Stick Around!
June 13, 2012 1:13 PM Subscribe
Aw hell. Thanks for reminding me of my mortality.
AGAIN
posted by surazal at 1:14 PM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]
AGAIN
posted by surazal at 1:14 PM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]
You son of a bitch
posted by 2bucksplus at 1:17 PM on June 13, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by 2bucksplus at 1:17 PM on June 13, 2012 [3 favorites]
yes, impalement comes to us all
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 1:18 PM on June 13, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 1:18 PM on June 13, 2012 [2 favorites]
GET TO DA CHOPPA
posted by nathancaswell at 1:19 PM on June 13, 2012 [13 favorites]
posted by nathancaswell at 1:19 PM on June 13, 2012 [13 favorites]
By the time Predator is 40, I predict a couple more cast members will have served as Governor.
posted by COBRA! at 1:21 PM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by COBRA! at 1:21 PM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]
Arnie's less "I'll be back" and more "Ow, my back."
posted by MuffinMan at 1:21 PM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by MuffinMan at 1:21 PM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]
Previously: "So it was with uncontainable excitement one Saturday afternoon that I went round to Alan Walters's house to watch something with the promising title of Predator. I knew only three things about it: it was certified 18, it starred the great Arnold Schwarzenegger – the WH Auden of ultraviolence – and it reputedly featured a scene in which someone's eviscerated chest cavity was on full display"
posted by exogenous at 1:21 PM on June 13, 2012
posted by exogenous at 1:21 PM on June 13, 2012
It looks pretty old but it's just predated yeah.
posted by fleacircus at 1:22 PM on June 13, 2012 [7 favorites]
posted by fleacircus at 1:22 PM on June 13, 2012 [7 favorites]
Eet's oll BOOLSHEET! OLL OF EET!!
posted by scaryblackdeath at 1:23 PM on June 13, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by scaryblackdeath at 1:23 PM on June 13, 2012 [2 favorites]
Predator soundboard, and more sound clips.
posted by filthy light thief at 1:23 PM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by filthy light thief at 1:23 PM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]
Cannot talk about Predator without linking to the Amazing Predator Rap!
posted by rebent at 1:29 PM on June 13, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by rebent at 1:29 PM on June 13, 2012 [2 favorites]
There are movies and shows where I hear how old they are I think "WTF where did the time go." Predator is not one of them; it's very 80s, and a style of movie you don't see made anymore. If anything, I'm surprised it's not older.
posted by JHarris at 1:30 PM on June 13, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by JHarris at 1:30 PM on June 13, 2012 [3 favorites]
anytime
posted by mannequito at 1:30 PM on June 13, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by mannequito at 1:30 PM on June 13, 2012 [4 favorites]
Q: WTH arrrre you?!!!
A: Maria's attorney
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 1:38 PM on June 13, 2012
A: Maria's attorney
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 1:38 PM on June 13, 2012
One day, maybe, we will get a good blu-ray release of it.
posted by entropicamericana at 1:39 PM on June 13, 2012
posted by entropicamericana at 1:39 PM on June 13, 2012
I mentioned this in a thread a little while back, but 1987 was an absolutely amazing year for movies. Look at this:
Dirty Dancing
Evil Dead II
Full Metal Jacket
Hellraiser
Lethal Weapon
Moonstruck
The Princess Bride
Raising Arizona
RoboCop
Spaceballs
The Untouchables
Wall Street
Withnail and I
posted by griphus at 1:52 PM on June 13, 2012 [17 favorites]
Dirty Dancing
Evil Dead II
Full Metal Jacket
Hellraiser
Lethal Weapon
Moonstruck
The Princess Bride
Raising Arizona
RoboCop
Spaceballs
The Untouchables
Wall Street
Withnail and I
posted by griphus at 1:52 PM on June 13, 2012 [17 favorites]
Carl Weathers! You're running out of time to become a state governor!
posted by charred husk at 1:57 PM on June 13, 2012 [12 favorites]
posted by charred husk at 1:57 PM on June 13, 2012 [12 favorites]
Predator was the first R-rated movie I ever saw. I'd spend the night at a friend's house with some friends from the Boy Scouts. We played Dungeons and Dragons, crashed out in the living room in sleeping bags, and watched Predator the next morning with breakfast. At the time, it was absolutely and without question the coolest goddamn movie I had ever seen.
posted by infinitywaltz at 1:59 PM on June 13, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by infinitywaltz at 1:59 PM on June 13, 2012 [4 favorites]
1987 was an absolutely amazing year for movies
I learned recently that Drafthouse cinemas have year-based festivals, and are currently doing 1982. I live nowhere near a Drafthouse and am despondent therefore.
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 2:00 PM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]
I learned recently that Drafthouse cinemas have year-based festivals, and are currently doing 1982. I live nowhere near a Drafthouse and am despondent therefore.
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 2:00 PM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]
Whenever my brothers and I would arm wrestle, we start by saying "YOU SON OF A BITCH". Then, during the actual arm-wrestling, one would always say to the other:
CIA got you pushing too many pencils? Eh?
