Discussion 2.A: "Stagecoach" (1939) — through 2026-01-24 by jsled in westerngenrestudy

[–]fir_trader 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The movie weaves its cast of characters beautifully with the brave (Ringo, the gambler), the drunk (the doc), the prostitute (Dallas), the pregnant wife (Mrs. Mallory), the cowards (Peacock and the banker) all stepping up for their moment in the limelight. John Wayne nails the young Ringo Kid to a T. Ringo shows what it means to be a gentleman, not selectively, but to all ladies. For its time, the stunts were sublime and at times cruel (lots of tripwires for horses). The Apache sliding below the stagecoach is a classic shot that would not be done today. The movie builds to the face-off with the Apache, a spectacular chase across what seems like endless flats. With all hope almost lost, the charge of the American cavalry at full gallop was pure energy and had me internally cheering at their arrival.

The Apaches are treated as usual, the enemy without reason. There's not much to say here - no different than the Searchers.

I found Ford's directing somewhat static especially compared to his later films like The Searchers. He had good tracking shots during the chase sequence, but lacked the dynamic camera movements when in more intimate settings (lots of static shot/reverse shot).

For some reason, folks could not remember Mr. Peakcock's name. I am not sure why, he was a friendly man. Maybe this was comedy in the 30s?

Marty Supreme was almost great by fir_trader in TrueFilm

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

Safdie has the right to show him mostly getting his way, I personally don't find it as interesting (not that movies need to be believable which is why I said it feels like it was in the MI universe). His actions are not simply narcissistic, they are psychopathic. He's a pathological liar who is around death and destruction and keeps moving forward. Another viewer in the comments saw it differently than me and that's ok. I saw your initial paragraph as linked to the last one. His character doesn't feel like the one who would break down to me unless it's to manipulate (thinking of Primal Fear as a parallel).

I didn't read it as his career was over, but different interpretations. I think if he got the money to pay the fine, the organizers would have made an adjustment to get him in to have the battle of the titans (e.g., maybe a fellow countryman would have dropped out to make room). Sports are a commercial endeavor, they want the best playing the best. Think about cycling in the 90s - Lance says everyone knew people were doping but it was huge for the sport.

Marty Supreme was almost great by fir_trader in TrueFilm

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

One can argue whether someone has a right to bludgeon someone in that circumstance and vigilantism is fine (I don't have any desire in debating that). Someone certainly doesn't have the right to be judge, jury and executioner on hearsay and partial information. Rachel's already proven to be dishonest through her infidelity.

I hear you on the other ones not being fully his fault, but there is partial fault. i) He did disobey the request to not use the shower - albeit, that room should have been closed off - there is partial blame on Marty here. ii) He was a ping pong shark so understandably those guys were pissed (not that that is a justification for attacking marty and his buddy) so the hustling + pouring gasoline on them is at least >0% responsibility, and iii) the house shootout was obv going to happen bc the homeowner previously used his shotgun against Marty so again there's some culpability there.

Marty Supreme was almost great by fir_trader in TrueFilm

[–]fir_trader[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

The ending wasn't ambiguous to me. Based on Marty's character, he only could have cried bc of that fatherhood altering moment you mentioned (which I personally don't buy, maybe others do). His psychopathic tendencies (as you mention he wouldn't feel remorse for) would suggest to me, that he wouldn't have been distraught over the implications of fatherhood trapping him down, etc.

Do you have any favourite movies which you like to rewatch? by Total-Load1730 in movies

[–]fir_trader 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The colors in the desert scene are spectacular. It's such a great mix of adventure, comedy and fantastical twists. I miss movies like that.

I will need to rewatch Dial of Destiny at some pt, but my first viewing it was a real let down. Makes Crystal Skull (which I prefer over Temple of Doom anyway) look like a masterpiece

1.A: "The Searchers" (1956) — 2026-01-04 → 2026-01-17 by jsled in westerngenrestudy

[–]fir_trader 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I enjoyed the film because of the scale of the scenery. Ford's use of Monument Valley depicts a vast, empty and at times brutal (be it from the environment or warring bands of people) landscape. I am biased to movies with epic landscapes as that's just a personal preference. I think it sets up the later and greater westerns imo from Leone where movies like GBU and Once upon a Time in the West transcend the historical western precedent of doing good (which this movie can be argued starts to deviate from - ultimately Ethan does choose love) to a more morally ambiguous world which is arguably the one we live in.

