Last Movie You Saw, Name & Review Movie • Page 28

I'd take issue with saying it's not well written, you got those themes out of it and that's part of the writing. Writing isn't just dialogue. But yeah Smith is known for kind of masturbatory dialogue and actors who aren't always the most naturalistic. I'd back seeing Clerks at least.

 

Fair point.

 

Kundun is a good movie that would be a lot of directors' best film, but stands as a relatively minor Scorsese. It's beautifully shot, even by Roger Deakins standards. Seriously jaw-dropping at times. It's more contemplative than a lot of Scorsese's stuff I've seen, but still intense in its own way, fitting of its subject, I guess. I feel like he will be the last great artist we have seriously grappling with themes of religion and faith, and nobody does it better.

 

I really, really like Chasing Amy.

That, Clerks and Dogma are Kevin Smith's best work and worth a look.

 

Lights Out - 7/10

With a really nice concept that is used effectively, characters I actually cared for (who are really well acted), some scares, plenty of tension, some cool visuals and avoids some of the usual tropes this is a surprise horror film that only has two downfalls being its short length and some scares falling flat.

 

does it actually do justice to the really nuanced topic of tension within the lgbtq community without being really tropey/cheesy/Kevin Smithy? i get enough stress from it irl that i don't know i feel like watching a pisstake on it

 

The Clouds of Sils Maria

gorgeous film. i went in thinking it was about lgbtq themes more than it ultimately was so i was a bit bummed, but still a very thoughtful, wandering film. and once i realize that it made no bones about how metatextual it was always being, and that it never actually was trying to tell the viewer how clever it was and instead was simply saying what it thought, i was more forgiving. at the same time, the script was a little stilted because of it, and the editing was pretty weak - the fade outs, while perhaps stylistically thematic, were a bit frequent, and at times there were some annoying and unnatural jumps.

 

I mean it's really Kevin Smith, but I think it's his most mature work. The lesbian lead was pretty stereotypical from what I remember, and there may be some problematic language in there. Scratch that, liberal use of the f word. There is a character named Banky is who is offensive for the sake of being offensive, but he isn't heralded for his un-pcness.

Here's an article about it from decider and a review from cinemaqueer. (Spoilers included) Not sure if that's a credible site, or if the author himself is gay. So I apologize if it's not helpful at all.

It's not incredibly nuanced, that isn't Smith's forte or most films that focused on gay subject matter in the 90s.

Would probably be best to stay clear.

@Nathan probably knows best tho.

 

Hot Fuzz was awesome.

 

The Cornetto trilogy is sublime.

 

Yesterday ! I have seen "Almost Invisible" movie. It is an amazing horror movie. The Script of this movie is ultimate. I give the 4.2-star rating to this movie.

 

I gotta watch the other two ASAP. Shame Hot Fuzz is the only one on Netflix.

 

Jigoku - 7/10

 

I think it does. It is Kevin Smith-y, and it came out in the 90s so its not the most forward thinking film ever made. There are cringe-y moments. But it presents sexuality as fluid, and presents a lot of characters who are unable to reconcile that, even though the film makes the case that there is no binary, at least not in the way we think of it. Smith consulted with lesbian filmmaker friends of his on the script, which I'm sure helped. Even Jason Lee's character, though he is liberal with the f word and the d word and extremely reductive in his outlook on sexuality, is serving a purpose. He's not shock for the sake of shock (I'm not sure his behavior would be that shocking in the early 90s, to be honest). The film posits that he is that way due to a lot of repressed feelings about his own sexuality, so its masking a discomfort and acting as an unwillingness to engage with himself and his friends. I think, while a lot of progressive things the film says might be unintentional (though I think Smith's intentions matter less than the final work/I'm sure he'd back up any progressive reading into his work while being the first to admit some of it was unintentional), it is actually an interesting examination of sexuality and relationships and gender roles and masculinity and romance.

It's flawed, but I would say ultimately worthwhile and well-meaning.

 

Pretty Maids All In A Row (1971) 8.5/10

Just see it. A description won't do it justice

 

Les Enfantes Terribles

for some reason, it reminded me a lot of Eyes Without a Face in how poetic and almost operatic it was. it dragged a bit, though, and I dont think there were enough single points of conflict/tension to lead to the (great) finale.

 

Rio Grande is definitely my favorite of Ford's cavalry trilogy. I really love John Wayne as an actor. People focus on his line delivery and accent, but look at what he conveys in a look, or sometimes even just in his posture of his gait. Also, Ford had excellent taste in female leads and comedic relief, as Maureen O'Hara and Victor McLaglen are about as good as it gets in those categories.

 

Salvador is a miserable, bleak and powerful film. It's going to stay with me for awhile.

 

I can't help from hating John Wayne so bad. more for being a jerkoff

 

Europa Europa is good. Doesn't really break any new ground for a story about the holocaust (other than being so centered around the main character's dick that Freud would double-take), but it's well executed and creative in its premise

 

In Jackson Heights finally came out, so I could finish my list of 2015 films. Wiseman is always excellent, and anyone interested in identity politics or gentrification will find a lot of eye-opening things on display.

I have also been trying to finish David Lynch's filmography. Lost Highway has a lot to unpack, but one of the fascinating things about the second half of Lynch's career is how he openly defies the materials he never had as an early filmmaker. He has big budgets, movie stars, and modern equipment, and purposely deconstructs them in a way no one else really does.

 

Mulholland Drive has grown off of my personal tastes a bit. It used to be in my top 20 or so. Its still a masterpiece. Meanwhile, Blue Velvet has grown on me big time. also very thoroughly enjoyed Lost Highway. I still need to re watch/finish Inland Empire. Very excited for his return with Twin Peaks and am hoping hard that he returns to film

 

Last time I watched Lost Highway I did not really enjoy it at all.

 

Million Dollar Mermaid is...interesting. After seeing Hail Caesar I realized that never having seen an "aquatic picture" was a blind spot of mine and determined to fix that. The water ballet sequences are undeniably beautiful. But they're a bit thin to hang a whole movie on. I do find Esther Williams charming. Walter Pidgeon is a bit stiff though (as he could be) and I've never had much use for Victor Mature. I'll prob check out two more of hers (Neptune's Daughter and the one where she does a routine with Tom and Jerry) and call it a day on the subgenre though.