TDOS Cabin by the Lake Movie Draft - DRAFT COMPLETED

Round 6, pick #6:

Captain America - The Winter Soldier - 2014

87D4073A-F0CE-42F3-AEF0-F9E345CE43B8.jpeg 8EF29B78-3D68-489C-A248-C817576A91C2.jpeg

Wow, what a year for Marvel Studios back in 2014, they released 2 of the consensus top 5 MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) movies that year. While Captain America : The Winter Soldier is not my favorite film in the MCU movie pantheon, it is currently in my top three.

There really had not been a superhero film since Christopher Nolan’s masterpiece The Dark Knight in 2007 considered to be a genre altering piece of cinema. It balances action, political issues, and the unwavering heroism of Steve Rodgers to near perfection.

PM sent to hrd
 
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hrdboild

Hall of Famer
With the 7th pick of the sixth round (87th overall)...

Hard Boiled (1992) -- John Woo / Action


https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0104684/

"Give a guy a gun he thinks he's Superman. Give him two and he thinks he's God"

___I had to get this movie on my list somewhere as it's one of the inspirations behind my user name. Yun-Fat Chow, the greatest actor of our time in what is, for me, the quintessential John Woo "heroic bloodshed" bullet ballet! Wasting no time, the movie starts with an acrobatic gun battle in a tea house that basically invented a new sub-genre (you're welcome The Matrix). It ends with a 30 minute shootout IN A HOSPITAL which finds our hero, Officer Tequila, toting a weapon in one hand and a crying baby in the other. Oh yes this is a movie that dares to dream big! Along the way Chow proves he could charm the pants off a Jabberwocky as he cranks the charisma up to 'mass destruction' levels of effortless cool. Tony Leung co-stars as the obligatory undercover cop who's gone a little too deep and the two eventually team up for an explosive climax that sees John Woo blow up what appears to be half of Hong Kong.

___Speaking of the director, he casts himself here as none other than Mr. Woo, the jazz club owner who acts as Officer Tequila's pop psychiatrist -- a nice touch to unite these two icons of Hong Kong cinema on the screen at the same time. This would be Woo's final film in Hong Kong before traveling to Hollywood to collaborate with lesser action stars like Jean-Claude Van Damme, John Travolta, Nicholas Cage, and Tom Cruise. It would also be his final collaboration with Yun-Fat Chow (unless you count a videogame spin-off in 2007) but oh what a crazy fun run it was! Shine on you crazy diamonds! Not the right choice for every audience -- the movie earns its R rating by way of a purported 200 guns and over 100,000 rounds of ammunition (and just one reload!) -- but when it's time for things to get messy, nobody blows stuff up with the stylistic grace of John Woo in his prime. I'd suggest warning the neighbors first but that won't be a problem way out here in the woods. Crank that sucker up to 11!

Musical choice: Michael Gibbs -- Sad Kong (Tony's Theme) and Tequila's Theme




[whitechocolate is up... PM has been sent]
 
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VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
With the 7th pick of the sixth round (87th overall)...

Hard Boiled (1992) -- John Woo / Action

View attachment 7967
https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0104684/

"Give a guy a gun he thinks he's Superman. Give him two and he thinks he's God"

___I had to get this movie on my list somewhere as it's one of the inspirations behind my user name. Yun-Fat Chow, the greatest actor of our time in what is, for me, the quintessential John Woo "heroic bloodshed" bullet ballet! Wasting no time, the movie starts with an acrobatic gun battle in a tea house that basically invented a new sub-genre. It ends with a 30 minute shootout IN A HOSPITAL which finds our hero, Officer Tequila, toting a weapon in one hand and a crying baby in the other. Oh yes this is a movie that dares to dream big! Along the way Chow proves he could charm the pants off a Jabberwocky as he cranks the charisma up to Mass Destruction levels of effortless cool. Tony Leung co-stars as the obligatory undercover cop who's gone a little too deep and the two eventually team up for an explosive climax that sees John Woo blow up what appears to be half of Hong Kong.

