MidnightCowboy
Member
Was the Tony Revolori casting intentional. Like was it supposed to be a misfire, because that's the only way it works. I'm all for subverting bully tropes, and I actually like Tony, but lol
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Movies You've Seen Recently |OT| July 2017
- Thread starter Divius
- Start date
Messofanego
Banned
In This Corner of the World
I've been waiting for this film for so long and it was worth every second. There's a lot that has been done with war films, even from civilian perspectives, about the tragedy of war, the horrors of war, and so on. But you know what? That's really not what this film is about at all. This is a film about the triumph of life, the power of innocence, and the manifestation of creativity and art even when suppressed and suffocated by the realities of the world. It's not a film that dwells on any particular thing, nor does it milk drama for emotional effect. It simply delivers life anecdotes as vignettes in the life of a girl as she becomes a woman - a string of memories to be cherished, viewed in the way memories often are: exaggerated, hazy, incomplete, or larger than life. The direction feels so effortless, the film just breezes by. The joy, the sadness, the hardships, everything is a celebration of what it is to struggle in life and yet find contentment in it. It might not be a message people like to find in escapism, but it's a vital theme in understanding how humanity works.
The art direction and animation style employed is very faithful to the source material, but in full color and animated it has a life of its own. There's a really strong sense of place in the film, which is important because it is very much about what place means to a person. Where you call home, what you are familiar with, who you are familiar with. Where you come from, and how people know you to be a stranger just from the way you speak. All the little details really add up to make this not just a story of Suzu, but of Eba and Kure as well. Most people know Hiroshima as a place which was struck by an Atomic bomb, but probably not many people know much about Hiroshima as a place itself, so it's nice to see effort put into detailing what these places were like, who lived there, and what people did there. In particular the naval arsenal industry that forms the bedrock of Kure is something that casts a dark shadow over the events of the story retrospectively. The characters in the story may be ignorant of what it means to the world at large, but knowing the nature of WW2 and looking back, it's impossible to not see how it would be dragged into the war directly.
What I really respect the narrative for is that it pulls no punches, but it never preaches. It is not a political story, it is not a guilt trip against war, it is not a sob story about how Japan also suffered, it is a tale of a woman's life who happened to live in that place at that time. There is no attempt to shy away from how nationalism is indoctrinated in the populace, or how the lack of great education in that period made many people choose the obvious choices of being domestic wives or working in the military. This is just life for them, and it wasn't something they labored over morally. Looking back, we can judge, and in part that's the point of examining society historically. But the story doesn't, and it any attempt to point the viewer in one direction or another are entirely with regards to characterizations. This is a story of the people and their little world, not the grander scale of what a world war meant.
Compared to stories like Barefoot Gen and Grave of the Fireflies, I much prefer stories like this and The Wind Rises. I'm not interested in tragedy to make a point, I'm interested in stories of how people might have lived, their ambitions, their loves, their loss, and them finding out for themselves in the end what that means for them. I love how the credits end with a special sequence where they thanked and credited every single backer for the original crowdfunding campaign which made the pilot film possible. It breaks my heart that in an industry as commercialized as anime, that no sponsor was willing to fund it without that show of support. Disgraceful!
Completely agreed. One of the best films I've seen this year. I had no idea this needed a crowdfunding campaign. It's on the level of some of the best from Ghibli, easily.
OmegaTreeFish
Banned
First time posting in this thread so a bit of an intro. I don't get to watch as many films these days due to time contstraints but I have always loved watching them. I have never really had favourite directors, actors etc as I like a veriety of things.
Hard to say one particular film as a favourite but I normally think of Pulp Fiction. However I love most tarrentino films as well as many others in different genres. Others that come to mind include Pans Laberinth and Tears of the sun.
I love films that make you think but at the same time I love to turn my brain off and watch a dumb action movie. I saw Kong: Skull Island recently and while I totally get some complaints against it I very much enjoyed it for the monster action. Wasn't really expecting anything more out of it to be honest.
Anyway the film I saw most recently was San Andreas. I am quite happy to sit and watch a disaster movie. I can even enjoy the low budget ones you find on sci fi for example. While I was certainly entertained at times in this film I doubt I will ever watch it again because really I felt it was a bad film. So many coincidences it entered into rediculous territory. All films have a few instances where the improbable happens because thats just movies and you have to suspend your disbelief. But holy crap did this film take that to a new level. Pretty much every 5 minutes was a new one and it just had me rolling my eyes over and over again.
