The War Room Lounge v.8: Conor was Framed by the Deep State Edition

[HereticBD]

If you think it's a 7/10 then there must not be many overrated movies out there if this is near the top of your list.

What are the top intelligent action films?

Why does it have to be "intelligent"? I'm not trying to claim some high brow superiority. I'm saying that I don't even put "Aliens" in the top tier of sci fi/action movies in general. There are plenty of far better executed action movies, like...

Die Hard
Terminator 2
The Dark Knight
The Road Warrior
The Matrix
Robocop

And that's just some of the legendary action flicks, that "Aliens" bewilderingly finds itself in the same conversation as. I wouldn't even put it above something like "Starship Troopers", to be honest.

Whatever though. This is the discussion. "What is overrated?", I happen to find "Aliens", given the high, high praise it always receives, to be overrated as hell.

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

Again, you were the only one getting defensive.

There's nothing in this forum I find more pathetic than two dudes arguing over each other's emotional state. If projecting that you've caused butthurt in the other person is what you need to feel good about yourself then think whatever you like.

Why does it have to be "intelligent"? I'm not trying to claim some high brow superiority. I'm saying that I don't even put "Aliens" in the top tier of sci fi/action movies in general. There are plenty of far better executed action movies, like...

Die Hard
Terminator 2
The Dark Knight
The Road Warrior
The Matrix
Robocop

And that's just some of the legendary action flicks, that "Aliens" bewilderingly finds itself in the same conversation as. I wouldn't even put it above something like "Starship Troopers", to be honest.

Whatever though. This is the discussion. "What is overrated?", I happen to find "Aliens", given the high, high praise it always receives, to be overrated as hell.

You called the film dumb. I'm just asking what rises above the criticism in your mind. If you think all action flicks are dumb then so be it.

Can't imagine what you think Starship Troopers did better than Aliens.

 

[Gandhi]

You have to pick time frames pretty sure aliens came like a decade before troopers, it helped develops the theme.

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

You have to pick time frames pretty sure aliens came like a decade before troopers, it helped develops the theme.

But you had the shower scene in Troopers. Who wants to look at Ripley's and Vasquez's jugs?

 

[HomerThompson]

You have to pick time frames pretty sure aliens came like a decade before troopers, it helped develops the theme.

It's also no comparison. I love Starship Troopers, but it's a B-level movie.

Aliens is in my top 10, maybe top 5 all time.

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

It's also no comparison. I love Starship Troopers, but it's a B-level movie.

Aliens is in my top 10, maybe top 5 all time.

Private Hudson > Starship Troopers.

 

[Ruprecht]

Can't imagine what you think Starship Troopers did better than Aliens.

Comedy (and political satire at that. At odds though it was with the original material).

 

[InternetHero]

The Departed (by far #1)
Godfather II
Fight Club
The Usual Suspects
Gran Taurino
Gangs of New York

Really, anything starring Leo DiCaprio or directed by Steven Spielsberg.



God, I hate you.

For the record, Ebert gave it four stars, the threshold for what he believed to be a definitively "great" film.



Haha, Requiem for a Dream really isn't a tale of struggles with morality. I thought Hell or High Water was a recent good movie that had an interesting moral struggle. But, unfortunately, it took the shortcut of having that message expedited by an unrealistic and amoral character (however brilliantly played by Ben Foster).

And I think his point is that, instead of being regarded as a cleanly made feel-good flick, Gump insisted upon itself as art and as commentary, when in fact it was only poignant to people who are emotionally shallow or intellectually dim.

Reps.

The Departed is a mishmash of older ideas, themes, even recycled music and scenes. The "Irish Pride" factor pushes it from a forgettable crime spoof to a movie everyone pretended to love, but could not pinpoint why.

The source material though, Internal Affairs, was an incredible thriller with heart, depth, A-grade acting, a taut story, and even a few thoughtful ideas about loyalty and doing what is right in all the wrong circumstances.

But, no Hollywood ending and it is in a foreign language so most people just yawn.

Such is life.

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

Comedy (and political satire at that. At odds though it was with the original material).

Ok. Satire. Comedy translating to laughs? Big fail. Call it a flaw in marketing. Either way, the tension in Aliens got more laughs out of me than whatever Verhoeven was attempting. Let's call it a dry heat.

 

[InternetHero]

Thought it was miles better than Wolf of Wall Street

Oh no, I loved Wolf Of Wallstreet!

The humor and bubbling excess/insanity of the scam really pushed my crime genre buttons.

I am pretty sure I'll be Gaga about "Silence" as well for the polar opposite of reasons, but have not seen it yet.

 

[InternetHero]

Boardwalk Empire>>>

Boardwalk Empire was a good show, although I did not like the constant flashbacks.

The problem may be living in the shadow of The Sopranos.

The writing, acting, and straight up storytelling were usually inspired.

 

[HomerThompson]

Private Hudson > Starship Troopers.

By several orders of magnitude.

 

[InternetHero]

By several orders of magnitude.

Yeah, comparing Aliens to Starship Troopers is unfair though.

Their similarities kind of end at shooting giant bugs.

Robocop though... what a stand alone classic... brings the laughs, absolutely suck punches some dark aspects of American society in ways that make you consider the greater reality, and has a giant armor-man who shoots rapists testis off and delivers quips.

 

[Neph]

Aliens > Starship Troopers, though Starship Troopers is still an incredible movie.

I grew up in the 90s so I love the 90s action movies. True Lies and Demolition Man are fantastic

 

[HomerThompson]

Yeah, comparing Aliens to Starship Troopers is unfair though.

Their similarities kind of end at shooting giant bugs.

Robocop though... what a stand alone classic... brings the laughs, absolutely suck punchers some dark aspects of American society in ways that make you consider the greater reality, and has a giant armor-man who shoots rapists testis off and delivers quips.

Yeah Robocop is in my top tier of Sci-Fi movies for sure. Plus, Red Foreman is awesome in it.

 

[Ruprecht]

Ok. Satire. Comedy translating to laughs? Big fail. Call it a flaw in marketing. Either way, the tension in Aliens got more laughs out of me than whatever Verhoeven was attempting. Let's call it a dry heat.

I thought it was hilarious, especially Psychic Doogie Howser, but then I usually think American comedy sucks.

 

[HomerThompson]

Aliens > Starship Troopers, though Starship Troopers is still an incredible movie.

I grew up in the 90s so I love the 90s action movies. True Lies and Demolition Man are fantastic

Agreed on True Lies. I feel that movie is often overlooked in Arnold's portfolio. I love it.

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

By several orders of magnitude.

I liked it enough for its shock-value, although ultimately forgettable. Aliens to me set a bar for combining action, sci-fi, and horror. Not sure what's in its league, let alone surpasses it.

 

[Neph]

I liked it enough for its shock-value, although ultimately forgettable. Aliens to me set a bar for combining action, sci-fi, and horror. Not sure what's in its league, let alone surpasses it.

I really don't think anything quite catches all of those together as well as Aliens did but a classic sci-fi/horror from the same era is The Thing. Absolutely incredible film

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

I thought it was hilarious, especially Psychic Doogie Howser, but then I usually think American comedy sucks.

Maybe it's a matter of laughing at vs. laughing with. Of the two, ST is laughable.