___Speaking of the director, he casts himself here as none other than Mr. Woo, the jazz club owner who acts as Officer Tequila's pop psychiatrist -- a nice touch to unite these two icons of Hong Kong cinema on the screen at the same time. This would be Woo's final film in Hong Kong before traveling to Hollywood to collaborate with lesser action stars like Jean-Claude Van Damme, John Travolta, Nicholas Cage, and Tom Cruise. It would also be his final collaboration with Yun-Fat Chow (unless you count a videogame spin-off in 2007) but oh what a crazy fun run it was! Shine on you crazy diamonds! Not the right choice for every audience -- the movie earns its R rating by way of a purported 200 guns and over 100,000 rounds of ammunition (and just one reload!) -- but when it's time for things to get messy, nobody blows stuff up with the stylistic grace of John Woo in his prime. I'd suggest warning the neighbors first but that won't be a problem way out here in the woods. Crank that sucker up to 11!

Musical choice: Michael Gibbs -- Sad Kong (Tony's Theme) and Tequila's Theme

View attachment 7968
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View attachment 7971

[whitechocolate is up... PM has been sent]
This explains so much. :)
 
The Rules of the Game (1939), Jean Renoir

Rules5.jpg


Calling this movie a masterpiece would be an understatement. There are lots of masterpieces. The Rules of the Game is simply one of the greatest movies ever made. Film direction and story telling are at their very peak in this movie. The motion of characters and the motion of the camera move together as elegantly as a ballet. A high society setting perfectly frames each shot. Close ups of facial expressions fit in seamlessly showing off superb acting as a story is brilliantly told. This is a story of man's struggles with love, our animal nature that simmers below the surface, and the lies we tell each other and ourselves to find comfort. I'm going to avoid going into detail and just say if you have not seen this tremendous movie, do yourself a favor and watch it.
 
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Dead Poets Society, 1989, Peter Weir

51KJ+wYPxVL._SL1000_.jpg

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097165/

Dead Poets Society explores the conflict between realism and romanticism as these contrasting ideals are presented to the students at an all-boys preparatory school. Welton Academy is founded on tradition and excellence and is bent on providing strict structured lessons prescribed by the realist, anti-youth administration. With the dawning of each new semester, hundreds of parents abandon their sons, leaving them in the tried hands of Welton staff in hopes that they will raise doctors and lawyers. When a replacement English teacher (outstanding performance by Robin Williams) arrives, who happens to be a Welton alumnus, he brings with him a passion for teaching romanticism, thus opening a never-before-seen world to his students.

There are very few films that, if you watch them for the first time at the right age, have the capacity to inspire and embolden you: Dead Poets Society is one such film. It is uncynical, idealistic and hopeful, whilst being critical and tragic at the same time. The movie explores the concept of individualism in great depth. The numerous conflicts that the characters face throughout the movie demonstrate the fundamental principles of existentialism and transcendentalism. It is often cited as one of the most inspirational films of all time, and it is one of the best drama films I have ever seen.

We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.
 

Warhawk

The cake is a lie.
Staff member
I'm heading out to Alaska in a few hours, so my response time might not be the best over the next 1.5 weeks. I'll try to stay on top of things though.
 

Capt. Factorial

trifolium contra tempestatem subrigere certum est
Staff member
Lost In Translation, 2003, Sofia Coppola

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0335266/


Lost In Translation is a really simple film - it is set in Japan and follows a fading middle-aged American actor doing a commercial shoot and a young American woman tagging along on her husband's promotional tour. They meet in their hotel bar, largely because neither can sleep, and unintentionally fall into a close bond that's doomed to dissolve as quickly as it was formed. That's it. It's just a tiny, poignant slice of life, and it's more or less perfect.
 
Lost In Translation, 2003, Sofia Coppola

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0335266/


Lost In Translation is a really simple film - it is set in Japan and follows a fading middle-aged American actor doing a commercial shoot and a young American woman tagging along on her husband's promotional tour. They meet in their hotel bar, largely because neither can sleep, and unintentionally fall into a close bond that's doomed to dissolve as quickly as it was formed. That's it. It's just a tiny, poignant slice of life, and it's more or less perfect.
Solid pick. On my list.

