SALEM’S LOT (Tobe Hopper, 1979) – 4 out of 5 stars but haven’t rated it yet on MUBI
My Shoes was rated by me w/ 4/5.
@ Santino: I’m as critical of this narcissistic tendency in U.S. no-budget cinema as anyone. The difference here is that a) we’re not supposed to inherently sympathize with the character (you’re impression of her is perfectly valid) and b) more importantly, the film is self-critical and self-mocking. Her take on her character is not unlike Woody Allen’s relation to his on-screen persona. She also admirably puts herself out into situations which really don’t make her look very good and that make her look quite vulnerable (and given how raw that is for woman especially in terms of body image, this is I think an important part of her appeal). Again, I won’t defend the film to the end (it’s like a solid 3.5 stars in my mind which bumps it to a Mubi 4* but it’s so clearly better than its ilk.
So I’m supposed to give her points because she directs herself without makeaup and has messy hair? And because the character walks around the house without pants and has a droll sense of humor? Like I said, I’ve known people like this and the fact that she’s “risky” enough to put her vulnerabilities out there is not enough for me to embrace what it is she’s doing. In fact, I find that slightly offensive towards women, if that’s in fact what she’s doing. But of course I’m a guy so what the hell do I know?
In my mind, being self-critical or self-aware is meaningless unless you do something interesting with it (like Woody Allen). Tiny Furniture is the Cabin in the Woods of mumblecore.
I blame Twitter and Facebook.
I’m with Ari here. I thought the self-mocking approach was well-done and effective. It’s not the greatest movie ever, but it’s not bad, either. I do not understand all the backlash against it.
^ The backlash is pretty understandable, I would say. People pissed that an over-privileged New York rich kid who makes a cheap film with her family ends up becoming a big star and getting an HBO deal for her own show. People also don’t like it when a person makes a film about an on screen loser but then the film becomes a success so that the person is no longer a loser (conflation of on screen persona and off screen artist).
“and the fact that she’s “risky” enough to put her vulnerabilities out there is not enough for me to embrace what it is she’s doing.”
Yeah, I wouldn’t inherently give her points for that. But I think the way she puts herself out there as a young woman is fairly brave in a way that it’s not for men. But I think it’s the self-mockery that makes the film work.
Maybe it would’ve been better had I seen this film before it blew up. But I really don’t think any of the popularity is clouding my judgement. If the film is good, I’m happy to see it succeed. I don’t want to bring down any successful film just for the sake of doing it. I just don’t get the appeal of this film and how it’s any different from other films of it’s ilk.
Beyond my dislike for the film, my anger is really stemming from being a filmmaker myself and seeing everything wrong with the film that no one seems to care about (or even think is bad). This is a case where I really feel like I’ve seen sooooo many indie films like this that never get distribution (as well as student films that bare remarkable similarities), which makes me scratch my head and wonder what makes this film stand out?
Of course in the case of getting noticed or distributed, there really doesn’t have to be a reason why one film gets bought and another one doesn’t. I am aware that quality rarely plays a part in these types of cases.
I don’t think I would be able to star in a movie where my actual brother told me that I disgust him and listed reasons why I’m actually disgusting in real life. That scene was really good.
^Seriously? You find value in that?
Hmmm..maybe filmmaking is easier than I thought.
lol
@ Drunken Father Figure of Old
Whoa….
Makes a whole lot of sense.
@Santino
Same here.
The Portrait (Dir. Keisuke Kinoshita, 1948)
Brisk and lovely. The early sections border on hilarity but the film dovetails in to a very affecting portrait (ba bing!) of a young woman in crisis.
The Rules of the Game- 4/4
What can I say?
Here (2012) – 2.5 stars
Meh. Much ado about nothing.
Reservoir Dogs – 4/5
Not the masterpiece I saw when I was 11, but still very solid. The acting really is what elevates this film. Keitel especially.
^Great movie!
But yeah, as you get older, the enthusiasm for QT wanes a bit.
It may not be as good objectively, but I think I like it more than Pulp Fiction. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen PF, but that movie is too cool for its own good I think. Lacks a humanity that exists in Reservoir Dogs.
Inglourious Basterds and Jackie Brown still remain my favorites though.
For a long time Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, and Jackie Brown were all equally good in my eyes. It was impossible to choose a favorite. But then one day something just clicked after a viewing of Jackie Brown and ever since, it’s been my favorite. I don’t think that will ever change.
Haywire
one of the worst examples of pacing I have seen in a professional release and some of the worst uses of star wattage
0/5
@Dennis
Shame, I really liked Haywire. Was Corano’s acting poor? Sure, but she is an f’n badass and the movie is just centered on her delivery some awesome beat-downs. I thought it was a cool turn for Soderburgh.
i did not like the way any of the fight scenes were filmed, wanted to.
every Cynthia Rothrock I have seen was better in that regard
Détruire dit-elle/Destroy she said 1969
Marguerite Duras direction and words
enigmatic 8/10
Link
I thought Soderbergh used Carano well (given her limitations as an actor), but I agree the other stars were completely wasted. But the mediocre script is probably the main reason for this, not the direction. I thought the fight scenes were fine—there just wasn’t much of story to make it interesting.
I don’t think I’ve ever met someone I so consistently disagreed with on movies then Den. I can’t think of one movie we agree on.
What about Woody Allen movies?
The Great Dictator
my rating: B
A Woman Under The Influence
my rating: A (close to A+)
Does he like Woody Allen?
If so, I bet the ones he likes are the ones I hate and the ones I like are the ones he hates.
Den is a huge Woody Allen fan. There’s gotta be some overlap. I think he liked Midnight in Paris. Didn’t you like that?
I liked Midnight in Paris. It was very sweet. But I wouldn’t put it in my top ten Woody films.
@ Den -
Here are my top ten Woody films. Do you like any of these? lol
1. Annie Hall
2. Hannah and Her Sisters
3. Manhattan
4. Crimes & Misdemeanors
5. Husbands & Wives
6. September
7. Take the Money and Run
8. Zelig
9. Bullets Over Broadway
10. Vicki Christina Barcelona
Santino
I thought Creative Nonfiction was her first film? Wasn’t that the film that got her noticed at SXSW and helped to get Tiny Furniture made?
“And I really haven’t seen in an American film a female character in her 20s as believably fully fleshed out and recognizably flawed as Aura.”
I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree. I haven’t seen many films that feature a character that made me want to vomit more than Aura. It’s one thing for this type of character to exist in the real world (they do, I know people like Aura). It’s another to make a movie centered around such a character. Especially when nothing is really said or developed. And that’s my issue with mumblecore in general. There seems to be this pervasive narcissism in believing that everyone’s story is worth telling. Well, I’m sorry but it’s not.