"Darkness, No Parents."-The Official Top 10 Movies and Top 5 Worst Movies of 2014 Voting ends 2/25

[Uncle_Ruckus]

Just didn't work for me breh and I've said why in the thread about it. It looked incredible but the script kept kicking me in the balls. The fact that every character was basically basil exposition just bugged me and I couldn't get with that.

But the questions it left me with after I watched it. Wow. I never had so much feelings after watching a movie before.

Spoiler

1. Would any normal person do what Dr. Mann did to try and get off that ice planet?
2. How does love for a person affect our decisions for survival and what's best for everyone in general?
3. What would the world be like in the future if food became a global issue/demand not technology?
4. How would we repopulate or move civilization to a new planet?
5. What does a black hole/worm hole look like and what happens if you go through one?
6. Does time change ones love for another person who is absent? How does that affect the family dynamics?
7. Could NASA really be man kinds last hope if the world is ending?

A lot more questions went through my head after watching it, but those are a few. This movie made me want to watch it again, not to make sense of everything, but the experience itself is unreal and brought new questions I never thought I would ask myself. People hate the movie because they think of plot holes and not the actual message. It really went over people's head, because most people were looking for a bigger spectacle like Inception or Avatar and got mad that there weren't any aliens. The messages are bigger than the visuals even though those visuals were mind blowing.

 

[MartyMcFly]

But the questions it left me with after I watched it. Wow. I never had so much feelings after watching a space movie before.

Spoiler

1. Would any normal person do what Dr. Mann did to try and get off that ice planet?
2. How does love for a person affect our decisions for survival and what's best for everyone in general?
3. What would the world be like in the future if food became a global issue/demand not technology?
4. How would we repopulate or move civilization to a new planet?
5. What does a black hole/worm hole look like and what happens if you go through one?
6. Does time change ones love for another person who is absent? How does that affect the family dynamics?
7. Could NASA really be man kinds last hope if the world is ending?

A lot more questions went through my head after watching it, but those are a few. This movie made me want to watch it again, not to make sense of everything, but the experience itself is unreal and brought new questions I never thought I would ask myself. People hate the movie because they think of plot holes and not the actual message.

See I do think it has a message and of course it's got some holes but those holes aren't my problem with it: my problem is the lack of character and every character in it just spouts scientific exposition, constantly making sure the audience is on board with everything as opposed to trusting the audience to go with the story and not feeling like you have to explain every feeling, every thought, and every scientific device. I'm not taking anything away from you or anyone else who loved it, it just didn't do for me what I needed it to do. Inception does the same thing with its characters but I enjoy it a lot whereas with this, I guess it just didn't have all of the pieces together that Inception did where I could overlook that issue

 

[Uncle_Ruckus]

See I do think it has a message and of course it's got some holes but those holes aren't my problem with it: my problem is the lack of character and every character in it just spouts scientific exposition, constantly making sure the audience is on board with everything as opposed to trusting the audience to go with the story and not feeling like you have to explain every feeling, every thought, and every scientific device. I'm not taking anything away from you or anyone else who loved it, it just didn't do for me what I needed it to do. Inception does the same thing with its characters but I enjoy it a lot whereas with this, I guess it just didn't have all of the pieces together that Inception did where I could overlook that issue

If you're comparing it to Inception or any other Nolan film or space movie, you aren't going to like it. That's my opinion. I don't like space movies. At all. I hated Gravity and never finished 2001 cause it was too boring. I guess everyone has their own taste in movies, but I saw a lot of messages in this movie. And the discussing the plan over and over parts I didn't mind because come on they're in space. What else are they going to do, but talk about the mission. The robots were great too, but I wasn't expecting a bunch of conversations about anything else but saving earth. These people knew they were on a possible suicide mission, to maintain the focus they couldn't just sit there and chit chat about random things. They were prepared to go down and be alone on a planet for how long. You have to be a somewhat boring character/person to to that. And since when were any astronauts anything but boring. All astronauts do is talk science. I thought the characters were great. But I guess people wanted some academy award deserving performance in space, which just isn't believable. Gravity is my example of that. Great character, but still couldn't save the movie cause the story was so basic and boring.

