DecoReturns
Member
Probably referring to his original movies.
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Dunkirk |OT| You can practically see it from here...home.
- Thread starter WadiumArcadium
- Start date
Just saw it. Easily one of the most intense films I've ever seen, the use of music was perfect. I don't really agree with the people negatively comparing this to the scene in Atonement. Don't get me wrong, I think the Atonement scene is amazing, but it tries to do a completely different thing than Dunkirk. Where Atonement shows the bigger picture, Dunkirk is very much about these tiny personal stories in this one event.
Though I do agree that the few overhead shots of the beach it had, could've used a little more people in it.
No one is celebrating what happened at Dunkirk. It was a very bleak and terrible situation for everyone involved. They were literally boxed in by the enemy, the only thing sending more troops would've done is make the supplies even scarcer and increase the amount of targets for the Germans. Real life is no video game, the answer to situations like this isn't 'send more troops/guns'. If anything, the allies were very lucky the Germans decided to stop attacking the allies for three days making the evacuation even possible.
Though I do agree that the few overhead shots of the beach it had, could've used a little more people in it.
No one is celebrating what happened at Dunkirk. It was a very bleak and terrible situation for everyone involved. They were literally boxed in by the enemy, the only thing sending more troops would've done is make the supplies even scarcer and increase the amount of targets for the Germans. Real life is no video game, the answer to situations like this isn't 'send more troops/guns'. If anything, the allies were very lucky the Germans decided to stop attacking the allies for three days making the evacuation even possible.
Vault Dweller 111
Member
Oh god, I'm so dumb. Glad I didn't add the never adapted anything point... okay well he made an extremely good, extremely successful super hero trilogy so he could forever have a blank check to make his weird awesome movies.
The Germans fought extremely hard to finish them off. They couldn't manage to do so because the British and French troops fought just as hard to make the evacuation possible. I'd imagine that someone who watched a film about Dunkirk would know this.
There is the famous 'Halt Order' though that caused the Germans to stop advancing on the pocket for three days, allowing the British to coordinate the evacuation. If they hadn't stopped, they would've probably overrun the allied forces.
Gunslinger
Member
So rolling Stone saying that this may be the greatest war movie ever made. I think that's just silly. It's not even on the same level as saving Private Ryan, Apocalypse now, Platoon, Deer Hunter etc. It's a good movie but best war movie ever? Let's not get carried away.
http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/reviews/peter-travers-dunkirk-may-be-greatest-war-film-ever-w492668
http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/reviews/peter-travers-dunkirk-may-be-greatest-war-film-ever-w492668
Manny Calavera
Member
Nolan is one of my favorite current directors and my expectations are usually through the roof but I was bit doubtful towards Dunkirk especially before the reviews but ended up absolutely loving it. Dunkirk was an intense, suspenseful and epic experience with some stunning cinematography and ominous score by Hans Zimmer that grabs hold and never lets go.
The pacing was excellent and most of the drama and the lack of dialogue felt natural. In many ways an unique war movie that often plays out like a thriller and actually remains partly of Hitchcock thriller where the build up is everything. Of course Dunkirk is also full of complicated and impressive action sequences that feel scary and authentic. This level of authenticity remains me of Lawrence of Arabia and that is a rare compliment these days. Can't wait to get the 4k Blu-ray as soon as it comes out. Have to see this for the second time before the final ratings, but at the moment this is one of my favorite movies of the decade and might end up as my third favorite Nolan movie.
9 or 10 / 10
I guess this is how I'd rank Nolan movies at the moment:
1. Memento - 10
2. The Dark Knight - 10
3. Dunkirk - 9
4. Inception - 9
5. The Dark Knight Rises - 9
6. Batman Begins - 9
7. The Prestige - 8
8. Interstellar - 8
9. Insomnia - 8
10. Following - 7
Even with their faults all are at least close of being a great movies in my opinion.
The pacing was excellent and most of the drama and the lack of dialogue felt natural. In many ways an unique war movie that often plays out like a thriller and actually remains partly of Hitchcock thriller where the build up is everything. Of course Dunkirk is also full of complicated and impressive action sequences that feel scary and authentic. This level of authenticity remains me of Lawrence of Arabia and that is a rare compliment these days. Can't wait to get the 4k Blu-ray as soon as it comes out. Have to see this for the second time before the final ratings, but at the moment this is one of my favorite movies of the decade and might end up as my third favorite Nolan movie.
9 or 10 / 10
I guess this is how I'd rank Nolan movies at the moment:
1. Memento - 10
2. The Dark Knight - 10
3. Dunkirk - 9
4. Inception - 9
5. The Dark Knight Rises - 9
6. Batman Begins - 9
7. The Prestige - 8
8. Interstellar - 8
9. Insomnia - 8
10. Following - 7
Even with their faults all are at least close of being a great movies in my opinion.
