Her

[keg in kc]

Caught it yesterday, and I gotta say it was one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. Thought it was a really poignant commentary on the world today, and where we're going in the future. Fantastic performances, tons of emotion, just really well done.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by Reaper16

American Hustle pissed me off, actually. It's very entertaining, and the performances are top-notch. But it is an empty film. It is about nothing. It stands for nothing. It's just a bunch of shit that audiences love -- crazy costumes & hair, tits, drug use, plot twists, crime & capers -- without any purpose.

The only way I can get behind American Hustle beyond simple ****ing popcorn entertainment is if David O. Russell was specifically trolling both audiences and the Academy by showing us all that what we really crave in movies is something that you don't have to think about at all. But I don't think he's that cynical, given the feel-good nature of Silver Linings Playbook and The Fighter.

If you think American Hustle is an empty film just wait until.you see Wolf Of Wall Street

[Reaper16]

Originally Posted by BWillie

If you think American Hustle is an empty film just wait until.you see Wolf Of Wall Street

I think Wolf of Wall Street is a superb film because it has in spades what American Hustle lacks entirely: a sense of morality and purpose.

WoWS clearly in every scene paints the behavior of its characters as detestable. Some viewers have had very strong negative reactions to this movie, and their hearts are in the right place because we should hate these characters. We shouldn't hate the movie, though, because the movie exists to make us hate what's being depicted.

Or, better yet, some viewers are just thoroughly entertained by WoWS much like people are entertained by American Hustle. That's even better, because the ultimate purpose of WoWS is to turn its questions back around to us.

Why are we entertained by these coke-fueled antics that happen because normal people are getting screwed out of their money? Because at some level the American people still see getting money, at any cost, as a laudable thing. Why are some viewers outraged at this film but NOT outraged enough -- then or now -- to loudly speak up against the trading firms that still to this day continue to rob Americans of their financial resources? Because at some point, Americans still respect the thieves for getting over on us. That's the beauty of WoWS's moral core: it shows us a world of offensive, hedonistic depravity and also has the balls to make us realize that for all of our offense we would absolutely trade places with the crooks if we had the chance.

American Hustle pats us on the head, tells us that crime is cool & that its ok to think so. WoWS holds a mirror to our faces, shows us how terrible we all are, and spits on us.

[Anyong Bluth]

Originally Posted by Reaper16

12 Years a Slave

Agreed.

[Anyong Bluth]

Totally depressing and yet redeeming at the same time. Jonze is a brilliant mind, and fantastic director. He really did a masterful job with attacking a pertinent subject in a fresh and original manner.

All the actors I thought did a fantastic job. I was surprised a bit that Rooney (his ex-) didn't have a larger part, but that's neither here nor there. About the only actor I could do without was whoever played Amy Adams husband- someone else in that role would have been my choice.

I thought Chris Pratt was hilarious in a very subtle way! Admittedly, I just like the guy as an actor / person / whatever.

My only ?

Spoiler!

Anyone else find some of the weirder parts a bit incoherent with the rest of the story? Mainly I'm just referring to the "beat me with the dead cat laying next to the bed" part and him saying he's choking her with its tail to wrap up the random phone sex conversation.

I really could care less about it being weird per se, stand its not a case of finding it offensive or anything. I just felt like it pulled you out of the story and detracted from the flow of the film... ?
Again, not a biggie.

[Sorter]

Documentary on the movie about Love

[bowener]

Originally Posted by Reaper16

I think Wolf of Wall Street is a superb film because it has in spades what American Hustle lacks entirely: a sense of morality and purpose.

WoWS clearly in every scene paints the behavior of its characters as detestable. Some viewers have had very strong negative reactions to this movie, and their hearts are in the right place because we should hate these characters. We shouldn't hate the movie, though, because the movie exists to make us hate what's being depicted.

Or, better yet, some viewers are just thoroughly entertained by WoWS much like people are entertained by American Hustle. That's even better, because the ultimate purpose of WoWS is to turn its questions back around to us.

Why are we entertained by these coke-fueled antics that happen because normal people are getting screwed out of their money? Because at some level the American people still see getting money, at any cost, as a laudable thing. Why are some viewers outraged at this film but NOT outraged enough -- then or now -- to loudly speak up against the trading firms that still to this day continue to rob Americans of their financial resources? Because at some point, Americans still respect the thieves for getting over on us. That's the beauty of WoWS's moral core: it shows us a world of offensive, hedonistic depravity and also has the balls to make us realize that for all of our offense we would absolutely trade places with the crooks if we had the chance.

American Hustle pats us on the head, tells us that crime is cool & that its ok to think so. WoWS holds a mirror to our faces, shows us how terrible we all are, and spits on us.

I love the final scene of WoWS. It epitomizes the spirit of your post quite well.

[Omaha]

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

What was the 1st?

Anchorman 2

[cosmo20002]

Her

Her?

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by Reaper16

I think Wolf of Wall Street is a superb film because it has in spades what American Hustle lacks entirely: a sense of morality and purpose.

WoWS clearly in every scene paints the behavior of its characters as detestable. Some viewers have had very strong negative reactions to this movie, and their hearts are in the right place because we should hate these characters. We shouldn't hate the movie, though, because the movie exists to make us hate what's being depicted.

Or, better yet, some viewers are just thoroughly entertained by WoWS much like people are entertained by American Hustle. That's even better, because the ultimate purpose of WoWS is to turn its questions back around to us.

Why are we entertained by these coke-fueled antics that happen because normal people are getting screwed out of their money? Because at some level the American people still see getting money, at any cost, as a laudable thing. Why are some viewers outraged at this film but NOT outraged enough -- then or now -- to loudly speak up against the trading firms that still to this day continue to rob Americans of their financial resources? Because at some point, Americans still respect the thieves for getting over on us. That's the beauty of WoWS's moral core: it shows us a world of offensive, hedonistic depravity and also has the balls to make us realize that for all of our offense we would absolutely trade places with the crooks if we had the chance.

American Hustle pats us on the head, tells us that crime is cool & that its ok to think so. WoWS holds a mirror to our faces, shows us how terrible we all are, and spits on us.

I didnt take that away from Wolf at all. The opposite actually. He does all these detestable things. Screws ppl out of money. Gets three years and is out. Then at the end they show the SEC guys is shown miserable riding the subway home while Leo is still rich and called upon to tell his story.

[underEJ]

Originally Posted by BWillie

I didnt take that away from Wolf at all. The opposite actually. He does all these detestable things. Screws ppl out of money. Gets three years and is out. Then at the end they show the SEC guys is shown miserable riding the subway home while Leo is still rich and called upon to tell his story.

And this is kind of the point. I think someone already said it is a reflection of the viewer, but what you see in the end is actually the point. Some people will think the FBI agent is satisfied, and some will think he is miserable. Some will think Belfort is happy and getting away with it, and some will see him regurgitating another persons sales lessons in the new zealand equivalent of a Ramada Inn to people who will never be worthy of him in his mind. The director is just leaving it to the viewer to decide for themselves which is the truth, and I guess to decide what each of those perspectives means about us.

[KcMizzou]

Spike Jonez AMA on Reddit. Pretty interesting.

http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comment...r_spike_jonze/