rule police they only live in your head. The point of the matter is that Fight Club is really good, and if someone wants to put any movie they want next to Fight Club they can do that. Maybe I put Pee-Wee's Big Adventure ahead of Fight Club. Perhaps a put Fight Club next to Cruel Intentions. I don't know.

[the night watchman]

Yup, I cut & pasted 'em.

[the night watchman]

Yeah, you don't necessarily have to respect another schmoes taste, but you have to respect the schmoe. Otherwise, this is just any other message board on the Web.

[The Postmaster General]

It keeps the focus on films and nurtures true open-mindedness, a highly underrated quality these days.

[the night watchman]

Indeed, on both accounts.

[EoghainFOKeeffe]

I don't understand this, Noah, In your first post you said that DONNIE DARKO was nonsense but...'I thought the Time Travel concept was quite cool tho, but I thought the twist at the end couldve been presented better..'

Then you said that it was crap because...

Originally posted by noahx29


Donnie Darko, poor execution as to how he was a schizo, and the whole time travel thing...



Those are contradictory statements!

I agree that FEAR DOT COM was rubbish. It was so bad that I felt sick when I left the theatre. It was a terrible RING rip-off and I don't know why the makers of the original RING didn't sue Malone.

But MAGNOLIA and DONNIE DARKO are great.

DONNIE DARKO is a really good 'small' story. It focusses on one insignificant person in a small town and develops his character and makes him very interesting. I like the weird circularity of the plot and I loved the atmospher of the movie. I don't know if he's schizo or drugged-up and I don't care - he's a fascinating character and it's an intelligent movie. That's all I ask for!

[Corpse Candle]

I am irritaited when people hate a film just becuase they are unwilling to take the time to understand it okay so you it's your taste Noah but you say things like poor execution when it comes to Donnie but offer no soulution.

THE RING:

It is horror as simple as that what also annoys me is that you haven't stated weather or not the RING you saw was the yank remake or the superior Japanease original.
It is thick with atmosphere tension and supernaturel aspects "that" scene makes it a horror flick all by itself.

Maganloia:
Step into the realm of imagination for a moment and you will find that the fish rain was just a simple event that all the story's could link up to.
A cool idea to display that all story threads exsisted in the same reality and for some of the threads to link up with one another.

And what the hell was wrong with GOODFELLAS anyway?

[noahx29]

Corpse Candle, I LIKED Goodfella's it was the 1 movie I rented that I actually ENJOYED... And as for makin contradictory statements about Donnie Darko, I will just say this:

I've made up my mind after pondering it for a little bit and came to this conclusion about Donnie Darko: It is just an OK movie at best.. Wasnt HORRIBLE like I mightve said, but it certainly wasnt the best flick I've ever seen either...

As for Magnolia, I thought it was good up until the raining FROGS near the end... Just ruined the entire flick for me, regardless of what mythological or biblical context it was meant for...

The Ring altho categorized under the genre of "Horror" (Yes Nightwatchman I WILL give you that) Was anything but... VERY lame attempt at makin me scared or believe that it would be a real situation in ANY way... The thing that scared me about Blair Witch was that it couldve been a REAL situation! Combine that with the fear of the unknown and you've gotta TRUE horror classic! And for the record it was the "shitty yank" remake of the Ring that I saw...

As for FIGHT CLUB and the Blair Witch Project, YES! They BOTH are in my top 10 movies, because I LOVE both movies.. Justin Harris, you need to grow up, and not resort to insults and slander... Thanx Bubba and Nightwatchman for standin up for me, and being smart about it...

[JCPhoenix]

Originally posted by noahx29
As for Magnolia, I thought it was good up until the raining FROGS near the end... Just ruined the entire flick for me, regardless of what mythological or biblical context it was meant for...


There have been TWO messages so far that explained this, but apparently you must have missed them.

MAGNOLIA's ending was NOT meant to be a mythological/biblical context thing, pt anderson only put the biblical references in as an afterthought...

