Movie Reviews part 13: How many movies will Jessica Chastain star in?

[djerdap]

I was actually only referring to New York, New York as maligned. Although Kundun generally has mixed reactions among Scorsese fanbase as well. Since Last Temptation is one of my favourite Marty films, I'm very interested in his take on a very different religious culture.

As far as The Hunt goes, I was mildly disappointed by it, particularly because the antagonistic community never seemed to go above caricature level. As far as recent Danish films starring Mads Mikkelsen go, I find A Royal Affair to be a far superior effort.

 

[Dalton]

The way Russell shoots Lawrence errs on the side of fetishism. It's obvious that he adores her and sees her as a sort of muse, but yikes. You know, like how Michael Bay used The Rock in Pain & Gain.

I laughed.

 

[LemonMelon]

As far as The Hunt goes, I was mildly disappointed by it, particularly because the antagonistic community never seemed to go above caricature level.

By far the weakest thing about the film. The degree to which they appear to forgive the protagonist in the span of a year also seemed unrealistic to me, though it added a dash of surprise to the final scene (which I predicted somewhere around the halfway mark, albeit with a slightly different outcome).

It was a film I felt I'd seen before but was happy to do so again because of the quality of the performances.

 

[LemonMelon]

Also, I greatly enjoyed Rush. It's not something I need to see over and over again, but it was a kinetic, engrossing story. I haven't enjoyed a Ron Howard film that much in a while.

 

[Lancemc]

Haven't seen either New York, New York or Kundun myself. Suspect I'd like both.

Couldn't make it past the first ten minutes of The Great Beauty. Seemed garish and Italian and stuff. I acknowledge I just wasn't in the right frame of mind for it at the time, but still... I dunno.

 

[bono_212]

I thought the device of the dog was cheap and so obvious in its telegraphing. It didn't mar the whole film for me, but prevented me from giving myself over to to it completely. A well-made thriller, basically. But if we're going to talk about small-town hysteria/hypocrisy this isn't even in the same galaxy as The White Ribbon, for example.

I thought the bit with the dog was pretty good, actually. Kinda reflected the idea that everything bad that was happening to him was also affecting the little girl. She loved that dog as much as he did, and it being gone was a huge deal to her.

 

[lazarus]

Couldn't make it past the first ten minutes of The Great Beauty. Seemed garish and Italian and stuff. I acknowledge I just wasn't in the right frame of mind for it at the time, but still... I dunno.

The first ten minutes are all one party scene. Haven't you read anything about it? So much more to it than that.

 

[Lancemc]

Well yeah. I'm going to give it another shot. Just not sure it's my thing. Haven't like the other couple films from him I've seen either.

 

[LMP]

Haven't seen either New York, New York or Kundun myself. Suspect I'd like both.

Couldn't make it past the first ten minutes of The Great Beauty. Seemed garish and Italian and stuff. I acknowledge I just wasn't in the right frame of mind for it at the time, but still... I dunno.

New York, New York has a jagged Cassavetes meets Minnelli (literally) approach to it that's either maddening or beautiful. It's not as tonally off-the-mark as Spielberg's 1941, though they often feel like sister films to me. Similar periods, lavish as all hell, indulgent on their best and worst impulses. In Scorsese's case, it's trying to penetrate the inner life of self-destructive characters that, in this case, aren't too interesting.

The "Happy Endings" sequence though... holy shit.

 

[LMP]

De Palma's Greetings and Hi Mom! are fantastic. I can't imagine seeing these in the period then Sisters coming out in '73.

 

[bono_212]

The Act of Killing:

I have some serious misgivings about this film. The biggest of which is the lack of context for what happened in 1965. This is one the most biased documentaries I think I've ever seen. The goal of the director is clear from the moment the Voltaire quote is shown at the beginning: These are bad people who committed heinous crimes and were never punished for them. There are also some post-production techniques that I call into serious question, such as the green-screened television footage and the likely ADR usage at the end of the film.

All that being said, this is one of the most unique films I've ever seen. Riveting, sickening stuff and it definitely left the viewer inraptured in that, "I can't look away" kind of manner.

If it hadn't been for the lack of context that I began to realize, towards the end of the film, was never going to be satisfied, I would have given it a 9/10. Because I seriously call into question some of Oppenheimer's integrity, I'm dropping it a point. I know this is really going to keep him up at night.

8/10

 

[djerdap]

There was something about that documentary that pissed me off. It had a lot to do with watching the longer director's cut (almost three hours) in a hot theatre with a lot of people who seemed impatient by the length and/or subject matter. I should see it again, since it's getting accolades all around.

