502 posts tagged with film and movies.
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COMEDY!
I would like recommendations for your favourite film comedies! [more inside]
Some historical context on the reception of The Village?
I recently watched Shyamalan's Trap and had some big thoughts about how weird it was, and the interesting way it was garbage and showcased his worst traits as a creator.
To make sure I wasn't crazy, I re-watched The Village, which had a mixed critical reception but in my mind was a well crafted and very interesting, engaging story told well.
The rewatch did not change my mind. [more inside]
Movies about "going up river"
I recently rewatched Fitzcarraldo (and the related doc Burden of Dreams) and it got me wondering-- what other films (fiction and documentary) are about "going up river"? [more inside]
Earliest film/tv example of the engineered super-spy/assassin trope?
I've been watching Hanna and now I'm wondering about the earliest example of an engineered spy/assassin training program in Film and/or TV. Think Bourne movies, Marvel's Black Widow program. Not a spy agency, plenty of those from the 60s... it's the chemical/genetic engineering plus the specialized training that's the key difference I'm after.
La Femme Nikita (1990) is the earliest I can come up with.
Please no books or comics.
Sources of metadata about movies and shows?
I'm thinking of a small personal project that would need a way to look up data about movies and shows. Cover art, episode details, actors, directors, that sort of thing.
I'm hoping to find data aggregating site(s) that provided free bulk downloads of their dataset, or APIs that have generous free tiers.
Any recommendations?
Movies that scratch the Scooby Doo (Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, etc) itch?
I recently watched Chastity Bites and it was a movie for adults (or at least teens) that had big Scooby Doo, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Three Investigators, [Insert Series Name here] energy. [more inside]
She's not breathing! (Except she is, obviously.)
What are some interesting techniques used for hiding the breathing of "dead" characters on TV and film? I am looking specifically for nitty gritty accounts of the mundane or maybe not so mundane techniques used to tackle what must be a very common issue. [more inside]
Movies about courage
Can you recommend movies about courage, in particular with regards to standing up to do what is right in the face of great challenge? Two that come to mind are "A Few Good Men" and "Crimson Tide."
Movies about intellectual history
Are there some smart, talky movies (not documentaries) about intellectual movements of the 20th century? I've search Google high and low and get nothing.
I realize not a ton of people want to watch 2 hours of talking, but surely there's something out there? Even biopics about specific members of the intelligentsia would be okay. [more inside]
Musicals for people who don’t like musicals
Looking for recs for musicals that are more modern film-y and less campy Broadway show-tunes-y. More like Hamilton, In the Heights, La La Land, Sing Street etc. Maybe I’m looking more for movies with songs rather than traditional musicals? I’d like to watch live recordings or film adaptations, not live in theater.
Memories of Movie Preshows
I’m working on a project that deals with preshows in movie theaters. I’m interested in unusual ones (and common ones) you can remember from when you were younger (ideally back to the sixties and seventies, but I’ll take more recent examples as well). I’m pretty solid on trailers, so I’m looking for any other material (advertising, PSA’s, whatever) shown before a film in theaters. Thanks in advance.
Movies with heart?
Can you recommend a movie or two with "heart?" Something moving and inspiring to watch. [more inside]
Is there a central listing of projectors used at movie theaters?
I've found that my enjoyment of a movie at the theater tends to depend on the quality of the projection, or projector. For instance, some laser projectors have a "screen door effect," fringing, and aliasing. Do you know of a resource for finding out exactly what model or type of projector is used by a given theater or screen? [more inside]
Fictional depictions of egotistical self-pity?
I'm looking for fiction or film scenes that show self-centered characters brooding resentfully over a sense of imagined offense or injustice-- basically the melodramatic, neurotic, self-pitying side of narcissism. [more inside]
What movies have a text prologue using a sequence of dates?
A text prologue with a progression of dates explaining how we got to Now is an SF trope that I swear I've seen more than once. [more inside]
Seeking podcasts, etc. for pop culture critical analysis
I've realized that deep dives and critical analysis of TV, music, movies, and books really light my fire--looking for the latest and/or greatest podcasts, blogs, discussion forums etc. to give me lots to chew on through the new year. Examples below the fold. [more inside]
Really, really angsty romances
I love a good angsty romance. I want it to hurt on the way to the happily ever after. I want the writing and characterizations to be good enough that I ache. Please share recommendations. [more inside]
Thrillers with protagonists that have disabilities?
