Darrel Francis Tessier's picture

Darrel Francis ...

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Life of Pi

Just saw Life of Pi last night. A freind wouldn't come b/c I guess it was not her cup of tea ... maybe (I suspect) being evangelical. I had no problem with the story... very beautiful, funny and inspirational. Just wondering what others thought of it??? 

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Neo's picture

Neo

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Visually stunning.

gecko46's picture

gecko46

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Loved it!  Special effects were amazing, and a thought-provoking story.  It was a great adaptation of the book.

Dcn. Jae's picture

Dcn. Jae

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Darrel Francis Tessier wrote:

Just saw Life of Pi last night. A freind wouldn't come b/c I guess it was not her cup of tea ... maybe (I suspect) being evangelical. I had no problem with the story... very beautiful, funny and inspirational. Just wondering what others thought of it??? 

 

Never saw it. Just not my particular cup of tea.

not4prophet's picture

not4prophet

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MC jae wrote:

Never saw it. Just not my particular cup of tea.

 

How would you know?

Arminius's picture

Arminius

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Never saw the movie, never read the book, but would like to some day.

 

Dcn. Jae's picture

Dcn. Jae

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not4prophet wrote:

MC jae wrote:

Never saw it. Just not my particular cup of tea.

 

How would you know?

Well, I've lived some 49 years. During that time I've developed particular tastes in such things as movies, books, TV, etc.

Kimmio's picture

Kimmio

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I saw it and really enjoyed it.

seeler's picture

seeler

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Read the book.  Missed the movie on its first time roundd.  Waiting for a second opportunity.

 

waterfall's picture

waterfall

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I really enjoyed the movie.

 

Which "ending" did you prefer Darrel? Were there animals on the boat or just people?

kaythecurler's picture

kaythecurler

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Read the book but haven't had/made an opportunity to see the movie.  I'm always surprised when people refuse to read a book or watch a well rated movie because it isn't their normal fare.  It reminds me of the young woman I once met who grew up in a low income family.  When offered bbq steak or a hamburger she chose the hamburger -"i've never had steak and I might not like it".

Azdgari's picture

Azdgari

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As a fictional story, I prefer the animals.  If I'm going to act on the information in the story, I prefer the people.  Entertainment vs reality.  Sometimes we need entertainment more than reality.

Dcn. Jae's picture

Dcn. Jae

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kaythecurler wrote:

Read the book but haven't had/made an opportunity to see the movie.  I'm always surprised when people refuse to read a book or watch a well rated movie because it isn't their normal fare.  It reminds me of the young woman I once met who grew up in a low income family.  When offered bbq steak or a hamburger she chose the hamburger -"i've never had steak and I might not like it".

 

Being a cashier at Timmys, I have limited money to spend on movies. Since such is the case, I will choose to spend my money on films which I believe will be most rewarding for me. I see nothing wrong with that.

 

In this particular case, a story of a tiger and a boy on a watercraft just didn't float my boat.

gecko46's picture

gecko46

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Considering that Life of Pi is a movie with a deeply spiritual/religious theme, you are missing something worthwhile, MC jae.  It is so much more than you suggest.....but I guess one is entitled to be close-minded.....

You can always rent the movie...

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Dcn. Jae

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gecko46 wrote:

Considering that Life of Pi is a movie with a deeply spiritual/religious theme, you are missing something worthwhile, MC jae.  It is so much more than you suggest.....but I guess one is entitled to be close-minded.....

You can always rent the movie...

 

As I recall gecko, I had heard one or two bad reviews for the film on TV, and from family members, and there was something else playing at the time that I really did want to see.

 

I might watch Life of Pi when it hits the small screen. 

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crazyheart

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Jae, you are the most critical, unhappy, domineering, Tim's employee that I have ever seen. Is it a persona that you use just to wiggle the boat. I am waiting for the day that you say that you won't read the bible anymore because you saw it got some bad reviews. I don't post to you much because when I do you report me to Admin. It makes me leery and I hope everyone else is as well.

Neo's picture

Neo

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I've never once heard a bad review of this movie, Jae must've heard on the 700 Club, if that's still in existence, {wink}.