Other niggles included
- The british guy who sounds like no british person i know (I am british)
- The ability to survive without oxygen for an ungodly amount of time. Next level shit in this one.
- The really over done cliche of 'my ex wife got with a rich twat'
- I cant overstate it enough. The amount of totally improbable coincidences.
The film was fast paced enough that I was never bored so thats something it has over serveral other disaster movies that try to add depth to there silly story. I would also like to know if the rock still has a job when the whole thing ended. After all he did abondon his job to fly off and save his family and ignore everyone else around him dying. I mean I don't blame him but I found that kind of ammusing that no one ever tried to contact him while he was on his chopper apparently working lol.
Hard to say one particular film as a favourite but I normally think of Pulp Fiction. However I love most tarrentino films as well as many others in different genres. Others that come to mind include Pans Laberinth and Tears of the sun.
I love films that make you think but at the same time I love to turn my brain off and watch a dumb action movie. I saw Kong: Skull Island recently and while I totally get some complaints against it I very much enjoyed it for the monster action. Wasn't really expecting anything more out of it to be honest.
Anyway the film I saw most recently was San Andreas. I am quite happy to sit and watch a disaster movie. I can even enjoy the low budget ones you find on sci fi for example. While I was certainly entertained at times in this film I doubt I will ever watch it again because really I felt it was a bad film. So many coincidences it entered into rediculous territory. All films have a few instances where the improbable happens because thats just movies and you have to suspend your disbelief. But holy crap did this film take that to a new level. Pretty much every 5 minutes was a new one and it just had me rolling my eyes over and over again.
Other niggles included
- The british guy who sounds like no british person i know (I am british)
- The ability to survive without oxygen for an ungodly amount of time. Next level shit in this one.
- The really over done cliche of 'my ex wife got with a rich twat'
- I cant overstate it enough. The amount of totally improbable coincidences.
The film was fast paced enough that I was never bored so thats something it has over serveral other disaster movies that try to add depth to there silly story. I would also like to know if the rock still has a job when the whole thing ended. After all he did abondon his job to fly off and save his family and ignore everyone else around him dying. I mean I don't blame him but I found that kind of ammusing that no one ever tried to contact him while he was on his chopper apparently working lol.
True Savior
Member
Yes. He decides to inflict upon himself an endless cycle of revenge as a way to cope with his never-ending grieve.
Yes, the crowdfunding story is really happy and sad at the same time. Happy since they found a lot of support even though it was just domestically in Japan, sad because they had to do it in the first place.
They first launched a crowdfunding campaign to get a pilot film made and to show sponsors there was an audience: http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-ne...-of-in-this-corner-of-the-world-wartime-manga
They got almost double the goal (still a mere 300k or so): http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-ne...orld-anime-film-reaches-36224000-yen-in-total
So sponsors said "alright we'll fund the movie": http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-ne...ld-anime-film-gets-green-light-for-production
But after finishing the film they STILL couldn't afford to properly promote it internationally, and no one wanted to fly the staff to festivals, so they had ANOTHER round of crowdfunding: http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-ne...crowdfunding-reaches-its-goal-only-in-one-day
This is a film based on a critically acclaimed manga. A project the staff were so passionate about that after announcing their intent to make the film in 2012, they went on to work with the manga artist to create a special music video in support of the Earthquake relief efforts back in 2013. Lots of people were excited and looking forward to it. But yet. No money. A true embarrassment for the industry.
Headshot
Saw it because it has Iko Uwais in it (the raid main actor). It was ok i guess. I really like the fact that most of the fight scene were not shaky cam, and i love the rotation he use during some melee sequence, the last fight was really worth the watch compare to any previous. But the story was pretty basic with some plot-hole and short cut. It also have a serious problem with light constancy through the movie, same area, everything was freaking dark, 2 second later, light through windows... hmm ok i know they did that to see more the action sequence, but sometimes it was really a drastic change. I don't know if i can recommend it, if you're a fan of Iko it could worth a watch i think.
Saw it because it has Iko Uwais in it (the raid main actor). It was ok i guess. I really like the fact that most of the fight scene were not shaky cam, and i love the rotation he use during some melee sequence, the last fight was really worth the watch compare to any previous. But the story was pretty basic with some plot-hole and short cut. It also have a serious problem with light constancy through the movie, same area, everything was freaking dark, 2 second later, light through windows... hmm ok i know they did that to see more the action sequence, but sometimes it was really a drastic change. I don't know if i can recommend it, if you're a fan of Iko it could worth a watch i think.
