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Vote for "Movie of the Week" in February - Scorsese vs superheroes
Edit: Voting closed
Lets try something a bit different for February, with one of the favorite discussion topics among cinephiles - with setting up superheroes against Martin Scorsese. We will need 4 movies for February and we will need 2 from each category. Directed by Martin Scorsese or a superhero movie (interpret that however you seem reasonable). Based on top number of votes the schedule will be:
- 5th: Superhero movie
- 12th: Scorsese movie
- 19th: Superhero movie
- 26th: Scorsese movie
Not a hard rule per se, but I would recommend to at least consider that especially the superhero movies should be reasonably standalone and not require having seen several other entries in a series.
Rules
- Must be directed by Martin Scorsese or be considered a superhero movie
- Only one nomination per user
- Please only nominate if you intent to participate
In case of ties in the number of votes, random.org will decide. Voting closes Sunday.
It sounds weird to say but I think Scorsese picks are going to be the easy one! How do you pick a superhero movie to match up against such a prolific director? Most superhero movies are either laughably bad or mass consumption popcorn flicks. To put those up against a giant of filmmaking, well, we may as well compare the storyline of Citizen Kane to the Fast and Furious movies' plot.
All that to say, I'll nominate Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse. Because, unlike most movie adaptations of the idea of superheroes, Into the Spiderverse adapts the medium of comic books as well. If we're gonna compete with Taxi Driver we can't fight on its own turf. The run of Batman movies (89 - 97) may have a lot of comic influences but each on its own has too many flaws to get bookended by Hugo or The Depahted.
I don't see it as a competition. Just a fun way to put these together as they often come up in movie discussions. I think Scorsese has tons of respect for superhero movies. It just something different than the type of movies he likes - and makes. Not necessarily better. But good choice none the less.
I'm more referring to the visual and tonal whiplash you'd get from going from Shutter Island to seeing the Bat Credit Card whipped out of the utility belt! It's hard enough to view a schlocky movie as a fun but flawed time when you're digging into some heavy hitters every other week...
Except, maybe I'm wrong? Maybe they'll be the palate cleansers that allow heightened suspension of disbelief.
I guess if you watch them back to back, but with a week in between I personally wouldn't have any issue with that sort of context switch.
I'll nominate Gangs of New York, for two reasons:
Seconding Gangs of New York, as I'd just love to rewatch it. And the hats of course.
Batman Begins.
I am going to use my own pick for Scorsese with Raging Bull. Always wanted to see it and it is pretty well regarded, considering it is by AFI is ranked as the fourth-greatest American movie of all time.
If I were to go with a superhero movie it would be The Dark Knight. BUT, everyone has seen that. And there’s not a superhero movie that I think is as good as that. So I’ll go with a Scorsese.
My favorite Scorsese is Wolf of Wall Street, but I’m gonna go with what I think is an underrated Scorsese and nominate The Aviator.
It’s such a lush and gorgeous film but gets relegated to an Oscar bait film from Scorsese because it’s a biopic.
Not a lot of participation this time, but the selection was simple - so the schedule for next month is:
Something Oscar relevant will be up for March
Ah, balls... I somehow missed this topic!
I would have nominated Split (if supervillains are okay) or Unbreakable (if not), since I think they're some of the few that can stand next to Scorsese films. I also probably would have nominated Taxi Driver too, since it's a Scorsese that actually feels like a vigilante superhero (similar to the Punisher) origin story, only more grounded.
p.s. Not trying to get my suggestions added BTW. Just adding to the conversation.
Split and Unbreakable are great. It’s a shame Glass was bad.
Yeah, I wish it had turned out better too. But I'm also not surprised it turned out bad either. I think Shyamalan is absolutely brilliant when writing/directing smaller scope (small cast, limited number of sets) movies, but he tends to fall on his face whenever he gets more ambitious. He would have made a great playwright, IMO, simply because the limitations that stage production forces on writers plays more to his strength.