Dcn. Jae's picture

Dcn. Jae

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crazyheart wrote:
Jae, you are the most critical, unhappy, domineering, Tim's employee that I have ever seen.

 

Well that's good. It means the other Tim's employees are all less critical and domineering, and more happy. You must have good Tims in your area. Props to them.

 

crazyheart wrote:
Is it a persona that you use just to wiggle the boat.

 

An ENTP, I do tend to be a contrarian. I would say that I have a more difficult persona to deal with here at wondercafe than generally at other places online and certainly than in real life.

 

crazyheart wrote:
I am waiting for the day that you say that you won't read the bible anymore because you saw it got some bad reviews. I don't post to you much because when I do you report me to Admin. It makes me leery and I hope everyone else is as well.

 

If I read something that I think is offensive from anyone I can choose to file a report. You have that same ability, as does every other poster.

 

Rich blessings.

not4prophet's picture

not4prophet

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MC jae wrote:

not4prophet wrote:

MC jae wrote:

Never saw it. Just not my particular cup of tea.

 

How would you know?

Well, I've lived some 49 years. During that time I've developed particular tastes in such things as movies, books, TV, etc.

 

But if you don't taste something then how would you know the flavour? Did Jesus teach to make asumptions and cast judgement?

Dcn. Jae's picture

Dcn. Jae

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not4prophet wrote:

MC jae wrote:

not4prophet wrote:

MC jae wrote:

Never saw it. Just not my particular cup of tea.

 

How would you know?

Well, I've lived some 49 years. During that time I've developed particular tastes in such things as movies, books, TV, etc.

 

But if you don't taste something then how would you know the flavour? Did Jesus teach to make asumptions and cast judgement?

 

But I had the taste... TV movie reviews, advice from family, rottentomatoes.com, TV ads. It's not necessary to eat the whole dish to know the taste. Look at Masterchef where they each just take a single spoonful or forkful to judge what's before them. 

not4prophet's picture

not4prophet

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The whole point was the animals made the story of his struggle to understand more interesting and was a definite knock against religion that does likewise and likes to embellish the Gospel instead of letting Jesus speak for Himself. Yet most people would find that too boring as in the movie if people had not been represented as animals but themselves.

uccprogressive's picture

uccprogressive

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MCjae is entitled to his desire to see or not see any movie he chooses.  The slander against his character for choosing to not see "Pi" reflects very poorly on his critics.  In fact, if MCjae has no interest in any movies whatsoever, that is his business.  That said, I've seen promos for "Pi' and want to see it myself.  Can someone explain to me why its spiritual message is so controversial?  As movie buffs know, C. S. Lewis's fictional "Chonicles of Narnia" books have been made into very successful movies and are rich with spiritual nuance.  Of course, one can always quibble at specific nuances, but no one, to my knowledge. has offered that as a reason not to seek entertainment from this movie series.  So why is "Pi" controversial?  

not4prophet's picture

not4prophet

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Do people that live in a controlled environment fear they might like something presented that smacks of freedom of thought? How did those (few) who truly were born again ever see beyond the walls of humanity if they did not first stop listening the the world as their master? Building walls around the spirit defeats the entire purpose of the freedom initially gained.

gecko46's picture

gecko46

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Perhaps the problem with the movie is that it is too challenging for some people who prefer mindless entertainment.

 

In 2010 Barack Obama wrote a letter directly to Martel, describing Life of Pi as "an elegant proof of God, and the power of storytelling".

Brian Bethune of Maclean's describes Life of Pi as "[a] head-scratching combination of dense religious allegory, zoological lore and enthralling adventure tale, written with warmth and grace". Master Plots suggested the "[c]entral themes of Life of Pi concern religion and human faith in God".

Source:  Wikipedia

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Dcn. Jae

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gecko46 wrote:

Perhaps the problem with the movie is that it is too challenging for some people who prefer mindless entertainment.

 

In 2010 Barack Obama wrote a letter directly to Martel, describing Life of Pi as "an elegant proof of God, and the power of storytelling".