I recently watched Upgrade and was struck by a comment on letterboxd where someone complained about movies where disabled people get "fixed" is a major plot point. [more inside]
Stand-alone movie scenes?
I am teaching a film course and want to show various scenes from English language films. The challenge is to find scenes that are coherent on their own, and don't really require the rest of the film as context. The first 15 minutes of Up, for example, is an ideal choice. What are some other scenes from films that stand on their own? [more inside]
Movie Trailers Website That Doesn't Suck
Welp, trailers.apple.com sucks now. Where can I go for a simple, up-to-date chronological listing of movie trailers with wide coverage (i.e. pretty much every movie that will get a US cinematic release) that is uncluttered, ad-free, gets right to the point, and doesn't require an app? [more inside]
Suggestion for films/shows to watch with my mom
I'm visiting my Mom and need some stuff to watch with her. Problem is, I only know of things like Aliens and John Wick. She won’t enjoy that at all. So I’m requesting some suggestions. [more inside]
Suggest movies similar to Final Destination
Suggest movies that are fun and entertaining in the same way as the Final Destination series [more inside]
Most-Acclaimed _____
I use three websites that tell me their version of the most acclaimed books, films or music. (But the music site focuses on Western popular music). Each site’s rankings are based on broad input from “best of” lists from elsewhere. I am interested in similar lists – with the same general procedure – for other things. [more inside]
Where can I find in-flight film titles from international flights?
I have found that international flights often come with a good range of independent and foreign films on the in-flight entertainment menu. Are these lists of films available somewhere? I tried to search Delta as an example but I could mostly find US domestic films on their list, even though I know this is not representative of what they play on international flights. Open to any airline. Thank you!
Looking for a terrible review of Babylon
A couple months ago I read a movie review totally slamming the Damien Chazelle movie Babylon. The reviewer calls out Chazelle for being the worst director in Hollywood and is pretty emphatic in their hatred about the movie. [more inside]
Japan's Appetite for Adaptation
What is it about Japan that makes adaptations of popular media into stage plays (or really any other media form) way more prevalent there than anything else? [more inside]
What movies act as time capsules?
What movies act as time capsules? I want to make a list of films that evoke a strong sense of time (and possibly place). Through dialogue, sets, etc. they transport you to the era in which they're set. [more inside]
Movies about immigrant stories
What are the best movies that deal with struggles and triumphs of immigrants trying to survive and make it in a new country?
Manhattan history detectives: what church is (was?) this?
In the 1903 film "Excavating for a New York foundation", https://www.loc.gov/item/00694384/ , you can see a church in the background...what church is that? [more inside]
Article wherein author claims a famous work is based on his life
I remember bits of a private school, emerging awareness of sexuality, wealth, a young man who died early, a young woman who was a close friend... New York City? Italy? Someone whose parents ran in the same circles as a famous author, and a less famous author may have heard the story and made it into a best-selling novel or movie and subsequently became famous? I want to say it is _Call Me by Your Name_ by André Aciman but I can't find the article anywhere and now I am wondering if I dreamed it. I think the article is fewer than 2 years old.
Software for filming a virtual film in VR?
I am looking for a VR tool that functions like an in-VR movie studio with virtual cameras, etc. I am not looking for ways to make "VR films" with 360 cameras and the like. I am also not looking for VR view capture like for streamers. Suggestions?
Quote about what makes a film a success
I'm looking for a quote — I think by Roger Ebert — about what makes a film a success. It is paraphrased something like: “It sets out to do something and it does that thing well.” Anybody know the quote?
Has this film technique found in The French Dispatch been used elsewhere
In The French Dispatch, there's a moment (18m30s) where a transition happens and I'm wondering if it has been used previously in any other films (to avoid spoilers, I'll detail it below) [more inside]
ISO: Women who work in film art departments & production design
Looking for recommendations for social media accounts of women who work in set/production design! [more inside]
Who asked, "Why don't they remake *bad* movies?"
I remember reading a major film critic complaining about Hollywood remakes of fine films, then asking a good question. "Why doesn't Hollywood remake *bad* movies instead?" [more inside]
When the professional acts like it
I enjoy it in media when characters truly act like the professionals or highly skilled individuals they are. Often it is action oriented - a flawlessly executed heist (Rififi), driving a car (Ronin, Grand Prix), hand to hand combat (many martial arts movies), tactical and strategic thinking (Mamet films), gunplay (Sicario, John Wick). But it can be other things as well: deduction or logic, cooking, games, sports, etc.
