Movie/film suggestions.

with all due respect @immatthewj it was a weird movie. It totally missed the Whitey Bulger and Boston aspects. Nicholson (I love him) butchered it. The way Scorsese got New Jersey right in Goodfellas, he missed the scene in the Departed. I lacked the ambience a 100%. OK, maybe 90%.

btw the Karen Read trial is a very dark and typical Bostonian story, it will be a movie for sure 

I think Black Mass was decent, @immatthewj but I wouldn't watch it twice. It was made after I was over Depp, but still not completely turned off. I was living there and working a menial job when Whitey disappeared along with a few more guys. It turned my boss' was connected to the mafia by association, his cousins were in the Winter Hill Gang. Little did I knew, I also lived on the edge of Winter Hill and Spring Hill. 

Obviously, when it's made by the locals, they get it right. The Town, Gone Baby Gone, Ted are fantastic movies in their own genre and they are "pitch perfect". Just like the accent, you either get it right or don't bother, keep it generic. 

@immatthewj well, I should be fair.

In the Departed, there were several epic performances. Martin Sheen before he was thrown down, his performance was incredible. He is a genius. DiCaprio, Wahlberg were a delight. It has many incredible episodes and moments.

I remember your ranting on Yellowstone and you are the expert in that. To be honest, I was in Boston a few months ago and it has become a freak-show and watered down, but my memories of it and my compassion/passion will never change. It is the ultimate movie location when it is done right. Don't get me started on every movie in Europe, shot in Hungary/Budapest. But movies to happen in Boston and shot in Seattle is a crime - like a A Million Little Things...

@immatthewj Todd Blanche was a prosecutor and then defended the last person one should defend if you are serious about law and order. So I don’t understand lawyer’s logic and ethics. 

Funny you mention Cut Bank: a very similar production story is Virgin River. According to the original script: somewhere in Utah, according to the series script it’s in Humboldt county, CA. In reality it’s East of Vancouver. However, it’s a Hallmark story which is always in some imaginary land but still. It’s a disservice to Humboldt county, the home Redwoods among other things. So, yes, location matters.

Btw I don’t know if Karen Read is guilty. Based on everything we know, she has no clue either. She was so wasted, she barely remembers getting home. What’s disgusting though is how the police acted. Just above the law all the way brotherhood.

@cleeds because of our very serious differences, I don't comment on what you write, partly for my mental health, partly to not derail the threads.

I don't think my views on ethics has to be defended or argued since it's just an opinion nothing more, not right, not wrong, just what I feel. However I don't argue about facts.

@cleeds perhaps I confuse you with someone, i am easily confused. I can't keep up with the various aliases who attack me/pick a fight with me

it's continuing, not evolving, I would say

@slaw Crazy Heart is a classic. It reminds me several of my alcoholic friends. An amazing performance from all 4: Bridges, Gyllenhaal, Duvall, Farrell.

@immatthewj Karen Read is an interesting character. Definitely spoiled, white privileged lady, the type of well-to-do liberal who does not help the cause. The type who wants to talk to the manager in the restaurant before she's seated. Regardless, if there is reasonable doubt, she must walk. The investigation was botched in 10+ ways. It was a shame there is a 2nd trial. I think it was a misogynist jury in the first trial. If there is such a thing as circumstantial exculpatory evidence, there was a ton of it. All the cops involved are despicable.

you are back to the Departed @immatthewj. Nice. I am listening to the interview now.

One other weird, or not so weird connection: Roy Cohn and the Rosenberg trial. 

@immatthewj I love the D Train. It is so uncomfortable and heart-warming, I have to re-watch it every once in a while. It makes me think what I would do for popularity (no, not Marsden, but Mercury, perhaps, who knows), as I was way more of a Dan in high school than Oliver.

@immatthewj I am not a huge Pacino fan but Dog Day Afternoon is irresistible. 

Glengarry Glenn Ross and the Heat are also ridiculously great performances. 

I like that he is very consistent, no weird embarrassing roles like De Niro would do. 

@immatthewj the Brutalist was loosely based on Marcel Breuer. His designs were in the movie. 

I thought it was terrible, incoherent, boring, I suffered through the second half. I was told by Hungarians that his Hungarian pronunciation and accent was unintelligible. You wouldn't know what he said, only from the subtitles. His English accent was also horrible. Yes, Marcel Breuer was brilliant, yes, he was a jerk to people, not sure which point the movie succeeded with and if it had to. I want my 3 hours back.

@immatthewj I am curious to anyone's opinion who liked The Brutalist. If I may say, especially yours because you are a very intelligent and strange (in a good way) individual. 

As I said, the second half was painful. Which implies the first half was OK,  for me, even enjoyable at times. The rape was symbolism I guess, I didn't like it but understood it. I am big architecture nerd which kept me going but it wasn't very entertaining on that front either. I wish the proceeds would have gone to save some buildings designed by Bauhaus people like Breuer and his contemporaries. They are actively deteriorating and being sold to build shopping malls in their place, so that bother me more than the movie. 

 I guess it struck me the way I imagine some old Russian novel would

That is spot on because the movie was very Eastern European in many ways. One: the dialogs and language were authentic - despite the pronunciation. 90% of the movie was shot in Hungary if not all. The style, cinematography was also very typical of Menzel, Forman, Jancso, Gothar, and I'd add Kusturica, my favorite but he is a bit less gloomy. Brody's character is spot on, the genius who is always unhappy and revels in his misery - Eastern European to the core.

so she's guilty of drunk driving?

Canton cops will be vicious tonight. 

@immatthewj there is a saying: "women hate women". The judge is doing everything she can to put her away. Either that or she is an incompetent judge. Maybe both. It's not looking great for Read, but at least the jury doesn't seem to think she killed him

@immatthewj If it's a hung jury and another trial will happen, that's not good for her. There seem to be some jurors who can't acquit her so there may be a conviction and the judge can come up with a harsh sentence. That's what I mean by not looking good for her. 

It's also not looking good for the truth. She is on trial when the sleazy Canton cops should be. 

MA is a racist, good old boy's privileges open all doors state. Despite the liberal image. As they say it's all different outside 128.

I can't freaking wait, just acquit her already!

@immatthewj on the OUI charges: she was drinking with cops, driving a cop to a another cop's house with a drunken party, maybe it should have been their job to not let her drive?

oh boy.

I am watching NBC Boston, the defense team was graceful to say the least. 

I am not convinced that she is innocent

I can list 10 reasons why it’s very unlikely she did it. Yes, that’s a possibility but very little compelling evidence was presented. The prosecution was about what the police provided, she is a crazy b%tch. Also, you can hit a large person in the snow from 15 foot with an SUV, 4 out 5 times he would survive - especially with the alleged injuries

they looked decent and savvy for sure, aiming - if not high but - the middle. I am not a huge fan of all lawyers but I won't politicize it @immatthewj 

@immatthewj I would say take a break from the court channel. It could be aggravating. Half of the world lies and they would do it on the stand too.

@immatthewj well it's a more than a novel. It's a masterpiece. It's a study in human nature, the big bang of how we process guilt. I am reminded of it all the time.