DecoReturns
Member
To be fair They are saying "may be". Different type of War film, so it's easy to see why.
I mean I think Paths of Glory is better personally then the movies you listed, but nobody seems to ever mention it.
(Everyone watch Paths of Glory)
Nice. One question. How many times have you seen The Prestige?
Psychoward
Banned
All of his weird awesome movies came before the trilogy ended though?
Vault Dweller 111
Member
If you think that everybody's making stuff like Interstellar and Dunkirk then please point me in the direction of those people.
There's no "probably" here. The advance panzer divisions were low on fuel, ammunition, and other supplies and they had been separated from their infantry support. The Dunkirk area has terrain that's unsuited for tanks and the defenders still had plenty of heavy weapons. There's only a tiny chance that this unsupported force would have been able to eliminate the Dunkirk pocket, and a much greater chance of getting wiped out instead. It's not really a risk worth taking because the Germans needed those panzer divisions in order to finish off the rest of the Battle of France.
DecoReturns
Member
I wouldn't count Dunkirk. It's a historical piece after all. I'm sure we'll get movies like this in the future from other directors.
Just not in the Nolan style
Vault Dweller 111
Member
Well the story may not have been very unique. But the way it was executed was. And I was a huge fan.
If I haven't seen anything like it before then it's new to me!
SCULLIBUNDO
Banned
Cuaron is making films like Dunkirk. Or to be more specific, Nolan is making a film like Gravity with Dunkirk.
As an aside, I've be relistening to Dario Marianelli's 'Elegy for Dunkirk' from Atonement for the last two days straight and trying not to cry. What a magnificent piece.
As an aside, I've be relistening to Dario Marianelli's 'Elegy for Dunkirk' from Atonement for the last two days straight and trying not to cry. What a magnificent piece.
Manny Calavera
Member
I think around 4 times, used to give it 9 and rank it higher but for some reason the last time I saw it ended up ranking it a bit lower. It certainly is unique Nolan film and has a very strong cast, clever script with some great twists and it's full of atmosphere and the ending gets me every time, but maybe it's one of those I don't feel like watching that often. Who knows might end up loving it more again the next time.
paperboywriter
Member
Find it lame the title isn't Dünkirchen here in Germany.
SCULLIBUNDO
Banned
The Prestige is far and away my favourite Nolan film. It feels like Nolan's most personal and emotional film.
Vault Dweller 111
Member
I was not a fan of Gravity at all. And I have no idea why.
Maybe I should rewatch it...
Manny Calavera
Member
At least his most personal along with Memento and I think The Prestige is a movie without a false note. I think Interstellar and Rises are probably his most flawed films with some major issues but in both cases in my opinion the positive outweigh the negative. But I can see why many people love The Prestige and it does many things right and you feel Nolan was in full control of that movie.
Nice. I think 4 times is more than enough, right? I have seen it twice so far in 2007 and 2011. The atmosphere is brilliant, indeed. That's what I like about The Prestige and Memento so much. It's almost impossible to only watch them once.
jack_package_200
Banned
Agreed. What makes The Prestige work is that everything about it just works. Nolan's abilities were not outstripped by his ambition like Interstellar. All of the flashbacks and timelines work perfectly.
IMO The Dark Knight Rises was his least ambitious film. I get the feeling his heart wasn't in it.
SCULLIBUNDO
Banned
What makes The Prestige work is that the themes Nolan deals with in that film feel very honest and close to his heart. If you replace the surface-level substitute of a magician with a filmmaker, you begin to understand why the themes of that film work so well in Nolan's hands.
DecoReturns
Member
The Prestige is one of those films you just have to watch again to catch all the little clues you missed the firs time around.
"We should've told Fallon!"
"We should've told Fallon!"
shockthrill
Banned
The Prestige was a good movie, but Nolan of course bought into the "myth of Tesla" which I didn't really admire
Tesla was a good electrical engineer but pop culture has raised him up to be this super genius, which he never really was. That somehow he cracked the code for free electricity and created all these science fiction machines that the government locked away when he died
He was a clever man, but he was no Einstein or Newton
Tesla was a good electrical engineer but pop culture has raised him up to be this super genius, which he never really was. That somehow he cracked the code for free electricity and created all these science fiction machines that the government locked away when he died
He was a clever man, but he was no Einstein or Newton
Psychoward
Banned
The Prestige is a science fiction movie. Partially at least.
Anyway yeah, I think the timelines coming together near the end of Dunkirk was cool, but imo it was done much better in one of his own movies with Inception and the different layers of the dream.
DecoReturns
Member
The Prestige is based off a novel. Think the writer mentioned he loved Nolan's adaptation, so maybe he was being true to the novel.
