First Impressions: The FILMS of 2023

[Tallguy 3,540]

21 minutes ago, A24 said:

A24 - who longs for the more simple days of "What Was The Last Movie You Watched?"

 

I thought it was OK to have a "Current year" thread and an "Older than this year" thread. When we started getting 2021, 2022, AND 2023, as well as Older Films then that was too much for me.

[Faleel 5,452]

22 minutes ago, A24 said:

 

 

A24 - who longs for the more simple days of "What Was The Last Movie You Watched?"

[Glóin the Dark 1,229]

I prefer the yearly system (if there isn't simply going to be one single film thread). If someone wants to review Oppenheimer a year or two hence (and, in particular, if they want to respond to or quote an earlier comment) it's clear where to do so. With just a "new" and "old" thread things get ambiguous and inconsistent.

[JNHFan2000 2,985]

Maybe there should be a 5 year limit or something?

[Tallguy 3,540]

On 03/12/2023 at 2:02 PM, JNHFan2000 said:

The Holdovers

 

This film is something special.
Like many people, I wasn't really blown away by the trailer for this. But there was more and more buzz about it online, so I put it on my watchlist. Then after a review I read, I wanted to make sure I saw it earlier than I was planning to. And I'm glad I did.

 

I think it's hard to try to explain this film, because it could sound not too exciting or special. So I'm not gonna do that, because it really is. I just want to say that the script is so brilliant in it's simplicity but at the same time it's very complex. That's a very hard thing to do, but this film pulls it off.

 

Then you have the fantastic performances by Paul Giamatti, Da'Vine Joy Randolph & Dominic Sessa. The scenes between the three of them were brilliant. Chemistry exploding of the screen. My favorite scenes were the Christmas dinner and the cherries jubilee. So good!
Then all three characters are fleshed out in the most fantastic ways. You just felt so much for them and I actually really want to know what happens to them.
Oh, and I've never gotten so emotiomal by a fucking handshake. I was in a puddle of my owm tears.

 

So yeah, this film is something really special, but I can't really explain why. IT JUST IS! I'm a bit at a loss for words, just because it made such an impact. And I urge everyone to go and see it, then you will understand and we can bask in it's glory together.
 

 

The trailer caught my attention. Just because it looked like a new stab at what used to be a very run of the mill kind of film. And boy, does this film wallow in that. In the best way.

 

As someone who was a small child in Massachusetts in the 1970's a lot of the vibe of this film is nearly heartbreaking. I can't tell you why it just feels right. It really just took my breath away. It caused a very uncomfortable yearning. (I have no illusions: 1970 was by and large a shit time to get through even in the USA.) This feels like lots of my childhood photographs. They don't lean in to the 70s of it like many other films trying to be in this era. It's far more naturalistic.

 

What doesn't feel right is the profanity. Obviously I didn't swear a lot in the 70's. And by and large people didn't swear around me. (Good for them.) But I swore a fair amount in the 80's. And most of the style of swearing just feels more like 21st century style swearing. Maybe someone older than me can back me up. (Or refute me.)

 

The story is nothing unusual. You can probably pick many of the beats. You will probably miss a few. There's a curve in the middle that turns it into a much better film. It's just that people don't tell this kind of story with these kinds of actors anymore. The irony level of this movie is 0.

 

They wanted to make a movie that feels like it's a movie from 1972 that you just never saw. And really, they did that. But they're surprisingly light about it. This isn't Tarnatino. They never name drop any events and wink that we should know them. The most self conscious thing about this movie is the credits. But even that is kind of casual. (While being very on purpose as a 1970's movie.)

 

As @JNHFan2000 noted: the performances are extraordinary. I hope this was a joy to make and that it lit a part of the performers' souls. I've loved Paul Giamatti since the Howard Stern movie. (No, I haven't seen Sideways. I may need to fix that soon.) (Wait wait wait wait... This is Dominic Sessa's only film?!?!) Da'Vine Joy Randolph feels like a character we haven't quite seen before. Somehow she sidesteps the "help" role just a bit. And I loved her for it.

 

It is also that rarest of things these days: It's just a good movie. For no reason other than to be a good movie. It's not an Event. It doesn't have a MESSAGE. And these days that makes it slightly remarkable.

[Faleel 5,452]

4 minutes ago, Tallguy said:

 

What doesn't feel right is the profanity. Obviously I didn't swear a lot in the 70's. And by and large people didn't swear around me. (Good for them.) But I swore a fair amount in the 80's. And most of the style of swearing just feels more like 21st century style swearing.

Slightly related, Something I feel, and I could be wrong, is that sometimes there seems to be a one sized fits all approach when it comes to swearing in some movies/shows these days, like everyone shares the exact same vocabulary, using the same swears, which seems slightly unrealistic.

