Last movie watched...

[Tiplodocus]

I quite liked it. Not Nolan's best but still remarkably good fun.

[pictsy]

The second is that you’ll probably want to see it because of this review, only to realise I’m right

A little, yes.  I think I need context.  What do you think of Nolan's other films?

[The Enigmatic Dr X]

The second is that you’ll probably want to see it because of this review, only to realise I’m right

A little, yes.  I think I need context.  What do you think of Nolan's other films?

Loved all of them.

[pictsy]

A little, yes.  I think I need context.  What do you think of Nolan's other films?

Loved all of them.

Hmm, that's interesting.  I think at some point I will probably give the film a go then, but will temper my expectations.  If it's that bad I'm curious to see how it fails.  I'm personally wary of Nolan anyway as I haven't been all that impressed by five of his films.  I never bothered watching Interstellar as it didn't look interesting.

For some reason I've been compelled to watch a black and white classic, so this evening I revisited π for the first time in nearly 20 years.  For a film where very little happens, it is jam packed.  I'm not sure whether this is about a genius who finds the key to understanding the universe, whether it's about a mental breakdown caused by loneliness and obsession or both.  It's probably both.  Anyway, like I say, not much happens in the film really and it's pretty short.  It seems to mostly be Aronofsky flexing his directing muscles.  It has silly sci-fi elements that haven't aged at all well, tying together with mysticism and numerology (which even gets lampshaded) and a little dash of a critique on capitalism.  I mean the film has a six inch floppy disk being used in a computer that has a processor that "hasn't been declassified yet", whatever that is supposed to mean.  It's pretty goofy.  Nevertheless, the over-exposure, frenetic camera work and Clint Mansell's excellent soundtrack sell the film.  I like it as much as I ever did.

[Tiplodocus]

While you lot are all watching Paul Bettany in WANDAVISION, I caught up with him in UNCLE FRANK (on Amazon Prime).

There's not a lot new in the  "prodigal child returning home for a family funeral"  but this is elevated by three great central performances and a short but mostly joyous road trip section. That and thinking that, though it's set in 1973, it's sadly still relevant.

I don't often say this but it was twenty minutes too short. Some of the reveals needed a little more breathing space and we didn't see enough of the magnificent Margo Martindale and Lois Smith in their supporting roles.

The main female lead looks uncannily like Anna Friel.

[pictsy]

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Maybe I should have watched Casablanca instead.  I'll get there one day.

The kindest feeling I have towards this film is cold indifference.  I can't say I enjoyed it, because I didn't.  It has the structure of an epic and is an impressive spectacle but I don' think it really had much substance.  I really did not enjoy Roy's storyline.  In the end his family were disposable in service to the plot and that was unpleasant and unenjoyable to watch.  This film is no allegory, but it does have parallels in parts to mental health issues that can cause strain on a family and the way that Roy's wife deals with his obsession is entirely unsympathetic, but I felt bad in myself because it's never as simple as that.  We just don't get to see her perspective.  It's made even worse by the fact Roy is not delusional and is entirely right.  But she and the kids have to be out of the picture before the credits run.  I may not have been bothered by this if we are shown Roy before his encounter not being satisfied with his life and needing to find this meaning.  So I had this kinda sickly feeling watching it and I just couldn't enjoy those parts.  I didn't like the puppets, either.

I did thoroughly appreciate all the other visual effects.  The spaceships are fantastic looking and I think the lights during the night design was inspired.  Absolutely beautiful.  I real testament to the eras visual effect techniques.  Best thing in the film, by far.  I also like that at one point it looks like the aliens fuck about with people just so they can have a jam session.  The peripheral aspects were nice but I think they needed more development.

I wasn't expecting to be so harsh to this film.  I get why it has a legacy and I may have been more kind if I saw it many moons ago.  So yeah, "meh" is the best I can say about the film.

[Funt Solo]

In a zeitgeisty way, I wonder if Close Encounters was such a big hit because it came on the heels of Jaws and American Graffiti, in (both of) which Richard Dreyfuss's character is far more relatable. And shiny lights in the sky being appealing was something people really needed because the idea of a nuclear holocaust was, like, prevalent.

Everyone's pretty quick to make pals with these little grey guys even after they kidnap a bunch of people and traumatize a single mum. Bit weird.

---

Reverse psychology: do not watch Casablanca, whatever you do.