Among the best films to capture the elusive theme of "absence" exemplified by one of my favorite non-quote quotes of all time.

"Inaudible whispers"
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
Dead Poets Society, 1989, Peter Weir

View attachment 7981

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097165/

Dead Poets Society explores the conflict between realism and romanticism as these contrasting ideals are presented to the students at an all-boys preparatory school. Welton Academy is founded on tradition and excellence and is bent on providing strict structured lessons prescribed by the realist, anti-youth administration. With the dawning of each new semester, hundreds of parents abandon their sons, leaving them in the tried hands of Welton staff in hopes that they will raise doctors and lawyers. When a replacement English teacher (outstanding performance by Robin Williams) arrives, who happens to be a Welton alumnus, he brings with him a passion for teaching romanticism, thus opening a never-before-seen world to his students.

There are very few films that, if you watch them for the first time at the right age, have the capacity to inspire and embolden you: Dead Poets Society is one such film. It is uncynical, idealistic and hopeful, whilst being critical and tragic at the same time. The movie explores the concept of individualism in great depth. The numerous conflicts that the characters face throughout the movie demonstrate the fundamental principles of existentialism and transcendentalism. It is often cited as one of the most inspirational films of all time, and it is one of the best drama films I have ever seen.

We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.
Nice pick. I suspect mine isn't the only list that just took a hit. :)
 
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VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
The Rules of the Game (1939), Jean Renoir

View attachment 7980

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031885/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Calling this movie a masterpiece would be an understatement. There are lots of masterpieces. The Rules of the Game is simply one of the greatest movies ever made. Film direction and story telling are at their very peak in this movie. The motion of characters and the motion of the camera move together as elegantly as a ballet. A high society setting perfectly frames each shot. Close ups of facial expressions fit in seamlessly showing off superb acting as a story is brilliantly told. This is a story of man's struggles with love, our animal nature that simmers below the surface, and the lies we tell each other and ourselves to find comfort. I'm going to avoid going into detail and just say if you have not seen this tremendous movie, do yourself a favor and watch it.
I love classic films but do not remember this one. I'm looking forward to finding it and watching it.
 

Capt. Factorial

trifolium contra tempestatem subrigere certum est
Staff member
Solid pick. On my list.

Among the best films to capture the elusive theme of "absence" exemplified by one of my favorite non-quote quotes of all time.

"Inaudible whispers"
It's one of those perfect endings. I remember being just rapt in awe at how Coppola wrapped up the film the first time I saw it - wasn't at all what I was expecting.
 
With the 91st pick in the TDOS Cabin by the Lake draft, I select...

Jurassic Park (1993):



Director: Steven Spielberg
Dir. of Photography: Dean Kundey
Writer(s): David Koepp, Michael Crichton (based on the novel by)
Score: John Williams
Cast: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough
Genre(s): Science fiction, adventure, thriller, horror
Runtime: 2 hours, 7 minutes

IMDb Entry: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107290/?ref_=nv_sr_1

This is the first truly populist selection on my list, and my second by Steven Spielberg. I’m actually surprised to still find it available this late in the draft. It would seem a shame not to take it, considering it’s importance to my love of film.

Where Blade Runner informed and clarified my passage into adulthood, Jurassic Park represents the wonderment of my childhood. It was my very first experience with a film that was crafted with the intent to awe. I was six years old upon its release, and absolutely dinosaur-obsessed, like many boys of that age. And Jurassic Park worked on me. It felt like it was designed for me. It inspired awe in my six year old eyes and ears, and it still does, whenever I re-watch it. It might very well be the most-watched film in my library, if I had to take a guess. It’s also the film I saw the most during its theatrical run. My father took my brother and I to see it five times while it was in theaters (as an aside, I wouldn't engage in more than one repeat viewing of a film during its theatrical run again until Blade Runner 2049 was released over 25 years later).

