joel_rosenbaum

Stranger Things works as a throwback piece, but the characters are paper thin and their motivations make no sense at all. I'm still on the fence with Stand By Me. I love this movie but it seems to be missing something. I agree with Amy that it's not one of Reiner's top three, but Reiner (pre-North) was one of the best directors of his era. ETA: grammar.

I always wondered why Mason's career disappeared for ~20 years. It couldn't have just been the Ed Sullivan stuff. And while he is/was a huge dick, he had plenty of company. Appearing in Caddyshack II certainly wasn't the way to kick off the comeback on a high note, though.

Tony Hawk:

I suggested a Superfly v. Shaft episode way back when. I still think it's a good idea. I also agree that Curtis Mayfield > Isaac Hayes.

Nora Ephron deserves a lot of props as a writer. She also wrote "When Harry Met Sally" which deserves Canon consideration. But the movies she directed just aren't that level for me. You could make a tenuous argument for Sleepless in Seattle / You've Got Mail, but those are movies *very* much of their time.

To honor the deceased (all three of them): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeK-Q1xoGxw

Stand By Me is arguably my fourth-favorite Reiner film, which is nuts when you consider that I love this movie.

How about Big, directed by Penny Marshall? You could also make a case for Awakenings or (stretching a little) A League of their Own. After that, it's all garbage. Speaking of Bigelow, I will lose my mind if Strange Days makes it in ahead of the Hurt Locker.

On point parody of the Seventh Seal, though:

"Nothing But Trouble: The Origin Story" Seriously, this pile of shit... Jonathan Silverman really needs more HDTGM representation.

I suggested Jeunet way back when, so I'm on board with Amelie. Speaking of Dark City, what the hell happened to Alex Proyas? Gods of Egypt is a rough way to go.

Setting aside the message(s) of the film, how said messages were delivered drove. me. nuts. Yes, the horrible acting is a huge part of this. But they can't be blamed for a script that contains lines of direct exposition like (paraphrasing): "He's laying there with his arms spread out. You know... like Jesus."

I read this opening post thinking: "please no Gran Torino". But, alas. I feel like I'm alone in thinking that was a truly terrible movie. Plenty of other good Eastwood movies to choose from, though.

Spike Lee nailed this one. It's almost enough for forgive him for being a Knicks fan:

There are probably only 3-4 Gerard Butler movies, tops, that don't belong in a HDTGM episode.

That's a good call. The physical resemblance is there, too. As for the progression of Brooks comedies, I think that Spaceballs is the one where you really start seeing chinks in the armor. It's still a very enjoyable movie, but it starts to veer into the derivative/direct parody territory that characterized Brooks' crummy 1990s comedies.

Origin of Bobo?

I remember back in the early aughts, a lot of discussion about Sophia Stewart -- the obscure author who saw elements of her rejected screenplays incorporated in the Matrix. I've always thought it was a coincidence, but perhaps Devin and Amy could shed some more insight. Besides, even if the Wachowskis ripped her off, she can wait in line with many others. The Matrix is shamelessly derivative yet succeeds as its own work all the same.

I think this movie just needs to get done. If only for closure. I did see this movie and remember maybe about 3% of it; must have been awesome, though.

The Harder They Come For the soundtrack alone, but other reasons, too.

I am blown the fuck away that John Lennon was/is ranked last.

Yep.

The transition period between the books is nine years. Surviving that long with addiction is certainly believable, especially when the characters are in their twenties when the story begins.

I won't speak for Devin or Amy, but I don't anticipate an episode about the Graduate or the French Connection. Those movies have been exhaustively covered by other critics; in that context it might be difficult to have an original discussion. That said, I would have said the same thing about the Godfather trilogy, which are probably the most discussed films of American cinema, and they went there. In defense of my point, you can look at the AFI 100 and see that this show has largely avoided movies from that list.