[Tallguy 3,540]

Just now, Presto said:

Slightly related, Something I feel, and I could be wrong, is that sometimes there seems to be a one sized fits all approach when it comes to swearing in some movies/shows these days, like everyone shares the exact same vocabulary, using the same swears, which seems slightly unrealistic.

 

I felt that with Hunham and the rest of the characters, to be sure. He proudly doesn't talk like anyone else. Why should he swear (if he should stoop to such vulgarity) like anyone else.

[Jay 37,529]

On 29/12/2023 at 11:49 AM, A24 said:

A24 - who longs for the more simple days of "What Was The Last Movie You Watched?"

 

On 29/12/2023 at 12:11 PM, Tallguy said:

I thought it was OK to have a "Current year" thread and an "Older than this year" thread. When we started getting 2021, 2022, AND 2023, as well as Older Films then that was too much for me.

 

 

So that is what's still happening.

 

The idea is that each year, there's always 2 threads near the top of GD.  The "older films" thread, and the "first impressions" thread for this year's films.  So either should always be easy to find, and it should always be obvious which one to post in.  So for example, throughout all of last year: Just watched a 2023 movie? Share your thoughts in "First Impressions - The Films of 23".  You just watched a movie from a prior year, including a 2022 movie? Post your thoughts in "What Was The Last Film You Watched? (Older Films)".  Simple.

 

Now, there are freaks like me and Gloin, who prefer to dig out the previous yearly threads (we only have them for 2020, 2021, 2022) and put our thoughts in there, so when we get around to finally deciding on our favorite movies of the year, there's one place to find our thoughts (and others) on all the movies we watched that year.  But I never expected anybody else to do that if you don't want to.  Everyone should be comfortable just posting into Older Films even if the film is from 2022 or 2021 or whatever.  It's all good!

[Glóin the Dark 1,229]

I was going to post an addendum to my provisional top ten films of 2023 mentioning some of the noteworthy titles which didn't make the list - but, since these are general comments about the films, I guess this is the relevant place to do it.

Barbie. I'm admittedly not in the main target audience for this one but, then again, that target being so wide is probably responsible for the heavy-handed jokes and shallow, disingenuous satire. After her third solo feature, I've come to terms with the fact that Greta Gerwig is not so much the big-budget Josephine Decker as the new Ron Howard (not that there's anything wrong with that!).

 

Napoleon. I'm glad to have seen this on a big screen because it was a pleasure just to look at; I found many of the interior scenes more memorable, visually, than the more obviously spectacular set-pieces. Unfortunately it wasn't very cinematic even in those battle scenes, and, narratively and dramatically, it was pretty stale. Maybe the extended edition will improve the storytelling, though the prospect of sitting through that doesn't have me champing at the bit.

 

The Creator. Amazing look; dreadfully clunky script, especially in the final act.

 

The Holdovers. Alexander Payne has a tendency to let his films slide into a state of overt (and, to me, unwelcome) sentimentality. I was hoping that this one would, like Sideways and Nebraska, stay on the right side of that tonal line. It did, for the most part, but fell victim to the dreaded schmaltz right at the finishing line. As such, despite its many virtues, it isn't (and is unlikely to become) one of my favourites of the year.

 

Saltburn. The Academy ratio compositions and vibrant colour give a magnificent look, evoking mid-20th Century British films. The script and performances are thoroughly entertaining and frequently hilarious most of the way through, before collapsing in an awkward, contrived and dull finale. Some day Emerald Fennell will make a film whose brilliance isn't compromised by a silly ending.

 

Eileen. William Oldroyd's second film (following the great Lady Macbeth) is an apparently drab story - presented, like The Holdovers, in a nostalgic 1970s idiom - galvanised by several heart-stopping moments, but deflated by an abrupt and underwhelming ending. I watched this in the cinema on the same day as Saltburn, another film let down by its conclusion. It could well be that this one will be more satisfying on a rewatch, with its structure already known and anticipated.

 

Fair Play. Something of a wild-card, this is the feature debut of Chloe Domont, who has previously directed episodes of some television series that I haven't seen. I thought this would be one of those slick, clichéd, TV-movie style thrillers which continually pop up on the streaming channels nowadays. For the first half, that's basically what it is (albeit much better done than usual), but the temperature is quite masterfully brought to boiling point in a second half which has some scenes of real brilliance, including a virtuosic domestic argument which, on a technical level, is one of the most memorable scenes of the year for me.

[Jay 37,529]

Awesome, I really want to see Eileen.  Is it only in cinemas?

[Glóin the Dark 1,229]

I think it should be streaming soon, if not already. It's about a month since I saw it in the cinema. Definitely worth watching.

