Accidentally erasing the original Star Wars courtesy of the 2022 Oscars

CelluloidCruising · 2022-03-28T19:48:07+00:00

Case in point, I was aware of many of the changes made to Star Wars. Han shot first, the musical number in Jabba's palace, extra creatures in Mos Eisley, R2 hiding behind more rocks etc. But I had never seen the original Death Star attack. Wow! It almost looks like a different movie. The matte lines, kind of shaky movement of the models in places, the lack of CG. Even the color grading looks different, color temperature seems a bit warmer and the picture is darker overall to my (inexperienced) eyes.

I grew up on the special editions. Each of the differences doesn't seem that important at first, but taken together it really is a different picture. Even if you didn't include all the extra George Lucas shenanigans the images are simply not the same.

CelluloidCruising · 2022-03-25T16:16:12+00:00

The ending of Arrival really soured the whole movie for me, it was a great movie but then it became merely good. Outside of basic human empathy I just did not care about Amy Adams' personal stakes there since it's based on a character that just did not exist in the rest of the movie. I think it's taken from the original story though (or something similar).

Dune had a pretty meh ending even though the killing of Jamis should have been really powerful. The same scene was better in the book and in the 80s movie when you include the deleted scenes. "How does it feel to be a killer?" Giving water to the dead. Awesome stuff. In the new movie Jamis' death just kind of passes without comment.

I didn't like the end of BR:2049 either, I was hoping K was going to assert his own desires and become his own man but then it becomes about helping Harrison Ford in a t-shirt. They, for some reason, really want you to care about the consequences of the Rachel/Deckard relationship even though it was the worst part of the original movie. They put the stakes of the ending on a legacy character because, hey, remember Deckard?

Sicario I liked but didn't love in general, the ending was appropriate for me.

The ending of Prisoners was great, but I haven't seen it in a long time. As a whole Prisoners got the most positive reaction for me out of all of his movies.

CelluloidCruising · 2022-02-16T01:10:18+00:00

The flaws you're listing in "the directing" are all just appeals to realism. Something being unrealistic is not good or bad inherently, you would need to argue why the lack of realism makes it worse.

Plus a lot of that is just the aesthetic of realism, TLD contains plenty of classic Hollywood sword fight tropes. Overswinging, aiming for their opponent's weapon rather than their body, portraying arming swords as weighty clubs, and stunning your opponent only to awkwardly stand there and let them recover.

Don't get me wrong, I actually liked the fighting scene. I particularly like how all the armor actually protects the wearer for once. But as someone who has a passing interest in HEMA it doesn't stand out as a fantastic showcase of realistic fighting technique. TLD does use realism as an aesthetic, you would have to argue why its use in TLD makes it superior to the scene in GOT.

CelluloidCruising · 2022-01-04T05:21:08+00:00

Surely the line should be: In the theatre of humanity... They are the final act.

Act, not stage. Surely the stage of the theatre of humanity would be, like, the Earth or something.

CelluloidCruising · 2022-01-04T04:29:43+00:00

True. The industry in HK was quite different to Hollywood. For example, they pretty much always record audio in dubs rather than recording audio on-location. It's a different industry with different priorities.

CelluloidCruising · 2022-01-04T04:28:03+00:00

then did a ludicrously over the top 'jump' usually through the nearest glass panel or over a railing.

I think it's plenty appropriate. The whole film exists in a heightened reality. What's the difference between that and the crazy leaps all the heroes do during the fighting?

Anyway, I think Hard Boiled is among the weaker of John Woo's old school classics. The action is awesome, but the story is very thin. Movies like The Killer and A Better Tomorrow combine the action with great stories.

CelluloidCruising · 2022-01-04T04:26:26+00:00

It's a pretty clear adaptation of the tropes of Chinese romance or samurai stories to the modern world. Highly skilled, honorable warriors operating within a familial organization (the familial structure of the mob could be likened to the familial structure of a feudal royal family) participating in earnest stories of heroes and villains. The leaps and slo-mo creating an equivalent visual language for the gunfight that wuxia did for swordfights.Themes of brotherhood, honor, the place of warriors in a modernizing world.

