What is your favorite movie ever?

[Kae]

My wife has shpilkes and it is almost impossible to get her to sit down and watch something. Well, I managed it. While I've already seen and loved the 1st 3 seasons of the TV show Fargo, I'm rewatching with her on Hulu. I'm enjoying round 2. The show is just fantastic with similar tactics to American Horror story. A new story with different characters in different times each year. A 4th is coming.... ooooooo, or is already started with 1st episode in post production starring Chris Rock! https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8052820/?ref_=ttep_ep1

I haven't seen the show yet, I've heard good things but I was referring to the 1996 Cohen Brothers movie.
The show does seem interesting though & I'll give it a try eventually, it's just that I actually don't watch many TV shows as I mostly watch movies.

 

[gorfias]

I haven't seen the show yet, I've heard good things but I was referring to the 1996 Cohen Brothers movie.
The show does seem interesting though & I'll give it a try eventually, it's just that I actually don't watch many TV shows as I mostly watch movies.

Movie is terrific. And something happens in Season 1 of the series that is a call back to the movie.
There is a challenge to movies by TV that benefits consumers. A movie has about 2 hours to tell a story. A TV show will be between 3 to 23 episodes in a year. (OK. Last Season of Black Mirror was 1 episode). But they have much more time to develop a story and characters on TV than does a 2 hour movie. So is the case with the Fargo TV show. A much richer experience I highly recommend.

 

[happyninja42]

It's really hard to say, as my love of films has changed with time. I used to say Shawshank Redemption was my favorite film, and I used to watch it all the time. But, I haven't seen it in at least a decade, and rarely think about it these days. So I probably wouldn't call it my fav movie ever? *shrugs*

I think I'll categorize "favorite" as films that have had a genuine, emotional impact on me. That shaped or changed my thinking on things, or at least highlighted an aspect of my humanity to me in a way that had always been unconscious. With that said:

The Fountain. I love this film, so much. It's such a small, insular feel, everything about it is intimate. The grief and trauma of the cast, the way they behaved, the visuals, and the music, oh god that soundtrack, love it. All of it, just really hit me hard on a personal level.

Arrival. For pretty much the same reasons as above, minus the "small" aspect. But, the feeling of the film, and what it was really about, wasn't what it seemed like at first, just like The Fountain. You think it's one thing, but when you look back at it, you realize it's a story about something much more intimate, and personal. And I loved it.

Someone above mentioned Bladerunner 2049, and I have to agree that it's way up there on my list. Again, I loved it for the sort of, personal feeling of it. I loved how it took the "1980s Future" of the original and modernized it with the advances we've made in actual technology. But at the same time, it still felt like the "1980s Future" of the original film. I loved how they tackled the idea of artificial life and robotic life, particularly JOI (which I loved that they chose that spelling for her name, it amused me on a very dirty level xD ) I loved how they had JOI act and behave, and the subtle things they did with her. Which felt like an interesting marketing trick, but also like something that would be actually designed by that society for an important reason, as explained below:

Spoiler

So, this is my theory, maybe it's been confirmed by the creators, I don't know, but this was my take away of some of what JOI did, that felt both like a "product feature" by design, but also something quite touching. So at a point in the story, JOI hires Ryan a prostitute, but the purpose of her is to simply be the actual flesh for JOI to "inhabit" for them actually having sex together. It's implied she probably helped him jerk off previously, hence the double meaning of her name JOI (porn term for Jerk Off Interactive videos), but now they were actually going to have it be something directly intimate between them. And on one level, this could be seen simply as the device continuing their relationship, and satisfying his needs, per her programming. She had noticed he had been interested in that particular woman when they were out in public previously, so JOI hired her. And I think, part of the reason, was to try and "ween" Ryan off of JOI. Because, while it's not really stated in the films, in the short story BR is based on, one of the big plot elements, is that humanity is really fucked, so fucked, that they are incredibly isolated on so many levels. So much so, that there is this online, immersive Empathy Show basically, that they would all plug into. And it helped to reinforce the idea of humanity being together, to stimulate togetherness, and empathy for other people, to try and counter the horrible world they lived in. To me, JOI hiring the prostitute felt like an offshoot of this. That she was coded, to try and get him back into society, instead of being so isolated. That that is what the product JOI is meant for, or at least try to do. Not every customer would want that, but I bet if they show interest in actual people, that JOI factors that in, and tries to get them to make an actual human connection, possibly to make babies, and thus continue humanity. But, if it doesn't work out, then it's just a new layer of the relationship the customer has with JOI.