[Jay 37,529]

Just checked Just Watch, it ain't anywhere yet.  But I'll be seeing it as soon as I can!

[JNHFan2000 2,985]

Bottoms
This film was fucking hilarious. It has a fantastic script by Emma Seligman & Rachel Sennott. The former also directs with a lot of confidence and fun shots. The latter is the lead next to Ayo Edebiri and they are both so funny. The whole cast is outstanding, not a weak link among them + a fantastic soundtrack. Ending might be a bit overkill (pun intended), but overall this is one of the best comedies of the year!

 

How To Have Sex
This didn't feel like a film, but more like somebody filmed a real holiday. It was both uncomfortable and very well done. The story is really important and told extremely well. It has a great lead performance by Mia McKenna-Bruce and is a strong directorial debut for Molly Manning Walker. I'll be looking forward to what both do next.

 

Dream Scenario
Nicolas Cage is really great here. Both extremely funny, uncomfortable, slightly scary and really sad. He is the main draw for the film and even though I think the concept of the film is fantastic, I don't feel like it made use of it's full potential. Add to that, that I felt like the third act was rushed and didn't really fit with the rest of the film and it's a bit of mixed bag.

[Romão 2,276]

Godzilla Minus One

 

I never expected to be so moved by a Godzilla movie. Having become a father recently might have made me much more susceptible to this kind of story, but I was completely taken by the hand by this movie. Yes, it is melodramatic. Yes, it's very sentimental. But the story is told with such sincerity and earnestness, I was completely involved by it and was actively fearing for the fate of the characters in the face of such an overwhelming menace. Never were the monster scenes as effective and captivating as they are here, specially because I was dreading its consequences.

 

You can telegraph the dramatic and narrative beats from miles away, but still, this thing just came together so well, it truly is greater than the sum of its parts.

 

The choice of setting and timeframe was inspired, giving the perfect backdrop and context for the sort of story being told. The low tech nature of most of it really served the story well, specially in the final plan and its execution in the climax, which were absolutely gripping sequences.

 

Good characters, fantastic monster scenes, the scariest atomic breath I have ever seen in a Godzilla movie, good score (with a very well spotted and effective use of the Ifukube stuff) and an actual story to tell, with proper character arcs, as somewhat telegraphed and archetypical they may be.

 

One of 2023's great cinematic surprises. I don't think I can ever watch an American Godzilla movie ever again. The story is so thoroughly Japanese, that all American versions seem to totally miss the point and tone (and indeed, the sillier Japanese Godzilla movies have done very much the same) and come across as vague, diluted copy, a simulacrum, of the real thing.

 

 

[Tallguy 3,540]

41 minutes ago, Romão said:

I don't think I can ever watch an American Godzilla movie ever again.

 

I really enjoyed King of the Monsters and I'm going to be sad when I don't get to watch Monarch with my Saturday morning bowl of cereal. But G v K was crap and I'm not looking forward to the next one.

 

OTOH, I'm not sure I want another G-1. They would have to figure out what to do with it. It can't just be more. I'm not even sure it should be that much bigger. Maybe set it in the 80s or 90s? Far enough from G-1 AND still far enough from us.

 

For a while now I have been much more of a fan of the original Godzilla rather than the whole extended series. It had a purity and a menace that I think G-1 does in spades.

[JNHFan2000 2,985]

Past Lives
This was fantastic. Incredibly well written by Celine Song. Very "real" dialogue, if that makes any sense. She found a way to make each of the three people involved very complex and not make anyone unlikable or like you feel you are on the side of one of them. All three leads are fantastic, but it truly is Greta Lee that is the standout. Her performance is both heartfelt, geeky and a bit stoic. That final scene was truly something special and broke me in tiny little pieces. Absolutely brilliant film!

 

 

The Boy And The Heron
This is one of those films which I greatly respect and admire, but I can't say I enjoyed very much. It's gorgeously animated with some really cool visuals, written very well and has wonderful music. There is just something about it that didn't really click. I was sort of left unfulfilled. I still think it's a great film but something was missing.

[Knight of Ren 793]

I kind of feel the opposite on those two films. I found Past Lives a bit underwhelming, and while I understand what it was trying to do, I felt a bit disconnected with the characters emotionally. On the other hand, I found The Boy and the Heron to be a gripping and absorbing tale, brimming with beautiful images and a profound message about our legacy and our future!

 

Here are some brief thoughts on some other 2023 movies I watched recently:

 

The Holdovers

During the first part of the movie I wasn't really getting what all the fuss was about, and it felt a bit slow, but starting at the moment the three main characters are left alone, I started to become more and more invested in their stories and their interactions, and the movie slowly won me over with its apparent simplicity, but filled with many subtleties that make these characters feel real, and the ending left me emotional, and wanting to spend more time with these beautifully written characters. The three leads are Oscar-worthy IMO!

