Author Topic: WEEKEND MOVIE MARATHON: Surreal Cities of the 90s (Read 2917 times)

TVC15 · « **on:** November 10, 2007, 05:37:11 AM »

The Game
Eyes Wide Shut
American Psycho

Any others?

What I am looking for are surreal depictions of the "realistic" city life, filmed in the 90s. The 3 movies listed above are all upper class, high society things, but that isn't a requirement.

Thoughts to follow as I go on.

The Sceneman · « **Reply #1 on:** November 10, 2007, 05:42:58 AM »

Blank Check? Sorry but your criteria is pretty subjective

TVC15 · « **Reply #2 on:** November 10, 2007, 05:48:01 AM »

Quote from: Scenester on November 10, 2007, 05:42:58 AM

Blank Check? Sorry but your criteria is pretty subjective

Well, there are the normal criteria:

1) Drama or "serious movies"
2) Good

that cuts things down significantly. The city either has to feature prominently or be filmed distinctly.

etiolate · « **Reply #3 on:** November 10, 2007, 06:28:08 AM »

What was that polanski/depp movie that was similar to eyes wide shut?

TVC15 · « **Reply #4 on:** November 10, 2007, 07:42:11 AM »

Quote from: etiolate on November 10, 2007, 06:28:08 AM

What was that polanski/depp movie that was similar to eyes wide shut?

The Ninth Gate. The book (Club Dumas) is incredible.

Ichirou · « **Reply #5 on:** November 10, 2007, 09:32:37 AM »

Does it have to be limited to the '90s?

Bloodwake · « **Reply #6 on:** November 10, 2007, 09:44:46 AM »

Just letting you know that while American Psycho was made in the 90s, it takes place in the late 80s.

Good movie though.

TVC15 · « **Reply #7 on:** November 10, 2007, 09:51:00 AM »

Quote from: Ichirou on November 10, 2007, 09:32:37 AM

Does it have to be limited to the '90s?

I arbitrarily picked the 90s because the three movies that triggered the thought were from the same clump of years. Yeah, toss in other suff.

Ichirou · « **Reply #8 on:** November 10, 2007, 09:53:07 AM »

Zodiac has an awesomely cool depiction of period San Francisco!

Night and the City, interesting depiction of London post-war...Third Man, post-WWII Vienna...Robocop...old Detroit!...

Sorry, I'm fucked up right now. So drunk I can't think of any more. Mebbe when I'm sober.

Hurdy Gurdy Man.

captainbiotch · « **Reply #9 on:** November 10, 2007, 10:37:32 AM »

Vanilla Sky?

Synbios459 · « **Reply #10 on:** November 10, 2007, 10:53:42 PM »

Quote from: TVC 15 on November 10, 2007, 05:37:11 AM

The Game
Eyes Wide Shut
American Psycho

Any others?

What I am looking for are surreal depictions of the "realistic" city life, filmed in the 90s. The 3 movies listed above are all upper class, high society things, but that isn't a requirement.

Thoughts to follow as I go on.

What do you think about the IMDB Top 250?

drozmight · « **Reply #11 on:** November 10, 2007, 11:37:58 PM »

Dark City

wait that's not realistic.

HyperZoneWasAwesome · « **Reply #12 on:** November 10, 2007, 11:57:12 PM »

Fight Club
Bringing out the Dead

does Strange Days count? It oughta.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #13 on:** November 11, 2007, 12:05:48 AM »

uh...Boyz in the Hood?

border · « **Reply #14 on:** November 11, 2007, 02:56:44 AM »

I guess I haven't really seen The Game since it was in theaters, but I don't remember "the city" really being a heavy element of the movie...

TVC15 · « **Reply #15 on:** November 11, 2007, 02:59:33 AM »

Quote from: border on November 11, 2007, 02:56:44 AM

I guess I haven't really seen The Game since it was in theaters, but I don't remember "the city" really being a heavy element of the movie...

