Red Mosquito

Kate Beckinsale is perfect in every way. Shame on him.

I bet he has a barb wire tat around his arm

Strat wrote:I bet he has a barb wire tat around his arm

I'd be a little disappointed if he didn't.

LoathedVermin72 wrote:

Strat wrote:I bet he has a barb wire tat around his arm

I'd be a little disappointed if he didn't.

yeah but was he man enough to get the complete ring, or just get the one that wraps around the visible portion of the arm?

E.H. Ruddock wrote:

LoathedVermin72 wrote:

Strat wrote:I bet he has a barb wire tat around his arm

I'd be a little disappointed if he didn't.

yeah but was he man enough to get the complete ring, or just get the one that wraps around the visible portion of the arm?

That inside part's supposed to hurt like a lot right?

durdencommatyler wrote:

E.H. Ruddock wrote:

LoathedVermin72 wrote:

Strat wrote:I bet he has a barb wire tat around his arm

I'd be a little disappointed if he didn't.

yeah but was he man enough to get the complete ring, or just get the one that wraps around the visible portion of the arm?

That inside part's supposed to hurt like a lot right?

Depends on how close to the armpit. But yes, it does. I have a full arm sleeve and the shit up underneath my arm near my armpit hurt so bad.

E.H. Ruddock wrote:

durdencommatyler wrote:

E.H. Ruddock wrote:

LoathedVermin72 wrote:

Strat wrote:I bet he has a barb wire tat around his arm

I'd be a little disappointed if he didn't.

yeah but was he man enough to get the complete ring, or just get the one that wraps around the visible portion of the arm?

That inside part's supposed to hurt like a lot right?

Depends on how close to the armpit. But yes, it does. I have a full arm sleeve and the shit up underneath my arm near my armpit hurt so bad.

I'm too big of a wuss, I think, to fuck around with tattoos.

Does anyone want to have a conversation about the the current state of modern American cinema?

I was thinking about what Verm said yesterday about Disney having "a monopoly on imagination." And it got me and my wife talking about nostalgic cinema. Why is everything based on/inspired by repackaging youth right now? What is that? Have we ever seen anything like it in history before? I don't think we have.

Is it greed? Is it the internet? Is it technology? Is it a perfect storm of all these (and more)? Why are these more recent generations more interested in looking backward and remembering and recapturing old feelings than they are with looking forward, or if not forward, upward or downward, or inward?

Is there a book or something out there about this that I should read?

durdencommatyler wrote:Does anyone want to have a conversation about the the current state of modern American cinema?

I was thinking about what Verm said yesterday about Disney having "a monopoly on imagination." And it got me and my wife talking about nostalgic cinema. Why is everything based on/inspired by repackaging youth right now? What is that? Have we ever seen anything like it in history before? I don't think we have.

Is it greed? Is it the internet? Is it technology? Is it a perfect storm of all these (and more)? Why are these more recent generations more interested in looking backward and remembering and recapturing old feelings than they are with looking forward, or if not forward, upward or downward, or inward?

Is there a book or something out there about this that I should read?

This is something I think about a lot, and recently I've been contemplating whether the national trauma of 9/11 may have something to do with it. It seems somewhat logical that a nation could retreat from a nightmare like that into something simpler, safer, happier - into childhood.

Also, I don't think this is without precedent. A lot of critics discussed this in reference to the original Star Wars, and what it lead to in '80s. And of course there was also discussion of how that was a reaction to Vietnam and the pessimism of the '70s.

LoathedVermin72 wrote:

durdencommatyler wrote:Does anyone want to have a conversation about the the current state of modern American cinema?

I was thinking about what Verm said yesterday about Disney having "a monopoly on imagination." And it got me and my wife talking about nostalgic cinema. Why is everything based on/inspired by repackaging youth right now? What is that? Have we ever seen anything like it in history before? I don't think we have.

Is it greed? Is it the internet? Is it technology? Is it a perfect storm of all these (and more)? Why are these more recent generations more interested in looking backward and remembering and recapturing old feelings than they are with looking forward, or if not forward, upward or downward, or inward?

Is there a book or something out there about this that I should read?

This is something I think about a lot, and recently I've been contemplating whether the national trauma of 9/11 may have something to do with it. It seems somewhat logical that a nation could retreat from a nightmare like that into something simpler, safer, happier - into childhood.

