Bitchin' 'bout media

[tripperfunster]

Ugh. My husband is watching Storage Wars. The show seriously makes me puke in my mouth. So many of the reality shows have shitty, manufactured pressure/fights/angst, but this one really takes the cake. I just can't watch the fake fighting and fake pissing wars they all have. Not to mention that the storage units are clearly stacked. I get agitated and need to leave the room. *flails*

He knows it's all fake too, of course, but it doesn't bother him like it does me.

Is there a reality show that you like? I really enjoyed the first couple of seasons of Survivor, but lost interest after a while. I do enjoy a lot of the real estate/fixer up shows like Love it or List It or International House Hunters. Also things like Myth Busters and Border Wars, but they are way less 'fake' than many of the other shows.

As for other media:
I watched (most of) Fight Club today. I turned it off, because I just really hate watching people be shitty to each other. It was neat, and clever and pretty original, but it got darker than I was ready to watch. I really felt like I should see it, because I see it referenced everywhere, but I didn't enjoy it like I'd hoped. And honestly, I'm surprised something that bizarre was that popular.

I also would like to see Trainspotting. Yeah, I know, it's not exactly rainbows and unicorns either, but I feel like it's something I missed, yanno?

Any other thoughts on movies that really should be seen? Not a list of your fav movies, but movies that were defining? I recently watched Love, Actually, which I think would be on that list.

I would say Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Dawn of the Dead, Shaun of the Dead, The Sixth Sense, Shawshank Redemption, Groundhog Day are a few others I'd say are 'defining' movies. edited to add: Field of Dreams, Thelma and Louise, Silence of the Lambs, The Lion King. Princess Bride, Blade Runner, 70's run Star Wars trilogy, Indiana Jones.

I'd love your recommendations of films I should see, or ones you think are defining like these. There are lots of movies on my 'to see' list, but I'm thinking slightly older, classic ones.

Also: I saw The Judge last night w/ Robert Downey Jr and Robert Duvall. Wow, really good, but also a bit hard to watch. I know that having a complicated relationship with my father doesn't exactly make me a special snowflake, but I thought they did a really good job of showing it.

Comments

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Oh I wanted to see the Judge but missed it on the rounds, I'll have to get the DVD. Recent films I loved - Pride. It was funny and moving and had me in floods of tears at the end (even though mostly it's a triumphant, happy ending). It's my top recommendation. Older 'defining' films for me - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Princess Bride, Blade Runner...

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

Ugh! It pisses me off that Pride wasn't released here. (or was done so quietly that I never heard of it until someone on my flist told me?)

Yes, I will make sure to see that. I haven't seen all of Butch Cassidy. Parts, but not the whole thing. And yes, I would call that one defining!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

I love Butch Cassidy so much - I re-watched it recently and was surprised how little it's dated too. And the script is excellent, the banter between the two men is great. When you've watched it, read candlebeck's SPN fanfic version!

I heard Pride's been released on DVD in the US though all mentions of gays have been removed from the cover!!!

[indybaggins.livejournal.com]

Reality shows: The Great British Bake Off! Vere little drama, they all genuinely seem to like each other, funny and punny and there's cake!

And I second Pride as being the best movie of 2014.

[dickgloucester.livejournal.com]

Oooh yes - Bake Off is wonderful. I also like Restoration Man and Grand Designs.

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

I don't know if we get that show here, but I have a live-stream tv thingie, so I can probably find it. I'm not super into cooking shows, but watching people GET ALONG would be refreshing!

[indybaggins.livejournal.com]

You can watch the last three seasons here: http://www.free-tv-video-online.me/internet/the_great_british_bake_off/

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[dickgloucester.livejournal.com]

I shall have to watch out for The Judge on Netflix, as I missed it in the cinema.

Defining... How about musicals? For me, it'd have to be "My Fair Lady" and "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" - both of them for stunning production values, and world class combinations of music and lyrics.

I think "Silence of the Lambs" might be a defining film, too, for that genre of dark police procedural with twisted but attractive perps who have a bond with the investigator.

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, Silence of the Lambs, for sure!

I've seen My Fair Lady (both film and theatre) and really enjoyed it, but I've not seen 7Brides. I will have to check it out, thanks!

[synn.livejournal.com]

If you're going to watch 'shaun of the dead', you should also watch 'zombiland' - they're always brought up /discussed in conjunction (for what it's worth, I prefer shaun of the dead, but most people don't agree).

by 'defining' do you mean defining a generation/time, or defining to the movie industry?

