What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in Time

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Re: What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in

Post by transformers2 »

Buscemi wrote:But the film spends very little time on that aspect (mostly the very beginning and the very end). The rest of the film is focused on the characters and how they got in their situations.

Also, the film is based on a story written in the 1970's. You could use the same argument for the Nixon administration but in the end, it's still more or less a story about crime instead of politics.
Except for the fact that every event in the movie is tied in with the recession/failure of the government/taking jabs at America. Every character makes countless references to the recession and the entire backdrop of the film is based on the failures of the government (in this case, using the criminal underworld as a metaphor for the hit this country took when the economy collapsed.) The reason the film takes place in 2008 is so Andrew Dominik can "sneak" (I use that word very lightly as this film is about as subtle as a nuclear bomb with its message) as many jabs at the U.S. as he possibly could since that was at the peak of the economic collapse.
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Re: What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in

Post by Buscemi »

If anything, most of the characters' woes are self-inflicted (New York Mickey's on the run from the law, Mendelsohn's character is struggling to keep his heroin addiction, Liotta's character has screwed with the Mafia once before). If anything, current events either serve as a backdrop or as a character's way of trying to blame something on someone other than themselves.

Meanwhile if there is a theme at the end, it's more or less "no matter hard you try, people will resist the need to change". Cogan is a fixer because he is motivated by money. When they are in the bar at the end, Cogan is blind to the idea of changing because he is single-minded while Richard Jenkins' character is thinking "maybe the people on TV have a point" and is shown to more open-minded. It's not politics, it's morality.
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Re: What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in

Post by numbersix »

But think about why Pitt and Jenkins make the decisions they do - the morality is unquestionably tied into the politics on display. The theme is not quite "no matter hard you try, people will resist the need to change" but rather the system on which all operations are based, including the moral decision of "killing them softly" has been destroyed by the lack of morality which has trickled down from the top. Otherwise why would there even be a TV in that iconic final scene?

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Re: What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in

Post by Buscemi »

As I said, it's the backdrop. Have you ever heard the term "Mister Sandman Sequence"? That is when a movie shows us the timeframe through media, such as a song on the soundtrack or an object on screen. The references to the election tell us that the film takes place in 2008. It's not really a message, it's simply a way to transport the audience.
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Re: What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in

Post by numbersix »

Buscemi wrote:As I said, it's the backdrop. Have you ever heard the term "Mister Sandman Sequence"? That is when a movie shows us the timeframe through media, such as a song on the soundtrack or an object on screen. The references to the election tell us that the film takes place in 2008. It's not really a message, it's simply a way to transport the audience.
But think about why that decision was made. It's not an arbitrary reason to give it a specific time. It's to place it in context of how the immorality of the political leaders has an impact on the ordinary people.

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Re: What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in

Post by Buscemi »

The end-all answer to this debate.

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Re: What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in

Post by BanksIsDaFuture »

The Call - C

Run of the mill, B-movie thriller. Without Halle Berry, it'd be straight to Showtime or something. Utterly unremarkable and wholly forgettable, the best thing about it is that it's not awful.

Also, who thought it was a good idea to put 15 year old Abigail Breslin in only a bra during the whole third act? Kind of creepy... :shock:
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Re: What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in

Post by numbersix »

The We And I - 6/10
While not a fan of Gondry's films, I was really surprised at how down to earth and honest this film was. It's essentially a long bus trip at the end of the last day of school before the summer. The film jumps between various groups as they chat and reveal their hopes, dreams, and relationships. The film never goes for easy stereotypes, often making bullies sympathetic and nice kids obnoxious. Gondry's multi-media style still appears, but it's more restrained and it works far better (mostly appearing in flashback recounts). There's a hint of Cassavetes in the realism of the performances, and eventually an actual plot starts to emerge. If Gondry can take this honesty and apply it to his tradmark style, he could create something truly brilliant.

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Re: What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in

Post by Chienfantome »

Glad you enjoyed The We and the I, Six. It was one of my favourite films of last year.
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Re: What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in

Post by numbersix »

Chienfantome wrote:Glad you enjoyed The We and the I, Six. It was one of my favourite films of last year.
Couldn't remember if you like it or not. But as it's Gondry I should have known ;) Have you seen Mood Indigo yet?

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Re: What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in

Post by Chienfantome »

I loved The We and the I, yes. On the other hand, I did see Mood Indigo this spring yes, and it was quite disappointing (I think I mentionned it in the "Rate that movie" thread). Basically it's quite virtuose in terms of aesthetics, with the same creativity that made Eternal Sunshine so great. The problem is, Gondry spends so much time caring for the visual style of his film, he forgets to take care of the characters, who feel shallow and underwritten, unfortunately.
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Re: What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in

Post by Chienfantome »

Last night I finally went to see in theater a restored version of Kurosawa's The Seven Samurais, which was released in Paris at the beginning of the month and which I've been trying to see since then, but a three and a half hours film with only a handful of possibilities isn't easy to put in the timetable. It's funny how such a long film can seem so short. One of Kurosawa's strength, in all his films, along with his masterful direction, is his sense of narration and his art of telling a story, and this is very true here. That's how you end up with a more than 3 hours films that is so easy, and fascinating to watch. And still so vividly modern for a 1954 movie.
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Re: What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in

Post by silversurfer19 »

Tried, and failed, to watch Inland Empire again. This is the fourth time I've attempted to watch the movie, and I think it's time to admit defeat. I always assumed maybe I was just too tired to watch it on other occasions, but fresh from a nap this time and I still couldn't get past an hour before losing interest (or understanding perhaps...) and 90 minutes before turning off. Sometimes I guess you just have to admit defeat with some movies, and despite my love for so many other Lynch movies, I just can't get into this one.

On the other hand, we have watched some great stuff recently. Watched To Kill A Mockingbird for the first time since I was perhaps 5 the other night, such a powerful movie, while A Town Called Panic was hilarious - a French stop motion animation in the style of Robot Chicken which is surreal beyond words but laugh out loud funny. Also caught Keanu Reeves doc Side By Side, such a great discussion on the future of film vs digital, though a shame it seems almost inevitable film will disappear within the next few years. And finally been watching The Wire for the first time, which I'm entranced with, as well as concluding Southcliffe, which is one of the best british mini series I've seen in years. Great stuff!

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Re: What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in

Post by numbersix »

It's worth sticking through Inland Empire. Lynch has rarely let me down, and while this is his densest film it's almost one of his most interesting films. Previously the "land of the weird" is almost always a journey into the dark side of the psyche. Here, I think the journey is actually a person trying to come to terms with something, and the various narratives within narratives represent the sides of doubt. So the weird is used as a positive.

I really should see A Town Called Panic. Heard about it before and must check it out.

And you're in for a world of delight with The Wire. The first few episodes are a bit tough to watch, but once the show finds its rhythm you'll be addicted. I'll see you on the other side.

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Re: What Are You Watching Right Now? Episode 3 - Turtles in

Post by silversurfer19 »

I'm just not sure I'm interested enough to watch Inland Empire again. After four attempts, it's just become a bit of a chore to try and get through, and I'm not getting any enjoyment from doing so. If a film isn't enjoyable, for the most part, what's the point? I'm a fan of Lynch, and have immersed myself in some of his movies and come to appreciate those that sometimes take a couple of viewings to even start to appreciate, but I just don't get that connection with Inland Empire.

And I've watched four episodes of The Wire so far, amazing seeing Idris Elba this young, and well before he became a household name! Great stuff though, and if I'm addicted now I can only imagine how good it could become.

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