Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

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Chienfantome
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

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silversurfer19 wrote:
March 21st, 2020, 2:26 pm
I don't know. I enjoyed it, reminded me of an updated Sleeping With The Enemy, and Elisabeth Moss was great in it, as she always is. Only a matter of time before she wins an Oscar, I think.
She was absolutely stunning in Her Smell. She will definitely get it some day.
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

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Bacurau is now also available through the newly-formed Alamo Drafthouse Virtual Cinema program for this week only, in case you have a connection with them. I think I'll still watch it through my local arthouse and help them get a few bucks.

Also, I found Sorry, We Missed You will get virtual cinema status on April 3rd through my arthouse.
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

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The Invisible Man: 5/10
Blumhouse's reinvention of the classic character takes an interesting approach (from the perspective of an ex that he is obsessed with), and int he first half develops tension really well with some static shots in which we're not sure where the villain will come from, in anywhere at all (the director is clearly a fan of It Follows). But it's let down by poor pacing, an overlong story, thinly drawn secondary characters, and a few plot holes. What could have been a tight, creepy, modern take is somewhat squandered.

The Wild Goose Lake: 6/10
A weaving, overlong Chinese neo-noir - set in Wuhan no less (I can't even escape COVID int he cinema!). The plot isn't important - it's about a gangster who shoots the wrong people during some rival warfare, and his attempts to ensure the right person receives the reward for bringing him in. The joy is really in the direction, as the camera slowly pans through its world, letting the character occupy the space as cops and criminals scour the land. Stylish, if a little empty.

The Truth: 6/10
Hirokazu Kore-eda's first non-Japanese feature suffers like most foreign-language films made by Asian directors - clunky dialogue. But at least here it's compensated by two acting titans: Deneuve and Binoche (with some light support by Ethan Hawk). It's a shame the story had to be so insular, as a famed French actress reunites with her scriptwriter daughter during the shoot of a sci-fi movie about motherhood. But there are just enough good moments and observations to make it watchable. A huge step down from Shoplifters, but decent nonetheless.

The Platform: 6/10
What a film to watch during lockdown. People are trapped ina small space with their main concern being food scarcity! It's a clever premise, about people in a sort of vertical prison in which food at the top passes down, and with each level prisoners decide what to eat and what to leave behind. It becomes increasingly political as we see how people deal with a crisis in different ways, from intellectual optimism (the main character chooses to ) to manipulation to naive hope to religious fervour. the film doesn't raelly answer any questions, but it's certainly an astute take on current problems.

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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

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numbersix wrote:
March 31st, 2020, 9:58 am
The Platform: 6/10
What a film to watch during lockdown. People are trapped ina small space with their main concern being food scarcity! It's a clever premise, about people in a sort of vertical prison in which food at the top passes down, and with each level prisoners decide what to eat and what to leave behind. It becomes increasingly political as we see how people deal with a crisis in different ways, from intellectual optimism (the main character chooses to ) to manipulation to naive hope to religious fervour. the film doesn't raelly answer any questions, but it's certainly an astute take on current problems.
That sounds like an episode of Star Trek: Voyager called The Chute crossed with Snowpiercer if the train was stuck on a steep hill.

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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

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Bacurau 9/10

The most intense and white-knuckle movie since Parasite. A mix of a commentary on Brazilian government and Most Dangerous Game-esque thriller, Bacurau is the kind of film that makes you think it's going to be one thing and then takes a 180 and becomes something you don't expect at all. And while some films tend to disappoint doing this, this one stays interesting and exciting over its 131 minutes. This is the film that Midsommar wanted to be but failed to do so (By the way, can Midsommar stop being a meme?).

It's intelligent films like this one that show cinema can survive in the worst of times. But even though it's been doing very well in VOD, you need more people to embrace a slow burn film mainly in Portuguese. Otherwise, you end up with more Purge imitators.
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

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Sorry We Missed You 8/10

Ken Loach's newest film focuses on the disintegration of a working class family as the parents overwork themselves to pay debts, the son ditches school for his artistic abilities, and the daughter's sanity begins to break. Though it is a UK film, this film reminded me a lot of what it's like to be in this situation in the US as well. But in the US, we don't seem to have a filmmaker like Loach who can tell this story to a wide audience without sugarcoating everything. It also reminded me of Fish Tank, except the parental figures are well-meaning and actually care about their kids here. Even in the worst of times, they want to create some sort of illusion of hope, even if it kills them.

It's a downbeat and depressing film but it's reality.
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

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Corpus Christi 8/10

The Two Popes seemed to get the attention but this was the more superior Oscar nominated film about Catholicism. Focusing on a juvenile offender who after being released decides to ignore his job at the town sawmill and fulfill his wish of becoming a priest, it reads like an R-rated dramatic version of Sister Act but that's where the similarities end. It's really a study on how closed-minded small towns can be and end if you're a hip and reformist figure that brings the town together, there's still going to be some skeletons that you can't quite clear out, whether you are a town that's angry about an avoidable death or if you yourself are living a lie. Even in Polish, this is a story that can occur anywhere.

