winther's recent activity
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Comment on Midweek Movie Free Talk in ~movies
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Comment on Casual viewing - Why Netflix looks like that ~30+ min read in ~movies
winther LinkGreat read and it pretty sums up my experience and dissatisfaction with Netflix - and most other streaming services. Everything is reduced to "content", devoid of anything resembling ambition,...Great read and it pretty sums up my experience and dissatisfaction with Netflix - and most other streaming services. Everything is reduced to "content", devoid of anything resembling ambition, ideas or artistic vision.
We didn't have the Netflix DVD service in Denmark, but we had a similar service and it was really amazing while it lasted. Only have 2-3 discs at home at once removed any sort of decision paralysis, the catalog was vast and didn't change every week with things randomly disappearing and the quality of a bluray is still vastly better than streaming. Some services today are better than others, but you still have to pay for so called 4K UHD streaming to get quality that can match a 1080p bluray disc.
It is true that Netflix has mostly become the cable media empire it set out against originally, but maybe it also reflects a general cultural switch away from movies - as attention shift to series? Outside cinephile circles, I only hear people talking about the latest season of a show. Other than the occasional trip to the theater for the latest entry in a well known franchise, there just seems less overall interest in movies in general and it is no wonder streaming production reflects that. Wonder if there is any statistics on the percentage of streaming hours split on movies versus series.
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Comment on Searching for neighbours on the indie web in ~tech
winther LinkI don't have a button (perhaps I should), but I have tried making my site have a 90s Netscape color scheme aesthetics. I mostly participate in the blogging sphere of the IndieWeb, especially the...I don't have a button (perhaps I should), but I have tried making my site have a 90s Netscape color scheme aesthetics. I mostly participate in the blogging sphere of the IndieWeb, especially the monthly IndieWeb Carnival which is always a lot of fun.
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Comment on Midweek Movie Free Talk in ~movies
winther (edited )LinkHaven't been checking here so often, and a few weeks back I took a sort of mental "review reset" as I could sense it influenced my film watching by having a constant "trying to form an opinion"...Haven't been checking here so often, and a few weeks back I took a sort of mental "review reset" as I could sense it influenced my film watching by having a constant "trying to form an opinion" thought process going. It really helped just taking a week with only rewatching old favorites and not doing anything about that.
Well for the last week I ended up with some Hong Kong and Japanese crime action films, which all share a very aesthetic approach to the combination of lighting and music to form an atmosphere. Tarantino certainly took notes, most notably with City on Fire from 1987 which to say the least, "heavily inspired" Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs with how an undercover cop and a big jewel heist goes terribly wrong at the end. I really enjoyed Chow Yun-Fat in it as he masters a wide range of emotions, from being both a goofy womanizer to really terrified with where he ends up in the criminal underworld being undercover. Lady Snowblood from 1973 also heavily inspired Tarantino. The beautiful title song Shura no Hana is used in Kill Bill and the whole female samurai revenge parallels that plot also - including all the bloodspatter. I found the film to be very poetic, like a fable from a lost time, gorgeous looking scenes - but I was a little bored at times.
My Heart Is That Eternal Rose from 1989 and The Execution Game from 1979 are less about violence and more on forming atmosphere with neon lights, dark cityscapes and soft jazz. They take place in a crime world with hitmen and gangsters, but what I got from them was more the beauty from silence and small parts of sweet romance.
EDIT: And completely unrelated, I also wrote a small piece about my favorite actress Isabelle Huppert which I just want to share
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Comment on Movie fatigue in ~movies
winther Link ParentThat trilogy is indeed the pinnacle of spaghetti westerns and also what got me hooked to the genre. Italian genre cinema in the 60s and 70s is a hell of an interesting thing to get lost in. And...That trilogy is indeed the pinnacle of spaghetti westerns and also what got me hooked to the genre. Italian genre cinema in the 60s and 70s is a hell of an interesting thing to get lost in. And now Leone's trilogy barely seems like part of the spaghetti western genre to me, as they are somehow too big, too epic, too high production value. Anyways, feel free to ask anything if you need more recommendations :) What titles are you getting in the mail?
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Comment on Movie fatigue in ~movies
winther Link ParentI was in a similar place, and what worked for me was basically taking a very wild swing outside my comfort zone and find new inspiration from there. The streaming services only recommend you more...I was in a similar place, and what worked for me was basically taking a very wild swing outside my comfort zone and find new inspiration from there. The streaming services only recommend you more of the same, but never challenges you in new directions. I picked up Kieslowski's Three Colors trilogy and that somehow made me love French arthouse cinema all of a sudden. The various lists of "bests of movies of all time" are good sources for inspiration, just look at several of them. The IMDb has plenty of great movies, but they are also kind of similar and really only show one larger corner of the cinematic world. Sight and Sound or Letterboxd lists will offer something completely different.
