Christopher Nolan

[Michael]

I can strip whatever I want to strip. Memento is a very strippable film.

[Omar]

pherdy said:

The Dark Knight is my most anticipated film of 2008. It has the risk of becoming the best superhero movie of all time, the way the buzz is going right now...

Even with the "overrated Heath Ledger" in that cast?

Personally, I feel like his death is the icing on the cake for the film. All preconceived and ignorant notions, of course.

[Capo]

mikevronsky said:

I can strip whatever I want to strip.

Of course you can. Who can't?

Memento is a very strippable film.

Of course it is. Which film isn't?

I can strip Weekend of its gorgeous pans, its well-controlled left-to-right tracks, those circular tracking shots to the sound of Mozart, and all I've got is a long succession of lengthy (uncredited) quotes from various texts.

Hey, strip Stalker of those long takes, that methodic rhythm, that cool close-up of the three characters travelling between zones, and all you have is a lengthy elaboration on existential angst.

Yeah, stripping a film of the aesthetic choices it's made is doable indeed; hardly convincing, though, and certainly not positive.

[Pherdy]

omar said:

pherdy said:

The Dark Knight is my most anticipated film of 2008. It has the risk of becoming the best superhero movie of all time, the way the buzz is going right now...

Even with the "overrated Heath Ledger" in that cast?

haha. yes, that amazes me!!! in all fairness, he looks terrific in the teaser/trailer, so I'm expecting something great! (but it took me some convincing after hearing he was cast)

wetdog said:

I remember arguing exactly that position with you a few years ago about 21 Grams.

maybe it took me some time to get on the same page with you.

by the way, I remember that too; but it wasn't necessarily my view on 21 Grams, but my teacher's - which I understood to a degree. yet I still think that film benefits too from its stucture, just like Memento.

but you caught me here. good memory!

[Michael]

admin said:

mikevronsky said:

I can strip whatever I want to strip.

Of course you can. Who can't?

Memento is a very strippable film.

Of course it is. Which film isn't?

I can strip Weekend of its gorgeous pans, its well-controlled left-to-right tracks, those circular tracking shots to the sound of Mozart, and all I've got is a long succession of lengthy (uncredited) quotes from various texts.

Hey, strip Stalker of those long takes, that methodic rhythm, that cool close-up of the three characters travelling between zones, and all you have is a lengthy elaboration on existential angst.

Yeah, stripping a film of the aesthetic choices it's made is doable indeed; hardly convincing, though, and certainly not positive.

The difference is, Stalker and Week End are masterpieces. The things you mentioned and "stripped" from those films are all far more interesting and enjoyable than Nolan's non-linearity.

Like I said, it works well within the film but makes the film a chore to re-watch.

[Anasazie]

1. Batman Begins (2005) 6/10
2. Memento (2000) 5/10
3. Insomnia (2002) 5/10
4. The Prestige (2006) 5/10
5. The Dark Knight (2008) [blue]4/10[/blue]

[Michael]

1. The Dark Knight (2008) ****
2. Batman Begins (2005) ***
3. Memento (2000) **

[quentincompson]

1.Memento 6/10
2.Batman Begins 5/10
3.Insomnia 5/10
4.The Dark Knight 4/10

[svsg]

Quentin and Anasazie, are you planning to watch Dark Knight?

[quentincompson]

Seen it, just forgot to list it. Thought the first one was much better honestly.

[RNL]

Features
1. Insomnia (2002) _*****
2. The Prestige (2006) _*****
3. Memento (2000) _*****
4. Following (1998) _*****
5. Batman Begins (2005) _*****
6. The Dark Knight (2008) _*****

Shorts
1. Doodlebug (1997) _*****

Clever, talented, but about as bourgeois as they come, right?

[Capo]

The Prestige is excellent; still a masterpiece, for me. Has time alone eroded your love for it, or do you not think as highly of it now because of other reasons?

You've been more generous than I expected to The Dark Knight.

[RNL]

Nov 3, 2008 0:28:54 GMT Capo said:

The Prestige is excellent; still a masterpiece, for me. Has time alone eroded your love for it, or do you not think as highly of it now because of other reasons?

Time alone, I suppose. But what is that if not other reasons and all reasons?

(Oooohhhh...)

I like it, it's unique and attractive and the most substantial film he's made by a fair margin in its treatment of Quixotic obsession.

You've been more generous than I expected to The Dark Knight.

Well, it's not awful.

[Blib]

The Prestige (2006) -
Batman Begins (2005) -
Memento (2000) -
The Dark Knight (2008) -
Insomnia (2002) -

I added The Prestige and The Dark Knight, and lowered my score for Memento. Christopher Nolan is still a director I have enjoyed and will continue to watch based on what he has done so far.

[Anasazie]

Nov 3, 2008 0:19:39 GMT quentincompson said:

Seen it, just forgot to list it. Thought the first one was much better honestly.

Agreed, I finally got around to watching it as i have a real hard time with hype and Heath Ledger....don't want to say another word though as it's already had too much thought and energy put into dissecting it!

[Michael]

I thought The Dark Knight was utterly fantastic, and can't for the life of me figure out why it's gotten such low scores here.

[RNL]

Pssshhhh.

[Michael]

It contains just about everything I'd want from a comic book movie. It was entrancing, suspenseful, visually appealing, perfectly-paced and incredibly well-made. The acting was amazing bar some corny moments. Nobody has ever done comic book movies this well. It's amazing to see.

[RNL]

I disagree that it's well paced or well made. I think it's badly structured, filled with digressions and extraneous scenes. Most importantly though, is how seriously it takes itself. Have you got anything to add to last year's debate?

[ronnierocketago]

Aug 20, 2009 19:29:07 GMT RNL said:

I disagree that it's well paced or well made. I think it's badly structured, filled with digressions and extraneous scenes. Most importantly though, is how seriously it takes itself.

Good to see Van Damme's STREET FIGHTER has an advocate here.