Oh I'm sorry, Did I Break Your Conversation........Well Allow Me A Movie Thread by S&T

[koolbarbone]

Originally Posted by CP1708

Originally Posted by Big J 33

CP, I put my response on the Sopranos in a spoiler, to save room and as to not ruin it for whomever.

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler [+]

Spoiler

Originally Posted by CP1708

The Sopranos

Finally finished off the series last night.  Overall, enjoyed the show alot.  However, there were many, many things that angered me.  So many wasted moments/opportunities, the coma, the last half season following this crying little @#$%^ AJ, the acid trip or whatever, weird turns at key moments, just so much randomness, it's unreal to me that people even liked the show. 

They spent 7 years building up the belief that the show was about the family, more so than the mob.  Ok, so if we are to believe the end, why did we not see the family and how it would react to what just happened?  Fade to black should have been about how Carm, AJ, and Meadow felt and saw what went down.  IF, that was what it was about. 
Now, if it was set up as a showdown between New York and New Jersey, then why did we not have a final confrontation?  Why did we leave characters unresolved?  Syl is in a damn hospital bed, Pauly is tanning, Tony sittin in a diner, what the hell is that about?  (those of you who watched, know what may have went on in the diner) 

To me they did nothing but leave holes.  Entourage had more closure. 

 

I really felt let down by it all to be honest.  I was expecting a mass showdown between "families" and some scores to settle.  Jesus, the entire show, FBI lurking lurking lurking lurking, they did NOTHING with that.  They still lurking for all I know.  Good God, how on earth do you underuse that? 

 

7 years talkin to a therapist, in one 8 minute session, it's over, just like that.  Done.  Why?  Why even close that down, and leave everything else open, know what I mean?  Why not just leave that hanging as well?  Woulda made no difference. 

Christopher, Syl, Pauly, Bobby, none of them were handled properly imo.  Even Phil was a bogus finish. 

I liked the show, glad I watched it, I hear that it opened doors and paved ways for other shows, but on it's own, it left too much open.  There were so many routes that I thought it could have gone, they went none of them. 

  I'm seriously bent that it was like that.  I may relax and grow to appreciate the show more as I get older and what not, let it settle, rewatch some stuff, I get that, but the closing of the show left me flat out pissed.  Either way, they copped out.  It's about the family, ok, show me the fam after fade to black then.  It's not about family, it's about mob, ok, then show me finality.  They did neither.  And that is messed up. 

Come on, I can tell you're upset and disappointed, but it's unreal that people liked the show? This thing was huge when it came out, it was a phenomenon, that's your emotions getting the best of you. A finale episode and final season is important to a show, but tons of great shows struggle to end properly. Don't forget how brilliant the show was earlier and overall still is.

What unresolved characters do you speak of? Silvio is in a coma, that's his story there. Paulie is just Paulie, and we get Tony at the end. I had no problem with Bobby, people die in the show.. maybe you can say it felt rushed and easy, but ehh.. within the flow of the story and the war, he was a casualty. What was wrong with Christopher? That was a powerful moment for both he and Tony, one of the most memorable in the series for me.

The FBI wasn't underused to me, it was an important part but after 9/11 the mob wasn't their primary concern, it was terrorism. Agent Harris' role in the finale was good, he gave Tony info knowing he would take out Phil. What else did you want? Then with the mobs, a mass showdown between families? What do you call Phil trying to take out Tony and his men? If you wanted some Gangs of New York type action where they brawl in the town square, then you'll be disappointed. I'm sure you didn't want that

but I think the action was amped up and tense in the final episodes.

With the therapist, what did you exactly want? A 25 minute conversation about why she should treat him or what Tony wants? They explained it in a prior episode, Tony's a sociopath, therapy won't help him and it's probably hurting him. After so many years, what else was there to do other than for Melfi to just shut the door to him.

It seems like your complaints is that the show didn't do what you wanted, but I don't think the majority of them are justifiably and clearly the "wrong move". You know how with Dexter, it's clear that you and I differ on A. what we expect from the show and B. that the show is or isn't executing it. I think it's fair to say "I wish the show would have done this", but I think your personal reaction is clouding your judgment of the series as a whole. It's hard to look objectively at a TV show of course, but I think majority of the decisions they had, made sense. Whether or not you liked the handling, I think it worked and that should improve your view of the finale. I agree with AJ, he sucked and don't think I liked him throughout the series. But it's not as if the show went completely off the rails and into the ridiculous territory.. rather it seems like you wanted something else. I can't argue what you wanted of course, but I see the reasoning for a lot of their decisions and within the flow of the show, it works. There's bound to be some unfinished or less than satisfying moments over this many years and with such an expansive universe.. it happens. You had to have liked the ending with Tony and Junior, right? That was perfect.

