Review The Movie You Viewed Part VIII: Lance's Mom Takes Manhattan

[LMP]

I still need to see those two and Full Frontal. The latter of which is on its way from Netflix.

You've seen Schizopolis?

 

[Lancemc]

You've seen Schizopolis?

No.

Good catch. That too. So 4 left.

 

[LMP]

That, Che, and Kafka are the three of his that I haven't seen that I'm looking forward to the most.

 

[Lancemc]

Did you see The Good German? I seem to be the only person alive who loves that.

 

[No spoken words]

I need to Che it up.

 

[Lancemc]

Wait for the Criterion Blu-rays.

 

[LMP]

Did you see The Good German? I seem to be the only person alive who loves that.

I've caught a couple minutes on cable once, but changed it because it was halfway through and didn't want to spoil it. It's on Watch Instantly, if I remember correctly. May have to watch that after Welles' The Trail.

I need to Che it up.

Apparently it'll hit Criterion by the end of the year. Can't wait.

 

[No spoken words]

Maybe I need to start Criterioning things up, too, as I own just one title of theirs.

 

[Lancemc]

I need to Che it up.

Plus, Part II still totally has Malick's fingerprints all over it. So there's that.

 

[LMP]

Maybe I need to start Criterioning things up, too, as I own just one title of theirs.

Days of Heaven?

 

[Lancemc]

 

[No spoken words]

Brazil

 

[LMP]

Yeah, I have the single-disc version of that. It's too much of an investment to plop down $25-30 on a movie every so often, even if they're the best of the best.

The Third Man is fucking gorgeous on my upconvert DVD player, can't imagine the Blu Ray.

 

[No spoken words]

Seriously, some of the Blu Ray films I've seen have been nice, but some are jaw dropping.

Kingdom of Heaven looked gorgeous, and Blade Runner is, I don't even know, just mind blowing.

 

[Lancemc]

I'm rather tempted by their Last Year At Marienbad BD.

 

[Lancemc]

Blade Runner is, I don't even know, just mind blowing.

Yes. Now find time to watch The New World.

 

[No spoken words]

Yes. Now find time to watch The New World.

I will.

 

[LMP]

North by Northwest on Blu should be fantastic. The DVD looked amazing as is.

 

[Lancemc]

I will.

Honestly, I don't know why people bother with religion when there are people out there making movies like that.

 

[lazarus]

Did you see The Good German? I seem to be the only person alive who loves that.

I liked it a lot. I think people were expecting way too much from it.

May have to watch that after Welles' The Trail.

Oh man, are you going to lose your shit over that film.

The Third Man is fucking gorgeous on my upconvert DVD player, can't imagine the Blu Ray.

Did you ever post your thoughts on that one? Best final shot ever?

 

[LMP]

Oh man, are you going to lose your shit over that film.



Did you ever post your thoughts on that one? Best final shot ever?

I have a diaper ready.

I might have at some point, it's been a while since I've seen it for the first time.

 

[UberBeaver]

Blade Runner is, I don't even know, just mind blowing.

I have tried to watch this movie twice, and both times I've fallen asleep. I really need to get through it one of these days.

 

[No spoken words]

I have tried to watch this movie twice, and both times I've fallen asleep. I really need to get through it one of these days.

You know, it might just not be your bag. There are some classic books or films that I can never really get into. Then again, there were certain books or films that I had trouble getting into the first or second time and then things clicked....so maybe that'll happen here.

 

[impy13]

The Informant!

I find THE BERGH!'s films so difficult to describe. This one is very clearly an evolution of his post-DV career, and I believe just from watching it that he used the same camera he employed on The Girlfriend Experience. The effect here isn't as aesthetically stunning, but the over-saturated, high exposure DV creates a gloriously (and maybe paradoxically) retro visual ambience, complemented curiously old-fashioned mise-en-scene and self-conscious 70's sit-com/genre style. I won't dare describe the musical score, because it's such a joy to discover as the film goes on.

Definitely agree with the retro look. It was an interesting film visually, but obviously not as striking as The Girlfriend Experience, which was one of the more visually stunning films I've seen in recent memory.

Didn't dig the score at all, but there's no accounting for taste.

Tonally, I'd say this is very much a happy cross between The Girlfriend Experience, Out of Sight, and Ocean's 13. And the script is fucking brilliant. I wasn't familiar with the true story here going on, and it was an unexpected joy watching such masterful screenwriting unfold layers of lies, truths, half-truths and refreshingly subtle exposition through the minutia of performance of mise-en-scene. The film marks a break from the chronology-skewed structures of THE BERGH!'s last few films, but it's still considerably more complex than perhaps any narrative he's yet tackled (barring a few possible exceptions of films I haven't seen yet).