There are some really nice on location shots of SF in it, particularly earlier. I mean, on a meaningful thematic level, no, it's not about a city, but I was more going with a visual theme here.

border · « **Reply #16 on:** November 11, 2007, 03:03:58 AM »

Ahhhhh, ok I see.

Before Sunrise and Barcelona are anything but surreal, but are both heavily steeped in their settings if you like that sort of thing.

TVC15 · « **Reply #17 on:** November 11, 2007, 03:12:18 AM »

Quote from: border on November 11, 2007, 03:03:58 AM

Ahhhhh, ok I see.

Before Sunrise and Barcelona are anything but surreal, but are both heavily steeped in their settings if you like that sort of thing.

I think surreal also came from the 3 movies in the original post. All three were modernly filmed movies. "Modernly" in that they were distinctly of their era, the late 90s, post-music video, and as such, the shots of the city exhibit what might be deemed hyperreal cinematography. More real than real. Heavily stylized with aesthetic sensibilities of the 90s, but all still trying to be real or convincing on some level.

border · « **Reply #18 on:** November 11, 2007, 03:15:59 AM »

What do you take to be 90's style movies? Maybe it's because I was brought up in that era or because there were so many divergent types of films at the time, but I don't associate a particular style with that era.

Would something like Run Lola Run qualify? (Though that is more "music video" than "post-music video")

TVC15 · « **Reply #19 on:** November 11, 2007, 03:21:14 AM »

Quote from: border on November 11, 2007, 03:15:59 AM

What do you take to be 90's style movies? Maybe it's because I was brought up in that era or because there were so many divergent types of films at the time, but I don't associate a particular style with that era.

Would something like Run Lola Run qualify? (Though that is more "music video" than "post-music video")

Here, I am making the association with music videos. Fast, frequent cuts and the like. For a recently talked about example, see Coppola try to co-opt the "style" in Bram Stoker's Dracula, which was, coincidentally marketed at the MTV audience (well, it was a horror movie. . )

To go on a tangent, it's interesting watching movies dating back to the 60s (like 2001) and seeing the measurable relationship between filmy film and music videos. Whether its the psychedelic ending to 2001, to the short films of Kenneth Anger, to David Bowie making videos referencing 2001, to the 90s exploiting the short attention spans established by videos in the 80s, there's always been a symbiotic relationship there.

border · « **Reply #20 on:** November 11, 2007, 03:27:17 AM »

Well, then I guess Barcelona and Before Sunrise wouldn't qualify as they are both filled with long takes and wide shots and such. Run Lola Run probably would though.

How about The Rock (at least up until they actually get to Alcatraz)? It's Michael Bay before he got super-spazzy with the cuts, but still has a heavy San Francisco feel.

TVC15 · « **Reply #21 on:** November 11, 2007, 03:28:22 AM »

That would entail acquiring a copy of The Rock

Smooth Groove · « **Reply #22 on:** November 11, 2007, 03:33:39 AM »

TVC, remember to get me some HD caps of Kidman's cupcakes.

border · « **Reply #23 on:** November 11, 2007, 03:34:18 AM »

Quote from: TVC 15 on November 11, 2007, 03:28:22 AM

That would entail acquiring a copy of The Rock

It's in the Criterion Collection, so you know it's gotta be good

TVC15 · « **Reply #24 on:** November 11, 2007, 03:39:14 AM »

Quote from: border on November 11, 2007, 03:34:18 AM

Quote from: TVC 15 on November 11, 2007, 03:28:22 AM
That would entail acquiring a copy of The Rock

It's in the Criterion Collection, so you know it's gotta be good

THEY NEEDED THE MONEY!

I can't defend it being Criterioned, but it was entertaining. Sean Connery was a badass, Nic Cage at his tolerable best. Guilty pleasure total, like Con Air.

Smooth Groove · « **Reply #25 on:** November 11, 2007, 03:43:41 AM »

Quote from: TVC 15 on November 11, 2007, 03:39:14 AM

Quote from: border on November 11, 2007, 03:34:18 AM
Quote from: TVC 15 on November 11, 2007, 03:28:22 AM
That would entail acquiring a copy of The Rock

It's in the Criterion Collection, so you know it's gotta be good

THEY NEEDED THE MONEY!