 

[bono_212]

We watched the theatrical cut >_>. I had trepidations about my ability to sit through almost 3 hours of such depressing content.

 

[LemonMelon]

AoK made me want to laugh, cry, squirm and, ultimately, research the history and create my own context. So it's effective on that level. It functions on several levels, in fact; affecting the viewer and, seemingly, the cast itself simultaneously, which is an interesting narrative trick. I also really dig the heavily saturated cinematography, which accentuates the inherently surreal nature of the film's bizarre concept.

One of my favorite films of the year for sure.

 

[djerdap]

There is no doubt that it is very well-made and the approach is bold and unique, if not insensitive. Oppenheimer learning the language certainly made a huge difference in getting what he wanted from them. But getting to spend time with the scum of the earth for three hours was a bit overbearing. What I also didn't find effective with the film is that any attempt at subtlety was thrown out of the window really soon, and some scenes just went on and on, having more of an exploitation feel to me than a sincere and no-nonsense look at these people and their crimes.

But I really should see the theatrical cut.

 

[bono_212]

Yeah, at the moment, I'm sure we had two completely different viewing experiences.

 

[Lancemc]

De Palma's Greetings and Hi Mom! are fantastic. I can't imagine seeing these in the period then Sisters coming out in '73.

Only just now seeing those? Then can you imagine seeing Phantom of the Paradise a year later?

Killer stuff, man.

 

[CrashedCarDriver]

Her

8/10

Scarlett Johansson what are you doing to me? And she's not even on screen!

 

[LMP]

Only just now seeing those? Then can you imagine seeing Phantom of the Paradise a year later?



Killer stuff, man.

Be black, baby.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

The John Goodman scenes were a complete miss.

Well I completely disagree with you here. Thought that sequence was one of the many strong points, and thought Goodman was hilarious. They definitely gave him some of the most obviously funny lines of dialogue, and the man delivered.

Anyway, there were moments in this movie that I loved as much as anything I've seen in a long time. Oddly inspiring, and I'm still thinking about that ending.

I also want to fuck Jean.

 

[purpleoscar]

I also want to fuck Jean.

Well we agree here.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

So, the best part of Her is easily THE ROONS. Got damn. If she's not the most beautiful actress in Hollywood right now, I don't know who is. I thought that the silent snapshot flashbacks to Roons and Joaquin's previous happily married life were really lovely and powerful.

Some of the back and forth with the OS grew tiresome for me, but I was pulled back in by the really strong final act, and those stunning closing shots on top of the tower.

 

[Imperor]

Rooneycakes.

 

[Lancemc]

I have one major, major complaint about ILD, though: The friggin' music. Oh my God, I don't care how pretty it was, it doesn't sound anything like the period it was meant to. Well, none of Llewyn's music, anyways. Everyone else was pretty on track. Maybe he was just way, way ahead of his time.

I don't really know enough about folk music of the village scene to comment much one way or the other. Also maybe this is way off base and obvious already, but only just now came across this, a performance of Dink's Song by Dave Van Ronk, who was supposedly the main real-life inspiration for Llewyn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=338hp19HWpE

I can see here the arrangement and certain affectations in the Llewyn's performance come from in this at least.

 

[bono_212]

Loved that. Yeah, it does sound similar. Thanks for sharing.

 

[LemonMelon]

Llewyn really sounded like some generic singer/songwriter that NPR would promote. I don't know what's so difficult about not sounding like Mumford and Sons. Hell, imitate Tallest Man On Earth. But anyway, just one small complaint. As someone that loves early 60s folk, I was pleased with the rest of the soundtrack.

 

[LMP]

Have any of you honkies seen Short Term 12?

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Seen it. Loved it. One of my favorites of the year.

 

[deep]

same here

that one and In A World won't be on a lot of top 10s
but are very good 2013 films.

 

[LMP]

I was onboard with ST12 until the last act. Scott Tobias' capsule review hits it on the head:

An extremely frustrating movie, deeply moving and deeply contrived in equal measure. Cretton has a wonderful sense of the fragile ecosystem of the group home, where the fortunes and feelings of kids and staff alike can rise and fall together. And there are moments that are absolutely shattering in getting to the heart of these sad, angry, vulnerable children. Yet the script has been Sundance-labbed to death, with one honking revelation about Brie Larson's character that's teased out with thudding obviousness. The ending, too, is a complete wash.