 

[MartyMcFly]

If you're comparing it to Inception or any other Nolan film or space movie, you aren't going to like it. That's my opinion. I don't like space movies. At all. I hated Gravity and never finished 2001 cause it was too boring. I guess everyone has their own taste in movies, but I saw a lot of messages in this movie. And the discussing the plan over and over parts I didn't mind because come on they're in space. What else are they going to do, but talk about the mission. The robots were great too, but I wasn't expecting a bunch of conversations about anything else but saving earth. These people knew they were on a possible suicide mission, to maintain the focus they couldn't just sit there and chit chat about random things. They were prepared to go down and be alone on a planet for how long. You have to be a somewhat boring character/person to to that. And since when were any astronauts anything but boring. All astronauts do is talk science. I thought the characters were great. But I guess people wanted some academy award deserving performance in space, which just isn't believable. Gravity is my example of that. Great character, but still couldn't save the movie cause the story was so basic and boring.

I'm not comparing it per say as much as I'm saying that Inception suffered from the same thing but it worked for me. Interstellar just didn't work and it's because of the dialogue and lack of character. I need that stuff in a movie and it just wasn't there for me. Didn't mean the movie didn't have some interesting things to say about humanity and religion and morality but expository dialogue kills me when it's in abundance and characters who aren't characters but just ciphers to the audience annoys me and comes off as lazy writing for me. The robots were the best characters in the movie and that says something to me. I think there's a way to have astronauts talk about random things that reveal character while also working for the movie overall. A playwright I know, actually two of them, told me once that character should be revealed through the events of the movie or play or tv show and it's often done through dialogue, not just action. If you have your characters simply talking about their feelings rather than expressing them, or saying what they're thinking rather than showing it, you've already lost. You've got to make your characters compelling first and foremost because if not, why are people watching your shyt? I took that to heart when they told me that and that's how I look at movies and how I look at anything I write. If I don't give a fukk about anyone on screen, then nothing else matters to me

 

[Uncle_Ruckus]

I'm not comparing it per say as much as I'm saying that Inception suffered from the same thing but it worked for me. Interstellar just didn't work and it's because of the dialogue and lack of character. I need that stuff in a movie and it just wasn't there for me. Didn't mean the movie didn't have some interesting things to say about humanity and religion and morality but expository dialogue kills me when it's in abundance and characters who aren't characters but just ciphers to the audience annoys me and comes off as lazy writing for me. The robots were the best characters in the movie and that says something to me. I think there's a way to have astronauts talk about random things that reveal character while also working for the movie overall. A playwright I know, actually two of them, told me once that character should be revealed through the events of the movie or play or tv show and it's often done through dialogue, not just action. If you have your characters simply talking about their feelings rather than expressing them, or saying what they're thinking rather than showing it, you've already lost. You've got to make your characters compelling first and foremost because if not, why are people watching your shyt? I took that to heart when they told me that and that's how I look at movies and how I look at anything I write. If I don't give a fukk about anyone on screen, then nothing else matters to me

I think your still missing the point. One of the main points of the movie from the early beginning was that humanity has changed. No one is interesting any more. Everyone is farming and eating the same stuff (corn). They can't even enjoy a Yankee's game without leaving because of the dust storm. The point is that we were all into technology, twitter facebook and now humanilty no longer has those things that once brought us together, made us discuss our feelings and everything you said that makes a character interesting. In the movie, all that is gone. Everyone is just trying to survive. That's the point. That's why when Matthew leaves his family, the send off isn't even that big, just a few good byes and he's off in his truck. Everyone knows that the world is ending and that Matthew doesn't want to leave, but knows he has to. Theres nothing in Interstellar that would make me want to see a bunch of astronauts in space talking about anything BUT saving humanity and science because nothing else matters at that point. The robots are the best characters, and that was the point. To tell the viewers that even the robots were made with humour and sarcasm to bring the little bit of life to the Endurance. If you didn't have the robots, you would have a Father who is already stressed out that he had to leave his daughter with no goodbye, knowing NASA needed him (even if they had someone else) to save earth, A science nerd who is probably the most dedicated to the mission at hand, and Anne Hathaway, who is already depressed about her lover leaving her years ago and now leaving her father who she might not see again. What do you think a trip with those people would be like??? And it's realistic because no one else on earth would be any more interesting or have much else to say. That's why I say it went over most peoples head. You guys expect so much character depth, but there is none. That's the point. Humanity has become stale and boring and only survival is what matters anymore.