Brian Bethune of Maclean's describes Life of Pi as "[a] head-scratching combination of dense religious allegory, zoological lore and enthralling adventure tale, written with warmth and grace". Master Plots suggested the "[c]entral themes of Life of Pi concern religion and human faith in God".

Source:  Wikipedia

I'm happy that President Obama and Mr. Belthune enjoyed it.

 

Meanwhile, Dana Stevens of Slate wrote, ""The movie’s energy peters out in a series of book-club conversations about divine will, the power of storytelling, and the resilience of the human spirit. The ending’s pious dullness is enough to make you wish you were back on that lifeboat, where the most pressing questions weren’t spiritual but gastronomic: What’s on the menu for lunchand what can I do to make sure it isn’t me?"

 

Jeremy Lebens of We Got this Covered wrote, ""Pi’s ability to pick up and drop any and all religions without any sort of emotional fallback is troubling, almost laughing at the idea of religion entirely. Setting aside Pi’s religious beliefs and simply looking at it as a story of bravery between a boy and a tiger doesn’t work much either, because of the film’s ending, which without being spoiled can only be described as an implied cop out, plus the splitting of the two characters feels rather sudden and weak."

 

And Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian wrote, ""The effects are stunning.... But for the film itself, despite some lovely images and those eyepopping effects, it is a shallow and self-important shaggy-dog story – or shaggy-tiger story – and I am bemused by the saucer-eyed critical responses it's been getting."

 

So, as with all films, to each their own.

gecko46's picture

gecko46

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I rest my case.....cheeky

WaterBuoy's picture

WaterBuoy

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 Are there other books and movies out there with irrational themes ... like Pi is a ratio in an Circe of grand encompassment? Gotta embrace it ... it is sad that other's arn't taught the deeper things of life without accepting from mortal gods that deep things are the devil ... a penetrating aspect of God? When in a hard palce some will get left behind on the surface ...

 

Now if you looked down here from space? Would things look really upset ... reversal of opts? Like "X" and the Camel's Eis ... archtype of light with a veil for all the dust whipped up by emotional storms? Lack of the ration nale ... that sensation bubbling up like wadis of Babylon ... Hiawaðas ... Hiawathas in another direct translation ... can you imagine the depth of such connection on the other side of the earth (mire)?

 

Like I said in another string on Anna Karenina; if you didn't grasp the metaphysical side to the original story of cynacism to the greater earthy powers ... you just wouldn't get it any more profoundly!

 

Is it too bad that some people are determinate about superficial views ... no depth to anything and yet they believe as Peter's that we should follow them in principle without a'Q Lue, or a lou ... that Sous-La ... understanding dimension ... inner process of down the tubes! If you can't conceive of fathoms, don't go there and shut up about what you don't know ... like most of us it amounts to nothing relating to infinite or vast visions ... then there are wee exceptions ... have reverence for the wee depths ... like trolls under the span? Might be a fairy tale but why would it be said that ghoulish way? Deep huh that power thats grabs yuh ... sucking yah right in eventually! Have patience if you begin to think yule be had too ... stoking up the emissions ...

 

Doesn't the book say we should shine ... some take this as a dull term ... shallow!

Dcn. Jae's picture

Dcn. Jae

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gecko46 wrote:

I rest my case.....cheeky

 

As do I. Let's go get a coffee. I'm buying.

waterfall's picture

waterfall

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not4prophet wrote:

The whole point was the animals made the story of his struggle to understand more interesting and was a definite knock against religion that does likewise and likes to embellish the Gospel instead of letting Jesus speak for Himself. Yet most people would find that too boring as in the movie if people had not been represented as animals but themselves.

 

Or it could be suggested that there was cannibilalism involved in order to survive and the animal story was an attempt to justify or accept it. In that case the tiger would have been Pi.

 

Anybody else see it that way?

Kimmio's picture

Kimmio

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No. I didn't get that from it- but the tiger's fierceness does tie into what happened on the boat before Pi escaped to the lifeboat. Without spoiling too much for those who haven't seen it.

uccprogressive's picture

uccprogressive

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What is pathetic here are the character slurs lobbed at religious conservatives here who aren't interested in the movie.  Those sam critics would howl with righteous indignation if others impugned their own spiritual movie tastes as too shallow.  As for me, I feel overdosed on predictable formulaic movies and would love to see "PI," despite its flaws.