 

How to Have Sex

At first it feels like it's going to be one of those empty "hot obnoxious teenagers get drunk and party all night" type of movies, but around half hour in, everything changes, and it starts to become almost a horror movie, with how painfully accurate it becomes. Mia McKeena Bruce is brilliant and I love the subtleties of her performance, expressing lots of emotions with so little. And I feel everyone can connect emotionally with it, because the topics it deals with are very relevant to our society, and still not talked about enough. Definitely recommend it.

 

Wonka

I went in expecting nothing and was pleasantly surprised by a charming movie, that is probably going to become a Christmas classic. Chalamet is great in the role, the songs are quite memorable, and the production design is colorful, vibrant and joyful all around, making for a very pleasant watch, that reminded me of the great Paddington movies by director Paul King in its heart-warming tone overall. Nothing groundbreaking, perhaps a bit too long, and sometimes a bit too cartonish, but it works for the kind of film it's trying to be.

 

Maestro

I feel this is more Carey Mulligan's film than Bradley Cooper, as she steals every scene they share, and offers the more profound and emotional performance of the two. Her scenes and their relationship is the highlight for me, but I otherwise felt the movie was a bit of a mess at some points. It tries to tell many important moments in the life of Bernstein, but you end up feeling that it didn't really teach you a lot about his importance in the classical music world, and while I like how his music is used through the movie, I would have liked to spent more time learning about Bernstein the musical figure, and less about his family dramas. The scene where he conducts Mahler at a cathedral is a highlight though!

 

Godzilla Minus One

Brilliant film! One of my favorites of the year. I love how well balanced the human drama and the monster action are, and it's one of the few Godzilla movies that actually makes you care about its human characters, thus making the third act much more impactful and emotional. I love the way the present Godzilla as a huge menace, and really scary, in particular in the atomic breath sequence which was stunning to experience in a cinema. Naoki Sato's score works brilliantly within the film, and they cleverly used Ifukube's themes only in a couple of key scenes, which makes those themes have more impact and importance when they appear. One of my favorite Godzilla movies ever!

[JNHFan2000 2,985]

Society Of The Snow (La Sociedad De La Nieve)

 

Technically this is a 2023 film and so it has slipped into my favourite 10 of the year at the last moment. This is one of the most harrowing films I've ever scene.

 

We all knew J.A. Bayona is able to make a strong film filled with dread. His previous films like The Orphanage & Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom were full of it. But it's The Impossible that this film resembles the most. Just like with that film, the terror and fear of the situation these people are thrown into is unimaginable. But somehow Bayona is able to craft a film where it's almost relatable, no matter the choices they make.

 

I think a lot of people know the story this film is portraying and so know what happens in it. I was afraid that the film was gonna make a really big and extravagent (Hollywood version) thing of the conversation and act of eating the dead. But fortunately this is not the case at all. The film is able to show you and let you feel how it must've been to be in that situation and make that choice. Then when it finally happens this inhuman thing stayed very human. I think it's a remarkable feat.

 

The cast is outstanding. Almost all are newcomers, but they absolutely convey everything that was needed. The visuals and cinematography are beautiful and haunting. I really appreciated that you felt that shooting was done on location. It has a fantastic score by Michael Giacchino who is able to score both the dread but also the love these people have for each other. The final moments are some of the best scoring this year.

 

The plane crash itself is one of the most striking things I've seen in quite a while. It's was truly terrifying. The middle part of the film is really strong in it's dialogue and making sure you care about these people no matter what they do. Loved the choice that the narration is by someone who didn't survive. The final 30 minutes are almost like an adventure film and the final moments are full of euphoria and joy with still that sense of dread. 

 

This film is something truly special. It made a huge impact on me and I hope it gets more than just the "Foreign Language" nominations. It deserves so much more! Outstanding!

[Jay 37,529]

How was Giacchino's score in context?

[JNHFan2000 2,985]

Fantastic.

Really added a lot to certain scenes. But it was never in the way of the performances.

 

Even the end, which is a euphoric moment is scored in a way that's not overpowering. It's always there to support the picture. I know that is what scores are supposed to do, but I thought this truly was one of the best ways it was done at least in the last year

[Jay 37,529]

Can't wait to see it!

[JNHFan2000 2,985]

Next Goal Wins

 

Not sure why all the critics gave this such bad reviews. Sure, it doesn't reinvent the sports film formula, but it doesn't need to be. It's just one of those feel good films.

 

Michael Fassbender is great in the lead role. It was great to see him do some comedic work. When the emotional scenes came I thought to myself "that's why you hire Fassbender", he is just fantastic!
Standouts in the supporting cast were Kaimana (really impressive), Oscar Knightley, Rachel House, David Fane & Beluah Koale.

