Comments on: Finite Focus: Death and the Maiden (The Rules of Attraction) http://www.rowthree.com/2008/02/14/finite-focus-death-and-the-maiden-rules-of-attraction/ Where Cinema is more than just $100 Million productions Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:15:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Kurt Halfyard http://www.rowthree.com/2008/02/14/finite-focus-death-and-the-maiden-rules-of-attraction/#comment-24539 Kurt Halfyard Sat, 14 Feb 2009 14:27:03 +0000 http://www.rowthree.com/2008/02/14/finite-focus-death-and-the-maiden-rules-of-attraction/#comment-24539 Goon. Agreed on that scene, it is fantastic. I also dig the European Vacation in 2 minutes. Damn, I simply love this movie. Goon. Agreed on that scene, it is fantastic. I also dig the European Vacation in 2 minutes. Damn, I simply love this movie.

]]> By: Goon http://www.rowthree.com/2008/02/14/finite-focus-death-and-the-maiden-rules-of-attraction/#comment-24536 Goon Sat, 14 Feb 2009 06:34:56 +0000 http://www.rowthree.com/2008/02/14/finite-focus-death-and-the-maiden-rules-of-attraction/#comment-24536 I love Rules of Attraction, but the signature scene of the movie of the split screen that ends with the conversation and her grabbing his glasses, is such a humongous mistake, because then they combine the two shots into one, and you see she's like 10 feet away or so and her grabbing his sunglasses would be physically impossible unless she's the stretchy dude from Fantastic Four. I love Rules of Attraction, but the signature scene of the movie of the split screen that ends with the conversation and her grabbing his glasses, is such a humongous mistake, because then they combine the two shots into one, and you see she’s like 10 feet away or so and her grabbing his sunglasses would be physically impossible unless she’s the stretchy dude from Fantastic Four.

]]> By: Henrik http://www.rowthree.com/2008/02/14/finite-focus-death-and-the-maiden-rules-of-attraction/#comment-4532 Henrik Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:21:39 +0000 http://www.rowthree.com/2008/02/14/finite-focus-death-and-the-maiden-rules-of-attraction/#comment-4532 I have only read one, because only one of the scenes being described is one that I have previous experience with (the Lord of War title sequence). Since you ask, I didn't think it was deep enough, but I don't really make any demands on something like this, since you do it for free, and I get it for free. I have only read one, because only one of the scenes being described is one that I have previous experience with (the Lord of War title sequence). Since you ask, I didn’t think it was deep enough, but I don’t really make any demands on something like this, since you do it for free, and I get it for free.

]]> By: Rusty James http://www.rowthree.com/2008/02/14/finite-focus-death-and-the-maiden-rules-of-attraction/#comment-4510 Rusty James Sat, 16 Feb 2008 01:10:13 +0000 http://www.rowthree.com/2008/02/14/finite-focus-death-and-the-maiden-rules-of-attraction/#comment-4510 I think Finite Focus is a pretty cool column. So often when people discuss the great scenes of cinema they only talk about the most famous ones. I like your choices because they seem more personal. I think Finite Focus is a pretty cool column. So often when people discuss the great scenes of cinema they only talk about the most famous ones. I like your choices because they seem more personal.

]]> By: Marina Antunes http://www.rowthree.com/2008/02/14/finite-focus-death-and-the-maiden-rules-of-attraction/#comment-4507 Marina Antunes Fri, 15 Feb 2008 23:39:42 +0000 http://www.rowthree.com/2008/02/14/finite-focus-death-and-the-maiden-rules-of-attraction/#comment-4507 I'm with Andrew. Awesome when I've seen the film and when I haven't, it usually prompts me to add them to my queue as well. And I love the fact that the films are all over the board (classics, horror etc). Good job guys! I’m with Andrew. Awesome when I’ve seen the film and when I haven’t, it usually prompts me to add them to my queue as well. And I love the fact that the films are all over the board (classics, horror etc). Good job guys!

]]> By: Andrew James http://www.rowthree.com/2008/02/14/finite-focus-death-and-the-maiden-rules-of-attraction/#comment-4506 Andrew James Fri, 15 Feb 2008 22:17:50 +0000 http://www.rowthree.com/2008/02/14/finite-focus-death-and-the-maiden-rules-of-attraction/#comment-4506 I like them if I've seen the film. Without context and just watching a clip from a movie and your explanation makes me a feel a bit clueless and possibly even spoilerific. Hence very little commentary by me on the last few. Having said that, it does usually encourag me to put the film in <a href="http://rss.netflix.com/QueueRSS?id=P3723372337321115927311813602301263" rel="nofollow">my queue</a>, so all is good with me. I like them if I’ve seen the film. Without context and just watching a clip from a movie and your explanation makes me a feel a bit clueless and possibly even spoilerific.