As with much of Spielberg’s discography, Jurassic Park contains an undercurrent of trauma that cuts through the fantastical. A throwaway line early in the film clues us into the fact that Lex’s and Tim’s parents are getting divorced, the impact of which isn't truly felt until Lex expresses terror at the prospect of being abandoned by Alan Grant. After the Tyrannosaurus Rex escapes its paddock, Grant squirrels Lex away in a drainage pipe, and before he leaves to rescue her brother, Lex screams at Grant, "He left us! HE LEFT US!!" On initial examination, it appears she's referring to Donald Gennaro, who fled in a cowardly panic when the T-Rex broke free. But it’s hard not to read a greater anxiety over parental abandonment into Lex’s proclamation. Her world is being turned upside-down at home, and it’s being flipped inside-out in the park. Our parents are meant to shield us from harm, and though Lex maintains a strong, confident exterior posture as the tough older sister, she remains a child in need of protection and reassurance. Grant represents that reassurance, and despite his previously-communicated distaste for children, he rises to the occasion: "That’s not what I’m gonna do," he says. It’s one of the strongest moments in the film, and there’s not even a dinosaur on screen!

I could spend paragraphs writing about the impact of Jurassic Park on the world of special effects. I could prattle on bout how eminently quotable it is. I could ruminate on its place in the speculative fiction canon. I could jabber excitedly about the way it builds tension. But these days, I mostly appreciate Jurassic Park for its small emotional beats. Hammond waxing nostalgic about his flea circus. The comfort Lex finds in Grant’s fawning over the Triceratops. Ian Malcom's wry laughter on the helicopter. Ellie Sattler's determination upon being reunited with Grant. With Spielberg, so much of our emotional experience is rendered subtext. It often gets overlooked when compared to the spectacle unfolding on-screen. But the pain of loss, the traumas inflicted by that which is outside of our control, is of paramount concern to Spielberg. Close Encounters of the Third Kind was his attempt to wrestle with the divorce of his own parents, and I think Jurassic Park revisits that territory to some degree. Though it is surely a science fiction film about the hubris of man in the face of nature, it is also surely about how the wonderment of childhood can be dashed on the rocky shores of parental (and other extra-generational) failings.













PM sent to @Sluggah .
 
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hrdboild

Hall of Famer
With the 91st pick in the TDOS Cabin by the Lake draft, I select...

Jurassic Park (1993):



Director: Steven Spielberg
Dir. of Photography: Dean Kundey
Writer(s): David Koepp, Michael Crichton
Score: John Williams
Cast: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough
Genre(s): Science fiction, adventure, thriller, horror
Runtime: 2 hours, 7 minutes

IMDb Entry: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107290/?ref_=nv_sr_1

This is the first truly populist selection on my list, and my second by Steven Spielberg. I’m actually surprised to still find it available this late in the draft. It would seem a shame not to take it, considering it’s importance to my love of film.

Where Blade Runner informed and clarified my passage into adulthood, Jurassic Park represents the wonderment of my childhood. It was my very first experience with a film that was crafted with the intent to awe. I was six years old upon its release, and absolutely dinosaur-obsessed, like many boys of that age. And Jurassic Park worked on me. It felt like it was designed for me. It inspired awe in my six year old eyes and ears, and it still does, whenever I re-watch it. It might very well be the most-watched film in my library, if I had to take a guess. It’s also the film I saw the most during its theatrical run. My father took my brother and I to see it five times while it was in theaters (as an aside, I wouldn't engage in more than one repeat viewing of a film during its theatrical run again until Blade Runner 2049 was released over 25 years later).