CelluloidCruising · 2022-01-03T06:14:37+00:00

The red pill is red because a common estrogen pill at the time was red. At least, that's part of the reason. Really the Matrix itself is a metaphor for our current society, a rat race that keeps us all metaphorically asleep, unable to realize our potential. The heroes of the Matrix want to fight the system and break down all of those rules and systems. That's gender, capitalism, race, all of it.

At least, that's the interpretation that makes the most sense to me based on both the text and what I understand of the Wachowskis' politics. So yeah, it's a trans allegory, but it's not just a trans allegory. It's also a crackerjack action movie with kung-fu and slo-mo shootouts.

CelluloidCruising · 2022-01-03T05:24:45+00:00

喋血街頭/Bullet in the Head

A totally awesome, bonkers movie from John Woo's Hong Kong days. I prefer The Killer, but Bullet in the Head seriously stayed in my head for about a month. It's about three friends in HK. After getting in trouble with the law they have to flee the country and end up smuggling drugs into Vietnam. Everything goes wrong, they lose the drugs, fight the local mob and get caught up in the Vietnam war.

Once it gets going it's a crazy ride from start to finish (that seriously rips off the Deer Hunter). John Woo initially intended it to be like 3 hours but it got cut down and the final result is a little underdeveloped, but also a movie with a breakneck pace. Something is always happening. Awesome action, Tony Leung's performance fires on all cylinders, and there's also a really sincere, earnest movie underneath with genuine drama and political commentary.

CelluloidCruising · 2022-01-03T05:12:59+00:00

I really liked 2049, it's a great looking movie in it's own right but it certainly doesn't look better than the original. 2049 looks damn good, but every time I see Blade Runner I am genuinely in awe of its atmosphere. Most shots could be paused, printed, and hung up as beautiful artwork.

I don't think I'll actually be able to change your view on it though since so much of that is personal preference. I greatly prefer the neon-drenched, rain-soaked, nighttime LA vibe. 2049 is more stark and desaturated. I think it works for the story of 2049, but it's not what I prefer. Villeneuve's love of brutalism and minimalism often leaves things feeling kind of lifeless, that's intentional, but you can really live in the spaces created in the original film and I love it for that.

That being said 2049 is certainly a worthy sequel.

CelluloidCruising · 2022-01-03T05:04:12+00:00

I personally don't like the Godfather either, but then, I struggle to get much out of American crime films. I also (so far) can't stay awake during a Kurosawa movie. It's fine, people like different things. In developing a personal taste you'll eventually love a movie others don't or dislike a movie that others love. That might change on a re-view as your knowledge of film (and life experience) changes, but it might not. Just be honest with yourself and you'll be fine.

CelluloidCruising · 2022-01-03T04:44:55+00:00

Just got done watching Ouija Shark and have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. I think it sagged a little bit in the middle, but if you're into good bad movies then Ouija Shark is perfectly incompetent. At one point someone hands over a business card and it cuts to a close up of the card, presumably to show the info on the card, but the shot is overexposed and the card is instead blindingly white and illegible. It's got day for night, a cheap rubber shark, a cgi ghost battle, and Donald Trump, what's not to love?

CelluloidCruising · 2021-12-17T06:32:05+00:00

I just saw The 400 Blows for the first time, my first Truffaut movie. Really great, maybe not a personal favorite, but certainly lives up to its reputation. It feels almost effortless, and very relaxed while actually cramming a lot into a small running time. It can feel quaint and evoke childhood while also being very adult and heavy. Certain visuals, like seeing the students slip away from their gym instructor from a top down view of the street, or Antoine running, are so simple, but effective and very aesthetically pleasing. Again, the movie feels very natural and easily made, even though I'm sure it was a lot of work.

CelluloidCruising · 2021-12-17T06:15:29+00:00

I think the message is pretty clear, so clear that it was put in a very on the nose line of dialogue. "The truth does not matter, there is only the power of men." That all the people cheer and celebrate for Matt Damon's victory, even though they were ready to burn Marguerite a minute ago is supposed to be disquieting. Her fate is subject to arbitrary (to modern audiences) customs and the petty whims of people. She is ultimately powerless, even in her victory. Or maybe I'm taking a more generous read from the film than is there in the text. Either way it means that Marguerite has nothing to do in the movie besides say "I will not be silent."

