This week: We jump into our heist arc, spending some time with Ocean’s 11. And we’re in (IYKWIM) with Firefly’s Message and Heart of Gold. Also, we run down the week in geek, including the new Spartacus prequel, an update on our anti-Ebert rant from a few weeks ago, a 3D Playboy spread, and new casting rumors for Transformers III and Men In Black III.
Yay. After the past couple weeks, I was worried the new 'cast wouldn’t be out before I flew out to Fort Polk for work. I’d be able to download it on my work laptop, but I wouldn’t have a way to get it onto my iPod.
WOOOOOOOOO as well as HOOOOOOOOO!!!
great 'cast, as usual–made a long drive much more enjoyable 
couple of thots: would love to see The Sting included in the heist arc. to me, it is the original heist flick. doesn’t get any better than Redford & Newman 
the final scene of “The Message” has a special sadness because, IIRC, cast & crew found out about the show’s cancellation the day it was filmed. the music that plays over the scene was composer Greg Edmonson’s farewell to the show.
re Inara’s decision to leave at the end of “Heart of Gold,” I got the impression she didn’t understand the depth of her feelings for Mal until he’d slept with Nandi, and she was neither prepared nor willing to deal with them.
very much looking forward to the next Firefly installment, “Objects in Space” which is one of the few written-and-directed-by-Joss-Himself eps. can’t wait to hear the Crüe expound on that one 
I can’t wait for the “objects” 'cast. That is my all time favorite episode. I remember the first time I saw it, thinking, “Did River really <do that thing she said she did into the ship>? How crazy is this show?” It was cool & funny & I loved it because Summer was in it.
The documentary Man on Wire, about a French guy who tightrope walks between the Twin Towers, is a true-life heist flick. Good stuff.
I really love Ocean’s 11. When it first came out and I saw it in the theater it was such a fun ride, I felt like I’ve never seen anything like it before.
By the way, they filmed the whole stealing the EMP bomb scene in UCI’s Gillespie Neuroscience Research Facility, right across from the Campus Village apartment I was living in. I was told when I came back to my place that Matt Damon and George Clooney was across the street, and I went to the window to see them running around and thought to myself what the heck are they doing here? When I went to watch the movie I did not connect the cast with what happened that day… and when it got to that point I was like “OMG, this is what they were working on!!!” and “OMG… that’s right next to my place!!!”
I really enjoyed the Message episode, but I never really liked the Heart of Gold episode. After this cast, I have to rewatch it. Maybe with the new knowledge I’d like that episode more.
Am I the only one talking, laughing and joking to the cast as if I was in the room and part of the discussion? lol! I tell you, people think (know) I’m crazy!
Regarding the 3D thing: I believe it’s the way of shiny-new-toy tech to be exploited at it’s dawning, especially after it’s been used so beautifully as it had in Up and Avatar. As a deepening of experience, rather than it’s gimmick.
Once the dust settles, it will be- much to collective relief- used mostly in it’s best capacity. Much like the transition from silence to sound, to color from b&w. Both paradigms are still in use in film, today. They are used as tools to convey story and emotion effectively. None have fallen by the wayside, rather, they are used, most often, with intent. As contribution to art. Bravo to that!
I wouldn’t be surprised if a Willy Wonka or Wizard of Oz-like use is on the horizon. Lovely use of format.
In the meantime, we’ll have to put up with the glut of gimmicky use and bloated ticket prices. We’ll just have to use our own discretion about whether we will support it with our $$.
I recently saw Avatar in 2D blu-ray at a friend’s house, and was still struck by its beauty. I still enjoyed the story- yes I did! And, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that! (no, not at all!)
The wheat will separate from the chaff! Till then, I’ll enjoy, roll my eyes, and disdain- you know- like usual! And continue to rediscover and to experience for the first time, the amazingly cool stuff our community continues to unveil.
stay thirsty, my friends…
I have been waiting for the Heart of Gold podcast to express this thought about Mal’s treatment of Inara. Many have been critical of Mal calling Inara a whore (and I don’t think much of him using that term myself), but I think the Heart of Gold episode might give us another way to look at it.
