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Great review, man. It's powerful how much a movie can affect you, especially one with you going through something personally.
Movie a Day by the Bay
Only just read this, but I'll repeat the same thing as everyone else: great review of a great film. And it says a lot about the nature of the films we love that you had such a different reaction to it the second time, post-diagnosis. And that's okay. I always like to say the best films are more a question of objective factors, but our favorites are a reflection of us and our experiences, and they're not always (or even usually) the same.
I particularly enjoyed it because, like all the best reviews, it was something only the writer could write. A lot of people can tell me that Take Shelter is very well acted, or atmospheric, or harrowing...but only you could tell me what it meant to you, and why.
I give Take Shelter and your review .
I particularly enjoyed it because, like all the best reviews, it was something only the writer could write. A lot of people can tell me that Take Shelter is very well acted, or atmospheric, or harrowing...but only you could tell me what it meant to you, and why.
I give Take Shelter and your review .
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Appreciate it Yoda, and agreed on every account. Especially the second paragraph - I try to write from the heart for a variety of reasons.
Thanks for reading.
Thanks for reading.
Great review (as always) of a great film Swan.
__________________
Too weird to live, and too rare to die.
Too weird to live, and too rare to die.
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Mud (Jeff Nichols, 2012) -
[REWATCH]
Nichols has an amazing ability to make me thoroughly engaged in his films and care about his characters without it getting too sappy. I know a lot of films do this well, but for the past couple of years I had thought I lost the ability to really care for film characters like he makes me care for them - to the point where I'm entranced by their every move. Nichols has reinvigorated an emotional passion in me since my recent rewatch of Take Shelter and now this film.
Sure, some of the plotting in Mud is overly convenient, but that didn't stop me from enjoying it even in the slightest. I'm not a big story guy anyway; what's more important to me is well-formed characters and artistic craft. I feel Nichols does both of those amazingly well. I just love how his characters care for each other - I think that's so important in life and he shows it in such a real, non-sappy way. Considering he's such a young director I naturally want to say he has yet to make his magnum opus, but of course that's untrue, as he made a true masterpiece with Take Shelter.
Lastly, I love his portrayal of the Midwest. I've never been there but I feel like I learn more about what is must be like to live there than, say, a documentary could show me.
It's true that Mud doesn't quite reach the heights of Take Shelter's greatness, for me anyway, but I know some prefer it to that film and that's more than alright alright alright. Both are wonderful pieces of cinema. I am more than excited to see his debut film Shotgun Stories for the first time, and I'll be there opening day for whatever future films he has yet to make.
[REWATCH]
Nichols has an amazing ability to make me thoroughly engaged in his films and care about his characters without it getting too sappy. I know a lot of films do this well, but for the past couple of years I had thought I lost the ability to really care for film characters like he makes me care for them - to the point where I'm entranced by their every move. Nichols has reinvigorated an emotional passion in me since my recent rewatch of Take Shelter and now this film.
Sure, some of the plotting in Mud is overly convenient, but that didn't stop me from enjoying it even in the slightest. I'm not a big story guy anyway; what's more important to me is well-formed characters and artistic craft. I feel Nichols does both of those amazingly well. I just love how his characters care for each other - I think that's so important in life and he shows it in such a real, non-sappy way. Considering he's such a young director I naturally want to say he has yet to make his magnum opus, but of course that's untrue, as he made a true masterpiece with Take Shelter.
Lastly, I love his portrayal of the Midwest. I've never been there but I feel like I learn more about what is must be like to live there than, say, a documentary could show me.
It's true that Mud doesn't quite reach the heights of Take Shelter's greatness, for me anyway, but I know some prefer it to that film and that's more than alright alright alright. Both are wonderful pieces of cinema. I am more than excited to see his debut film Shotgun Stories for the first time, and I'll be there opening day for whatever future films he has yet to make.
I liked Mud a lot; those two kids were great in it.
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Glad your enjoying Nichols so much Swan. I think you will really like Shotgun Stories as well.
A shame we are not getting a lot of info on Midnight Special yet. I think it was originally slated for last fall, so I hope things haven't gone sour.
A shame we are not getting a lot of info on Midnight Special yet. I think it was originally slated for last fall, so I hope things haven't gone sour.
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Ok, read your review now and even though my watching of Take Shelter was completely coincidental I would have watched it after reading your review
That personal attachment we can get to some films can be amazing and it is why I will always choose to watch a film like Take Shelter (or an Ozu film) over something more "entertaining". Entertainment is great but it is films like this that can truly mean something to us. I had what was possibly a similar experience with Mike Nichol's Wit due to my mother's illness. Movies like this can sometimes be painful but that makes them even more meaningful.
That personal attachment we can get to some films can be amazing and it is why I will always choose to watch a film like Take Shelter (or an Ozu film) over something more "entertaining". Entertainment is great but it is films like this that can truly mean something to us. I had what was possibly a similar experience with Mike Nichol's Wit due to my mother's illness. Movies like this can sometimes be painful but that makes them even more meaningful.
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Ok, read your review now and even though my watching of Take Shelter was completely coincidental I would have watched it after reading your review
That personal attachment we can get to some films can be amazing and it is why I will always choose to watch a film like Take Shelter (or an Ozu film) over something more "entertaining". Entertainment is great but it is films like this that can truly mean something to us. I had what was possibly a similar experience with Mike Nichol's Wit due to my mother's illness. Movies like this can sometimes be painful but that makes them even more meaningful.
That personal attachment we can get to some films can be amazing and it is why I will always choose to watch a film like Take Shelter (or an Ozu film) over something more "entertaining". Entertainment is great but it is films like this that can truly mean something to us. I had what was possibly a similar experience with Mike Nichol's Wit due to my mother's illness. Movies like this can sometimes be painful but that makes them even more meaningful.
Thanks for reading.
Life is Sweet (Mike Leigh, 1990) - -
The first two films I’ve seen by Leigh, Naked and Happy-Go-Lucky, make him a potential favorite director of mine. Thankfully, this film didn’t hurt that potential. It’s not my favorite Leigh but is still quite good and well crafted.
Here’s the thing. I think Leigh is incredible at portraying fascinating characters with real depth. He's one of the best I've seen at doing that, personally. And while that ability certainly shows in this film, I think he really shines at it with films that focus more on a single character in all their depth and intricacy than with films that are character ensembles.
For that reason, I like Naked and Happy-Go-Lucky (especially Naked, obviously) a bit more than this film. There is still plenty to look forward to with Leigh - in fact, I still look forward to them all, including the character ensembles - but, you could say, I’m looking forward more to Vera Drake and Mr. Turner than I am to Another Year.
The first two films I’ve seen by Leigh, Naked and Happy-Go-Lucky, make him a potential favorite director of mine. Thankfully, this film didn’t hurt that potential. It’s not my favorite Leigh but is still quite good and well crafted.
Here’s the thing. I think Leigh is incredible at portraying fascinating characters with real depth. He's one of the best I've seen at doing that, personally. And while that ability certainly shows in this film, I think he really shines at it with films that focus more on a single character in all their depth and intricacy than with films that are character ensembles.
For that reason, I like Naked and Happy-Go-Lucky (especially Naked, obviously) a bit more than this film. There is still plenty to look forward to with Leigh - in fact, I still look forward to them all, including the character ensembles - but, you could say, I’m looking forward more to Vera Drake and Mr. Turner than I am to Another Year.
Interestingly, I just found out this is Leigh's own least favorite of the films he has made.
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