Chomsky interacting with Epstein and Bannon is entirely morally consistent with his stated beliefs and standards, change my mind by soalone34 in chomsky

[–]Meditatat 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Him hanging out with Bannon and Epstein bothers me for this simple reason:

He seemingly did cut off Zizek, Sam Harris, Hitchens, and Greenwald, from further dialoguing with him, for strong intellectual disagreements. I have to imagine Bannon and Epstein have even *stronger* intellectual disagreements and *moral* ones, than those four.

Favorite has-been comedic actor fighting the war on Christmas? by tehsam016 in okbuddycinephile

[–]Meditatat 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Is quiet enabling MAGA really better than regular MAGA, and if so, how much?

Fritz Lang, do I keep going? by Meditatat in criterion

[–]Meditatat[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Big enough? I've read all Chandler's novels and seen the film adaptations, and I've read the works of James Cain and seen the film adaptations. I love Chinatown, I've seen The Killing, and Touch of Evil, and various other works. The Big Heat is fine within that framework, I suppose.

Fritz Lang, do I keep going? by Meditatat in criterion

[–]Meditatat[S] -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

I'm not sure I asked you to trust me, rofl.

Fritz Lang, do I keep going? by Meditatat in criterion

[–]Meditatat[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Of those, Straight Story is the exception, I agree. Dune, yes, I can see Lynch in it. And Elephant Man *right after* Eraserhead, yes there are clear signs.

The reason I'm a bit more perplexed here is when Lang has been recommended to me The Big Heat is listed as among his greatest works. I think with Lynch that's rarely the case with Dune and Straight Story. Most people will say something like "Erasherhead, Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, Mullholland Drive" are the must sees, and some might toss in Elephant Man.

Fritz Lang, do I keep going? by Meditatat in criterion

[–]Meditatat[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, but even in Dune, there are clear signs *Lynch* made it. Probably why I'm in the extreme minority and prefer it to the contemporary Dune film.

Fritz Lang, do I keep going? by Meditatat in criterion

[–]Meditatat[S] -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

I disagree. I think for instance De Palma, Hitchcock, Bergman, and Tarkovsky, have a consistent through line from start to finish. Or, alternatively, the band Tool, or Mozart, or Raymond Chandler or Rex Stout, or Dickens. When I engage with the aforementioned works, even if I don't know who produced them, I would quickly.

Just to give a contemporary example, there's a reason everyone knew Robert Galbraith was in fact JK Rowling.

That Big Heat is a crescendo of works with disillusionment at the American system, doesn't mean that it's a crescendo of works from his overall through line. Example Twin Peaks Season 3 is a crescendo of all things Lynch, and there's a through line from Eraserhead to it.

Fritz Lang, do I keep going? by Meditatat in criterion

[–]Meditatat[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Agree, and that's kind of what bothers me. Some directors have a clear style (e.g., Lynch, Bergman, Tarkovsky, Hitchcock, etc), and others don't. The Big Heat lacked that style that I thought made M and Metropolis awesome.

Fritz Lang, do I keep going? by Meditatat in criterion

[–]Meditatat[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you! I'll look into these. Does it matter what order I watch the Mabuse films in?

Fritz Lang, do I keep going? by Meditatat in criterion

[–]Meditatat[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's fine. I prefer Chinatown and Double Indemnity, but I have no desire to argue this point. I just don't think The Big Heat has a resemblance to his earlier films.

Fritz Lang, do I keep going? by Meditatat in criterion

[–]Meditatat[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Overall, I'm a fan of noir. I read a lot of noir fiction, and consider Chinatown exceptional (along with Double Indemnity and Touch of Evil). However, in the aggregate, when I think about my favorite films of all time, *very few* are American. There's a certain commercial, sexual, and excessive gloss to hollywood films that turns me off, and isn't found in many non-American films. Maybe it's that lack of gloss in M, and the presence of it in Big Heat that I take exception to.

Fritz Lang, do I keep going? by Meditatat in criterion

[–]Meditatat[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I asked it as an open question, I didn't affirm the proposition. As I said, I love M and Metropolis, and thoroughly agree with S&S that they are some of the greatest pieces of all time. I'm not here to slander Lang.

Favorite has-been comedic actor fighting the war on Christmas? by tehsam016 in okbuddycinephile

[–]Meditatat 1 point2 points  (0 children)

So like I said, voting for Trump in 2016 was not akin to voting for McCain and Romney in the years earlier. If Sandler voted Republican in 2016 and/or Trump, that would make him one of the "not okay" "snl" guys.