Brandy and Cigars MkII

ToxicPaddy wrote: »

This is true, but unfortunately these days investors and film studios don't and won't invest in anything unless its a big budget kick ass all action flick which will break box office records.

Nobody wants to make a film because its a good film which will tell a good story. Like almost everything it touches, money has ruined that industry too

Shame really!!

Every time I complain that a blockbuster movie is directorially dumb, or insultingly scripted, or crappily acted, or artistically barren, I get a torrent of emails from alleged mainstream-movie lovers complaining that I (as a snotty critic) am applying highbrow criteria that cannot and should not be applied to good old undemanding blockbuster entertainment. I am not alone in this; every critic worth their salt has been lectured about their distance from the demands of "popular cinema", or has been told that their views are somehow elitist and out of touch (and if you haven't been told this then you are not a critic, you are a "showbiz correspondent"). This has become the shrieking refrain of 21st-century film (anti)culture – the idea that critics are just too clever for their own good, have seen too many movies to know what the average punter wants, and are therefore sorely unqualified to pass judgment on the popcorn fodder that "real" cinema-goers demand from the movies.

This is baloney – and worse, it is pernicious baloney peddled by people who are only interested in money and don't give a damn about cinema. The problem with movies today is not that "real" cinema-goers love garbage while critics only like poncy foreign language arthouse fare. The problem is that we've all learned to tolerate a level of overpaid, institutionalised corporate dreadfulness that no one actually likes but everyone meekly accepts because we've all been told that blockbuster movies have to be stupid to survive. Being intelligent will cause them to become unpopular. Duh! The more money you spend, the dumb and dumberer you have to be. You know the drill: no one went broke underestimating the public intelligence. That's just how it is, OK?

Well, actually, no. You want proof? OK. Exhibit A: Inception.

Inception is an artistically ambitious and intellectually challenging thriller from writer/director Christopher Nolan, who made his name with the temporally dislocated low- budget "arthouse" puzzler Memento. Nolan unfashionably imagines that his audience are sentient beings, and treats them as such regardless of budget. Memento cost $5m, had no stars or special effects, aimed high nonetheless, expected its audience to keep up, and reaped over $25m in the US alone. Inception cost $160m, had huge stars and blinding special effects, aimed high nonetheless, expected its audience to keep up, and took around $800m worldwide. See a connection here?

Nolan earned the right to make a movie as intelligent and expensive as Inception by grossing Warner Bros close to $1.5bn with Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, both of which can best be described as arthouse movies posing as massive franchise blockbusters. I remember being genuinely stunned by the level of invention at work in Batman Begins, and burbling to Radio 5 Live listeners that it was "far, far smarter than any of us had the right to expect from a movie which cost that much". But why shouldn't it be smart? Why shouldn't we expect movies that "cost that much" to be worth it?

ToxicPaddy wrote: »

Oh that sounds like its gonna be a fun day.. ahh well, its nearly the weekend so that has to be some sort of consolation.. Hows the new MP3 player going?

Ohhhh nice.. cant beat an aul full irish brekkie!! Lots of ketchup required.. Ahh sure I'm grand, have a team night out tonight at the doggies, so a will have a = few scoops and a bite to eat. Should be a good night

Hyperbullet wrote: »

Actually there's a question for ye Dublin residents, where's a good place for a fry up in the city?

stupidusername wrote: »

we'll be great at it. at last i'll have a party trick!

papagormo wrote: »

(Oh, nice to meet yourself and stupidusername there at the weekend!:))

Kya1976 wrote: »

There will most definitely be pics:D

ToxicPaddy wrote: »

pole dancing at the next beers.. I'M THERE!!!! and SUN owes me a pint too.. ohh its gonna be a good night..

Now, what do we use for tips? Do you girls accept dollar bills as I think throwing Euro coins at you might hurt.. :pac:

ToxicPaddy wrote: »

Wanna be a bloody good dance..

Maguined wrote: »

To defend the reputation of the forum there will need to be more male pole dancers than women, I nominate Otis, Drav and Parker Kent to be our champions.

ToxicPaddy wrote: »

hmmm.. ok ok, suppose I could break a €50 to give ya €5.. :pac:

stupidusername wrote: »

you too



oh will there really?



nah, has to be notes - euro notes. so i guess that means minimum of €5 tips :cool:

Maguined wrote: »

To defend the reputation of the forum there will need to be more male pole dancers than women, I nominate Otis, Drav and Parker Kent to be our champions.