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Comment on Movie fatigue in ~movies
winther Link ParentCriterion Channel is very VPN friendly. Basically only need it to signup. Along with Mubi, it will give a fantastic wide range of classic and modern film festival movies.Criterion Channel is very VPN friendly. Basically only need it to signup. Along with Mubi, it will give a fantastic wide range of classic and modern film festival movies.
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Comment on Last.fm is now independent in ~music
winther (edited )LinkI have been using Last.fm for more than 20 years now and that in itself is quite an achievement for a service to live this long. It has somehow kept its distance to the usual enshittification of...I have been using Last.fm for more than 20 years now and that in itself is quite an achievement for a service to live this long. It has somehow kept its distance to the usual enshittification of online services and its core functionality has barely changed at all. Which I have come to appreciate. It hasn’t been drowned in feature creep. It feels like a web service company from a completely different historic era and it somehow still exists.
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Comment on Babylon 5 S01E12: "By Any Means Necessary" - Episode Discussion in ~tv
winther Link ParentYeah Sinclair is getting away with quite a lot, but I like how you also get a sense of politics on Earth is also messy and full of different parties where some might oppose and others support...Yeah Sinclair is getting away with quite a lot, but I like how you also get a sense of politics on Earth is also messy and full of different parties where some might oppose and others support Sinclair and his methods. Makes for an interesting dynamic so it isn't just the frontier space station against the clueless Earth politicians.
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Comment on Cannes 2026 winners: ‘Fjord’ wins Palme D’Or in ~movies
winther LinkMungiu‘s winning film from 2007 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days was great so curious to see what made him win again almost 20 years later. If it is anything like his other films it will be something...Mungiu‘s winning film from 2007 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days was great so curious to see what made him win again almost 20 years later. If it is anything like his other films it will be something bleak and depressive and with overtones of political criticism of Western Europe.
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Comment on Babylon 5 S01E11: "Survivors" - Episode Discussion in ~tv
winther LinkFinally a proper Garibaldi episode. In the first part of the season he was a bit one dimensional and sometimes just used for comic relief. Here his alcohol problem gets established, which of...Finally a proper Garibaldi episode. In the first part of the season he was a bit one dimensional and sometimes just used for comic relief. Here his alcohol problem gets established, which of course isn't the last time it comes up. And as usual we have Sinclair obeying orders from Earth in malicious compliance creative ways, which is always fun.
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Comment on Babylon 5 S01E10: "Believers" - Episode Discussion in ~tv
winther LinkThis episode really shows what these science fiction can do with putting spotlight on non-easy moral dilemmas, especially when it comes to doctors and their ethics. They were also often good...This episode really shows what these science fiction can do with putting spotlight on non-easy moral dilemmas, especially when it comes to doctors and their ethics. They were also often good premise for great Star Trek episodes.
But in addition to the core dilemma, the episode also shows the whole diplomatic mess on the station as they can't get any of the other races to help them, because they of course have their political agenda and loyalties that supersedes wherever their moral compass lies.
This isn't just a constructed trolley problem scenario, it is a thing that doctors have to deal with - for example with Jehovah Witnesses refusing blood transfusions.
All around great episode that shows the crew as not always in complete alignment, but they can respect each other. And we get to see Ivanova in some great space flight action.
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Comment on Reddit reports 69% jump in revenue, topping analyst estimates in ~tech
winther Link ParentThe major thing that still makes Reddit somewhat useful for me, is that you have much greater control of your feeds. Facebook or Twitter has no option for basic filtering of newest, rising, most...What is Reddit is doing differently?
The major thing that still makes Reddit somewhat useful for me, is that you have much greater control of your feeds. Facebook or Twitter has no option for basic filtering of newest, rising, most voted in the last (day, week, month), or any sort of coherent topic filtering. Everything is controlled by "the algorithm". Of course that exists on Reddit too, but you still have a great deal more control of what you want to see.
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Comment on Midweek Movie Free Talk in ~movies
winther Link ParentThis had the intended effect on me, with how it highlights the almost mundane normalcy of Auschwitz. It was refreshing to see a film that knew that everyone already knew about the holocaust and in...The Zone of Interest
This had the intended effect on me, with how it highlights the almost mundane normalcy of Auschwitz. It was refreshing to see a film that knew that everyone already knew about the holocaust and in Auschwitz, so they don't need to show the atrocities (could double feature with Son of Saul if you really want to have a heavy film night), which gave room for something else. Like small pieces of dialogue when the nazi engineers discuss "input" and "output" like it was any other factory. The ending is probably hit and miss for most people, but it got to me, as it caught me completely unprepared. First total confusion as there is a very dramatic shift like you have turned to a completely different movie, and then it all makes sense.
Taste of Cherry
I get that. This is clearly a film meant to be frustrating and setting more questions than answers. The dreary setting and mood got to me though. His state of mind fits perfectly within the completely dead and barren landscape of a large gravel pit. And yes the ending is really pulling the rug under you, completely shattering everything that went before.