As with much of Spielberg’s discography, Jurassic Park contains an undercurrent of trauma that cuts through the fantastical. A throwaway line early in the film clues us into the fact that Lex’s and Tim’s parents are getting divorced, the impact of which isn't truly felt until Lex expresses terror at the prospect of being abandoned by Alan Grant. After the Tyrannosaurus Rex escapes its paddock, Grant squirrels Lex away in a drainage pipe, and before he leaves to rescue her brother, Lex screams at Grant, "He left us! HE LEFT US!!" On initial examination, it appears she's referring to Donald Gennaro, who fled in a cowardly panic when the T-Rex broke free. But it’s hard not to read a greater anxiety over parental abandonment into Lex’s proclamation. Her world is being turned upside-down at home, and it’s being flipped inside-out in the park. Our parents are meant to shield us from harm, and though Lex maintains a strong, confident exterior posture as the tough older sister, she remains a child in need of protection and reassurance. Grant represents that reassurance, and despite his previously-communicated distaste for children, he rises to the occasion: "That’s not what I’m gonna do," he says. It’s one of the strongest moments in the film, and there’s not even a dinosaur on screen!

I could spend paragraphs writing about the impact of Jurassic Park on the world of special effects. I could prattle on bout how eminently quotable it is. I could ruminate on its place in the speculative fiction canon. I could jabber excitedly about the way it builds tension. But these days, I mostly appreciate Jurassic Park for its small emotional beats. Hammond waxing nostalgic about his flea circus. The comfort Lex finds in Grant’s fawning over the Triceratops. Ian Malcom's wry laughter on the helicopter. Ellie Sattler's determination upon being reunited with Grant. With Spielberg, so much of our emotional experience is rendered subtext. It often gets overlooked when compared to the spectacle unfolding on-screen. But the pain of loss, the traumas inflicted by that which is outside of our control, is of paramount concern to Spielberg. Close Encounters of the Third Kind was his attempt to wrestle with the divorce of his own parents, and I think Jurassic Park revisits that territory to some degree. Though it is surely a science fiction film about the hubris of man in the face of nature, it is also surely about how the wonderment of childhood can be dashed on the rocky shores of parental (and other extra-generational) failings.













PM sent to @Sluggah .
For the record, this is the movie I predicted Sluggah was going to pick way back in the third round. I'm surprised it lasted this long. I probably should have taken it myself, I just forgot it was still available. That great score by John Williams also adds so much to the majesty of the images. Where modern iterations would throw $200 million worth of effects at us, here we just get a shot of a helicopter flying through a canyon set to music. We haven't even seen anything yet and it's already fantastic! Maybe it's just nostalgia but I miss the simplicity of these 90s blockbusters where a two hour movie only had about 10-15 minutes of effects shots but every one of them landed because the build-up was so measured and carefully planned-out.

Case in point ... in the first half hour this movie has to explain to us how scientists can clone dinosaurs by extracting DNA from fossilized mosquitoes, how a fail-safe is in place should the dinosaurs ever escape the island, how John Hammond's idea of a dinosaur amusement park is in trouble because one of the workers was killed and thus he needs a reputable expert or two to sign off on it, how the elaborate security systems work so that we understand the geography of the place when it starts to break down, and even some great character details like Alan Grant's distaste for children and Tim's need for a father figure -- this is a ton of exposition! And still the movie just breezes by effortlessly. And none of this requires visual effects. The T-Rex is teased repeatedly without being shown so that by the time she (cause all of the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park are females remember :) ) finally bursts through the fence over an hour into the movie we're already primed for something big to happen. That's effective use of effects! Great stuff!

Oh also this is interesting.. I only read this today but do you know they made the ripples in the water cups with resonating frequencies? Check this out, someone even made a video about it:

 
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I love classic films but do not remember this one. I'm looking forward to finding it and watching it.
I'm in the habit of recording random, highly rated movies on TCM. I watched The Rules of the Game several years ago for the first time and was shocked at how good it was. I just wish I spoke French so I didn't have to avert my eyes from the scenes to read subtitles. Everything about the movie is absolutely top notch. I read up on the movie and was not surprised to find it is often cited as one of the best movies of all time. I don't understand why it isn't a commonly known title like Citizen Kane.
 
