Watch, Watched, Watching: Looking for the Light

[Heartofice]

8 minutes ago, Deadlines? What Deadlines? said:

I'm reminded of Ran's pal who, in a pretty scathing review of All Quiet on the Western Front, vents a fair bit of spleen at that the film for having too much of a "Zack Snyder" aesthetic sensibility. Now we have Snyder comparisons being invoked to Bash Elvis. 

These films have 24 BAFTA and 13 Oscar nominations between them. 

Carry on, bitches. 

I notice Baz didn’t get a directing Oscar or BAFTA nom.. hmmmmmm

[Ran]

Having just finished watching All Quiet on the Western Front, I can see the issues with it that someone might have -- I don't think cutting away the story from that of Paul and his comrades to show Erzberger trying to get the armistice really works, and certainly there's an unreality to some of its depiction of the conflict. It's a lesser movie than its two American predecessors, to a degree. And there are actually quite a few changes from Remarque's novel which I was surprised by -- one or two I could see as compression, but others seemed to be almost at a whim.

It's very empathetically acted, though, -- I particular took to Albrecht Schuch's Kat -- and the cinematography is handsome (though the lingering shots of flares lighting up the night surely owes a  lot to Roger Deakins's work on 1917). I am a bit surprised, in retrospect, that it grabbed quite so many nominations without a campaign, but on a technical level it's not undeserving, and there's a definite resonance of that story to what's going on in Europe right now with the Ukraine-Russia war.

[williamjm]

I saw M3gan. I thought it was a more interesting film than the trailer made it appear. It does use a few horror tropes, but it shows a bit more restraint with the horror elements than I thought it might. Big Tech is quite an easy target for satire but there was something very plausible about the corporate unwillingness to think of potential risks. I thought Alison Williams and Violet McGraw did well in the two main (human) roles and although Gemma is clearly hopelessly out of her depth the film does make it clear that she is trying to take care of Cady even if she's not quite sure how.

[Deadlines? What Deadlines?]

24 minutes ago, Heartofice said:

I notice Baz didn’t get a directing Oscar or BAFTA nom.. hmmmmmm

Neither did James Cameron... except in my heart. 

p.s. if anyone can find a 2023 best director shortlist, I bet you Baz Luhrmann is on it. He made an incredible film. 

[Deadlines? What Deadlines?]

The Fabelmans

Wow, I really liked this movie. Much more than I was expecting. Probably one of Spielberg's better films. Clearly a very personal film.

The casting is perfect. great performances. Seth Rogan is almost unrecognizable. 

Spielberg shot it on film and I think it looks gorgeous. Movies that are shot digitally can still look great. I don't know what it is but there's something about movies that are shot on film. 

It featured one of the more interesting sight gag / 4th wall breaks I've ever seen if film. 

Spoiler

Now remember this! When the horizon's at the top, it's interesting. When the horizon's at the bottom, it's interesting. When the horizon's in the middle, it's boring as shit! Now, good luck to you. And get the fuck out of my office!!!

Something tells me that's an actual quote. Classic.

[IlyaP]

On 1/25/2023 at 9:43 PM, RumHam said:

I will always root for Amy Acker. 

[in my defense that's exactly the kind of sub-par dialogue she would have made sing.] 

*spits drink in Australian slang*

 

[Iskaral Pust]

Vengeance was pretty good on Amazon Prime, for an impulse watch with zero expectations other than BJ Novak.

[Deadlines? What Deadlines?]

Tár

Fantastic film. A few minutes in I was asking myself, "What the hell am I watching?" The classroom scene, which has been the topic of some discussion, seemed a bit far fetched to me. Maybe it was a commentary on social media culture, I don't know. I could see that attitude from some rando on the internet but not that guy in that room. He wouldn't even be there if he thought like that. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe it was a setup.

This turned out to be absolutely amazing. It was a slow burn but it never failed to hold my attention. It didn't end the way I thought it would. I need to see it again. Cate Blanchett will be taking home some hardware I think. 

Martin Scorsese:

Quote

For so long now, so many of us see films that pretty much let us know where they're going... I mean, they take us by the hand and, even if it's disturbing at times, sort of comfort us along the way that it will be all okay by the end. Now this is insidious, as one can get lulled into this and ultimately get used to it, leading those of us who've experienced cinema in the past – as much more than that – to become despairing of the future of the art form, especially for younger generations. But that's on dark days. The clouds lifted when I experienced Todd's film, Tár. What you've done, Todd – is that the very fabric of the movie you created doesn't allow this. All the aspects of cinema and the film that you've used, attest to this. The shift in locations for example, the shift in locations alone do what cinema does best, which is to reduce space and time to what they are, which is nothing...

All of this is conveyed through a masterful mise-en-scène, as controlled, precise, dangerous, precipitous angles and edges geometrically kind of chiseled into a wonderful 2:3:5 aspect ratio of frame compositions. The limits of the frame itself, and the provocation of measured long takes all reflecting the brutal architecture of her soul – Tár's soul.

Yup.

That last bit; this is a film that's 90% people talking in rooms and the cinematography is amazing; without being gimmicky or over-styled. Field learned a thing or two watching Kubrick on Eyes Wide Shut I think.

[Ran]

In The Bedroom is such a brilliant film. It's almost criminal that he's only made  three films in 21 years, but Field has had the bad luck of getting deep into productions that never got off the ground.

More than bloody month before Tár premieres here. Very sad.

[Zorral]

For whatever reasons, it seems Gellar just doesn't know how to pick 'em.  Everything she's tried since Buffy has been awful.

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/jan/27/wolf-pack-review-sarah-michelle-gellar-tv-comeback-is-mind-bendingly-bad

In the meantime, You People, is quite sharp and funny -- and fun, while having content.

