Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with TV and movies

Let's Put on a Show!

hellbient — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:00:59 -0800

What are some movies, shows, sketches, etc. where amateurs put on a show? Especially comedies, but any genre will help. I'm doing some research for a show I'm writing that involves amateurs putting on a show, and want to see what else is out there. "Waiting for Guffman" and The Muppets come to mind, but I'm sure there's more.

Bigger without Blurrier

rahnefan — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:52:27 -0800

How can I get a DVD movie to fill (at least one axis of) my screen without compromising the picture quality? Two years ago we were given a Samsung HDTV, something like 32 inches wide. In the settings, we generally have "Size" set to Just Scan. For normal TV or the HD channels, this works fine. For movies however, there's a problem.

Mrs. RahneFan and I are two different kinds of grumps. I won't watch anything visually intense if the picture quality is sabotaged by intentional distortion of the picture. A circle must be a true circle and the human body must have correct proportions. Details meant to impress me are things I don't want to miss. And nothing should be cropped. Conversely, detail, proportion, and seeing something as it was intended to be seen do not matter much to her, but she hates the so-called black bars probably more than your grandmother does.

Movies on cable channels only display undistorted if we change the resolution to 4:3 instead of Just Scan. So we flip back and forth for that, not a problem usually. But...

DVDs, when the TV is set to Just Scan, display in lovely, crisp detail, but do not fill our screen; the black borders she despises appear above, below, and on both sides. I see the movie, not the black, but like her, I would rather it filled our screen on at least one axis or the other. We have GOBS of space on all four sides, so why can't it be bigger?

The player is a Pioneer, don't even remember how old it is.

The only other options that appear available are 16:9 (unacceptable stretching), Zoom 1, and Zoom 2. Zoom 1 and Zoom 2 are both blurry and crop the movie on all four sides. For example, parts of DVD menus don't even appear onscreen at those settings.

Is there some way to maintain the clarity and detail of a DVD and have it large enough to fill our screen on at least one axis, without stretching or cropping the picture? Some way to make it automatically enlarge whatever is playing, regardless of aspect ratio, until it touches either the vertical or horizontal edge of the screen?

I am aware that movies can be shot in a wide variety of aspect ratios, and that DVDs can be edited with hard matting etc. Will it require knowing exactly what every movie's aspect ratio is and whether or not it has been matted and how, and relearning all this crap every time, and making some odd specific combination of settings to get it right? Shouldn't the technology be smart enough to do this on its own by now?

Looking for recommendations for recent popular music soundtracks

cosmic.osmo — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:21:43 -0800

Does anyone have any recommendations for somewhat recent (post-2000) TV or movie popular music soundtracks (or some other kind of compilation)? I tend to like alternative rock, but I'm open to any genre. I've realized that I've been in a musical rut for the past several years, so I'm looking for a fast way to discover new music and expose myself to some of what I've missed. I've gotten the soundtracks to Scrubs and Garden State, and I've found a lot that I like in them, but I'm also almost finished with them.

So, any recommendations?

My new thinking technique is unstoppable!

infinitewindow — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:21:01 -0800

Recuperating from a head injury. How can I entertain myself with brain damage as a motif? Lots of stress going on right now in life, and to make matters worse I hit my head last night pretty bad. Right now I'm in the hospital under observation, and I have internet access to keep me entertained. When I get home for a day or two of bed rest, I will have no direct Internet access. I will have access to a PS3 with the Playstation Store.

Can you suggest interesting and not-stressful things to watch, read or listen to that

a. don't cost money
b. don't involve direct PC-type computer use
c. involve head or brain injuries in some way?

I have been promised a trip to the local public library, so books, audio or otherwise, are good ideas. You can check out my personal library from the LibraryThing link in my profile if you want to be a hella good AskMe citizen. Blindsight would be a great answer because the protagonist had part of his brain taken out in childhood (and because it's a kickass novel). This essay would be a bad answer because it would totally stress me out even more.

If you say someone's funny are they doomed to failure?

Navelgazer — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:06:20 -0800

Are there any examples of stories where a character is depicted as super-funny, and that actually comes through in practice? Oftentimes, in movies and plays and tv shows, the story will involve one character's skills being trumpeted. Now, if this skill is something like ass-kicking or hacking or janitorial equation-solving, that's easy enough to show off when the script requires it. Sometimes, though, the story will require the creator to summon the same degree of artistic skill that is ascribed to the character, which is where this gets dicey and obviously, quite risky.

Sometimes the risk pays off. In Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along, the song "Good Thing Going" is endlessly promoted as just the best thing you've ever heard, but Sondheim backs it up with an actually achingly beautiful song. In The West Wing, Toby and Sam are frequently touted as amazing writers, but Sorkin actually shows us the soaring, idealistic speeches they make, and they are, indeed, pretty awesome.