That's really interesting, LV. I hadn't really thought about that before but I wonder if that isn't a big part of it. It makes total sense. And then coupling that with the internet making nostalgia that much more accessible and consumable (thanks VH1 and Buzzfeed). And maybe the growing ease with which people can consume (and make, for that matter) cinema on their own terms has the powers that be needed to gravitate toward known properties. Movies are expensive and easily digested from home now. Why take risks?

Interesting.

LoathedVermin72 wrote:Also, I don't think this is without precedent. A lot of critics discussed this in reference to the original Star Wars, and what it lead to in '80s. And of course there was also discussion of how that was a reaction to Vietnam and the pessimism of the '70s.

Was there this same level of repackaging in the 80s, too? What are some big examples?

I mean, our options for leader of the free world are Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. I think a lot may just be in line with the whole "dumbing down of America". The mindless herds will flock to the big explosions. Myself included, apparently.

durdencommatyler wrote:

LoathedVermin72 wrote:Also, I don't think this is without precedent. A lot of critics discussed this in reference to the original Star Wars, and what it lead to in '80s. And of course there was also discussion of how that was a reaction to Vietnam and the pessimism of the '70s.

Was there this same level of repackaging in the 80s, too? What are some big examples?

It certainly wasn't at the same level, and it wasn't strictly remakes/sequels/comic book movies like it is now, but the original SW was a repackaging of nostalgic properties in its own way, and there was a big batch of updated sci-fi and fantasy movies in its wake. Flash Gordon, and the like.

This is something LV and I spoke about briefly. One other thing to consider is that creating widely recognized iconography or branding is nearly impossible these days. There's a reason you're getting Angry Birds and Slender Man movies...they're unique for their prominence.

When Star Trek was cancelled for low ratings, it was still being seen by a larger percentage of the American public than most shows ever manage today.

I think hollywood is just out of ideas. Its like the mass consumption of pop music (sorry LV) it all sounds the same. Clear Channel taking over the radio's and making sure that the same 20 songs are played on every fucking station. There is no discernment any more. This is what sells. This is what the masses will eat up. This is what will make us a shit ton of fucking money. Feed that into the collective for 20 years and thats what becomes the norm.

Strat wrote:I think hollywood is just out of ideas. Its like the mass consumption of pop music (sorry LV) it all sounds the same. Clear Channel taking over the radio's and making sure that the same 20 songs are played on every fucking station. There is no discernment any more. This is what sells. This is what the masses will eat up. This is what will make us a shit ton of fucking money. Feed that into the collective for 20 years and thats what becomes the norm.

I think this is a very easy, cynical outlook to take, but I think it lacks nuance, and is too based in the subjective bias that today's culture "sucks" compared to yesteryear, when really these are largely cyclical trends that have historical precedent. It may now be more extreme, but still.

I reject this idea that "people are out of ideas."

People are afraid of new ideas. It used to be that studios would invest in guaranteed money-makers, big blockbusters, SO THAT they could afford to risk losing money on the smaller projects, the passion projects, the riskier movies. It's like they don't even care anymore. It's like everyone just wants to work as little as possible for the most money and fuck everyone else. "You want to make are art film? Go grab you're fucking iPhone and make your precious art film," he said as he lit his cigar with a wad or Benjamins and listened to the sound of her lips slurping him under the table.

I'm not saying there is no precedent for this kind of thing (especially cynicism, if that's really what it is). What's disturbing to me is the amount and the lack of relief. The complacency. People just seem to be fine with it. And the number gets bigger and bigger.

durdencommatyler wrote:I reject this idea that "people are out of ideas."

People are afraid of new ideas. It used to be that studios would invest in guaranteed money-makers, big blockbusters, SO THAT they could afford to risk losing money on the smaller projects, the passion projects, the riskier movies. It's like they don't even care anymore. It's like everyone just wants to work as little as possible for the most money and fuck everyone else. "You want to make are art film? Go grab you're fucking iPhone and make your precious art film," he said as he lit his cigar with a wad or Benjamins and listened to the sound of her lips slurping him under the table.

i agree and should have furthered my idea on "hollywood is out of ideas" statement. Im sure there are filmmakers out there that could deliver something unique and change the path of hollwood, but I think the execs and the big money would never take a chance on that. I dont foresee it happening soon, at least.