The show is about Tony. How he acts with the family and how he acts with his family are part of it, but it's Tony's show. Why do you need to see the family's reaction after the fade to black? If he's whacked then they'll be shocked, upset, etc. If he wasn't then life continues on.. If he turned informant, then whatever. Again with the mob, the major players had their stories wrapped up, would you have needed to see Silvio's, Paulie's, Uncle Junior's reaction to know how they would have felt? It's understood and assumed. Silvio is in a coma, Paulie would have been upset/whatever Paulie does, Junior wouldn't know who Tony was, etc. The fade to black to me works on a lot of levels... it refers back to what Bobby said about when you get whacked, it could represent the constant fear of getting whacked and that Tony's life will continue on in a constant state of worry, it's your interpretation. Whatever the "answer", it works because it ensures you're still talking about it 4 years later... here's what Chase said about it

Chase remarked, "There was so much more to say than could have been conveyed by an image of Tony facedown in a bowl of onion rings with a bullet in his head. Or, on the other side, taking over the New York mob. The way I see it is that Tony Soprano had been people's alter ego. They had gleefully watched him rob, kill, pillage, lie and cheat. They had cheered him on. And then, all of a sudden, they wanted to see him punished for all that. They wanted 'justice.' They wanted to see his brains splattered on the wall. I thought that was disgusting, frankly. [...] The pathetic thing—to me—was how much they wanted his blood, after cheering him on for eight years."

I say you're wrong when you complain that it didn't show the family or the mob's reaction, as I've said, that's irrelevant to the meaning of the finale or the show at that point. Their reactions should be understood, through all the years, the audience should be able to figure out how they would react based on the intense characterization we've gotten. Not to mention it's primarily Tony's show. It's not as expansive and doesn't spread the focus out as much as the Wire, and it doesn't zero on one or two characters as much as Breaking Bad, but it is largely about Tony and how he effects others around him. Hopefully your disappointment fades and you can appreciate what the show did very well. Impact and influence aside, the themes it touched on were incredible and done in such a grand scale for this show.

  

 naw I know it was great, I did enjoy it, I am just a little bent about the ending is all.  I have a friend here at work that is responsible for putting me onto the Sopranos.  He has watched each season like 3 times, and he was the one feeding me DVD’s to plow thru them.  He and I have talked after each season going over things and what not, and all along, I complained a little about “wasted movement

 

[koolbarbone]

Originally Posted by CP1708

Originally Posted by Big J 33

CP, I put my response on the Sopranos in a spoiler, to save room and as to not ruin it for whomever.

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler [+]

Spoiler

Originally Posted by CP1708

The Sopranos

Finally finished off the series last night.  Overall, enjoyed the show alot.  However, there were many, many things that angered me.  So many wasted moments/opportunities, the coma, the last half season following this crying little @#$%^ AJ, the acid trip or whatever, weird turns at key moments, just so much randomness, it's unreal to me that people even liked the show. 

They spent 7 years building up the belief that the show was about the family, more so than the mob.  Ok, so if we are to believe the end, why did we not see the family and how it would react to what just happened?  Fade to black should have been about how Carm, AJ, and Meadow felt and saw what went down.  IF, that was what it was about. 
Now, if it was set up as a showdown between New York and New Jersey, then why did we not have a final confrontation?  Why did we leave characters unresolved?  Syl is in a damn hospital bed, Pauly is tanning, Tony sittin in a diner, what the hell is that about?  (those of you who watched, know what may have went on in the diner) 

To me they did nothing but leave holes.  Entourage had more closure. 

 

I really felt let down by it all to be honest.  I was expecting a mass showdown between "families" and some scores to settle.  Jesus, the entire show, FBI lurking lurking lurking lurking, they did NOTHING with that.  They still lurking for all I know.  Good God, how on earth do you underuse that? 

 

7 years talkin to a therapist, in one 8 minute session, it's over, just like that.  Done.  Why?  Why even close that down, and leave everything else open, know what I mean?  Why not just leave that hanging as well?  Woulda made no difference. 

Christopher, Syl, Pauly, Bobby, none of them were handled properly imo.  Even Phil was a bogus finish. 

I liked the show, glad I watched it, I hear that it opened doors and paved ways for other shows, but on it's own, it left too much open.  There were so many routes that I thought it could have gone, they went none of them. 

