The Last Movie You Saw?

[Benn98]

Speaking of John Waters...saw Pecker again last night. One of his most underrated films, along with Cecil B Demented and A Dirty Shame. I was surprised to read that Pecker was actually marketed as a mainstream film, and tanked at the box office. That was a silly move because it's anything but mainstream.
And if you're not convinced that Waters actually loves the fashion industry, watch this film. There are quite a few references, from the lady getting told off while trying to dye her clothes at the laundromat.... 'what must I do, I don't have any fall colours' , to Vogue doing a shoot with homeless which obviously pokes fun at them more than the homeless, to fashion's favourite artist, Cindy Sherman's blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo. I'm sure he approached Anna to be part in this, but in 1998 she wasn't in the habit of 'ruffling feathers.' That only really started when she put Kim Kardashian on the cover. I'm sure if the offer turned up in 2019, she wouldn't think twice though.

It's a great, witty satire. Edward Furlong is dopey yet lovable but it is the bit actors who drew most of my attention. From the bitchy grandma, the clichéd art clique, to the lesbian and gay bar angle which were as usual hilarious, to Waters regular ensemble, who were in top form. I mean, Mink Stole only had one scene and she very nearly stole the entire movie. Same with Patricia Hearst.

 

[jexxica]

The goldfinch. I am not a fan of the book, and now I am not a fan of the movie either.

 

[MulletProof]

Parasite.

Jeez.. there should be a website that rates movies with blood drops instead of stars so I know what I’m getting into (and can go with 0.5 to 1 lol).. blood is really not my trip , but trying to put that aside, or just trying to rationalize it, it’s completely justifiable and the way the story is layered is excellent.. all fun and games until it gets heartbreaking. That chill detachment vs. hardship is so easy but somehow worlds apart in terms of how we decide to exercise empathy. The end couldn’t be truer for most.

Also it made me SO hungry.. a yummy bowl of noodles should be mandatory in every movie.

 

[Flyest]

Parasite.

Jeez.. there should be a website that rates movies with blood drops instead of stars so I know what I’m getting into (and can go with 0.5 to 1 lol).. blood is really not my trip , but trying to put that aside, or just trying to rationalize it, it’s completely justifiable and the way the story is layered is excellent.. all fun and games until it gets heartbreaking. That chill detachment vs. hardship is so easy but somehow worlds apart in terms of how we decide to exercise empathy. The end couldn’t be truer for most.

Also it made me SO hungry.. a yummy bowl of noodles should be mandatory in every movie.

I didn't quite understand the ending. How would you explain it?

I've watched El Camino (Breaking Bad movie) last night. Loved it!

 

[MulletProof]

I didn't quite understand the ending. How would you explain it?

Going to turn it white for people who haven’t seen this..
When he says he decided to work so hard so he could buy the house and just ask the dad to come out I was like ‘??’.. as if! that’s not at all how things unfold for the poor, and it’s so unrealistic but what a viewer wants and visually nice that you comfort yourself a little in how things played out for them despite it all, knowing very well that again, people that come from pretty much nothing rarely work hard with the outcome being some dreamy piece of real estate. Being a sociologist, Bong Joon-Ho probably wanted to play into that hope of the poor, pride of the middle class and argument of the rich that’s so persistent in highly unequal societies (coughgovernmentpropaganda) that we can all defeat conditioning through enough labor, which automatically suggests that we are all in social conditions we want to be because we don’t work hard enough. Or, that it’s the people who are to blame for inequality.

Then suddenly, we’re back to the basement and they’re a forever broken family of 2 and he likely has a job that will definitely not get him any closer to buy that house and his father is considered a criminal (and I guess he is). Bong Joon-Ho settles the argument that conditioning is stronger than all of us, and just like money brings money, the poor consistently default to misery even though no one works harder than them.

The outcome also stems from an erosion of morality (anomie) after being deprived from so much and having to resort to this rule of the jungle mentality.. or just mere survival and doing ‘whatever it takes!’ and seeing compassion as an obstacle to get past their hardship.. you see this when the woman is begging to her in the basement (before the others fall off the stairs).. she had these 10-15 seconds to see her very own circumstances in her suffering but chooses to call the police instead, which again is common among marginalized groups.

Personally, I think poverty might be defeated by working much harder than the rest (which is so wrong).. but marginalization (not sure this is the right way to write it in English? lol) is something else, it works like a disease and it’s very very hard if not impossible to truly leave it behind even if you financially luck out.. in part due to that absence of moral compass that swings to criminal conduct.

OK, so much to say about this movie. I did watch this with Americans and they seemed a bit ‘hmm’.. I feel like people that are wired to a race system have difficulties understanding the class system.. it’s like this notion of everyone kind of looking the same but being absolutely not the same seems so foreign cause a race system makes everything so strictly obvious. That’s a whole other topic anyway! but yeah that’s my take on the ending!