Based on how Mal interacts with Nandi and the other girls I would say he does not necessarily have a problem with whores per se. I think Mal’s problem is that, in his eyes, Inara is essentially a high-priced, well-trained whore who is considered to be amongst the upper echelon of society while the folks he works with and interacts with on a regular basis are considered the dregs. I would argue that Mal gets a little perturbed when someone can’t sell cattle off planet yet a ‘Companion’ is some great thing.
Another way to look at it the situation that Nandi finds herself in. Nandi is presented as an honest women just trying to protect her own. Opposite her is religious nut job…yet who is seen as the respectable one in polite society?
When Mal calls Inara a whore I think a large part of it is about him feeling that Alliance society is just totally screwed up. I am not saying that his actions are okay…I am just saying that there might be an explanation there.
Good one. That does make a lot of sense.
So, Chuck and Audra, now that you’re done with SG-1, have you started Atlantis yet? You’ll understand Sheppard’s interaction with Larrin better in context (i.e. once you realize that Shep is very Kirk-like)
Oh, I don’t think Mal would think twice about Inara’s job if he wasn’t into her.
what bugs me about the Ocean movies is that we are robbed of suspended disbelief. We aren’t really watching a bunch of clever criminals outsmart everyone. We all know we aren’t watching that.
Oh no.
We are watching George Clooney, Matt Damon and Bradd Pitt. We never stop realizing it is these fabulous fellows. It’s not about the characters. It’s about celebrities playing characters.
And I truly, truly hate that. As should everyone with a moral compass.
The movie to me reeks of Hollywood smugness, a bunch of wildly rich dudes pulling the wool over the unsuspecting eyes of me, Joe Public, so I can reach into my pocket and help Clooney pay off the mortgage on his Lake Como villa.
Well to that I say BUGGER OFF. BUGGER OFF CLOONEY YOU TERRIBLE BATMAN YOU.
You want a real, gritty heist movie worthy of this website? I shall tell you: SEXY BEAST. I know everyone on this site hates me but if anyone knows Sexy Beast, please vouch for me. Because there is NO BETTER HEIST MOVIE.
British gangsters busting through a Turkish bath to raid a bank on a bet that a terrifying gangster makes while having butt sex in a bisexual orgy with the head of a bank? Can you beat that?? Particularly when the gangster is Ben Kinsley
Here’s the trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSVRGdHFxYc
Here’s the link of Ben Kingsley threatening to cut somebody’s hands off:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7ymGLcbq8A
Nevermind. So many bridges around here I forget Im walking under them.
Have to disagree with the Crew about the original Ocean’s 11. It’s an excellent film, and at least as good as the remake. I personally think that the war buddies with some shade in their past is more realistic. (c.f., Catch-22 or even Kelley’s Heroes.)
Isn’t that pretty much every major Hollywood movie?
You want a real, gritty heist movie worthy of this website? I shall tell you: SEXY BEAST. I know everyone on this site hates me but if anyone knows Sexy Beast, please vouch for me. Because there is NO BETTER HEIST MOVIE.
I’ll have to check it out, but I’m dubious that there’s a better heist movie than Reservoir Dogs. (A heist movie that never shows the actual heist! Genius!)
RE: SG1 Series Finale
That moment between Daniel and Vala is one of my favorites in the series. Its so touching, and really quite revealing in regards to the subtext of their relationship. Daniel’s relationship history (Sha’re is kidnapped and turns host, Ke’ra turns out to be a mass murderer, Sara ends up being turned into a host) has left him so heart sore that although he is obviously attracted to Vala, he isnt willing to trust in the sincerity of her feelings for him.
