2020 Movie Challenge

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Wyldesyde19's Avatar
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The trick is not minding
12-26-20
Originally Posted by Takoma11
I'm not so much defensive about my inclusion of short films as I am feeling like, generally speaking, I wish that short films weren't so frequently seen as lesser or even as their own category. Almost similar to the way that "foreign films" are often lumped together. There's a huge difference between Duck Amuck and something like Wasp. They are in different universes of tone and theme and even run time. Yet they would both get put under that same umbrella.

In short, the hill I'm choosing to die on is that everyone should have about 5-10% of their viewing be short films. And if you don't, um, you're doing it wrong.
I can agree with short films being viewed as lesser, and it is a shame. Although I’ve barely watched any the last few years myself, so I’m partly to blame. When I mentioned a separate category, it isn’t meant to be implied as a slight (not that you suggested it was).

I’m not sure what you’re referring to as foreign films being lumped together. Are you referencing the category? Probably not, but in case, That’s just to encourage more viewings.
I don’t think anyone, at least here, is lumping then together.
Maybe I’ll as a few short films to my viewing. Nothing I’ll count towards this, mind you, but definitely something I should consider, regardless.



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Fouke-a-delic
12-26-20
I think the problem is that it's uncommon for a filmmaker to make a short film after they've "made it", so for most of us short films are seen as the domain of novice filmmakers that can't afford to do the real thing. They're the Minor League, so to speak.
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12-26-20
Originally Posted by Wyldesyde19
I can agree with short films being viewed as lesser, and it is a shame. Although I’ve barely watched any the last few years myself, so I’m partly to blame. When I mentioned a separate category, it isn’t meant to be implied as a slight (not that you suggested it was).
Yes, I am singling you out! You are to blame for the plight of short films. Shame! SHAME!

I’m not sure what you’re referring to as foreign films being lumped together. Are you referencing the category? Probably not, but in case, That’s just to encourage more viewings.
It's really common on streaming services to have a category just called "Foreign Films" or "International Films". I have noticed in the last few years that that seems to be changing and more international films are being put in their genre (thriller, comedy, etc).

I actually really appreciate the categories in this challenge like "See a film from an African country" or "See a film from Eastern Europe" because I think that they do encourage us to watch films that might not be on our radar.

Originally Posted by Captain Terror
I think the problem is that it's uncommon for a filmmaker to make a short film after they've "made it", so for most of us short films are seen as the domain of novice filmmakers that can't afford to do the real thing. They're the Minor League, so to speak.
I agree. I just think it's a shame that short films are regarded as the "starter kit" for making "real films."



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The trick is not minding
12-26-20
Originally Posted by Takoma11
Yes, I am singling you out! You are to blame for the plight of short films. Shame! SHAME!



It's really common on streaming services to have a category just called "Foreign Films" or "International Films". I have noticed in the last few years that that seems to be changing and more international films are being put in their genre (thriller, comedy, etc).

I actually really appreciate the categories in this challenge like "See a film from an African country" or "See a film from Eastern Europe" because I think that they do encourage us to watch films that might not be on our radar.



I agree. I just think it's a shame that short films are regarded as the "starter kit" for making "real films."
Ok yeah, I know what you mean now. I’ve noticed that, although not bothered by it.
And yes, the coolest thing about these challenges are the categories require you to watch a film from a country most wouldn’t otherwise consider. *
The inclusion of sub genres and now certain award Festivals as well.
I’m always excited for these



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12-26-20
Originally Posted by Takoma11
I love a good horror anthology. I just think it's a shame that so many are underwhelming.

It's hard to make sure each story is of equal quality. "The Raft" couldn't quite keep Creepshow 2 afloat, for example.



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12-27-20
Originally Posted by SpelingError
What are some good/great non-horror anthologies? Most of the ones I've seen are horror.
Girl Rising
Paris je t'aime
Tale of Tales (More fantasy than horror)
Memories
Poison

Cloud Atlas might qualify, especially because of having different directors.

I haven't seen Ballad of Buster Scruggs, but I feel like it has good word of mouth.

Originally Posted by Corax
It's hard to make sure each story is of equal quality. "The Raft" couldn't quite keep Creepshow 2 afloat, for example.
I don't mind a dud or two. That's the risk of any anthology. But the ratio of bad-to-good is too often way too high.



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AKA Popcorn Reviews
12-27-20
Originally Posted by Takoma11
Girl Rising
Paris je t'aime
Tale of Tales (More fantasy than horror)
Memories
Poison

Cloud Atlas might qualify, especially because of having different directors.