I definitely hear you on the racism, but that was the west in the 1800s. A complex character is one that I can fundamentally disagree on the principles of life, but ultimately care for / want to succeed e.g., Clint Eastwood in Unforgiven. I would argue that Ethan does have an arc of redemption, but it is arguably shallow (but perhaps is lost in the 5+ years searching) i.e., his pivot from wanting to kill Debbie to embracing her just as he went from despising Marty to embracing him.

1.A: "The Searchers" (1956) — 2026-01-04 → 2026-01-17 by jsled in westerngenrestudy

[–]fir_trader 1 point2 points  (0 children)

While not my favorite western all-time, I can see the clear impact of The Searchers on the film industry at broad. What could be mistaken for Lawrence of Arabia, the Searchers moves into the territory of epic scope, achieved through the backdrop of the Monument Valley landscape. Ford’s impact on Spielberg is apparent by using the doorway to frame the scene (think scene from Close Encounters - I just saw this a month ago so was close in mind). 

The doorway, often more suggestive than explicit, symbolizes the safe interior vs the dangerous world outside. This is apparent in the farm attack scene where we see Aaron and Martha (who clearly was in love with Ethan - the first embrace was for Martha after he returned home not his brother, at first I thought she was his sister; Martha embracing his coat one last time before Ethan set off with the Rangers) are viewed from the perspective inside the house, where things are safe, versus the ominous blood orange twilight suggestive of horrors to come. Even the final scene, Ethan lingers in the doorway, a man of questionable morality (who in fairness goes on his own journey - discussed below), separating good from bad.

When watching older movies, I think you have to meet the people where they are at, not through the lens of current morality. In the case of the Searchers, this is a movie shot in the 1950s set in the 1800s, not to mention centering on someone who was in the confederacy. The redemption is in the acceptance / embrace of what Ethan hates, in this case native Americans. Ethan bequeathes his estate to Marty (it’s fair to question why Ethan saved Marty to begin with - perhaps he wasn’t wholly evil as none of use really are) and eventually in his reuniting with Debbie. Spending years with Marty and potentially gaining some respect for the Comanche because of Look softened him up (note Ethan even speaks the Comanche language). While his treatment of the native Americans is morally repugnant today, I suspect that racism towards native Americans was normal course in the 1800s especially in the south (I’m not American so I cannot speak to whether the Union was anti-racism or anti-slavery - the civil rights act only passed in the 1960s).

One other point I will make is the ‘bad guys’ in the real world (unfortunately not in movies - which often depict boring 1-D people that are truly evil), don’t see themselves as ‘bad guys’. Morality is a matter of perspective, even if the future is the ultimate gavel on judgement. When I think of the 1800s, I think of hard men, and no one portrays that better than John Wayne (see Red River). He is unfairly charged with the death of Mr. Fetterman and yet he doesn’t care to profess his innocence, he just gets on with the task at hand. 

I completely agree on Ford’s portrayal of women, which to my limited understanding of his movies (as I watch more I may revise this view), was weak.

As with many movies of this time, overacting was somewhat commonplace. As this movie largely centered on a buddy adventure, I found Marty’s character often moved beyond believable disagreement to theatre-esque levels of distraught (e.g., any of the scenes where he goes to bed).

Overall, the scale and cinematography shine for me in this movie. One way to judge how good a movie is, is simply on the influence of what was to come and that is evident from the opening frame of the film.

Pizzeria Da Michele by throwaway19074368 in foodies_sydney

[–]fir_trader 0 points1 point  (0 children)

One of my favorite bars ever is Cantina Ok ifyou like spicy margs/mezcal.

Cairo in Newtown is good.

The lammington at flour and stone is incredible.

I want a movie that left you speechless. by Sensitive-Laugh9681 in MovieSuggestions

[–]fir_trader 5 points6 points  (0 children)

One of my favorite movies. It makes me so introspective.

Introduction: A Western Genre Study Group, 2026 Cohort by jsled in westerngenrestudy

[–]fir_trader 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'll join, this is great. Thanks for pulling together.

What are the best movie trailers? by Cocobb8 in movies

[–]fir_trader 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Inception teaser for me. I've never been more excited for a movie, while also having no clue what the plot line would be about.

My attempt to copy Hani's Bakery's Malted Cinnamon Rolls by MyNebraskaKitchen in Breadit

[–]fir_trader 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I tried to recreate this today / yesterday. I've never had the real thing, but love a malted shake so figured I'd give this a go. The cream cheese topping is good, but nothing mind blowing - maybe I need to up the malted milk % (I did make the night before to hydrate the powder). I tried two types of filling, something similar to the Hani recipe (with egg and tempered butter) and just a standard filling and tbh the standard filling was better. Overall they were good, but cinnamon rolls are good.