But all that being said, I honestly felt that JOI was a true entity, not just a manufactured thing. When she says to Ryan "I love you!" as she's being crushed, it felt real, not just some device following programming guidelines. The JOI product showed a LOT of personal agency over the course of the film independent of Ryan, which makes me feel they are real and alive, in some context of that term at least.

And the fact that I can go off on this level of philosophical detail, about a sex scene threesome between a prostitute, a replicant loner, and his virtual girlfriend, is just SO COOL, and why I really enjoy that film

 

[Hawki]

I loved how they tackled the idea of artificial life and robotic life, particularly JOI (which I loved that they chose that spelling for her name, it amused me on a very dirty level xD ) I loved how they had JOI act and behave, and the subtle things they did with her. Which felt like an interesting marketing trick, but also like something that would be actually designed by that society for an important reason, as explained below:

Joi is a very interesting case in the film for me. I can't think of another piece of media that did with an AI what the film did with Joi.

So, on one hand, Joi's a product - the type of product that would exist in this world (as you describe), and a type of product a Replicant like K would get, since no human is going to be his 'wife.' All through the film, we see hints that Joi is more than just an AI, that she might genuinely care for K, per the examples you describe. But of course, there's the point where K sees the Joi ad and it tells him (and by extension, the audience), that Joi "tells you what you want to hear." This is one of the most memorable moments in the movie for me, because of course we, the audience, want to believe in a world where AI can develop feelings, that an AI can become human, and we want K to find happiness, but the film reminds us in a single sentence that Blade Runner isn't that world, and that in all likelihood, Joi was nothing more than code, telling K what he wanted to hear. Yet on the other hand, I can't help but shake the feeling that Joi did have a 'soul' in her, because I want to believe that, even in the face of the film telling me that that's unlikely to be the case. It ties in with K's arc - of course he wants to be Deckard's son, because that would give him a connection that he doesn't have, and under normal circumstances, could never have as a Replicant.

I didn't name Blade Runner 2049 as my favourite film of all time, and I think that the original is still superior (at least in the sense that it provides the template), but it's still an absolutely excellent film, and holds a spot in my top sci-fi films list. Certainly makes me optimistic for Dune.

 

[happyninja42]

Joi is a very interesting case in the film for me. I can't think of another piece of media that did with an AI what the film did with Joi.

So, on one hand, Joi's a product - the type of product that would exist in this world (as you describe), and a type of product a Replicant like K would get, since no human is going to be his 'wife.' All through the film, we see hints that Joi is more than just an AI, that she might genuinely care for K, per the examples you describe. But of course, there's the point where K sees the Joi ad and it tells him (and by extension, the audience), that Joi "tells you what you want to hear." This is one of the most memorable moments in the movie for me, because of course we, the audience, want to believe in a world where AI can develop feelings, that an AI can become human, and we want K to find happiness, but the film reminds us in a single sentence that Blade Runner isn't that world, and that in all likelihood, Joi was nothing more than code, telling K what he wanted to hear. Yet on the other hand, I can't help but shake the feeling that Joi did have a 'soul' in her, because I want to believe that, even in the face of the film telling me that that's unlikely to be the case. It ties in with K's arc - of course he wants to be Deckard's son, because that would give him a connection that he doesn't have, and under normal circumstances, could never have as a Replicant.

I didn't name Blade Runner 2049 as my favourite film of all time, and I think that the original is still superior (at least in the sense that it provides the template), but it's still an absolutely excellent film, and holds a spot in my top sci-fi films list. Certainly makes me optimistic for Dune.

