What Movies Have You Seen Lately?
- Thread starter Nickyboy
- Start date
If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
I watched this with no idea what the movie was about, except that I knew it was a love story. I literally knew absolutely nothing else about the plot. I wanted to watch it, but rarely feel the urge of "I want to watch a romantic movie" so I kept putting it off. I've actually checked it out of the library twice and returned it unwatched both times. The dvd is overdue at the library, so I popped it in yesterday.
WOW! I did not expect that. When the non-love-story part of the plot happened, it was truly a shock to me. I'm glad I went into the movie not knowing about it. It made the event, and the turn of plot, more impactful. It reminded me of stumbling across a movie on television as a child/teen without any knowledge of it and being sucked into the story.
The movie is about a romance, but it is so much more than that. Two thumbs up.
I watched this with no idea what the movie was about, except that I knew it was a love story. I literally knew absolutely nothing else about the plot. I wanted to watch it, but rarely feel the urge of "I want to watch a romantic movie" so I kept putting it off. I've actually checked it out of the library twice and returned it unwatched both times. The dvd is overdue at the library, so I popped it in yesterday.
WOW! I did not expect that. When the non-love-story part of the plot happened, it was truly a shock to me. I'm glad I went into the movie not knowing about it. It made the event, and the turn of plot, more impactful. It reminded me of stumbling across a movie on television as a child/teen without any knowledge of it and being sucked into the story.
The movie is about a romance, but it is so much more than that. Two thumbs up.
The only downside is I had to hide my tears from my son.
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Nickyboy
Staff member
Why did you have to hide them?
Good question.
axolotl
Nunquam non paratus
What was your son's reaction to the movie?
This might be a good-to-excellent springboard for discussion.
He was skeptical of the movie initially because he thought it was strictly a love story. Once it got to the scene where the parents shared the news with the other parents, he was all in. By the time it got deep into the secondary (primary?) storyline, he couldn't have been pried from the movie if the house had been on fire.
The movie is very much like a play in that it is almost entirely small-room conversations between small groups of people. Usually only two or three people at a time. The director employs a technique of having two characters face each other while engaged in conversation. The camera is up close on one character while they speak, then as their lines end, the camera slowly pans to the other character's face to show their emotional reaction to what was said, then to show them speaking, and the camera slowly pans back the other way. Because of the nature of the story, this is a very effective way of drawing the viewers in. JazzySon was very engaged with the story.
The story did indeed spark a lot of discussion. Last weekend, we went to the mall with a friend of his to buy some things for my son to take to his pre-college trip. While there, we ran into a childhood friend of mine. This is a guy who was like a brother to me growing up and we lived together for a couple of years in our young adulthood. I hadn't seen him but thrice in the past 28 years, since the day we were both in another close friend's wedding. He was arrested while driving from the wedding to the reception (in a car with the groom and another groomsman) and sent to prison for 26 years.
It was fitting that we saw this movie a week after we saw my friend. And that friend's experience fit in perfectly with the movie's theme. I like having deep conversations with my kids, but I have to admit it's difficult to continually stress to my son that he has less than zero wiggle room with police and the law enforcement industry as a whole. It's necessary, but it all seems so unfair. I want him to live a carefree teenagehood and young adulthood. I hate to think that he might be arrested or even killed for something like what happened in the movie. I tell him about the times, plural, that policemen pulled guns on me for speeding tickets; and about other unpleasant incidents with police. The boy's already 6ft tall, and I fear that some cop is going to see my skinny kid as a threat and shoot him dead.
I'm rambling. But yeah, the movie sparked some discussion.
redkarryn
New Member
Just saw Booksmart in the theatre! Amazing movie.
Unsomnambulist
Staff member
redkarryn
New Member
Thank you!Welcome to the MG, @redkarryn. Glad to have you aboard.
Glass (2018)
This is as much a love letter to comic books as I have seen in many years. The comic book movies of the past decade that feature known comic book characters don't quite fit that description (as a love letter) because they are adaptations of comic books.
