When I read the producer's name Alain Goldman who also produced Casino, 99 francs and Polanski's J'accuse I should have known how disjointed and unstructured this movie would also turn out to be. Cotillard is of course amazing though.
It still baffles me that the actor who is rather known as "Monica's and Ross's Dad" nowadays also played this misogynistic and racist Jackass-y military doctor many decades ago.
There is a German word called "verniedlichen". It translates as 'to trivialize' or 'to play s.th. down'. Not quite fitting in the context of Loose Cannons which deals with familial homophobia in a way that it attempts to 'cutify' (or 'cute-ify') the reactions of the ultra-conservative parents. Those characters are not neurotic, they are hateful and one-dimensionally written. And the story doesn't take place in Italy in the 1960s but in postmodern times!
It is baffling how an openly gay director can justify such a tone-deaf, stereotype-obsessed and overlong mess of a comedic film. It's not even a funny one. Sure, the two queer brothers and the boyfriend are far from being walking and talking clichés but almost every other character (especially the straight roles) in this movie is.
The German title of this movie is "Männer al dente", or 'Men al dente'. Sure, it references the pasta company, but it's also so effing cringey. And not in a very cute way.
Was this movie tailor made for spoiled douchebag sons of Reagan voters... and closeted queer men in the 80s?
Sorry for all the scorn, but I still haven't recovered from how cheesy and jerky this movie is. Top Gun is thinly written with lots of dumb dialogue.
I am also biased against every film that glorifies military forces. One of the movie's producers confirmed that this was basically an almost two hour long commercial for the Navy.
Enjoyed the eyecandiness of almost every male actor though... which was helped by all the sweat and locker room humidity.
German films I've seen in the months of September and October 2020:
GREAT
Futur Drei (2020, 0 official lists; international title: "No Hard Feelings", literal translation: "Future Three"; probably the most modern and progressive semi-mainstream German movie of 2020)
GOOD
- Kokon (2020, 0 lists, literallly "Cocoon"; with actress Jella Haase)
- Frontalwatte (2011, 0 lists, literally: "frontal cotton (wool)"; with actor Franz Rogowski)
- Schlingensief - In das Schweigen hineinschreien (2020, 0 lists, "Schlingensief - A Voice That Shook the Silence", literally "Schlingelschief - Screaming into the Silence"; documentary about the late German director Christoph Schlingensief)
OKAY
- Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse (1933, 12 lists, "The Testament of Dr. Mabuse; directed by the legendary Fritz Lang)
- Enfant Terrible (2020, 0 lists; biopic about the notorious director Rainer Werner Fassbinder by director Oskar Roehler; with actors Oliver Masucci, Lukas Gregorowicz and Katja Riemann)
- Terror 2000 - Intensivstation Deutschland (1992, 0 lists; literally "Terror 2000 - Intensive Care Unit Germany"; with actors: Udo Kier, Margit Christensen)
- Persischstunden (2020, 0 lists, "Persian Lessons"; with German actor Lars Eidinger and Nahuel Pérez Biscayart, German-Russian co-production)
- Kiss Me Before It Blows Up (2020, 0 lists; German title: "Kiss Me Kosher!; German-Israeli co-production)
BAD
Vincent Will Meer (2010, 1 list; literally "Vincent wants more", it's a pun because "Meer"/sea and "mehr"/more are homophones in German; written by leading actor Florian David Fitz, with actors: Karoline Herfurth and Heino Ferch; winner of several Lolas (German film awards))
They made up "fake news" - in the best sense - before that notion even existed. Good Bye Lenin! was immensely successful in German cinemas when it came out in 2003, so much so that it created the so-called "ostalgia" hype back then. We Germans remembered cult things like Spree forest pickles without forgetting all the bad stuff that happened in the GDR. What a funny and touching movie!
I've finally seen both AGAIG and Good Will Hunting this year. Both came out in 1997 and were the other multiple winners at the Academy Awards in 1998 (you know, when Titanic mopped the floor with 11 wins). I was underwhelmed by Hunting (sue me!) and surprised by this movie. It's a fine one even though I don't think that Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt deserved their Oscars (instead of maybe Robert Duvall and Judi Dench, though Nicholson/Hunt totally deserved to be nominated). Cuba Gooding Jr., Yeardley Smith and especially Greg Kinnear were amazing though. The dog was adorable and also talented! There should have been a Original Screenplay Award tie between this movie and Boogie Nights (instead of a Good Will Hunting win). All in all, As Good As It Gets was, well, as good as it got.