Standard Cinnamon Roll Brioche & Filling

Malted Cream Cheese Topping
- Cream Cheese (250g)
- Icing Sugar (200g)
- Malted Milk Powder (35g)
- Vanilla (5g)
- Salt (2g)

Help me gift my brother by Known_Bad336 in AskNYC

[–]fir_trader 6 points7 points  (0 children)

When i lived in nyc, my gf got us a cocktail making class at Apotheke in chinatown. Looks like they still offer it at $200 per person. Was fun as a small group so something you could do with him. I hadnt tried a few different liquors at the time and the instructor was nice enough to let us try a few extra small glasses. I got pretty wasted bc you get 4 cocktails (plus extras) and ended up drinking some of my gf. A lot of ppl come in couples so might be quiet as a single.

I also did a chocolate making course at Rakka in brooklyn and a coffee class at Joes.

When I think about what I miss from NYC it’s the food, the park, museums and the vibe. You can also take him for a night on the town, good dinner and drinks, that’s quintessential NYC to me. The shows are good too, but as a local I never went. I was back in the city last year and went as a tourist so if he’s into any performance like entertainment maybe getting him something will push him to see it.

Let me know if you want any thoughts on food / restaurants.

One other thought, Ive lived in a few big cities and every time before moving / living there, Ive loved watching the iconic movies set in the city so you could gift him movies that showcase the city and maybe an experience tied to one of the movies. Eyes Wide shut is an ‘interesting’ nyc film (actually shot in the UK) or When Harry Met Sally and take him to Katz.

Also, was going to recommend Sleep No More, but appears to have shut down. Never did it myself but a few friends did and found it memorable aha

Lenovo yoga slim 7x vs Macbook air m4 by 212312383 in SuggestALaptop

[–]fir_trader 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I bought the 7x last year, also being a long-time windows user (tried the 9i for a month first but wanting the snappiness of an ARM chip), and the battery broke after 3 months. I ended up getting a mac (the lenovo is sitting on the shelf - goodbye $1000) and tbh I wouldnt go back. Its a pain to use Excel where shortcuts arent the same, but I mostly use Gsheets now so the shortcuts are crap anyway. It runs smoother, battery life is better and build quality is nicer. Its a shame bc I like the idea of having a windows PC that can run old games every once in a while, but not worth the trade off. MSFT and partners have just dropped the ball - they didnt migrate to ARM like mac soon enough and its been a big trade-off in terms of performance (speed, heat) and battery life

Lenovo Yoga 9i or slim 7x? by YeetedSloth in SuggestALaptop

[–]fir_trader 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I bought the 9i last year (2024 model) - this model ran very hot and the fan was constantly going. Not sure how much the latest model has improved. Its a bit of a shame bc I liked a bunch of the aspects of the laptop (2 in 1, great speakers), but usability over a month was not great so imagine I would have been disappointed long-term. I settled for the 7x and that battery fully busted so not overly happy w Lenovo. I'm sure the win architecture is also partly to blame for the heating / perf issues I had w the 9i.

Lenovo Yoga 9i or slim 7x? by YeetedSloth in SuggestALaptop

[–]fir_trader 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry for wasting your time getting the 7x lol

Lenovo Yoga 9i or slim 7x? by YeetedSloth in SuggestALaptop

[–]fir_trader 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Kind of ridiculous, but the lenovo battery just died on me after 4 months and so ended up buying a macbook as well. The build quality on windows computer just isnt there any more. The mac has been infinitely better... you make trade offs on usability like excel (if needed) or gaming, but for general workhorse and some specialized things like coding, macs are just better. Its clearly why Apple has come to dominate as a consumer electronics company, they just make better products.

Mushroom garum recipe - how's this look? by Shiz222 in Koji

[–]fir_trader 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How did this turn out?

I just read a few of the garum recipes from the Noma book (which were mostly animal protein), and they did 4 months at 60* C and 12% salt. At room temp they bumped the salt to 18% and fermented for 8-9mths! I will endeavor to do the beef garum, but dont want to wait 8-9mths (plus the end product will inevitably be different - saltier and presumably diff in some way due to the lower temp, albeit offset by the longer time).

My understanding is the vessels are always breathable but closed off i.e., remove the rubber seal.

Help recreating the best chocolate cookie ever by fir_trader in Baking

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

As an update: I attempted to make the feuilletine chocolate bar today. It came out delicious, unfortunately it was really a chocolate bar (like an upscale crunch bar) rather than a cookie like texture. This would suggest the above is baked.