To which the other has to resopnd:
Make it easy on yourself, Dutch.
posted by King Bee at 2:00 PM on June 13, 2012 [6 favorites]
CIA got you pushing too many pencils? Eh?
To which the other has to resopnd:
Make it easy on yourself, Dutch.
posted by King Bee at 2:00 PM on June 13, 2012 [6 favorites]
1987 was an absolutely amazing year for movie
Every year in the '80s was an amazing year for movies. Comedies that were actually funny. Awesome sci-fi and action with practical effects. Oscar movies worthy of the name. It was a Golden Age, it really was. Most Best Picture winners from the last decade would not crack a "top 20" list from any year in the 80s. Maybe not even Top 50.
posted by drjimmy11 at 2:02 PM on June 13, 2012 [3 favorites]
Every year in the '80s was an amazing year for movies. Comedies that were actually funny. Awesome sci-fi and action with practical effects. Oscar movies worthy of the name. It was a Golden Age, it really was. Most Best Picture winners from the last decade would not crack a "top 20" list from any year in the 80s. Maybe not even Top 50.
posted by drjimmy11 at 2:02 PM on June 13, 2012 [3 favorites]
*throws knife, impales young soldier*
Stick alound!
posted by Rocket Surgeon at 2:02 PM on June 13, 2012 [4 favorites]
Stick alound!
posted by Rocket Surgeon at 2:02 PM on June 13, 2012 [4 favorites]
Put another way, the '80s for movies were like the '70s for music: amazing depth of quality across every genre; a peak that may never be reached again.
Unfortunately the late '00s and 1'0s for movies are turning out to be the '90s for music.
posted by drjimmy11 at 2:04 PM on June 13, 2012
Unfortunately the late '00s and 1'0s for movies are turning out to be the '90s for music.
posted by drjimmy11 at 2:04 PM on June 13, 2012
GET TO DA ZIMMA
posted by GallonOfAlan at 2:07 PM on June 13, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by GallonOfAlan at 2:07 PM on June 13, 2012 [2 favorites]
I'm positive that I'm still 29, so if Predator is 25 then that would mean I was 4 when I saw it in high school. I'm not sure what I'm getting at here, but you'd think that would get a little recognition.
posted by LordSludge at 2:09 PM on June 13, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by LordSludge at 2:09 PM on June 13, 2012 [4 favorites]
Saw this just a few weeks ago. It holds up, and still works really really well. It hasn't dated, though some of the FX might cause young kids today to snicker, but as we all know kids these days don't have good taste anyway, so who cares what they think.
John McTiernan deserves a lot of credit for this (and of course Die Hard, and Last Action Hero, actually, which is about two thirds of a genuinely good movie (but that's another topic)). The camerawork is smooth and energetic and constantly surprising. It's a beautifully shot film.
posted by zardoz at 2:12 PM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]
John McTiernan deserves a lot of credit for this (and of course Die Hard, and Last Action Hero, actually, which is about two thirds of a genuinely good movie (but that's another topic)). The camerawork is smooth and energetic and constantly surprising. It's a beautifully shot film.
posted by zardoz at 2:12 PM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]
Here's Danny Glover getting down with some Predators on the set of Predator 2.
posted by brundlefly at 2:13 PM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by brundlefly at 2:13 PM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]
1987 was an absolutely amazing year for movies.
Not as good as 1984. Seriously, look it up.
posted by adamdschneider at 2:19 PM on June 13, 2012
Not as good as 1984. Seriously, look it up.
posted by adamdschneider at 2:19 PM on June 13, 2012
Every pop culture decade gets better as time passes because we all forget about the chaff surrounding the wheat. If you had told me in 1987 that I was living in any kind of golden age for movies or music I would have reacted like this.* Now...yeah, I can at least see where that argument is coming from.
> and Last Action Hero, actually, which is about two thirds of a genuinely good movie
Really? I saw that in the theatre (might have even been opening night) and it was one of the first times I hated a movie so much it made me angry. Haven't seen it since, and while my tastes have changed a lot since then and stranger things have happened...I don't remember liking *anything* about it.
* couldn't find an English version of that scene
posted by The Card Cheat at 3:12 PM on June 13, 2012
> and Last Action Hero, actually, which is about two thirds of a genuinely good movie
Really? I saw that in the theatre (might have even been opening night) and it was one of the first times I hated a movie so much it made me angry. Haven't seen it since, and while my tastes have changed a lot since then and stranger things have happened...I don't remember liking *anything* about it.
* couldn't find an English version of that scene
posted by The Card Cheat at 3:12 PM on June 13, 2012
Every year in the '80s was an amazing year for movies.