Glass has all the markers of a comic book, but with none of the brightly colored costumes, improper (for the seriousness of the deadly/dangerous events going on) rapid fire humor, of the heightened level of suspension of disbelief (Green Lantern's ring can destroy a planet, but it is powerless against a man painted yellow from head to toe?) This takes all the elements of a great comic book story, mixes with a high level of film creation, drops all the mile-high pre-expectations created from decades of character development and prior storyline history, and most importantly, respects and understands the source material.
In that, Glass reminds me of Sideways, and the way it fondly caresses oenophiles. Or, Bull Durham, and the way it breathes baseball while also breathing the act of living life. Or the way Love Jones breathed life into the Spoken Word scene while also loving the creative professions by telling a love story between an author who loves Jazz and poetry, and a photographer who loves poetry and life. Or the way Pelecanos, in The Way Home, weaves an highly suspenseful story around the simply love story of fathers-and-sons, the love of blue-collar middle class life, the love of greasy hands loving fast cars and hot women, redemption.
This movie was made for me, and as such, its flaws are more like part of the love and not flaws at all.
This is as much a love letter to comic books as I have seen in many years. The comic book movies of the past decade that feature known comic book characters don't quite fit that description (as a love letter) because they are adaptations of comic books.
Glass has all the markers of a comic book, but with none of the brightly colored costumes, improper (for the seriousness of the deadly/dangerous events going on) rapid fire humor, of the heightened level of suspension of disbelief (Green Lantern's ring can destroy a planet, but it is powerless against a man painted yellow from head to toe?) This takes all the elements of a great comic book story, mixes with a high level of film creation, drops all the mile-high pre-expectations created from decades of character development and prior storyline history, and most importantly, respects and understands the source material.
In that, Glass reminds me of Sideways, and the way it fondly caresses oenophiles. Or, Bull Durham, and the way it breathes baseball while also breathing the act of living life. Or the way Love Jones breathed life into the Spoken Word scene while also loving the creative professions by telling a love story between an author who loves Jazz and poetry, and a photographer who loves poetry and life. Or the way Pelecanos, in The Way Home, weaves an highly suspenseful story around the simply love story of fathers-and-sons, the love of blue-collar middle class life, the love of greasy hands loving fast cars and hot women, redemption.
This movie was made for me, and as such, its flaws are more like part of the love and not flaws at all.
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Mirai (2018)
Anime about a young boy who becomes a big brother and hates not being the center of attention any more.
This received a lot of accolades. Normally, I love Japanese animated movies like this. I get swept away in the quirky fantastical elements, i enjoy the insights into Japanese life, I embrace the difference from American movies in dialogue flow. All of that was present in this movie. What ruined it for me was the incessant whining and bad actions of the boy.
OMG, he would not stop. It drove me crazy just to have to watch scene after scene of this kid.
Bratty (or, if you prefer, "precocious") children is a theme in many of the Anime films I've seen over the years, but this one took it to new depths. Every time he started whining and yelling, I wanted to send him to his room and watch the rest of the movie without his character in it.
Otherwise, this was pretty good.
Anime about a young boy who becomes a big brother and hates not being the center of attention any more.
This received a lot of accolades. Normally, I love Japanese animated movies like this. I get swept away in the quirky fantastical elements, i enjoy the insights into Japanese life, I embrace the difference from American movies in dialogue flow. All of that was present in this movie. What ruined it for me was the incessant whining and bad actions of the boy.
OMG, he would not stop. It drove me crazy just to have to watch scene after scene of this kid.
Bratty (or, if you prefer, "precocious") children is a theme in many of the Anime films I've seen over the years, but this one took it to new depths. Every time he started whining and yelling, I wanted to send him to his room and watch the rest of the movie without his character in it.
Otherwise, this was pretty good.
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Ojai Sam
Staff member
Some say kids behave worse now, so maybe the film felt it had to overplay that element.Mirai (2018)
Anime about a young boy who becomes a big brother and hates not being the center of attention any more.
This received a lot of accolades. Normally, I love Japanese animated movies like this. I get swept away in the quirky fantastical elements, i enjoy the insights into Japanese life, I embrace the difference from American movies in dialogue flow. All of that was present in this movie. What ruined it for me was the incessant whining and bad actions of the boy.