Hence very little commentary by me on the last few. Having said that, it does usually encourag me to put the film in my queue, so all is good with me.

]]> By: Kurt Halfyard http://www.rowthree.com/2008/02/14/finite-focus-death-and-the-maiden-rules-of-attraction/#comment-4503 Kurt Halfyard Fri, 15 Feb 2008 21:37:46 +0000 http://www.rowthree.com/2008/02/14/finite-focus-death-and-the-maiden-rules-of-attraction/#comment-4503 BTW, this is the 25th Entry into the FINITE FOCUS column. If you'd be so kind as to offer a little feedback on these "micro-articles + Clip" Do you like? Not deep enough? Too Deep? etc. All comments and criticisms welcome. BTW, this is the 25th Entry into the FINITE FOCUS column. If you’d be so kind as to offer a little feedback on these “micro-articles + Clip”

Do you like? Not deep enough? Too Deep? etc. All comments and criticisms welcome.

]]> By: Kurt Halfyard http://www.rowthree.com/2008/02/14/finite-focus-death-and-the-maiden-rules-of-attraction/#comment-4485 Kurt Halfyard Fri, 15 Feb 2008 13:34:47 +0000 http://www.rowthree.com/2008/02/14/finite-focus-death-and-the-maiden-rules-of-attraction/#comment-4485 Rusty. You are correct. The three that are flash-frozen in by brain I mention, but the more I think about this criminally underrated film the more sequences come to mind. I love the Wickerman set-piece, Any time Cliff Curtis is on screen, and so many other moments. It's funny how much I hate Bret Easton Ellis's novels, yet I find the two recent films (American Psycho, The Rules of Attraction) to be so compelling and vibrant. Rusty. You are correct. The three that are flash-frozen in by brain I mention, but the more I think about this criminally underrated film the more sequences come to mind. I love the Wickerman set-piece, Any time Cliff Curtis is on screen, and so many other moments.

It’s funny how much I hate Bret Easton Ellis’s novels, yet I find the two recent films (American Psycho, The Rules of Attraction) to be so compelling and vibrant.

]]> By: Rusty James http://www.rowthree.com/2008/02/14/finite-focus-death-and-the-maiden-rules-of-attraction/#comment-4475 Rusty James Fri, 15 Feb 2008 01:51:02 +0000 http://www.rowthree.com/2008/02/14/finite-focus-death-and-the-maiden-rules-of-attraction/#comment-4475 Three scenes? You forgot... "It's Dick. And yes". It's good to hear you defending this movie. Three scenes? You forgot…

“It’s Dick. And yes”. It’s good to hear you defending this movie.

]]> By: Kurt Halfyard http://www.rowthree.com/2008/02/14/finite-focus-death-and-the-maiden-rules-of-attraction/#comment-4404 Kurt Halfyard Thu, 14 Feb 2008 15:28:08 +0000 http://www.rowthree.com/2008/02/14/finite-focus-death-and-the-maiden-rules-of-attraction/#comment-4404 If you like the 'intro everyone by walking backwards' technique. There is a Belgian movie from 2007 called "Ex Drummer" that also makes glorious use of this device. (a facile description of Ex Drummer (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0812243/ ) would be Trainspotting meets Man Bites Dog) If you like the ‘intro everyone by walking backwards’ technique. There is a Belgian movie from 2007 called “Ex Drummer” that also makes glorious use of this device.

(a facile description of Ex Drummer (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0812243/ ) would be Trainspotting meets Man Bites Dog)

]]> By: Andrew James http://www.rowthree.com/2008/02/14/finite-focus-death-and-the-maiden-rules-of-attraction/#comment-4400 Andrew James Thu, 14 Feb 2008 15:14:31 +0000 http://www.rowthree.com/2008/02/14/finite-focus-death-and-the-maiden-rules-of-attraction/#comment-4400 I've always had a problem with this scene (see Cinecast episode 78). The scene on its own is incredibly well done and is *perfect* for Valentine's Day. With the rest of the movie though, it is a completely different tone and it jerked me out of the movie so hard I ended up not liking the movie as much. Whenever I watch this movie now, I almost always turn it off just before this point. Because the other scenes you mentioned are terrific (see show notes for Cinecast 78 for the other GREAT scene). I also like the Michel Gondry-esque backwards' shot through the party (I think it's near the beginning). I’ve always had a problem with this scene (see Cinecast episode 78). The scene on its own is incredibly well done and is *perfect* for Valentine’s Day.

With the rest of the movie though, it is a completely different tone and it jerked me out of the movie so hard I ended up not liking the movie as much. Whenever I watch this movie now, I almost always turn it off just before this point. Because the other scenes you mentioned are terrific (see show notes for Cinecast 78 for the other GREAT scene).

I also like the Michel Gondry-esque backwards’ shot through the party (I think it’s near the beginning).

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