Well yeah, something had to counteract the ghastly horrors of the fashion and hairstyles.
posted by elizardbits at 3:15 PM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]
Well yeah, something had to counteract the ghastly horrors of the fashion and hairstyles.
posted by elizardbits at 3:15 PM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]
C'maaaghhhn! Kill me! I am hier!
posted by Mister Moofoo at 3:45 PM on June 13, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by Mister Moofoo at 3:45 PM on June 13, 2012 [3 favorites]
^ excellent phoneticization
posted by nathancaswell at 3:46 PM on June 13, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by nathancaswell at 3:46 PM on June 13, 2012 [2 favorites]
I am always a sucker for any gag that uses the [red triangle appears on chest] bit.
posted by rosswald at 3:52 PM on June 13, 2012
posted by rosswald at 3:52 PM on June 13, 2012
Time for a remake! No, a reboot!
Or possibly a sequel with Arnie now he's back doing movies: Expendables Vs Predators.
posted by Mezentian at 3:56 PM on June 13, 2012
Or possibly a sequel with Arnie now he's back doing movies: Expendables Vs Predators.
posted by Mezentian at 3:56 PM on June 13, 2012
Thanks, nathancaswell!
posted by Mister Moofoo at 4:11 PM on June 13, 2012
posted by Mister Moofoo at 4:11 PM on June 13, 2012
I wrote this in the other thread, but I feel the need to reshare :)
Predator is special to me.
When I was about 10 years old, back in 1987, I was spending a wknd with some relatives, and my older cousins went to rent a movie for us to watch. They were excited about the one they chose - Running Man. They kept going on about Arnold, but I had no idea who the man was, and the title sounded boring. Anyway, I watched it, and immediately became obsessed with Schwarzenegger.
So the next time my mom took me to the video store, I asked for a Schwarzenegger movie and the clerk recommended commando (this was in Abu Dhabi, where copyright laws didn't exist, and no age restrictions applied for rentals). This movie had an incredibly seminal effect on me. The plot archetype formed the basis for all my future fantasizing up until my late teens (typical scenario: sitting in class, and foreign terrorist group attacks school and kidnaps everyone, but I manage to hide and end up going on a long exciting journey to rescue a special girl and everyone else - of course I fell asleep before consummating any such rescue; as I grew older, the fantasy changed to me and the girl hiding and together as a team going and rescuing everyone).
Back to Arnie: At this point, I'd seen running man and commando, and needed more, desperately. I ask the clerk for another, and he gives me one called Predator. That night, my parents are out late, and I'm the only one awake at home. It's 11 pm, I turn off all the lights in the house, and stick the VHS in...
The first scene is one from space, and my heart drops. That IDIOT CLERK! I asked for a SCHWARZENEGGER movie not some star wars rubbish! (Arnie's name appears even before the spaceship, but I think the VHS copy was missing the first few seconds). I almost took the video out...
Then, when I finally saw him in the helicopter smoking the cigar, I was glued...
and stayed glued until the end.
It's hard to describe how I felt - there was definitely fear and horror, but something else was there - some feeling that I had grown as a man, that I had undergone some ordeal and come out alive, but changed. Imagine, a ten/eleven year old boy, alone in the dark at night, vicariously going through what Dutch went through.
To this day, Alan Silvestri's score resonates deeply...
And it's one of the few movies that upon watching as an adult, I still find excellent.
p.s. predators, imo, was the only decent "sequel".
posted by spacediver at 4:14 PM on June 13, 2012 [10 favorites]
Predator is special to me.
When I was about 10 years old, back in 1987, I was spending a wknd with some relatives, and my older cousins went to rent a movie for us to watch. They were excited about the one they chose - Running Man. They kept going on about Arnold, but I had no idea who the man was, and the title sounded boring. Anyway, I watched it, and immediately became obsessed with Schwarzenegger.
So the next time my mom took me to the video store, I asked for a Schwarzenegger movie and the clerk recommended commando (this was in Abu Dhabi, where copyright laws didn't exist, and no age restrictions applied for rentals). This movie had an incredibly seminal effect on me. The plot archetype formed the basis for all my future fantasizing up until my late teens (typical scenario: sitting in class, and foreign terrorist group attacks school and kidnaps everyone, but I manage to hide and end up going on a long exciting journey to rescue a special girl and everyone else - of course I fell asleep before consummating any such rescue; as I grew older, the fantasy changed to me and the girl hiding and together as a team going and rescuing everyone).
Back to Arnie: At this point, I'd seen running man and commando, and needed more, desperately. I ask the clerk for another, and he gives me one called Predator. That night, my parents are out late, and I'm the only one awake at home. It's 11 pm, I turn off all the lights in the house, and stick the VHS in...
The first scene is one from space, and my heart drops. That IDIOT CLERK! I asked for a SCHWARZENEGGER movie not some star wars rubbish! (Arnie's name appears even before the spaceship, but I think the VHS copy was missing the first few seconds). I almost took the video out...
Then, when I finally saw him in the helicopter smoking the cigar, I was glued...
and stayed glued until the end.
It's hard to describe how I felt - there was definitely fear and horror, but something else was there - some feeling that I had grown as a man, that I had undergone some ordeal and come out alive, but changed. Imagine, a ten/eleven year old boy, alone in the dark at night, vicariously going through what Dutch went through.