This is another movie that I wouldn't be surprised if a remake got announced soon but I'm sure it won't have the same effect in English.
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

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The Whistlers 8/10

Original heist film that shows that you can reinvigorate even the oldest of concepts. Focusing on a cop who is on both sides of a case involving stolen drug money, what makes this one interesting is the Morse-like language the culprits use to communicate (let's just say it's not self-quarantine approved). I also learned that the Romanian legal system is corrupt as hell but then again, you do need conflict and morality that isn't black and white to tell this kind of story.

There really isn't much else to say but it's rewarding if you want a crime story that's not by the numbers.
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

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Yeah, The Whistlers is a very good film indeed, Boosch.
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

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Meh. The Whistlers was full of plotholes and the whistling element wasn't enough to make it interesting.

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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

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Perfect Nanny (aka Lullaby) 8/10

The source material was sold as being a French Gone Girl but personally, it's more like a French version of The Hand That Rocks the Cradle. Focusing on a family who hires a nanny to take care of their children, it's a slow, methodical film that slowly shows the facade of the titular nanny cracking as becomes more and more obsessed with the family she takes care of. Being atypical of the typical thriller, it's bound to bore some expecting the usual elements but if you like character studies, this should be right up your alley.
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

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The Woman Who Loves Giraffes 8/10

A fascinating documentary on Anne Innes Dagg, the foremost voice on the study of giraffes, and her many years of work fighting for both the preservation of giraffes but women's rights in both her native Canada and the world. Using both footage shot by Dagg in the 50's (accompanied by narration by Tatiana Maslany via letters written at the time) and new material, it's much like a Disney nature documentary but more politically charged. But even with some of the more downbeat themes of the film, it's ultimately a feel good documentary for those who need good vibes or cute animals.
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

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Last few films seen at home

Onward: 6/10
It's weird. Recent Pixar movies in theory have everything in place to make for a great film. good themes, a well-structured script, great premise. But there's something missing. Onward has an engaging story, about two brothers living in a world that has given up on magic who go on an adventure to reconnect with their (half) dead father and fianlly learn to rely on each other. It also has a lovely last sequence which literally takes a step back from being saccharine. Yet I think the problem is in the writing. It just lacks the pace and hilarious dialogue of Pixar at its best. Instead everything is mildly funny and sometimes predictable. Still, it's a decent watch.

Never Rarely Sometimes Ever: 6/10
Yes, I'm the guy living in lockdown watching an abortion drama. Eliza Hittman's drama is small and intimate, but well-observed as it tells the story of a teenager who has to travel to a different state to get an abortion. This is solid social realism and very much about the tiny details of her exhausting trip, only hinting at what happened to her but always showing how guys are out to prey on teen girls. Sharon Van Ettan surprisingly plays a small role in it.

American Factory: 5/10
This won the Oscar??? It's an average exploration of a small-town American factory taken over by a Chinese firm which mixes workers from China and the US, whose work ethic seems very different. There are some poignant and insightful moments, but the film feels very unfocused, never lingering on a theory or a person long enough to feel substantial, and then it ends on a left-field comment about how robots will replace us all anyway.

Dolemite is my Name: 6/10
A fun and diverting story of the cult comedian and movie star. Eddie Murphy is charming as hell as the naive yet determined showman. It's nice to watch for its loving look at no-budget film-making, although I'm not sure if it's for general folk.

Ordinary Love: 6/10
I should have guessed from the title, but this is a bit too ordinary. It's the story of a couple in Northern Ireland who face struggle when the wife is diagnosed with cancer. It deliberately avoids tension and melodrama, as both are somewhat reasonable and witty people. It's a gentle and unassuming film, made watchable due to the two great leads: Liam Neeson and Lesley Manville.

Emma: 5/10
After seeing Little Women I had some hopes that this could do something interesting with the Jane Austen source material. Alas, it's a shallow attempt that feels like a poor cross between a cheap British TV series and a Wes Anderson flick. It's bright and colourful, with incessant quirky music which makes it all feel like a posh biscuit ad. The cast are fine, although overact a lot in a story that's supposed to be about the nuances of dating and relationships in 19th Century England. Clueless this ain't.

Proxima: 7/10
Alice Winocour's latest film surprised me at first, because I thought it would be a sci-fi, was disappointed it's not really, but then appreciated what it wanted to say. It's about a female astronaut who gets a chance to join a team heading to space for a year, but in doing so has to leave behind her young daughter. The story takes place across the preparation, as she tries to focus on training while also being a mother. Eva Green is superb as the upbeat protagonist who tries to bury her conflicting emotions, with good support from Matt Dillon.

I'm almost running out of new films to watch. All that's left is Ema, Blood Quantum, How to Build A girl, and Downfall. If cinemas don't reopen soon I'll be stuck without new films. What will I do!!!

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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

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Proxima is a very good film indeed.

I recommend you take a look at the Korean film Time to hunt that was added on Netflix last week. The first act is a bit middling, but once the plot tightens, it moves at a brilliant pace, with an interesting dystopian take on the 1997 asian economic crisis turned into the set of a suffocating manhunt. The aesthetic choices are strong, the characters are engaging, and the suspense thrilling.
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

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Like the sound of that!

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