Easy to see why he might not take her seriously, she is way more into having fun while getting her way than in being committed to anything, at least early on. He pushes her away to keep himself from being hurt and its only that desperate and lonely situation that forces them to come to terms with how they really feel, in an honest no games kind of way.
Great episode. Heart of Gold is one of my favorites for a similar reason. The Nandi, Inara, Mal triangle is so poignant and plays itself out so well in this episode. Again, a lot of push-pull, love-hate that is merely a facade for feelings they are too afraid to explore openly. A lot of very touching character exploration.
Wait. So how did you get the water off the bench?
I’m guessing someone found a garden hose.
Hmmm, Ocean’s is a family drama.
Reuben is the Grandad.
Danny and Rusty are his offspring.
Linus is their step-child.
That works.
I’m sorry if this is disappointing, but I don’t hate you. At all. I appreciate your opinions, just as I do every other GWCer here. That’s what makes this website truly special. It’s what we do here. But please understand: they are your opinions, and you (in my opinion) seem to express yourself in a way that attempts to negate the opinions of others. I don’t have to agree with you. Nor you with me. But by sharing our thoughts without prejudice, we all win.
I’ve looked at the “Sexy Beast” trailer, and hell, yeah, it looks very cool. I will check it out, based on your endorsement. But I still love the Ocean’s series. Doesn’t make either one of us a bad guy, right?
re Heist movies. I already said this in another thread, but I can’t recommend the BBC series ‘Hustle’ enough. Apparently this is the show that ‘Leverage’ was based on. I haven’t seen Leverage, but if you like Oceans I’m sure you’ll love Hustle.
re 3D, here’s an interesting article on the subject on the BBC, which quotes Ebert and also a bunch of top directors.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8605421.stm
Personally I think the analogy to the switch from colour to B&W is a very apt one, especially when Audra mentioned the colourisation process. B&W and colour both have thier merits, but over time it was inevitable that colour would take over. I suspect that 3D is going to be the same. Once it becomes the defacto standard for TV and a majority of consumers are able to see it at home, it will just become what you do, just as HD and colour have done.
But, just like B&W and arguably SD TV, if it was originally recorded in the old format, you can’t just wave a magic computer wand at it and covert it to the new format. I don’t think any colourised movie ever looks as good as the original, even if the colouring process if very good, as the film wasn’t shot to be seen that way. Similarly upconverting SD to HD doesn’t really achieve much as you can’t really add definition that wasn’t recorded to begin with, all that’s happening is a computer is filling in the gaps. It’s really just a way to pad out HD schedules and make a bit more money on the side. Just as colourisation isn’t really aimed at true movie connoisseurs, who I think would almost invariably want to see the movie as intended, but rather to try and make more money by widening the potential audience for a film to people who wouldn’t normally watch a B&W movie.
There’s an interesting quote in the article above from Mike Newel, talking about why he didnt put Prince of Persia through the 3D mill.
“Sequences in Avatar, like the seeds falling like snow, have to be planned from the very beginning. You can’t just run it through a conversion process. Until Avatar was released, nobody knew.”
So I think there are certainly critisisms to be made of ‘upconverted’ 3D, and I don’t think they will ever really go away (well unless Cameron re-invents cinema again when he converts Titanic), but moving forwards I think 3D will be done properly and will eventually become pretty much the norm.
This won’t happen for a few years though. Unless you are talking computer animation, you need to want to do proper 3D from the get go, and lets be honest until Avatar came along no-one was really thinking about this. Now that has become the biggest movie ever, you can bet lots of people are thinking about it, and a few brave souls will be right now planning to do make films in proper 3D, even if it does add 30% to the cost, and those projects will hit cinemas in a year or twos time and be of a similar technical quality to Avatar.
By the time that has happened, the motivation to do this will have increased, while at the same time the cost will steadily drop as the technology becomes more common and entreprenurial folk take Cameron’s cutting edge technology and commoditise it. Give it five years and I think it will be as ubiquetous as Dolby Stereo or colour.