why do so many people diss this movie? - Coffee and Cigarettes (2004) Discussion

[–] sakura1083 18 years ago

After reading all the posts, what is clear is the fact that people who disliked the movie is unable to provide decent or solid arguments to back up their statements (just saying "dull" or "unbelievable" proves my point). People may like a movie or not and it doesn't imply a better or worse understanding, but given such poor effort to demonstrate this is not a great film (which I loved for reasons already given in this thread), I can't help but think those people didn't actually get what it was about.

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[–] billames2 18 years ago

Untalented YouTube with well-known actors and professional equipment. Everybody gets the point of each clip as well as the cohesive point of the movie*. There's no hidden message, it's painfully laid out in an amateurish stupor. We get it, who couldn't? Screen tests for "Dinner Guest No.5" are more exuberant and nuanced.
*(I know, crappy, pretentious movies that are supposed to be good because of their pretentiousness always want to be known as "films", but let's not sanctify it with euphemisms.)

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[–] billames2 18 years ago

"I always ask myself, 'Is the movie that I am watching as interesting as a documentary of the same actors having lunch together?'" - Gene Siskel

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[–] mervei 18 years ago

I definitely agree with you.
I have watched it in a film festival in Turkey for about a couple of years ago.
Recently I purchased its DVD. I can not understand why it is rated this low.
Especially "Cousins" and "Cousins?" parts were quite entertaining.

For those who did not like it, watch these two parts again.

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] my_way 18 years ago

because theyre morons who cant appreciate something different for a couple hours in their life. say what you want about it, but at least its something unique and different from all the formulaic fluff hollywood churns out.
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It's not unique, is a poor copy of Waking Life, this bad script was holded for a good director that's why a lot of people think this is good.

Is like Almodovar films, terribly overated, but if you said you don't like his movies is because you don't understand women and love and the funny situations and you're not intelligent enough to enjoy intelligent dramas, etc.

But come on let's try to difference a good move for a bad movie, I like The Godfather but definitely i'm not going to say "Jack" is unique and different from all the formulaic fluff hollywood churns out because Copolla was the director.

That's just stupid

www.myspace.com/diablosangeleseinsectos

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[–] tatmando_77 17 years ago

When I had first of this movie I was excited. I thought the concept was interesting, and if the movie delivered as promised I probably would have liked it. Instead I was treated to conversations that seemed forced and scripted. I don't mean scripted in a good sense, in a typical movie sense. I guess I was lead to believe that the conversation would be natural. You know, like when you sit down with one of your friends and have a chat over a drink or dinner. Perhaps actors can only act when they are supposed to be acting like someone else.

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[–] moose_on_toast_ 17 years ago

ugh! so many oh-so-superior-art-film-lovers here! you all keep saying the script was intelligent and clever and the only reason people don't like it is because theyre stupid. how is the script clever?? its just people awkwardly talking about stupid things like roadside surgery with a ballpoint pen. sure, that is an amusing premise but is it actually clever or smart?? don't get me wrong, i love the white stripes (and i mean love) but everything jack says was probably copy and pasted from wikipedia. yes, the steve coogan and bill murray sketches were good (id say the steve coogan one was clever... but the bill murray one was just amusing) but on the whole this was just a dull movie

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[–] freebiescrap 17 years ago

You know, when you mention something in the beginning of the movie, and then some unrelated characters make reference to that, later in the movie, that's very smart. You just don't get how smart it is.

And also it's done black and white, so its art. Likewise, you wouldn't understand that neither. Oh my, how stupid you all are. Go back to your stupid Clockwork Orange. That has color and some story in it. Disgusting...

And nobody could understand such subtleties as girl wanting a perfect coffee (reneè) or misunderstanding between two people because of facial reading (no problem), or just a pointless chitchat. Nobody can get that, except me and few chosen ones. Oh, forget the chosen ones, only me!!! I AM SPECIAL! Admire me and bow before my superintelligent feet!

Now seriously, it's not the worst movie of all times. It was funny to see Alfred Molina/Coogan sketch (ok story and good acting) and Cate acting was really good (cousins sketch).
But art? Did you see Seventh Seal? All I have to say on that.

