Year in Movies: 2016 edition

[Isis]

3 hours ago, briantw said:

Yeah, but the problem is that it just wasn't a very satisfying movie.  You can get exactly what the director was trying to do and still think it was boring, and that's how I felt about Nocturnal Animals.  The movie just ultimately didn't amount to anything.  The premise was interesting, and it seemed like it was building to something fun, but then it just didn't.

The premise is that a vapid, art gallery owner had a previous relationship with an artist and treated him badly because ultimately she had quite different priorities to him. She then feels a bit bad about it, while still not quite getting it. Even when she reads the script and feels bad, she still thinks hey, we can fix this...

After I saw it I felt like it was missing something...like I was expecting something more. But then I kept thinking about it for a couple of days and I talked to other people who'd seen it and I came to appreciate it a little more, once I joined the dots. It all makes sense once you connect the trajectory of Adams's character, who she was to start with, who she thinks she is, who she actually is... The more I think about it the better i like the film. 

I think maybe some people are expecting there to be more ACTION, or some sort or twist, because of the subplot of the script but that's not directly what the film is about. 

My main criticism is that I wish the leads had been given a little more weighty stuff to work with, as I know they can both handle it. 

[red snow]

7 hours ago, Channel4s-JonSnow said:

I'm sure there is some artistic merit to making a movie as empty and superficial as its main character but that doesn't mean people are going to enjoy it 

That was a layer of the film I enjoyed. Adam's character was so self-obessed

that at no point in reading the manuscript did she think "oh, this is about our relationship" but actually thought "maybe I should hook back up with him"

I agree with Isis in that it's a film that improves with consideration - I've yet to watch it again. I watched Moonlight yesterday and I think it's similar in that there's a lot left unsaid and it sort of makes you work to appreciate it eg

the drug dealer and his wife's story is essentially left out after act I but their impact on Chiron's life and choices are still evident - they just don't tell you except for odd things like Chiron has become his adopted father in career, life-style and even appearance

I also thought Nocturnal Animals has one of the most chilling chase sequences (and following 10 minutes) I've seen. Incredibly tense. And a great performance from Michael Shannon.