That kid is way closer to the douchey, popped-collar punks I remember from my high school than the 50s throwback Flash Thompson in Raimi's movie. Of course, ymmv with age, region, etc.
Fancy Clown
Member
Yup he would have very much fit in with some of the dickheads from my high school. There were no stereotypical meathead bullies that were mean all the time and beat people up.
Messofanego
Banned
Y'all should watch Tony Revolori in DOPE.
I'm glad they got funding for international funding, cause I saw posters for it all over London and that's literally how I found about it. Not through GAF or anywhere else, because I don't follow anime or manga too much. Do you know what was the budget for the film? And what's the budget for a Ghibli film? Or a Hosoda film?Yes, the crowdfunding story is really happy and sad at the same time. Happy since they found a lot of support even though it was just domestically in Japan, sad because they had to do it in the first place.
They first launched a crowdfunding campaign to get a pilot film made and to show sponsors there was an audience: http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-ne...-of-in-this-corner-of-the-world-wartime-manga
They got almost double the goal (still a mere 300k or so): http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-ne...orld-anime-film-reaches-36224000-yen-in-total
So sponsors said "alright we'll fund the movie": http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-ne...ld-anime-film-gets-green-light-for-production
But after finishing the film they STILL couldn't afford to properly promote it internationally, and no one wanted to fly the staff to festivals, so they had ANOTHER round of crowdfunding: http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-ne...crowdfunding-reaches-its-goal-only-in-one-day
This is a film based on a critically acclaimed manga. A project the staff were so passionate about that after announcing their intent to make the film in 2012, they went on to work with the manga artist to create a special music video in support of the Earthquake relief efforts back in 2013. Lots of people were excited and looking forward to it. But yet. No money. A true embarrassment for the industry.
IIRC, Ghibli films were on the upper end of where cel-drawn animation is at these days, since I seem to recall that The Wind Rises was ~$30 million and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya was nearly $50 million. Nowhere near Pixar, but still not cheap by any stretch.
Fancy Clown
Member
Y'all should watch Tony Revolori in DOPE.
Wasn't a big fan of the movie but yeah he was quite good in it. Obviously good in Grand Budapest, too.
Not sure how much this cost, but Ghibli films are generally >30 million these days, while Hosoda films are probably closer to Kon's films at a >10 million budget. Much lower. I'll say this is probably on par with Hosoda stuff. No one spends the amount of money Ghibli does.
Top end of -Japanese- cel-animation. Definitely not anywhere close to what Disney used to spend in the old days, even forgetting about inflation.
Yeah, I should have mentioned the scale is very different. The Princess and the Frog was, what, right around $150 million or thereabouts? Disney had literal armies of animators to throw at projects.Top end of -Japanese- cel-animation. Definitely not anywhere close to what Disney used to spend in the old days, even forgetting about inflation.
idk this is the best place to leave this nitpick rant I guess: Memento is not told in reverse. this isn't responding to rhomega specifically, professional film critics say this especially right now with all of them posting top lists. (if you're going to click farm get the facts right!) it's two intercut timelines, one in chronological order and one in reverse chronological order. reverse chronology is Irreversible: the beginning of the film=the last moment in time, the ending of the film=the earliest point in time. In Memento the ending of the film occurs at the middle of the story, and the opening two scenes take place at the latest and earlier points in the story. so you'd just call it achronological or nonsequential.
True Savior
Member
There's also flashbacks within the chronological order timeline. It's just a very sexy structure lol
oh yeah that's right! and it is that's why I'm whining lol. "Memento, which is told in reverse" papers over that the structure is way more complicated and elusive than that, how it has you constantly playing catchup like leonard.
Rhomega Beta
Member
I am well aware of the black-and-white segments that exist before the earliest point in the color segments. It just took me a while to catch on about it.
I watched Waitress last night. this may be an unpopular stance but imo murderers fucking suck, especially the one that prevented us from getting a dozen movies like this from Adrienne Shelly. her earlier two movies are good to great but this has their offbeat humor alongside an emotional center that's warm and slightly unconventional. unconventional, mainly, in how it doesn't treat some dumb hot dude as an ultimate goal and actually gives multiple women complex interior lives. read this piece on it though not me, that's a good piece.
what else lately. Beatriz at Dinner was pretty good. the ending is so-so but also seems like the best way it could've ended. Salma Hayek is fantastic and the characterization of the John Lithgow role is excellent, actually gives him dimension and makes him a formidable rhetorical counterpoint to Beatriz. oh also Hayek has a good butt.
