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sycasey 2.0

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Posts posted by sycasey 2.0

  1. Posted

    On 10/10/2020 at 2:42 PM, Cameron H. said:

    A couple months back, a bunch of us forum folks watched and discussed Purple Rain, and something that struck me watching that movie, and something that continues in Cherry Moon, is that Prince seemed to be  completely unafraid of coming off as the bad guy in movies that centered around him. This is especially evident in Purple Rain where his character, The Kid, is extremely flawed and problematic. I think it would be tempting for a musician at the height of their fame to want to be portrayed on film as a sort of idealized version of themselves, and I find it absolutely fascinating that Prince was unafraid to play the more unsavory characters and allow his co-stars to play the moral centers.

    Similarly, as discussed in the podcast, I always think it's endearing when celebrities allow themselves to come off as goofballs. Especially for someone like Prince dabbles with artifice. It's an interesting juxtaposition to see someone who is both acutely aware of their carefully calculated image and also doesn't really seem to care if that image is slightly tarnished.  

    Honestly, the more I think about Prince, the more I like him.       

    That's the thing that I can't figure out about Prince. Is he allowing himself to be the bad guy, or does he actually think these characters are likable? My first impression is the latter, but then there are so many weird comedy bits that it's hard to know how seriously he takes any of this.

    • Like 1

  3. Posted

    I guess no one wanted to talk about this one! I seem to be the only yes vote here, and it's not a strong one -- mostly I went with it because I wanted to support a Linklater (though Before Sunset would really be my first choice of his). I do think this one improves a lot upon multiple viewings. I was surprised at how easily I just slid right back into it when revisiting for the podcast. Started watching it fairly late at night and just never stopped. That's got to count for something. Linklater has some kind of magic going on where he makes these plotless hangout movies super-compelling. I'm not sure what it is.

  4. Posted

    I voted a soft no, but that's mostly because I haven't seen the other classic Universal horror movies (including Bride of Frankenstein, which many people say is better than this). I'm just not sure if this is the one to go in the space capsule. I was impressed by a lot of this movie, including Karloff's performance and Whale's visualization of the world.

    The ending definitely bugged me because it seemed lame and abrupt, but now I've learned that it was tacked-on by the studio so that's more forgivable.

  5. Posted

    unspooled-frankenstein-names.jpg

    Amy & Paul reanimate 1931’s literary creature feature Frankenstein! They learn Boris Karloff’s real name, discuss what the film has to say about the human act of creation, and ask why “burgermaster” is no longer a public title. Plus: A quick look at the follow-up “Bride Of Frankenstein.”

    This is the first episode of our “Unghouled” horror miniseries; next week’s film is The Babadook! Learn more about the show at unspooledpod.com, follow us on Twitter @unspooled and Instagram @unspooledpod, and don’t forget to rate, review & subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify. Also check out our live Spool Party episodes on youtube.com/earwolf, and apply to be a guest on Screen Test at unspooledpod@gmail.com! Photo credit: Kim Troxall

  6. Posted

    57 minutes ago, CaptainAmazing said:

    I take it that we’re no longer limiting ourselves to American films?

    That seems to be the new way. Last round had a French film, and the new round has an Australian film.

    • Like 1

  8. Posted

    unspooled-dazed-and-confused.jpg

    Paul & Amy party with 1993’s throwback high school ensemble comedy Dazed And Confused! They watch Matthew McConaughey’s dazzling audition tape, learn the studio’s original plan for the soundtrack, and ask if director Richard Linklater prioritizes the male POV in his films. Plus: We try to determine which high school film we’ve covered is most spaceship-worthy.

    This is the final episode of our “Back To School” miniseries; next week we kick off a new series about horror films with 1931’s Frankenstein! Learn more about the show at unspooledpod.com, follow us on Twitter @unspooled and Instagram @unspooledpod, and don’t forget to rate, review & subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify. Also check out our live Spool Party episodes on youtube.com/earwolf, and apply to be a guest on Screen Test at unspooledpod@gmail.com! Photo credit: Kim Troxall

  9. Posted

    20 hours ago, AlmostAGhost said:

    And I was the other vote, this was just us! Heh. But yea it was definitely enjoyable, but it is the most "time capsule" of any of the films in the set we've seen, I think. 