To this day, Alan Silvestri's score resonates deeply...
And it's one of the few movies that upon watching as an adult, I still find excellent.
p.s. predators, imo, was the only decent "sequel".
posted by spacediver at 4:14 PM on June 13, 2012 [10 favorites]
Sonny Landham, who I thought at the time would have made an excellent Wolverine in an X-Men movie (until I realised how tall he was) was an ex-pron star?
Shane Black, writer of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Iron Man 3, was acting in this?
This is the movie that keeps on giving.
(Unlike the AvP movies. They took everything).
posted by Mezentian at 4:46 PM on June 13, 2012
Shane Black, writer of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Iron Man 3, was acting in this?
This is the movie that keeps on giving.
(Unlike the AvP movies. They took everything).
posted by Mezentian at 4:46 PM on June 13, 2012
OK everybody, if you go to the IMDb page for Predator, it reveals that Kevin Peter Hall played the role of wait for it
The Predator / Helicopter Pilot
Dude, twist of twists, the Predator dropped them into the "meat grinder" to begin with! OMG
posted by King Bee at 5:01 PM on June 13, 2012 [12 favorites]
The Predator / Helicopter Pilot
Dude, twist of twists, the Predator dropped them into the "meat grinder" to begin with! OMG
posted by King Bee at 5:01 PM on June 13, 2012 [12 favorites]
I love that there are these collectively important cultural touchstones that have been imbued with so much meaning...
... that I've never seen. I recognize the franchise, of course. But I forget who was in it or when it was released. It is vaguely part of my childhood, but I know no details.
I love that, for some reason.
posted by clvrmnky at 5:14 PM on June 13, 2012
... that I've never seen. I recognize the franchise, of course. But I forget who was in it or when it was released. It is vaguely part of my childhood, but I know no details.
I love that, for some reason.
posted by clvrmnky at 5:14 PM on June 13, 2012
OK everybody, if you go to the IMDb page for Predator, it reveals that Kevin Peter Hall played the role of wait for it
The Predator / Helicopter Pilot
Dude, twist of twists, the Predator dropped them into the "meat grinder" to begin with! OMG
I was going to make a joke about his IMDB profile pic, but then I noticed the date of death, read his bio, and now I'm just sad.
posted by adamdschneider at 5:16 PM on June 13, 2012
The Predator / Helicopter Pilot
Dude, twist of twists, the Predator dropped them into the "meat grinder" to begin with! OMG
I was going to make a joke about his IMDB profile pic, but then I noticed the date of death, read his bio, and now I'm just sad.
posted by adamdschneider at 5:16 PM on June 13, 2012
Remember: AlienLovesPredator
posted by armoir from antproof case at 5:23 PM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by armoir from antproof case at 5:23 PM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]
So why did the engineers create the Predators?
(C'mon, you know somebody is writing this screenplay as you read this)
posted by Renoroc at 5:24 PM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]
(C'mon, you know somebody is writing this screenplay as you read this)
posted by Renoroc at 5:24 PM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]
Bill Duke (Mac) had the best line in that movie:
You're ghostin' us, motherfucker. I don't care who you are back in the world, you give away our position one more time, I'll bleed you, real slow, and leave you here. Got that?posted by Ritchie at 5:26 PM on June 13, 2012 [4 favorites]
Oh, wow. I remember going to see this in the theater as a wee one. (My parents did not so much believe in censoring their children's moving viewing.) I loooooved it, though it scared the shit out of me.
My family quotes this movie CONSTANTLY and even more frequently since my sister named her baby Dillon. (He's not, like, the character's namesake or anything. She just liked the name.) The poor kid hears, "DILLON! GET TO THE CHOPPAH!!!" at least once a day.
Now I watch it every year during the Republican National Convention.
Also, spacediver has it: Predators was the shit. LOVED that movie and I didn't expect to.
posted by Aquifer at 6:55 PM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]
My family quotes this movie CONSTANTLY and even more frequently since my sister named her baby Dillon. (He's not, like, the character's namesake or anything. She just liked the name.) The poor kid hears, "DILLON! GET TO THE CHOPPAH!!!" at least once a day.
Now I watch it every year during the Republican National Convention.
Also, spacediver has it: Predators was the shit. LOVED that movie and I didn't expect to.
posted by Aquifer at 6:55 PM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]
I learned recently that Drafthouse cinemas have year-based festivals, and are currently doing 1982. I live nowhere near a Drafthouse and am despondent therefore.
They don't have MEGAFORCE! Nothing to do here.
You're ghostin' us, motherfucker. I don't care who you are back in the world, you give away our position one more time, I'll bleed you, real slow, and leave you here. Got that?
Isn't it "real quiet"?
posted by cashman at 7:10 PM on June 13, 2012
They don't have MEGAFORCE! Nothing to do here.
You're ghostin' us, motherfucker. I don't care who you are back in the world, you give away our position one more time, I'll bleed you, real slow, and leave you here. Got that?
