AlmostAGhost

In this case, I do find that the book overwhelms the movie. But I've grown to love the movie a lot on its own. I still don't get why they had to make some changes (besides the rules of the code) to make the movie more happy or palatable; the book was hugely popular without those things. So why did the film have to be? *shrug* I was stoked Paul & Amy played all those songs -- I'm a huge Woody and Rage fan, and pretty ok with Bruce. Woody basically idolized Joad, and wanted to be him (and in some ways, he absolutely succeeded; he was a myth of the people in his own time). Bruce found it all sad on a human level. But Rage found the rage in Joad (and Bruce) and their interpretation is amazing and inspiring in much the way I think Steinbeck intended. I do kind of thing the pod focused slightly too much on unions. To me the story is a step back, on the forces and struggles and dreams of (forced) migration which lead to unionization being necessary. The Joad's story is a descent into an extreme situation, usually contrasted with the poetic beauty and promise of California. The film shifts focus a little bit, but I still think it's pretty successful and hard to deny.

11/7 Forrest Gump 11/14 The Best Years Of Our Lives 11/21 Annie Hall

I probably prefer Pulp to Blur, but it's close and don't want to deny Blur their place. Their last album (The Magic Whip) was great, as is 13. Albarn's other projects go up and down for me, but yea they're always super interesting and worth checking out. And yea, Oasis is derivative and boring and I'm not a fan, though I've grown to somewhat appreciate Noel -- mainly for playing on the studio recording of "Free Love Freeway" haha. I tried to watch this week's movie, but the version on Youtube was of such low quality, I couldn't stick with it very far. The song I heard was pretty bad.

It didn't subvert anything though. And I liked it

On this special bonus episode, Paul & Amy compare the controversial supervillain origin story Joker with one of the films that inspired it, Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver.

10/17 The Godfather 10/24 The Godfather Part II 10/31 The Grapes Of Wrath 11/7 Forrest Gump

Both those points go to what I was saying in the other thread. It's like they just had to make him abused, had to make him a failed comic. And screw it if it doesn't make sense or quite fit. And those choices just aren't very creative or shocking or even arguably appropriate in turning a person evil. I really wish they had made this gritty, real movie, but he still somehow fell into a giant vat of acid and came out insane.

When I see @tomspanks has posted in this thread but not the movie

That makes sense then about where it came from. But it just doesn't seem all that shocking or surprising anymore to me.

I liked the movie pretty well, some of it is quite amazing, but my main complaints are superficial. First, we don't need the Joker's background filled in. He's better as pure chaos, I don't want the logic on how he got there. It's scarier and much more villainous without it. Second, that backstory seems fairly obvious, no? A loner who lost his job and been abused and struggling comic? These aren't very creative choices. Why not like make him like a successful sitcom actor who somehow flips out? Or what if he was the Robert DeNiro tv show host instead? The Joker is a wild character and his backstory, if needed, should be insane too.

Haven't seen anything yet. Since it's still two weeks of Godfathers, maybe they haven't gone ahead of that yet. Amy's in Spain I think according to her instagram. Maybe when she gets back.

Yea I'm not really explaining what I mean. Let me think about it some more. I'm not anti biography, that wasn't my intent, but yea, for some reason for this movie, it bugged me to learn all this. I guess just sort of went from 'let me explore the '50s' to 'here's my life' and the latter comes off as arrogant to me. I dunno. This is the first time I've come from the pod being like 'I think I like this less than I thought I did' though, so I'm a little baffled right now haha. But I also mostly agree, I don't love using the creator's personal life as a basis of criticism either. I try to stick to what's on the screen/script. But sometimes it is maybe unavoidable.

Same, but I take horror breaks for Unspooled and HDGTM (and if I feel like going to a theatre).

Yea sure, but their discussion made me take it as almost pure biography more than story. I don't know if that's true. Maybe it doesn't matter.

This was my take too. For a mainstreamy, George Lucas movie, I was quite surprised by its artfulness. I would have absolutely preferred a more open-ended ambiguous ending though. Still, Paul & Amy are making me rethink the film. I hadn't seen it before, and was expecting nostalgia porn when I turned it on. I was impressed in how it avoided that to me, and I quite enjoyed it a lot. Now I'm not so sure -- knowing that it is just Lucas' personal stories, I dunno. It's losing some of what I took as creativity and story-telling. I haven't finished the episode yet, I should probably do that before going further, but I'm truly not sure what level I think the movie is at anymore.

In a special bonus episode this week, Paul & Amy ask Shea Serrano, writer for The Ringer and author of Movies (And Other Things), about the three films he would add to the AFI list.

Wow ya that's interesting about Kubrick. White Men Can't Jump does seem like a niche basketball comedy which is probably not helping its rep now.

Oh I dunno, that was mostly just a way to express how much I like it haha. Let me think though I won't include AFI movies because I'm still processing or reprocessing those with Unspooled but a few would be certainly be here (prob. 2001, Lord of the Rings, Do The Right Thing, Double Indemnity, Vertigo). Also just one per director or else this could easily be all Coen Brothers and Wes Anderson movies. Also including foreign stuff. Something like this (not in order). Rushmore Inside Llewyn Davis Bicycle Thieves M Killer Of Sheep Pee-Wee's Big Adventure Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind This Is Spinal Tap Top Secret!

White Men Can't Jump is a top-10 all-timer for me too. Love it so much

according to Amy this will be an occasional bonus side series!

If you look on wikipedia, all the actors are like related to each other: Lucas Grabeel as Dylan Knight Drew Seeley as Trey Sylvania Adrian Slade as Sara Lane Amy Paffrath (Drew Seeley's wife[3]) as Luna Dark Sally Slade (Adrian Slade's sister) as Sally Sucker Katie Seeley (Drew Seeley's sister) as Lydia Bloodworth Mike Slade (Adrian Slade's father) as Dr. Payne Autumn Grabeel (Lucas Grabeel's sister) as Penny Plasma Emily Morris (Lucas Gabreel's girlfriend) as Desiree Damned

This was bad

I do think the scene on the boat where Mr. Shell Oil lies about his ability to get aroused in order to get Sugar to make out with him to be shady and inappropriate. And all the groping and lies in the form of 'romance'. That's the stuff that sort of dated this film out for me. I couldn't quite get it up on that ultimate pedestal. But I'm not trying to argue any views down though; generally my take is similar to Paul's. It's a fine movie, but there's so much better. But I'll add, I loved this episode itself. Learning the history of Monroe and most importantly, tying it to her work, was great. If Unspooled ends, Amy should do more of that. I'd be happy to have Amy guide us through an actor or director's filmography, mixing in their bios and putting everything in context from a modern perspective. (I haven't listened to Lovage in years, gonna dig that out! I love Dan the Automator.)

here's my prediction: white rich guys keep getting richer and keep spanking their secretaries, nothing changes

I bought my ticket a few weeks back before they announced this month's theme... but turns out, it's The Beatles! I love The Beatles but won't lie, their movies don't do a lot for me. This should be fun! https://drafthouse.com/los-angeles/show/unspooled-live?fbclid=IwAR0OGffxdzt2F-lN75KXf_s_cK5IS4QHY1Z-PL9I9dIYtPu_FYL8jBlzQxM