Philosophically Good Movies Thread

[_________]

MKUltra.

It's a hell of a drug.

What, LSD?

[Gobbo]

No. MK Ultra is the code name for the CIA's mind control program. Or at least, in the early days.

[_________]

No. MK Ultra is the code name for the CIA's mind control program. Or at least, in the early days.

I'm aware. You said "It's a hell of a drug," and seeing as LSD was perhaps the most widely used substance in the experiments, I assumed that's what you meant.

[Gobbo]

No it was a play off hat Rick James joke.

Swing and a miss.

[fuse]

Ethos (2011) is a good documentary.

Woody Harrelson hosts this exploration of the systemic ways in which modern society is self-destructing, from the disproportionate power of corporations, media and the military to the failure of government and democratic ideals.

Most of the information given was probably very basic, but it's good reinforcement and impetus to seek specifics. Like: how does the FED work? What corporations are worth promoting and which should be boycotted? Where do I fit in this system via my job and my consumption? Where do I want to be? Also: are the masses, average people, necessarily too emotionally driven/irrational to be trusted to make good decisions?

[Gobbo]

I don't know if it's been said, but

Gattaca

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119177/

Just watch how much philosophy happens in this one clip.

[fuse]

Yeah it's been said at least 3 or 4 times. Awesome movie, though. I think it can withstand almost any amount of repetitive listing, hype, and promotion.

[Gobbo]

Seemingly.

It's just like someone sat down and was like "OK. I'm going to write a really philosophical movie."

[Flannel Jesus]

Just saw Cosmopolis. Wasn't at all what I was expecting. I was expecting something of a fast-paced action flick - just look at the trailer below. It turned out to be, to the contrary, quite a wordy play -- I mean, the movie itself feels like a play. It's written like a play.



It was all philosophical. Just about every line was dripping with philosophy. The dialog was so strange, as well. Remember FilmSnob's thread asking for help coming up with lines? The dialogue in this movie was quite like that. Quite like what he's looking for.

It's largely about money, capitalism, wealth, but also existential crises. Paul Giamatti's character is very much like the guy from Dostoyevski's Notes from Underground. The last scene is really what the movie's all about -- it may be hard to sit through for some people, but if only for the last scene, it's well worth it. The other extremely good scene is when he's in his limo with this chick.

I think a lot of you guys would like it.

[volchok]

I watched 30 seconds of that trailer and I was sold.
Then I realized the film just came out...

[volchok]

I just watched Prometheus.
Pretty interesting film.
Unfortunately it is contaminated with religious propaganda.

[Tab]

Yeah, I saw Prom. yesterday. Liked it much better than the last two Alien flicks. Ridley Scott effect perhaps.

Strange lack of I dunno, story though - I mean

Hmm spoilers.

Anyway. You know what I mean Volchok..?

[volchok]

I kinda do. And yet, the film managed to entertain me.
I have to say that either 3d is till a gimmick or the 3d glasses that are given around here are really bad. First, it doesn't look that great and secondly, after two minutes with those glasses I always start to get headaches or feeling very tired.

[Polly]

volchok, what was the religious propaganda in the movie?

[MagsJ]

I forgot about two of the cult classics: Leon, and Pars Texas... very sombre mood all throughout both, but that's what makes them gripping viewing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcsirofJrlM - Leon: The Professional

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2Dz9zSR6Cw - Paris, Texas

[_________]

David Lynch stuff isn't too bad, though I wouldn't say he's up everyone's alley. I do note something very rhizomatic about his plots.

[volchok]

volchok, what was the religious propaganda in the movie?

Spoilers:
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Oh, I don't know, maybe the countless references to god and religion throughout the entire film?
Early on, you see a flashback from the main female character's childhood. She asks her father why he's not helping some guys from a tribe and he says that they don't believe in the same god. Then she starts asking increasingly difficult questions and her father keeps evading them and ends up by saying that when we die we go to heaven. She asks why he believes that. And he answers that he chooses to believe that. The scene cuts immediately. Then throughout the film there are multiple references to god and the lead female character never, ever removes her cross. In fact, this is sometimes mentioned by the other characters, and every time it is, she affirms her faith. There´s a scene when david tries to remove her cross and she fights him off. There is also a scene when she finds david (after he took her cross, betrayed her trust and so forth) and the first thing she asks him is where is her cross. Once she gets her cross back, david asks her "even after all this time ? " and she responds with silence, again an affirmation of faith.

There's also a scene that I thought was pretty stupid. Right in the beginning, they're all being briefed about the mission and some guy says: "well if you want to go against 3 centuries of darwinism"
This is complete nonsense. Even if the first life form was put on earth by aliens, evolution would still be completely true.

Listen, I'm not surprised. The script was written by Damon Lindelof. Science vs faith is his trademark.

[Polly]

I know there's a lot of references to religion in there, I just found it a lot more open to interpretation.

[todaytomorrow]

I'm not sure if its been said already, but Busty Nurses #4. Not so much #3. ..Medical ethics issues, and such.

[_________]

I like Scriabin's Prometheus, but that exceeds the "movies" category despite its philosophical nature. His music was also very sexual. Perhaps you'd like to check it out, Todaytomorrow.

By the way, do documentaries count as 'movies'?

[MagsJ]

I forgot about two of the cult classics: Leon, and Pars Texas... very sombre mood all throughout both, but that's what makes them gripping viewing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcsirofJrlM - Leon: The Professional

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2Dz9zSR6Cw - Paris, Texas

No-one seen these, or if you have care to comment on them? they should both be institutions and compulsory viewing for every human.

[_________]

Reading back a ways so I know it's way after the fact, but re shorts, are any of you familiar with Marker's La Jetee? It's what Gilliam based 12 Monkeys on. Marker's great, I might have mentioned him already. Check out Sans Soleil (an interesting 'journey to the two extreme poles of survival' - Africa and Japan) and Le Fond de l'Aire est Rouge (an abstract analysis of the deflation of communist movements in the 50's-60's).

So far I've checked out Primer, MMMM, Winter's Bone, and Crimes and Misdemeanors, all of which I enjoyed thoroughly.

By the way, surely One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest has been mentioned? I've been institutionalized myself (I got my wild drug years out early and the hospitalized detox for one bender landed me in the psyche ward - long story, point being sanity is relative and the qualitative states indicative of clinical diagnosis aren't difficult to evoke in your average individual), and due to my experience, the movie struck quite a chord with me.

Also, may I suggest updating the first post with a list for quick access/reference?

[Frankenstein]

I saw Prometheus, too. It was more retarded than a chimp in a thong, it didn't make sense. I think it was a punt that hopes to score with a sequel. Seriously, they spend a trillion dollars because some ancient alien yahoos correlate 6 patterns in stone? Pass the huka.

[_________]

Watched Mr.Nobody, Half Nelson, We Need To Talk About Kevin and Tape (in order of preference, though I dug all of them). Good stuff, guys. Thanks for the recommendations.

[volchok]

Watched Mr.Nobody

Wasn't it awesome? I have to watch that one again, one of this days.