Isn't it "real quiet"?
posted by cashman at 7:10 PM on June 13, 2012
They don't have MEGAFORCE!
*thumbs up*
*cheesy smile*
Man, I wanted to see Megaforce so much when I was a lad.
But my parents wouldn't allow it.
Either I was bad, or they thought it was too violent.
Or perhaps they just had taste.
When I finally say it on midday TV at some point in 1987 (it was about the same time as the Dynasty Massacre, perhaps they were shown on the same day), I was astounded at just how ... not good Megaforce was.
I've tried to watch it once in recent years and aside from taking a drink at every single cheesetastic moment, I've realised it's a movie in dire need of a toyline to add some story in.
posted by Mezentian at 7:17 PM on June 13, 2012
*thumbs up*
*cheesy smile*
Man, I wanted to see Megaforce so much when I was a lad.
But my parents wouldn't allow it.
Either I was bad, or they thought it was too violent.
Or perhaps they just had taste.
When I finally say it on midday TV at some point in 1987 (it was about the same time as the Dynasty Massacre, perhaps they were shown on the same day), I was astounded at just how ... not good Megaforce was.
I've tried to watch it once in recent years and aside from taking a drink at every single cheesetastic moment, I've realised it's a movie in dire need of a toyline to add some story in.
posted by Mezentian at 7:17 PM on June 13, 2012
Isn't it "real quiet"?
Argh you're right, well in my defense it's been a long time since I saw the movie.
posted by Ritchie at 7:21 PM on June 13, 2012
Argh you're right, well in my defense it's been a long time since I saw the movie.
posted by Ritchie at 7:21 PM on June 13, 2012
This movie had an incredibly seminal effect on me.
Eww, TMI.
posted by Sys Rq at 7:23 PM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]
Eww, TMI.
posted by Sys Rq at 7:23 PM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]
Saw it a few weeks...in a cinema. It hasn't aged a day.
posted by anigbrowl at 8:29 PM on June 13, 2012
posted by anigbrowl at 8:29 PM on June 13, 2012
Plot-wise, Predator isn't very original; it's Alien redone in the jungle with the Marines from Aliens and a dude for a hero. But John McTiernan did a great job of directing; for someone who has a reputation for being Mr. Action Movie Director, there are some great, mostly-silent (except for jungle noises) sequences that gradually build up to the bits of action that start popping in more frequently toward the end. (It's instructive to watch this back-to-back with the sequel; although P2's director, Stephen Hopkins, also has a decent reputation, the second movie seems rushed, choppy and sloppy by comparison, and also suffers from sequel-clone-itis--like the first movie, it takes its time revealing the big bad, even though we already know what it looks like from the first one, and the Predator spaceship, the part of the movie that would be most exciting to fans of the first one, gets limited to a few minutes at the end.)
posted by Halloween Jack at 9:06 PM on June 13, 2012
posted by Halloween Jack at 9:06 PM on June 13, 2012
They don't have MEGAFORCE! Nothing to do here.
Well, if you're anywhere near LA....
posted by brundlefly at 9:12 PM on June 13, 2012
Well, if you're anywhere near LA....
posted by brundlefly at 9:12 PM on June 13, 2012
I seem to remember many years ago, probably around the time Predator 2 came out, the director talking about how the idea would be to make a new Predator film every few years in a different environment - jungle, city, desert, arctic.
Am I alone in recalling that?
I always remembered in when I suffered through AvP.
(Hey, remember when the idea of Aliens V Predator seemed a cool idea?)
posted by Mezentian at 9:18 PM on June 13, 2012
Am I alone in recalling that?
I always remembered in when I suffered through AvP.
(Hey, remember when the idea of Aliens V Predator seemed a cool idea?)
posted by Mezentian at 9:18 PM on June 13, 2012
Damn what a solid action flick. Up there with Die Hard - and twice as quotable.
posted by gottabefunky at 9:18 PM on June 13, 2012
posted by gottabefunky at 9:18 PM on June 13, 2012
love Predator, very solid action flick, not even close to as good as Die Hard, I'll give you it's quotable
Die Hard is the greatest action movie ever made IMO
posted by nathancaswell at 9:22 PM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]
Die Hard is the greatest action movie ever made IMO
posted by nathancaswell at 9:22 PM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]
I can't believe how young I was when I first saw Predator, and The Terminator.
Both films (noteably, with Bladerunner) have aged incredibly well, barring the hair and fashion styles in Terminator. The best of the most subtle use (or non-use) of the CGI technology available at the time.
Dutch trying to backwards mole his way into a muddy cliff- that something could scare the bejeebus out of Arnie. That scene definitely makes the top 10 of a Schwarzenegger Acting Good List.
posted by porpoise at 9:23 PM on June 13, 2012
Both films (noteably, with Bladerunner) have aged incredibly well, barring the hair and fashion styles in Terminator. The best of the most subtle use (or non-use) of the CGI technology available at the time.