Where this always seems to fail, however, is with comedy. When Sorkin tried to do the same thing on Studio 60 with comedy writers, for instance, it became the primary reason for the show's quick demise, because none of the viewers agreed. The same is true for such misbegotten projects as Man of the Year and Mr. Saturday Night. I haven't yet seen Funny People, so maybe that's the exception to this, but my question is: are there any examples of fictional movies about supposedly great comedians/comediennes where the character in question is actually, you know, funny with their act? If so, which ones? If not, why not?

Same But Different Movies & TV Shows

Rykey — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 10:22:27 -0800

Looking for "the same, but different" movies or TV shows. Just made the depressing discovery that a TV script I've been working on (and am pleased with) has been done before. Not just "kinda similar," but the exact premise as a fairly recent episode of a hugely popular show.

I realize that this is not uncommon; ideas and story lines are constantly borrowed and redone, and this is all par for the course in Scriptland. I'm just trying to decide whether to scrap the whole thing and move on to something else, or to try to tweak my current script so that it's funnier/more clever/more original to the point of a viable "new" story.

So, my question: what movies/TV shows do you know of that have unmistakably, remarkably similar premises or story lines, but are distinct in their own right?

Not looking for examples of remakes (e.g., the two versions of Psycho); a good example of what I'm looking for would be Girlfight and Million Dollar Baby. Both about female boxers overcoming prejudice and their own fears, but each its own story, with differences in character, setting, etc.

What other examples can you think of?

That movies used to look so good...

SpacemanStix — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:53:55 -0800

Would it be correct to say that with digital technology, we don't have to worry about movies and TV becoming faded and washed out over time like they used to? I've always understood that the loss of vibrancy has to do with the deterioration of film over time. If this is the case, will my children not have to suffer the same fate with their favorite shows and movies?

Where do those star ratings for movies in TV listings come from?

RotJ — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:08:27 -0800

Where do those star ratings for movies in TV listings come from? A lot of TV listings websites, channels, and menus have a 4-star ratings scale attached to movie listings. Where do these ratings come from and who decides how many stars are assigned to a movie?

The movie and TV show synopses are also identical for multiple TV listing services, so they must all be sourced from the same listings vendor.

Movie Scenes, As Seen on TV

joshrholloway — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:37:52 -0800

Have any movies ever filmed scenes during regular production that were meant specifically for the purpose of being used in a TV airing? Pretty simple question, I think. I couldn't find an answer on Google. I'm thinking of pivotal scenes in films that just could not be shown on television with any reasonable amount of editing, so the director shot a "self-censored" version of the scene meant to be included in TV airings of the film. What about additional dialogue or ADR specifically made for TV airings? I highly doubt either of these exist, but I'm just curious if the hivemind knows something I don't. Thanks!

I want to see more bad people

reenum — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 06:48:37 -0800

Please suggest movies, TV shows and books that feature unrepentant, amoral characters I was a big fan of Seinfeld when it was on, and now love It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia and Eastbound & Down.

The common thread running through these shows is a character or group of characters who are often selfish at best, amoral at worst and unrepentant about it. Also, the characters don't seem to have an epiphany that makes them "good", like the case with many movies and books. For example, I loved the movie Roger Dodger until the ending.

I want more of this. I'd love suggestions on TV shows (except Weeds), movies, and nonfiction books or biographies. I've read about such characters in fiction, so don't need recs on those sorts of books.

Thanks!

Recorded HD-TV shows to laptop?

vizsla — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:43:30 -0800

Are there (legal) ways to copy recorded TV shows from my HD-TV box to my laptop for personal use? Note: This is a technical question, not a legal one - I just don't know where to start. I have a Topfield PVR but I think most of the shows are being recorded on this Foxtel box.

What made-up names does your child use for favorite media?

Mo Nickels — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 18:51:00 -0800

What made-up names does your very young child call favorite movies, books, games, or television shows? I'd like to compile a list of some of the names that toddlers or other very young children have made up for their favorite entertainment: books, movies, television, games, whatever. I am interested in seeing if there are patterns there of sufficient interest to write about.

For example, my 26-month-old son calls Elmo in Grouchland "Elmo Blanket." Elmo Visits the Firehouse is "Elmo Firefighter." (Firefighter is his name for a fire truck, not for the people who fight fires.) The Muppets were, for a long time, The Puppets. All the Lion King movies are "Baby Lions." Richard Scary's Cars and Trucks and Things That Go is "Goldbug Book." The Wizard of Oz is "Dorothy Dog" (since Elmo has a goldfish named "Dorothy" my son feels the need to say that he's talking about the Dorothy who has a dog). The video game Pacman on my phone is known as "Ducks" (they're yellow and they quack, right?).

