# Just one good movie please... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 18, 2000, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-good-movie-please/46179 "2000-12-18T17:48:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TommyTutone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@TommyTutone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TommyTutone)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-good-movie-please/46179/1 "2000-12-18T17:48:35Z")
My first OP, so be gentle (as gentle as the pit allows): Why is it that living here in Atlanta, cultural mecca of the southeast (does such a thing really exist), I am given the chance to see one of the 500 showings of “Dungeons & Dragons”, the 300 showings of “Where’s My Car” (or whatever the hell that tripe is called), or 700 showings of “Vertical Impact”, but the one GOOD movie out there isn’t being shown?!?! I of course speak of “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”, a historical epic/romantic drama/martial arts masterpiece by Ang Lee. It is hinted that this thing could win Oscars aplenty, but wouldn’t it be just FUCKING GRAND if some of the regular public could get a chace to see it? Piece of shit Hollywood actually makes a great movie this year and nobody is around to enjoy it. At least get it on DVD quickly, please? ---
**Author:** ![c\_goat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@c\_goat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_goat)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-good-movie-please/46179/2 "2000-12-18T17:58:02Z")
Seriously! I wanted to see that movie this weekend, but it’s only playing in one theatre in Suffolk County, and three theatres total on the whole of Long Island. (The closest theatre nearly 40 minutes from where I am). The only reason I knew about this movie was because I visit [adcritic.com](http://adcritic.com). Never saw a preview or anything elsewhere. Not to mention that Chow-Yun Fat and Michelle Yeoh are two of my favorites. (WING CHUN BABY!) Fucking hollywood assholes. They can suck my left nut. The only good thing is that it’ll probably come out on DVD that much faster. ---
**Author:** ![ReservoirDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8edcca/32.png) [@ReservoirDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReservoirDog)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-good-movie-please/46179/3 "2000-12-18T18:07:15Z")
Settle down, kids. This movie is playing right now only in NY and LA. It’s in what they call a limited release. They know they have a good movie, and are hoping to build strong word of mouth for when they roll it out in wide release in a couple weeks. This is in contrast to a crappy movie which needs to make all of its money as quickly as possible so they throw it up on four screens at each of the local googleplexes. You’ll get to see it soon enough. Now, as far as this goes: > [@](#): > > Piece of shit Hollywood actually makes a great movie this year and nobody is around to enjoy it. If you really were as cool as you thought you were and knew anything at all about this movie, you wouldn’t have said something quite so ignorant. This movie wasn’t made within 5000 miles of Hollywood. ---
**Author:** ![TommyTutone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@TommyTutone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TommyTutone)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-good-movie-please/46179/4 "2000-12-18T18:10:19Z")
> [@](#): > > Piece of shit Hollywood actually makes a great movie this year and nobody is around to enjoy it. If you really were as cool as you thought you were and knew anything at all about this movie, you wouldn’t have said something quite so ignorant. This movie wasn’t made within 5000 miles of Hollywood. \*\* [/QUOTE] You are of course correct. What I meant by that statement was ‘the establishment’ or in this case ‘whatever powers that are preventing me from seeing this film’. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-good-movie-please/46179/5 "2000-12-18T18:24:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by LlamaPoet \* > \*\*My first OP, so be gentle \*\* So…the rest of your posts weren’t original? Not to worry, mine rarely are either. The answer to your question involves circular logic. Movie buyers buy popular but crappy movies to show at their multiplexes because that’s what audiences want to see. But audiences only want to see these movies because that’s all they know is available and, sometimes, that’s all that really is available. So they see the movies, movie buyers think they’ve done well, and everyone’s happy. Or not quite. Some people don’t want to see, “Dude, why did Charlie’s Angel put this Dragon on top of the mountain?” starring Emelio Estevez and Pamela Lee Anderson. Some people actually enjoy an intelligent film. Now, unfortunately, circular logic only works so far. There are a good number of people who, given the choice, do not want to see an intelligent film. They’d rather drool all over themselves for two hours and then clap and bark like a seal in heat. As long as those greatly outnumber the complainers, nothing will ever change. ---
**Author:** ![Tymp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Tymp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tymp)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-good-movie-please/46179/6 "2000-12-18T18:35:10Z")
Relaaaaax. You’ll see it. The general release date of [_Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon_](http://www.crouchingtiger.com) is [December 25th](http://www.atnzone.com/ComingSoon/schedule.html). No worries. I too panicked briefly when I thought I’d have to drive into Manhattan to see it. ---