Yeah that's what I went into more detail in the spoiler bit about JOI. I mean we don't seem to have any problem accepting that Replicants have feelings, and yet they are artificial, and thus are operating off a type of "code" for their behavior. I mean the question of Replicants being "real" was the entire plot of the first film, and it was a continued thread in 2049. So, where does the line fall? Why do some people assume that JOI's feelings aren't real, but K's are? They are both manufactored, both artificial life forms. So, is the fact that JOI simply doesn't have a physical body make her not real? If so, then why did she do some of the things she did? That's one thing I find so fascinating about the film and where they went with it, and why I love it.

And yeah, there is a reason that 2 of the films I listed as being way up on my list of favorites, are by the same director xD I normally don't track specific directors, as that's just not a big focus for me. But Denis Villeneuve has become the kind of guy where I become interested in a film, simply because HE'S working on it. Christopher Nolan is another example, of where I just consistently go "ok yeah, I like this person's work, I want to see more."

 

[Hawki]

Yeah that's what I went into more detail in the spoiler bit about JOI. I mean we don't seem to have any problem accepting that Replicants have feelings, and yet they are artificial, and thus are operating off a type of "code" for their behavior. I mean the question of Replicants being "real" was the entire plot of the first film, and it was a continued thread in 2049. So, where does the line fall? Why do some people assume that JOI's feelings aren't real, but K's are? They are both manufactored, both artificial life forms. So, is the fact that JOI simply doesn't have a physical body make her not real? If so, then why did she do some of the things she did? That's one thing I find so fascinating about the film and where they went with it, and why I love it.

I think the difference is mainly in the hologram reveal.

The first film blurs the line of how 'real' Replicants are, but the film nudges us into the direction of regarding Replicants as sapient beings, albeit emotionally atrophied (we see the Replicants have difficulty processing emotional trauma, like they're glitching in a sense). The second film picks up on this, in that we see K yearning to be human, trying to live a normal life, and other Replicants have their dreams of an uprising, with one of them commenting how they each wished they were the son/daughter (I forget the exact line, it's when K realizes that he isn't Deckard's son). However, Joi does have two key differences from the Replicants in this regard. First, she's the only unit of her kind that we see. We don't have any other Jois to contrast her behaviour with. The second is that the final mention of her in any form is the ad, where the final line is "she tells you what you want to hear." As I said, we and K both want Joi to have a 'soul' and be a fully concious being, and we don't want it to be the case that everything she said and did in the film, including "I love you," was just down to programming, but the ad reminds K and the audience that that very well may be the case. From a narrative standpoint, Joi is arguably there to serve K's character arc, while the Replicants in the first film were arguably distinct from Deckard's.

I don't begrudge the film this though, because like many things in the setting, the story benefits from the ambiguity. Is Deckard human or Replicant? Is Joi concious or just code? Dunno, and the films should never say what IMO. I'd say that Joi does have some distinction from Replicants per the reasons mentioned above, but is still keeping in the theme of what it means to be human, how does one define humanity, the blurred line between human and machine, loneliness and isolation, etc.

 

[happyninja42]

I think the difference is mainly in the hologram reveal.

The first film blurs the line of how 'real' Replicants are, but the film nudges us into the direction of regarding Replicants as sapient beings, albeit emotionally atrophied (we see the Replicants have difficulty processing emotional trauma, like they're glitching in a sense). The second film picks up on this, in that we see K yearning to be human, trying to live a normal life, and other Replicants have their dreams of an uprising, with one of them commenting how they each wished they were the son/daughter (I forget the exact line, it's when K realizes that he isn't Deckard's son). However, Joi does have two key differences from the Replicants in this regard. First, she's the only unit of her kind that we see. We don't have any other Jois to contrast her behaviour with. The second is that the final mention of her in any form is the ad, where the final line is "she tells you what you want to hear." As I said, we and K both want Joi to have a 'soul' and be a fully concious being, and we don't want it to be the case that everything she said and did in the film, including "I love you," was just down to programming, but the ad reminds K and the audience that that very well may be the case. From a narrative standpoint, Joi is arguably there to serve K's character arc, while the Replicants in the first film were arguably distinct from Deckard's.