GREAT
Berlin Alexanderplatz (2020, 0 official lists; actors: Albrecht Schuch, Jella Haase)
Solo Sunny (1980, 1 list; Renate Krößner)
Family Romance, LLC (2019, 0 lists, produced in the US, but directed by Werner Herzog)
GOOD
Angst essen Seele auf (1974, 13 lists, "Ali: Fear Eats the Soul", literallly "Fear eat soul up"; Brigitte Mira)
Undine (2020, 0 lists; Paula Beer, Franz Rogowski)
Das Mädchen Rosemarie (1958, 1 list, "Rosemary", literally "The girl Rosemarie"; Mario Adorf, Peter van Eyck, Gert Fröbe)
MEDIOCRE
Die Mörder sind unter uns (1946, 4 lists, "Murderers Among Us", literally "Murderers Are Among Us"; Hildegard Knef)
At one time a female guest of Giulietta asks her lover whether he could pull her up so that she could grab something from the kitchen shelf and she said: "Romolo, tira mi sù!" It almost seemed as if Fellini invented that famous Italian dessert.
Danke! Ich hoffe, die ICM-Verantwortlichen löschen deinen und meinen Kommentar nicht gleich wieder, nur weil beide auf Deutsch sind. Oder hat mensch innerhalb einer Gruppe mehr Freiheiten?
As a German myself, our cinema (particularly the majority of current German films) has a bad reputation among most German movie buffs. A lot of those films are either dreary, complicated, excessively obsessed with our past, uncultured, populist or just plain boring. That being said, it is not the case with Solo Sunny at all: I loved the clever dialogue, it was witty but also it had substance. The music and editing were excellent and you can't help rooting for the movie's charming heroine. Solo Sunny feels fresh 40 years after its release and is severely underrated!
Better than your favorite average chickbait movie. The movie's structure is a bit conventional though, but the acting is good and the jokes are successful. Kathryn Hahn is astounding!
Comments 1 - 21 of 21
Movie comment on Poor Things
TheodorIDontKnow
Formidable.Movie comment on La môme
TheodorIDontKnow
When I read the producer's name Alain Goldman who also produced Casino, 99 francs and Polanski's J'accuse I should have known how disjointed and unstructured this movie would also turn out to be. Cotillard is of course amazing though.Movie comment on The Holiday
TheodorIDontKnow
It's the rare movie with Jack Black in which he has the most boring/underwritten part.Movie comment on Coal Face, Canada
TheodorIDontKnow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_j6x79o2PR8Movie comment on M*A*S*H
TheodorIDontKnow
It still baffles me that the actor who is rather known as "Monica's and Ross's Dad" nowadays also played this misogynistic and racist Jackass-y military doctor many decades ago.Movie comment on Mine vaganti
TheodorIDontKnow
There is a German word called "verniedlichen". It translates as 'to trivialize' or 'to play s.th. down'. Not quite fitting in the context of Loose Cannons which deals with familial homophobia in a way that it attempts to 'cutify' (or 'cute-ify') the reactions of the ultra-conservative parents. Those characters are not neurotic, they are hateful and one-dimensionally written. And the story doesn't take place in Italy in the 1960s but in postmodern times!It is baffling how an openly gay director can justify such a tone-deaf, stereotype-obsessed and overlong mess of a comedic film. It's not even a funny one. Sure, the two queer brothers and the boyfriend are far from being walking and talking clichés but almost every other character (especially the straight roles) in this movie is.
The German title of this movie is "Männer al dente", or 'Men al dente'. Sure, it references the pasta company, but it's also so effing cringey. And not in a very cute way.
Movie comment on Top Gun
TheodorIDontKnow
Was this movie tailor made for spoiled douchebag sons of Reagan voters... and closeted queer men in the 80s?Sorry for all the scorn, but I still haven't recovered from how cheesy and jerky this movie is. Top Gun is thinly written with lots of dumb dialogue.
I am also biased against every film that glorifies military forces. One of the movie's producers confirmed that this was basically an almost two hour long commercial for the Navy.
Enjoyed the eyecandiness of almost every male actor though... which was helped by all the sweat and locker room humidity.
Group comment on Germany
TheodorIDontKnow
German films I've seen in the months of September and October 2020:GREAT
Futur Drei (2020, 0 official lists; international title: "No Hard Feelings", literal translation: "Future Three"; probably the most modern and progressive semi-mainstream German movie of 2020)
GOOD
- Kokon (2020, 0 lists, literallly "Cocoon"; with actress Jella Haase)
- Frontalwatte (2011, 0 lists, literally: "frontal cotton (wool)"; with actor Franz Rogowski)
- Schlingensief - In das Schweigen hineinschreien (2020, 0 lists, "Schlingensief - A Voice That Shook the Silence", literally "Schlingelschief - Screaming into the Silence"; documentary about the late German director Christoph Schlingensief)
OKAY
- Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse (1933, 12 lists, "The Testament of Dr. Mabuse; directed by the legendary Fritz Lang)
- Enfant Terrible (2020, 0 lists; biopic about the notorious director Rainer Werner Fassbinder by director Oskar Roehler; with actors Oliver Masucci, Lukas Gregorowicz and Katja Riemann)
- Terror 2000 - Intensivstation Deutschland (1992, 0 lists; literally "Terror 2000 - Intensive Care Unit Germany"; with actors: Udo Kier, Margit Christensen)
- Persischstunden (2020, 0 lists, "Persian Lessons"; with German actor Lars Eidinger and Nahuel Pérez Biscayart, German-Russian co-production)
- Kiss Me Before It Blows Up (2020, 0 lists; German title: "Kiss Me Kosher!; German-Israeli co-production)
BAD
Vincent Will Meer (2010, 1 list; literally "Vincent wants more", it's a pun because "Meer"/sea and "mehr"/more are homophones in German; written by leading actor Florian David Fitz, with actors: Karoline Herfurth and Heino Ferch; winner of several Lolas (German film awards))
Movie comment on Good Bye Lenin!
