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Good movies that aren?t really about anything?

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Good movies that aren’t really about anything?

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Old 03-26-23 | 07:08 PM
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Good movies that aren’t really about anything?

Not that there is anything wrong with that. But, sometimes you really like a movie, think it’s good to great, but there’s no real plot or story. I was thinking about this especially when watching The Whale. I remarked in its thread that though I enjoyed more on retrospect, there really wasn’t much of a story. Also:

The Station Agent
Infinitely Polar Bear
(though it deals with a common and real subject, but no real story)
Old 03-26-23 | 08:10 PM
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Re: Good movies that aren’t really about anything?

Hard to capture the idea (I am supposing) of your thread title. Sometimes a movie feels like an 'easy watch' for me, like it just ambles and is fun to spend time with even if there's no destination. Totally American Graffiti. Rocky feels like that for me too; you don't need a prize fight to enjoy spending 2 hours with Balboa.
Gerry by Gus Van Sant is pretty close to a movie 'about nothing' in that you can summarize the plot in 3 words - hikers get lost - but it's a masterpiece anyway.
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Old 03-26-23 | 09:18 PM
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Re: Good movies that aren’t really about anything?

Lost in Translation
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Old 03-26-23 | 09:21 PM
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Re: Good movies that aren’t really about anything?

Diner
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Old 03-26-23 | 11:02 PM
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Re: Good movies that aren’t really about anything?

Cheech and Chong's Still Smokin
Old 03-26-23 | 11:44 PM
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Re: Good movies that aren’t really about anything?

All movies go somewhere. But I think I understand. My favorite movies are often labeled “meandering”.

Goodfellas and Waking Life are two that come to mind. Boogie Nights. Repo Man.
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Old 03-27-23 | 09:29 AM
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Re: Good movies that aren’t really about anything?

Before Sunrise
Old 03-27-23 | 09:39 AM
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Re: Good movies that aren’t really about anything?

Originally Posted by Troy Stiffler
All movies go somewhere. But I think I understand. My favorite movies are often labeled “meandering”.

Goodfellas and Waking Life are two that come to mind. Boogie Nights. Repo Man.
Goodfellas and Boogie Nights have full story arcs. They are most definitely about "something ".
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Old 03-27-23 | 10:01 AM
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Re: Good movies that aren’t really about anything?

This may not fit the bill but My Neighbor Totoro does have a plot but it's a pretty simple one with low stakes. But still a fantastic movie. Similar for something like Kiki's Delivery Service.
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Old 03-27-23 | 04:06 PM
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Re: Good movies that aren’t really about anything?

Dazed and Confused, and its "spiritual followup," Everybody Wants Some!!
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Old 03-27-23 | 04:48 PM
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Re: Good movies that aren’t really about anything?

Lotta Richard Linklater in this thread. Add Slacker and Boyhood to the list.
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Old 03-27-23 | 05:01 PM
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Re: Good movies that aren’t really about anything?

I kinda feel The Banshees of Inisherin falls into this. After watching it, it felt like a long Irish Seinfeld episode to me.
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Old 03-27-23 | 05:19 PM
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Re: Good movies that aren’t really about anything?

The Neverending Story and The Night House are two good movies that are essentially about nothing.



Old 03-27-23 | 05:32 PM
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Re: Good movies that aren’t really about anything?

^ The Neverending Story, not have story? Did you actually see the movie?
Old 03-27-23 | 06:34 PM
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Re: Good movies that aren’t really about anything?

^ Think it’s a joke about the Nothing.
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Old 03-27-23 | 06:35 PM
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Re: Good movies that aren’t really about anything?

Ah.
Old 03-27-23 | 06:42 PM
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Re: Good movies that aren’t really about anything?

The Big Lebowski , Coffee and Cigarettes and Dazed and Confused
Old 03-27-23 | 06:42 PM
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Re: Good movies that aren’t really about anything?

Clerks.
Old 03-27-23 | 06:54 PM
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Re: Good movies that aren’t really about anything?

There’s a story IN there but a lot of Once Upon a Time in…Hollywood spends a lot of time meandering through 1960s Hollywood. There’s a good chunk of “A day in the life…” being shown.
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Old 03-27-23 | 06:54 PM
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Re: Good movies that aren’t really about anything?

Dazed and Confused
Old 03-27-23 | 07:04 PM
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Re: Good movies that aren’t really about anything?

Originally Posted by devilshalo
I kinda feel The Banshees of Inisherin falls into this. After watching it, it felt like a long Irish Seinfeld episode to me.
I think it just took forever to get to "the point or grievance" but it was definitely about something.
Old 03-27-23 | 07:11 PM
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Re: Good movies that aren’t really about anything?

Pulp Fiction.
Old 03-27-23 | 07:53 PM
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Re: Good movies that aren’t really about anything?

When I hear the phrase "about something" I assume it's referring to themes or ideas. Those are different than plot and story. Most of the films mentioned in this thread are definitely "about something".
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Old 03-27-23 | 07:58 PM
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Re: Good movies that aren’t really about anything?

Originally Posted by rocket1312
When I hear the phrase "about something" I assume it's referring to themes or ideas. Those are different than plot and story. Most of the films mentioned in this thread are definitely "about something".
All movies are about something. Seinfeld was always about something. I was going for what it meant to me.
Old 03-27-23 | 08:25 PM
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Re: Good movies that aren’t really about anything?

Take your pick from any of Warhol's films from the 60s ('good' being subjective, of course ).

Being a Jean Rollin fan, I'll recommend The Iron Rose.



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