  I'm seriously bent that it was like that.  I may relax and grow to appreciate the show more as I get older and what not, let it settle, rewatch some stuff, I get that, but the closing of the show left me flat out pissed.  Either way, they copped out.  It's about the family, ok, show me the fam after fade to black then.  It's not about family, it's about mob, ok, then show me finality.  They did neither.  And that is messed up. 

Come on, I can tell you're upset and disappointed, but it's unreal that people liked the show? This thing was huge when it came out, it was a phenomenon, that's your emotions getting the best of you. A finale episode and final season is important to a show, but tons of great shows struggle to end properly. Don't forget how brilliant the show was earlier and overall still is.

What unresolved characters do you speak of? Silvio is in a coma, that's his story there. Paulie is just Paulie, and we get Tony at the end. I had no problem with Bobby, people die in the show.. maybe you can say it felt rushed and easy, but ehh.. within the flow of the story and the war, he was a casualty. What was wrong with Christopher? That was a powerful moment for both he and Tony, one of the most memorable in the series for me.

The FBI wasn't underused to me, it was an important part but after 9/11 the mob wasn't their primary concern, it was terrorism. Agent Harris' role in the finale was good, he gave Tony info knowing he would take out Phil. What else did you want? Then with the mobs, a mass showdown between families? What do you call Phil trying to take out Tony and his men? If you wanted some Gangs of New York type action where they brawl in the town square, then you'll be disappointed. I'm sure you didn't want that

but I think the action was amped up and tense in the final episodes.

With the therapist, what did you exactly want? A 25 minute conversation about why she should treat him or what Tony wants? They explained it in a prior episode, Tony's a sociopath, therapy won't help him and it's probably hurting him. After so many years, what else was there to do other than for Melfi to just shut the door to him.

It seems like your complaints is that the show didn't do what you wanted, but I don't think the majority of them are justifiably and clearly the "wrong move". You know how with Dexter, it's clear that you and I differ on A. what we expect from the show and B. that the show is or isn't executing it. I think it's fair to say "I wish the show would have done this", but I think your personal reaction is clouding your judgment of the series as a whole. It's hard to look objectively at a TV show of course, but I think majority of the decisions they had, made sense. Whether or not you liked the handling, I think it worked and that should improve your view of the finale. I agree with AJ, he sucked and don't think I liked him throughout the series. But it's not as if the show went completely off the rails and into the ridiculous territory.. rather it seems like you wanted something else. I can't argue what you wanted of course, but I see the reasoning for a lot of their decisions and within the flow of the show, it works. There's bound to be some unfinished or less than satisfying moments over this many years and with such an expansive universe.. it happens. You had to have liked the ending with Tony and Junior, right? That was perfect.

The show is about Tony. How he acts with the family and how he acts with his family are part of it, but it's Tony's show. Why do you need to see the family's reaction after the fade to black? If he's whacked then they'll be shocked, upset, etc. If he wasn't then life continues on.. If he turned informant, then whatever. Again with the mob, the major players had their stories wrapped up, would you have needed to see Silvio's, Paulie's, Uncle Junior's reaction to know how they would have felt? It's understood and assumed. Silvio is in a coma, Paulie would have been upset/whatever Paulie does, Junior wouldn't know who Tony was, etc. The fade to black to me works on a lot of levels... it refers back to what Bobby said about when you get whacked, it could represent the constant fear of getting whacked and that Tony's life will continue on in a constant state of worry, it's your interpretation. Whatever the "answer", it works because it ensures you're still talking about it 4 years later... here's what Chase said about it

Chase remarked, "There was so much more to say than could have been conveyed by an image of Tony facedown in a bowl of onion rings with a bullet in his head. Or, on the other side, taking over the New York mob. The way I see it is that Tony Soprano had been people's alter ego. They had gleefully watched him rob, kill, pillage, lie and cheat. They had cheered him on. And then, all of a sudden, they wanted to see him punished for all that. They wanted 'justice.' They wanted to see his brains splattered on the wall. I thought that was disgusting, frankly. [...] The pathetic thing—to me—was how much they wanted his blood, after cheering him on for eight years."

I say you're wrong when you complain that it didn't show the family or the mob's reaction, as I've said, that's irrelevant to the meaning of the finale or the show at that point. Their reactions should be understood, through all the years, the audience should be able to figure out how they would react based on the intense characterization we've gotten. Not to mention it's primarily Tony's show. It's not as expansive and doesn't spread the focus out as much as the Wire, and it doesn't zero on one or two characters as much as Breaking Bad, but it is largely about Tony and how he effects others around him. Hopefully your disappointment fades and you can appreciate what the show did very well. Impact and influence aside, the themes it touched on were incredible and done in such a grand scale for this show.

