Same here, very mixed reviews but still looking forward to seeing it.
Film The Redcafe Movie review thread
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I'm Thinking of Ending Things
It's a good film with a couple of really sharp scenes and couple of duds. It feels like a b-side to Synecdoche; an accompanying minor piece that also deals with ideas previously explored in Adaptation. I found the central conceit pretty uninteresting, and did so previously when it appeared in Mulholland Drive. Kaufman's imagination is still preoccupied with the encroachment of death, decay and the yearning for Authenticity in an age of the fully fabricated lifestyle. The mind is still suffering restlessly, trapped in its corporeal prison. So the themes can feel a little overfamiliar. In terms of the tone though it's more of a continuation. It has the causticity of Anomalisa and lacks some of the pathos of everything prior.
Acting is mostly good although Muriel's Wedding is still the only time I've enjoyed a Toni collette performance. I didn't care for the scenes inside the farmhouse and the time warping doesn't impact like it does in Synecdoche. The ice cream detour was one of the highlights, and contains a heartbreaking insight about awkward children preparing to carry that burden with them throughout their lives*. The big flight of fancy finale was ok, but I've seen him do that trick better in earlier films. Most of the best stuff is in the early driving scenes.
For all the character ambiguities and Kafkaesque digressions It seems the only thing I didn't get was the title. The double meaning is there but I completely skipped the (apparently) initial implication of a relationship breakup and went straight to thinking it meant the suicide.
The brilliance of Anomalisa was that it was still all Charlie Kaufman but applied to a genuinely original insight. The disappointment here is that it's a bit of a retread. The promise of the long overdue Kaufman female perspective kind of evaporates midway through, when the character does.
*although with so many references flying about it's hard to isolate the great original lines from the great lines lifted from other works as commentary. Was that his?
It's a good film with a couple of really sharp scenes and couple of duds. It feels like a b-side to Synecdoche; an accompanying minor piece that also deals with ideas previously explored in Adaptation. I found the central conceit pretty uninteresting, and did so previously when it appeared in Mulholland Drive. Kaufman's imagination is still preoccupied with the encroachment of death, decay and the yearning for Authenticity in an age of the fully fabricated lifestyle. The mind is still suffering restlessly, trapped in its corporeal prison. So the themes can feel a little overfamiliar. In terms of the tone though it's more of a continuation. It has the causticity of Anomalisa and lacks some of the pathos of everything prior.
Acting is mostly good although Muriel's Wedding is still the only time I've enjoyed a Toni collette performance. I didn't care for the scenes inside the farmhouse and the time warping doesn't impact like it does in Synecdoche. The ice cream detour was one of the highlights, and contains a heartbreaking insight about awkward children preparing to carry that burden with them throughout their lives*. The big flight of fancy finale was ok, but I've seen him do that trick better in earlier films. Most of the best stuff is in the early driving scenes.
For all the character ambiguities and Kafkaesque digressions It seems the only thing I didn't get was the title. The double meaning is there but I completely skipped the (apparently) initial implication of a relationship breakup and went straight to thinking it meant the suicide.
The brilliance of Anomalisa was that it was still all Charlie Kaufman but applied to a genuinely original insight. The disappointment here is that it's a bit of a retread. The promise of the long overdue Kaufman female perspective kind of evaporates midway through, when the character does.
*although with so many references flying about it's hard to isolate the great original lines from the great lines lifted from other works as commentary. Was that his?
Beach Rats. Attracted some ire over representation and authorship. But even putting sexuality aside, I found it a sensitive portrayal of a young man trying to understand his place in the world. Recognisable family and friend dynamics. Very enjoyable and interesting to look at.
Watched this last night.
Wish it was longer but overall very enjoyable.
Can't remember the last time he put in a bad performance and he was perfect for this role.
I love its economy. An entire world is built from stills and some pointed narration.
Sans Soleil is another good film from the same guy, that makes the most of its sparsity.
Marker's most important film imvho:
Marker made a movie called Le Joli Mai years ago. Not especially revolutionary in technique but it's quite moving.
Anyone watched Mulan yet?
According to my disney loving friends, it's absolutely dreadful.
According to my disney loving friends, it's absolutely dreadful.
