Tropical Island Video Vault Draft - ROUND 20 - FINAL ROUND
- Thread starter Jespher
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Lowneherz selects:
For my third-round choice I'm going to go with The Big Lebowski (1998).
This movie has everything - a main character named simply The Dude, bowling, a ringer of whites, nihilists ("Say what you like about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude, at least it's an ethos"), a segment from Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, and a rug that really ties it all together.
The Big Lebowski has a plot complicated enough to stand up to (require, really) multiple viewings, and pretty much every time I watch this movie I catch something subtle I hadn't noticed before. Perfect for my island.
This movie has everything - a main character named simply The Dude, bowling, a ringer of whites, nihilists ("Say what you like about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude, at least it's an ethos"), a segment from Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, and a rug that really ties it all together.
The Big Lebowski has a plot complicated enough to stand up to (require, really) multiple viewings, and pretty much every time I watch this movie I catch something subtle I hadn't noticed before. Perfect for my island.
Amadeus - 1984
So, Tom Hulce is Mozart.
What?! That has to be the most asinine and, well, weirdly inspired casting choices in the history of cinema.
The supremely gifted, spoiled, conceited and oblivious man-child as performed by an alumnus of Delta Tau Chi ... All right. Combine that with Abraham's brooding and spiteful Salieri and from there the plot kind of plays out like a twisted Road Runner cartoon.
But the real beauty of Amadeus - aside from the works of Mozart as its score - is how the movie mirrors the duplicity of its namesake adding considerable depth to what could have been a straightforward story of envy run amok.
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Well...ever since last round I knew what I was going to take here...until about 5 picks ago when I suddenly realized something was going to slip to me that I simply could not pass up. My island is starting to shape up as a rather tense place, but still, I was going to want a movie of this type, and how could I do much better?:
The Silence of the Lambs (1991) R
It may not be the single most rewatched movie on the isle, but when I'm looking for a chiller and a thriller, I've got one of the great meditations on human evil, and one of the great iconic performances to which to turn.
The Silence of the Lambs (1991) R
It may not be the single most rewatched movie on the isle, but when I'm looking for a chiller and a thriller, I've got one of the great meditations on human evil, and one of the great iconic performances to which to turn.
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Great pick, and definitely on my list.
I think it's easy to forget just how well-made this movie is. Having not seen it for at least half a decade, about a year ago I saw it was starting in 2 minutes and flipped over to the channel, figured I'd let the opening credits roll by as I searched for something else on. Ended up watching the whole thing. It just draws you in from the very beginning, it's perfectly paced, practically flawless. Maybe a bit grim to watch over and over, but a great flick.
I think it's easy to forget just how well-made this movie is. Having not seen it for at least half a decade, about a year ago I saw it was starting in 2 minutes and flipped over to the channel, figured I'd let the opening credits roll by as I searched for something else on. Ended up watching the whole thing. It just draws you in from the very beginning, it's perfectly paced, practically flawless. Maybe a bit grim to watch over and over, but a great flick.
Another of the films that shouldn't have gone undrafted last time, my next pick is:
American Psycho (2000) -- This is one of those films that, while I absolutely loved it when I saw it in theaters, I didn't think I'd have much need to purchase or to watch repeatedly. Not because of the darkness or the violence, necessarily, since those are both characteristics for which I have an exceedingly high level of tolerance, but more because the slickness and prettiness of the dark violence cleverly tricks you into thinking its appeal is all surface. Christian Bale is brilliant in the lead, playing a character so over-the-top in his nuttiness that you lose track of the film's subtleties -- its wit, its unflinching satire of the 1980s, its wonderful pacing, its terrific direction (by a woman, incidentally, which is often lost on those who can't grasp the satire and protest its misogyny), and so on. But there is great depth in this film and its lead performance, which is ultimately what made this seemingly superficial larf for years impossible to resist when caught on cable and eventually one of the most often viewed discs in my collection. Besides, if nothing else, it will ensure that when I finally get off my island I'll have a great future in designing the perfect business card.
American Psycho (2000) -- This is one of those films that, while I absolutely loved it when I saw it in theaters, I didn't think I'd have much need to purchase or to watch repeatedly. Not because of the darkness or the violence, necessarily, since those are both characteristics for which I have an exceedingly high level of tolerance, but more because the slickness and prettiness of the dark violence cleverly tricks you into thinking its appeal is all surface. Christian Bale is brilliant in the lead, playing a character so over-the-top in his nuttiness that you lose track of the film's subtleties -- its wit, its unflinching satire of the 1980s, its wonderful pacing, its terrific direction (by a woman, incidentally, which is often lost on those who can't grasp the satire and protest its misogyny), and so on. But there is great depth in this film and its lead performance, which is ultimately what made this seemingly superficial larf for years impossible to resist when caught on cable and eventually one of the most often viewed discs in my collection. Besides, if nothing else, it will ensure that when I finally get off my island I'll have a great future in designing the perfect business card.
Another of the films that shouldn't have gone undrafted last time, my next pick is:
I've never seen it (actually I'm sorry to say that that goes for more films than I'd like to admit, considering I'm studying English and Film) but it looks like one I'll have to check out. I was particularly worried about you GGG, going by the last draft I thought you may be a threat to me at this pick.
IMDB seems to have its movie ratings wonked to hell. The home version is unrated and is probably the NC17 cut, it features a whopping 18 seconds of extra footage, which is mostly Christian Bale's naked buttocks. I was going to settle for the R myself... now I demand it. No naked Bale buttocks for you G3.
BTW, like with Grindhouse the little picture rating at the top says one thing but if you scroll down to the film info below it clearly states it was a US R, if you click the "see all certifications" link it then shows all ratings it got. You can also go to http://movie-censorship.com/ to get a full explanation of many movies different versions. This site is most definitely NSFW as a whole, nor is the entry for American Psycho which shows a few still frames from the censored scenes.
BTW, like with Grindhouse the little picture rating at the top says one thing but if you scroll down to the film info below it clearly states it was a US R, if you click the "see all certifications" link it then shows all ratings it got. You can also go to http://movie-censorship.com/ to get a full explanation of many movies different versions. This site is most definitely NSFW as a whole, nor is the entry for American Psycho which shows a few still frames from the censored scenes.
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My third selection:
Return of the Jedi (1983)
What can I say about Jedi? I have probably watched this film more times than any other single film and intend on watching it more. There are Ewoks, but for those purists who hate ewoks, realize that Star Wars was ALWAYS a combination of slap-stick humour and good old fashioned sci-fi... in Emprie and Star Wars, there was R2 and C-3P0, as well as the banter between Chewie and Han... so I have no problem with Ewoks. But there is also a TON of other weird and exciting characters in this film that make it so great and so much fun...
Return of the Jedi (1983)
What can I say about Jedi? I have probably watched this film more times than any other single film and intend on watching it more. There are Ewoks, but for those purists who hate ewoks, realize that Star Wars was ALWAYS a combination of slap-stick humour and good old fashioned sci-fi... in Emprie and Star Wars, there was R2 and C-3P0, as well as the banter between Chewie and Han... so I have no problem with Ewoks. But there is also a TON of other weird and exciting characters in this film that make it so great and so much fun...
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