ScarletLion's Movie Log

Ha ha ha I enjoy it either. I like this kind of movies.

[quote=ScarletLion;1663865]There are zero sex scenes, and very little violence, yet the entire film is conducted in a version of hell that is so real, the normal person can only guess at what it would have been like.

Well said. Sometimes our imagination can prompt much worst pictures, then somebody could show in a movie.

This movie suprised me. I wouldn't watch it, if my friend haven't recommended it to me. I was convinced it is one of this seasonal comedies, which you forget five minutes after watching it. But it turned out to be one of the most unpredictable movies.

BTW, great Log, ScarletLion.

Thanks for the comments. I agree about perfect strangers. A little gem of a script.

I'll use this post for my Hall of Fame reviews:

'The Quiet Earth' (1985):

https://www.movieforums.com/communit...96#post1687196

'Manchester by the Sea' (2016):

https://www.movieforums.com/communit...24#post1687224

'Buffalo '66 (1998)

https://www.movieforums.com/communit...96#post1687696

Captain Fantastic (2016)

https://www.movieforums.com/communit...40#post1689540

'Nightmare Alley' (1947)

https://www.movieforums.com/communit...09#post1692409


'Forbidden Games' (1952)

https://www.movieforums.com/communit...19#post1696819

'Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter....and Spring' (2003)

https://www.movieforums.com/communit...87#post1704987

'The Marriage of Maria Braun' (1979):
https://www.movieforums.com/communit...treply&t=48960

'The Great Dictator (1940)
https://www.movieforums.com/communit...16#post1721316

'Wings of Desire' (1987)
https://www.movieforums.com/communit...40#post1726340

Lukas Moodysson's movies are always interesting. This one was panned by alot of critics as just a rehash of the likes of Babel and Crash. But it's harsh to just dismiss it as a failure. It raised important points, namely those of global capitalisation and the notion that family is everything. There were constant visual reminders about the earth, the cosmos and our place in the universe. There were many flaws and some really did require the viewer to question some character motives. But overall I enjoyed it. Admittedly, that may be due to my unquestionable, undying love for Michelle Williams though. 7/10

Loads of mystery, ambiguous 3rd act, a fantastic performance by Kristen Stewart. Loved it. I do feel it requires another watch as I'm certain I missed things, which might annoy some viewers, but I don't see this as a flaw.

I gather some people were wanting to see a paranormal horror film, but this isn't the one. It's a layered film about dealing with death and altering your perspectives. There are supernatural elements to it but most of them are a sideshow to the main crux of the movie. Stewart is brilliant as the lead, almost effortless at some points. Director Olivier Assayas leaves alot to the imagination and alot to figure out, but the film is better for it, as the levels of intrigue stay with you right up until the credits roll.

Anyone who enjoyed the Neon Demon should give this a shot as there are certain elements to it that draws parallels.

8/10 at least. Maybe more.

"I am not an Aardvark!".

Mark Duplass' work always seems to float my boat, and although this was Directed by Charlie McDowell, you can sense Duplass had a strong input. After seeing and enjoying his 2016 effort 'Blu Jay', I was sure that this would be another romantic drama but I was completely wrong. This movie is extremely ambiguous, very contrived and a complete headf**k, which contains not only the relationship element but also thriller and sci-fi components too.

Whilst watching, I was reminded of segments from films like Coherence, Beetlejuice, The Truman Show and others. It requires huge portions of belief suspension and the ending will either make you smile or throw something at the tv. But I'd much rather watch an ambitious indie movie that perhaps just falls short than yet another regurgitated hollywood superhero action clone.

A solid 7/10.

I watched and loved Blu Jay on your recommendation so I'll definitely be adding this to the watch list. In fact, from your review it sounds like something I'll really like. Cheers

__________________
Too weird to live, and too rare to die.

Let me know how you get on. And what you think of the ending!

This is a semi-dramatized documentary focusing on retelling the audio memoirs of a man going blind. If that sounds slightly unusual, it's because it is. The cast lip sync the actual recorded words spoken by John Hull and his wife who detailed his descent into the debilitating world of visual impairment in the 1980s.

The memoirs capture the pure physical and psychological turmoil experienced by John as he experiences this loss of vision, and as he says he battles to live in reality instead of this nostalgic world that his brain is forcing upon him. The dreams he experiences and the way he describes them are beautiful bittersweet torture - as it is his only way of conjuring new images into his world, yet he wakes every morning crestfallen, as he remembers he cannot see, and they were just dreams. One night he dreams he can see his new child that was born after he lost his sight. The way this scene is directed (by Peter Middleton & James Spinney) is as magical as it is emotive.