What are some movies, TV shows, or books where the characters genuinely give off the feeling that they are highly trained and talented professionals?
Contemporary (Era of Release) Classic Film Reactions?
I was watching some Youtube film reactions recently and started to wonder--What's the closest you can get to watching video, hearing audio, or reading text reactions of moviegoers from around the release date of classic films, let's say pre-1990? Example films for reactions: North by Northwest, Jaws, and let's throw in NZ film The Quiet Earth for fun. Critics OK, normal moviegoers preferred though. Links & tips appreciated!
Feminist, nonfiction, &c. Hindi films/TV recommendations
I'd like to watch some films or TV shows that include a lot of characters speaking Hindi. I enjoy the big-budget song-and-dance you get in fictional Bollywood blowouts, but I often dislike the romance plots because the men treat women so condescendingly. Like, right now, I'm in the middle of watching Kal Ho Naa Ho and started yelling at the screen when Khan's character got all "you need to learn to smile" at the female lead. So can you recommend some alternatives? [more inside]
Spanish-language film: woman with automatic house?
I know it's a longshot, but in case any of this rings a bell: I'm trying to help someone identify a movie they saw "many years ago" on TV. Spanish-language, a woman who lives in a semi-automated home. All the details I have so far are below. [more inside]
मुंबई अभी दूर है
I just saw Gully Boy and I loved it! Please recommend more excellent Bollywood (Hindi) movies that (1) Are new (last five years or so) (2) Have singing and dancing (3) Feature working-class or middle-class people living semi-realistic lives, not fabulously wealthy folks. Thanks!
There's Gonna Be A Jailbreak...Eventually
I’m working on a piece of fiction, so I’m in search of inspiration: stories (real or not) featuring escapes from prison (or the like). A few snowflakey details. [more inside]
Finding early German and French films
If I'm trying to track down copies of early German and French films (circa 1905-1921), where should I look? Archives, libraries, film societies? Difficult level: I don't read or speak German or French. [more inside]
Can you recommend more Lone Wolf and Cub-type tv shows and films?
Can you recommend more Lone Wolf and Cub-type tv shows and films? [more inside]
2 unidentified movies: carousel horses, jealous split personality?
I'm seeking 2 movie titles for people who only vaguely remember the content. The first one involves hiding carousel horses from wartime authorities so they don't get melted down, and the second one involves an actress who dates a man with a split personality, making his other personality jealous. Details below! [more inside]
Short films as an introduction to cinema?
I am teaching a university course this spring on film. I would like some suggestions on teaching cinema concepts, as well as some examples of early films. [more inside]
Short and/or One volume Graphic Novel Movie Adaptations?
I am teaching a short 5 week course on storytelling in different mediums and am using Adaptations as the tool.
I've been having a lot of trouble finding graphic novels I can assign my kids to read within an hour or so.
I originally was going to do "Road to Perdition" but found that I was already showing a movie with Tom Hanks in it and it just seems like I really love Tom Hanks and I wanna show something different, but still good.
What are some short and/or single volume graphic novels that are good and also have a decent movie adaptation? That a 14-18 year old could read in a couple hours?
I'm only looking for movie adaptations because I don't have time to show an entire TV show. Thank you!
Where does Jeanne Dielman go at night?
I've fallen down a rabbit hole of rewatching the film "Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles" (such a quarantine movie!). And I'm wondering, has there been any discussion on where Jeanne and Sylvain go at night? [more inside]
What did I watch?
Seeing a Revenant gif has reminded me: I've been trying to identify a film I saw for ages. I believe it was set on the West Coast, sometime from the mid-1700s to the late 1800s. The main character is... ill? injured in some way? and spends most of the film trying to get to the coast, or some other body of water. [more inside]
Legal ability to use brands in movies without permission
I'm making a movie and want people drinking Coca-Cola or driving a Porsche. Do I legally need permission? [more inside]
Looking for geographic variety in period movies and TV
Wikipedia has two lists of historical dramas: one for those set in Asia, and one for those set in Near Eastern and Western civilization. Please tell me about period dramas set elsewhere, or overlooked by those lists, and how good they are ("good" meaning entertaining and historically accurate).