Babysitter: Killer Queen
Loved the first one. Was a real surprise. This is not bad, just more of the same really. Starving for films at the moment so I think that added to the enjoyment. A light hearted, fun slasher 6/10
Loved the first one. Was a real surprise. This is not bad, just more of the same really. Starving for films at the moment so I think that added to the enjoyment. A light hearted, fun slasher 6/10
It is. Worst remake yet. Mushu isn't even in it or the iconic song. Because they wanted realism. Meanwhile yeah, there's a witch that turns into a bird. Cant believe Jet Li and Donnie Yen are in this. What an absolute waste of amazing actors.
Need a pick tonight lads. Zodiac or Beautiful mind? Or have a better movie in mind?
If you haven't seen Zodiac, I'd see it. It's brilliant. Fincher is a brilliant director.
Haven't seen Beautiful Mind so I may watch that!
Good so. I’ll watch Zodiac
. It does sounds goodZodiac is a great film. Anything by David Fincher is a safe pick - although you'd often have to be in the mood for heavy stuff. I like A Beautiful Mind, but it's narrative is a bit too 'Hollywood'. (You might want to read Nash's wiki afterwards to get the real story.)Good so. I’ll watch Zodiac
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I think Zodiac has a strong argument to being the best film of 2000s. It’s absolutely pitch perfect. (Although the book it’s based on is rather liberal with the truth regarding the Zodiac and respective suspects.)
Incredible film, nonetheless.
Incredible film, nonetheless.
I watched it a few weeks ago now, but Portrait of a lady on fire is my favourite movie from the last couple of years.
The acting is stupidly good. It basically a two-woman show but it's riveting from start to finish.
I would also recommend 'I'm thinking of ending it on' Netflix. At first, it's weird as hell but once you realise what's going on it (mostly) makes sense. I actually watched it a second time to pick up on clues.
The acting is stupidly good. It basically a two-woman show but it's riveting from start to finish.
I would also recommend 'I'm thinking of ending it on' Netflix. At first, it's weird as hell but once you realise what's going on it (mostly) makes sense. I actually watched it a second time to pick up on clues.
Watched Searching tonight. Great film. From what I understand, it's the first film to entirely play in the form of screens, and it uses this 'gimmick' very effectively. The action/drama is a little more abstract or distant this way, but that doesn't work against the film. Great application of a new idea. The story is not that special, but it works in this context and is very well executed throughout. Enjoyable and impressive.
First They Killed My Father
Wasn’t expecting much and I was already familiar with the history, but it was nicely hard-hitting in a devastating way. Not much more to say except the actors all looked great.
7/10
Wasn’t expecting much and I was already familiar with the history, but it was nicely hard-hitting in a devastating way. Not much more to say except the actors all looked great.
7/10
I finally really figured out what my issue is with The Irishman. I think that there are two good films in there, but rather than making either, Scorsese made both, and now neither comes out properly. Don't get me wrong: great acting, direction, and so on - but I feel the film is off conceptually. I'll explain.
There are two great stories here:
So to me, a choice should have been made between three options: tell story #1 without the angle of story #2; tell story #2 as a family drama, without highlighting any particular hit (so no story #1); or turn the film into a miniseries with sufficient time to really tell each story in full, with fully developed support characters. But instead, The Irishman tells story #2 in the context of story #1 - and to me, the film remains a little flat and unfulfilling as a consequence.
- A mafia guy is assigned to a union boss to both protest him and keep him in check. They become great friends, as do their families, but when the union boss goes against the mafia's wishes, it's our guy who has to kill him.
- A mafia hitman has combine his work with a family that abhors his work. Failing this, he ends up all alone in old age once his wife has died, as his kids have long abandoned him.
So to me, a choice should have been made between three options: tell story #1 without the angle of story #2; tell story #2 as a family drama, without highlighting any particular hit (so no story #1); or turn the film into a miniseries with sufficient time to really tell each story in full, with fully developed support characters. But instead, The Irishman tells story #2 in the context of story #1 - and to me, the film remains a little flat and unfulfilling as a consequence.
I agree with this. One of those I re-watch every few years and remain impressed with every time. Beyond the story that is quite fascinating, it's an interesting study on obsession and the passing of time, served by a great cast (Gyllenhaal is great notably). Directing is absolutely perfect, with some insanely good scenes (too many to list), it's Fincher at his absolute best.