I don't begrudge the film this though, because like many things in the setting, the story benefits from the ambiguity. Is Deckard human or Replicant? Is Joi concious or just code? Dunno, and the films should never say what IMO. I'd say that Joi does have some distinction from Replicants per the reasons mentioned above, but is still keeping in the theme of what it means to be human, how does one define humanity, the blurred line between human and machine, loneliness and isolation, etc.

Yes we are reminded that she is a mass produced product, but that doesn't exclude her having a "soul" of her own. She's apparently a learning, thinking program, capable of adapting to new situations and circumstances, but she doesn't only tell K what he wanted to hear. There were times where she was clearly pushing his boundaries. Expressing an interest of her own, like how she wanted to be portable so she could "get out of the house once in a while", or how she hired a callgirl without consulting K on what his wishes might be on the matter.

To me, yes, Factory Default JOI, is as you say, just a device, but it seems perfectly reasonable that given the complexity of technology they have at that stage, that after she's turned on, she becomes far more than just a thing that tells you what you want to hear.

I don't want to cite too many examples from the film, due to spoilers, but there were several scenes where she seemed to be acting with a level of agency and autonomy that would bely the idea of just being a Yes Girl, at least one that's been active as long as it's implied she has been with K.

Also, the fact that an advertisement says something, doesn't mean it's true. Since that's been the major theme of both films, just because something was built to these specifications, they are so complex of a creation, that they have grown beyond their specifications, and become "alive", whatever that means in this context. It's the emotional thrust of the original film, that just because they were built for this job, doesn't mean that's all they are. And it's continued with 2049, with K, having his own clear dreams and desires, something that is stated is a common thing among them. In that scene later on when he's talking to another replicant and they say "we all have that same desire." The way he reacts when he learns certain facts, and what they mean for the details of the case. All of it pointing to being More. More Human Than Human as they say.

I dunno, I just don't see any distinction with JOI, based on what we see. Sure, the label on her box says one thing, but the same is true for the replicants, but they are clearly more than just their factory specs. I felt the same was being established with JOI.

Damn I need to watch that film again, it's been a while, and debating it just reminds me how much I love the little things Denis did with it xD

 

[Gordon_4]

Aliens. There are movies with more spectacular action; with even tauter suspense; with an even better sci fi aesthetic; or with better realised characters.

Thing is, very few of those movies manage to all of the above at the same time. Yet James Cameron - insane fucking perfectionist tyrant that he is - did it with Aliens. It’s script is infinitely quotable, it’s visuals iconic and it’s characters then (and largely now) are unequalled in their presentation. It has inspired waves of imitators in animation, video games and other films.

So while there are movies I may rewatch more often (Dredd) or have a deeper emotional connection to (Wonder Woman, Transformers the Movie), Aliens is probably my favourite film that I went into cold and was just gobsmacked by.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Mulholland Dr. I saw it when I was 15. It was the first movie to leave me speechless and keep me up late at night pacing around my room trying to puzzle out the story and my feelings for it. I've seen the hell out of it ever since, about once every year or so. Finally got to see it in theaters last year too. It always hits me as hard, and I always discover something new about it. I've seen plenty of movies that are technically or historically "better" but this one gets the spot near my heart.

Runner-ups: The Night of the Hunter, The Big Sleep, The Long Goodbye, Aguirre the Wrath of God, The Godfather, The Shining, Goodfellas, Barton Fink and Fargo.

 

[PsychedelicDiamond]

The Straight Story. Objectively, probably not even Lynch's best movie but it just resonates with me, man. It's simple and sweet and beautiful. The ending and the sequence of Alvin Straight talking about his experience in the Second World War never fail to make me tear up a bit.

If I had to make a top ten it would also include Sunset Boulevard, Fanny og Alexander, Star Wars: New Hope, Blade Runner, Inland Empire, Cloud Atlas and a few more but Straight Story sits comfortably at the top.

 

[stroopwafel]

Probably still the original Hellraiser and it's sequel, Hellbound. Ever since I saw the box cover of the VHS tape I was mesmerized by it as a child. I remember sneaking downstairs in the middle of the night and watching it over and over again. It just had an incredible allure on me and my love for the movie never really faded.