Dutch trying to backwards mole his way into a muddy cliff- that something could scare the bejeebus out of Arnie. That scene definitely makes the top 10 of a Schwarzenegger Acting Good List.
posted by porpoise at 9:23 PM on June 13, 2012
That scene definitely makes the top 10 of a Schwarzenegger Acting Good List.
What are the other nine?
posted by Mezentian at 9:24 PM on June 13, 2012
What are the other nine?
posted by Mezentian at 9:24 PM on June 13, 2012
All of the other nine are: "It's not a tumor!"
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 9:26 PM on June 13, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 9:26 PM on June 13, 2012 [4 favorites]
What are the other nine?
1. T2 Final thumbs up scene
2. Terminator punk attack
3. T2 "you can't just go around killing people" "why?" scene
4 - 9 it's really too late for this I should go to bed
posted by nathancaswell at 9:27 PM on June 13, 2012 [2 favorites]
1. T2 Final thumbs up scene
2. Terminator punk attack
3. T2 "you can't just go around killing people" "why?" scene
4 - 9 it's really too late for this I should go to bed
posted by nathancaswell at 9:27 PM on June 13, 2012 [2 favorites]
I watched this a while ago in preparation for watching the new one. Some cheese, for sure. But the new one can't come close to competing in terms of kinetics and fun.
Also, I thought there was a major flaw in the script for the new one: These sorts of movies are either "ten little indians" movies, or build a team movies. Predator 2 tried to be both. Seems to me to go against the laws of drama to kill off your team as you're building it.
posted by Trochanter at 9:46 PM on June 13, 2012
Also, I thought there was a major flaw in the script for the new one: These sorts of movies are either "ten little indians" movies, or build a team movies. Predator 2 tried to be both. Seems to me to go against the laws of drama to kill off your team as you're building it.
posted by Trochanter at 9:46 PM on June 13, 2012
Crom, I have never prayed to you before...
posted by Artw at 9:50 PM on June 13, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by Artw at 9:50 PM on June 13, 2012 [2 favorites]
“I know what you're thinking. Wasn't Danny Glover the black guy from Predator? And shouldn't he, therefore, be your governor? No. That was Predator 2. Doesn't America deserve better than the star of Predator 2?”
posted by scottjacksonx at 10:03 PM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by scottjacksonx at 10:03 PM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]
Crom, I have never prayed to you before...
Another day, walking in circles...
posted by adamdschneider at 10:09 PM on June 13, 2012
Another day, walking in circles...
posted by adamdschneider at 10:09 PM on June 13, 2012
Basically, when they do the inevitable flash forward episode of Community, Donald Glover's elder self should be played by Danny Glover?
And Arnie should play Jeff Winger.
Predator: Community.
You know it makes sense.
posted by Mezentian at 10:43 PM on June 13, 2012
And Arnie should play Jeff Winger.
Predator: Community.
You know it makes sense.
posted by Mezentian at 10:43 PM on June 13, 2012
So why did the engineers create the Predators?
As far as I recall, in the novels and comics, at least, it was hinted that the Predators were the actual creators of everything, that they were, in essence, the engineers that had created humans and aliens. Of course, not having seen Prometheus (which I won't be able to, until... just checked... AUGUST 24th?!*) I have no way of knowing if they've pissed all over that theory.
No, seriously, tell me why that's a great idea, and why downloading is bad. Seriously, what possible, remotely valid reason can there be for this shit? The subtitles already suck, how much time could they possibly need? And yes, I intend to watch it in the theater. It'll probably be the tiny one in the back, while the THX giant screen theater shows the latest Pokemon movie.
posted by Ghidorah at 10:46 PM on June 13, 2012
As far as I recall, in the novels and comics, at least, it was hinted that the Predators were the actual creators of everything, that they were, in essence, the engineers that had created humans and aliens. Of course, not having seen Prometheus (which I won't be able to, until... just checked... AUGUST 24th?!*) I have no way of knowing if they've pissed all over that theory.
No, seriously, tell me why that's a great idea, and why downloading is bad. Seriously, what possible, remotely valid reason can there be for this shit? The subtitles already suck, how much time could they possibly need? And yes, I intend to watch it in the theater. It'll probably be the tiny one in the back, while the THX giant screen theater shows the latest Pokemon movie.
posted by Ghidorah at 10:46 PM on June 13, 2012
1987 was an absolutely amazing year for movies.
Not as good as 1984. Seriously, look it up.
I looked at all non-obscure imdb movies between 1980-2000 rated 8.0 and higher. 1984 has 6, 1987 has 5. But going by two year averages 1987-1988 (13) looks better than 1984-1985 (10). But the clear winner is 1994-1995 (20) with movies like Pulp Fiction and Shawshank that are also at the very top of the imdb rankings.
posted by dgaicun at 12:47 AM on June 14, 2012 [2 favorites]
Not as good as 1984. Seriously, look it up.