TV that can make me think? Impossible!

fearnothing — Thu, 28 May 2009 16:47:56 -0800

Philosophy and popular entertainment! I am close to being obsessed with Ghost in the Shell and its astonishingly deep themes - it's crack cocaine for the existentialist. What other movies or TV shows can help me get my fix? I've seen other questions along these lines, but I specifically wanted to ask for visual media, as I have quite enough reading material. Anime and cartoons are preferred although live action is quite acceptable also. Extra kudos for suggestions which can provoke an emotional response too.

Looking for closed-captioned or subtitled media

desjardins — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 08:52:50 -0800

Looking for streaming (or downloadable) closed-captioned or subtitled TV shows and movies, preferably relatively recent and mainstream. Is there a repository of this stuff that I've been missing? I know Hulu has some CC media, but it's very limited.

Opposing counsel in love onscreen?

loulou718 — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 13:30:46 -0800

American movies/TV shows where opposing counsel are involved in a romantic relationship? Possible spoilers inside. I'm looking for movies or TV episodes where the lawyers on either side are involved in some sort of romantic relationship with each other. (It's for a paper.) Criminal/civil suit doesn't matter, nor does comedy/drama. It also doesn't have to be an ongoing or present relationship. Prosecutor secretly sleeping with defense attorney in a sitcom is fine. If it's a TV show, specific episodes would be great.

I already know about Adam's Rib, Laws of Attraction, and the Adam's Rib TV show.

Childfree-positive movies?

korpios — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 19:20:56 -0800

Are there any childfree-positive movies or TV shows, i.e., where the protagonists 1) do not have children, 2) explicitly do not want children, 3) are reasonably happy with their choice, and 4) do not change their minds by the end of the story? (Spoilers herein for Four Christmases and Sex and the City.) My wife was just watching Four Christmases, and commented on how it was likely that the apparently happy, childfree couple would probably change their minds by the end of the story. I looked up the plot online, and ... yep, wasn't that easy to peg. This prompted a conversation about the dearth of any childfree-positive movies or TV shows; the only example my wife could come up with was Sex and the City's Samantha — a character surrounded by three others who either ended up having children or seemed quite likely to. My wife found a list of "childfree friendly films" online, but these don't seem to fit the criteria I just stated. So, MediaFilter ... does anyone have any examples, or is Hollywood that hostile to the notion that you can be happy without kids?

Assholes in documentaries for the win

fire&wings — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 17:07:42 -0800

The greatest a-holes to ever strut in front of a documentary film maker's camera? I recently watched two great documentaries - Overnight and The King of Kong, both made awesome by the utter lack of self awareness of their subjects (Troy Duffy and Billy Mitchell) and the pure preening, arrogant asshole behaviour which repulsed and amused me in equal measure. What documentary films capture - without acting or other shenanigans - real self-important, cringeworthy assholes baring themselves on screen? If they face a downfall, great. If they get their comeuppance, even better.

Costume drama/Period film/tv recommendations?

katyggls — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 03:47:25 -0800

Help me make a list of must see costume dramas/period films/tv. I love costume dramas and period films/tv and I'd like to see more of them. Recommendations please? I like things with lavish costumes and elaborate sets that are set in any time period before say, 1920. I love the BBC and Masterpiece theater.

I tend to prefer movies/tv that have been made fairly recently, after 1985 or so, but if there's good ones made before that and aren't "dated", please recommend it. When I say "dated", I mean that when I'm watching the film I want to feel like I'm watching something from the time period it's set in, not watching a 70's movie set in 1870. For example, I watched a version of Jane Eyre that was made in the 1970's and I was really distracted by the 70's-ish hair of the actors and actresses.

On the other hand, I'm not that freaked out about historical inaccuracy or a movie differing from a book (if it's done with skill). So if it's a medieval piece and they're using forks I'm not going to care.

I like anything from historical dramas, to romances, adventure, even horror as long as it's set in the past and has awesome costumes for me to look at.

Some things I've enjoyed:

Pride and Prejudice (both the 1995 BBC version and the Keira Knightley version)
Sense and Sensibility (both the Ang Lee and the 2008 BBC version)
Merlin (BBC TV Series)
Cranford
Lark Rise To Candleford
Jane Eyre
Dracula
Little Women
The House of Mirth
Elizabeth
Shakespeare In Love

How do I clear my media backlog?

b.an.dekker — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 07:21:48 -0800

I'm drowning in a sea of media I have no time to consume - someone please throw me a lifeline On my to-consume media list I currently have The Wire series 5, Lunar Park by Bret Easton Ellis, Siren: Blood Curse for PS3, Playback by Raymond Chandler, Flight of the Conchords series 1 and countless movies. And the list is growing all the time.

