The Flying Penguin wrote on Jul 6, 2022, 10:00:
Although I'm tired of the Marvel movies and assumed I was over them, the wife wanted to watch the new Dr. Strange the other night, and I have to say that was surprisingly fun.

I love visuals in Dr. Strange even though I never knew who he was. There are way too many medias to watch. I am falling behind. I am going to have to skip Venom, Morbius, Eternals, etc. Black Widow is a maybe.

Although I'm tired of the Marvel movies and assumed I was over them, the wife wanted to watch the new Dr. Strange the other night, and I have to say that was surprisingly fun.

Love Zemeckis' films.
Not so much his grandad phase movies, as the Spielberg one.

I'll have to find refuge in movies with european sensibilities, more centered in relationships like Dune than mere action, speed and pyrotechnics.

I've been deleting movies left and right half way through in disgust or forcing myself to finish them at 1,23 or 1,5 speed (Black Widow, other recent Marvel ones).

Yesterday erased Suicide Squad (the John Cena one) one third in.
What a soulless gratuitous amoral butchery passing as entertainment.
What's wrong with the USA, how anyone sane could like that ?

With that deplorable fare, no wonder any unstable asocial freak will grab an automatic weapon.

Mr. Tact wrote on Jul 5, 2022, 13:28:

The Flying Penguin wrote on Jul 5, 2022, 11:10:
Okay, that oral history about the movie Contact was really interesting. Thanks for that.

It was an interesting read. Although I have to disagree with the sentiment that it couldn't be made today. I think Arrival is an example of a similar movie. You do get to see the aliens in Arrival, but it is just as cerebral as Contact. I'm glad they added the "18 hours of static" line, it does provide a completely different emotional reaction to the film. I've been meaning to re-read the Contact novel for a while now, but haven't gotten around to it. I think I'll bump it up the list...

Zemeckis is both right and wrong. He's right that you can't really make medium-sized films anymore. It's all either more independent work, or it's swings for the fences. Hollywood realized that big bets are better than small bets. Better to fail huge on some and hit huge on others than make medium on all. It's sad, in many ways. We'll never have a Top 10 grossing films like 1988 again, the year that Rain Man was #1 and Die Hard was #10.

That said, Zemeckis made Roger Rabbit, 3 Back to the Futures, and Romancing the Stone in the 1980s. All of those could easily be made again. 1 relied upon old IP, 2 were sequels, and one was a modernized throwback that was made to somewhat rip off Indiana Jones. We had 2 of those this year alone, in Uncharted and Lost City (which was, itself, a Romancing the Stone throwback and rip off!) Back to the Future would be the hardest sell, and it's a high concept sci fi movie with multiple timelines, just like half of what comes out today, so I remain unconvinced.

Zemeckis overall sentiment about Hollywood no longer financing much of what they did in the 80s is right, but his complaint that he couldn't make the same movies he did back then seems way wrong. He was never a little guy small filmmaker. His 80s output is big, loud, and awesome.

The Flying Penguin wrote on Jul 5, 2022, 11:10:
Okay, that oral history about the movie Contact was really interesting. Thanks for that.

It was an interesting read. Although I have to disagree with the sentiment that it couldn't be made today. I think Arrival is an example of a similar movie. You do get to see the aliens in Arrival, but it is just as cerebral as Contact. I'm glad they added the "18 hours of static" line, it does provide a completely different emotional reaction to the film. I've been meaning to re-read the Contact novel for a while now, but haven't gotten around to it. I think I'll bump it up the list...

Cutter wrote on Jul 4, 2022, 16:57:
Good to see [url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/07/04/us/july-4?action=click&pgtype=Article&module=&state=default®ion=header&context=breakout_link_back_to_briefing]Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest[/url] is back, and Joey Chestnut won yet again. Anyone ever been to this thing, or Coney Island? Ever run into The Warriors there? Despite having been to NYC several times I've never been and I've always wanted to go.

I've never been to the hotdog eating contest. But growing up in Brooklyn, one of my very earliest memories was July 4th on the boardwalk in Coney Island.

As for the Warriors, the area was certainly sketchy at the time of the movie. But like much of the tourist attractions in New York City, it's nothing like it used to be. It's not quite as Disney as Times Square (yet), but you are not going to run into any gang members there.

But everyone who visits the area should definitely ride The Cyclone.

Okay, that oral history about the movie Contact was really interesting. Thanks for that.

eRe4s3r wrote on Jul 5, 2022, 09:16:
To me the USA has always only been the tiny part around the coast lines anyway, everything else is, imo, already a failed state.

There is plenty of failure near the coast. Ever heard of Florida and Texas?

To me the USA has always only been the tiny part around the coast lines anyway, everything else is, imo, already a failed state.

Finding it harder and harder to celebrate a holiday that's supposed to represent freedom in a country that doesn't represent freedom.

From the NYT....

"As of early Monday morning, at least 57 people had been shot in Chicago over the Fourth of July weekend, nine of them fatally, according to NBC Chicago. That did not include the toll from the Highland Park shooting outside the city."

Chi-raq.

Marvin T. Martian wrote on Jul 4, 2022, 16:01:
I see Chicago is celebrating July 4th the American way. So Sad

Copenhagen: "Mass shooter kills three!"
Chicago: "Hold my Pabst Blue Ribbon. "

crazedgironemo wrote on Jul 4, 2022, 22:56:

RedEye9 wrote on Jul 4, 2022, 18:48:
4th of July parade shooter kills 6, injures over 30 more.
We are so lucky to have the 2nd Amendment.
Repeal 2a

It's obviously time to harden parade routes against shooters. Only have parades where there are no tall buildings or trees, make sure there is only one entrance and exit for everyone, ensure there are walls between the parade and the spectators, and arm the parade participants. /s

Every other float is a JLTV with a turreted 50 cal machine gun.

RedEye9 wrote on Jul 4, 2022, 18:48:
4th of July parade shooter kills 6, injures over 30 more.
We are so lucky to have the 2nd Amendment.
Repeal 2a

It's obviously time to harden parade routes against shooters. Only have parades where there are no tall buildings or trees, make sure there is only one entrance and exit for everyone, ensure there are walls between the parade and the spectators, and arm the parade participants and parade marshals. /s

4th of July parade shooter kills 6, injures over 30 more.
We are so lucky to have the 2nd Amendment.
Repeal 2a

Good to see Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest is back, and Joey Chestnut won yet again. Anyone ever been to this thing, or Coney Island? Ever run into The Warriors there? Despite having been to NYC several times I've never been and I've always wanted to go.

Ugh, I've been mulling over where to go just to get out of here for a week. Was considering Cleveland and Chi-town but seeing as they just had a mass-shooting at their July 4th parade...America, you and guns, fuck. Maybe I'll just head back to NYC or down to Warshington.

I love the irony of Trumpers getting sued for defamation after Trump campaigned heavily on making it easier to sue people for defamation. Though like most things he campaigned on, he didn't do anything so it's not actually any easier than it was before.

Acleacius wrote on Jul 4, 2022, 16:17:
Yeah, imagine if they were a propaganda machine for Democracy!
[wonder what that would feel like]

Pretty sure no human has yet to experience that...

Yeah, imagine if they were a propaganda machine for Democracy!
[wonder what that would feel like]

I see Chicago is celebrating July 4th the American way. So Sad