Sorry to slide off on a tangent here but i was thinking when it comes to Peter Weir, The Way Back, is going to be his first project since Master and Commander 7 years ago. Now I don't know if any of you have been in that kind of situation were you have not worked on any project in a long time, but do you feel filmmaking is the kinda of think were you have to keep doing it in order to keep making good material or is it like riding a bike and that thought process just never really goes away?

The idea of innate talent has been added to my list of "Things I Stopped Believing In As I Got Older," aided in part by reading books like "Talent is Overrated" and "Outliers." I don't think people are born with particular talents. I do, however, think that there are certain traits which, in combination, can create the illusion of "talent." I'm guilty still of using the word "talent" because it's useful shorthand, but I don't mean some kind of congenital ability to frame a shot. That's silly.

The idea of innate talent in creative endeavors implies that some people will simply create things that don't suck without much effort at all. I don't think this is true at all. What I think separates the "talented" artists from the rest is the fact that when they have done something that sucks, they recognize that they've done something that sucks. And the really "talented" ones are the ones who have the metacognitive capacity to recognize why it sucks, and can focus their efforts next time on not doing the thing that made the work suck.

Admittedly this does require, I think, an above-average degree of intelligence, which can't be taught. More importantly, it requires a high degree of honest self-assessment, which is something that can be taught somewhat but depends significantly on the person's temperament.

But the specific skills of filmmaking -- how to frame a shot, how to structure a story, etc. -- are things that not only can but must be taught, as no one is born with this highly-specified, artificial skill.

Once you've learned the skills, I don't think you forget them. When we say people have "lost their touch," I think what's really happened is their capacity for honest self-assessment has been hindered.

It's not necessarily that they have forgotten how to frame a shot or tell a story, it's that they no longer have the capacity (or, perhaps, never did) to see the disconnect between what they're trying to achieve and what they've actually managed to achieve.

I guess I'm splitting hairs, but the pithy version of this is that I don't believe some people are born more talented, but I do believe they're born more competent.

So the real question, regarding the specific example, is: does Peter Weir still know good from bad, and does he still possess enough self-honesty to tell the difference? If so, then I don't think he's forgotten any of the specific skills that filmmaking entails.

Ooh, CTHD. A wu xia movie with every imaginable cliche of the genre. Bamboo forest fight? Check! Tea house fight? Check! Gorgeous girl improbably disguised as a man? Check! Scroll of Awesome Technique? Check!

Still, I suppose if you haven't seen a wu xia film before this wouldn't have all been derivative and cringe-inducing.

CTHD yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!

Well, it does depend on what market the film was aimed at. Here in the west, where most haven't paid much attention to wire-fu films, having all those cliches was a plus and a breath of fresh air. In Asia, though, it may have been the equivalent of a Hollywood by the numbers buddy cop film with a $300 million budget.

I don't mind telling you guys that I'm really nervous about next week's show. Cause my love for "The Fountain" is just … ugh. That movie is up on a pedestal for me. It can do no wrong. I can have a lengthy and serious discussion about all its flaws, but then I'll pop in the DVD and absolutely lose my fucking shit during the very first scene and I'm hooked and I have to watch the whole thing.

My love for that movie is completely irrational. I'm out of my mind.

Oh yeah! Gonna be good! The scene near the end where he gets eaten by the tree, with the music etc, is very spinetingly for me.

I agree! Yeehaw!

And... then depression set in.

I've been here before but haven't posted much.  I've been listening ever since geekza.  enjoy you guy alot! 

so what time is the fountain commentary?  os it live like the independence day one?

Thanks Fig.  Listening to it now.  When do you guys think you'll be doing the live thing again?  Would be cool to be a part of that in a chat room!

For a second, I was like 'they made an Alien 4?' and then I was like 'oh, so they did'.

An earlier script, which cut out all the craptastic Ripley-Newborn stuff, showed what might have been, featuring exciting chases through an hydroponic garden and a climax on Earth.

Still, the question is why? Just why?

I've said it before and I'll say it again: "Alien Resurrection" was a perfectly serviceable first draft of "Firefly."

No Greg, you just insist on datamining and finding commentaries early.

Showoff.