Wednesday, March 26, 2014

F This Movie! - The Grand Budapest Hotel

Patrick and Adam Riske are the faint glimmers of civilization left in this barbaric slaughterhouse that was once known as humanity.



Download this episode here. (80.7 MB)

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Also discussed this episode: Muppets Most Wanted (2014), Nymphomaniac Vol. 1 & 2 (2014), Flatliners (1990), Paranoia (2013), Enemy (2014), Contracted (2013), How to Lose Friends and Alienate People (2008)

24 comments:

  1. I haven't seen this yet, so I'll check this out after, but in the meantime:

    If you fine gentlemen take requests, I would really like to hear your thoughts on Cloud Atlas. Or read them, whatever (haha) -- I just kinda LOVE it and would like to see what you think!

    Personally, I feel it's masterful filmmaking, and while its earnestness may not be a popular storytelling element nowadays, I think it's sorely needed.

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    1. Hi Albert. If you are interested in reading some of our thoughts on Cloud Atlas right away click here (http://www.fthismovie.net/search?q=cloud+atlas). Needless to say, a lot of us are BIG fans of the movie. I liked it the first time but knew I needed to see it again. It's greatness became apparent to me on the second viewing. Your comments about it mirror what I think about the movie.

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    2. Thanks, Adam! There's some great stuff there (and some posts/best of lists I missed) and I appreciate the link, good sir.

      I agree with you as well; while I flat out loved it from the first, it was the second viewing where I truly realized the breadth of its greatness. And was amazed even further.

      Thanks again, man.

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    3. You can also check out our Best of 2012 show and hear me gush about it some more.

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    4. Will do, sir! Thanks to you as well!

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    5. Listened and it was great as usual. There were a lot of great movies that year! I've even been inspired to pull out my copy of Woman in Black and watch it tonight.

      Regarding the Cloud Atlas discussion: here is where I cement the fact that I'm a selfish asshole by saying that while I loved it, IT WASN'T LONG ENOUGH.

      Of course I'm mostly kidding but I could seriously listen to people (who know what they're talking about) discuss that movie for an hour or two easy.

      I will attempt to leave it at that, seeing as how this thread should PROBABLY be about GBH (which I cannot wait to see, as I love me some Wes Anderson), so, y'know, I'll shut up about Cloud Atlas now.

      (Cloud Atlas is a masterpiece and I cry with joy at its existence also. I knew I couldn't do it.)

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  2. I feel bad for the four or five people that actually saw Paranoia. I remember seeing trailers for both that and Runner, Runner in the Fall last year and called it right there that both movies would be wretched. It was also disappointing to see solid actors like Ford, Oldman, Affleck, and even Timberlake I suppose slum it up in uninspired movies that may as well have been produced by CBS or WWE Films.

    To be honest I never did see Paranoia, but obviously the reviews support my initial expectations. I did see Runner, Runner though and the movie was atrocious. I placed it as the worst movie I saw last year, and surely Paranoia would be right with it.

    I quite liked Enemy, but like Adam I immediately went and looked at some interpretations discussing the events in the movie. While I understood most of the plot, certain parts of the movie probably need to be seen multiple times to grasp the entirety of the happenings. Upon first viewing I did quite like it, possibly because it was quite unique, the mood was interesting, and the acting and direction were top notch. Although that could change if the story doesn't hold up like a few critics are saying.

    Jake Gyllenhaal is on an absolute roll right now though with Zodiac, Prisoners, End of Watch, Source Code, and Enemy. I'll definitely be on the lookout for his movies from now on. Heck I think because of him alone I've started to take a liking towards The Prince of Persia.

    As for The Grand Budapest Hotel, I think I'll wait to catch it on Netflix. I haven't really loved a Wes Anderson movie since The Royal Tenenbaums, and despite my affection for much of the cast I don't think it's a movie I need to rush to see in theatres.

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    1. I enjoyed Paranoia and the first half of Runner Runner but in a junk food kind of way. They are both very stupid movies.

      I agree with you completely on Enemy. Regardless of the plot/message of the movie (which probably could have been a little clearer), it's worth watching for the mood alone. Also, agree on Gyllenhaal. He's one of my favorite current actors. I really respect guys like him, DiCaprio and Gordon-Levitt for their quality control. They never pick movies that waste your time.

      You might want to give Grand Budapest a shot. It's better than just about anything else in theaters right now.

