A24 4,338 Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 And he shoots digital! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 He could shoot with an iPhone or a GoPro and still make it look brilliant! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,508 Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 To be fair, I think Soderbergh has made some great films, even if his trademark style is often absent. He's a bit like Clint Eastwood that way -- fine filmmaker, but not with the most clearcut visual style. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,234 Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 My initial description of him as bland wasn't even meant to specifically refer to his style, or lack of one. I just find his films mostly un-engaging on every level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,338 Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 RIP it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 21 minutes ago, Thor said: To be fair, I think Soderbergh has made some great films, even if his trademark style is often absent How is it absent? His movies are easily spotted a mile off due to how sterile and robotic they are. I saw one on TV with Catherine Zeta Jones, she wore porn glasses and was playing an uber bitch, I forget the name of it, and it was one of the most bland movies I've ever seen, the visuals and the performances... eerily vapid. I remember saying at the time, I bet this is Steven Soderbergh! The Limey is a decent movie though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 The Limey is solid. Terence Stamp is superb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,369 Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 11 minutes ago, Quintus said: I saw one on TV with Catherine Zeta Jones, she wore porn glasses and was playing an uber bitch, I forget the name of it, and it was one of the most bland movies I've ever seen, the visuals and the performances... eerily vapid. I remember saying at the time, I bet this is Steven Soderbergh! Must have been Side Effects https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Side_Effects_(2013_film) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick1Ø66 4,718 Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 Soderbergh is more overrated than the reigning king of director mediocrities, Ron Howard. And that's saying something. Let's put it this way, there's no movie that Soderbergh has ever done that's better than an average episode of Deep Space Nine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is better than everything! Nick1Ø66 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick1Ø66 4,718 Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 Well that goes without saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,534 Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 ...except STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 Of course! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,338 Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 It is forbidden to hiTrek this thread! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 Blade Runner took some of it's inspiration from Star Trek though, Alex. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,338 Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 Tell me what it is so I can correct you, Steef! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 The concept of the machine trying to find it's identity, or searching for his maker was a common theme in TOS, Alex. Surely you have seen Star Trek The Motion Picture at some point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,338 Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 That's an age-old theme in sci-fi, Steef, going all the way back to Shelley's Frankenstein. BTW, the replicants in the movie are searching for their maker so that he can extend their lives, not to find their "identity". Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 Yes, a less meaningful pursuit. So Star Trek actually has deeper sci-fi ideas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,338 Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 Well, why Star Trek: TMP is about "Geez Louise, what's my identity?!", Blade Runner is about what makes us human. Know what I'm saying? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,508 Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 3 hours ago, Alexcremers said: It is forbidden to hiTrek this thread! He, he....indeed. It seems that everywhere I go, all discussions turn to STAR TREK at some point. It's the film music equivalent of Godwin's Law. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick1Ø66 4,718 Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 4 hours ago, Alexcremers said: It is forbidden to hiTrek this thread! I won't mention Trek again in this thread if you can tell me a single Soderbergh movie that's better than the average episode of Deep Space Nine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,534 Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 Geez, Alex, there's loads: OUT OF SIGHT SOLARIS ERIN BROCKOVITCH OCEAN'S 11, 12, and 13 TRAFFIC CONTAGION SEX, LIES, AND VIDEOTAPE KAFKA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,508 Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 Regardless of what one thinks of Soderbergh, the music in his films -- especially that of Martinez -- is some of the best composed in the last couple of decades. Naïve Old Fart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koray Savas 2,251 Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 Guess I'm the only one here that loves Soderbergh. One of my favorite filmmakers, he'a never made a movie that I didn't enjoy watching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 Just now, Koray Savas said: Guess I'm the only one here that loves Michael Bay. One of my favorite filmmakers, he'a never made a movie that I didn't enjoy watching. Fixed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koray Savas 2,251 Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 *pre-Transformers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,508 Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 Michael Bay is -- in all seriousness -- one of my favourite directors working today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 *shudder* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,338 Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 It is forbidden to talk about Michael Bay in this thread! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 Suddenly having Star Trek references in this thread doesnt seem so bad, right Alex? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,338 Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 I'm gonna buy Trek pyjamas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 I have a Star Trek TOS belt that I wear every day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu 15,495 Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 Contagion is one of my favorite disaster movies. Side Effects is one of my favorite psychological thrillers. Latter day Soderbergh is especially underrated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick1Ø66 4,718 Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 I heard Soderbergh begged to direct one episode of the new Trek series and they shut him down. Even the Axanar guys wouldn't take his call. Word is now he's heading to Kickstarter to finance his own fan fic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,534 Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 2 hours ago, Richard said: Geez, Alex, there's loads: OUT OF SIGHT SOLARIS ERIN BROCKOVITCH OCEAN'S 11, 12, and 13 TRAFFIC CONTAGION SEX, LIES, AND VIDEOTAPE KAFKA 1 hour ago, Koray Savas said: Guess I'm the only one here that loves Soderbergh. One of my favorite filmmakers, he'a never made a movie that I didn't enjoy watching. Not the only one, Kor! See above, ffi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koray Savas 2,251 Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 Don't forget Che! