The Women Directors Hall of Fame

This is a very interesting nomination, i had no idea it existed. Wasn't crazy about it but i didn't dislike it either; good cast who were all performing well and it was a short and easy watch.

I initially liked that it didn't take sides; Zach was a gross, aggressive racist but the gang were being very condescending and smug and just as close minded except in a more socially acceptable way. It was a good portrayal of a liberal bubble being burst; liberal group think being challenged by someone they see as beneath them. Also Paxton was great, he actually managed to solicit some sympathy from me initially when his faith was being sneered at then he quickly turned it up to 11 coming across really unsettling and bigoted, yet he was still on an equal footing with the rest in terms of likeablity probably due to the non-serious and almost surreal vibe i got from the scene. I thought that was a very good start.

My problem is it just kept repeating itself and even though it was the intention i came to really hate the gang and just wanted to stop watching them. Not even because they were unlikeable or because of their actions, they were just exhausting to watch and listen to after a while. Ramping up their self-righteousness and making their reasons for killing increasingly flimsier becoming as intolerant as those they are against was a good idea, it just wasn't that interesting to watch for me. Every Conservative introduced was a caricature, so were the gang but we spent all our time with them and the conservatives only had a scene each so in the end they ended up frustrating to watch for me at least. Also i think nearly every guest was better and more interesting than the regulars which played into that.

I understand why people could love this: the humour, but i didn't find it all that funny. It was similar to Clueless in that i recognized lines as funny or clever but i didn't actually find them as such because it was just too "written". I dunno nothing felt natural, barely any lines or situations felt like they came from real people at least at the frequency they were delivered. That's not really a criticism of the movie because there's nothing wrong with that and i can enjoy it at times plus it obviously wasn't supposed to be a realistic feeling story, but it can also kill my immersement and that's what happened here. I was aware at all times i was watching a movie, or more accurately i was listening to a script being read.

Courtney B Vance was the best of the gang IMO. His calm delivery of everything was so great: "I say we just bury the cracker then finish eating our meal" . The others all did a pretty good job too, think this is the best performance i've seen from Cameron Diaz which speaks more to what i think of her as an actress. I did like how 90's this was: the music, the hair, clothes, even the cast: George Constanza and the dude whose only other film i know of is Drop Dead Fred . The film really fits into a specific era (Audiovisually i mean, its main points are timeless i guess) and i really like that sort of thing.

Thanks for nominating this Siddon. Even though i wasn't crazy about it i doubt i would have ever been aware of its existence if you hadn't and it's an interesting film. The Ascent next for me then i'll finish with Orlando.

I made a thread asking for Soviet Films a while back so i was very glad this came up.

Absolutely love the setting. Have always thought heavy snow would be the worst terrain to fight on. Freezing cold meaning you need to wear even more layers than usual further weighing you down and the deep snow on the ground prevents you from moving quickly as well as making it extra tough to travel large distances like shown in the "walk in my footsteps it will be easier" part. Anything reflective: compass, rifle scope, mirror, etc could easily give away your position, the Finnish Sniper Simo Häyhä (one of the most interesting people of the war) didn't use a scope on his rifle because it would give him away making his feats even more impressive. Must have been absolutely miserable, i mean it was all miserable obviously and i'm sure you could make a case for the desert or wherever being worse but in my completely uninformed opinion i would dread the conditions in this film the most. General Winter makes so much sense. I find it interesting that the Soviets and Russian Empire before them were used to it which was a big factor in them always winning in these conditions, until they came up against the Finnish as the Finns lived in these sorts of conditions all year round at the time and with the size of the Soviet Union some soldiers weren't used to it at all due to them living in industrialized cities without snowy conditions. It shows that it wasn't just major super power getting a slight boost from their preferred terrain, the conditions played a massive part in it or the Finns couldn't have achieved what they did as they were obviously incredibly outnumbered and equipped. So yeah this film was perfect actually seeing a depiction of soldiers attempting to survive this hell on earth scenario.

Incredibly beautiful film. Visually of course but also the music, story and performances. A problem i've noticed a fair amount of people have with Russian/Soviet art (or most things actually) is it leaves them cold, it doesn't get to them emotionally; Tarkovsky and Dostoevsky get it a lot. Well i think this is a very moving film. The bleakness and brutality is completely justified in its narrative and i think it pays off as an emotional experience by the end. This was like a serious version of the "things can't get any worse" joke. Feels like it starts off with the worse possible scenario out in the freezing rough wilderness wounded but at least at that point they are free men, next they are being towed away to somewhere they have no knowledge of watching two young children who will almost certainly die as they go, followed by literal torture accentuated with horrific silent screams and somehow it manages to get more dire down in the cellar of grim being mentally tortured with the knowledge that something horrific is most likely coming in the morning. Worked wonders in making it both believable that it would strengthen some of their resolves and completely break others wills. Is it just me or does Vladimir Gostyukhin look like Roman Polanski? He was good but Boris Plotnikov was the highlight for me. Any moment where he springs to life was incredible; the venomous "you betrayed us" part and his will to live being restored especially. It's amazing that he makes such a big impression in a role where he doesn't say much and is drifting in and out of consciencousness. Obviously the christlike imagery and themes involving him from the director played a part but i think he was great anyway.

My one complaint is the Germans were cartoonishly evil, took away from the realistic feel for me. I know they're Nazi's i can accept them being evil and cruel towards the Soviets, but gleefully executing some fleeing random, all the red bitch stuff and cruelly leaving that woman's kids to presumably starve to death for little reason was too much for me. Seemed like these low level German Soldiers were having a great time in this Soviet hellscape and the Soviets came across all struggling and noble, it just didn't feel right to me. I mean even at the start before Sotnikov is wounded both of them are having a miserable time and these three Germans have super high spirits constantly singing and laughing. They were so maniacal it kind of took me out of the film. It improved greatly when they got to the camp because the interrogator was great and it felt much more like natural war time interactions, but initially it was very jarring.

Great nom Jal glad i got to see it. Just Orlando left for me.