**Author:** ![Morrison\_s\_Lament](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Morrison\_s\_Lament](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morrison_s_Lament)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-good-movie-please/46179/7 "2000-12-18T18:43:27Z")
Maybe I’ll go watch my DVD of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon? Teeheeheehee… 😉 Nah… bored of it. What else is on? Teeheeeheeehee… Living in China has that one perk, this movie is ALL OVER THE PLACE! You can hardly take a piss without walking in to a screening of it. But it’s good, it’s pretty darn good. 😉 — G. Raven p.s. oh, and the DVD only cost me 1$, teeheeheehee… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-good-movie-please/46179/8 "2000-12-18T18:50:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Morrison’s Lament \* > \*\*p.s. oh, and the DVD only cost me 1$, teeheeheehee… 😉 \*\* Are you sure you’re talking about DVD, or is it just a Video CD? DVDs are cool. VCDs suck (in terms of quality). ---
**Author:** ![Morrison\_s\_Lament](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Morrison\_s\_Lament](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morrison_s_Lament)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-good-movie-please/46179/9 "2000-12-18T19:08:19Z")
This particular one was a bone-fide DVD. Sometimes people try to sell you VCDs as DVDs, but you just don’t go back to those places. I agree with you that VCDs really suck quality wise, the colours are just way too weird. — G. Raven ---
**Author:** ![Ceejaytee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ceejaytee/32/2956_2.png) [@Ceejaytee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ceejaytee)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-good-movie-please/46179/10 "2000-12-18T19:42:29Z")
Funny, when I saw the thread title I thought, “Llama should go see _Crouching Tiger_” and lo and behold, it is the good movie in question. I saw it opening weekend in Manhattan. I recommend it with my whole heart–in fact, I was just recommending it to some friends an hour ago. Of course, it isn’t “Dude, Where’s My Car,” but then, what is? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Pit\_and\_The\_Pendulum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@The\_Pit\_and\_The\_Pendulum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Pit_and_The_Pendulum)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2000, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-good-movie-please/46179/11 "2000-12-22T03:40:00Z")
You just trashed my favorite movies of the month. If they’re everywhere, it’s because people want to see them. You want art? Rent a tape. ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2000, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-good-movie-please/46179/12 "2000-12-22T07:12:54Z")
Man, I heard that China is bootleg capital of the world, but a DVD for $1? How much are music CD’s, $5? ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2000, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-good-movie-please/46179/13 "2000-12-22T07:21:10Z")
> [@](#): > > If they’re everywhere, it’s because people want to see them. Translation: If it’s a circular argument, it’s because the argument is circular. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2000, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-good-movie-please/46179/14 "2000-12-22T18:07:04Z")
Try seeing instead “Castaway.” I’m seeing lots of terrific reviews. I believe it will be opening everywhere today. ---
**Author:** ![Jello](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@Jello](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jello)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2000, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-good-movie-please/46179/15 "2000-12-22T18:13:46Z")
> [@](#): > > Dude, Where’s My Car Funny… I always thought it was “Dude, Where’s My Vocabulary.” (ba-dum-BUM) ---
**Author:** ![Jello](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@Jello](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jello)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2000, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-good-movie-please/46179/16 "2000-12-22T18:16:07Z")
Or perhaps “Dude, Where’s My Punctuation\*\*\*?\*\*\*” ---
**Author:** ![aseymayo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e57/32.png) [@aseymayo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aseymayo)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2000, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-good-movie-please/46179/17 "2000-12-22T20:11:25Z")
If you’re really in the mood for Dude, keep an eye out for “Tobacco Road” (directed by John Ford), showing periodically on AMC. The performance of William Tracy as Dude Lester is a thing of beauty and a joy forever. ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2000, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-good-movie-please/46179/18 "2000-12-22T20:38:38Z")
Nah, the movie should have been called “Dude, Where’s My Brain?”, with the answer being “in a small puddle in your backseat.” ---
**Author:** ![stormy652](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@stormy652](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stormy652)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2000, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-good-movie-please/46179/19 "2000-12-27T17:38:15Z")
Actually my friends dad went to China on business and came back with six DVD movies for $5.00! He got Gladiator while it was still in mainstream theatres. Of course it is bootlegged and the picture quality is not up to DVD standards (equivalent to a good VCR) but you can’t beat the price. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2000, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-good-movie-please/46179/20 "2000-12-27T19:35:49Z")
I hear ya. A lot of my friends are having the same problem trying to see _Quills_. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-good-movie-please/46179.md?page=2)