  

 naw I know it was great, I did enjoy it, I am just a little bent about the ending is all.  I have a friend here at work that is responsible for putting me onto the Sopranos.  He has watched each season like 3 times, and he was the one feeding me DVD’s to plow thru them.  He and I have talked after each season going over things and what not, and all along, I complained a little about “wasted movement

 

[johnnyredstorm]

I love American Horror Story. Might be my favorite new show on tv.

All this Sopranos talk is making me wanna rewatch the series. Would definitely appreciate the first few seasons a lot more now that I'm older.

 

[johnnyredstorm]

I love American Horror Story. Might be my favorite new show on tv.

All this Sopranos talk is making me wanna rewatch the series. Would definitely appreciate the first few seasons a lot more now that I'm older.

 

[venom lyrix]

what's the take here on Sons of Anarchy? might be the next show i try out

 

[venom lyrix]

what's the take here on Sons of Anarchy? might be the next show i try out

 

[CP1708]

Originally Posted by koolbarbone

There weren't Scarface-like shootouts in The Sopranos because those scenes just aren't realistic. Movies like Scarface glorify the mob. The Sopranos shows that living in the mob, while glorious at times, usually ends in unceremonious deaths. Most gangsters don't go out in a blaze of machine gun fire. If they live long enough, they usually end up with emphysema or alzheimer's. If not, their deaths happen fast and forgettably.

The coma arc was important because surrealism, dreams, and altered states of consciousness play a huge role in the show, which stems from the therapy angle.

That is a good way of looking at it.......I think I can accept that.  I said in my first thoughts, it may have been my fault for expecting it a certain way, or "sorry" wanting it this way, but it was the other.  (wrong show, I know, sue me)  I just anticipated Syl, Paulie, Christopher, Bobbie, and Tony goin head to head with Phil and co.  I get that it's my fault wanting it that way. 

The angle I am impressed with is that quote J posted about Tony being rooted for to be killed.  GREAT point.  Literally the 3rd to last episode, my wife said how much she hated Tony, he was such a douche bag, cheater, etc etc, but yet, we rooted for Tony the entire show. 

  Chase had a character that was a dirt ball the entire time, yet we all root for him.  A lot like Dexter being a serial killer, and we all love him. 

  So the fade didn't bother me, my only point was the whole family angle, and not being able to witness how the family took it.  I imagine, grief initially, but maybe in the end they'd be relieved and all that.  AJ of course jumped back in the pool, seein his father taken out right in front of him.  Know what, I'll just go with that, AJ at the bottom of the pool ends MY Sopranos. 

My favorite angle on the therapy was when she keeps hearing how it was all bs the whole time.  A way for him to cope or get over so to speak.  I thought that was really great.

 

[CP1708]

Originally Posted by koolbarbone

There weren't Scarface-like shootouts in The Sopranos because those scenes just aren't realistic. Movies like Scarface glorify the mob. The Sopranos shows that living in the mob, while glorious at times, usually ends in unceremonious deaths. Most gangsters don't go out in a blaze of machine gun fire. If they live long enough, they usually end up with emphysema or alzheimer's. If not, their deaths happen fast and forgettably.

The coma arc was important because surrealism, dreams, and altered states of consciousness play a huge role in the show, which stems from the therapy angle.

That is a good way of looking at it.......I think I can accept that.  I said in my first thoughts, it may have been my fault for expecting it a certain way, or "sorry" wanting it this way, but it was the other.  (wrong show, I know, sue me)  I just anticipated Syl, Paulie, Christopher, Bobbie, and Tony goin head to head with Phil and co.  I get that it's my fault wanting it that way. 

The angle I am impressed with is that quote J posted about Tony being rooted for to be killed.  GREAT point.  Literally the 3rd to last episode, my wife said how much she hated Tony, he was such a douche bag, cheater, etc etc, but yet, we rooted for Tony the entire show. 

  Chase had a character that was a dirt ball the entire time, yet we all root for him.  A lot like Dexter being a serial killer, and we all love him. 

  So the fade didn't bother me, my only point was the whole family angle, and not being able to witness how the family took it.  I imagine, grief initially, but maybe in the end they'd be relieved and all that.  AJ of course jumped back in the pool, seein his father taken out right in front of him.  Know what, I'll just go with that, AJ at the bottom of the pool ends MY Sopranos. 