I liked Baby Driver and The Big Sick plenty, both cute. I can't get myself to write anything about Baby Driver because it feels like it turned into a whole thing. Big Sick has two key supporting roles in Romano and Hunter, they kill it and the movie would fall apart if they weren't on their A game.
24 Exposures, the shittiest joe swanberg movie I've seen. awful actors in simon barrett and adam wingard, it looks ugly as sin, it's like a parody version of swanberg's normal navelgazing about his own emotional and sexual infidelity and somehow seems the most self-obsessed film of the many he's made about that despite him not really being in it.
rewatched Miller's Crossing. and Popstar. both are great movies to rewatch and rewatch and...
I also watched Pitch Black very late at night and tried hard tos tay awake but couldn't because it was an extremely boring movie. how in the hell are there three of these.
Off to watch Stop Making Sense on the big screen right now, with a Talking Heads-fan friend who's never seen it. gonna be dope.
Oh no I wasn't saying you didn't get it--more that I think everyone who watches it gets it, because it is such a carefully designed narrative structure, but then describes it as taking place in reverse which I think shortchanges the elegance of what the chronology actually is.
what else lately. Beatriz at Dinner was pretty good. the ending is so-so but also seems like the best way it could've ended. Salma Hayek is fantastic and the characterization of the John Lithgow role is excellent, actually gives him dimension and makes him a formidable rhetorical counterpoint to Beatriz. oh also Hayek has a good butt.
I liked Baby Driver and The Big Sick plenty, both cute. I can't get myself to write anything about Baby Driver because it feels like it turned into a whole thing. Big Sick has two key supporting roles in Romano and Hunter, they kill it and the movie would fall apart if they weren't on their A game.
24 Exposures, the shittiest joe swanberg movie I've seen. awful actors in simon barrett and adam wingard, it looks ugly as sin, it's like a parody version of swanberg's normal navelgazing about his own emotional and sexual infidelity and somehow seems the most self-obsessed film of the many he's made about that despite him not really being in it.
rewatched Miller's Crossing. and Popstar. both are great movies to rewatch and rewatch and...
I also watched Pitch Black very late at night and tried hard tos tay awake but couldn't because it was an extremely boring movie. how in the hell are there three of these.
Off to watch Stop Making Sense on the big screen right now, with a Talking Heads-fan friend who's never seen it. gonna be dope.
Oh no I wasn't saying you didn't get it--more that I think everyone who watches it gets it, because it is such a carefully designed narrative structure, but then describes it as taking place in reverse which I think shortchanges the elegance of what the chronology actually is.
Captain Smoker
Member
Continuing with Kubrick.
The Killing
So, I enjoyed this movie but all in all I was hindered by the fact that I'm already familiar with all the tropes in this movie.
Back then it was pretty unique with it's non-linear storytelling (don't know if it's the first movie to do this) and I see where Tarantino and others got their inspiration from.
Paths of Glory
★★★★★
Wow, great movie. The black & white style continues to increase the atmosphere for me, I really need to see more classics.
The characters, the actors, the story, the action (don't know much 50s movies, but it striked me as quite good because of the practical effects) and the overall atmosphere of the movie: everything comes together as a perfect movie experience.
I'd write more about this movie but I already forgot stuff because it was two weeks ago. ^^
The Killing
So, I enjoyed this movie but all in all I was hindered by the fact that I'm already familiar with all the tropes in this movie.
Back then it was pretty unique with it's non-linear storytelling (don't know if it's the first movie to do this) and I see where Tarantino and others got their inspiration from.
Paths of Glory
★★★★★
Wow, great movie. The black & white style continues to increase the atmosphere for me, I really need to see more classics.
The characters, the actors, the story, the action (don't know much 50s movies, but it striked me as quite good because of the practical effects) and the overall atmosphere of the movie: everything comes together as a perfect movie experience.
I'd write more about this movie but I already forgot stuff because it was two weeks ago. ^^
AngmarsKing701
Member
Also my favorite Pixar movie and my pick for the best superhero movie ever made.
Are you me or are we bros?