Spoiler

Even at the end when he's reunited with his daughter. everyone expected some grand reunion and a long conversation, but humanity still needs to be saved so he leaves to continue his mission.

Anyway, if you don't get those points then I guess you never will. I've seen Interstellar 4 times now and I never once thought it needed more character depth from Matthew and Anne because they both are on a mission that serves one purpose that is bigger than both of them and their loved ones. Even Anne says the first day they go into space something like "There's a time to talk and right now isn't the time". That sums everything up imo.

 

[MartyMcFly]

I think your still missing the point. One of the main points of the movie from the early beginning was that humanity has changed. No one is interesting any more. Everyone is farming and eating the same stuff (corn). They can't even enjoy a Yankee's game without leaving because of the dust storm. The point is that we were all into technology, twitter facebook and now humanilty no longer has those things that once brought us together, made us discuss our feelings and everything you said that makes a character interesting. In the movie, all that is gone. Everyone is just trying to survive. That's the point. That's why when Matthew leaves his family, the send off isn't even that big, just a few good byes and he's off in his truck. Everyone knows that the world is ending and that Matthew doesn't want to leave, but knows he has to. Theres nothing in Interstellar that would make me want to see a bunch of astronauts in space talking about anything BUT saving humanity and science because nothing else matters at that point. The robots are the best characters, and that was the point. To tell the viewers that even the robots were made with humour and sarcasm to bring the little bit of life to the Endurance. If you didn't have the robots, you would have a Father who is already stressed out that he had to leave his daughter with no goodbye, knowing NASA needed him (even if they had someone else) to save earth, A science nerd who is probably the most dedicated to the mission at hand, and Anne Hathaway, who is already depressed about her lover leaving her years ago and now leaving her father who she might not see again. What do you think a trip with those people would be like??? And it's realistic because no one else on earth would be any more interesting or have much else to say. That's why I say it went over most peoples head. You guys expect so much character depth, but there is none. That's the point. Humanity has become stale and boring and only survival is what matters anymore.

Spoiler

Even at the end when he's reunited with his daughter. everyone expected some grand reunion and a long conversation, but humanity still needs to be saved so he leaves to continue his mission.

Anyway, if you don't get those points then I guess you never will. I've seen Interstellar 4 times now and I never once thought it needed more character depth from Matthew and Anne because they both are on a mission that serves one purpose that is bigger than both of them and their loved ones. Even Anne says the first day they go into space something like "There's a time to talk and right now isn't the time". That sums everything up imo.

No breh I got the point. Like I get the movie, but it doesn't mean it has to work for me. I understand it completely but to me, it didn't work for me. To purposely make a movie with no compelling characters doesn't seem smart to me because if not, why am I watching? Movies are ultimately about storytelling and in telling a story you need solid characters especially if you're going for the emotional pay off in the end. If this movie at its core is about a father and his daughter then there should be strong characters and it just didn't work for me. If you're saying Nolan's goal was to make uninteresting characters but then also have the emotional engine of the story be this relationship between a father and his daughter, that's a problem

 

[Uncle_Ruckus]

No breh I got the point. Like I get the movie, but it doesn't mean it has to work for me. I understand it completely but to me, it didn't work for me. To purposely make a movie with no compelling characters doesn't seem smart to me because if not, why am I watching? Movies are ultimately about storytelling and in telling a story you need solid characters especially if you're going for the emotional pay off in the end. If this movie at its core is about a father and his daughter then there should be strong characters and it just didn't work for me. If you're saying Nolan's goal was to make uninteresting characters but then also have the emotional engine of the story be this relationship between a father and his daughter, that's a problem

Agree to disagree. Nolan didn't make uninteresting characters. He made a world in the future where everyone is uninteresting because of the state of the planet and the universal consensus that the world is coming to an end. If you grew up in that world, I doubt you would be any more interesting. And there are plenty of movies with no character depth were the story brings the emotion... Wall-E, Life of Pi, All Is Lost, I Am Legend, The Shining, Drive, The Matrix.