Dcn. Jae's picture

Dcn. Jae

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uccprogressive wrote:

MCjae is entitled to his desire to see or not see any movie he chooses.  The slander against his character for choosing to not see "Pi" reflects very poorly on his critics.  In fact, if MCjae has no interest in any movies whatsoever, that is his business. 

 

Thank you for your support uccprogressive.

 

 

dreamerman's picture

dreamerman

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uccprogressive wrote:

What is pathetic here are the character slurs lobbed at religious conservatives here who aren't interested in the movie.  Those sam critics would howl with righteous indignation if others impugned their own spiritual movie tastes as too shallow.  As for me, I feel overdosed on predictable formulaic movies and would love to see "PI," despite its flaws.

  What character slurs are you referring to berserk?  I have yet to see someone attack ones character as well as you can on WC but by all means enlighten us. You are right by saying Mc jae is entitled to watch whatever pleases him. On the other hand why don't you offer others the same amount of respect when they refuse to read the material you think they should read?

Rev. Steven Davis's picture

Rev. Steven Davis

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I have to agree that the attacks on MCJae for not wanting to see "Life of Pi" are ridiculous. I haven't seen "Life of Pi" either, although I have read the book. The movie, for whatever reason, just isn't on my personal "to see" list. But as I glance at the IMDB's top 250 rated movies, I note a lot of titles I know little about but don't want to see, even though their reviews are quite good.

 

There are many reasons that MCJae or anyone else can be criticized. Many of them are valid. Criticizing (and some of what's been written here sounds less like criticism and more like personal attack) someone for their choice of what movies to see or not see is a patently absurd one. So, if you don't like MCJae and feel the need to criticize him, criticize him for legitimate reasons, not for his taste in movies.

 

And Life of Pi has certainly received bad reviews. 

WaterBuoy's picture

WaterBuoy

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"In that case the tiger would have been Pi.

 

Anybody else see it that way?"

 

It is said that we are what we consume ... but that might only be the mental case/tens' ... about what you learn from what you experience in your own sight (the lighter side) being that some see what they previously leaned towards by former priming! leads to a' priori thinking in a stateof love ... that's very confusing ... and shouldn't be taken literally until things cool! Is today's realm emotional to the larger degree? Without room for thought, without a doubt in the outside view of thinking ... sort of like OBI or out-of-the-box ... Outlier's realm? In some myths they are known as hill, or isle peoples! Dialex's change ...

 

Slurs? Are not slurs the norm in modern convention of succeeding at all costs ... unless you're playing the fool so the happy phoqah won't know you thinking differently (that's a sin, like beyond present mental laws). Then did Jah Zues play beyond the bo'ques of judai'n roué? That was a powerful law in word of the time that was tri bunaL ... a 3-þ'un Ur to keep you in a state of disambigualtion ... or otherwise not knowing this form of chaos ... word! If one slur deserves not another then what goes up does not come down? Thro's the convention of Ascension and pennecost out the window in the light of Christ having taken flight too ...

 

Then is there something in the bible about a concept of God encompassing all? Perhaps the conception is altered over time as the soul matures! Now there is a moving thought ... non stoic contemplation of all-that-is? It is unlike coonservative romanticism that likes things as they are ... not as they were for Caesars fell ... and they were god(s) at the time! Did they fall into god(s) contemptable region? isn't that sublime spirit ... what was once know as subtle satyr ... a literary (notliteral) device!

 

Is this a complex function of brain organs? HG ... speak up about what you don't understand on complexity, irrationality, indeterminacy and abstract thinking ... that beyond the rule of innoccence on the part of authority regarding satire, sadyr and Seder ... the latter being a type of soulful fêtè ... not feet or fetish but a mental function ... disallowed in religious rigidity! Contrary to blankness as in Casa Blanca ... thoughts are dark to the god(s) bunch ... never seen coming until it's over ... like aL, eL, aÐ anything upstanding like Peter Principle is just a thorn in the side! In quantum terms the side is not defined as up, down or other wize!

