Topic: The Movie Thread

@FuriousMachine I'm keen to see "Killers" but there's no way I could take 3+ hours in my local cinema, where even the "luxury" seats are an orthopaedic nightmare. My favourite critic Mark Kermode mentioned that given the length, streaming might actually be the movie's natural habitat but I think the structural issues you mentioned might have more to do with the screenplay's slavish adherence to the novel rather than directorial disregard for the three act framework. In any case, Scorsese is more than capable (recently, even) of bringing in excellent movies at sensible running times - it's not as if his editor is a bit of an amateur! Maybe he feels he's earned a bit of indulgence in his later years - I'll take as much from Scorsese as I can get at this point in his life, mercenary as that sounds.

@FuriousMachine @LN78 I saw that DiCaprio and Scorsese had rewrites to the script due to wanting to go in a different direction. Which I'm stunned took another 4 years!

https://youtube.com/shorts/Eel9X-i8o6U?si=YmppBgUcb-jjBGS_

"Cobweb" falls somewhere in between classic Halloween haunted house slasher and A24 elevated horror - made somewhat incongruously by many of the team behind Amazon's "The Boys" - including producers Goldberg and Rogen and actor Anthony Starr. A complete belter.

@JohnnyShoulder Wow, that's pretty insane!

@LN78 I chose the theater I saw it in carefully; they have exceptionally comfy recliners, so the seating was no problem. I do get somewhat restless sitting still for that long regardless of comfort, so the length did get to me to a small degree. And again, the movie was good, just not great...

"Cobweb" was a nice surprise; I didn't expect much from it going in and it was quite different from what I thought it would be... at least up until the final act, which I thought felt a bit rushed. Still, excellent performances from Caplan and Starr!

"The Menu" is an acerbic, beautifully performed horror-comedy from director Mark Mylod whose previous work includes several episodes of the tonally similar (and similarly excellent) HBO series "Succession". That's two high quality horror movies on the spin for me, so I'm very happy!

rewatching some horror movies today

The Nest with commentary track. saw it last year and it was pretty good. Based on the novel but the movie's completely different due to the characters though

Watching Suicide Squad and my word, Margot Robbie is something else. Sweet Christmas.

I finally watched John Wick for the first time. It was quite good. I knew next to nothing about the series other than it has Keanu in it. The story was shallow, the acting middling, character development spotty, dialogue cheesy, and the fight scenes hyperbolic, but it was what I needed at the time. A good revenge tale.

@Th3solution I've heard that the movie is cruel to a dog. Mind if I ask how uncomfortable those scenes are, or is it all stuff that's alluded to, rather than shown?

Poor Matthew Perry. Just in shock.

@nessisonett Only 54 too.

@RogerRoger you don't really see anything and it's what puts Wick on the path to Revenge. Loved all 4 movies.

@nessisonett @JohnnyShoulder yes very sad, I was never a huge friends fan but I've warmed to it over the years. My wife always has it on if she isn't watching anything new!

@RogerRoger I consider animal cruelty one of the most heinous crimes on the planet so believe me when I say that you should be ok here. It's probably not spoiling anything to say that the act isn't shown. A thug says shut the dog up or something, there's an edit cut and then you see the little dog just laying on the floor motionless but not close up. It's not at all gruesome but still a little heartbreaking.

It's also important to remember if it gets a little overwhelming that the little guy is acting the part and in real life is probably somewhere enjoying a juicy steak.

@MightyDemon82 @Ennui Dogs get redemption in parts 3 and 4 too!

@RogerRoger Yeah, as others have said, there’s some editing done to save the viewer from seeing overt dog violence. For me it was a shocking moment narratively, but otherwise ok and I didn’t feel it was in poor taste. For an action movie it plays with the emotions quite a bit.
I’ve always felt Keanu was a tad overrated, but this was one of the better roles I’ve seen him in. His deadpan mono-tonal line delivery fits for a cold, brooding assassin .

The international film festival in the city next to me is currently ongoing, so I'll be seeing a movie pretty much daily for a while. However, I came here to post my thoughts on a specific one. I saw Poor Things yesterday. The newest film from the team behind The Favourite and the creator of The Great. Of course Lanthimos is also well known for films such as The Lobster or The Killing of a Sacred Deer. Anyway, withour further ado, I have nothing but nice things to say about Poor Things:

Some films just demand your attention from the very first frame and refuse to let go throughout. Poor Things is a perfect example of such a project. McNamara's script once again proves that he's a genius at both the way he writes his dialogue and structures his narrative. After both showing his prowess over and over again with The Favourite and over the course of three seasons of The Great, there's absolutely no doubt in my mind that he's the true visionary behind this end result. However, much like when comparing the aforementioned The Favourite vs. The Great, Lanthimos shows here that he knows how to elevate his scripts like no other. They're an absolute dream pairing of creatives. The combination of McNamara's oddball humor with heart and Lanthimos' extraordinary eye is the only duo I can think of to do justice to this all in all strange premise. And they make it look easy.

What surprised me compared to the previous work of both is quite how much of a "feel-good" movie this is really. Not the saccharine type that might instantly jump to mind. It by no means can be described by that word, but it is filled to the brim with themes of positivity, empowerment and self-discovery. Even the film's darker moments do not take away from an overwhelming sense of goodness just radiating off of the screen by both its protagonist and visual energy at all points. Important here also is that Bella, as played by the ever-amazing Emma Stone, is never played for the fool. She may be naive, confused or highly unknowledgeable at first, but she's not the village idiot. Her empathy is one of her finest traits and shines throughout the narrative, which makes it easy to fall in love with her and lend her that same courtesy. Her journey is portrayed with such deftness due to a mix of the script and Stone's impressively convincing performance when so much asked asked of her can be quite out there. She carries her assignment with style and always manages to add her own signature touch to it.

All of this is only emphasised by the visual spectacle Lanthimos and his team have managed to put together on-screen. From the production design, the sets, the costumes, the lighting to the way they frame the shots... it all comes together beautifully to bring to life one of the most gorgeous films I have ever had the pleasure of watching. If there is one film you could hang in a museum for practically every single frame, it might just be this one. The surreal elements integrated into this world only add to the feast for any film lover's eye. It's an oddly bright and lively aesthetic which often reminds of a steampunk-type of setting. Every detail of what's on-screen seems meticulously crafted to bring out the very best of every moment with brilliant results. They took big swings here and reaped nothing but rewards. The narrative may not quite match those big swings as it remains rather straight-forward throughout, but it was in no way to the detriment of the final product. Basically knowing what's to come around every turn didn't spoil the experience because the journey itself is an undeniable delight.

With a fantastic ensemble to support all of this, you would think it'd be hard to point at one individual as standing out. They all bring the most to each of their roles, whether it be major or minor ones. Shockingly, however, Mark Ruffalo managed to do just that in one of his finest turns to date. He's blessed with a treasure trove of top-tier lines, yet the way he elevates each and every one of them is nothing short of impressive. His character's arc leads him to deliver an ultimately overwhelmingly comedic performance and Ruffalo hits each and every note with the most masterful precision. Any time he and Stone interact feels like a masterclass of the performing arts unfolding in front of your eyes. At that point, having an almost equally talented ensemble backing it all up just feels like an abundance of quality.

Poor Things is the type of film you just don't want to end. Clocking in at a respectable two hours and twenty minutes, it's one where you can feel the length. Rather than scoffing at it and wondering when it's going to wrap up however, you simply feel excited every time you realise there's still more to come. There's nothing I could cut from this film to make it shorter because I do not want to experience less of this world and these characters. Do yourself a favour and take the journey as well. It might just be the best film of the year.