Agree on musicals, but I would swap 'seven brides for seven brothers' with the south pacific or guys and dolls, and add west side story (which I've never seen myself...)

reality tv - I don't watch normally, but have actually been watching 'fishtank kings' on netflix. Nice to look at the fish they show, but it's heavy on the manufactured drama and the people on it are... odd.

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

I think by 'defining' I mean a movie that most people of my generation (or the previous one) have seen and you see references to them in media. Sort of like "Scarface" (which I haven't seen, and should probably add to the list.) I've seen "Say hello to my little friend" in the Simpsons, in other movies and I've heard people say that line in reference to other things.

I HAVE seen Shaun of the Dead. That list was 'defining' one's that I had seen. And yes, I recently say Zombiland, and agree that Shaun was better!

Lance watches Fishtank kings occasionally, but I think he seekritly enjoys pissing my off with Pawn Kings and Storage Wars.

[chocolate-frapp.livejournal.com]

Maybe this is a dumb question but I'm not sure of the difference between favorite movies and defining movies.
that being said, I love Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill, I like Shaun of the Dead enough that I wrote a House vs. zombies fic that is essentially most of the House cast in Shaun of the Dead with very similar humor and i can't hear "Don't Stop Me Now" by Queen without picturing zombies getting beaten in the head rhythmically. I also like Zombieland a lot.
I like Trainspotting a lot although there's a certain sequence in it I can't look at directly (and it's not the one a lot of people think it is) plus i can't help thinking junkies apparently have better taste in music than ex-junkies. I'd take Iggy Pop over some electronic dance crap any day. I liked the Sixth Sense a lot. I like Groundhog Day a lot except for Andie McDowell's "everybody wants children" nonsense. (I love seeing happy affectionate parents but not everyone wants kids, Andie. I don't.) I think Dark City is a better movie than Blade Runner. I love the first Indy movie, liked the third. I couldn't take Lion King seriously because it starts with elephants being outranked by a lion when they're about a zillion times bigger.
I like West Side Story a lot too but my taste in musicals tends to run towards rock musicals, Hard Days' Night, Rocky Horror, Hedwig and the Angry Inch are some of my big faves.

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

Oh God, Rocky Horror! I would say that was THE defining movie in my teen years!
Hedwig was bizzare, hilarious and so sad!

By 'defining' I most mean that it's a film that people and/or media make references to. Quoting or satirizing it.

[chocolate-frapp.livejournal.com]

I'm not a fan of reality shows (except for some cooking-oriented ones) but some of my favorite TV shows are fake reality shows, especially Trailer Park Boys, which I love. i also like the British version of the Office a lot.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Oh! Good point about fake reality shows. Reno 911 is one of the funniest things I've seen on television.

[starduchess.livejournal.com]

'Iron Chef' has always been a good reality show, especially the Japanese original version. Alton Brown hosted the American version, which is alright, then he went on to do 'Cutthroat Kitchen' but that's more of a game show than a reality show. My hubby also started watching 'Kitchen Nightmares' with Gordon Ramsey as a professional chef that comes in and helps failing restaurants turn their business around. I think it would appeal to both you and your husband.

If you are into anime, I would say 'Akira' and 'My Neighbor Totoro' are both defining films there.

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

Kitchen nightmares makes me afraid to eat in restaurants! *shudder*

I want to see My Neighbour Toro! THanks!

[coffee-n-cocoa.livejournal.com]

I've seen all of the films you listed, and I love them all. I'd probably add The Breakfast Club and The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Most 'reality' shows make me gnash my teeth, but I've discovered I really do enjoy Deadliest Catch and Alaska: The Last Frontier, probably because they actually seem real instead of manufactured melodrama.

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

Oh God, Breakfast club! Yes! Probably Ferris Beuler's Day Off, although, to be perfectly honest, I didn't care for that film, even when it was current. He just seemed like a dick! Not charming at all.

My son likes watching Alaska … Rangers? I dunno, Alaska cops, basically. It's pretty interesting and less … white trash scumbags like the regular show Cops.

[chocolate-frapp.livejournal.com]

I totally agree with you about Ferris. Never understood why we were supposed to like him, he's an entitled little dickcheese.
I love all the Hobbit/LOTR movies.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Reality shows mostly get the "UGH" from me. I like story. I like narrative with appropriate rise, fall, and denouement. So reality shows, not so much.