I looked at all non-obscure imdb movies between 1980-2000 rated 8.0 and higher. 1984 has 6, 1987 has 5. But going by two year averages 1987-1988 (13) looks better than 1984-1985 (10). But the clear winner is 1994-1995 (20) with movies like Pulp Fiction and Shawshank that are also at the very top of the imdb rankings.
posted by dgaicun at 12:47 AM on June 14, 2012 [2 favorites]
"Oscar movies worthy of the name. It was a Golden Age, it really was. Most Best Picture winners from the last decade would not crack a "top 20" list from any year in the 80s. Maybe not even Top 50."
Since this is a falsifiable claim, I decided to test this too. I used numbers from a website that collates various critical and popular top movie lists. I took the ten best picture winners from every decade 1970s-2000s and added up the number of lists they were on. What was striking is how BAD the 1980s winners look by this measure.
1970s winners 186 lists
1980s winners 105 lists
1990s winners 186 lists
2000s winners 121 lists
The 1990s and 1970s are both strong decades, as pretty much any measure would show. And even the 2000s came out ahead of the 80s with winners like Return of the King, Gladiator, The Departed, and No Country for Old Men showing up on many top lists.
But really I think that was just a bad example; the 80s did some things extremely well, but those kinds of things weren't recognized by the Academy. The Oscars, I think, have consistently failed to reward the most important movies ever since the 1930s (e.g. Hitchcock almost never got nominations). Few people remember or care about dull 1980s dramas like Out of Africa and Chariots of Fire. Yet the 1980s had many, if not most, of the best adventure movies ever: Empire Strikes back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Back to the Future. These should've been the Oscar winners.
posted by dgaicun at 2:10 AM on June 14, 2012 [1 favorite]
Since this is a falsifiable claim, I decided to test this too. I used numbers from a website that collates various critical and popular top movie lists. I took the ten best picture winners from every decade 1970s-2000s and added up the number of lists they were on. What was striking is how BAD the 1980s winners look by this measure.
1970s winners 186 lists
1980s winners 105 lists
1990s winners 186 lists
2000s winners 121 lists
The 1990s and 1970s are both strong decades, as pretty much any measure would show. And even the 2000s came out ahead of the 80s with winners like Return of the King, Gladiator, The Departed, and No Country for Old Men showing up on many top lists.
But really I think that was just a bad example; the 80s did some things extremely well, but those kinds of things weren't recognized by the Academy. The Oscars, I think, have consistently failed to reward the most important movies ever since the 1930s (e.g. Hitchcock almost never got nominations). Few people remember or care about dull 1980s dramas like Out of Africa and Chariots of Fire. Yet the 1980s had many, if not most, of the best adventure movies ever: Empire Strikes back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Back to the Future. These should've been the Oscar winners.
posted by dgaicun at 2:10 AM on June 14, 2012 [1 favorite]
Der eez no stoppin what kan't be stopped, no killing what kan't be killed.
posted by Rocket Surgeon at 2:11 AM on June 14, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Rocket Surgeon at 2:11 AM on June 14, 2012 [1 favorite]
Even if you don't like it, you have to admit that Predator 2 is damn solid action movie. The plot was well fleshed out, it had awesome firefights, and you get to see both Paxton and crazy Busey getting killed. Although they could've picked a more suitable lead, I thought Glover did helluva job. I mean besides the fact he was just redoing his Lethal Weapon role.
Predators is a great movie, and it outshines it's own flaws. I can get past the ridicuous disappearing predator dogs. (Short aside: producers take note, please stop inserting your animal of choice into movies for no reason. Or at the very least stop giving them stupid abilities like turning invisibile or becoming metallic) I can also get past the the whole part with Fishburne being a complete waste of time. I can even get past the fact they lifted most of the plot from the first one, but the point at which Brody was reusing lines - man, that killed my buzz.
posted by Rocket Surgeon at 2:35 AM on June 14, 2012
Predators is a great movie, and it outshines it's own flaws. I can get past the ridicuous disappearing predator dogs. (Short aside: producers take note, please stop inserting your animal of choice into movies for no reason. Or at the very least stop giving them stupid abilities like turning invisibile or becoming metallic) I can also get past the the whole part with Fishburne being a complete waste of time. I can even get past the fact they lifted most of the plot from the first one, but the point at which Brody was reusing lines - man, that killed my buzz.
posted by Rocket Surgeon at 2:35 AM on June 14, 2012
Rocket Surgeon, I'll give you Predator 2. It's very much a movie of it's time (ooh, the near future is going to be fucked in a dramatic and noticeable way!) but aside from that, it's pretty stunning in that it's a sequel to an Arnold movie that doesn't have Arnold, but manages to succeed on its own. Not to mention, without Predator 2, we don't get the skull menagerie in the spaceship, and we don't get Predator Vs. Alien that exists in a pure state in my mind, which will some day be a fantastic movie, whenever it actually gets made, which will take forever.