 

The film is at it's best when it focuses on the football team and their stories. The film dips in quality everytime it focuses more on Fassbender's personal life and the American characters. The jokes here are not funny and it doesn't add anything to the story.

Both in its comedic moments when the team is training or playing a match are the clear highlights. The way the film shows how bad they actually were was just really funny and the final match of the film was great.

 

Overall, this films has flawes, but it doesn't detract from the overall feel and vibe. I really enjoyed myself and everybody in my cinema was laughing their asses off. I had a great time!
 

[Tallguy 3,540]

52 minutes ago, JNHFan2000 said:

Rachel House

 

She's always amazing.

[bollemanneke 3,367]

Wonka. Pretty good, if a tad long. Hugh Grant is great, Noodle was not and I prefer Colman when she’s not this evil. Also, Sally Hawkins… Ah, I’ll be back in dear old Ireland in just a month. What an actress. Good songs, fun but unmemorable score.

[Jay 37,529]

 

Linoleum

 

Pretty cool, pretty trippy light comedic, sci-fi drama (I think that about covers it) starring Jim Gaffigan in two roles with very different personalities, Rhea Seehorn (a bit underused for a while then finally gets more to do near the end), Tony Shalhoub, and Michael Ian Black.  The plot involves cars and Russian satellites falling out of the sky, dopplegangers, children's TV, parenting, science, and a lot of other stuff.  It's the kind of movie where you never really know what's going on and then is made or broken by the ending where they explain it all.. and in this case, for me, all the explanations at the end were so out-there, I feel like I'd need to see the whole movie again to form a real opinion.  I guess for now I'd say the film is not entirely successful, but I admire the way they swung for the fences and did some outside the box stuff with the story and reveals

 

It's on Hulu

[Jay 37,529]

 

To Catch A Killer

 

Interesting film by Damián Szifron, who directed one of the best movies of the 2010s (Wild Tales / Relatos salvajes) - this is actually his first film since that one.  The plot involves the police and federal investigation into a series of murders that happen during New Year's Even, perpetuated by a someone with a high powered sniper rifle on a Baltimore highrise.

 

Shailene Woodley is a beat cop on the scene, who catches the eye of Ben Mendelsohn, the FBI Special Agent in charge of the investigation.  He recruits her to his team, and the investigation that follows is then one of the most well-done and engaging ones I've seen depicted on screen in a while.  There are numerous false suspects, additional murders, other shootouts, and good solid investigation work eventually leads to finding the right guy, which itself is then an extreme compelling sequence of events and climax, and then the denoument is compelling and interesting in its own way as well. 

 

Basically we have a very good script here, superbly directed by Szifron, with two stellar lead actors.  I am really surprised this film didn't garner more attention this year.  Part of the problem is the terrible name; Sifron wanted to call it Misanthrope, which would have been way better!

 

It's on Hulu

[Jay 37,529]

 

Reality

 

This is both a cool name for the movie itself, and the first name of the real life person it is about.  Reality Winner works as a Farci translator for a company contracted by the government.  She comes home from work one day and is confronted by two FBI agents with a warrant to search her house and belongings.  What follows is an almost real-time conversation as we slowly learn more about Reality and why the agents are there.  If you don't know the story, googling it might lessen the impact of the film somewhat.  But what's fun is that their entire conversation was recorded, and the film's script is basically that real conversation, acted out.  And it's acted out very well - I was impressed by Sweeney in this role, certainly the best I've seen her do.  I liked this film a lot!

 

It's on Max

 

[Holko 9,616]

Society of the Snow - Absolutely loved it! Interesting choice of POV character, respectful but very engaging handling of the events and topics, fantastic varied cinematography and direction, great acting from everyone including many newcomers, a score that works really well in-film!

[Bespin 8,508]

Yesterday, I watched the movie 'The Burial' (a film starring the both excellent Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones). A decent film, nothing more, which I mainly viewed because Michael Abels' score seemed to have caught the attention of a few critics. I was disappointed. It seems that the music composed and featured on the album is more impressive than what made it into the final film because I didn't hear much original music but rather a lot of pop songs instead. In short, watching a movie based on reviews of its music, I do that from time to time. Sometimes it works out, and as in this case, sometimes it's disappointing.