 

[MartyMcFly]

Agree to disagree. Nolan didn't make uninteresting characters. He made a world in the future where everyone is uninteresting because of the state of the planet and the universal consensus that the world is coming to an end. If you grew up in that world, I doubt you would be any more interesting. And there are plenty of movies with no character depth were the story brings the emotion... Wall-E, Life of Pi, All Is Lost, I Am Legend, The Shining, Drive, The Matrix.

I disagree on Wall-E, I am Legend, and The Shining and The Matrix..plenty of character in those. Will Smith does more in the first half of that movie to build character, not just his but the world around him, and that dog, then most of the characters in interstellar. In The Shining, the entire movie is building character, not just of the family but the overlook...and the matrix has character moments as well..Everyone is fully formed minus Neo but by the end, he's fully formed as a character too. Morpheus sacrificing himself for Neo is a big character moment, same with everything Trinity says or doesn't say to him and how that affects their relationship. I could go on and on with that one. And Wall-E?? Breh, watch that movie again and tell me that little robot has no character depth

 

[Uncle_Ruckus]

I disagree on Wall-E, I am Legend, and The Shining and The Matrix..plenty of character in those. Will Smith does more in the first half of that movie to build character, not just his but the world around him, and that dog, then most of the characters in interstellar. In The Shining, the entire movie is building character, not just of the family but the overlook...and the matrix has character moments as well..Everyone is fully formed minus Neo but by the end, he's fully formed as a character too. Morpheus sacrificing himself for Neo is a big character moment, same with everything Trinity says or doesn't say to him and how that affects their relationship. I could go on and on with that one. And Wall-E?? Breh, watch that movie again and tell me that little robot has no character depth

I didn't see any character depth with Neo breh. Just a nerd who knew he has a purpose, found someone to explain it to him and then he believed he was the one. Pretty basic. The Shining just showed a man going crazy from being couped up in the hotel. It never went in depth as to what motivated him to go crazy, just a ghost telling him what to do. I AM Legend I have to disagree with. I didn't see any depth in his character in that. Then there's other movies I would say like Mad Max, Book of Eli, hell even Forrest fukking Gump (I'm gonna catch a lot of heat for that one). A lot of movies don't go deep into the character because as soon as you do, the story would fall apart.

 

[MartyMcFly]

I didn't see any character depth with Neo breh. Just a nerd who knew he has a purpose, found someone to explain it to him and then he believed he was the one. Pretty basic. The Shining just showed a man going crazy from being couped up in the hotel. It never went in depth as to what motivated him to go crazy, just a ghost telling him what to do. I AM Legend I have to disagree with. I didn't see any depth in his character in that. Then there's other movies I would say like Mad Max, Book of Eli, hell even Forrest fukking Gump. A lot of movies don't go deep into the character because as soon as you do, the story would fall apart.

Well let's establish this tho: Character depth doesn't just mean "going deep" it means showing a range of different things whether it be anger, sadness, happiness, motivation, etc. Neo's motivation was clear, his thoughts were clear, his desires were clear. And he had a complete character arc from the beginning to the end of the movie which is why it works so well. Forrest Gump, not a movie I love, still tells you plenty about what makes Forrest tick and why he is the way he is which is character development and depth. Same with the Shining, even though I don't think it's important to know why Jack is going crazy but he has a clear set of motivations, weaknesses, strengths, and the same with his wife. And even with all that said, every movie you just listed has compelling characters where bits and pieces of them are revealed through the movie and dialogue. Mad Max and the Man with no name trilogy are perfect examples of guys you get to know through dialogue, action, and the way others react to them and that equals character development and made them compelling. I don't need to know everything about Jack or the man with no name or Dr. Neville to make them compelling but I do know enough.

For example, let's take James Bond: bits and pieces of his story are revealed over the span of 50 years but if we look at the first few movies, not that much is revealed. he's a secret agent, licensed to kill and works for the british government. But here are the important things we learn about him through action and dialogue: he has a penchant for lavish living, he's an alcoholic, he's a gambler, he's a womanizer, he has a problem with authority and has no problem doing what he wants if it means completing the mission, and he doesn't have a lot of friends if any and prefers the life of a bachelor and keeps his circle small but the friends he does have, he's loyal to them. Do those first few movies make him "deep"? Nah not at all but there's enough there for him to be compelling and interesting.