Bambi (1942): One of those childhood classics I never actually saw as a kid (my parents were erratic in acquiring pre-1991 Disney films on VHS). Anyway, the animation in this is predictably gorgeous. The story is rather dull, honestly, very heavy on long sequences of frolicking woodland critters. The famous death of Bambi's mother comes with an amazingly jarring transition afterward, like the filmmakers are desperate to move the kids' attention on to something else.
You can never be sure.
Net_Wrecker
Member
Man, I love Midnight Special so much. Love the lean script, love the journey, love the performances, love the music, love the restrained effects, love the climax, love the sudden violence, love everything. Beautiful throwback.
Rhomega Beta
Member
Sing Street: A movie about teens starting up a band. Ok. Oh, it's set in 1985. That's a plus. Oh, and the music is pretty good too. Letterboxd reviews have compared it to James Carney's previous movies...which I haven't seen. I thought this was a pretty good movie, not just about the band, but also dealing with family life and school. Give it a watch.
I just love Drive It Like You Stole It.
The Nostalgia Critic commented on this as well.
I just love Drive It Like You Stole It.
The Nostalgia Critic commented on this as well.
Christine
Rebecca Hall does a fantastic job in this... I don't know if it's a biopic or a drama based on a true story. But yeah. The movie holds a close eye to the things that pushed Christine Chubbuck to do what she said, and how her loneliness, determination, drive, and the ticking clock in her own head brought it to that incredibly devastating moment. There's a good supporting cast surrounding Hall, but this is Hall's movie, through and through. Now I really want to watch Kate Plays Christine, to close up the 2016 Christine loop.
Now You See Me
This movie made me angry, haha, which is a feat. The Four Horsemen all come across as incredibly arrogant and smug, and having what are effectively your leads have that sort of attitude just makes me want them to fail. Having the film be about magic and illusion, and then instead of relying on practical effects and camera tricks they go with CG, which cheapens things. But then that twist happened. That twist that makes no sense if you go back and think about it. At least the actors tri--- no, wait, they didn't. Woody gets to be Woody, which is cool, and Mark Ruffalo does the best he can. But otherwise, boo this movie. Now You See Me, I wish I hadn't.
Rebecca Hall does a fantastic job in this... I don't know if it's a biopic or a drama based on a true story. But yeah. The movie holds a close eye to the things that pushed Christine Chubbuck to do what she said, and how her loneliness, determination, drive, and the ticking clock in her own head brought it to that incredibly devastating moment. There's a good supporting cast surrounding Hall, but this is Hall's movie, through and through. Now I really want to watch Kate Plays Christine, to close up the 2016 Christine loop.
Now You See Me
This movie made me angry, haha, which is a feat. The Four Horsemen all come across as incredibly arrogant and smug, and having what are effectively your leads have that sort of attitude just makes me want them to fail. Having the film be about magic and illusion, and then instead of relying on practical effects and camera tricks they go with CG, which cheapens things. But then that twist happened. That twist that makes no sense if you go back and think about it. At least the actors tri--- no, wait, they didn't. Woody gets to be Woody, which is cool, and Mark Ruffalo does the best he can. But otherwise, boo this movie. Now You See Me, I wish I hadn't.
AngmarsKing701
Member
Kong: Skull Island (2017) - rewatch. Still a blast.
Go see ONCE immediately.
Fancy Clown
Member
While retaining Bong Joon-Ho's stylistic and tonal idiosyncrasies that made Snowpiercer such a refreshingly unique genre blend, Okja unfortunately crumbles as the extremes between goofy humor and dark undercurrent are played up with such extreme cartoon garishness that the already heavy-handed film ends up playing everything far too broadly and becomes the director's first miss.
Stunningly poor creative decisions like Jake Gyllenhaal's entire character, who is played like some sort of flamboyant, coked up combination of Nigel Thornberry and Liberace, grate up against a ham-fisted (oink oink) play at your heartstrings through a young child character who is solely defined by her attachment to the overly cute super pig she grew up with. The emptiness of the film's characters and theme would be fine if the film were in constant motion and capitalizing on Bong's ability to weave fast-paced set pieces with humor and style as he does in an early sequence where Mija, said child protagonist, sprints and fumbles through office buildings, alley ways, and tunnels after her beloved pet has been repossessed by the corporation that owns it. But sadly the film's pace sags far more than it soars, and the narrative seams bust under the weight.
There are still some visual delights and moments of humor that work here, but in the end it's just putting lipstick on a pig (okay I'm done).