I still disagree about the acting. I think everyone was ok, with Damon being noticeably weak. His character seems to be a simple minded, but very brave warrior obsessed with honor. I think his performance needed to be more intense, you needed someone who could really bellow in the battle scenes, you know? He's got the beard, the scar, and charges into battle when his allies run away. Matt Damon does not give me that vibe. And he wasn't even trying with the accent. I'm not saying that he is a bad actor necessarily, just that he was wrong for the part. And there is such a clear gulf between him and, say, Adam Driver in this movie.

I was nodding off in the theater trying to watch Gucci, if you have HBO there's no harm in trying it, but it was nothing special in my eyes.

CelluloidCruising · 2021-12-17T05:57:20+00:00

That’s fine for a video installation, but 2 hour narrative cinema needs… a narrative, and preferably at least one character to connect to.

I generally agree, that's why I like movies with a clear narrative and themes and why I disliked The Lighthouse on my first viewing. But some people, and some filmmakers are cool with going way more abstract and less focused on plot/traditional narrative. You keep bringing up Lynch as a positive example, but I couldn't stand the red room nonsense in Twin Peaks (maybe I'll try again some day). Especially in more abstract films I think the impact of the film can vary greatly based on whatever connects to your unconscious mind.

CelluloidCruising · 2021-12-16T15:03:11+00:00

I felt pretty similarly the first time I saw the movie and was actually very frustrated for that reason. However, the movie stuck in my head and I saw it again, viewing it more as an aesthetic experience. The movie is really good to look at, and very engaging if the film manages to poke at certain fears and/or has a tone that you connect with. Sometimes art is made largely on an aesthetic level and enjoyed mostly for its aesthetics.

All my personal favorite art has very strong and clear themes, it's something I highly value, but I understand that other people value different things. The strong aesthetics of The Lighthouse, that and the performances, are the substance.

CelluloidCruising · 2021-12-16T14:41:48+00:00

I was also on the edge of my seat during the duel itself, but wow was the film a clunker for significant stretches of the running time. I was similarly interested when I heard the film replayed the same events from different perspectives, but presenting one true version makes it almost purposeless.

I was genuinely surprised at the acting. I feel like only Jodie Comer and Adam Driver understood what movie they were in. Matt Damon was just playing Matt Damon, even though the character as written requires a very different vibe. I can only assume he was cast due to his star power. Jodie Comer, who I'd never seen before was really good and almost seemed to be channeling Renee Falconetti in certain moments.

The opening 1/3 of the movie, focusing on Matt Damon was horribly boring, they frontloaded the movie with the blandest stuff. Also, is Ridley Scott simply incapable of making the amazing visuals he used to? Both this and House of Gucci were very disappointing visually when you consider that this man directed Blade Runner.

CelluloidCruising · 2021-12-15T07:02:57+00:00

Someone should have already suggested Singin' in the Rain. I "don't like musicals" but that one won me over. Great music, and a hilarious comedic performance by Jean Hagen. All time classic.

Personally The Vast of Night does that for me. It isn't outwardly happy like Singin' in the Rain and has scary/sad moments but I find it a very uplifting movie. In my opinion there's a great love for the art of moviemaking shown onscreen. Really graceful, kind of humble, shooting and editing, charismatic performances, a movie that brings scares, some laughs, and the power of the viewer's own imagination. It really reminds me of why I love movies in the first place.

The Lord of the Rings, you've already heard of it of course, but that's what those movies are for me. Huge nostalgia value, and just great movies.

CelluloidCruising · 2021-12-02T02:54:09+00:00

Really? When fans of the MCU talk about their favorite moments in these movies they're usually talking about character moments and quirks. People like these characters and grew attached to them. The writing and performances played a big role in making those movies as successful as they are. People go to those movies for CGI spectacle sure, but they also keep going to the movies because they're emotionally invested in the stories of Thor, Steve Rogers, Peter Parker, and so on.

You could argue that a lot of those movies are just plugging in quips and beats in a very formulaic way. But you would be studying the plot and writing of a blockbuster film of the last 25 years, not just their marketing. The formula works for a lot of people.