Regular long-haul flights are helping me make a dent in the movies backlog, but how do I tackle the rest, short of holing up in a monastery or container ship for a few months with my media library?

Any guidance on how you deal with this luxury problem gratefully received.

DVD player that isn't hostile to end-users?

odinsdream — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 19:54:31 -0800

Can you recommend an upconverting DVD player with component output that ignores region coding and allows me to perform any action at any time? Can you recommend an upconverting DVD player that doesn't treat me with active hostility? I'm specifically looking for a player that:

1. Ignores region coding, or can be easily set to ignore region coding without installing new firmware.

2. Never, ever restricts me from fast-forwarding previews/warnings/anti-piracy tirades or skipping to a particular menu.

I can work around these issues by ripping the discs and then re-burning them but this is highly inconvenient.

It would also be nice if the player had all of the usual standard cool things, like digital audio output and some nice pulldown detection, and didn't sound like a jet engine.

Help me find this animated show about aliens

lynnie-the-pooh — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 23:03:10 -0800

Looking for old animated film of aliens. I saw this on t.v. in the late 70's or maybe the 80's. Aliens that kind of looked like people were in animation and sometimes they would sit like they were meditating and then a big bubble would float above them, and you could not figure out if their soul was in the bubble, or if they were somehow procreating with others by doing this. I remember that the children were not suppose to bother someone who was doing this. It was a very interesting animation. I thought that the word "planet" was in the title but I'm not sure. Any ideas??

Do Mulder and Scully count?

coizero — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:07:06 -0800

I'm looking for movies and television shows that featured memorable, star-crossed heterosexual couples. The man and woman must either: a) never get together, or b) get together only to have everything go horribly. No long-term relationships or on-and-off again romances, please. Bonus points for obscurity, but well-known examples are also appreciated. Examples: - Red (K. Kieslowski) - Titanic Thanks for your help! :-)

What's this Movie?

keith0718 — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 01:35:26 -0800

Another 'What's this Movie?' Question 20 years ago, I switched on the TV late one night and I watched about 20 minutes of a movie which creeped me out. What I remember was a young woman pushing a young man into the water to drown him when they were sailing. I think he was part of a family to which she was becoming a friend. Later, there was a seen of her at a bedside talking to several people who she had presumably murdered, and who were lying in the bed under plastic sheeting. And that's really all I can remember. I know it's not much. Any ideas?

Film/TV: Cheesy music for a haunting effect?

TSGlenn — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 12:45:01 -0800

Looking for examples in film/tv where music that might normally be considered "cheesy" or "corny" is used to create an incredibly dramatic, memorable, even haunting scene/atmosphere... I'm thinking mostly along the lines of 70's and 80's music, but anything cheesy qualifies. The examples that inspired the question are:

In Nip/Tuck, a there are many instances of this style. One is the use of Art Garfunkel's "All I know" in the season 2 finale (seen here, particularly the last minute and a half.) Another good one is the dream scene in Season 2 using Carly Simon's "You're so Vain." Some Billy Idol songs also fall in this category, as do many other of the tunes played during the surgery scenes. Finally, Todd Rundgren's "Can We Still Be Friends" (seen here nsfw) is a great example. This scene is almost plagiaristically similar to the one in which the same song is used in the movie Vanilla Sky, another excellent example of the type of scene I'm looking for.

In Donnie Darko, the use of several Tears for Fears songs fall into this category, although here I'm thinking not about a particular scene but about how the soundtrack affects the atmosphere of a movie as a whole. Echo and the Bunnymen's "The Killing Moon" seen here also fits in this way. Last, the Sparkle Motion dance scene with Duran Duran's "Notorious," which is cut together with scenes of Donnie burning down the guy's house.

I don't want this to be confused with, for example, Tarantino's annoyingly exaggerated music choices.

So, I'm looking for more examples of this style - and, is there perhaps a term that describes it in any way?

Audio Technician Gear?

AltReality — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:32:25 -0800

What is included in a typical sound technician's kit when recording scenes for TV or Movies? I am looking into all the potential uses of a degree in sound engineering, and was looking at the idea of TV and Movies...I notice the sound guys who hold the boom mic's have the lines run into a belt-pack kind of thing..I'm guessing a mixer and power supply, and then I guess they lead out to the camera?

So my question:
What is included in a typical sound technician's kit when recording scenes for TV or Movies?

Thanks,
AltReality