OMG, he would not stop. It drove me crazy just to have to watch scene after scene of this kid.
Bratty (or, if you prefer, "precocious") children is a theme in many of the Anime films I've seen over the years, but this one took it to new depths. Every time he started whining and yelling, I wanted to send him to his room and watch the rest of the movie with his character in it.
Otherwise, this was pretty good.
Like the new avatar, JR!
You're probably right. Maybe it irritated me so much because it was very much like what I see in real life from other children in public places.
Thanks! Part of the hidden plan to make MG tower again.Like the new avatar, JR!
Ojai Sam
Staff member
It’s a monumental improvement.
axolotl
Nunquam non paratus
...and a capital idea, as I reflect on it.
axolotl
Nunquam non paratus
I would like to see this.Mirai (2018)
Anime about a young boy who becomes a big brother and hates not being the center of attention any more.
This received a lot of accolades. Normally, I love Japanese animated movies like this. I get swept away in the quirky fantastical elements, i enjoy the insights into Japanese life, I embrace the difference from American movies in dialogue flow. All of that was present in this movie. What ruined it for me was the incessant whining and bad actions of the boy.
OMG, he would not stop. It drove me crazy just to have to watch scene after scene of this kid.
Bratty (or, if you prefer, "precocious") children is a theme in many of the Anime films I've seen over the years, but this one took it to new depths. Every time he started whining and yelling, I wanted to send him to his room and watch the rest of the movie with his character in it.
Otherwise, this was pretty good.
I remember that Mei in Totoro was, or came off, a mouthy kid. Of course, as Jessica Rabbit said, "I'm just drawn that way." Anime (especially) does that to
One thing that I notice more in watching movies lately is the manner in which I identify with a character; I might see myself in them, or in their parents or sibling. I might transfer my feelings about that character to the way in which I would react to him or her were I a character. So, something that might set me off as a parent would naturally annoy me as a viewer.
But, that world in reverse is exactly the way in which that character is viewing his world collapsing. He sees himself losing love and affection in the eyes of his parents, and there is not a damned thing (dancing if I know) he can do about it, until he opens his eyes to the new universe that is presented to him, and how he manifests himself in and toward it. As a child, that is a universal emotion, seeing oneself fade away and possibly become invisible in a grownup world.
I don't know why I said all this. I haven't seen the movie.
I will now.
Then, I'll stop being such a mouthy kid.
I think you'd enjoy it.
I think you're absolutely correct that the kid's actions were realistic (though hopefully exaggerated compared to what goes on in the majority of situations) and my intense dislike of the kid's actions was a personal reaction. It was like watching a horror movie and yelling at the character not to walk into the dark room. I wanted to yell at the parents to do something about the boy's behavior.
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Zeeba Neighba
Staff member
Zeeba Neighba
Staff member
Once Upon A Time...In Hollywood (2019)
Saw this last night - fascinating film that probably deserves to be seen again especially to get a sense of where it fits/ranks in Tarantino's filmography. A much quieter film and certainly less flashy than many of his films. The whole first half really sets a vibe of late-60s Los Angeles as the plot meanders along. That being said, for nostalgia fans of the era, QT does a remarkable recreation of the time and specifically of L.A. (many reviews note it as a loving tribute to the city). Of course he's going to thrown in references to old TV shows, lesser seen films, and stars of the day - Bruce Lee, Mama Cass, Steve McQueen. Characters are themes are loosely connected and weave in and out of each others spheres like an Altman film. Yet from the periphery we get that sense of dread as we hear the names of Sharon Tate and "Charlie" and see the signpost of Cielo Drive. And so we wait knowing something is brewing, knowing what happens in history (and given Tarantino, knowing that's he'll adapt history to his own liking).
An aside, I've reckoned with Tarantino's alt-history fantasies for awhile now. Inglorious Basterds is such a great film but the ending (and I think 10 yrs I can "spoil" this) where Hitler is killed has always bothered me. Why does he change history THAT MUCH in his films. But I've loosened up about it - all film biographies contain falsehoods and distortions (and yet watching them we often believe it) from The Jolson Story and Pride of the Yankees down to Ray and Immortal Beloved. Tarantino takes this to the next level - film is storytelling, who said you had to be truthful. Plus the title is "Once Upon A Time...". These films are cinematic fairy tales.