My favorite angle on the therapy was when she keeps hearing how it was all bs the whole time.  A way for him to cope or get over so to speak.  I thought that was really great.

 

[stringer bell 32]

Originally Posted by Kevin Cleveland

I'm so behind on Community.

That show is not entertaining to me

The League, Parks and Recs and heck maybe Whitney and Two Broke Girls over Community

  

 

[stringer bell 32]

Originally Posted by Kevin Cleveland

I'm so behind on Community.

That show is not entertaining to me

The League, Parks and Recs and heck maybe Whitney and Two Broke Girls over Community

  

 

[johnnyredstorm]

I stopped watching Whitney. It was pretty decent, but meh...Absolutely love 2 Broke Girls, though. That show keeps getting better.

 

[johnnyredstorm]

I stopped watching Whitney. It was pretty decent, but meh...Absolutely love 2 Broke Girls, though. That show keeps getting better.

 

[lawdog1]

Originally Posted by venom lyrix

what's the take here on Sons of Anarchy? might be the next show i try out

I've never watched it and I don't think I've seen it mentioned in this thread, but there was a thread about Sons in General.  It wasn't as big as some other TV show threads, like Entourage, Boardwalk Empire, but it seemed to have a decent following.  I noticed because I went to high school with a guy that plays one of the main characters.  I keep meaning to check out the show for that reason, but never seem to get around to it.  

  

 

[lawdog1]

Originally Posted by venom lyrix

what's the take here on Sons of Anarchy? might be the next show i try out

I've never watched it and I don't think I've seen it mentioned in this thread, but there was a thread about Sons in General.  It wasn't as big as some other TV show threads, like Entourage, Boardwalk Empire, but it seemed to have a decent following.  I noticed because I went to high school with a guy that plays one of the main characters.  I keep meaning to check out the show for that reason, but never seem to get around to it.  

  

 

[lawdog1]

Originally Posted by JohnnyRedStorm

I stopped watching Whitney. It was pretty decent, but meh...Absolutely love 2 Broke Girls, though. That show keeps getting better.

Maybe Whitney just wasn't meant for network TV.  I randomly caught her on a Showtime special in which her and Dave Attell sat on a couch watching and commenting on 1970s/1980s era porn movies and she was pretty funny.  Bizarre show, but amusing, especially when Ron Jeremy himself made a cameo.  Whitney seemed completely repulsed by Jeremy, which contributed to the humor.      

  

 

[lawdog1]

Originally Posted by JohnnyRedStorm

I stopped watching Whitney. It was pretty decent, but meh...Absolutely love 2 Broke Girls, though. That show keeps getting better.

Maybe Whitney just wasn't meant for network TV.  I randomly caught her on a Showtime special in which her and Dave Attell sat on a couch watching and commenting on 1970s/1980s era porn movies and she was pretty funny.  Bizarre show, but amusing, especially when Ron Jeremy himself made a cameo.  Whitney seemed completely repulsed by Jeremy, which contributed to the humor.      

  

 

[DeadsetAce]

i actually like whitney a lot. found the show pretty to be pretty entertaining.

 

[DeadsetAce]

i actually like whitney a lot. found the show pretty to be pretty entertaining.

 

[johnnyredstorm]

The show was decent, I just don't watch much tv and needed to axe something from my list.

 

[johnnyredstorm]

The show was decent, I just don't watch much tv and needed to axe something from my list.

 

[CP1708]

Into the wild..........naw, I can't talk about this tonight. Kev, you didn't warn me man......I'll speak in the morning.

 

[CP1708]

Into the wild..........naw, I can't talk about this tonight. Kev, you didn't warn me man......I'll speak in the morning.

 

[darthska]

What's the quickest Hollywood has remade a movie?

I don't know why, but it hit me today that with all the crappy remakes out there that fare well, I'd like to think a new The Fugitive could be done right and do well.

Maybe Colin Ferrell? Russell Crowe? Have Denzel be the investigator chasing the fugitive through the whole movie?

But no, they're busy redoing Brady Bunch or something.

 

[darthska]

What's the quickest Hollywood has remade a movie?

I don't know why, but it hit me today that with all the crappy remakes out there that fare well, I'd like to think a new The Fugitive could be done right and do well.

Maybe Colin Ferrell? Russell Crowe? Have Denzel be the investigator chasing the fugitive through the whole movie?

But no, they're busy redoing Brady Bunch or something.

 

[noskey]

My money's on Let the Right One In being the quickest remake. Not 2 damn years passed before Let Me In got released. Or are we talking strictly English speaking movies?