[Tjm86]

I get your point Pictsy, CEOTK is a curious beast on one level.  There are several iconic scenes and a sense of wonder in places but I would agree with your overall analysis.

In particular the suggestion that Neary's prior situation is already shaky.  There are hints there.  Considering the size of the house the fact that the living room is dominated by a massive train set points to him being quite selfish.

The same is true of his handling of the choice of activities.  He tries to manipulate the kids into supporting his preference.

Another point that struck me was that it was always his wife that answered the phone for work calls.  It gave the impression that he was not particularly competent and needed constant management.

It feels at times though like there are too many ideas bouncing around in the film.  There is not much coherence in that regard.

It really is the high visual set pieces that give the film its reputation in many respects.

[broodblik]

I watched to contrasting movies this weekend. One is an action movie whereas the other was more a drama. I can enjoy both genres but one think that made like the one and found the other just average was the characters. The movies I am talking about is News of the World and Outside the Wire. I could not get into characters of Wire and ended not caring for nay of them whereas Tom Hanks pulled me into his character and again proven why is such a good actor. The action sequences of Wire were good not spectacular. One theme I am tired of is where a AI decides what is right and what is wrong (this theme is so used and boring).  This also contributes to the averageness of Wire. News of the World is a great movie.

[Colin YNWA]

I watched Adventures of Baron Munchausen , while there's nothing wrong with it persay I found it a little disappointing, certainly compared to my memories of it. I've not seen it in years and I guess in that time I've built it up in my mind as an amazing film of fantasy that sits along side Gilliams other classics like Brazil and Time Bandits... its not.

Somehow for all the wonderous powers the characters have. The trips to the Moon, inside Vulcan's volcanic home, into the belly of a sea monster its somehow manages to be a little drab.

For the life of me I can't put my finger onto why, but there you go it just is.

Weird, but not in the 'and wonderful' way it aims for.

[Smith]

Brazil became a documentary, basically.

[pictsy]

Everyone's pretty quick to make pals with these little grey guys even after they kidnap a bunch of people and traumatize a single mum. Bit weird.

Yeah, that was very weird.  A lot of the Alien stuff felt like it was there to tick some UFO Mythology boxes.  The (iirc) UN group that was investigating the occurrences made some discoveries off screen, that are tangentially relevant to the ending.  Although I did like the payoff of the mother taking photos at the end.

In particular the suggestion that Neary's prior situation is already shaky.  There are hints there.  Considering the size of the house the fact that the living room is dominated by a massive train set points to him being quite selfish.

The same is true of his handling of the choice of activities.  He tries to manipulate the kids into supporting his preference.

Another point that struck me was that it was always his wife that answered the phone for work calls.  It gave the impression that he was not particularly competent and needed constant management.

These are all interesting points.  I wish the film did more to elaborate on those aspects.  I think I could have tolerated it more if there was empathy for Roy's wife. 

I think his wife answering the phone is largely there to create the conflict in the relationship.  Her role seems mostly to be to react negatively to what is going on.  I think the film doesn't empathise with her and makes her slightly unpleasant just so we don't feel too bad for Roy when she takes the kids and leaves him.  He is free to go off into the stars with those children in Halloween customs and ugly puppets and we don't have to worry about the family he left behind.

Roy's inability to follow directions is touched upon a few times in the movie, which is thematically relevant.  Ties a little into his wife answering the phone so she can see he needs her to drive him at night because he can't find his way by himself.

It feels at times though like there are too many ideas bouncing around in the film.  There is not much coherence in that regard.

It really is the high visual set pieces that give the film its reputation in many respects.

Yup.  I don't necessarily think this ruins a film, either.  If it wasn't for the fact that I found the family stuff unpalatable, I could have thoroughly enjoyed the film.

Reverse psychology: do not watch Casablanca, whatever you do.

It was going to be my next film, but now you say that I'll put it off a little longer

[TordelBack]

Weird, but not in the 'and wonderful' way it aims for.

I have similar thoughts: the Baron Munchausen in my mind is always far better than the reality of the film itself, which aside from a few sequences is just a bit flat and underwhelming. Apt, I suppose!

[Smith]

The hunt for Red October. I forgot how great that movie is.

[Tiplodocus]

I may be wrong but I think, quite a while ago, Spielberg said that he wouldn't do the family stuff in CE3K the same.