Back to the film. In the second half, he creates more dread in one of the creepiest scenes in the films as we meet the Manson Girls. And yet the Tate-Labianca killings are a backdrop. We're celebrating film (Margot Robbie doesn't have much dialogue but she is celebrated visually by the camera and has a great scene as she soaks up a film she is in (as Sharon Tate) in a theater.
A lot of good stuff here - perhaps the most humorous of QT's films with Leonardo DiCaprio (not my favorite actor) providing a lot of laughs - I love him in his two QT films - the director brings out another side of him. Brad Pitt is also quite good. Again those looking for a plot to string together like Jackie Brown or Reservoir Dogs may be disappointed. It's very much about creating a vibe, a feeling - interesting late 60s films were moving away from conventional Hollywood narrative as they were influenced by European film more.
Overall, it took me a bit last night to mull over it because it was a very different kind of Tarantino film (except for the climax of the film). Was surprised my family really enjoyed it as my take while watching it was - this is a slow, long film slow to develop and my kids aren't used to this, but all came out of the movie really enjoying it. I bring up Altman again because I think of his Nashville, one of my favorite 70s films - the focus is not on one character (though here obviously the two leads are focused on) but on how everything - the people, the city, the culture weave together. Gotta see it again, but I liked it
Saw this last night - fascinating film that probably deserves to be seen again especially to get a sense of where it fits/ranks in Tarantino's filmography. A much quieter film and certainly less flashy than many of his films. The whole first half really sets a vibe of late-60s Los Angeles as the plot meanders along. That being said, for nostalgia fans of the era, QT does a remarkable recreation of the time and specifically of L.A. (many reviews note it as a loving tribute to the city). Of course he's going to thrown in references to old TV shows, lesser seen films, and stars of the day - Bruce Lee, Mama Cass, Steve McQueen. Characters are themes are loosely connected and weave in and out of each others spheres like an Altman film. Yet from the periphery we get that sense of dread as we hear the names of Sharon Tate and "Charlie" and see the signpost of Cielo Drive. And so we wait knowing something is brewing, knowing what happens in history (and given Tarantino, knowing that's he'll adapt history to his own liking).
An aside, I've reckoned with Tarantino's alt-history fantasies for awhile now. Inglorious Basterds is such a great film but the ending (and I think 10 yrs I can "spoil" this) where Hitler is killed has always bothered me. Why does he change history THAT MUCH in his films. But I've loosened up about it - all film biographies contain falsehoods and distortions (and yet watching them we often believe it) from The Jolson Story and Pride of the Yankees down to Ray and Immortal Beloved. Tarantino takes this to the next level - film is storytelling, who said you had to be truthful. Plus the title is "Once Upon A Time...". These films are cinematic fairy tales.
Back to the film. In the second half, he creates more dread in one of the creepiest scenes in the films as we meet the Manson Girls. And yet the Tate-Labianca killings are a backdrop. We're celebrating film (Margot Robbie doesn't have much dialogue but she is celebrated visually by the camera and has a great scene as she soaks up a film she is in (as Sharon Tate) in a theater.
A lot of good stuff here - perhaps the most humorous of QT's films with Leonardo DiCaprio (not my favorite actor) providing a lot of laughs - I love him in his two QT films - the director brings out another side of him. Brad Pitt is also quite good. Again those looking for a plot to string together like Jackie Brown or Reservoir Dogs may be disappointed. It's very much about creating a vibe, a feeling - interesting late 60s films were moving away from conventional Hollywood narrative as they were influenced by European film more.
Overall, it took me a bit last night to mull over it because it was a very different kind of Tarantino film (except for the climax of the film). Was surprised my family really enjoyed it as my take while watching it was - this is a slow, long film slow to develop and my kids aren't used to this, but all came out of the movie really enjoying it. I bring up Altman again because I think of his Nashville, one of my favorite 70s films - the focus is not on one character (though here obviously the two leads are focused on) but on how everything - the people, the city, the culture weave together. Gotta see it again, but I liked it
