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Shrek & Donkey Kong

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Posts posted by Shrek & Donkey Kong

  8. Posted

    I like Boogie Nights more than There Will Be Blood. The ensemble is everything in early PTA, which is why Boogie Nights and Magnolia are my two favorites of his (with Inherent Vice just behind). The rise and fall and rise of Dirk is not just Scorsesian but is an archetype of the epic that we have seen since the beginning of the style. (epic is a style, not a genre, right?) The way that PTA uses that classic arc of a character being exposed to too much good stuff and it ruining them is similar to the way he uses the guy meets girl-and so on-format of Punch Drunk Love. MASTERFULLY. The way that he has both loud and combative as well as quiet yet tense scenes with all of these characters is reminiscent of the other, and possibly MORE important influence on Boogie Nights, the work of Robert Altman. The 70's that Anderson is painting is much more like the 70's of Altman than the 70's of Scorsese, and in between those two is the 90's of Scorsese. The way that Anderson is able to use all of these influences to create something truly singular is not unlike that of Tarantino in his first few films. Reservoir Dogs is in the canon, and I'm sure the throw-all-your-influences-in-a-blender-core classic Pulp Fiction will end up in there some day as well. If art is about borrowing, than PTA is a guy who goes to a video store and takes out a VHS copy of Nashville, splices in some sex scenes, restores the image, re-shoots some of the tracking shots to be even more effective, and then returns the video, with Altman's name crossed out on the box, and that note that PTA wrote at age 7 scribbled on.

     

    There Will Be Blood, however, is also a masterpiece. That is what truly sucks about this episode. I'm voting masterpiece against masterpiece, and while I have already made my case for Boogie Nights (and no, those aren't the only reasons I like it, but everyone else will cover those), I need to display why this was such a tough decision. Remember how Devin said that every camera movement in Boogie Nights is motivated? I agree, but every camera movement in There WIll Be Blood is like if the camera only got to make one big choice per scene, and its lens would be smashed if it didn't. The effectiveness of camera movement in TWBB is truly astounding. Nothing necessarily grabs your eye like the opening shot of Boogie Nights (and to double back, the opening shot, donut shoot-out, parking lot ass-kicking, and roller girl curb stomping all take place within one block of SHERMAN WAY, between Lindley ave and Reseda Blvd. Amy mentioned it as "down Reseda blvd" but as a Reseda native i must defend my turf), but the highly motivated camera movements end up catching your eye every fucking time the camera moves in the more tense scenes, because of how static it can be at points, and how deliberately paced this movie is. PTA went out and made something unlike all of his other work, but also something ONLY he could make. How the fuck do you argue against that???? Well, if only one movie is to exist, no matter how thought provoking and second-viewing demanding TWBB is, I'd still have to vote Boogie Nights, because a world without Boogie Nights is a world where I never really got into movies to be honest. Boogie Nights was the one that made me jump ship in college (yes, oooh so dramatic) and change my major from English to screenwriting. PTA made me want to make things, and Boogie Nights will always be the reason why. There is no alternate fucking world that has no Boogie Nights in which I'd have any desire to live.

    • Like 1

  10. Posted

    i think a lot of people skip out on voting after listening to an episode if it seems that their preferred choice will win -- Re-Animator was an extremely contentious episode, so a lot of listeners probably felt just as strong as the hosts about their opinions and cast their vote while usually limiting their involvement to listening.

  11. Posted

    this is far and away my favorite concert film.

     

     

    JUDY'S IN THE BEDROOOOOOOOOOOOOM

     

    AND SHE'S IN THE CANOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON

     

     

    YEAH WE'RE VOTIN ON A SHOW

     

    THAT THE TALKING HEADS PLAYYYYYYYED

    hit it! (jam commences)

     

     

     

    also Amy just interviewed Michael Shannon about this band on her other podcast!

  13. Posted

    TWBB took multiple viewings for me to consider it one of my favorite PTA films, let alone the masterpiece I consider it now.

     

    Boogie Nights has been in my top 5 of all time since the first time I viewed it.

  14. Posted

    Wiener-Dog was very disappointing. Some signature Solondz moments, but as a whole was way too light-hearted. I also wish Greta Gerwig as Dawn Wiener was explored more, but I guess that just wasn't the nature of the ensemble.

  16. Posted

    Now that PT Anderson has an episode coming out, Godard is my favorite director without a Canon episode.

     

    The 400 Blows episode was a good starting point for French new wave, maybe do an early-late VS episode?

     

    Breathless vs Pierrot le fou

    Vivre Sa Vie vs Contempt

     

     

    or just any of those 4 movies, just put 'em on in.

  17. Posted

    this is gonna be so heartbreaking!!!!! i really hope one of these gets a second chance, they are both within my 15 favorite movies of all time. i'm gonna be leaning Boogie Nights pre-episode, but I'll see if one of the hosts can convince me otherwise.

  18. Posted

    Great episode! Super contentious but both sides appealed to me.

     

     

    I vote YES.

     

     

    Look, I'm not a "genre guy" at all. This show actually got me to watch my first Cronenberg and first two Carpenters (The Thing, They Live). I was really happy to find Re-Animator, which, with my limited knowledge, seems like it really holds its own within the all-time greats of horror/sci-fi schlock.

     

    I was totally with Amy though, after this one, I don't really need much else in that category for The Canon. I had a lot of fun with Carpenter movies and Re-Animator, but when I first came to The Canon, the episodes I downloaded were The 400 Blows, Annie Hall vs Manhattan, and Double Indemnity (which is genre, but classy as referred to on today's episode).

     

    It really was a toss-up, but I just had to vote yes, as there was no way I could vote no on how much fun I had watching Re-Animator.

    • Like 1

  19. Posted

    and Dollhouse has a couple of scenes that have more laughs than Von Trier's combined catalog-- some of Solondz stuff is hard to watch, but the deep, dark comedy within it makes the experience just so fantastic.

  22. Posted

    Does the king of discomfort deserve a spot in the Canon? after seeing Welcome to the Dollhouse, Happiness, and Palindromes (and very excited for Weiner Dog), does his unique style of emotional manipulation through absolute garbage characters with whom you are forced to sympathize deserve its place within the importance of the 90's indie movement?

    • Like 2
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