I wasn't familiar with the story either, but you're right about the script. Everything really unraveled quite well. Corporate intrigue is sometimes difficult to follow, but everything registered with me and all of the later developments were really cool.

Spoiler

The ever-escalating number of millions stolen especially.

Matt Damon's character is one of the filmmaker's finest screen creations, and Damon's most rewarding performance to date. The film is deliberately leisurely in revealing what is truly going on within this man's head, and as the story is ostensibly told from his perspective, the layers of his delusions/manipulations/mental illnesses(?) lend to a glorious narrative construct. And it's very funny. And very timely. And very pretty. And surprisingly poignant, much in the same way the otherwise stoic and observational Che films close (comparatively brief to its length) in moments of quiet humanism.

Definitely agree. Probably my favorite Damon character and performance now, beating out Tom Ripley. And his inner monologues were uniformly fantastic and often quite funny.

So ultimately... I wouldn't place it in the absolute top tier of THE BERGH!'s work, as the material really only lends itself so much creative expression (that sounds way more dismissive than I mean, but I'm struggling to find the right words here, as I suggested in the beginning), but it certainly contributes to the filmmaker's excellent track record and continual growth as an artist. He hasn't failed me yet, and I absolutely can't wait for what he brings next.

As far as THE BERGH! goes, this is definitely another fine entry into his filmography. He's cemented himself as one of the best, and now he's got two films in my top five for the year. Not too shabby.

 

[No spoken words]

Yes. Now find time to watch The New World.

I watched it.

I honestly have no words.

The final scene is a tad overwhelming for me, emotionally.

 

[Lancemc]

I watched it.

I honestly have no words.

The final scene is a tad overwhelming for me, emotionally.

Yeah. There's really no way to discuss this film beyond slack-jawed incoherence and awe. And that's quite an understatement. The final "chapter" leaves me a complete and total wreck of a human being, and that's even when I watch it out of context. Within the full 3-hour experience, it's just... fuck.

I wonder if you have any thoughts at all on the extended cut in particular though. The most overwhelming change for me is the newly structured section 1/3-1/2 through the film with the extended Vorspiel. And how do you feel about the new title cards. Something about them and the way the film is recut around them just fucking slays me.

"And Last"

Fuck...

 

[Lancemc]

And it's funny you post this now. I was about to go and treat myself to an uninterrupted Thin Red Line viewing.

 

[No spoken words]

Yeah. There's really no way to discuss this film beyond slack-jawed incoherence and awe. And that's quite an understatement. The final "chapter" leaves me a complete and total wreck of a human being, and that's even when I watch it out of context. Within the full 3-hour experience, it's just... fuck.

I wonder if you have any thoughts at all on the extended cut in particular though. The most overwhelming change for me is the newly structured section 1/3-1/2 through the film with the extended Vorspiel. And how do you feel about the new title cards. Something about them and the way the film is recut around them just fucking slays me.

"And Last"

Fuck...

I think the biggest change for me, if memory serves, is the stretch from when right before Smith leaves to try to establish contact with the naturals right up to the attack on the fort. The journey down river is longer, and his stay with the naturals is much longer, and everything seems better off that it was before to me. Also, I don't recall Thewlis' speech to Plummer before Smith sets sail, so not sure if that is new, longer, or if I'm just forgetting.

I, for whatever reason, thought that the title cards added weight to each "chapter".

 

[UberBeaver]

I just watched the Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Brilliant movie. Sam Rockwell is moving up on my favorite actors list.

 

[Lancemc]

I think the biggest change for me, if memory serves, is the stretch from when right before Smith leaves to try to establish contact with the naturals right up to the attack on the fort. The journey down river is longer, and his stay with the naturals is much longer, and everything seems better off that it was before to me. Also, I don't recall Thewlis' speech to Plummer before Smith sets sail, so not sure if that is new, longer, or if I'm just forgetting.

(Pausing TTRL to make some tea) Yeah, that whole segment is huge now. Brilliant stuff. The section I mentioned is a part of that I believe.

I, for whatever reason, thought that the title cards added weight to each "chapter".

Well, it certainly helps the conceptualization of a now near-three-hour film for one thing. And it lends the storytelling an appropriately more literary presentation.