I never saw much merit in Bad Boys, supposedly Michael Bay's seminal work, and it makes want to turn the channel over - I found Bad Boys II moderately more watchable and that wasn't a good movie either.
There's actually a point I wanted to add to the discussion concerning 'older' movies. I think context is relevant but only to a point. I think there are movies that succeed in being 'timeless' which means they tend to be great no matter when you view them.
To me, 2001 is one of those movies. It was made 40 years ago but I don't perceive it as dated and don't feel the need to tell myself when this was made to be able to consider it a great movie.
Other movies include (for example) The Great Dictator. I still find that highly enjoyable today. It's a tremendous movie as it is. Put it in context and it's even greater but it's not even really necessary in my mind.
Other 'older' movies, however, just don't fare that well, in my view, anyway. And I think part of it has to do with the fact that some of the ideas and social concepts of the time were, plain and simply put, stupid. One of the things that always strikes me is the role of women who are very, very often (especially though not only, I must sadly say) reduced to nothing more than the source of a problem, something needing to be saved or a love interest for somebody.
I can enjoy movies like that because I'm aware of the time(s) but it really pretty much keeps me from considering them 'truly great' movies.
I realize that this is a bit of a slippery slope since times have changed quite a bit and not just in comparison to the way things were 40 or 50 years ago. So, you might ask, what about really old paintings or writings from several hundred years ago? Those times and social conventions are very often even more removed from today. I don't really have a satisfactory answer to this. There are works where it bothers me just as it does with the movies and others where it doesn't. I suppose it's not always completely rational.
To me, 2001 is one of those movies. It was made 40 years ago but I don't perceive it as dated and don't feel the need to tell myself when this was made to be able to consider it a great movie.
Other movies include (for example) The Great Dictator. I still find that highly enjoyable today. It's a tremendous movie as it is. Put it in context and it's even greater but it's not even really necessary in my mind.
Other 'older' movies, however, just don't fare that well, in my view, anyway. And I think part of it has to do with the fact that some of the ideas and social concepts of the time were, plain and simply put, stupid. One of the things that always strikes me is the role of women who are very, very often (especially though not only, I must sadly say) reduced to nothing more than the source of a problem, something needing to be saved or a love interest for somebody.
I can enjoy movies like that because I'm aware of the time(s) but it really pretty much keeps me from considering them 'truly great' movies.
I realize that this is a bit of a slippery slope since times have changed quite a bit and not just in comparison to the way things were 40 or 50 years ago. So, you might ask, what about really old paintings or writings from several hundred years ago? Those times and social conventions are very often even more removed from today. I don't really have a satisfactory answer to this. There are works where it bothers me just as it does with the movies and others where it doesn't. I suppose it's not always completely rational.
Fargo. I don't get it.
V For Vendetta. I don't think it's a 5 star movie like some people rave.
V For Vendetta. I don't think it's a 5 star movie like some people rave.
The original Russian version of Solaris. Horrible self-indulgent pretentious unwatchable crap.
The remake, however, was possibly even worse (but that's not considered a classic).
The Graduate. Whiny slacker guy bangs a hottie MILF but can't be happy about it, then makes an ass of himself ruining her daughter's wedding - a girl he barely knows - and she's stupid enough to run away with him. When the movie ended I just wanted to shake both of them and tell them to grow the fuck up.
The remake, however, was possibly even worse (but that's not considered a classic).
The Graduate. Whiny slacker guy bangs a hottie MILF but can't be happy about it, then makes an ass of himself ruining her daughter's wedding - a girl he barely knows - and she's stupid enough to run away with him. When the movie ended I just wanted to shake both of them and tell them to grow the fuck up.
Some of my choices:
No Country For Old Men: so-so film, full of unrealistic people doing unrealistic things. I like the idea of exploring the Texas frontier, and the comparison of the old-time Texas Rangers and what police go through in contemporary times, but this film was not it.
Kill Bill Volumes 1 & 2 - especially 2: The set-up was ridiculous. The characters were all bad caricatures. I saw better fighting on mere TV shows like Xena.
The Matrix: Very cool film but Dark City sort of broke this ground previously, so it was not a huge surprise to me.
Million Dollar Baby: Seemed a bit too 'Lifetime channel-like' for my taste.
Home Alone: Mildly amusing at best.
Closer: *must resist balling up fist of death and pummeling director Mike Nichols into unconsciousness*
No Country For Old Men: so-so film, full of unrealistic people doing unrealistic things. I like the idea of exploring the Texas frontier, and the comparison of the old-time Texas Rangers and what police go through in contemporary times, but this film was not it.
Kill Bill Volumes 1 & 2 - especially 2: The set-up was ridiculous. The characters were all bad caricatures. I saw better fighting on mere TV shows like Xena.
The Matrix: Very cool film but Dark City sort of broke this ground previously, so it was not a huge surprise to me.
Million Dollar Baby: Seemed a bit too 'Lifetime channel-like' for my taste.
Home Alone: Mildly amusing at best.
Closer: *must resist balling up fist of death and pummeling director Mike Nichols into unconsciousness*
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