 

It can however include mental projection as well as a type of white humour ... that which grows a new soul where part of one was displaced ... in an act of God. You can't get insurance on such acts ... they are very fickle about this!

Jobam's picture

Jobam

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Tried the book - three chapters - couldn't get into it....Loved the movie!!!!!  Highly recommend it....visually stunning.....

WaterBuoy's picture

WaterBuoy

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The book requires imagination or mental interactivity ... this is very suppressed in many people to to oppressive ideals of the past times.

 

We just can't get beyond the individualized sense of a greater integration ... cosmological gathering 4'sis ... as peculiar mental cysturn? Put meis beyond corporeal understanding of myth ... they just don't see the use of mental facilities! Thus like the fig they wither ... diminish? Stupid has it as stoop 'd they be ... like the Hebrew "lamedh" or is that lame in another phonetic ... like Ahab?

 

If Ahab is an upstanding passion without clues ... proceed ... the coreollis effect is approached ... worm hole in wadis? Is that a flush or a blush over what's been had?

WaterBuoy's picture

WaterBuoy

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Love just was and not much thought about ...

 

can give a person a start ... an initiation of thought? Some don't believe this to be an equal playing field ... thus the romantic conservative will burn books with brutus fashion ...

 

Wee cool devils thrive in the heat ... gives rise to opposition that if thedesires are not cautious ... they could Luce IT! Thus leading to much misunderstanding of alien word ...

 

Is that a good locator or some sectant sentience ... like knowing where you've bin is divine place to retreat? Gives rise to the term recessive Jinn ... sort of like the dry English Humour ... a spiritual expression?

lastpointe's picture

lastpointe

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I really enjoyed the book years ago when it was published. Jae you might like to tackle reading it on the subway to class. It is a very interesting story and once you read it there are several on line book review/discussion groups about the spiritual aspects of the book.

Personally I like the animal story and believed that was the factual story with the people story told to keep the investigators happy.

Generally I don't like movies from books. I usually find that too much is lost in the story compression however I thought the production of Pi was great.

gecko46's picture

gecko46

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WaterBuoy wrote:

The book requires imagination or mental interactivity ... this is very suppressed in many people to to oppressive ideals of the past times.

 

We just can't get beyond the individualized sense of a greater integration ... cosmological gathering 4'sis ... as peculiar mental cysturn? Put meis beyond corporeal understanding of myth ... they just don't see the use of mental facilities! Thus like the fig they wither ... diminish? Stupid has it as stoop 'd they be ... like the Hebrew "lamedh" or is that lame in another phonetic ... like Ahab?

 

If Ahab is an upstanding passion without clues ... proceed ... the coreollis effect is approached ... worm hole in wadis? Is that a flush or a blush over what's been had?

 

yesyes

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MikePaterson

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The last, quietly spoken line in the movie about "so it is with god" (or similar… referring to which account is 'true' and which account you 'believe') packs a whole lot of TRUTH about the nature of narrative. Narrative can bring truths forward in ways that reveal meaning and significance… without necessarily being "factual"… and factuality can obscure or destroy deeper truths. 

 

Most of the people I've talked to about the movie kind of missed this point, instead trying to draw duaistic right/wrong, true/false conclusions.

 

The Enlightenment largely destroyed the capacity to extract truth from "story" and, in so many ways, turned "story" into fantasy and noise.

 

For me,the book made this clearer than the movie because a book's more appropriate to the abstraction of the imagery; film's very dominating in its vivid literalism.

 

 

Azdgari's picture

Azdgari

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MikePaterson wrote:

For me,the book made this clearer than the movie because a book's more appropriate to the abstraction of the imagery; film's very dominating in its vivid literalism.

I havn't seen the movie, but I've read the book and this was the impression I got from the idea of making it into a movie, too.  Movies might be able to add something to a story, but they always take something away as well.

WaterBuoy's picture

WaterBuoy

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Movies don't have time for character development ...

