Baumer's/Tele's/Chas' 25 films that have brainwashed people into mindless adulation (Tele pg 26)

[baumer]

The problem with CHICAGO is that's it's basically Fosse-lite.

 

I know he did Cabaret, but other than that, I'm not really sure what you mean by that.

[Dementeleus]

I know he did Cabaret, but other than that, I'm not really sure what you mean by that.

 

I'm hardly a giant Fosse expert, but CHICAGO is (conceptually) a very sleazy, gritty show. And it should revel in that. The problems with the movie are that Rob Marshall is a midget compared to Fosse when it comes to direction and choreography, and that it's also PG-13, so it ends up being a nice, rough-edges-rounded-off, milquetoast version.

[baumer]

I'm hardly a giant Fosse expert, but CHICAGO is (conceptually) a very sleazy, gritty show. And it should revel in that. The problems with the movie are that Rob Marshall is a midget compared to Fosse when it comes to direction and choreography, and that it's also PG-13, so it ends up being a nice, rough-edges-rounded-off, milquetoast version.

 

[Dementeleus]

I just realized that Nolan's control over space, time, and brainwashing is so powerful he has two movies on this list (and maybe more!).

[baumer]

7) Batman Returns:  Tim Burton, at times, can be a masterful film maker.  This is his nostrum.  Here is a scene from Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back where Ben and Matt and Gus are just concerned about the money for Good Will Hunting 2:

 

 

This is exactly what happened on the set of Batman Returns.  The script, if you want to call it that, has a woman falling out of her window and getting bit or licked or raped by cats (it's been about 23 years since I've seen this film and if I don't see it again for another 23 years, that'll be too soon) and after that she is an expert martial artist, is a master with a bullwhip and is Mary Lou Retton in a tight leather outfit.  Then you have a disgusting looking character who comes out of the sewers, is in Gotham for 5 minutes and manages to get the entire city to turn against Batman.  There's even smaller stupid pieces in the film like how the Penguins posse do cartwheels to get around.  That's right, they don't walk or run, they do cartwheels.  And why you might ask?  Well, because he picked them up from a circus.  And you know, all circus workers do cartwheels.  There's even laziness displayed when it's supposed to be freezing outside and there is no cold breath coming from their mouths.  The first film made so much money that they decided to scrap the filming on location and they did it all in Warner Brother's Burbank studios, presumably because it's easier to get hookers and blow in there in between takes.  The 1989 Batman wasn't my favourite film of all time but it's miles better than this tripe.  Burton was the wrong man to bring Batman to life.  Michael Keaton does a great job as the Caped Crusader but he is let down by those around him.  This one is even worse than Clooney and Arnold's laughable Batman.  And for all the grief I gave Nolan in this thread for his two laughable efforts, he also made two of the greatest films of all time when he took over the Batman reigns.  Burton should take lessons.

 

 

Edited January 13, 2015 by baumer

[Ezen Baklattan]

Very excited to read the top films.

[baumer]

I might do one more tonight......but it might be time to turn it in for a while.

[Dementeleus]

Potential franchise entries: POTC, Harry Potter.

[baumer]

I'll be honest, at least half of the next six films might ruffle a few feathers here.  

[Dementeleus]

I'll be honest, at least half of the next six films might ruffle a few feathers here.  

 

I expect nothing less.

[ecstasy]

I'll be honest, at least half of the next six films might ruffle a few feathers here.  

As if...

[baumer]

Ok, I'll do one more, just to get us into the top 5.

 

This next one might come as a bit of a surprise considering it's a film in my favourite genre of film, it';s an icon in the genre and it's considered one of the all time greats......

[Michael Gary Scott]

KB1 is mostly junk. KB2 is somewhat junk, but it's also somewhat more interesting than part 1.

Ugh

[baumer]

6) The Exorcist:   There is a very frustrating scene from Jaws 2 where Brody walks into the selectmens meeting carrying the photograph that the two divers took as they were being eaten. Brody sees the outline of the mouth and the eye. And he should know what a shark looks like. But when he passes it around, Harry says Seaweed?" The hotel chick says, "it's under water isn't it? That's why it's so dark?" They can't see something that is so obvious and that is bothersome. That is how I feel about my reaction to the Exorcist. Everyone has told me how frightening it is and how it is a psychological trip. And I know the reaction that audiences had towards it in the 70's. But as much as I try, I just can't see it. It is not a scary movie and it is not even an enjoyable one, and I would even go so far as to say that it is not even a good movie.

First off, there are so many parts of this film that have nothing to do with what the film is about. The first hour is nothing. It really has no relevance to the rest of the film. And for the life of me I really can't understand what the beginning is about. Why do we need the background of the Exorcist in Iraq? What does that have to do with the film and how does it further the plot?