 

[Bespin 8,508]

I'm not particularly a fan of role-playing games or Dungeons & Dragons, and I believe this is the first movie derived from this 'game' that I've watched. I think I've heard that there were others before this one, but it wasn't necessary to watch them before seeing this one. From what little I know of this universe, the movie seemed well done. Obviously, it's another one of those films that I watch solely because Lorne Balfe's soundtrack received good reviews. The only thing I would criticize about the film is that the music volume is very low in some parts, and the 'realistic' type of humor is very prevalent, which sometimes weighs on me. All movies in recent years seem to allow precisely this kind of humor, where characters seems to almost break the fourth wall to have 'realistic' reflections about themselves (like when they mock Chris Pine's lip size). It's becoming tiresome, but well, I guess Generation Z is crazy about this kind of stuff. Otherwise, Hugh Grant is consistent with his usual acting style and continues to overplay.

 

However, it's a decent entertainment, and it's true that the music is very good (well, the parts that are audible!).

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

 

 

PS: One word about Regé-Jean Page. He's handsome as usual. Excuse me while I wipe the drool off the floor!

[Knight of Ren 793]

A couple of 2023 films I hadn't been able to watch until recently:

 

Society of Snow

Brilliant film! Probably the best Bayona has ever done. I found it to be very moving, but also terrifying and difficult to watch at times, because of the realistic way everything is portrayed. The crash is shocking and uses to great effect the sound and editing, which then play a big part in the rest of the movie, making the mountains and the plane feel like an alien, moving and living entity that the characters have to confront. The way the movie portrays the drama, the shock and the tragedy felt so real and human, and that makes it much more emotional as the story progresses. I loved how respectful the movie is to all those who didn't came back and serves as a sort of belated homage to all those people who gave their lives to help those who did come back to return home.

 

Giacchino's score works brilliantly within the film, being both devastating and hopeful, with some great musical moments in its third act, like the Andes Ascent or Found, and both the score and the film would enter a top 10 of 2023 without a doubt!

 

Saltburn

I feel the film goes on for a bit too long in its middle section, and subtlety isn't one of its strongest feats, but it's such a fun and wild ride that I can forgive some of its flaws. Emerald Fennel's direction and Linus Sandgren's photography offer some of the most beautiful shots of the year, and I feel they add to the story and help the (again, not so subtle) allegories and visual metaphors feel more captivating. The story has some unexpected turns, and some quite shocking moments, that sometimes fall on the gimmicky side, but also give more depth to the characters, portrayed brilliantly by the respective actors. Jacob Elordi is great, charming and charismatic, and it's the perfect counterpoint to Barry Keoghan's mysterious, creepy and enigmatic presence. He's an actor that again and again shows how great he is, and I love how unnerving but also absorbing his presence is on screen, and he's one of the reasons why this movie holds up its entire duration and some of its missteps.

 

Fallen Leaves

I get what it was trying to do, what it pays homage to and the feelings it tries to convey, but because of the tone and mood it settles on, I found myself constantly detached from the emotional journeys of the characters, and I wasn't that invested in their relationship. It's a shame because I had heard great things about it, but it left me disappointed that I wasn't able to connect with it for most of its duration. Great acting from both leads though!

[A24 4,369]

27 minutes ago, Knight of Ren said:

Saltburn

I feel the film goes on for a bit too long in its middle section,

 

That's where I stopped watching. I did kinda like the first act (on the campus).

[Bespin 8,508]

3 hours ago, Knight of Ren said:

Saltburn

 

I feel the film goes on for a bit too long in its middle section, and subtlety isn't one of its strongest feats, but it's such a fun and wild ride that I can forgive some of its flaws. Emerald Fennel's direction and Linus Sandgren's photography offer some of the most beautiful shots of the year, and I feel they add to the story and help the (again, not so subtle) allegories and visual metaphors feel more captivating. The story has some unexpected turns, and some quite shocking moments, that sometimes fall on the gimmicky side, but also give more depth to the characters, portrayed brilliantly by the respective actors. Jacob Elordi is great, charming and charismatic, and it's the perfect counterpoint to Barry Keoghan's mysterious, creepy and enigmatic presence. He's an actor that again and again shows how great he is, and I love how unnerving but also absorbing his presence is on screen, and he's one of the reasons why this movie holds up its entire duration and some of its missteps.

 

I didn't dislike this movie, on the contrary, but I didn't find it funny, and I read somewhere that it's supposed to be a comedy, albeit a dark one. Maybe I've lost my sense of humor. Perhaps I no longer decode the signals of the new generation of directors. In short, this film is unlikely to leave anyone indifferent. However, it's strange, very strange. Well-acted and peculiar (I'm thinking of two scenes in particular, involving bodily fluids...).

[Jay 37,529]

 

Saltburn

 

This movie was stupid and predictable.  The first 40 minutes or so are genuinely good, as Barry Keoghan shows up to Oxford as middle class kid on a scholarship, and struggles to fit in with all the upper class there until he befriends Jacob Elordi, who eventually invites him to his giant rich person manor for the summer.  Not long after settling in there and meeting his seemingly weird family, more and more kooky stuff starts to happen, and I wasn't impressed by any of it, really, it all felt perfuntorary.  And it was obvious where it was all headed once it was revealed he lied about his parents.  The only thing I didn't guess was I assumed it was going to be specific revenge, like his family did something that hurt his family or something, not that it was just be a generic he killed them all and took over the manor because.. they are rich and he is not?