Predators, though? Meh. Things you can get past stuck in my craw. And the big reveal was, well, not a big surprise unless you've never seen a movie before. I spent most of the movie waiting for, y'know, that to happen, hoping it wouldn't be as painfully obvious as they were making it, and, well, it was.
posted by Ghidorah at 3:03 AM on June 14, 2012
Predators, though? Meh. Things you can get past stuck in my craw. And the big reveal was, well, not a big surprise unless you've never seen a movie before. I spent most of the movie waiting for, y'know, that to happen, hoping it wouldn't be as painfully obvious as they were making it, and, well, it was.
posted by Ghidorah at 3:03 AM on June 14, 2012
I don't know what two-year averages have to do with picking the best movie year ever, but more importantly, fuck the IMDB ratings. Here is a sampling of 1984:
Ghostbusters (rated 7.8 on IMDB; I will pick this over Shawshank any day of the week and twice on Sunday)
The Terminator
Once Upon a Time in America
The Karate Kid
The NeverEnding Story
Dune (woooooo)
Temple of Doom (not my favorite, but still)
Spinal Tap
Red Dawn
Beverly Hills Cop
2010 (ATTEMPT NO LANDINGS THERE)
The Last Starfighter
Star Trek III
Conan the Destroyer
Romancing the Stone
Top Secret
Repo Man
Blood Simple
Muppets Take Manhattan
Streets of Fire
and the greatest of them all:
Buckaroo Banzai
posted by adamdschneider at 6:27 AM on June 14, 2012 [4 favorites]
Ghostbusters (rated 7.8 on IMDB; I will pick this over Shawshank any day of the week and twice on Sunday)
The Terminator
Once Upon a Time in America
The Karate Kid
The NeverEnding Story
Dune (woooooo)
Temple of Doom (not my favorite, but still)
Spinal Tap
Red Dawn
Beverly Hills Cop
2010 (ATTEMPT NO LANDINGS THERE)
The Last Starfighter
Star Trek III
Conan the Destroyer
Romancing the Stone
Top Secret
Repo Man
Blood Simple
Muppets Take Manhattan
Streets of Fire
and the greatest of them all:
Buckaroo Banzai
posted by adamdschneider at 6:27 AM on June 14, 2012 [4 favorites]
The best bits of Predators are basically taken from Predator but TO THE MAX, like the Yakuza dude reprising Billy. It has enough goofy charm to pull that off.
posted by Artw at 6:35 AM on June 14, 2012
posted by Artw at 6:35 AM on June 14, 2012
I don't know what two-year averages have to do with picking the best movie year ever, but more importantly, fuck the IMDB ratings.
Since the sample sizes are small, patterns in adjacent years are slightly more revealing of trends in the rise and fall of externally judged movie quality.
Far be it from me to say that someone's subjective taste in movies is "wrong". You can like any movies you want. But the comment "look it up" implies some sort of robust external consensus. I looked it up, and found a consensus supporting different years. IMDb ratings also highly correlate with other quality rankings like Rotten Tomatoes freshness score and popular top list entries. I would be willing to wager that any similar external index of quality would not show 1984 as the most important year for film in the last 30 years.
posted by dgaicun at 10:41 AM on June 14, 2012
Since the sample sizes are small, patterns in adjacent years are slightly more revealing of trends in the rise and fall of externally judged movie quality.
Far be it from me to say that someone's subjective taste in movies is "wrong". You can like any movies you want. But the comment "look it up" implies some sort of robust external consensus. I looked it up, and found a consensus supporting different years. IMDb ratings also highly correlate with other quality rankings like Rotten Tomatoes freshness score and popular top list entries. I would be willing to wager that any similar external index of quality would not show 1984 as the most important year for film in the last 30 years.
posted by dgaicun at 10:41 AM on June 14, 2012
I've only walked out on one single movie
It was an action adventure
It was a blood-sucking summer.
And the posters in the lobby of the theater called it "Predator."
I called it weak and unwatchable
Carl Whithers and two future governers
You know, that's really unacceptable.
We gotta stop falling for these double speakers from the double features
We gotta keep `em in the theaters.
posted by eyeballkid at 11:19 AM on June 14, 2012
It was an action adventure
It was a blood-sucking summer.
And the posters in the lobby of the theater called it "Predator."
I called it weak and unwatchable
Carl Whithers and two future governers
You know, that's really unacceptable.
We gotta stop falling for these double speakers from the double features
We gotta keep `em in the theaters.
posted by eyeballkid at 11:19 AM on June 14, 2012
To this day, Little Richard's version of "Long Tall Sally" makes me think of riding in a helicopter to conduct a commando raid in Central America with Jesse Ventura.
posted by Harvey Jerkwater at 1:27 PM on June 14, 2012
posted by Harvey Jerkwater at 1:27 PM on June 14, 2012
Der eez no stoppin what kan't be stopped, no killing what kan't be killed.
posted by Rocket Surgeon at 5:11 AM on June 14 [+] [!]
Ya can't see de eyes of de dee-mon... Until him come callin'.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 6:27 AM on June 15, 2012 [1 favorite]
you empty dem dreamcatchers pray-dator
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 6:52 AM on June 15, 2012
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 6:52 AM on June 15, 2012
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posted by pyrex at 1:14 PM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]