Stunningly poor creative decisions like Jake Gyllenhaal's entire character, who is played like some sort of flamboyant, coked up combination of Nigel Thornberry and Liberace, grate up against a ham-fisted (oink oink) play at your heartstrings through a young child character who is solely defined by her attachment to the overly cute super pig she grew up with. The emptiness of the film's characters and theme would be fine if the film were in constant motion and capitalizing on Bong's ability to weave fast-paced set pieces with humor and style as he does in an early sequence where Mija, said child protagonist, sprints and fumbles through office buildings, alley ways, and tunnels after her beloved pet has been repossessed by the corporation that owns it. But sadly the film's pace sags far more than it soars, and the narrative seams bust under the weight.
There are still some visual delights and moments of humor that work here, but in the end it's just putting lipstick on a pig (okay I'm done).
Infernostew
Member
Doing a Lady Macbeth and A Ghost Story double feature tonight. Pretty excited...
It's really good. At times it's kind of like off brand Malick which might not be your thing, but I enjoyed it.
thank you.
Puck Beaverton
Banned
jealous
Dunkirk
An intense and powerful war film that has a unique play with time, all while Hans Zimmer's ticking soundtrack plummets you deeper into the moments. Nolan shoots the hell out of this thing, some gorgeous shots made even more incredible with the help of IMAX. But for all its good, I felt a tiny bit cold at times to the characters, since they are treated more as vessels to the individual moments than as individuals themselves (outside of Mark Rylance's boat crew, they get enough to feel special). Rylance and Tom Hardy are the standouts for me (Hardy moreso for his scenes). Well worth seeing, and well worth IMAX.
Heading into Valerian in a little bit!
An intense and powerful war film that has a unique play with time, all while Hans Zimmer's ticking soundtrack plummets you deeper into the moments. Nolan shoots the hell out of this thing, some gorgeous shots made even more incredible with the help of IMAX. But for all its good, I felt a tiny bit cold at times to the characters, since they are treated more as vessels to the individual moments than as individuals themselves (outside of Mark Rylance's boat crew, they get enough to feel special). Rylance and Tom Hardy are the standouts for me (Hardy moreso for his scenes). Well worth seeing, and well worth IMAX.
Heading into Valerian in a little bit!
AngmarsKing701
Member
So excited to see this in IMAX tomorrow!
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
The first half had some real good stuff in there, the second half was just inundated with endless exposition. Visually it's a treat, and the action can be really cool, but I got super bored during that third act. Still worth seeing for the visuals and some cool moments, but a little bit of a slog overall.
Edit: Adding a little more now that I'm home.
Rihanna weirdly has the best arc of the film, despite not being in it much. Ethan Hawke has a real weird (but fun) cameo, and Cara and Dane don't have much, if any, chemistry. But I do like their performances, iffy dialogue notwithstanding. I got some Fifth Element vibes from the plot, and Besson's fingerprints are all over this thing.
I do think it's worth seeing, but beware of the last 40 minutes. There's a lot of exposition and staring at screens.
The first half had some real good stuff in there, the second half was just inundated with endless exposition. Visually it's a treat, and the action can be really cool, but I got super bored during that third act. Still worth seeing for the visuals and some cool moments, but a little bit of a slog overall.
Edit: Adding a little more now that I'm home.
Rihanna weirdly has the best arc of the film, despite not being in it much. Ethan Hawke has a real weird (but fun) cameo, and Cara and Dane don't have much, if any, chemistry. But I do like their performances, iffy dialogue notwithstanding. I got some Fifth Element vibes from the plot, and Besson's fingerprints are all over this thing.
I do think it's worth seeing, but beware of the last 40 minutes. There's a lot of exposition and staring at screens.
B&W movies definitely have that extra magical charm to them. I always try to find some room for them monthly. That library where to choose from is huge and chock-full of all-time greats, which is great for us movie lovers.
That's all I need to know to be excited; is it a signature Besson film, or a soulless sci fi rehash with little of Besson's style present. Glad to see that's it's the former.
Discotheque
Banned
If any of you guys have the chance to check out Dunkirk in 70mm imax do it. God damn it's the most beautiful thing I've seen on the big screen since Tree of Life. It's stunning just seeing it in all its bright glory as soon as the movie begins. In this boxy aspect ratio filling the screen from freaking roof to floor
Will review dump a bunch of stuff I've seen lately (Big Sick, Apes, Dunkirk) tomorrow prolly. But I was certainly happy with all 3 of them.
