More Film at Eleven

Um, I just don't wanna pummel the Oscars. I wanna smack all the movies. Seriously, where did all the good movies go? Even bad good movies seem in short supply.

From the last few years I remember but a handful fondly, with B-fare like Dagon, Donnie Darko, and Brotherhood of the Wolf at the top my own personal best-of list. Hell, they are among the handful that made any impression whatsoever, besides "Oh, great. Another pomo statement of detached, Hollywood irony I can see coming from a time zone away."

Here's an idea. Tell me a frickin' coherent story folks. Then move on to the big lesson stuff.

Comments

[Mark S.]

While we're on the topic of H.P. Lovecraft film adapations: I'm yet to see Dagon myself, my friend keeps threatening to loan it to me. I didn't much care for Reanimator or it's sequels, but they did do a pretty descent adaptation of "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward" called "The Resurrected." Also I hear that after he finishes his film adaptation of the comic book Hellboy, director Guillermo del Toro will start work on "At The Mountains Of Madness." Coolness.

Ia! Ia! Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!

[Steve]

Pretty sure I get enough "real life". I watch movies to be entertained. I don't CARE about the socio-political statement.

[Madog]

Donnie Darko was coherent?
Still kicked ass though.

[Russ]

Jeff, sounds like you're more into "high concept" than story. I liked Donnie Darko, but it arguably didn't have a story (which proves you don't need one). I haven't seen Dagon yet, but the fun of Re-Animator and From Beyond had almost nothing to do with their stories.

And Brotherhood Of The Wolf was total eye candy, that script was definitely an afterthought. After about 20 minutes I tried watching it as unintentional comedy/gore, but it was so bad it went past good and back to bad again and I fell asleep.

[Warren]

There is plenty of great art being created all the time. Just don't expect to find it being mass marketed. Fortunately we have the internet now so you can easily find hundreds of other people to share your niche with.

[Bruce]

give Escanaba In Da' Moonlight a go....

[Charles]

Donnie Darko rocked.

Brotherhood of the Wolf induced violent vomiting.

[Steve]

One movie that made an impression on me that's been ignored is "We Were Soldiers..."

[Hank]

Amelie, Punch Drunk Love, The Good Girl. Enough said.