I can't defend it being Criterioned, but it was entertaining. Sean Connery was a badass, Nic Cage at his tolerable best. Guilty pleasure total, like Con Air.

Are you going to get me the caps I requested? You would make me even more of a perv thus fulfilling your sick desire to corrupt other people.

border · « **Reply #26 on:** November 11, 2007, 03:46:56 AM »

I am probably too far removed and too full of hazy memories to make a fair judgment, but if any 90's popcorn flick deserves a Criterion disc it is probably The Rock. Maybe not the genre's be-all end-all flick, but perhaps the decade's most shining example of big-budget action done right.

Criterion Collection Armageddon is the real puzzler.

TVC15 · « **Reply #27 on:** November 11, 2007, 04:16:17 AM »

Quote from: Smooth Groove on November 11, 2007, 03:43:41 AM

Quote from: TVC 15 on November 11, 2007, 03:39:14 AM
Quote from: border on November 11, 2007, 03:34:18 AM
Quote from: TVC 15 on November 11, 2007, 03:28:22 AM
That would entail acquiring a copy of The Rock

It's in the Criterion Collection, so you know it's gotta be good

THEY NEEDED THE MONEY!

I can't defend it being Criterioned, but it was entertaining. Sean Connery was a badass, Nic Cage at his tolerable best. Guilty pleasure total, like Con Air.

Are you going to get me the caps I requested? You would make me even more of a perv thus fulfilling your sick desire to corrupt other people.

Does she show her cookies in Eyes Wide Shut? If she does, I only have it on Blu Ray, which I cannot capture. Sorry

Quote from: border on November 11, 2007, 03:46:56 AM

I am probably too far removed and too full of hazy memories to make a fair judgment, but if any 90's popcorn flick deserves a Criterion disc it is probably The Rock. Maybe not the genre's be-all end-all flick, but perhaps the decade's most shining example of big-budget action done right.

Criterion Collection Armageddon is the real puzzler.

Yeah, the Rock is probably a museum quality example of the blockbuster of the period. I remember Sean Connery getting some cool line about getting losers going home and winners getting to fuck the prom queen.

Smooth Groove · « **Reply #28 on:** November 11, 2007, 04:23:25 AM »

Quote from: TVC 15 on November 11, 2007, 04:16:17 AM

Quote from: Smooth Groove on November 11, 2007, 03:43:41 AM
Quote from: TVC 15 on November 11, 2007, 03:39:14 AM
Quote from: border on November 11, 2007, 03:34:18 AM
Quote from: TVC 15 on November 11, 2007, 03:28:22 AM
That would entail acquiring a copy of The Rock

It's in the Criterion Collection, so you know it's gotta be good

THEY NEEDED THE MONEY!

I can't defend it being Criterioned, but it was entertaining. Sean Connery was a badass, Nic Cage at his tolerable best. Guilty pleasure total, like Con Air.

Are you going to get me the caps I requested? You would make me even more of a perv thus fulfilling your sick desire to corrupt other people.

Does she show her cookies in Eyes Wide Shut? If she does, I only have it on Blu Ray, which I cannot capture. Sorry

I haven't seen it but I've heard that she gets nude quite a bit. I know she's at least topless. Too bad you didn't get it on HD-DVD.

Maybe you should be getting HD-DVD for movies that have good cap material.

CajoleJuice · « **Reply #29 on:** November 11, 2007, 04:24:46 AM »

The Rock is a fucking awesome movie.

The Sceneman · « **Reply #30 on:** November 11, 2007, 05:16:17 AM »

Con Air is fucken amazing, I watched it while quaffing a bottle of Pinot Noir on Friday night. It was AWESOME

Ichirou · « **Reply #31 on:** November 11, 2007, 05:59:02 AM »

Nicole Kidman is totally butt-naked in Eyes Wide Shut. You can see everything. Everything.

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Author Topic: WEEKEND MOVIE MARATHON: Surreal Cities of the 90s (Read 2917 times)