SCULLIBUNDO
Banned
I've not read the novel, but apparently it's not very good and it's an example of the film vastly surpassing the source material.
shockthrill
Banned
that's fair, and your right that it's based off a novel
I'm just tired of pop culture's obsession with Tesla, the way they praise him does a disservice to how he would of wanted to be seen
Pankratous
Member
Did the Germans really print fliers saying "We surround you"?
Guerrillas in the Mist
Member
Dropping propaganda leaflets from aircraft in WW2 was a pretty common occurrence, I believe.
pelicansurf
Needs a Holiday on Gallifrey
The Prestige is definitely the best, if not my favorite Nolan film. It's what made deeply respect any film he was involved in after that.
boneyjangles
Member
I'd go something like this...
1. Memento - 10
2. The Prestige - 9
2. Interstellar - 9
4. Batman Begins - 9
5. The Dark Knight - 8
5. The Dark Knight Rises - 8
7. Dunkirk - 7
8. Inception - 6
1. Memento - 10
2. The Prestige - 9
2. Interstellar - 9
4. Batman Begins - 9
5. The Dark Knight - 8
5. The Dark Knight Rises - 8
7. Dunkirk - 7
8. Inception - 6
DecoReturns
Member
Impressive. Usually it's the other way around.
Nolan's seems to be pretty good at this actually. Memento was based off a short story from his brother and made it into a great film (never read the short story tho).
I think it's time he goes back to this small scale projects. I missed these, even if I did enjoy Dunkirk and Inception. Interstellar to an extent as well
Edit: Nolan should really work with Hugh Jackman again, he was great in The Prestige.
boneyjangles
Member
1) It's based on a book, Nolan didn't buy into anything.
2) Pop culture didn't so much raise him up, he always had that aura/intrigue/mystery about him, even at the time. Pop culture just built on it. No need to rain on this parade, he's literally the perfect cultural figure to be used in this type of Science Fiction drama.
Yes. The movie leaflet is very close to the real one. The print quality on the real one was nowhere near as good though.
BassForever
Member
Drove 90 minutes to see in 70mm imax in an aquarium. Can't wait for it to start.
V
Vilix
Unconfirmed Member
No. The Germans didn't take Dunkirk because of the halt order which lasted for three days. This gave the British and some French enough time to evacuate.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Dunkirk
Absurd. It's a good movie. But it's not even close to as good as Private Ryan or The Thin Red Line.
Even if we read that as the reality on the ground it doesn't pan out. May 24 + 3 days does not mean that the Allies hold out until June 4. And then there's this:
Connecticut?
FutureLarking
Member
Downfall is also a vastly superior war film to Dunkirk.
70mm IMAX, pretty good experience. Really enjoyed the sense of scale with the format. The beach, ocean and sky all felt huge and desolate. Some dope shots with the extra height--loved the one with the soldiers on the bridge/mole seen from above taking up the whole frame with the characters at the bottom looking up to see planes (out of frame); or the first round of bombings with explosions advancing from top to bottom.
V
Vilix
Unconfirmed Member
I thought Dunkirk was a bit dry. Not for the lack of blood or guts. I can't put my finger on it. It didn't have intensity IMO.
BassForever
Member
Yeah, only theater showing it, drove all the way from East Haddam
Ikr, few days ago I found this commentary and got my mind blown all over again on how he points out
which of the brother is Borden and which is Fallon
Yeah this meta layer of The Prestige really elevates it to Nolan's best for me.
On that topic, Inception is also about the filmmaking process, but it's a bit more muddled with all the heist stuff happening around it.
lastplayed
Member
"Your troops are entirely surrounded... Sad!"
ClivePwned
Member
I saw this last night and really enjoyed it. It's not perfect (the guys hiding in the hull particularly) and it doesn't really tell much of a story rather a few vignettes of different groups of characters.Lack of gore didn't bother me, it was harrowing enough.
Apart from the civilian kid on the boat, the acting was very good. Maybe Kenneth Branagh's Admiral Sir John Historical-Context was a bit much at the end (but to be fair, that was often Ron Livingston's job when he showed up at the start and end of each ep of Band of Brothers). Hardy's role was a small part but he still had more dialogue than all of Mad Max Fury Road. There are no small parts, only small actors.
Saw it in a not-quite-imax (curved screen but not full height) that just opened in Cambridge UK had amazing sound despite it being a Nolan film.
So loud! Great!
Apart from the civilian kid on the boat, the acting was very good. Maybe Kenneth Branagh's Admiral Sir John Historical-Context was a bit much at the end (but to be fair, that was often Ron Livingston's job when he showed up at the start and end of each ep of Band of Brothers). Hardy's role was a small part but he still had more dialogue than all of Mad Max Fury Road. There are no small parts, only small actors.
Saw it in a not-quite-imax (curved screen but not full height) that just opened in Cambridge UK had amazing sound despite it being a Nolan film.
So loud! Great!
Film went all Lord of the Flies in that moment. Loved it.