Well, I had to check IMDb to see if I had even watched 10 new movies last year. As luck would have it, I found eleven movies:

Inception, Kick-Ass, Shutter Island, The Town, The Ghost Writer, Machete, Easy A, Unthinkable, A-Team, Prince of Persia and Frozen

So I guess that makes my list of last year's eleven best movies - and worst movies. It'll be extended by True Grit at some point in the coming months, but beyond that there's not really any movie I feel drawn to.

I actually know the guy who the character of "the Dude" was based on... ;-)

Oh, and True Grit is a contender for the Oscar, for sure.

You bet. I definitely don't share Deano's opinion. The Coen Brothers rock!

In reply to this comment by alien_concept:
In reply to this comment by JesseoftheNorth:
*promote!

Thanks a lot honey! I'm excited, are you??

>> ^Deano:

Much like you then.
>> ^shuac:
>> ^Deano:
Sorry to say but I do detest the Cohens. Vastly overrated and seemingly incapable of developing characters or vaguely interesting scripts. Some of their direction is good so maybe they should stick to that rather than developing films.
Anyone catch the ending of Old Country or whatever it's called? Absolutely rubbish and typically contrary behaviour.
They really haven't done a decent film since Raising Arizona.
Finally why, oh, why are they remaking True Grit? Run out of ideas?
Typical internet "opinion-wielder" who can freely tell you how much he hates something but is utterly ill-equipped to explain the reasons why. It's rather humorous.



You were saying?

>> ^alien_concept:

I wasn't saying that it wouldn't be better all round if people explained why, when they have an opinion on something, I just think calling someone out on it and accusing them of being a typical internet opinion-wielder, might have been a bit strong under the circumstances...
And I wouldn't say I'm defeatist either, just perhaps less passionate


"Typical internet opinion-wielder"

Hmm, you may be right. That was WAAAAAY over the top, wasn't it? <shakes fist and screams toward the ceiling> How can I ever live this shame down? HOW??

Just havin' some fun.

I disagree with you again, of course, as I think my words were quite tame and also quite true.

Such that no one can call me a hypocrite, let me illustrate why being able to explain yourself is always a good thing: I recently watched a shitload of the Election08 channel videos and sort of re-experienced the great entertainment value that the election actually was. If you have a couple hours to kill, I highly recommend doing the same.

There are two sifts from this collection I'd like to introduce into evidence, your honors.

1) http://videosift.com/video/Joe-the-Plumber-Wont-Explain-Death-to-Israel-Remarks
2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nokTjEdaUGg (Sarah Palin on Russia)

Video 1 features Joe the Plumber asserting that a vote for Obama means death to Israel. Fox Host Shepard Smith tries to get Joe to explain himself a bit further but he is ultimately unsuccessful.

Video 2 is the famous "Well, it certainly does" comment. Couric presses Palin to explain exactly why Alaska's proximity to Russia has provided her with foreign policy credentials.

In both videos, one can easily recognize the flaccid attempts to justify outlandish assertions. Do you think a well-reasoned response on the part of either of them would have helped or harmed their respective cases? For Joe the Plumber, it's particularly embarrassing because he freely admits that he "knows just enough to probably be dangerous." At the very least, Palin provided some explanation, laughable and transparent (and plenty of both) though it was. Had either Joe the Plumber or Ms. Palin provided explanations, even ones that merely grazed at the periphery of sense, the GOP might have been placed in a different position, election-wise.

If you haven't yet gotten the point, let me say that the assignment of an opinion as "valid" or "invalid" is independent of agreement with the opinion. The deciding factor? Whether an opinion is backed-up in an effective way. The fact that one may not be able to (because it's "just a feeling" they get) is rather the whole point, isn't it?

Much like you then.

>> ^shuac:

>> ^Deano:
Sorry to say but I do detest the Cohens. Vastly overrated and seemingly incapable of developing characters or vaguely interesting scripts. Some of their direction is good so maybe they should stick to that rather than developing films.
Anyone catch the ending of Old Country or whatever it's called? Absolutely rubbish and typically contrary behaviour.
They really haven't done a decent film since Raising Arizona.
Finally why, oh, why are they remaking True Grit? Run out of ideas?
Typical internet "opinion-wielder" who can freely tell you how much he hates something but is utterly ill-equipped to explain the reasons why. It's rather humorous.

No, didn't like any of them. I definitely credit them with getting these films made. They're wantonly unconformist and that's something to be applauded but their films feel shallow, if good-looking concoctions.

And often, sad to say, quite boring. I recall Barton Fink especially and felt especially burned by that as I'd journeyed to the cinema for that.

I loved O Brother Where Art Thou for the music which really got me into Bluegrass. I haven't seen all their films but probably most of them. No Country for Old Men just confirmed they're never going to change their ways. But they have their fans and that's cool. Better than standard Hollywood fare.

>> ^Sarzy:

>> ^Deano:
Sorry to say but I do detest the Cohens. Vastly overrated and seemingly incapable of developing characters or vaguely interesting scripts. Some of their direction is good so maybe they should stick to that rather than developing films.
Anyone catch the ending of Old Country or whatever it's called? Absolutely rubbish and typically contrary behaviour.
They really haven't done a decent film since Raising Arizona.
Finally why, oh, why are they remaking True Grit? Run out of ideas?

