What's the last movie you watched?

[think positive]

The new griswald movie 'vacation' is out shortly, fancy a trip to the movies David?!

[Dangles]

After my series of fender benders in the past two days I needed a day off work just to steady the ship, so I went and checked out The Gift which opened today. It''s a fairly generic story about how the past catches up with a guy who was an asshole in his teens. All in all it was entertaining enough for a mainstream revenge flick.

[David]

The new griswald movie 'vacation' is out shortly, fancy a trip to the movies David?!

Lol! I think I'll pass, thanks - never really found that series all that funny. I tend to prefer British comedy.

[Wokko]

Starship troopers. I never understood why it copped it so bad, I still love it!!

One of my favourites as well, apparently the book is really good too. It's a pretty deep story and has a lot of social commentary. The more serious themes are glossed over a bit in the movie, but they're still there if you look.

[David]

It's supposed to be a parable about fascism, isn't it?

[Wokko]

A critique on democracy and social responsibility. In the ST world only people who have completed military service are allowed to vote or hold public office for example, however civilians aren't discriminated against in other ways, nor is military service anything other than voluntary.

You could say that it's a parable in SUPPORT of a kind of fascism, but one built on voluntary service to humanity and meritocracy rather than blind faith in a dictator.

[Dangles]

Not a bad idea. I wouldn't mind some sort of criteria for people to vote and hold public office. But completing military service wouldn't be it.

[David]

[Dave The Man]

The Mighty Ducks Trilogy

[Wokko]

[David]

Does that radically change your interpretation of the film? Or do you think directorial intent only plays a small part in how a given movie can be appreciated?

[Wokko]

Does that radically change your interpretation of the film? Or do you think directorial intent only plays a small part in how a given movie can be appreciated?

I look at the film as pulp sci fi fun and ignore whatever crap Verhoeven was trying to pull. Funnily enough people thought he was a fascist after making the parody

I think this goes to the heart of the question 'who owns a work of art', is it the person viewing or reading who can interpret something any way they like or should the intention of the artist be respected. I've never had an adequate answer for that.

[David]

One of my favourite directors, Michael Haneke, had a quote about this - I think he said that every one of his films has a hundred different versions because everyone in the theatre experiences it differently. I don't know if I ever really bought that - to me, it's like saying there are a million different Flinders Street Stations depending on what angle you're looking at it from. Obviously, there aren't; there's just one, and people observing it from a given angle are simply experiencing it from a limited vantage point. Films, too, are generally made with a pretty specific intention and I don't really know how important it is that it 'can' be understood differently. Though that doesn't mean that you can't enjoy it in whatever way you see fit.

[think positive]

Test the theory

Pick a movie and get everyone to say what they think it's about

[swoop42]

Test the theory

Pick a movie and get everyone to say what they think it's about

On no, please no, not that mole as your avatar.