The events that take place (yes, the frogs falling from the sky) actually DID happen in some areas because of a nearby tornado or heavy storm or something like that. If you watch the movie, around the time that they have the frogs falling, the camera zooms in on a painting which says "but it did happen" which is a hint about this...you can probably find out the exact places they took place in.

PT Anderson has also stated he wanted to show the whole movie took place in an 8 block radius (because the frogs falling would have only fell in about an 8 block radius) but he decided not to because it would be too hard to do, and the movie was already quite long.

[the night watchman]

The frog rain was a great touch in my opinion, too, and I also think the biblical references sort of confuse the issue a bit. To me the frogs were a redemptive event -- or, at least, heralded the potential for redemption and change -- for the characters in the film. Not in some mystical, one-to-one metaphor (as in "the frogs symbolized yadda-yadda, and in the bible it says yadda-yadda"), but in a way that opens these jaded and downtrodden individuals to wonder and amazement. Too me, if you try to over-analyze something like this, it just looses its magic. It's the emotion that's significant at this point in the movie, not explanation.

[Jon Lyrik]

Originally posted by Justin Harris
And you say Fight Club is one of your favorite movies. You dare put that and a movie like Blair Witch Project in your top 10? I'd spit on you if I could.

Not nice, Justin.

[Hannibal21]

Originally posted by Justin Harris
And you say Fight Club is one of your favorite movies. You dare put that and a movie like Blair Witch Project in your top 10? I'd spit on you if I could.

1)it's HIS opinion, NOT yours
2)I'm not so sure if you have already read the rules/guidelines of this board. If you have, then you must've not read them carefully. This 'I'd spit on you if I could' statement is completely uncalled for.

[noahx29]

Originally posted by JCPhoenix
There have been TWO messages so far that explained this, but apparently you must have missed them.

MAGNOLIA's ending was NOT meant to be a mythological/biblical context thing, pt anderson only put the biblical references in as an afterthought...

The events that take place (yes, the frogs falling from the sky) actually DID happen in some areas because of a nearby tornado or heavy storm or something like that. If you watch the movie, around the time that they have the frogs falling, the camera zooms in on a painting which says "but it did happen" which is a hint about this...you can probably find out the exact places they took place in.

PT Anderson has also stated he wanted to show the whole movie took place in an 8 block radius (because the frogs falling would have only fell in about an 8 block radius) but he decided not to because it would be too hard to do, and the movie was already quite long.

JC Im sorry if I misconstrued the Directors/Writer's reasoning for the raining Frogs, but regardless of ANY reason that it was in the movie, it COMPLETELY ruined it for me... It was (in my opinion) REALLY un-necessary to throw that into the mix, when the movie couldve done just fine without it, in my opinion.. altho I can appreciate that you enjoyed the concept, and the awe of the characters while it took place, but I simply didnt.. And in my opinion (theres that phrase again!) it ruined what was, up until that point, a somewhat decent film, and reduced it to trash! (This is just the opinion of one man, so remember not to get worked up about it! ;))

[JCPhoenix]

Originally posted by noahx29
JC Im sorry if I misconstrued the Directors/Writer's reasoning for the raining Frogs, but regardless of ANY reason that it was in the movie, it COMPLETELY ruined it for me... It was (in my opinion) REALLY un-necessary to throw that into the mix, when the movie couldve done just fine without it, in my opinion.. altho I can appreciate that you enjoyed the concept, and the awe of the characters while it took place, but I simply didnt.. And in my opinion (theres that phrase again!) it ruined what was, up until that point, a somewhat decent film, and reduced it to trash! (This is just the opinion of one man, so remember not to get worked up about it! ;))

I'm sorry I sounded like i got worked up :p i didn't mean to...

...but in any case, just explaining it in case that was one of the reasons you didn't like it...but since you don't like it even with that explained, then that's fine...

...tho it saddens me to think that another schmoe has joined the ranks of magnolia haters (don't worry, there's enough magnolia hatin schmoes on the board, you'll find yourself in some fiinnnne company...)

*sigh* i'll never understand you magnolia haters tho ;)