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Comment on Babylon 5 S01E08: "And The Sky Full Of Stars" - Episode Discussion in ~tv
winther LinkA very important episode for the bigger story arc, but it is still very little we actually learn. Mostly more confused as we barely see anything more than Sinclair was somehow involved when the...A very important episode for the bigger story arc, but it is still very little we actually learn. Mostly more confused as we barely see anything more than Sinclair was somehow involved when the Minbar surrendered, but not much substantial yet.
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Comment on Babylon 5 S01E07: "The War Prayer" - Episode Discussion in ~tv
winther LinkIn terms of its theme it is told a tad heavyhanded but it does have wider reach than a simple token episode. They don’t solve the problem in the end. It is clear that there is a rising faction...In terms of its theme it is told a tad heavyhanded but it does have wider reach than a simple token episode. They don’t solve the problem in the end. It is clear that there is a rising faction against aliens and it will be part of the larger story arc. We are still very much in the setting things up stage of the series, and I think it strikes the right balance of being self contained stories and building things further. Especially in how we get deeper understanding of both Lando and Ivanova in this episode.
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Comment on Midweek Movie Free Talk in ~movies
winther Link ParentBilly Wilder is really one of the all time great directors of that era in Hollywood. Clearly a noir, with everything that comes with that, but closer to something like Sunset Boulevard with its...Double Indemnity
Billy Wilder is really one of the all time great directors of that era in Hollywood. Clearly a noir, with everything that comes with that, but closer to something like Sunset Boulevard with its witty dialogue. It is impressive how a movie can basically start with the ending, and still be gripping all the way through.
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Comment on Midweek Movie Free Talk in ~movies
winther LinkI splurged and got a 4K player and Ben Hur as my first UHD title. Hard to imagine a better showcase with the absolute greatest of all film epics. A story and a film that is larger than life in all...I splurged and got a 4K player and Ben Hur as my first UHD title. Hard to imagine a better showcase with the absolute greatest of all film epics. A story and a film that is larger than life in all aspects. Still as engaging from start to finish as the first time I saw it. This film manages to circumvent my usual taste, as it is more or less the opposite of subtle, melodramatic, clear cut good and evil, and heavy in religious message. But the epic music, the classic heroic characters, and the biblical scale of events simply wins me over in a way that is impossible to resist. There is no dull or bad scene across the almost 4 hours. The pacing holds, without missing a beat. The high paced scenes like the chariot race is just as gripping as the scenes with the big emotions like the valley of the lepers. The big budget Hollywood blockbuster peaked here.
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Comment on How are we all feeling about piracy these days? in ~movies
winther (edited )LinkI am not a saint, but I have barely pirated anything in many years. General media access is on all accounts pretty great and substantially cheaper than 20-30 years ago. I paid around €25 for new...I am not a saint, but I have barely pirated anything in many years. General media access is on all accounts pretty great and substantially cheaper than 20-30 years ago. I paid around €25 for new movies on VHS and DVD 25 years ago, and that is about the same a 4K UHD disc costs today - not even considering inflation. And despite price increases in streaming, it is still comparatively cheap - depending on your usage of course.
Not to say I am still annoyed at the general unpredictability of availability of stuff, where things move around all the time. And I don't understand why regional agreements is still a thing in this day and age. Why isn't a streaming catalogue by default global.
I don't mind paying for what I consume. I also mostly read and watch niche stuff, so if I want the stuff I like to exist in the future, I need to actually pay for it. It is one thing to say that Disney or Tom Cruise has enough money, but on every production there is hundreds if not thousands of working class people living paycheck to paycheck like everyone else.
What annoys me most is the length of copyright. I like to watch older movies, and it really shouldn't be this difficult to find movies from the 30s, 40s or 50s. Everyone involved in those things are long dead and things should be in public domain a lot sooner. With one caveat though that older movies also need restorations and it is valuable work to have old films newly scanned from the original negative and getting a proper quality release. I would argue that part of that should to some extent be down to government funding to preserve cultural significant works.
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Comment on Babylon 5 S01E06: "Mind War" - Episode Discussion in ~tv
winther Link ParentSpeaking of comedic character, I know Garibaldi grows a lot over the series, but it is a bit jarring seeing him often in the role of short dumb laughs, like when he clearly has dirty thoughts...Speaking of comedic character, I know Garibaldi grows a lot over the series, but it is a bit jarring seeing him often in the role of short dumb laughs, like when he clearly has dirty thoughts about Talia in the elevator. And in terms of mind reading jokes, it gets old fast. Star Trek also had plenty of those.
Reichardt is certainly always interesting. I am always left puzzled and a little confused afterwards. Sometimes I like it more than others. My favorite being Meek's Cutoff for how it portrays the dread of being lost in the wilderness and with an ending that subverts your usual expectations. I was okay with The Mastermind too. It is an odd take on the heist genre, as it is neither a show of competence like in Ocean's or utter comedic failure, but more like a fumbling and accidental.
Through all her films, I find an interesting look at modern masculinity that I just don't find elsewhere. Funnily enough the least from male directors.