 

This is basically just a B movie plot dressed up by having good actors and "shocking" scenes that aren't actually shocking or mean anything, and are just kind thrown in there to be different, in my eyes.  So, not too much to be impressed by here... apart from the acting which was genuinely very good.  Barry Keoghan and Richard E Grant are always great, and this was no exception, but Jacob Elordi was new to me and did a great job, and Rosamund Pike was good too.  Carey Mulligan was great too, but drastically underused to the point I forgot she was in it until I was just looking at the cast list again.

 

Oh well.

 

It's on Amazon Prime.

[Glóin the Dark 1,229]

7 hours ago, Bespin said:

I didn't find it funny, and I read somewhere that it's supposed to be a comedy, albeit a dark one. Maybe I've lost my sense of humor.

I found Rosamund Pike, Carey Mulligan and Richard E. Grant hilarious in most of their scenes. Not so much the younger characters (except maybe that maths student).

[Jay 37,529]

Yeah, they were great!  Truly no complaints at all about their performances

[Glóin the Dark 1,229]

2 hours ago, Jay said:

Carey Mulligan was…drastically underused…

I’d heard beforehand that hers was more of a cameo appearance, so wasn’t surprised by that. She would have been just finished, or in the middle of, filming Maestro, coincidentally another 130 minute Academy ratio second feature by an actor-turned-director!

 

I knew that maths guy looked familiar but only later found out it was Ewan Mitchell from House of the Dragon.

[Jay 37,529]

Saltburn was directed by an actor? I had no idea. Kinda makes sense now.

 

Yeah I recognized eyepatch HOTD guy! He was good too, showed some range compared to his HOTD character

[A24 4,369]

10 hours ago, Jay said:

 

Saltburn

 

  The first 40 minutes or so are genuinely good ...

 

I'm glad I got it right! 

 

Things go wrong the moment the movie takes place in the castle.

[Knight of Ren 793]

Yeah, the first part was the best and I also really liked the last 30 minutes or so, but I guess that's up to everyone's taste. It's a movie I enjoyed, and which I can appreciate for what it tries to be, but I also get all the criticism and it would make perfect sense if someone hated completely!

 

And yeah, director Emerald Fennel was known as an actress before jumping onto the directing chair. She appeared briefly this year in Barbie, but I knew her for the role of Camilla in The Crown, I think in seasons 3 and 4!

[JNHFan2000 2,985]

The Boys In The Boat

 

In my opinion this is the best film George Clooney has directed. I really loved this film. It's a true story, is wonderfully written and performed. The racing sequences are filmed thrillingly and there was some interesting commentary on sports and money.

 

Callum Turner & Joel Edgerton share the lead role here. Both are very good and both give a performance without any big gestures or over the top momemts. I think the film benefits from having an actor as director, because all of the performances feel very real and I really appreciated that.

Loved the cinematography. Everything is beautifully shot and the racing scenes especially are really thrilling. This is helped by a fantastic score from composer Alexandre Desplat. It's been a while since Desplat's music has made an impact on me, but this might be one of his best.

 

One of my favorite aspects of the film is when the team wins the race that qualifies them for the Olympics, but they get told that the trip won't be financed and that they need to pay the money themselves. It's important to know that most (if not all) men on the team, joined the team so they could earn some money and a place to sleep, because most of them were completely broke.
This moment in the film made a big impact on me, because to me it showed that unfortunately money is everything. A lot of the time it doesn't seem to matter how good you are at something or if you end on top, if you don't have the money to back it up, people will ignore you and push you to the side. Great message in my opinion.

 

All in, I had a wonderful time with this film. As I said, I feel it's Clooney best feature as director and I wish this film was more part of the awards conversation.

 

[crocodile 8,067]

Watched Saltburn last night. It was quite entertaining in a twisted kind of way. Somewhat predictable and heavy handed but the cast certainly elevated the piece. I am in a mood for dark comedy lately so this really fit that the bill. Good score from Anthony Willis and pretty direction, both hilariously pretentious, of course.

 

Karol

[Sweeping Strings 2,408]

No interest in it at all, mainly due to the -

Spoiler

drinking dirty jizzed-in bathwater and 'cunnilingus during menstruation' scenes. 

I guess you could could argue 'it's only a movie', but those sound utterly revolting to me. No thanks. 
 

