Nope, most actors are cast because they're good at what they do. Which is acting.

I dunno, what was the point in casting Maya Rudolph in a 1 minute scene, that couldn't have been done by someone not famous? Same for all the other famous cameos. Except for maybe demonstrating what a cool guy Anderson is, so much so that super famous people are willing to act in two bit roles in his movies.

Actually the characters didn't find him a racist moron, the most they did was express confusion. Another problem scene is the inclusion of the only gay character as a walking stereotype. I suppose there are ways to interpret their inclusion as realistic to the portrayals of the era. It doesn't help them be any less jarring or uncomfortable for those who are the supposed target of the joke/non-joke.

Although I'm totally not surprised that once again you don't get it... ;)

P.s. Just read that Maya Rudolph is his partner, lol. The comment stands for the rest though.

If that's your takeaway from the film then you probably shouldn't be pointing fingers about not getting it.

Addidasss supports nepotism but not celebrity cameos apparently.

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) - There were a few scenes where the long tracking shots really worked, but they're too infrequent to justify that as anything other than a gimmick. I enjoyed it but it felt very tryhard in ways that didn't seem like they were trying to make a statement about the industries it's satirizing (particularly the humour). It definitely has the makings of a masterpiece but is held back by these things, leaving us with just a pretty good movie. I don't think Inarritu has it in him tbh (haven't seen Babel yet though, could be an exception). On the upside, it helped me recognize how excellent Symbiopsychotaxiplasm is.

Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome - A Thelemic parable of man, gods, and all that **** all drenched in gorgeous surreal lighting and colours. Prettier than Lucifer Rising.

River of Fundament - This is:
An epic
An opera
A satire
A book adaptation
A concert film
A procedural
Extreme
Surreal
Pornographic
A documentary

Three acts with a cast of around 1000 characters wherein writer Norman Mailer reincarnates three times into realities heavily inspired by his writings...and shit. There's a lot of shit. A man wraps a turd in gold, a transam gives birth to an engine, Milford Graves jams on a cow corpse in a sewer, someone gives birth to a bird, with each of the three acts being based on free improvisation performances that make heavy use of realistic space. One of the best films I've ever seen, highly recommended to anyone with an interest in experimental music or film who can stomach depravity (you will never be ready, might as well just jump right into the shit river).



Memoria - While visiting her sick sister in Colombia, Tilda Swinton is haunted by a recurring boom that only she appears to hear in this beautiful meditation on memory, colonialism, stolen trauma, perception, and isolation. Apichatpong's films always has intense sound design, but this movie seemed especially interested in directing your focus to the sound. Very lucky to have seen this in theatres, the whole scene at the farm is up there with Uncle Boonmee's cave scene and the Tropical Malady tiger confrontation as one of Apichatpong's best scenes. Going to try to catch it again while it's still on a theatre run.

And while I'm here, I'm pretty hyped for the Janus restoration of Inland Empire. They'll be showing that in theatres and you know I'm catching that bitch.

I love Birdman. It's a definite masterpiece to my mind. Perhaps my favorite movie of the 2010s.

You're so f*cking rule based, it hurts my brain. Rules. Rules. Rules. Can't use cameos. Can't use famous actors sons for lead roles. Can't use a clearly racist character in a funny way because that means you're racist. Can't have a gay character be stereotypical. Can't pay for Tom Waits to be on set for a day. That character exists in the story for one scene...but your rules say the actor can't be TOO famous. Famous people need as much screentime as possible, right?

How can you watch so many movies yet are so confused and offended by the most basic of casting concepts?

I'm not rules based at all dude, I'm just telling you how I react to these kinds of things. For me the overuse of familiar faces in films can sometimes have an adverse effect. Casting famous screen grabbers in roles which aren't written very well and therefore rely almost entirely on the magnetism of the actors may not work. It certainly didn't for me this time. I think it would've been a (slightly) better film if better actors were employed in lead roles and random acting superstars weren't cast in underwritten side-roles. I prefer unfamiliar faces and better written roles. That's all.

And I also won't get further into the discussion about the use of racist/stereotypical characters here, there has been plenty of things written about that online, but given how the discussion went on the trans issue with Chapelle, I just think it's a bit of a waste of time. ;)

To paraphrase the legendary wide receiver and all round blowhard Keyshawn Johnson:

Just give me the ball and watch the damn movie! :D

Adidasss apparently hates when racism is negatively portrayed.

Very nice of you to stick me in a box like that.

I mean, whenever I see a rape happen in a film, I just can't get over the fact that the director would include such an offensive character in a film.

A Field in England

A psychedelic folk horror flick set during the English Civil Wars. I'll leave it to others to decide whether Ben Wheatley is good enough to pull off his very ambitious designs and just say that I enjoyed most of it. Maybe upon rewatch will get the third act too.

https://decider.com/wp-content/uploa...6&h=335&crop=1

Everything Everywhere All at Once

Absolutely ****ing floored by this beautiful, hilarious, heartfelt, incredibly executed film. Definitely don't miss out on this one.

The Northman - Lot of really incredible parts to see on the big screen but definitely not up to par with Eggers' other two films. The characters didn't seem to really connect with their actions or what's happening in a weird way, maybe the brutality played a role in this. Still really enjoyed the ritual scenes, a great deal of the action, some of the more poetic moments, and a few of the turns they threw into the movie (by way of heavy exposition and random yelling). Worth seeing. 7/10

Arrebato (Rapture) - You can really see this film's influence on Lynch and Cronenberg. The atmosphere of this movie is wild, very hazy and dingy yet vibrant and colourful, which leads to an awesomely disorienting experience that puts you right there with the characters. Loved the reflexive twists and mass of incredibly memorably scenes. 9.5/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped..._poster%29.png

Peterloo.