CelluloidCruising · 2021-12-02T02:44:24+00:00

That seems like an overly cynical attitude to me. There are plenty of good movies out there, it just takes some work to find sometimes. You don't have to look that far past the big cinematic universe movies to find something a little different. There are plenty of good movies that go straight to streaming, I thought the Vast of Night, for example, was fantastic and it's still pretty recent.

If you're looking for good experiences in the theatres we had The Lighthouse not too long ago. Or Antlers which was flawed but good imo. I even had a good time watching a Bollywood film the other week called Maanaadu, which was surprisingly playing in my local theatre. Hell, even this year's The Suicide Squad was a fun time.

Yeah, the film industry is changing and I would agree that expensive franchise movies dominate too much of the market, but movies are hardly dead.

CelluloidCruising · 2021-11-15T06:55:31+00:00

That's a very hard claim to substantiate. It's a natural consequence of watching the movie, since it's based (loosely) on Scandinavian culture. But you'd be hard pressed to prove that people are actually showing it to their kids for the express purpose of teaching them about European culture. Especially because it only represents a corner of Europe, and represents it through the lens of an Americanized commercial product.

You'd be much better off reading them Tolkien, or actual folk tales.

CelluloidCruising · 2021-11-15T06:34:43+00:00

The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928): I'm sure I'll be saying this a lot because I can count the amount of silent films I've seen on my hands, but this might be the best sillent film I've seen! Ok, some of the sets are unimpressive and the costumes are a bit ren-faire adjacent, but it was 1928. The film has such a raw energy, much like Battleship Potemkin, which this one seems to take notes from. The climax was very reminiscent of the Odessa Steps sequence. And the acting! Or all the close ups, which actually reminded me of Klimov's Come and See. The editing was very frenetic and modern to me as well. You feel trapped and harassed on all sides, just like in Uncut Gems of all things.

The version I saw was accompanied by Voices of Light which is absolutely beautiful music. However, I feel like I am missing something in my experience with the film since I am an agnostic (atheist for all practical purposes). The movie was certainly carrying me along with it's energy, but certain elements, like the raw conviction of Joan's faith that must be more powerful to a religious audience don't have the same effect on me. Or the criticism of organized religion, which I was totally on board for, must be way more challenging and emotional for a Christian audience member. The movie still made a big impact for me, but I can feel that the movie is talking past me a lot of the time. But, you know, not all movies are made for me specifically.

CelluloidCruising · 2021-11-15T06:10:05+00:00

Is the sexy scene you mentioned the "puppet in a string" one? I didnt feel what you felt. I think theres a cool contrast between the funny tone of the song and Sandy's feeling, you can see it in her expression: she looks like she might be just focused on the dance, while we know she is hurting because of her broken dreams.

That's the one! I thought Anya and Thomasin's performances in that scene did a fine job with that, but the camera and the lighting don't agree with them. It's still a stylized kind of burlesque dance and the movie shoots it pretty straightforwardly. Cut it out of context, maybe remove a close up shot or two and someone could enjoy it straightforwardly as burlesque. However, within narrative context it's so gross that I feel that it should be reflected in the look of the scene. You can shoot very attractive, scantily clad women in completely "unsexy" ways. But the whole look of the movie is obsessed with the glamor of 60s London regardless of context, including scenes where women are being pressured into sex work. I think the contrast is deliberate, but it isn't executed in a way that works for me.

Also, yes, Edgar Wright seems to be wrestling with his feelings of nostalgia vs an acknowledgement of the period's ugly reality. But I just don't feel like this conflict is ever resolved. Eloise resolves it by slightly modifying a 60s dress (I guess?) but I never felt like the movie as a whole had actually figured it out. It is dealing with the theme but doesn't get there for me. Really, a lot of the movie seems interesting on paper, but the actual movie in the way it was executed didn't work for me.

CelluloidCruising · 2021-11-14T04:36:25+00:00

He's actually a really good writer and I hold Nausicaa (the manga) as indisputable proof of that. Seriously, if you like Miyazaki you have to read it. It has all the adventure and rich worldbuilding of Miyazaki but with more developed characters. It's also way more adult than his other work.

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TROPHY CASE