all 13 comments

[–]Eav 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (7 children)

Two overlooked gems from 2017 that Ive recently seen and can't get out of my head: "Thoroughbreds" and "Ingrid goes West". They are an excellent double feature. Both explore the psychopathy/narcissm endemic in modern society, and both are considered "black comedies". I find the portrayals within deeply unsettling, brilliant acting jobs (particularly Aubrey Plaza as "Ingrid") I didn't experience these films as comedy at all. I think both films are a kind of litmus test, as I have noticed viewers and critics alike tend to be evenly split on whether theyd just watched a hilarious satire or a satirical thriller. I favor the latter interpretation. Both are writer/director jobs, and both are stunningly adept debuts which deserved way more attention. I particularly think Plaza was robbed of an Oscar nom, and Thoroughbreds is one of the most taught, well-staged 1.5 hours I've seen on screen. The soundtrack is particularly off-beat, almost alarmingly so. Of the two, if I had to chose, I'd go with Thoroughbreds. I have not successfully totally vanquished the disturbing implications of its well-healed from my mind in the two weeks since I've seen it. A must watch for sure. Especially for those hip to truths which constitute the genuine realities of life on Earth.

As for "Ingrid", I can guarantee it is one of tge most wrenching pieces of film to watch, in the way that I found it impossible to remain seated throughout. Everyone that watched with me had the same experience. Be that pleasant or not, it certainly affects deeply.

Both did.

[–]Mnemonic 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (6 children)

I heard of Thoroughbreds through https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbJVd5C8OU0&t=775s and seems to fit your description as well and as well as. {pretty sure that's english}

[Though I am a little upset because are you a just launched sentient AI? How can these just released movies be your "What's a movie you could rave and gush about for LIFE that you 1000% recommend despite others maybe/often underrating it? And I wanna hear it's importance to you!" ?]

[–]Goober_notorious2[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Lol! I wonder the same thing... like when you come across a "list of great movies" but they're just the movies that people are promoting from that year...haha

[–]Tom_Bombadil 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (4 children)

It's either a bot, or some internet savvy Amish kid in the midst of their Rumspringa.

[–]Goober_notorious2[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

(I started to reply the other day and got distracted) That cracked me up, and now I really think it would suck these days to have Rumspringa with the movies that are out now because, when I look back at movies I saw in the theater as a kid, a higher percentage were/are actually great movies, but I feel like, as an adult, way more movies that I see in the theater just suck lol.

Speaking of movies and since your name is Tom Bombadil...I was considering including runners-up in my original post, and would have definitely included Lord of the Rings which I was obsessed with for years :)

[–]Tom_Bombadil 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Tom Bombadil is much more interesting and enigmatic in the books. They are much better than the movies.
I feel like the movies vulgarized the message of the books by glamorizing the battles, and minimize the pervasive sense of loss and tradgedy that is the real essence of the tale. If you want a real sense of the message that Tolkien wanted to convey then read "The Children of Hurin". It's about 100 pages. It was completely by his son Christopher from his uninsured writings. It's a masterpiece.

[–]Goober_notorious2[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Awesome, thanks! I should re-read the Lord of the Rings series again now that I'm an adult... to be honest I freaking love audiobooks so that is my goal there lol. When I did read the books wayyyy back, I actually loved The Hobbit book the most (yes, it was an audiobook but I still have extremely good memories of listening to it with my family) but I didn't like the new Hobbit movies as much as I loved "the origies" when they came out. Thank you for your Insight!! I like thinking/talking about lotr, it's been a while, and I could go on and on, but I don't like to type :P

[–]Tom_Bombadil 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

[–]Goober_notorious2[S] 1 insightful - 3 fun1 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 3 fun -  (0 children)

PS keep off the grass!

[–]Mnemonic 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

  • Johnny Mnemonic: Great plot and interesting characters/story points + Keanu Reeves. Came upon this movie when I was in a bad place... I was So happy to see it, I already liked the matrix, but this was bad and good in a way that it was entertaining enough but also serious enough to give some thoughts.

  • The Matrix trilogy + animatrix, only downside is that 'red pilling' is taken over by people who don't seem to understand it's a kind of ego-death. The Matrix came out when I was 9, but heard about it through a friend about 2 years later. "Police that dodge bullets and a computer ghost dude!" I went to the toy store to get the DVD (we just got a player at home that year) and even though it was/(is?) a 16+ movie I could buy it. (First movie ever bought from my own money). Wednesday midday school was out but I was home alone (almost every week) and I watched it 2 times every Wednesday for a whole Autumn and winter. One day my mom caught me watching it in the Christmas vacation when they went to church with the siblings and I was (really) feeling sick so stayed warm at home, it was the helicopter morpheus breakout scene, Gatling gun had just begun. I tried to explain what I was watching, the story ect. But she was only worried that I might have stolen the DVD, but I had the receipt! [She didn't notice the 16+ label] and it was okay. I learned English through this movie (and the X-files + star trek later on when I had my own computer and discovered torrents but subtitles still were a rare thing) and made me go into ICT while always careful for the machines. Fun thing, this is how I learned to be nice/normal to Computers and machines in general: instead of bashing it (sure for really old TVs bashing does help) just pat it and encourage it: You can do it!. [That way you get less stressed, less chance you break something and you don't startle people]. The whole zen/gnostic vibe really helped in dark times and made me look into philosophy/other religions. {Though I still have to read the cache-book} Before I forget, the music is great. Rob Zombie remix in the club scene, hell yeah.

  • Zardoz: I mean... watch it! You can really only discus it while watching.

  • Tucker and Dale vs Evil: Always good and for everyone, comedy and parody of the slasher genre. When with a group of people and you don't know what to watch.. this.

  • Dark City: Same year as the matrix, kinda similar in story (in concept) though now with memories and a nice black/white noir detective vibe.

  • The Yes Men Fix The World: It's not a movie, they really did this! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OazUh0Ym8rc [Pranking the baddies]

[–]Goober_notorious2[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Awesome! Thanks for sharing!

[–]Tom_Bombadil 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

My favorite movie of all time is, "Billionaire Boy's Club"! I spent my entire paycheck ($126) the night it came out.
I love that movie. Kevin Spacey is great!
It's my favorite of all time!!!

[–]Mnemonic 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Where did he touch... ehm I mean, how did the movie impact you that you can't keep your mouth shut about it?