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VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
I detest subtitles. You cannot truly appreciate things like camera work, subtle nuances by the actors, etc. when your focus is on the lettering at the bottom of the screen. I'd rather listen to dubbed dialogue.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
I feel the opposite way. I strongly prefer subtitles. It's distracting when the words don't fit how the mouth is moving, and the original tone and inflection of an actor's delivery is important, assuming the actors are very good. On that note, dubs can be fun in cheesy movies.
Either way, the viewer loses a lot when he/she cannot follow the film the way it was meant to be followed, which is why some foreign-made films just lose too much when you cannot speak the language. It could easily explain why a film of this caliber (assuming you're correct) just isn't more commonly known.
 
For the record, this is the movie I predicted Sluggah was going to pick way back in the third round. I'm surprised it lasted this long. I probably should have taken it myself, I just forgot it was still available. That great score by John Williams also adds so much to the majesty of the images. Where modern iterations would throw $200 million worth of effects at us, here we just get a shot of a helicopter flying through a canyon set to music. We haven't even seen anything yet and it's already fantastic! Maybe it's just nostalgia but I miss the simplicity of these 90s blockbusters where a two hour movie only had about 10-15 minutes of effects shots but every one of them landed because the build-up was so measured and carefully planned-out.

Case in point ... in the first half hour this movie has to explain to us how scientists can clone dinosaurs by extracting DNA from fossilized mosquitoes, how a fail-safe is in place should the dinosaurs ever escape the island, how John Hammond's idea of a dinosaur amusement park is in trouble because one of the workers was killed and thus he needs a reputable expert or two to sign off on it, how the elaborate security systems work so that we understand the geography of the place when it starts to break down, and even some great character details like Alan Grant's distaste for children and Tim's need for a father figure -- this is a ton of exposition! And still the movie just breezes by effortlessly. And none of this requires visual effects. The T-Rex is teased repeatedly without being shown so that by the time she (cause all of the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park are females remember :) ) finally bursts through the fence over an hour into the movie we're already primed for something big to happen. That's effective use of effects! Great stuff!

Oh also this is interesting.. I only read this today but do you know they made the ripples in the water cups with resonating frequencies? Check this out, someone even made a video about it:

For the record, that was 1000% the movie I intended to pick with my next selection. :(
 
With my 6th pick, I select...

Titanic (1997)

653B362E-5B20-4798-89BE-E3514494CEE9.jpeg

I feel like this movie has gotten a bad rap as time goes by, but I still love it. Much like Jurassic Park, I found myself at the edge of my seat for large portions of the movie, totally mesmerized. I can’t even recall how many times I watched both in the theaters (too many?).

I’ll never let you go, Titanic.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120338/

Message sent.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
COMMISSIONER NOTE: I have been asked if someone who made a joker pick can make any subsequent ones. The answer is Yes. The only restriction is that you cannot make picks in two rounds in succession.
 
Either way, the viewer loses a lot when he/she cannot follow the film the way it was meant to be followed, which is why some foreign-made films just lose too much when you cannot speak the language. It could easily explain why a film of this caliber (assuming you're correct) just isn't more commonly known.
A poll of 846 critics, academics, distributors, and programmers, and 358 directors and filmmakers places The Rules of the Game at number four all time. (Citizen Kane was number two.) Apparently the French public to whom the film was originally released, saw the movie as unpatriotic and the original negative was even destroyed during World War II.
 
With my 6th selection in the TDOS Cabin in the Woods Movie Draft, I choose:

Ocean's 11 (2001)

ocean's 11.jpg

IMDB Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0240772/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Stylish, suspenseful ensemble piece that keeps you guessing until the end, and returning for how fun the ride was.


Quotes:
Linus: I'll tell you: you guys picked a helluva target. He is as smart and ruthless as they come. The last guy caught cheating here, Benedict not only sent him up for ten years, he got the bank to seize the guy's home and bankrupted...
Rusty: His brother-in-law's tractor dealership, I heard.
Linus: He doesn't just go after your knees, he goes after your livelihood. And everyone-you-ever-met's livelihood.
Rusty: You scared?
Linus: You suicidal?
Rusty: Only in the morning.