Yet I have a weird fondness for wedding dresses--it's like the one costume in life that's legit and mainstream, you know?--so I like the "choose the wedding gown" shows. And an occasional cooking competition can get under my radar, but not any of the ones where the people are all jerks to each other. "Chopped" and "Food Fighters" the sort of thing I'll watch in hotel rooms when there's nothin' else on, because everything happens quickly and no one has time to be a jerk to their competition.

I could not possibly narrow down my defining movies list. I'm sure there are hundreds on it. Maybe I'll pretend to give it a go later?

[tprillahfiction.livejournal.com]

I don't have any film recommendations--I haven't really watched any recent ones besides: "Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas Ever" that showed on lifetime last month. However, that movie was cute, and I do recommend it! XD

I read your post again-- ah, you mean defining films, films that really have moved me, well here are my all time favorites:

1. "M". Starring Peter Lorre
2. "From Here To Eternity"
3. "Psycho"
4. "Moon"
5. "The Shining"
6. "I confess"
7. "The Empire Strikes Back"
8. "Blade Runner"
9. "Alien"
10. "Withnail and I"
11. "Goldfinger"
12. "Austin Powers" (actually the whole trilogy)
13. "Fear In the Night" starring DeForest Kelley
14. "The Birds"
15. "There Will Be Blood"
16. "A Clockwork Orange"
17. "It's a Wonderful Life"
18. "Star Trek II TWOK"

ETA: some more...

19. "The Bicycle Thief"
18. "Bande a Part"
19. "The Graduate"
20. "Bonnie And Clyde"
21. "Bugsy Malone"
22. "Sunset Boulevard"
23. "Mommie Dearest"
24. "The Poseidon Adventure"
25. "The Black Hole"
26. "Breathless"

That's about as many as I can think of, offhand.

As far as reality TV, I like watching "Hoarders" (all the past episodes) and "Cheaters", LOL that they run on the local station over here, and I like watching old eps of "Cops".

[chocolate-frapp.livejournal.com]

Psycho is my favorite horror movie.
Ever see Room 237? it's a really interesting documentary about the Shining and its cult following. It's on netflix insta view.
I love the first Austin Powers movie.
The Birds should have gone with the original ending but some studio big shot wouldn't let Hitchcock use it. :(
I liked the Graduate a lot when I first saw it but now that I'm older the stalkery stuff puts me off.
I love Sunset Boulevard and Breathless.

[tprillahfiction.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen that documentary (Room 237), I'll have to watch it.

I saw the 'making of the shining' shot by Vivian Kubrick. I love the haunting waltz at the end by Wendy Carlos.

What was the original ending of the birds? I didn't know there was one. Neat!

[chocolate-frapp.livejournal.com]

Wendy Carlos is a very talented musician.
The original ending of The Birds: after they drive away, they get to San Fran. And it's empty.
And there are birds all over the bridge.

[tealightwhimsy.livejournal.com]

I would also add Reservoir Dogs and Clockwork Orange. Although I assume everyone has watched The Godfather, I'll also add it here, just in case. Same with Goonies and Dirty Dancing. Oh, and Withnail & I. I remember everyone, including myself, being cuckoo over The Usual Suspects.

Oh, and it wasn't quite defining but the Horatio Hornblower miniseries by A&E was pretty damn good and I still try to get people to watch it.

And Velvet Goldmine!

Ok, I might be delving into movies that were defining for me...so I'll stop.

[chocolate-frapp.livejournal.com]

I love Velvet Goldmine. i have both the DVD and the soundtrack.

(I'm probably the only film geek who's only seen parts of the Godfather.)

[tprillahfiction.livejournal.com]

I forgot about Velvet Goldmine!

[ani-bester.livejournal.com]

The only part of storage wars I could stand was Barry, but not even he was worth it. I just found most of them to be detestable assholes and they got on my last nerve.
And yes, very fake.

But what just caused me to non stop complain (and my husband had to give the show up) was Container Wars.
I work in shipping. I know LEGALLY what has to happen when freight goes GO. I know what certain steamliners ship. I know the custom regs.

SO MUCH FAKE I COULDN'T HANDLE IT!!
Now I know why my mother couldn't handle ER after a while LOL