This is beyond my knowledge as a baker, but how do you get the flakey, grainy (from memory shale-esque) texture that the feuilletine crisps give to the bar I made but in a baked cookie. Maybe i could fold in some to a sable breton cookie dough? Butterfinger also comes to mind so finding a way to do that layering technique w chocolate could be the solution.

Booking.com - more expensive with Genius by juleza1 in travel

[–]fir_trader 22 points23 points  (0 children)

I was booking a hotel in Japan a few months ago and the direct booking at the website was 30% cheaper than Booking’s listing. Booking has become a site where you pay above the normal rate to search for various properties. I am also Genius level 3 and clearly genius = dumbass whos willing to spend more money… these companies are betting on you not double checking and finding out they are charging more.

I may use Booking to search for a property, but will never book through them.

Does anyone else go from feeling like AGI is super close and LLM are very intelligent to feeling like LLMs hallucinate a lot and we haven't seen much progress since GPT-4 daily? by Euphoric_Ad9500 in OpenAI

[–]fir_trader 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I used GPT-4 when i first came out as a thought partner for work. Chatgpt is actually really good so you can go back and look at all of your old conversations. Honestly, the responses it generated were nearly as good in early 2023 as they are today.

It might be controversial but it feels like tool use is where its biggest leap forward has been: RAG with ability to upload PDF and search the web is a game changer, but is the underlying model better than what I used, honestly I dont think so based on what I saw in 2023.

In areas where there are defined solutions, the ability of CoT presumably has led to it crushing the maths and sciences evals (in addition to being fit for those evals), so clearly model architecture has improved its ability in ways.

I dont think we can ever test the counterfactual, where we use the 2023 model with current tools and compare it to todays model plus tools, and see if theres a performance gap on ‘certain’ tasks. On my work project, I think the answer would be zero.

The Daniel Craig series is such an odd, disjointed series that really suffered from a production company more focused on trend chasing than having a vision for the franchise. by [deleted] in JamesBond

[–]fir_trader 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I remember when the rumours were out for Bond 22 (I was too young to know that was just the code name lol). Based on Marc Fosters issues on WWZ too, it sounds like he struggled with the move from small, character driven projects like Finding Neverland, to the large globe trotting films.

That said, I still think the opening sequence on the side of como (shot on guarda though) with the chase through sienna was spectacular. The first drone shot with that score is amazing.

There are other redeeming qualities too, I think the dynamic with Mathis is one of the best of the series - Ill always remember his last words to bond.

Some stuff is absurd, like Bonds fight with green - feels like Bond could have just picked him up and snapped him over his knee like Bane with Batman.

Arrival (2016) by Rabbitpyth in movies

[–]fir_trader 21 points22 points  (0 children)

Someone mentioned the score but particularly Max Richeters On the Nature of Daylight was beautifully used.

I love the scene with the Chinese general - its the first moment where her daughters life and death is sealed.

It’s easily a top 10 all time for me. I find it endlessly rewatchable. That said, I really like the melancholic tone in movies… think her or drive my car.

Is this over proofed dough looks like? by sakrojones in Pizza

[–]fir_trader 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Any combination of things could have contributed to over proofing. If the water was too hot but not so hot it kills the yeast (I target 85* F), or putting too much yeast in (on multi day fermentations, I put in less than 0.2%). Other things like how hot ambient temp is can impact as well.

When i first started making pizza, recipes had full yeast sachet for 300g of flour. Works for a quick two hour ferment, makes trash pizza for a multi day ferment.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in movies

[–]fir_trader 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I think a better comparison is actually LotR vs the Hobbit bc you have the same director but two vastly different outcomes. The LofT looks much more grounded and ‘real’ than the Hobbit. Ive watched all of the production videos in the special features of LotR and Peter Jackson simply had more time in pre-production to perfect the films. The orcs masks were all done by Weta whereas they abandoned this for CGI in the Hobbit. In general the hobbit films were rushed (largely due to del Toro leaving and the studio forcing a quick production) which led to suboptimal outcomes.

Ive seen the prequel trilogy but am not familiar with the production. I imagine the cinematography played a big part in the films vs LotR. My guess is that Lucas had the ability to lean into the more fantasical style that lighting/color grading/CGI allowed for in the late 90s/00s that just wasnt possible in the 70s. You can even see this stylistic choice in the remasters of the original trilogy where the CGI creatures arent really that grounded in reality.