They haven't done a decent film since Raising Arizona...? You didn't like Fargo? The Big Lebowski? O Brother Where Art Thou? Miller's Crossing?
Incapable of developing characters? If nothing else, The Dude is one of the most iconic characters of the '90s. I know opinions are subjective and all that, but... you are incorrect. The Coen brothers are awesome.

>> ^alien_concept:

>> ^shuac:
>> ^Deano:
Sorry to say but I do detest the Cohens. Vastly overrated and seemingly incapable of developing characters or vaguely interesting scripts. Some of their direction is good so maybe they should stick to that rather than developing films.
Anyone catch the ending of Old Country or whatever it's called? Absolutely rubbish and typically contrary behaviour.
They really haven't done a decent film since Raising Arizona.
Finally why, oh, why are they remaking True Grit? Run out of ideas?
Typical internet "opinion-wielder" who can freely tell you how much he hates something but is utterly ill-equipped to explain the reasons why. It's rather humorous.

Sometimes it's ok to have an opinion without having to back it up. Things like movies really don't need much of a reason, it's just how the person feels about it. Having said that, if I'm really passionate about something, I would probably want to know a good reason why, but sometimes there isn't one


I couldn't disagree more.

The ability to explain yourself has the effect of validating an opinion, whether people agree with it or not. I'm far more interested in hearing why Deano hates the Coen Brothers than hearing how much he hates them. I may never agree but at least he'll have exhausted due diligence. Additionally, I don't see how Deano's feelings will be negatively affected. In fact, if Deano were to properly articulate himself I think he'd find his own opinion will have been fortified, not diminished.

And as a bonus, I may get a new perspective on the Coen brothers.

I'll never be uninterested in hearing someone explain why they possess "opinion x." That is, in fact, the reason why we should expect a full explanation: because we're interested. I'm interested in hearing Deano's views on Fargo. How Marge Gunderson is a poorly fleshed-out character. Or why he thinks the last scene of No Country was such a failure. I want to know why he thinks the themes of Barton Fink are so ineffective. If we let him off the hook, then nothing of substance gets shared. Just empty words, utterly bereft of substance.

So I think that attitude is quite defeatist, Alien.

As a preemptive retort, "because they suck" and the like will not at all count as a proper articulation of "why" the Coen brothers are bad storytellers. Just so you know. If you didn't go to school then at least pretend like you did.

Did I just get really elitist at the end there? Oh well. I'll survive. And so will Deano.

>> ^shuac:

>> ^Deano:
Sorry to say but I do detest the Cohens. Vastly overrated and seemingly incapable of developing characters or vaguely interesting scripts. Some of their direction is good so maybe they should stick to that rather than developing films.
Anyone catch the ending of Old Country or whatever it's called? Absolutely rubbish and typically contrary behaviour.
They really haven't done a decent film since Raising Arizona.
Finally why, oh, why are they remaking True Grit? Run out of ideas?
Typical internet "opinion-wielder" who can freely tell you how much he hates something but is utterly ill-equipped to explain the reasons why. It's rather humorous.


Sometimes it's ok to have an opinion without having to back it up. Things like movies really don't need much of a reason, it's just how the person feels about it. Having said that, if I'm really passionate about something, I would probably want to know a good reason why, but sometimes there isn't one

>> ^Deano:

Sorry to say but I do detest the Cohens. Vastly overrated and seemingly incapable of developing characters or vaguely interesting scripts. Some of their direction is good so maybe they should stick to that rather than developing films.
Anyone catch the ending of Old Country or whatever it's called? Absolutely rubbish and typically contrary behaviour.
They really haven't done a decent film since Raising Arizona.
Finally why, oh, why are they remaking True Grit? Run out of ideas?
Typical internet "opinion-wielder" who can freely tell you how much he hates something but is utterly ill-equipped to explain the reasons why. It's rather humorous.

In reply to this comment by JesseoftheNorth:
*promote!

Thanks a lot honey! I'm excited, are you??

>> ^Deano:

Sorry to say but I do detest the Cohens. Vastly overrated and seemingly incapable of developing characters or vaguely interesting scripts. Some of their direction is good so maybe they should stick to that rather than developing films.
Anyone catch the ending of Old Country or whatever it's called? Absolutely rubbish and typically contrary behaviour.
They really haven't done a decent film since Raising Arizona.
Finally why, oh, why are they remaking True Grit? Run out of ideas?


They haven't done a decent film since Raising Arizona...? You didn't like Fargo? The Big Lebowski? O Brother Where Art Thou? Miller's Crossing?

Incapable of developing characters? If nothing else, The Dude is one of the most iconic characters of the '90s. I know opinions are subjective and all that, but... you are incorrect. The Coen brothers are awesome.

Sorry to say but I do detest the Cohens. Vastly overrated and seemingly incapable of developing characters or vaguely interesting scripts. Some of their direction is good so maybe they should stick to that rather than developing films.

Anyone catch the ending of Old Country or whatever it's called? Absolutely rubbish and typically contrary behaviour.

They really haven't done a decent film since Raising Arizona.

Finally why, oh, why are they remaking True Grit? Run out of ideas?

Remaking True Grit seems...wrong.

But I guess if one can't make something original, then it makes some sense to copy the good stuff.

Hard job, guess he just has to grit his teeth and bear it.