Will review dump a bunch of stuff I've seen lately (Big Sick, Apes, Dunkirk) tomorrow prolly. But I was certainly happy with all 3 of them.
Dunkirk - 7.5/10
Direction as a whole was brilliant. Amazing shots and camera movement, and the sound design might be one of the best I've heard. Atmosphere was fantastic, keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time.
The characters weren't really memorable or good, it hinged on a lot of corny stuff, and we didn't even see 1 german soldier which was really immersion breaking. Felt like a British propaganda film at some point lol.
Direction as a whole was brilliant. Amazing shots and camera movement, and the sound design might be one of the best I've heard. Atmosphere was fantastic, keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time.
The characters weren't really memorable or good, it hinged on a lot of corny stuff, and we didn't even see 1 german soldier which was really immersion breaking. Felt like a British propaganda film at some point lol.
I don't but I would appreciate it if you come here and build one.
Where would it have made sense to see the Germans that we didn't see them?
Dunkirk (2017): Very much a plot-driven film, but a highly effective one. The absence of particularly strong characterization keeps me from placing it among Nolan's best work, but there hasn't been a big-budget war film like this in a good while.
Inside the planes? Shooting at the boat and at the soldier at the beginning? I love seeing the enemy in movies, especially ones that concern war...I understand his choice because it focused on Dunkrik specifically, but it didn't work for me. Was really immersion breaking.
Asparagus: All kinds of weird, but the really good kind of weird. This is a bit like wandering into someone's daydream that revolves around around a Freudian fixation with the title vegetable (and how!), all while the layers of the dream get deeper and deeper. I really enjoyed how this movie flowed, as it doesn't do a lot of traditional cuts in the editing and instead focuses on inserts that flow seamlessly into the next moment. That heightens the dreamlike atmosphere to a feverish high, making it a fun film to try and hang with as it moves onto the next thing. This also has quite possibly the greatest or the most disgusting title drop that I can think of, and it's probably a mix of both if I'm being perfectly honest. Really rad stuff all around, though I am pretty sure that this may have made asparagus even more unpalatable than it already was for me!
Land of Mine: Tense and terrifying from beginning to end, and filled with genuine pathos that ensures a real sense of investment in each of the characters and their fates. The story might be a bit too conventional, but how it's told is rather breathtaking at times, particularly as the visual storytelling does a great job of instilling the fear of just how close to danger they are at all times, while also allowing for a lot of great non-verbal character work that fleshes them out without having to stop the film to explain. Very impressive drama, though I think that I might be genuinely afraid of beaches now.
Land of Mine: Tense and terrifying from beginning to end, and filled with genuine pathos that ensures a real sense of investment in each of the characters and their fates. The story might be a bit too conventional, but how it's told is rather breathtaking at times, particularly as the visual storytelling does a great job of instilling the fear of just how close to danger they are at all times, while also allowing for a lot of great non-verbal character work that fleshes them out without having to stop the film to explain. Very impressive drama, though I think that I might be genuinely afraid of beaches now.
Fancy Clown
Member
Seeing Dunkirk tonight after work, pretty hyped. It's laser and not 70mm IMAX but I think lord Nolan (and Disco) will forgive me.
I would love to see the IMAX 70mm version of Dunkirk, but the theater showing it is not in a very good direction as far as traffic as concerned, and that's with an optimal drive time of an hour fifteen. Thankfully, there's a theater showing the 70mm version, which if Interstellar was any indication, is a more than fine way to enjoy a film like that. That's what my brother and I will be catching this afternoon.
I had to go look up my Letterboxd review because this sounded familiar...
"Well, I have now watched a cartoon asparagus get jerked off and blown. My day is complete."
So-won (Hope)
I think i saw it a couple of time mention here, i decide to give it a go. My father heart was clearly not ready for that ! Men this movies is amazing, i don't know why but i felt it during all the time. I was so invest on what going to happen to this poor little girl. Everything was really well done and that soundtrack. The music add a layer of charm to everything. I can't recommender it enough, be prepare if you are parent of young children be to be strike by a lightning.
I think i saw it a couple of time mention here, i decide to give it a go. My father heart was clearly not ready for that ! Men this movies is amazing, i don't know why but i felt it during all the time. I was so invest on what going to happen to this poor little girl. Everything was really well done and that soundtrack. The music add a layer of charm to everything. I can't recommender it enough, be prepare if you are parent of young children be to be strike by a lightning.