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick1Ø66 4,718 Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 Che was borderline unwatchable. One of the worst high profile bio pics ever made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,508 Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 Discussing Soderbergh while waiting for more BLADE RUNNER 2 news.... I've been meaning to check out THE KNICK series, which everyone raves about. It seems to be yet another exploration for Soderbergh. I've been playing the soundtrack(s) repeatedly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,338 Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 Soderbergh probably doesn't even like Blade Runner. However, Chris Nolan does! And I know many BR fans wanted BR 2 to be made by Nolan. So, here's a question: Would Nolan have been a better choice than Villeneuve? If so, why? Discuss! (or not). Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick1Ø66 4,718 Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 The better choice would have been to not make this at all. Some mythologies are enriched when expanded upon (e.g. Star Trek) and some are diminished (e.g. The Matrix). Has there ever been a sequel to a high concept sci film that worked? The closest I'd say was Aliens...and Cameron wisely took Aliens in a completely different direction. But Aliens was the exception, the result usually ends up looking more like 2010 or the Matrix sequels. Even Ridley Scott couldn't pull it off in Prometheus and he was building on his own material. And as I said previously, Scott's groundbreaking vision for Blade Runner has been emulated a million times, and any sequel is going to suffer from the same derivativeness. And they're certainly going to have to sacrifice the other things that made BR special...the pacing, the existential angst...in favour of more action to justify the budget and profile of the pic. And the ideas in Blade Runner have been explored probably more often in science fiction than any other concept, so it's hard for me to imagine them breaking any new ground here. Maybe it would have been better as an HBO series, where the themes would have room to breathe and the ideas time to explore. But HBO is already doing that now, aren't they? Actually now that I think about it Aliens is in fact probably the model for this. Go in different direction with the material. Even a Blade Runner going around retiring replicants like Wesley Snipes offing vampires would at least be a departure from what came before. But in that case I'd have chosen a different director. Anyway I think it's going to suck. Some things are better left alone. A24 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BloodBoal 7,538 Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 Nick1Ø66 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 16 hours ago, Stefancos said: Fixed! Michael Bay is better than Raiders of the Lost Ark . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick1Ø66 4,718 Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 Blade Runners. I like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,508 Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 44 minutes ago, Nick1066 said: Has there ever been a sequel to a high concept sci film that worked? TERMINATOR 2? Nothing against exploring a fictional universe beyond just one film, especially if it's a universe as rich as BR and if the creative people invovled are talented enough. Doesn't matter how 'iconic' the original film is. In the end, the film will be judged as it is. As for Nolan, I'm sure he would have delivered the goods too, but it would have been a wholly different film. I think what Villeneuve has, is the ability to create deeper characters, and with -- arguably -- an even more identifiable visual style than Nolan (the blueish/black aura of PRISONERS, the sortof film noir-like, smokey/golden look of ENEMY). In a way, his style is "smoother" than that of Nolan (who has more visual grit), so I think he would fit the BLADE RUNNER universe particularly well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,338 Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 Good points, Nick1138! Though I do have to say, by turning an elusive creature into a stupid target practice bug, Aliens too felt like a dumbed-down action movie version when compared to the first one. The thing that they built up in A L I E N got completely destroyed in the sequel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 It's a very typical sequel. More aliens, bigger ones, more action! It probably wouldn't be worthwhile at all if it hadn't been directed by Cameron. Nick1Ø66 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick1Ø66 4,718 Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 39 minutes ago, Thor said: TERMINATOR 2? Nothing against exploring a fictional universe beyond just one film, especially if it's a universe as rich as BR and if the creative people invovled are talented enough. Doesn't matter how 'iconic' the original film is. In the end, the film will be judged as it is. Terminator 2 is a decent example and it's unforgivable that I forgot it. And Cameron, again (though building on his own material this time). Though I disagree that the film will be judged as it is. It's certainly going to be judged against the original. And if it tries to emulate it too much, it will look derivative. If looks nothing like the original people will be disappointed. It's not an easy needle to thread. High concept sci-fi is very, very difficult to pull off even once, because many times the concepts don't bear close scrutiny. And this is especially true when it comes to androids exploring their humanity, which has been done more than anything. I just think the film's necessity to be a blockbuster is going to work against it. 19 minutes ago, Alexcremers said: Good points, Nick1138! Who is that? 15 minutes ago, Stefancos said: It probably wouldn't be worthwhile at all if it hadn't been directed by Cameron. Yep. Don't get me wrong, the film is excellent. Not quite as good or timeless as the original (IMO), but trend setting in its own way and wisely a complete departure from what Scott did. But in the hands of almost any other director working at the time it likely would have been awful. Which is sort of my point about the BR sequel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,508 Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 2 minutes ago, Nick1066 said: Though I disagree that the film will be judged as it is. It's certainly going to be judged against the original. And if it tries to emulate it too much, it will look derivative. If looks nothing like the original people will be disappointed. It's not an easy needle to thread. Yes, but that's not what I meant. People -- including myself -- will no doubt compare it to the original in some way. My point was that I see no reason to damn a project from the get-go; the "proof is always in the pudding", as it were. Sometimes, good sequels DO happen. And even if it the sequel is nowhere near the original, it might still be a worthwhile addition to the rich tapestry of story and universe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,338 Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 5 minutes ago, Nick1066 said: Who is that? Well, given the topic of our discussion, I thought it would be nice to sci-fi up your name a bit. There are playful messages in all of my posts but no one ever notices them. I thought today would be different, but alas, it isn't meant to be. Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now