[Brundlefly 2,385]

Saltburn is the dregs of the current wave of cheap "eat the rich" polemics. It is totally deranged by solely mocking on some people's life styles. Therefore it's stuffy as fuck, while some scenes try to convey it's edgy - it is not, no systemic question is posed at any time.

[crocodile 8,067]

42 minutes ago, Brundlefly said:

Saltburn is the dregs of the current wave of cheap "eat the rich" polemics. It is totally deranged by solely mocking on some people's life styles. 

Is it though? It starts off like that, sure, but my impression is that it was presented from the perspective of the main character rather than an overlaying message or anything. There are more interesting things going on underneath. One of the British traits is "bottling it up" and this film plays this to the extreme. It isn't subtle but I would not discard it altogether.

 

If anything, makes for an interesting companion piece to Babylon, another "annoying but unique" film of the past few years.

 

Karol

[Tallguy 3,540]

4 minutes ago, crocodile said:

Babylon

 

Wow, there's a film that vanished from the public psyche, eh? 

[crocodile 8,067]

8 minutes ago, Tallguy said:

 

Wow, there's a film that vanished from the public psyche, eh? 

Regardless of your opinion, that doesn't say much. A lot of really great films make little impression at first and take their time to make their big comeback some years later. Things that burn the brightest at first, on the other hand, tend to disappear or lose their relevance. Life is funny like that.

 

Karol

[Jay 37,529]

I went into Saltburn with a completely open mind and really ended up not liking it at all. I wasn't surprised when it got no Oscar nominations. I don't think it will be talked about much after another few months

[JNHFan2000 2,985]

The Color Purple

 

This is one of those films that I feel got a bit lost in the mix at the end of last year. Which is a real shame, because it's very very good.
I don't like comparing films, because each film is it's own thing, but I want to make a point so I'll do it this time. The Color Purple does something right, which I think the recent Mean Girls film doesn't do (I still enjoyed it). During Mean Girls I felt that everytime a song was happening it took time away from the story. Whereas in this film every song was part of the story and moved the story forward.

 

The musical numbers itself are fantastic. Incredibly well shot, choreographed and performed by the cast. My favorites are "Keep It Movin'", "Hell No", "Shug Avery", "Push Da Button", "Miss Celie's Pants", "I'm Here" & "The Color Purple". It's incredible that this is Blitz Bazawule's first feature film he has directed. He was a co-director on Beyoncé Black Is King and that influence is felt here. No shots or cameramovement is wasted and visually something interesting is always happening. There are some fantastic transitions showing the passing of time. The camera is always moving, but the great thing is, is that Bazawule knows when the camera needs to be still and let the performances do the work. This happens in a few of the most impactful scenes and they are all the better for it.
The dinner scene is one of my favourite scenes from 2023!

 

The cast is truly magnificent, one of the best casts of 2023. Taraji P. Henson is a force of nature as Shug Avery. Danielle Brooks is formidable as Sofia and Colman Domingo is able to make you both afraid of Mister, but at the end care for him.
But this film belongs to Fantasia Barrino. She portrays Celie through multiple decades of her life and she hits every note perfectly. It's an astonishing perfomance. Her showstopper song "I'm Here" is truly something to behold. From the directing to the marvel that is Barrino's performance.

 

It's not always an easy watch. Some heavy stuff happens. But the way the film balances this darkness with both lightness in the story and some of the musical numbers is remarkable.
I strongly feel this is one of the best films of 2023.

[Jay 37,529]

 

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

 

I finally caught up with this a couple weeks ago on Disney+ and I dunno what to say about it.  It felt like an episode of an MCU TV show more than a movie, I think.  Just the way that there was only like 5 minutes in the "real world" that only sort of brought up stuff from the prior Ant-man and Avengers movies before spending the rest of the entire movie in this universe with its own heroes and villains that don't really matter much was weird.  Felt very strange for what could be the last hurrah for some of this cast.  It's all very forgettable really.  At least the council of Kangs at the end was kind of fun, though now in retrospect I guess that will mean nothing too.  Oh well.

 

It was a bummer to not feature Michael Peña and David Dastmalchian's characters from the first 2 movies at all; Instead, new side-characters played by Bill Murray, William Jackson Harper, and Katy O'Brian have less of an impact than they all did.  Corey Stoll's return as MODOK was pretty good though, and Kathryn Newton was also pretty good (I think I've liked her in everything I've seen her in).  What was up with Evangeline Lilly's hair though? And why do her and Rudd have zero chemistry now?

 

There was also some contrived bs to make the movei work, like Michelle Pfeiffer having lied to her family for years about knowing Kang and stuff - that was really annoying.  And they didn't find much more Michael Douglas to do.  I guess overall, this is just kind of a forgettable movie.  And the fact that almost the ENTIRE movie was on green screen sets didn't do it any favors.