I haven't seen Ballad of Buster Scruggs, but I feel like it has good word of mouth.
I'll check those out then. Thanks for the recs



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12-27-20
Originally Posted by Takoma11
I don't mind a dud or two. That's the risk of any anthology. But the ratio of bad-to-good is too often way too high.
The joy of an anthology is the "box of chocolates" aspect, the surprise which is promised by the genre. And now for something completely different. And this is what makes them so hard to pull off, I think. Four writers set out to write a good ghost story while staying at a villa during the rainy summer of 1816, but we only remember Shelley's Frankenstein.

The first entry will inevitably set a tone and create narrative expectations. Inviting different writers and directors to hop on board also wildly throws things into new directions. And we want this, but doing so is a bit of curse. It's kind like trying to get away with three bank robberies in a day, when it is hard enough to just pull off one (and then having to do each job differently enough to please the observing gods).

I think that perhaps the trick should be NOT to proceed with the idea "Let's do an anthology!," but rather for a producer to patiently collect stories, and not count on inspiration to strike like lightning three or four times in a row.

I too love the idea of the horror anthology, but I find myself looking for that one gem as I expect disappointment.

Buster Scruggs is great, BTW.



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12-27-20
Originally Posted by Corax
I think that perhaps the trick should be NOT to proceed with the idea "Let's do an anthology!," but rather for a producer to patiently collect stories, and not count on inspiration to strike like lightning three or four times in a row.

I too love the idea of the horror anthology, but I find myself looking for that one gem as I expect disappointment.
I think that there are a handful of really good anthologies, and there's just a degree of luck to it.

I think that Trick R Treat works because it is the same writer/director for each segment and there's a great coherence to it.

I think that Three . . . Extremes works so well because it tells three very different types of stories with three directors who have very different approaches/vibes.

When it's an anthology with multiple directors, there's just a roll of the dice as to what the ratio of successes to flops will be. There was some cool stuff in Tales of Halloween, but just a few too many duds.



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12-27-20
Originally Posted by Takoma11
I think that there are a handful of really good anthologies, and there's just a degree of luck to it.

I think that Trick R Treat works because it is the same writer/director for each segment and there's a great coherence to it.

I think that Three . . . Extremes works so well because it tells three very different types of stories with three directors who have very different approaches/vibes.

When it's an anthology with multiple directors, there's just a roll of the dice as to what the ratio of successes to flops will be. There was some cool stuff in Tales of Halloween, but just a few too many duds.

There is a degree of luck just to making a good movie, right?

I think if we're playing it safe the Trick R Treat strategy makes the most sense (haven't seen the film, personally). If you have the same writer and director (with talent at both) there is a much greater chance of acceptable quality throughout, and also for a work that coheres into a larger message or vision.

The most fun and the most risk has to be inviting three of your friends to take a stab at their own story.

Another problem is the general contempt that the horror genre involves. Horror films have so often been made on the cheap to offer cheap thrills to kids. And the horror anthology has too often been tossed off, or so it seems to me, when a producer has no single film-length idea to run with and so just throws a few smaller ideas at the wall. It's kind of like asking a high ranking chef to take french fries seriously as cuisine.

Nolan is so obsessed with playing formal games (boxes inside of boxes), that it might be interesting to see him take a stab at one (I suppose Dunkirk already is a bit of an anthology, isn't it? -- but if we include Dunkirk, then I suppose that Pulp Fiction would have to be counted as an anthology too).



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Welcome to the human race...
12-27-20
I think an anthology film has to share its stories one at a time instead of cutting back and forth between them - Pulp Fiction would qualify, but Dunkirk would not.



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12-27-20
Originally Posted by Corax
I think if we're playing it safe the Trick R Treat strategy makes the most sense (haven't seen the film, personally).
You should definitely see Trick R Treat. Stat.



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The trick is not minding
12-27-20
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12-27-20
Originally Posted by SpelingError
What are some good/great non-horror anthologies? Most of the ones I've seen are horror.

Grand Hotel (1932)
Fantasia (1940)
Paisan (1946)

Heavy Metal (1981)
Dreams (1990)
Magnolia (1999)

Amores Perros (2000)



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Wallet Inspector
12-27-20
Originally Posted by Captain Terror
Four Rooms is ok, but the only segment I remember is the Robert Rodriguez story if I'm being honest
The Rodriguez segment is definitely the best one, but I think the Tarantino and Rockwell segments are fairly amusing. The Anders segment is the only terrible one, and even in that one at least Tim Roth is fun to watch.

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