    I think one thing I kept coming back to was how quickly Leigh bounced back from her abortion. I mean, not that it was unrealistic, but I think it should have had some more emotion to it. I realize kids that age are pretty resilient and maybe it was her character a bit to not focus on it, but I dunno. I liked that issue was in the film, but I think that Crowe was so young that he didn't quite have the ability to tackle that situation with enough depth. That's a tough balance I guess for a teen comedy though, so maybe it was enough. I don't know what I'm talking myself into.

    Another way to see it is that it's actually fairly progressive to see the abortion as not a massively tragic thing. It's difficult, and something she has to do, but not a life-ruiner.

  10. Posted

    Not much discussion on this one!

    I was on the fence but did ultimately vote yes. My uncertainty is not about disliking how the movie was done, generally . . . I think it's a really well written and directed film. I'm just not sure it's quite an all-timer for all generations. A good deal of it feels like it's trapped in its time and I'm not sure how well its relevance will hold up as we get further away from the 80s. But on the other hand, it feels like Crowe/Heckerling are at least somewhat aware of this issue and have fashioned the movie as a kind of travelogue for high school culture of the era. As noted in the podcast episode, it already feels like a bit of a nostalgia piece even though it's contemporary to the time. So that probably helps it going forward.

    I remember reading that Roger Ebert review in a collection I had and wondered what movie he was watching. The movie has a lot of frank sexual talk and scenes, but it's hardly an exploitation film: the filmmakers make the effort to show the consequences and fallout from the sexual decisions the characters make, including a heavy focus on the girls' feelings. That alone puts it a cut above most of the teen sex comedies of the time.

    • Like 1

  11. Posted

    unspooled-Fast-Times.jpg

    Amy & Paul say aloha to 1982’s high school romp Fast Times At Ridgemont High! They learn about the real life inspiration for Spicoli from Sean Penn, take a close look at the film’s unique treatment of teen sex, and wonder just what a trout dog is. Plus: director Amy Heckerling explains how she worked around the studio system to bring her vision to the film.

    This is the sixth episode of our “Back To School” miniseries; next week’s film is the winner of the fan vote for this series, Dazed And Confused! Learn more about the show at unspooledpod.com, follow us on Twitter @unspooled and Instagram @unspooledpod, and don’t forget to rate, review & subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify. Also check out our live Spool Party episodes on youtube.com/earwolf, and apply to be a guest on Screen Test at unspooledpod@gmail.com! Photo credit: Kim Troxall

  13. Posted

    33 minutes ago, FictionIsntReal said:

    This movie is too much like American Graffiti. No films of that ilk (including Last Picture Show) are worth sending into space.

    I was actually a little annoyed at how much the hosts kept comparing it to American Graffiti and claiming it was so much better, when I thought it was (1) very similar structurally (the major differences are of setting and cultural milieu) and (2) not as well-made technically. It also seemed a bit odd to be baffled that critics at the time called it another version of Graffiti, chalking such descriptions up to centering white experience and general racism. I'm sure that happened too, but . . . American Graffiti came out two years before this movie! It was a big hit and most people were familiar with it. Of course those comparisons were going to happen.

    I enjoyed this movie and thought the ending was unexpectedly poignant, but I also didn't quite find it worthy of the space capsule. As compared to other movies of its type (and of the time), Cooley High definitely has advantages in on-screen POC representation and social consciousness, but I'm not sure that's enough to make it clearly more worthy than the other movies you mentioned here.

  15. Posted

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    Paul & Amy pour one out for 1975’s comic high school drama Cooley High! They learn how the film scored a soundtrack of wall-to-wall Motown hits, analyze the film’s take on teenage hijinks, and praise Michael Schultz as one of the great underrated directors. Plus: Glynn Turman (“Preach”) talks about the impact Cooley High had on his career.

    This is the fifth episode of our “Back To School” miniseries; next week’s film is Fast Times At Ridgemont High! Learn more about the show at unspooledpod.com, follow us on Twitter @unspooled and Instagram @unspooledpod, and don’t forget to rate, review & subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify. Also check out our live Spool Party episodes on youtube.com/earwolf, and apply to be a guest on Screen Test at unspooledpod@gmail.com!

  16. Posted

    I voted yes based on this film's iconography being so strong and also it addressing some surprisingly pertinent issue (even to the modern day) despite how dated the melodramatic style is. I think you do have to perform a little bit of a mental adjustment for the time it was made to really appreciate it, which can be a mark against a film being preserved for all time.

    Dean is obviously the most memorable character and image from this movie, but IMO Sal Mineo gives the best performance. I guess Amy doesn't like Natalie Wood, but I think she's pretty good in this too.