[Kalbear]

Poker Face is real promising. Watched the first ep and it's really fun, funny, and full of tension. Very similar turn on whodunits to Rian Johnson's other works too in a way that works weirdly well. Great cast, and Lyonne is not particularly doing anything different other than her Lyonne but that's fine. 

[Deadlines? What Deadlines?]

On 1/26/2023 at 10:36 AM, Spockydog said:

Speaking of great fucking movies, we watched Braveheart last night after haggis for dinner. 

What a movie. I don't care about the historical inaccuracies, Gibson told a fantastic story. The script, the acting, the battle scenes. And that beautiful score. Wow. 

Easy to see why it won Best Picture at the Oscars. 

I saw Braveheart on the big screen back in the day. We went to the pub afterward and drank McEwan's. My friend, who's last name is English as fuck and who's probably 1/32nd Scottish, walked out of the theater with all kinds of good feels. As you said, great movie all around.

My feelings toward it may have soured over the years, mostly because of the historical inaccuracies. But yeah, that was something else.  It can certainly be credited with brief resurgence of sword and sandals movies in the decade after it. No one had ever done battle scenes like that. 

[Deadlines? What Deadlines?]

On 1/26/2023 at 3:02 PM, Heartofice said:

I notice Baz didn’t get a directing Oscar or BAFTA nom.. hmmmmmm

Baz  Luhrmann Best director awards for Elvis:

Critics Choice Awards: Nominated

Golden Globes: Nominated

Hollywood Critics Association: Nominated

AARP Movies for Grownups Awards: Pending (Respect!)

And the much more illustrious Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards, which he won. Australians are of course 10% cooler than anyone else.

He'll also get an AFI 10 best of 2022 award. 

[RumHam]

I rewatched The Night Of which is still great. Bill Camp should be in more things. 

Spoiler

That said the ending with the real killer and detective Box feels so manufactured. I loved it the first time but I can see why it can come off as "copaganda" / "see, there are some cops who care about the truth!" 

I actually wonder if the original intention was for a less sympathetic version of Box to explain to the killer that he'd get away with it. If they couldn't convict the brown kid with the knife in his pocket they were never going to convict him for it. 

 

[Argonath Diver]

Braveheart was released when I was 14. I didn't see it in the theaters, but my buddies and I of course got the VHS and watched it a bunch. I was generally sheltered from violent movies as a kid (but not nudity, my dad was an artist and lived years in Paris and we had a very different viewpoint on mature themes than the standard Midwest American nuclear family).

I remember being teased for turning and wincing during the intense battle violence and especially the final torture scene.  But I also had a colossal crush on Sophie Marceau in that film. I watched it too many times in my late teens and I honestly don't think I've watched it start to finish for twenty years. I should revisit it. I am not as worried about the inaccuracies as some, and damn if it isn't one of the best sword and sandal style epics in the last forty or so years.

[Argonath Diver]

17 minutes ago, Argonath Diver said:

Braveheart was released when I was 14. I didn't see it in the theaters, but my buddies and I of course got the VHS (two tapes!) and watched it a bunch. I was generally sheltered from violent movies as a kid (but not nudity, my dad was an artist and lived years in Paris and we had a very different viewpoint on mature themes than the standard Midwest American nuclear family).

I remember being teased for turning and wincing during the intense battle violence and especially the final torture scene.  But I also had a colossal crush on Sophie Marceau in that film. I watched it too many times in my late teens and I honestly don't think I've watched it start to finish for twenty years. I should revisit it. I am not as worried about the inaccuracies as some, and damn if it isn't one of the best sword and sandal style epics in the last forty or so years.

 

[Kalbear]

Poker Face if anything gets better as it goes on. Lyonne fucking rules, the dialog is stupid good and it has some of the funniest line readings I've heard since Fargo. It's entirely episodic, has virtually no continuity and is fairly formulaic but it is fun and great in an anachronistic way, with absolutely no pretenses that it loves Columbo (down to the font on the credits).

[Nictarion]

Finally watched Brandon Cronenberg’s Possessor. Been meaning to see it for awhile now, and figured with Infinity Pool coming out it was perfect timing. Pretty good. He’s definitely his father’s son when it comes to filmmaking. 

[BigFatCoward]

2 hours ago, RumHam said:

I rewatched The Night Of which is still great. Bill Camp should be in more things. 

  Hide contents

That said the ending with the real killer and detective Box feels so manufactured. I loved it the first time but I can see why it can come off as "copaganda" / "see, there are some cops who care about the truth!" 

I actually wonder if the original intention was for a less sympathetic version of Box to explain to the killer that he'd get away with it. If they couldn't convict the brown kid with the knife in his pocket they were never going to convict him for it. 

 

It was ruined by totally unnecessary scabby feet. 

[Deadlines? What Deadlines?]

1 hour ago, Argonath Diver said:

Braveheart was released when I was 14. I didn't see it in the theaters, but my buddies and I of course got the VHS and watched it a bunch. I was generally sheltered from violent movies as a kid (but not nudity, my dad was an artist and lived years in Paris and we had a very different viewpoint on mature themes than the standard Midwest American nuclear family).

I remember being teased for turning and wincing during the intense battle violence and especially the final torture scene.  But I also had a colossal crush on Sophie Marceau in that film. I watched it too many times in my late teens and I honestly don't think I've watched it start to finish for twenty years. I should revisit it. I am not as worried about the inaccuracies as some, and damn if it isn't one of the best sword and sandal style epics in the last forty or so years.

You weren't the only one, believe me. Like I said, no one had done battle scenes like that before. Gibson was smart to make the torture scene bloodless and let the audiences imagination fill it all in. 

If only he'd shown the same restraint when it came to the torture scene (film) in one of his subsequent films...