The Movie Thread

[Tom Slick]

Back to Man of Fire, do note that Denzel shows no pleasure in his acts (though he's slightly mocking his very evil victims) , he's not sadistic, he just wants to find and save the kidnapped girl, at any cost to the bad guys. All the more as she was his responsibility, his watch, and also, somehow, his only and last friend.

It's been more than 10 years since I saw this, so I may remember something incorrectly, but I'm not talking about cutting fingers. That wasn't the ultimate torture scene, or if it was, it was the warm-up. I can send you a DM of what I mean if you like.

I find it interesting that you seem to argue moral justification because Denzel's character took no pleasure in the torture and that he was trying to save a girl. That's just the kind of false dichotomy that allows the poisonous Hollyweird brain worm into your mind.

I believe torture is always wrong because if you don't limit what you're willing to do, you'll eventually become as evil as your enemy.

 

[Going strong]

I agree that most Hollywood movies are currently full of "poisonous weird brainworms" as you, deservedly, put it.

I'm just saying that Liam Neeson' and Denzel Washington's movies are absolutely not the worst, and are even, in general, quite good and decent.

Regarding enhanced interrogation techniques, it's definitely a very unsavory and troubling issue for a Christian, even in times of war. Once again, I think that for Catholics, only his holiness the (true) Pope, could grant permission to a Christian warrior, to use such techniques against an evil terrorist, to urgently save lives. Personally I would defer such responsibility to another man, even if there was such a Papal order, as it might taint one's soul, even during war times and exceptional circumstances.

Now if you want real evil in Hollywood, forget about Neeson and Washington, and for instance, read my old posts here on Ray Donovan.

 

[Hypno]

Saw an interesting film that some of you might enjoy.

The film is Swimming Pool, 2003. Its a mystery/thriller. Reviews at the time described it as Hitcockian but I would say its in the film noir category as well. Its a French film that was distributed in the U.S., mostly in arthouse theaters. I saw it in the theater 20 years ago and decided to rewatch it.

Its a small film - most of it takes place at a house with a swimming pool in the South of France, with two brief scenes at a publisher's office in London. The premise is simple - a mystery writer based in London has writers block and meets with her publisher, who suggests she use his house in the South of France to relax. She goes there and then unexpectedly ends up sharing the house with her publisher's 20-something daughter. Ultimately a crime occurs, and the Hitchcockian part is how the characters react to the crime.

As a character study, the film is interesting in contrasting a late 50s woman who came up during the sexual revolution with a 20 somethign woman. The older woman, the main character, sees herself in the younger woman, which to some extent pleases her but mostly disgusts her.

The film is well directed and has a feeling of its own unique to the slower pace of the South of France when its not in season - similar to the heat in Body Heat and the chill in The Ghost Writer.

The one thing very interesting about this film is the final scene. After the mystery in France is wrapped up, the author returns to London and re-visit her publisher. Its almost a throw-away, unnecessary scene, but something is revealed which changes the meaning of the entire film. I won't say more because that would give away much of the ending, but it will cause you to question what you thought you understood of the mystery and make you want to re-watch the film. The ending, therefore, is ambiguous, but according to Roger Ebert there is only one interpretation that accounts for all of the facts which, in my opinion, is more satisfying than some other films like Mulholland Drive or Inception which have ambigous endings that are all but impossible to resolve.

The film is loaded with symbolism as well, including some Christian symbolism. I won't say more because it would ruin the mystery for you.

 

[Papist]

I don't know anything about this movie, however I can only imagine it's based from some of the comments. Just checked its availability:

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Am-That-Man-Matthew-Marsden/dp/B09PWK7RP8/
US: https://www.amazon.com/Am-That-Man-Matthew-Marsden/dp/B09PWDS9R2/

 

[2 Right Hands]

Was his friend white?

 

[GuitarVH]

View attachment 36455

Was his friend white?

From looking at the trailer, it seems that it was an old Jewish guy killed by a neo-Nazi white guy. So, basically another ridiculous premise.

 

[Papist]

View attachment 36455

Was his friend white?

From looking at the trailer, it seems that it was an old Jewish guy killed by a neo-Nazi white guy. So, basically another ridiculous premise.

Not necessarily a ridiculous premise, though extremely rare I'd suggest. However, what makes this any different from Hollywood? That is exactly the type of plot I would expect from a Hollywood movie. Thanks guys, I was going to pay for it, too.

 

[Turretin]

Tepepa with Tomas Milian is a good italo western. It takes place during the mexican revolution and the characters are very well drawn.

 

[Max Roscoe]

I recently saw the 2021 western indie film Old Henry.
Fantastic, simple story without any of the weird Hollywood timeline-out-of-order or ridiculous plot twists near the end. Just a story of a good man taking action to help a stranger who comes into his town and the bad men that follow.

I don't know how they pulled this off, but every single actor in the film was a white male (one hispanic). The pacing was good and the lead actor does an awesome job of playing the old man.. it's a little bit like Death Wish meets John Wayne.

 

[Turretin]

I just watched The Professor and the Madman. It is based on a true story. Sean Penn and Mel Gibson are great, but the movie is very cheesy. I was glad when it ended.

 

[Maddox]

From looking at the trailer, it seems that it was an old Jewish guy killed by a neo-Nazi white guy. So, basically another ridiculous premise.

Where are these Neo-Nazi groups that the Hollywood Jews seem to think are such a problem? There couldn't be more than 9 of these people in the entire country. But they always try to project this to be a huge problem with numbers so large that everyone in this country has one of these lunatics as a neighbor.