The Bridge Curse
A group of teenagers do an initiation on a bridge that's haunted by an avengeful spirit. Soon, it comes after them. Aside from a couple of good scares and an ok twist, the film is quite flat with too many tropes and poor special effects 3.5/10
A group of teenagers do an initiation on a bridge that's haunted by an avengeful spirit. Soon, it comes after them. Aside from a couple of good scares and an ok twist, the film is quite flat with too many tropes and poor special effects 3.5/10
Cuties
Everybody should watch this film.
What a lovely film. Cuties is a smart, compassionate depiction of growing up girl, and the pressures and expectation placed upon. Great acting with well drawn characters, shot in an empathetic way. The film creates this beautiful dichotomy between the burgeoning strength of encroaching womanhood with the vulnerability of stepping out of childish bounds.
It's a considered film that portrays an even handed look at Western cultural values, using a traditional African cultural upbringing as a contrast. It is both a celebration and indictment of. We see a culture that allows young girls to bond and have fun through exploration of expectation and liberation. And critical in acknowledging the vulnerable stage they are at in their development as people and the permissive, predatory imagery, so often targeted at them.
The imitated sexuality is well handled, depicted as sitting awkwardly on the young characters. The photography of their bodies is not salacious and is frequently shot with a detatched gaze. I would say it is always respectful of the actors.
I found it heartbreaking at times, with the scene under the bed encapsulating the kindness of the film when dealing with something so raw. The direction is never mawkish or sentimental but compassionate and understanding. It is all shot in a light, restrained manner.
Wonderful.
Fin
I wasn't expecting to have such a good time. I only watched it because of the controversy, thinking it'd give me some cheap discussion points. And such is the way with much controversial art, I was expecting a fairly lousy film that was over/undervalued based on the political point you wanted to score. However it's a very fine film.
Everybody should watch this film.
What a lovely film. Cuties is a smart, compassionate depiction of growing up girl, and the pressures and expectation placed upon. Great acting with well drawn characters, shot in an empathetic way. The film creates this beautiful dichotomy between the burgeoning strength of encroaching womanhood with the vulnerability of stepping out of childish bounds.
It's a considered film that portrays an even handed look at Western cultural values, using a traditional African cultural upbringing as a contrast. It is both a celebration and indictment of. We see a culture that allows young girls to bond and have fun through exploration of expectation and liberation. And critical in acknowledging the vulnerable stage they are at in their development as people and the permissive, predatory imagery, so often targeted at them.
The imitated sexuality is well handled, depicted as sitting awkwardly on the young characters. The photography of their bodies is not salacious and is frequently shot with a detatched gaze. I would say it is always respectful of the actors.
I found it heartbreaking at times, with the scene under the bed encapsulating the kindness of the film when dealing with something so raw. The direction is never mawkish or sentimental but compassionate and understanding. It is all shot in a light, restrained manner.
Wonderful.
Fin
I wasn't expecting to have such a good time. I only watched it because of the controversy, thinking it'd give me some cheap discussion points. And such is the way with much controversial art, I was expecting a fairly lousy film that was over/undervalued based on the political point you wanted to score. However it's a very fine film.
Cuties
Nobody should watch this.
None of yous should watch this film because you're all a bunch of idiotic children, complaining to Netflix because your cultural cheeseburger wasn't served super sized, you fecking infantile philistine brats. You lap up American paedo-cultural exports, celebrating Britney, highschool cheerleading and child pageantry, happy in the buying and selling of little girls so long as there is a buck to be made. Yet a work that places such a culture under the microscope is ignorantly torn down. Your values are fecked, you mushbrained ignorant pricks.
Get the feck out of my genre.
Nobody should watch this.
None of yous should watch this film because you're all a bunch of idiotic children, complaining to Netflix because your cultural cheeseburger wasn't served super sized, you fecking infantile philistine brats. You lap up American paedo-cultural exports, celebrating Britney, highschool cheerleading and child pageantry, happy in the buying and selling of little girls so long as there is a buck to be made. Yet a work that places such a culture under the microscope is ignorantly torn down. Your values are fecked, you mushbrained ignorant pricks.
Get the feck out of my genre.