  17. Posted

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    Amy & Paul are torn apart by 1955’s landmark teen drama Rebel Without A Cause! They celebrate the instantly iconic performance of James Dean, learn about the wild backstory of director Nicholas Ray, and take a close look at the seismic generational shifts of the era. Plus: reflections on the recent passing of Chadwick Boseman.

    This is the fourth episode of our “Back To School” miniseries; next week’s film is Cooley High! Learn more about the show at unspooledpod.com, follow us on Twitter @unspooled and Instagram @unspooledpod, and don’t forget to rate, review & subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify. Also check out our live Spool Party episodes on youtube.com/earwolf, and apply to be a guest on Screen Test at unspooledpod@gmail.com!

  18. Posted

    To me the brilliance of this film is that it is showing you all sides at once: the kid is at once a sympathetic little scamp and also an irresponsible brat. The filmmaking approach matches this too: for example, the final sequence of him running around in desolate spaces while romantic music plays over the soundtrack. Happy and sad all at the same time. It's a really interesting and nuanced remembrance of Truffaut's own youth.

  19. Posted

    Paul & Amy raise hell for 1959’s French New Wave adolescent drama The 400 Blows! They learn how François Truffaut went from a Hitchcock-worshipping critic to a director himself, discuss how he then became a major influence on directors like Steven Spielberg, and praise the value of creative limitations in creating truly fresh works of art. Plus: a scene from the unforgettable Sesame Street adaptation.

    This is the third episode of our “Back To School” miniseries; next week’s film is Rebel Without A Cause! Learn more about the show at unspooledpod.com, follow us on Twitter @unspooled and Instagram @unspooledpod, and don’t forget to rate, review & subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify. Also check out our live Spool Party episodes on youtube.com/earwolf!

  20. Posted

    As with Mean Girls: it's a good film, not good enough to put in the space capsule. Olmos is great, but the rest of the movie is a fairly surface-level treatment of the subject. Not badly done or anything, and it does avoid over-dramatizing for the most part, but I'm not sure it's bringing anything extra except for the central performance.

    As with many here, I remember being shown this in school. My incomplete childhood memory was that we had watched a movie about a Japanese guy who taught a bunch of teens in L.A. to do math. I guess I assumed the lead character was Japanese because they called him "Kemo?"

  21. Posted

    unspooled-stand-and-deliver.jpg

    Amy & Paul stand for 1988’s rousing math class drama Stand And Deliver! They ask if this is the first major ‘indie’ film, learn how Edward James Olmos crafted his commanding performance as Jaime Escalante, and investigate whether the real students depicted cheated on their exam. Plus: Lou Diamond Phillips explains how he got cast as Angel, and why poker requires top-notch math skills.

    This is the second episode of our “Back To School” miniseries; next week’s film is The 400 Blows! Learn more about the show at unspooledpod.com, follow us on Twitter @unspooled and Instagram @unspooledpod, and don’t forget to rate, review & subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify. Also check out our live Spool Party episodes on youtube.com/earwolf!

    • Like 1

  22. Posted

    It's a "no" vote from me, but that shouldn't be confused with a dislike of the movie. I like it very much. I'm just not sure it's one that needs to be preserved for all time in the space capsule.

    I agree with a lot of the praiseworthy elements talked about in the episode: the jokes are very sharp, the lead actresses are all great, it's very memeable and rewatchable. I think the thing that keeps it from "all-time classic" status for me is that it's also a bit didactic and literal in its delivery of themes. It's a script that has characters explain directly to the audience what the movie is about (at one point it's Fey herself doing it). Yes, that's all done with amusing jokes, so it's not a big drag or anything, but I think there are better ways to allow the audience to receive the same messages strictly through the drama and not have to explain it within the text.

  24. Posted

    7 hours ago, Cam Bert said:

    There are some directors that I really like like Wes Anderson and David Lynch that share I lot in common with David Byrne. There are lots of little odd choices in movement or wardrobe or set, that on the surface just read as weird or random. Yet everything, and I do believe everything, was painstakingly thought over by David Byrne. Some might have greater meaning and some may be just things that tickled him, but everything is deliberate. I think that's what separates him and those directors from a lot of other people that try to ape that style or a Tom Jane who decides he just needs to smoke a pipe.

    The movie Byrne directed, True Stories, definitely shares a lot of sensibility with Lynch and Anderson.

    • Like 1
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