Tropic Thunder

[Ryan L 57]

As referenced in the Breakfast at Tiffanys episode - why not do an episode on Tropic Thunder? I always love going back and watching this movie, I can find something new with all the various characters every time. It's a great satirical piece on big budget Hollywood and the stereotypical crazy actors (RDJ's both bringing in shades of new inductee Daniel Day-Lewis and himself). Speaking of which, have we even considered any films of Ben Stiller or Robert Downey Jr (or even the supporting McConnaughy or Nolte) yet? And this is not even to mention that Amy might get another stab at getting Tom Cruise into the Canon. Thoughts?

[RobertBoberts 62]

I can't see this getting in. Sure, I like it a lot but it doesn't really stand out much to me. The Royal Tenenbaums is the only possibly canon-worthy Stiller movie that comes to mind.

[RobertBoberts 62]

Actually they already did a Stiller movie with There's Something About Mary. I don't recall whether it got in the Canon though.

[joel_rosenbaum 1269]

I was pretty nonplused by Tropic Thunder. I figured a lot of the positive critical reaction was due to the insider-y nature of the jokes. I get that, but that stuff did not resonate with me at all. Apparently Ben Stiller was adamant that the film wasn't just a spoof, but that's how it come across. Nothing wrong with spoofs, but they are (by definition) derivative works.

[RobertBoberts 62]

For a better insider film-within-a-film, you should check out Truffaut's Day for Night.

[NathanGordon 1096]

For a better insider film-within-a-film, you should check out Truffaut's Day for Night.

And for a different sort of film within a film, Olivier Assayas' Irma Vep is wonderfully meta.

[phred2321 57]

I saw it when it came out and loved it. Haven't seen it since so I'd like to revisit it and see how it holds up

[petesgotaces 0]

I thought Tropic Thunder was pretty bad. Wasn't funny at all.