Saul: I have a question: Say we get into the cage, and through the security doors there and down the elevator we can't move, and past the guards with the guns, and into the vault we can't open...
Rusty: Without being seen by the cameras.
Danny: Oh yeah, sorry, I forgot to mention that.
Saul: Yeah well, say we do all that... uh... we're just supposed to walk out of there with a hundred and fifty million dollars in cash on us, without getting stopped?
Danny: Yeah.
Saul: Oh. Okay.


Danny: [holds up a black wallet] Hello Linus. Whose is this?
Linus: Who are you?
Danny: A friend of Bobby Caldwell's. [produces a plane ticket] You're either in or you're out. Right now.
Linus: What is it?
Danny: It's a plane ticket. A job offer.
Linus: You're pretty trusting pretty fast.
Danny: Well Bobby has a lot of faith in you.
Linus: Fathers are like that. [pauses, Danny is genuinely surprised] Didn't he tell you? He didn't want me trading on his name.
Danny: Do this job and he'll be trading on yours.


Rusty: Why do this?
Danny: Why not do it? [Rusty shakes his head] 'Cause yesterday I walked out of the joint after losing four years of my life and you're cold-decking "Teen Beat" cover boys. [pause] 'Cause the house always wins. Play long enough, you never change the stakes. The house takes you. Unless, when that perfect hand comes along, you bet big, then you take the house.[another pause]
Rusty: Been practicing this speech, haven't you?
Danny: Little bit. Did I rush it? Felt like I rushed it.
Rusty: No, it was good, I liked it. The "Teen Beat" thing was harsh though...I wonder what Reuben will say.[cuts to Reuben's house]
Reuben: You're out of you're goddamn minds!


Rusty: [giving last-minute tips to Linus] You look down, they know you're lying; and up, they know you don't know the truth. Don't use seven words when four will do. Don't shift your weight. Look always at your mark, but don't stare. Be specific, but not memorable. Be funny, but don't make him laugh. He's got to like you, then forget you the moment you've left his side. And for God's sake, whatever you do, don't, under any circumstances—
Livingston: [calling from off screen] Rus?
Rusty: Yeah?
Livingston: Come look at this.
Rusty: Sure. [walks away]
 
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Ocean's Eleven was one of the two movies I debated taking with my last pick. Nearly 20 years after first seeing it in theaters, I find it to be an infinitely rewatchable 2 hours of straight zen. It's an old-school Hollywood style of cool with wildly witty dialogue, a chill jazzy score, and smooth, flashy Soderbergh cinematography.

Have a pair of back-ups that combined recreate the experience in the congregate, but still a tough loss for my cabin.

However the other movie I almost took last round is strangely still here.

Ghostbusters - 1984

IMG_6999.JPG

I have to confess, I don't have as deep of a personal history with this 80s comedy classic. I remember it being an out-and-out phenomenon of kid culture in the 80s with cartoons, toy lines, Halloween costumes, and that incessantly catchy theme song played at roller rinks and birthday parties.

But my own childhood pop culture touchstone was far and away Back to the Future. Ghostbusters was relegated to a movie I had seen, enjoyed, and that was it.

It's an incredible testament to Ghostbusters both that I came to appreciate its structure and creativity more as an adult and that 30 years after its release, it still has such an impact on American pop culture. And as vilified as the Hollywood system is for crushing originality and creativity, Ghostbusters is an example of it actually working for the better.

Let's admit to start: the premise for the movie, especially Aykroyd's original concept, borders somewhere between the imaganitive and the insane. Aykroyd's first version as a vehicle for the late John Belushi, would have involved inter-dimensional/time traveling "ghost janitors" and cost $200 million in 1980s dollars to film.

Belushi's death necessitated a reworking, Ramis and Murray were brought in, the script was dialed back to be more cost-effective/less insane, Winston's part was scaled down to give Venkman/Murray more screen time, and voila, a cohesive original and palaptable sci-fi comedy for the ages was born.

Ghostbusters is a high concept, brilliantly paced, three act comedy with all the makings of a cult classic B-movie that turned into a mainstream blockbuster because of the incredible talent and Hollywood backing behind it.

Plus, it's an awesome ride everytime, 3 decades later.

Even if Ecto 1 isn't a Delorean.
 
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