 

Like Anna Karenina was a great fantasy as a movie but something else as a tome ...

 

Approaches Walt Disney like ghuols ... swamp masters? Those things with ability to work with uncultivated sol' ...?

 

Tis an earthy essence ... like heavenly fallout? Ferile bottomland of the thinkiing daemon that some blind people fall over because of the faith in knowing not ... a grand innocence like the Miqual Duffus Affair ... classical politic'n?

 

That could be satyr ... but what would I know? HG will tell you what I know ... heis an authority while I'yam not ... just a mire essence like the Essein's ... singular spooks of Ayrian descent ... from what went up?

crazyheart's picture

crazyheart

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Jae, I have not read the book or seen the movie either. We all have different tastes, I agree.

stardust's picture

stardust

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I didn't see it either. I pay for Rogers TV  movies, it will be on the list sometime. Meanwhile I'm cheap....I watch what I can for free on You Tube. There are a whole lot of  pretty good movies on You Tube.

part 1
 

See video

 

 
part 2

 

 

See video

 

 
Flying Fish scene
 

 

Witch's picture

Witch

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MC jae wrote:

gecko46 wrote:

Considering that Life of Pi is a movie with a deeply spiritual/religious theme, you are missing something worthwhile, MC jae.  It is so much more than you suggest.....but I guess one is entitled to be close-minded.....

You can always rent the movie...

 

As I recall gecko, I had heard one or two bad reviews for the film on TV, and from family members, and there was something else playing at the time that I really did want to see.

 

I might watch Life of Pi when it hits the small screen. 

 

In Jae's defense, he hasn't really said anything bad about the movie, only that the genre isn't his thing.

 

I've missed a lot of movies that were probably excellent, just because they didn't interest me. I have limited time and I watch movies I know I'm going to enjoy. There's no hrm in that.

WaterBuoy's picture

WaterBuoy

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What's a mire cat? Dirty puss, a type of weasel! Yo'd be surprized how they consume what's bugged yah ... they are sentient creatures ...

 

What's an Eire born phesh?  A flighty soul in other traditions! Weird what you have to tie together in alien traditions to know anything about all-that-is. Alas many wouldn't go there the curio citii just doesn't strike the overly emotional.

 

How would creation filter this out? In Flew ID fashion of utilitarian sans ... see who understand the myth that is beyond the paradigm as ominous. For who's benefit is such peculiar commentary? Who'd ever want to know that ... only those that transgress into thin Arias ... to learn what others don't know ...

 

I feel a brae'n cramp coming on ...

WaterBuoy's picture

WaterBuoy

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Is an open soul policy beneficial compared to the isolated type?

Dcn. Jae's picture

Dcn. Jae

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Rev. Steven Davis wrote:

I have to agree that the attacks on MCJae for not wanting to see "Life of Pi" are ridiculous.

 

....Criticizing (and some of what's been written here sounds less like criticism and more like personal attack) someone for their choice of what movies to see or not see is a patently absurd one.

 

Thank you Rev. Steven and to others who have defended me here. I agree that criticizing someone on the basis of what movie they happen to like is rather silly.

Neo's picture

Neo

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MikePaterson wrote:

The last, quietly spoken line in the movie about "so it is with god" (or similar… referring to which account is 'true' and which account you 'believe') packs a whole lot of TRUTH about the nature of narrative. Narrative can bring truths forward in ways that reveal meaning and significance… without necessarily being "factual"… and factuality can obscure or destroy deeper truths. 

 

Most of the people I've talked to about the movie kind of missed this point, instead trying to draw duaistic right/wrong, true/false conclusions.

 

The Enlightenment largely destroyed the capacity to extract truth from "story" and, in so many ways, turned "story" into fantasy and noise.

 

For me,the book made this clearer than the movie because a book's more appropriate to the abstraction of the imagery; film's very dominating in its vivid literalism.

 

 


Well said. I didn't give this much thought, but I can definitely see your point here. Narrative can change the meaning of a story, depending where the narrator wants to take you.


Thank God for Johannes Gutenberg, since before him so much of our history came through narrative.

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airclean33

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hi waterbuoy

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