TheodorIDontKnow
They made up "fake news" - in the best sense - before that notion even existed. Good Bye Lenin! was immensely successful in German cinemas when it came out in 2003, so much so that it created the so-called "ostalgia" hype back then. We Germans remembered cult things like Spree forest pickles without forgetting all the bad stuff that happened in the GDR. What a funny and touching movie!Movie comment on As Good as It Gets
TheodorIDontKnow
I've finally seen both AGAIG and Good Will Hunting this year. Both came out in 1997 and were the other multiple winners at the Academy Awards in 1998 (you know, when Titanic mopped the floor with 11 wins). I was underwhelmed by Hunting (sue me!) and surprised by this movie. It's a fine one even though I don't think that Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt deserved their Oscars (instead of maybe Robert Duvall and Judi Dench, though Nicholson/Hunt totally deserved to be nominated). Cuba Gooding Jr., Yeardley Smith and especially Greg Kinnear were amazing though. The dog was adorable and also talented! There should have been a Original Screenplay Award tie between this movie and Boogie Nights (instead of a Good Will Hunting win). All in all, As Good As It Gets was, well, as good as it got.Movie comment on Hot Shots!
TheodorIDontKnow
This movie had Charlie and Alan Harper together for the first time!Group comment on Germany
TheodorIDontKnow
German films I've seen in the last 3 months:GREAT
Berlin Alexanderplatz (2020, 0 official lists; actors: Albrecht Schuch, Jella Haase)
Solo Sunny (1980, 1 list; Renate Krößner)
Family Romance, LLC (2019, 0 lists, produced in the US, but directed by Werner Herzog)
GOOD
Angst essen Seele auf (1974, 13 lists, "Ali: Fear Eats the Soul", literallly "Fear eat soul up"; Brigitte Mira)
Undine (2020, 0 lists; Paula Beer, Franz Rogowski)
Das Mädchen Rosemarie (1958, 1 list, "Rosemary", literally "The girl Rosemarie"; Mario Adorf, Peter van Eyck, Gert Fröbe)
MEDIOCRE
Die Mörder sind unter uns (1946, 4 lists, "Murderers Among Us", literally "Murderers Are Among Us"; Hildegard Knef)
NO BAD GERMAN FILMS SEEN
Movie comment on Giulietta degli spiriti
TheodorIDontKnow
At one time a female guest of Giulietta asks her lover whether he could pull her up so that she could grab something from the kitchen shelf and she said: "Romolo, tira mi sù!" It almost seemed as if Fellini invented that famous Italian dessert.Group comment on Germany
TheodorIDontKnow
Danke! Ich hoffe, die ICM-Verantwortlichen löschen deinen und meinen Kommentar nicht gleich wieder, nur weil beide auf Deutsch sind. Oder hat mensch innerhalb einer Gruppe mehr Freiheiten?Movie comment on Solo Sunny
TheodorIDontKnow
As a German myself, our cinema (particularly the majority of current German films) has a bad reputation among most German movie buffs. A lot of those films are either dreary, complicated, excessively obsessed with our past, uncultured, populist or just plain boring. That being said, it is not the case with Solo Sunny at all: I loved the clever dialogue, it was witty but also it had substance. The music and editing were excellent and you can't help rooting for the movie's charming heroine. Solo Sunny feels fresh 40 years after its release and is severely underrated!Movie comment on Human Traffic
TheodorIDontKnow
Funny characters and clever dialogue, had super fun watching it. So underrated!Movie comment on Children of Men
TheodorIDontKnow
Thanks to this film I got my 1500th check.Movie comment on Thunder Road
TheodorIDontKnow
http://vimeo.com/174957219Movie comment on Mynarski Death Plummet
TheodorIDontKnow
https://vimeo.com/122786580Movie comment on Bad Moms
TheodorIDontKnow
Better than your favorite average chickbait movie. The movie's structure is a bit conventional though, but the acting is good and the jokes are successful. Kathryn Hahn is astounding!Movie comment on Toni Erdmann
TheodorIDontKnow
This is a movie about cheese graters and petit fours with a special icing.