Secondly, this is a very poorly edited film. There were times that I cringed at some of the editing. It was such a blatant cut that you felt like you could see the editors crazy gluing the film together. And I am not saying that to be cruel, I really mean that.

Thirdly, and this is the big one, what is so scary about this film? Really, all Regan did was get her face scarred a bit, vomit a lot, yell out obscenities and blugeon herself with a cross. Now that is interesting in the fact that this must have sent a shock wave through the religious community because you are not supposed to say or do anything bad towards the church. But in terms of scares or chills? No way, they just weren't there. I can admire a film like Halloween and Blair Witch for being innovative enough to scare us but no this film. Frankly, I was bored. I really was. There were times that I wanted to turn this off and watch the baseball game, and we all know how boring baseball is on the tube. But this film moved at a snails pace. And if they would have cut it down by about thirty minutes, it may have been better.

The other element that I can't get past is the fact that this was the devil himself. Okay, let's just say it is. Why does it allow himself to be tied down? Why does it jump at water that isn't holy? Why does it possess a girl when it can come onto this Earth in human form if it wanted to. When Lucifer was kicked out of Heaven, he was abolished because of greed and a lust for power. So for an angel to be that despised must have been considered dangerous and powerful. If that is so, then why all the scenes of Satan being dominated by humans? Are you saying that the best he could come up with is making a girl puke, levitate, and throw a few things around the room? That sounds more like he was just having a bad day because he couldn't get his own way. That doesn't sound like the personification of evil. You want to see real evil, watch DeNiro in Angel Heart.

The Exorcist is a film that has it's place in history and I can admire it for that. Maybe because I am not overly religious, the pouty and childish tantrum throwing devil doesn't really scare me.  My ex-wife, a devout and God fearing Catholic, is terrified of this film. She will never watch it again.  She thinks it's wrong to show things like this.  Me?  This film is about as scary as a kindergarten play where the trees come to life.  So when I say that this film is really not that good, I can understand why people may think I'm ignorant, but when you compare this to A Nightmare On Elm Street or Halloween, can you honestly say that this has more to offer? And if you can say that, well, I just don't see it.  This is the Catholic Church brainwashing all of you.

 

 

 

Edited January 13, 2015 by baumer

[MovieMan89]

Loving a lot of these choices actually. Especially Silence of the Lambs!

 

I thought I was the only one who thought that movie was so overrated. Hopkins is utterly brilliant in his 15 minutes or so of screentime, but agree with most of your issues with it. Kudos for TDKR and Skyfall as well, completely agree.

 

Only one so far that has hurt my soul a little bit is There Will Be Blood. That film always mesmerizes me into a hypnotic like trance whenever I watch it. And the funny thing is it's not the kind of film I'm normally into, but I can't start watching that movie and even look away for a second. Maybe I have been brainwashed!!

 

Side note: do people really love Batman Returns? I always thought it only had a very small cult-like following.

[baumer]

Well, it adjusts to about 320 million today.  I'd say people liked it well enough.  And I've gotten a lot of flack from people here for ripping it before.

[baumer]

I might get to the top 5 in a bit.  I'm going to take a break for a little.

[rukaio101]

I think the main reason the Exorcist is so highly regarded is that it was the first movie to do a lot of the tropes commonly found in possession/horror movies, which was why it made such a big impact. However, as is often the case with such a smash hit, every other possession movie afterwards did its utmost to mimic that and basically diluted any shock value. So yeah, I'm with you on that one Baumer. The Exorcist has not aged well. 

 

(Almost makes up for you putting Kill Bill Part 1 on the list.  )

Edited January 13, 2015 by Rukaio Alter

[MovieMan89]

Well, it adjusts to about 320 million today.  I'd say people liked it well enough.  And I've gotten a lot of flack from people here for ripping it before.

I think the high gross just has to do with it coming off such a blockbuster film, ala why SM3 was still able to gross so much despite being nearly universally disliked. One thing I do know though is Burton has a very loyal little following, and a lot of them will defend his movies to the grave, no matter what.

[baumer]

I think the main reason the Exorcist is so highly regarded is that it was the first movie to do a lot of the tropes commonly found in possession/horror movies, which was why it made such a big impact. However, as is often the case with such a smash hit, every other possession movie afterwards did its utmost to mimic that and basically diluted any shock value. So yeah, I'm with you on that one Baumer. The Exorcist has not aged well. 

 

(Almost makes up for you putting Kill Bill Part 1 on the list.  )

 

In fairness to me, I have never liked the Exorcist all that much, that dates back to when I was a teenager in the 80's.