They never show the truth...which is hard-working Heritage Whites as people who don't want invaders to take over their culture. Instead, they take the truth and twist it into whites who want to use violence against others. They go from non-violent intelligent people in real life to low-class thugs on the silver screen.

 

[GuitarVH]

Where are these Neo-Nazi groups that the Hollywood Jews seem to think are such a problem?

Nowhere.

There couldn't be more than 9 of these people in the entire country. But they always try to project this to be a huge problem with numbers so large that everyone in this country has one of these lunatics as a neighbor.

Correct.

They never show the truth...which is hard-working Heritage Whites as people who don't want invaders to take over their culture. Instead, they take the truth and twist it into whites who want to use violence against others. They go from non-violent intelligent people in real life to low-class thugs on the silver screen.

Correct.

More proof that "Heritage Whites" are not running the media, Hollywood or the government. Why would they be against themselves? Answer - they wouldn't.

 

[lasunsets]

So I have almost finished my Tarkovsky journey and would like to report on my experience watching him.

Ivan's Childhood: A great opening film. Released in 1962, it displays the horror of war and how it can corrupt the youth by destroying their innocence. The concepts of dreams are prevalent in Tarkovsky's work and you see a glimpse of it here. The last scene is incredibly poignant. You deserved a better life, Ivan.

Andrei Rublev: 1966. A magnificent tale on the 15th century iconographer Andrei Rublev. I don't know where to start and where to finish. It's just a very powerful film and displays the glory of Rublev's Orthodoxy in the midst of the suffering of Russian life. Just to note, there is a particular scene that displays nudity so just a heads up. Tarkovsky, being an Orthodox Christian does not glorify nudity so keep that in mind.

Solaris: 1972. It's been said that Kubrick's 2001 was a journey of man attempting to escape his world but Solaris is a film in which, no matter how far a man goes, he carries his humanity within him.

Mirror: 1975. Often considered to be the most loved of his works, this movie is essentially dreamlike. It's poetry in motion. It's truly an experience. If you didn't like it the first time you viewed it, watch it again later on.

Nostalghia: 1983. Another powerful film. For any man who lives in a foreign country yet is perpetually homesick, this will hit you in the most deepest parts of your heart. Since I am in that category, the film had a special significance for me. One scene has nudity (very brief) so heads up. The scene at the end with the candle.....wow.

There is one more film that I have left which is The Sacrifice which I will watch next week. All in all, he's a magnificent director who produces these ethereal dreamlike images in the mind of the viewer.

 

[Turretin]

Where are these Neo-Nazi groups that the Hollywood Jews seem to think are such a problem? There couldn't be more than 9 of these people in the entire country. But they always try to project this to be a huge problem with numbers so large that everyone in this country has one of these lunatics as a neighbor.

They never show the truth...which is hard-working Heritage Whites as people who don't want invaders to take over their culture. Instead, they take the truth and twist it into whites who want to use violence against others. They go from non-violent intelligent people in real life to low-class thugs on the silver screen.

The best thing would be to boycott pop culture. I don't do that as much as I should - we basically give money to people who despise us.

 

[Max Roscoe]

The Last Duel is a Ridley Scott film based on a novel The Last Duel: A True Story of Trial by Combat in Medieval France. It features the Matt Damon / Ben Affleck duo, but they are enemies. It's an interesting premise in that the film tells the story in three acts, from the point of view of three different characters. There you can see very different stories, based on how each person interpreted the events going on around him, tempered by his own emotions.

While it's a mostly wholesome film (though violent--it depicts battles in 14th century France), it would have also been popular in the old ROK forum days as well, as there is a strong blue pill / red pill female social dynamic theme (without giving too much away, the main event that both characters see differently is about an important woman in their lives). For a modern film, I'd rate it highly, perhaps a 7 overall but considering it was made in 2020, it would be a 9+ grading on a curve for current year (I mostly enjoy pre-2000 films).

 

[MichaelWitcoff]

The Last Duel is a Ridley Scott film based on a novel The Last Duel: A True Story of Trial by Combat in Medieval France. It features the Matt Damon / Ben Affleck duo, but they are enemies. It's an interesting premise in that the film tells the story in three acts, from the point of view of three different characters. There you can see very different stories, based on how each person interpreted the events going on around him, tempered by his own emotions.

While it's a mostly wholesome film (though violent--it depicts battles in 14th century France), it would have also been popular in the old ROK forum days as well, as there is a strong blue pill / red pill female social dynamic theme (without giving too much away, the main event that both characters see differently is about an important woman in their lives). For a modern film, I'd rate it highly, perhaps a 7 overall but considering it was made in 2020, it would be a 9+ grading on a curve for current year (I mostly enjoy pre-2000 films).

I thought it was excellent.

 

[GuitarVH]

I thought it was excellent.

Alright lads, I may have to check it out. Thanks.

 

[MusicForThePiano]

I'll take your "Last Duel" and raise you one The Duellists (1977):



Most historically accurate dueling footage I've seen on camera outside of actual fencer's or swordfighters. Similar vibes to Master and Commander, just decades earlier. Some adult thematic elements but nothing compared to today.

 

[Tom Slick]

I thought it was excellent.

Did you notice that...

Spoiler: The Last Duel plot point

...one of the Rashomon sequences where they show the rape from the perspective of the man and the woman were nearly identical?

 

[joost]

The Last Duel is a Ridley Scott film based on a novel The Last Duel: A True Story of Trial by Combat in Medieval France.
...
I'd rate it highly, perhaps a 7 overall but considering it was made in 2020, it would be a 9+ grading on a curve for current year (I mostly enjoy pre-2000 films).

I was going to watch it but from the trailer it seemed like the plot was something like "woman raped, men bad" vibes. I might watch it then.