John expresses to us that he believes part of his brain is dying as a portion of it no longer requires power to process images. He says he feels hungry for stimulation that he just cannot obtain. He also forgets what his wife looks like, which must be pure agony. The frustration of being rendered effectively useless as a parent also weighs heavily on his mind, and some points on the audio tapes you can almost feel the depression that John must be battling.

Dan Renton Skinner does an unbelievable job as the taunted John Hull. His facial expressions transport us into this hell that John must have been in and his performance is one of the most captivating of any portraying an illness / disability that I can remember.

I couldn't wait to splash down a few words about this film in the hope that just 1 or 2 people watch it as a result. That has to be a sign that of its' quality.

Beautiful agony.

Great review Scarlet. I saw this fairly recently on BBC. Stunning documentary. So so sad and impossible to imagine what it must be like.

Absolutely superb. Dolan's craft is on full display. The 2 female leads steal the show. It's a remarkably emotional, poignant journey into the painful world of a struggling mother. There are no gimmicks. It's not pretentious. It's wonderful. Heartbreaking, but wonderful.

9/10

Double bill:


A nice way to spend 90 minutes. The Duplass brothers always make interesting movies. And this must be quite a personal film for Mark Duplass given he ended up marrying his love interest and talking to his real life dad about their relationship on screen. It's not a huge triumph and there is little depth to it, plus the shaky camera does grate a little (what do you expect on a tony budget?). But what's there is interesting enough as regards the illustration of human emotions.




This threatened to be intriguing. It wavered into a nice mix of modern society allegories and horror. But in the end it's just another genre movie that left me disappointed by lack of substance.

I was amazed to hear that this was Lynne Ramsay's debut feature. I enjoyed "We need to talk about Kevin" alot but Ratcatcher was a totally different type of film that hasn't really threatened my radar until recently, and I have to say it is up there with the best British movies I've ever seen. Seriously.

It's also one of the grimmest, dirtiest, melancholic films I've ever had the pleasure of seeing. There are pay offs to counter this, but they are few and far between. I can't say that downbeat films get to me, as if a film is good then it's good and I feel glad that I just watched a terrific film rather than "depressed" at it's content. And this is one of those. So maybe it just suited me, or my mood at least.

Set during the waste removal strike in Glasgow in the early 1970s, it's a tale of death, poverty, learning, awakening and guilt. It follows the story of a young boy called James who goes from hardship to hardship while dreaming of a better life. There are some mesmerizing sequences that won't leave me in a hurry including pairs of gasses, balloons, cornfields and bathtubs. Right from the opening sequence that deceptively tantalyzes us with a young boy trapped in a curtain, we are thrust into this mini world of typical childhood pains.

The manner that Ramsay unfurls James' thoughts, experiences and actions is as engrossing as it is clever, and the last 5 minutes, while being slightly ambiguous is utterly beautiful. The first half conjures up obvious comparisons with other British movies delving into the working class like Kes, The Selfish Giant, Gregory's girl, I Daniel Blake, Tyrannosaur etc - but what we're left with is a more cerebral, contemplative experience than those movies, that percolates in the mind for a long while after viewing stops.

Rachel Portman's score is also worth a mention. It weaves in and out at crucial times, yet there are moments of silence that Ramsay perfects in order for us to be transfixed at James' actions, and the end piece of music is beautifully timed.

A must see.

So glad i decided to look in here, as i love this page. Ratcatcher is one of my very favourite films and i think Ramsay's best, so glad you liked it so much . I expected you to because as i noted in the past you seem to like alot of the same bleak British drama's as me.

Mommy is my favourite film of 2014 so glad to see you really liked that too. I liked Get Out quite a bit but totally get why you didn't.

BTW, did you just find out how to do the popcorns or did you just now decide to start using them? Just wondering.

Yeah, love those British dramas. You seen 'The Selfish Giant' yet?

I normally only use the popcorn ratings when I submit a review, as I prefer to mark out of 10. Not that ratings are everything - they are so subjective.

I'm going to try and delve into some more Xavier Dolan. Talented young man.

Dolan's movies make my brain crush (in disturbing, but positive way). He is so extraordinary movies director. His every film is indyvidual story, but when You watch it You know it's Dolan's. Thouht his young age...
Scarlet, enjoy...

Thanks. I plan to. seems Quebec has alot going for it movie wise these days.