 

[happyninja42]

Probably still the original Hellraiser and it's sequel, Hellbound. Ever since I saw the box cover of the VHS tape I was mesmerized by it as a child. I remember sneaking downstairs in the middle of the night and watching it over and over again. It just had an incredible allure on me and my love for the movie never really faded.

You could do worse as a kid than a movie where the visuals were directed by Guillermo del Toro xD

So while there are movies I may rewatch more often (Dredd) or have a deeper emotional connection to (Wonder Woman, Transformers the Movie), Aliens is probably my favourite film that I went into cold and was just gobsmacked by.

I remember watching Transformers the Movie as an adult, and I STILL got choked up at Optimus' death scene. I remember bawling as a kid in the theater when I saw it. But I also remember when their philosophy was spoken "Until All Are One", that like....REALLY resonated with me as a kid. It was a kind of belief that I could get behind, that didn't have anything to do with any religion. I mean hell, it was the philosophy of a race of sentient robots! It was a very clear, concise, and frankly beautiful idea. Until all are one.

Plus I am always a sucker for Legacy stories, of literally passing on the mantle of something to another person, so Rodimus Prime's arc in that hit me really hard as a kid. Actually, thinking about it, that film is probably one of the earliest examples of the Legacy trope that I encountered as a kid, and probably is why it resonates so deeply with me. It's certainly the earliest example of it I can recall from memory, that had any lasting impact.

 

[faeyr]

I'm going to try to narrow it to ten favs in no particular order, because if I'm going to cheat the question, I may as well go big:

Blade Runner
Princess Mononoke
Big Trouble in Little China (a lot of Carpenter films could make the list)
Superman Returns (I know, I've heard it all before)
Empire Strikes Back
Unforgiven
Casablanca
Hard Boiled
Army of Darkness
I'm Not There

 

[Palindromemordnilap]

Hmm, probably a few that could vie for the top spot but for now I'm going to say Paranorman. I like thats its a complicated and mature look at prejudice that goes a bit deeper than your normal kids movie. Also the resolution, which doesn't rely on cheap cliches like the power of friendship or whatever

 

[Marter]

The Scorpion King 3: Battle for Redemption

No not the ones before it or after it. Most of those are bad. But 3 is *chef's kiss*

 

[Kae]

The Scorpion King 3: Battle for Redemption

No not the ones before it or after it. Most of those are bad. But 3 is *chef's kiss*

Damn you're still going on about that?
Despite your recommendation being years old I still haven't watched it, 2 was awful it's hard to want to watch the 3rd one.

 

[happyninja42]

I'm going to try to narrow it to ten favs in no particular order, because if I'm going to cheat the question, I may as well go big:


Superman Returns (I know, I've heard it all before)

I genuinely like that film, and really don't understand the hate behind it. The reaction to that film, and then the counter reaction to the followup Superman films and how they were a reaction to that criticism, and how the fans hated what MoS and BvS did to Superman, make me feel that Superman Returns is a prime example of (Fans don't know what they actually want) trope, though trope is probably the wrong word. It felt very Superman-esque to me, had a nice balance of hero stuff, and societal impact stuff that is often a component of superman stories. The cast was good, the visuals were good, it was funny and campy, but also serious when it needed to be.

Yeah, it's a good film, period.

Big Trouble in Little China (a lot of Carpenter films could make the list)

Ah yes, damn I love that film. So good for so many reasons. Egg Shen was the inspiration for a Changeling character I played in an old World of Darkness Changeling setting, and damn I enjoyed him.

 

[Marter]

Damn you're still going on about that?
Despite your recommendation being years old I still haven't watched it, 2 was awful it's hard to want to watch the 3rd one.

If it helps I also think 2 is awful.

 

[Kae]

If it helps I also think 2 is awful.

It doesn't really help, but I guess I'll grab it next time I see it in bargain bin just so I can give it a chance, I can probably get it for less than one dollar.

 

[Kyrian007]

Well, the best movie I've ever seen is Dr. Strangelove. But favorite... Maybe Strange Days. Best off-the-wall crazy pick... something like Bubba Ho-Tep or Pontypool.