 

[aracic]

Midsommar (2019)

Sick, disturbing, unsettling, insane. Loves it! The visuals are breathtaking, the story is twisted yet somehow satisfying. It's a great trip. I personally felt very inspired by the visuals and aesthetics, especially the paintings, the May Queen contest game and her stunning flower gown and headdress, and the throne! The soundtrack is brilliant, it adds a whole another dimension to the movie because it twists your guts even more. The piece from the beginning when Dani screams and the unsettling music starts playing was brilliant.

 

[castorpollux]

joker

 

[MulletProof]

The King.
Nothing interests me more than XV century gossip . So good, same for the gorgeous costumes. And I constantly feel the need to doubt Timothee because he kind of comes off as boy band member in interviews but you can tell he's received excellent training and really cares about his craft, he carries the evolution of the character to perfection but the last 3 scenes of the movie in particular.. he just conveys so much with [seemingly] minimal effort.

Yuli (Carlos Acosta biopic).
Ruined my mascara within.. maybe the first 30 minutes of the film. Most beautiful and moving portrayal of the journey of a ballet dancer from a humble background plagued with hardship (aka. all of the stories that have made it to the big screen) that has come out imo. I assume Carlos had most of the control of how it would all get layered because these pieces he choreographed for pivotal life moments just brought all the tears. People (myself included) have no idea.. I think it's easy to take him for granted since he's been around and steadily strong for so long.. I never stopped to think about where he really came from and how he managed to rise above all the ongoing stigma in the ballet world and open doors for so many. The photography is also stunning. As is the music. The film is also such a good contrast from Sergei's Dancer.. both similar stories of loss, separation, poverty, exceptional talent that can only be nurtured through heartbreak and sacrifice and both finding themselves at a crossroads of how to digest, move on and continue to enjoy what you do after all it has taken.. with Sergei opting for a toxic and self-destructive road of arrogance and hatred and Carlos having enough gratitude to know just how lucky he was to excel at one thing he may not have loved but that allowed him to get away, pay the high price of necessary ambition (losing loved ones when you're far) so he could eventually change the paths of many back home.

 

[cestmagique]

The Farewell

 

[cestmagique]

Parasite. Creepy as f*ck!

 

[Belowen]

Mary Poppins

 

[TheoG]

Parasite

It was layered yet thrilling.

 

[fashionista-ta]

Harriet ... loved it.

 

[eugenius]

Harriet ... loved it.

You mean, the role that Julia Roberts was up for? Big on that one.

I definitely need to add that to my To Do list this weekend. I love all things Cynthia Erivo!

Last movie I saw? "Knives Out." The "Clue" comparisons are accurate, but it was still good, clean fun regahdless.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ I heard that about Julia Roberts, but surely it cannot be true?! Cynthia is amazing in it--you'll see why they needed a singer.

 

[eugenius]

^I saw her in the Broadway version of "Color Purple"..she played Whoopi's role. Yeah, her voice is certainly incredible.

I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of her in the coming years. If I had the time, I'd totally create a Star Style thread, because she certainly deserves one.

 

[cestmagique]

She was really memorable in Bad Times at the El Royale as well. Talented lady.

 

[Benn98]

After the Wedding

Beautiful story which could very easily have delved into a cliche, but got saved by strong performances from all the 4 leads. I'm really big on Michelle Williams, but she only really warmed to me halfway into the film. A mate I saw this said she wasn't sad enough, considering, but I think the flashes of her piety, restraint, and silent stares was an outlet for that rage, grief, and regret.
Doubt it will win her any accolades because this seems like more of a Julianne Moore vehicle, but Williams is still great in this.

 

[MulletProof]

^ The Danish version is still one of my favorite movies and it hasn't been THAT long.. when I saw the trailer just because the title was eerily familiar, it just.. bothered me, why mess with that one?.. I wonder if watching it will taint the original for me.. maybe not, and I think everything Julianne's in is worth watching but still, why..

Marriage Story.
This will likely gain more meaning when I go through a divorce (hopefully never?) but that part when before breaking down he says 'I hope you get an illness and then get hit by a car and die!'.. so sad, I've felt that once. I hope he gets nominated for something in 2020. Like Sexiest Man Alive for example.

* eta that while the movie naturally leads the viewer towards having more empathy for the male character... it takes some simple math: Frances Ha filmed in 2012, divorce in 2013, he then proceeds to have a relationship with Greta. I'm sorry but you're not on the same wavelength nor circumstances so, GO NORA.

 

[Mistique]

Sinister. 3rd time I saw it. One of my favourite horror movies.