 

[kp404]

Top 10 Best

1. Selma
2. Guardians of the Galaxy
3. Birdman
4. Nightcrawler
5. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
6. The Edge of Tomorrow
7. Frank
8. Ida
9. Imitation Game
10. Whiplash

HM: Chef, The Babadook, Get On Up, Wild, and Dear White People


Top 5 Worst

1. LUCY!!!!!!
2. Annabelle
3. Transcendence
4. Into the Woods
5. A Walk Among the Tombstones


And just for shyts and giggles:

Most overrated movies this year: Boyhood and Interstellar

Most underrated movies: Frank and Nightcrawler.

Very good list and I do like that Ida is getting love. I was torn on that or Leviathan but because Leviathan's story appealed to me more, I chose it over Ida.

 

[kp404]

Oh we got it. It just wasn't as interesting or deep as it thought it was.

Exactly. Interstellar was a HUGE disappointment; it was visually brilliant, but hackneyed as fukk as a story. It was as deep as a frisbee

 

[Uncle_Ruckus]

Well let's establish this tho: Character depth doesn't just mean "going deep" it means showing a range of different things whether it be anger, sadness, happiness, motivation, etc. Neo's motivation was clear, his thoughts were clear, his desires were clear. And he had a complete character arc from the beginning to the end of the movie which is why it works so well. Forrest Gump, not a movie I love, still tells you plenty about what makes Forrest tick and why he is the way he is which is character development and depth. Same with the Shining, even though I don't think it's important to know why Jack is going crazy but he has a clear set of motivations, weaknesses, strengths, and the same with his wife. And even with all that said, every movie you just listed has compelling characters where bits and pieces of them are revealed through the movie and dialogue. Mad Max and the Man with no name trilogy are perfect examples of guys you get to know through dialogue, action, and the way others react to them and that equals character development and made them compelling. I don't need to know everything about Jack or the man with no name or Dr. Neville to make them compelling but I do know enough.

For example, let's take James Bond: bits and pieces of his story are revealed over the span of 50 years but if we look at the first few movies, not that much is revealed. he's a secret agent, licensed to kill and works for the british government. But here are the important things we learn about him through action and dialogue: he has a penchant for lavish living, he's an alcoholic, he's a gambler, he's a womanizer, he has a problem with authority and has no problem doing what he wants if it means completing the mission, and he doesn't have a lot of friends if any and prefers the life of a bachelor and keeps his circle small but the friends he does have, he's loyal to them. Do those first few movies make him "deep"? Nah not at all but there's enough there for him to be compelling and interesting.

I forgot about 007, that's a big one. But your explanation of what character depth is is great so I'll give you those. I'll just end this debate though by saying this. When I watch Interstellar, I feel like I'm with those characters on the mission, because the stakes are so high and you feel like if they fail the mission then the movie fails. The fact that they make it to the end is what brought my emotions. Everything up until the end, I was just on the edge of my seat watching in marvel at the space scene's and pondering if the decisions they are making would be what I would do and whatnot. Character depth isn't the driving force in this movie. It's the mission and the self reflection afterwards of what I would do in that situation or what the world would be like if it came to that. You make great points though.

 

[MartyMcFly]

I forgot about 007, that's a big one. But your explanation of what character depth is is great so I'll give you those. I'll just end this debate though by saying this. When I watch Interstellar, I feel like I'm with those characters on the mission, because the stakes are so high and you feel like if they fail the mission then the movie fails. The fact that they make it to the end is what brought my emotions. Everything up until the end, I was just on the edge of my seat watching in marvel at the space scene's and pondering if the decisions they are making would be what I would do and whatnot. Character isn't the driving force in this movie. It's the mission and the self reflection afterwards of what I would do in that situation or what the world would be like if it came to that. You make great points though.

Word and that's what I'm saying: I'm not knocking you or anyone else who loves the movie. If it worked for you, that's great because I wish it worked for me and you clearly get it and made good points as to why it works for you but for me, it just didn't and I wish it did because there's a lot to like in the movie for me. It's got enough fans tho, it doesn't need me and Nolan will still get my money for the next project and hopefully I like it

 

[FlyRy]

my brehs hating on interstellar got me at my work desk like