Movie of the Month - Annihilation (June 2018)

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Yeah I gave it a 7/10. Very good, not great.


Jon
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28 days...6 hours...42 minutes...12 seconds
Going to give this a listen this week. I fully expect Chris to relate it to Alice in Wonderland somehow.
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Suspect's Reviews



This movie was a freagin masterpiece. A mix of sci-fi, extra-terrestrial encounter, poetry, and philosophy. Wow. I might have to watch it again. We need more intellectual movies like this. And all these people hating on the movie are the ones that rate idiotic Marvel movies a 10/10 in imdb. So no surprises there. Watch it, this is one of a kind. Also watching it in HD made it YUUUUUMM......



I gave it 10/10
Yeah I gave it a 7/10. Very good, not great.


Jon



That's a tad harsh. There are some legitimate critiques in the podcast, none of which are eschewing intellectualism (to the contrary, we usually over-intellectualize the stuff we talk about ).

I suppose there are people who will write it off as weird because it doesn't follow the usual script, but there's some odd choices in there even if you don't do that. And the flip-side phenomenon, of course, is that some people like anything weird or audacious even if it's narratively or intellectually messy. For every dude who adores every Marvel movie there's a film student who thinks anything sufficiently different is ipso facto genius.

If you look back a bit there's some talk earlier in this thread (and in our Eyes Wide Shut podcast) about Kubrick and the way dealing in certain themes with sufficient technical style can lead a lot of people to read genius into ambiguity.




9s and 10s are hard to give out. Where is Gone With the Wind? Grouped with Annihilation? No way.



Jon



And why must they artificially put a group of women into situations where it is impossible to believe? I haven't read the book, so perhaps that was the way it was written in the novel.
Sort of, yeah. We touch on this in the podcast, but my memory is that in the book, it's made clear that they're specifically sending in different groups as sort of human variables to try to figure out if there's any pattern to who comes back and who doesn't.



I think it warrants a re-watch from me. I was underwhelmed when I first watched it, but then I gave it more thought, re-analyzed it in my head, and realized perhaps I wasn't giving it enough credit.

As far as Garland films go, I didn't like it nearly as much as Ex Machina, but once again... I think it deserves another chance. And upon a second viewing, I might rank it higher.



...
I suppose there are people who will write it off as weird because it doesn't follow the usual script, but there's some odd choices in there even if you don't do that. And the flip-side phenomenon, of course, is that some people like anything weird or audacious even if it's narratively or intellectually messy. For every dude who adores every Marvel movie there's a film student who thinks anything sufficiently different is ipso facto genius.

If you look back a bit there's some talk earlier in this thread (and in our Eyes Wide Shut podcast) about Kubrick and the way dealing in certain themes with sufficient technical style can lead a lot of people to read genius into ambiguity.
You've hit the nail on the head. That's also a good working definition of "hip", or whatever current word is being used.

Symbolism rather than substance. If you present something incoherent, and give people the impression that if they don't "get it", they're unimaginative neanderthals, then they'll start saying that they get it. And some even believe that they do...

~Doc



I love this movie! It is definitely my favorite movie so far this year, and I believe it is one of the best that has been released this year. There was definitely some room for improvement in terms of the pacing of the movie as well as the development of the some of the key characters, but overall it was very well done! Natalie Portman was great and the visual effects as well as the music were incredible.



That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
I think it warrants a re-watch from me. I was underwhelmed when I first watched it, but then I gave it more thought, re-analyzed it in my head, and realized perhaps I wasn't giving it enough credit.

As far as Garland films go, I didn't like it nearly as much as Ex Machina, but once again... I think it deserves another chance. And upon a second viewing, I might rank it higher.
I'm curious what a second viewing might offer you.

I tried a second time and didn't make it halfway through. I keep thinking that I'm missing something very deep in this one from all the praise (and partly from what I'm seeing in these forums), but man! I just don't see it! And I want to! lol.

So. Yes. Please come back and tag me or something when/if you do follow-up?
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Can we all agree that Dredd is still his best movie?



I'm afraid we can't all agree on that haha I, for one, cannot. Though I did enjoy Dredd



“Sugar is the most important thing in my life…”
Yeah, kind of just spitballin' there . I liked Ex Machina better, but it seems to more divisive in general.



I'm curious what a second viewing might offer you.

I tried a second time and didn't make it halfway through. I keep thinking that I'm missing something very deep in this one from all the praise (and partly from what I'm seeing in these forums), but man! I just don't see it! And I want to! lol.

So. Yes. Please come back and tag me or something when/if you do follow-up?
Thanks. I definitely will tag you.



28 days...6 hours...42 minutes...12 seconds
The most puzzling part was how Kane picked up that accent.
Are you referring to his southern accent in the video recording? That works hand in hand with the mimic aspect the film sets forth. One of his team members has a southern accent and just like we see in the film with the tattoos, it transfers itself over to Kane. Which is why he has no accent before the Shimmer and one while in there.

The Shimmer copies/mutates/mimics more than just DNA. The tattoo again is another key element to show it's not just DNA as several people are seen with it. Lena, Anya and Kane's team members. Then there are more obvious things like her house (maybe not real?) and their clothing. The humanoid at the end copies her...but it also copies her clothing, which is not DNA. I think the Shimmer essentially captures your identity. Tattoos are part of peoples identity, as well as their homes, accents, etc.

Then again, this is all a Usual Suspects (film, not me ) unreliable narrator scenario. Who knows what really happened in there.



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A Quiet Place. Snoozlandia more like it.



Read all your comments, now ewally want to watch it