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    2. Yeah, there's not much in theatres right now, but I want to check go check out Aronofsky's take on Noah. The reviews aren't necessarily stellar, but when was the last time there was a biblical movie worth seeing? I don't think there's been one in 50+ years (unless The Last Temptation of Christ counts as one).

      Then next week Captain America gets the ball rolling on blockbuster movies (most hopefully worth seeing). It's going to be tough getting in anything else. It's a shame Sabotage is getting slammed by critics as it could have been good. I guess we got the Street Kings David Ayer this time around.

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    3. Yeah Noah was really good, just an entertaining movie-going experience. Sabotage wasn't even released in my city, so I'll probably wait for its DVD release.

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    4. Just never watch it. You'll be much happier. It's a miserable experience.

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    5. It's really that bad? The only glimpse of hope I had was that Roeper gave it a positive review. But I think I'll take your word for this one and skip it.

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    6. I thought so. I like Roeper but this is one case where I don't know what the hell he's talking about.

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  3. Not to be That Guy or anything, but I don’t get the anti-The Muppets vibe around here in the wake of Most Wanted. I know, I know, its great that I liked The Muppets and you’re all happy for me, and yes, yes I know it just didn’t work for you and that’s fine as it doesn’t detract from my enjoyment yadda yadda yadaa, but WHAT THE FUCK! The Muppets was lovely and you’re wrong for not agreeing.

    The “bending over backwards” to remind us why we like them, was an explicit theme of the movie, tied in with a pretty decent juxtaposition of character relationship dynamics exploring the idea of accepting the whole of others even if it means letting someone go or including their faults in your life. It was quite well done I thought, and really funny (although Im not a fan of cameos for the sake of cameos). It used nostalgia is a really clever way so that it knew that we knew that it knew what it was doing. I don’t see these as weaknesses, like it sounds like itsthe common thought around here, but as strengths.

    Sigh. Im just going to go sulk in my Fozzie pajamas, under my Gonzo doona, and read “The Adventures of Ralf and Skooter in the Jungle of Doom” (a self penned fanfic that is amazing, if I do say so myself), while I try to forget how wrong you all are.

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  4. It's best to wait for blu ray to watch Nymphomaniac since only the cut versions are being shown in the theaters. If I'm going to watch a Lars von Trier film, it needs to be his full on version.

    Big Fan of von Trier. Been since 1994's The Kingdom. Almost find the majority of his work before that release as unwatchable. Once he created, embraced and subverted his Dogme 95 Manifesto his work became passionate, alive and wickedly cruel.

    I've seen Dancer in the Dark numerous times and it's actually one of the most powerful films I've ever seen.

    Hopefully the upcoming Criterion blu ray of Breaking the Waves includes the David Bowie song Life on Mars instead of Elton John's Your Song, which was included on the Criterion LD. Life on Mars is on all versions outside the US and fits much, much better to von Trier's pacing of that scene.

    Maybe he'll eventually finish his Dogville/Manderlay Trilogy, even though Manderlay is trying so hard to be shocking that it becomes average. Casting Bryce Dallas Howard in the Nicole Kidman role didn't help either.

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  5. Really enjoyed the Budapest podcast. The storytelling aspect of the movie really interested me The link between the viewer and the multiple layers of perspective (the girl reader in the beginning, the writer of the story, the story itself) was really fascinating. I totally agree Anderson sure can misstep, i'm not a big fan of Darjeeling or Fantastic Mr. Fox, but this one sure worked for me.

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    1. Thanks Greg! Glad to hear you enjoyed Grand Budapest Hotel :-)

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  6. I finally saw TGBH this weekend & I really enjoyed it (thank you Redbox). I then listened to the podcast & Adam bet Patrick a quarter that it would make over a $100million at the box office. Was that domestic or foreign? TGBH made $59million domestic & $111million foreign. I’m dying to know who got that quarter!

    Anderson does have name value but he’s nowhere near a Tarantino or Woody Allen in box office yet. Still, $59million is pretty impressive by "art film" standards in North America.

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  7. Adam, The Grand Budapest Hotel didn't hit $100 million domestically, but it is Anderson's biggest worldwide gross by a wide margin ($172 million worldwide vs about $100 million for Tenenbaums in adjusted dollars). Source: boxofficemojo.com

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  8. Fascinating discussion. You guys are some of the first people I've heard ask "why?" to the purposeful style elements (even I was just like "hey, that looks neat!").

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  9. It is a film that maintains its illusion with grace-and ruefully unmasks that illusion every bit as gracefully.

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