Viewing Thread:
"Going against the filming norm"

It doesn't happen that often, does it? When I film is slated by critics, do many people like it? It's not going to happen that often. Even more powerful is the weight of opinion in this forum. You know what films I mean; everyone hates them, and you get ridiculed if you like them. A few people will stand up for a film they love even if it gets pounded on by everyone, but the majority will say "Yeah, it wasn't that good", and blush as they glance at it in their video collection. Amarageddeon, for example. I think that's a pile of corny crap, and I'm all for shallow Hollywood films that will make you laugh from time to time. But Armageddeon was trash. Complete and utter. Not only were the lines corny:

"Allow me to shake the hand of the daughter of the bravest man I've ever known."

How bad is that? But it was also really really badly shot. It also gave weight to the argument that Ben Affleck cannot act well outside of the View Askew dimension. It. Was. Terrible.

But if someone liked it, I'll give you all the credit you deserve for standing up for a film you like. It's cool to watch a film over and over again because you love it. Hey, I'll argue with you all the way over how crap it is, but if you like it, it's your call in the end. Anyone got any examples of these, because I have many. I'll start with one I just bought for a bargain price of 8 quid. Waterworld.

Waterworld kicks buttock. I think it rules, and always have. I may not have spoken up about it on here before, but thats just because the topic has never arisen. I'm watching it now. It's full of old-fashioned adventure - a kind of futuristic Indiana Jones with water. I honestly don't see how anyone can be so strongly opposed to it. Come on, what do you really dislike about it? Is it just because other people don't? I'm not accusing you all here - you know if I'm not. It's got all the ingredients, plus it's an EPIC in every sense of the word, I think. Epic all depends on where it's set - Gladiators an epic, and so is Star Wars. Waterworld cost a bomb, and only flopped at the cinema because it didn't massively exceed it's budget. Probably Barry Norman shooting his mouth off again - "It hasn't got Orson Welles in, it must be crap. Did I mention Star Wars is trash?"

I dislike Barry Norman.

Is it because it's Kevin Costner? Granted, he's never going to be a great actor or director, but he's a helluva lot better than some of the actors you people venerate. Haley Joel Osment, pah. He dones fine, and all he has to do is leap about and say nothing. Suits him fine. Wouldn't suit a quality actor.

So, there's always this feeling about films that aren't liked by the masses can't be liked by everyone. Bollix. A film should be liked for what it is, not because Barry Norman say it's a load of crap. Sometimes they're right. Most of the time, they're not. Because they are not you. Surely everyones got some films that they love that everyone thinks are crap?

"Nah, man, I only go in for quality."

So you only eat caviar and drink champagne? Everyone likes a deep fried cod and chips from time to time. Same with films - everyone has at least one they like secretly. As for me, apart from Waterworld, I like Dragonheart, Independence Day, The Rock and Con Air. Most of those are disliked by the majority, and thats fair enough. Won't stop me liking them.

Do any of you defy this "filming norm?" I know I do, and probably will again. Oh yeah, The Mummy and The Mummy Returns. Excellent entertainment, shallow and badly acted as it is. John Hannah makes me laugh.

Bet one of you loves Notting Hill. Freak.

Mouldy Cheese wrote:

I liked Sliding Doors, until I realised that the concept was
> stolen from Run Lola Run.

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That's a good film (strange that it came from Germany and isn't XXX rated if you know what I mean) but I don't think stealing it's concept is wrong - I'd like to see more films like that

NO! Wrestling...in a movie forum? It burns! It buuuurns! Ahem.

A.I will never be recognised as brilliant.

Because it's not.

Sorry, I had two boxes open. I promise to never again let wrestling out of it's own forum.

I liked Sliding Doors, until I realised that the concept was stolen from Run Lola Run.

Personaly, I thought the event was poor. There were no real classic matches (the gimmick of Hogan wrestling will get old soon, trust me), and some of the matches were terrible. The Tag Team match just goes to show how burnt out and tired the Dudleyz and Hardyz are.

Belldandy wrote:
> A.I is brilliant, but brilliance is rarely recognised in it's time....

Therefore it cannot be brilliant, as you are recognising it as such in its own time..

:-)

I think a mediocre film can be brought up to "good" by having good music

Hans Zimmer has done some amazing work (Pearl Harbour, Thin Red Line, Gladiator, The Rock, Crimson Tide to name just a few of his best) and Trevor Rabin did Armageddon, you can't deny the music in that was good

A.I is brilliant, but brilliance is rarely recognised in it's time....

I quite like Armageddon. It is the most corny film ever you're right, but then again Independance Day is immensely corny as well. And the acting in Independance is far worse than in Armageddon. Bill Pullman just cracks me up. "Could you say that again?!"

I am a fan of mindless action films, yes, but that isn't all I like and I don't like it in all films. I'm not going to say I dislike a film because it's 'uncool' to like it. I like The Rock, Independance Day, Con Air and most of those types of films. Okay, so they're not exactly films that are 'uncool' but I also thought Titanic was alright. Nothing special but fun to watch. And I thought Pearl Harbor was dismal. It was corny just like Armageddon but it was SO boring and the script went far beyond the realms of unbearable!

I hated Waterworld too. The first time I saw it I thought it was absolutely dire. The second time, it was better but I still didn't like it at all.

And I'm still standing up for A.I!!!!!

I don't go by what critics say or what anyone says. If I like it, I'll stand up for it. If I don't, I'll slate it into the ground. I liked Planet of the Apes when most people didn't but I didn't hide it. I have it in my DVD collection and I don't regret buying it.

Black Hawk Down was fairly good. Problem was, it was all the same. It got really boring. The shooting just never stopped. It was shot brilliantly (since Ridley Scott is the daddy) but it just got really tedious.

Behind Enemy Lines was average all the way through. It did have a fantastic plane scene at the beginning but after that it was just ordinary. It wasn't ridiculous action or anything. But then they completely ruined it (and caused me to hate it) by having a ridiculous John Woo style action scene at the end. He slides along the ice and everything while firing. He was just shot by an extremely powerful sniper rifle before this as well. And then he leaps off the side of a cliff and catches a marine's arm who is hanging from a helicopter.....after being shot in the shoulder with a massive gun! Now that just didn't suit the film at all. It was completely ridiculous! I enjoy this in an all out action film like The Rock or a John Woo film, but you can't mix serious filming with ridiculous action. It doesn't work.

I'm finished now....

I just tend to buy and watch anything I like the look of, I've done this for all 130+ DVDs I've bought ( can't stop buying with them, don't suppose it helps working with them) and I cn honestly say I like them all. When there was "post your DVD colection" topic I did leave some out, as it was someone picked out about ten and started moaning they were girls films....moron.

I never pay any attention to film reviews, I thought Blackhawk Down was way better than all the recent war films, including Saving Private Ryan, but Behind Enemy Lines was pretty poor....

Stryke wrote:
You know something in Prime will win.

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Good point

And I already discussed your "stuff"