Hey French man what did you think? Do the French like it?
It is awful.
Thanks for the review. Was sort of on the fence about watching it cos of the controversy, but I'll trust your judgment in how it's handled and give it a watch.
Don't call me Frenchman, buddy.
But I think it was overall received very positively. Only one of my friends mentioned seeing it, and she was moved massively by it.
With all due respect I called you French man. I wouldn't dream of mistaking you for a Frenchman.
It's on the more accessible end of the French cinema spectrum, think Sissako or Sciamma, so in an ideal world Netflix would be a good home for it. It's just a shame that we live in a fecking shit tip world. @R.N7 you might enjoy it too.
It's on the more accessible end of the French cinema spectrum, think Sissako or Sciamma, so in an ideal world Netflix would be a good home for it. It's just a shame that we live in a fecking shit tip world. @R.N7 you might enjoy it too.
Shutter Island
Remember watching this baked off my tits when it first came out and didn't really think anything of it. I think I dozed through most of it. Was reluctant to watch it again as I knew the twist and it's 2.5 hours long. With the recent lack of good films released, I finally saw it again and despite knowing the twist, I really loved it! It's a really good story with some nice suspense, mystery and dramatic irony. It just has a great tone and feeds you the right amount of information at the exact right times. Highly recommend to those that may not have seen it 8/10
Remember watching this baked off my tits when it first came out and didn't really think anything of it. I think I dozed through most of it. Was reluctant to watch it again as I knew the twist and it's 2.5 hours long. With the recent lack of good films released, I finally saw it again and despite knowing the twist, I really loved it! It's a really good story with some nice suspense, mystery and dramatic irony. It just has a great tone and feeds you the right amount of information at the exact right times. Highly recommend to those that may not have seen it 8/10
Zodiac. Really good movie. Great cast, very interesting to watch and the acting was good. 8/10
French man is only slightly better. I'll accept it.
I need to see more of Sciamma's films, especially Portrait de la jeune fille en feu. I've heard it's very good.
What do you think of Gaspar Noé?
You claiming him then? he certainly has a certain Les Apache French urchin thing going on.
I like him, very stylish provocateur. Though I usually get a little bored around the third act. Irreversible, Climax and Enter the Void all have a brilliant hour in them. If I remember rightly I think I prefer some of the films he produced. Definitely an important figure in French cinema. Do you like him?
Edit: it was his wife's films that I prefer. I think he had a hand in some of them.
Edit 2: Just checking and he doesn't seem to be credited on any of them. So he gets none.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucile_Hadžihalilović
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I actually remembered afterwards he's Argentinean, but he feels French, y'know?
I think I feel the same way you do about him - there's a lot of actual good cinema in what he does, but I usually feel he doesn't quite deliver. Of his, I've only ween Irreversible and Love, Irreversible left a pretty strong impression and it was certainly an "original" way to tackle that topic, and Love (which I mentioned here) had some interesting ideas but ultimately felt a bit flat. In French we have this expression "pétard mouillé" which I'm not sure how I'd translate to English - damp squib?
Nice, I think I'll try and use it.
You have to see Climax, the first half is madness. It overstays it's welcome but it's brilliant original cinema.
Irreversible gave me motion sickness and is a little too clever for it's own good - the underpass scene seems too contrived with a desire to shock. But It's a film with real cinematic integrity to it.
You have to see Climax, the first half is madness. It overstays it's welcome but it's brilliant original cinema.
Irreversible gave me motion sickness and is a little too clever for it's own good - the underpass scene seems too contrived with a desire to shock. But It's a film with real cinematic integrity to it.
Ok I'll report back on Climax.
Climax, Cuties and I'm thinking of ending things. Fun watchlist.
Climax, Cuties and I'm thinking of ending things. Fun watchlist.
Cool. Is Love worth a shot?
Climax is great. I wouldn’t recommend it while in lockdown though. It is very anxiety inducing.
What did you think of i'm thinking of ending things?
Probably moreso than most of the stuff that's released. Ultimately as I said I don't think he achieved what he set out to, and there's aspects of it that bugged me, but it's proper filmmaking and I'd be curious to hear what you think of it.
Not seen it yet, on my watchlist! But I think dumbo has seen it and shared his thoughts on it.