Acting was decent at best, cinematography ugly (wasted potential with such strong symbols like coffee and cigarettes).

And some parts of the movie should be burned. The others where OK. Nowhere was spectacular. Fine to see, especially the second half, but if you skip it, you can feel good about saving 1,5 hour of your life.
It's funny to watch in mildly drunken company (but then again, what isn't)...

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[–] senilare 17 years ago

I did not like the movie, thought it was an experiment that didn't go that well..

But the very last scene was truly great.
The actor didn't try to be something like the other scenes, I loved how William Rice reacted completely natural to hearing Mahler all of a sudden. And the contrast between the two, William and Taylor.

This scene was really a whole other movie.

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[–] alkamal_r 17 years ago

Can you believe some people were acually looking for a plot?! Or worse still, entertainment... "I watch a film to be entertained, and this was so BORING!" etc etc. Man that makes me laugh. Like they couldn't get the gist of the film after the first skit or so. "OMG, it was about Coffee and Cigarettes!! and it was all arty and black and white.. Nothing happened whatsoever, just a bunch of people talking" No, really?? NO *beep* SHERLOCK!!

And people, for *beep* sake (and your own), please read a flipping plot synopsis or at least one damn review, however brief/crappy, BEFORE you watch the movie. If you're gonna spend $10, or £8 or whatever and 2-3 hours on a film, or hell even spend a couple of hours illegally downloading and watching it, is it too much to ask to take a few minutes reading up on what it's about? Believe me, it will save you a lot of annoyance when you find out the film isn't what you had in mind, or the type of movie you'll enjoy, and you wont have to end up writing on imdb how it was "the most boring movie EVER!!"

A bit of common sense people, is all it takes.

Anyway, rant now over, I personally loved this movie, or rather collection of short vignettes. I think I laughed out loud at every one. Not to mention all the connections between them, and the motifs. The acting was just wonderful.

Ironically, this isn't even ironic at all.

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[–] Artie_Choke 17 years ago

People are entitled to their own opinions.
I did like this movie by the by. I loved it.

-Holographic_Carrot AKA Estradatosis

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[–] Master_savage 17 years ago

Ugh, it's amazing how quickly these threads turn so aggressive.

I agree with Estradatosis, What is the point in telling someone their opinion is wrong!? It's an OPINION and these threads would benefit if people stopped trying to out-snob each other.

What really gets to me is when people judge a person's intelligence on whether they enjoyed the film or not, how is that relevant?

Anyways, I haven't seen the film but I'm interested based on the fact that your opinions are so divided.

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[–] cinemanchild 17 years ago

This type of flick isn't for everybody.

I really enjoyed some of the segments and some of them were mundane and went nowhere, which may be the point, but it can be a dull point.

For folks who don't like extensive dialogue in their movies, this flick is the Anti-Christ.

Cheers...

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[–] 17 years ago

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[–] nigelttf 16 years ago

while Cineme Verite' can be interesting....the worst thing it can be is feel contrived....and several parts of this feel contrived and poorly acted. There was potential here that just was really met(a few parts like "those things'll kill ya" come close...though the kid miming hurt that one)

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[–] pappasl 16 years ago

I am never going to tell anyone what they like. I will however tell everyone what I don't like. I didn't like this movie. Hated it so much, I wanted to break the DVD in half and use the jagged edge to murder my cat. Before you cat lovers get all up in arms, know that I didn't. I settled for giving her a good beating. After viewing this insult to American cinema, I sat in the shower for hours trying to scrub the shame of having rented it from me. To no avail. I will never get the smell of Coffee and Cigarettes off.

Mr Jarmusch...Dead Man and Night on Earth were masterpieces. Where did this come from?

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[–] cableaddict 13 years ago

I "get" this movie, really I do.

And I also find the concept unimportant and the result incredibly boring. There are no deep truths here to be found. There's no clever dialogue. There's no tension & resolution. At the end, you are exactly the same as when it began.

Well, except maybe for the Cate Blanchett segment, which actually has a (minor) point, but this is not enough to save the movie as a whole.

The only thing that makes it work is the novelty of seeing some famous & semi-famous people in casual, almost "real life" (but not) situation.

Big friggin' deal.

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