Moving drama based on the so-called seditious riots in Manchester in 1819, when all people wanted was enough to live on, but the upper classes felt them to be beneath their contempt. The brutish Yeomanry (thugs in army uniform basically, something of a precursor to Ireland's bane, the Black-and-Tans) were let loose and women and children hurt/killed, and all happily sanctioned by the government and the Prince Regent (played in a brilliant short cameo by Tim McInnerney). Worth watching; may make your blood boil. Wasn't too happy with the somewhat damp squib ending though.

^^ one of my all time favourite filmmakers. Still haven't seen it though, I guess the topic just feels too frustrating. I prefer his low key human dramas. Another year was so warm and beautiful.

Didn't even know Mike Leigh had another film out since Turner. I have a strange relationship with him: Naked is one of my all time favorite films but after watching Career Girls and not liking it all that much it I got the sense that Naked is a one-off and all the other dozens of films he made are completely different in tone so I'm not in a hurry to watch them, though I want to one day. I think I tried torrenting Life is Sweet but it never downloaded or something.

Yes I would say Naked is a one off. The rest of his filmography is quite different, nothing is that intense or verbose, it's mostly about ordinary people and ordinary lives, with a lot of emotion and empathy. If I've gotten to know you a little bit by now, I would say don't bother... ;)

BUT, if you do, the highlights for me, apart from Naked, are All or nothing and Topsy Turvy.

Had to leave the theater last night during the first ten minutes due to it being absolutely filled with obnoxious f*cking talking morons. I'm seeing it Monday during the middle of the day.

Don't be a bitch. Tell them to shut the **** up.

I give you permission to beat the **** out of them next time.

You know what, I'll take that as a challenge to find in myself the humanity to relate to his simpler, more humane films. Will start with Secrets and Lies just cause I've already downloaded it and then watch the ones you suggested.

It wasn't just that. We were forced into the front row due to the stupid f*cking "reserved seating" thing where half the theater buys them online and doesn't show up until 20 minutes after the movie starts. It was too close. Hurt our eyes.

This is why most people torrent.

James Bond Live And Let Die.

Watched Life Is Sweet and absolutely loved it. It shows that he gets actors to rehearse improvised scenes and characters for months before even writing a script, that's how he gets this pitch perfect tonal precision from the entire cast (of brilliant actors). My favorites were the clinically depressed trial-sized sous-chef, a pretty Felliniesque character that fits perfectly in this world; the daughter who is a depressed and insecure leftist shut-in blurting out buzzwords out of context; Timothy Spall's character, I mean the costume design alone there...

https://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/images/4196b.jpg

https://theartsdesk.com/sites/defaul..._SWEET%2CM.jpg

I saw some online reviews complain that Leigh "didn't tie the loose ends" and while I think it's an expectation we should rid ourselves of, it's also spot on in that it drives home how free from screenwriting formulas his scripts are.

I finally saw Everything, Everywhere, All at Once and I haven't laughed and cried so much over a film in ages. A fantastic reverberating punch to the heart and mind and senses

Ja pretty much the best theatre experience I've ever had.

I heard that the rock scene didn't have subtitles at some theaters lmao

Lol that must feel surreal

Spider-Man: No Way Home.

absolutely loved it!

Everything, Everywhere, All at Once

I didn't have the same cathartic experience you guys had it seems. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it very much. I thought the creativity and performances were top notch. I just feel like the theme of the film has been done before.

"Our protagonist starts off ____ and through many adventures throughout the film and many lessons learned, ends up resting ____"

Trying not to spoil the film but the payoff fell a little flat for me. I did have a very good time and laughed a lot though.

I thought Swiss Army Man had more emotional impact to be honest.

Here I was thinking they invented the hero's journey.

I saw that Pig movie with Nic Cage. I actually kinda liked it.

went to see Sonic 2 at the cinema last month with my younger brother.

goddamn! it was really good!

looking forward to the 3rd movie. i'm genuinely hoping Jim Carey will come back for one last movie before he retires.

Of course many stories work like that but that doesn't really matter. What I loved about it is how effectively it deals with depression and family issues and midlife crises and general bleak nihilism and the value of human connection in overcoming all that. Also not exactly new, but the way they present it just makes it hit really hard for me

Rear Window hits differently on the big screen

I'm a big Sonic fan but the casting of Jim Carrey just doesn't seem right to me - shouldn't Eggman be a big rotund guy?

yes, but Jim Carrey makes up for it with his manic energy.

he's easily the best part of the movie.

anyway, watched the new live-action Chip N Dale: Rescue Rangers yesterday.

it was absolutely amazing!

easily tying with Sonic 2 for best movie i've seen this year.

Hopefully it's someone younger than 20?

Also, I can't believe there's already a Sonic 2 out, it feels like yesterday that there was the whole SCANDAL with the eyes.

I'll be skipping both of those movies incidentally and try to watch the new Top gun this weekend in IMAX. It's getting pretty great reviews for some reason.

A few recently. I enjoyed Gringo last night. Dark comedy where David Oyelowo plays an insignificant clerk in a law firm who gets tangled up with the Mexican cartel, who think he's the big boss - "How hard can it be to find one black guy in Mexico?" Also watched Mr. Holmes. It was... good, I couldn't say great, but different, and Ian McKellen is always nothing less than spectacular. Yesterday was a pleasant if silly little movie and I also rewatched The Long Riders, about the exploits of the James and Younger Gangs. Finally, just now finished watching classic western Shenandoah, in which of course Stewart stole every scene. Ah, they don't make 'em like that no more!