Films Recently Watched

Managed to grab tickets to see Parasite at this really cheap (shitty) cinema the other week. Enjoyed it.

  On 3/22/2020 at 9:59 PM, Taupe Beats said:

I don't think Solyaris is a clear representation of that message at all. I've always personally seen it as Tarkovsky promoting a Luddite view. I'm not left feeling like he sees much by way of hope or progress in technology. Just a threat that can be provoked.

As far as the relationship with his father, I would counter that the failures in their relationship are on both sides. I think it would be a misread to see it as Kris just being too stubborn rather than a more natural human failure to connect (regardless of philosophy). The scenes between them employ the classic Tarkovsky technique of each character looking away. So it's as much of a failure of the father and his appreciation of nature.

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It's not just the relationship with his father that is a message vehicle. It's also the attitude of the scientists aboard that vessel, and above all, his late wife(!) (I should've pointed that out earlier). The deep inner workings of a man (or woman) are as hidden as the existence of that sentient planet. How is that possible? Kris is an expert on human psyche, he is a psychologist. If anyone, he should know best. But he doesn't. He is as lost as anyone. They were able to understand how to bring people to this remote part of the universe, along with everything they need up to the point it's almost rudimentary (Kris arrives there as if by a bus), but they are unable to understand what is happening with them inside each one of them. They don't know how to deal with it. It's driving them crazy. Don't you think this shows a big gap between understanding rocket science and human nature (or nature in general)?

What is making the characters looking away, as you adequately put it, is the inability to face one another and retain one-self.

I think it's the attempt by Tarkovsky to humble people who all too soon are celebrating technological advancements and neglecting all other aspects that make us human, or part of this universe.

  On 3/22/2020 at 10:49 PM, cichlisuite said:

It's not just the relationship with his father that is a message vehicle. It's also the attitude of the scientists aboard that vessel, and above all, his late wife(!) (I should've pointed that out earlier). The deep inner workings of a man (or woman) are as hidden as the existence of that sentient planet. How is that possible? Kris is an expert on human psyche, he is a psychologist. If anyone, he should know best. But he doesn't. He is as lost as anyone. They were able to understand how to bring people to this remote part of the universe, along with everything they need up to the point it's almost rudimentary (Kris arrives there as if by a bus), but they are unable to understand what is happening with them inside each one of them. They don't know how to deal with it. It's driving them crazy. Don't you think this shows a big gap between understanding rocket science and human nature (or nature in general)?

What is making the characters looking away, as you adequately put it, is the inability to face one another and retain one-self.

I think it's the attempt by Tarkovsky to humble people who all too soon are celebrating technological advancements and neglecting all other aspects that make us human, or part of this universe.

 

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I think I address what you're talking about in the first paragraph in my spoiler. Again, there is one critical moment (Brueghel and Bach) where Tarkovsky stops everything to show that there can be a human (and in this case, not quite human as well) connection. Specifically with something that Tarkovsky would classify as visual (Brueghel) and audio (Bach, as interpreted by Artemyev) poetry. Tarkovsky always made a point of this in all his films. That where you cannot make a psychological connection with humanity and the earth, you can make a spiritual one through art (and specifically poetry). This is also why I consider it as bias of Tarkovsky's. Among many things, Tarkovsky's father was a famous poet...

In your last statement, I think we're saying the same thing. That's what I was getting as classifying Tarkovsky as a Luddite. I don't see anything in that film which actually celebrates technological progress, which is why I specifically used that term.

fantastic piece of adult animation- like fantasia meets sweet sweetback's baadasssss song. an animator explores a world of low-lifes who's own lives intermingle with his- eventually leading to an extremely tripped out finale. if you remember the psychedelic portion of beavis & butthead do america- imagine a full length feature like that but as a blaxploitation film

A+

  On 3/22/2020 at 8:37 PM, Taupe Beats said:

Regarding Solyaris, I've always found the film visually impressive (it's Tarkovsky, that goes without saying). With that said, I have a lot of issues with the "sci-fi" aspects of the film:

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Tarkovsky is so obviously biased against towards the natural environment he feels he knows vs. the unknown of human technology and scientific exploration he feels he doesn't. This is emphasized via-the film's mise-en-scene.

Between the most languid moments being the nature shots of the first act, the importance of Kris's relationship with his father (no matter how fleeting). To the moments in space where he shows the closest approximation of love (Hari), or stopping people who are obsessed with an unknown to gaze into a Brueghel painting (with Bach on the score, no less). 

Contrast that with the constant neurosis of nearly every human shown in this film. And the implication that this neurosis is sourced from scientific and technological progress:  The driving scene underscored with the claustrophobic electronic noises. The abrasive scientists Kris encounters on the ship. The ship itself being a wasteland of sorts.

While there's certainly elements which counter what I've just said, this film feels like a tract against technology. Which tends to be a running theme in Tarkovsky's films. Not surprised Stanislaw Lem hated this.

Still worth a watch.

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i agree with this assessment although-

another great piece of adult animation- the japanese sure enjoy mythology making and infusing it with science-fiction. a cop is hired to protector an intermediary for the demon and human world- and as the main guy says it: it's pretty much like they sent their top guys to wack this guy. 

after that it's like a game of one-upmanship- with each demon getting more ridiculous (and creative) than the last. lacks the artsy elements of the last animated film i watched but makes up for it in the action department.

Just watched Us, very disappointed. It sets up this high concept idea that grabs you by the balls for the first half hour but starts to fall apart early in the second act. And from there on the script continues write itself into a corner it cant explain its away out of. Well shot and acted...but just REALLY fucking dumb

Can we just agree that Jordan Peele is one of the most overrated people in Hollywood right now?

  On 3/23/2020 at 9:21 PM, Gocab said:

Can we just agree that Jordan Peele is one of the most overrated people in Hollywood right now?

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Definitely, US and new Twilight Show, total shite! I enjoyed Keanu and Get Out though... 

Goddammit, on the evidence of Us I think we may have a one hit wonder. I think this is just a guy who has watched too much Twilight Zone and Outer Limits. He's a talent..but the Us script didn't look like it made it past first draft. Weinstein would have wiped his ass with it

  On 3/22/2020 at 11:06 PM, Taupe Beats said:

That's what I was getting as classifying Tarkovsky as a Luddite. I don't see anything in that film which actually celebrates technological progress, which is why I specifically used that term.

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Is it supposed to celebrate tech progress, or is it focusing on the ineffable nature of certain human experiences? When I watch the film, technology isn’t on my mind, it’s how weird the mood he constructs is, an experience that’s beyond words. Ontologies, loss/grief, probing at how strange space exploration could be, during the existence of one of the most repressive regimes since Rome. It’s a dream of a film & it isn’t even his best.

What's on our members' quarantine watchlists?

  On 3/23/2020 at 10:30 PM, cwmbrancity said:

Is it supposed to celebrate tech progress, or is it focusing on the ineffable nature of certain human experiences?

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Going by the source material, it's certainly not supposed to present technology in as bleak and ineffective way as Tarkovsky did. Personally I'm not looking for a full-throated endorsement of technology or futurism or whatever, but I do think that Tarkovsky's own preferences toward things that are more earthly or even spiritual/mystical make the sci-fi aspects of this film a bit weak.

To counter with Stalker, which I think is a brilliant statement on humanity's recklessness with technological and scientific exploration. Ironically, the authors of that novel also hated Tarkovsky's adaptation.

  On 3/23/2020 at 9:21 PM, Gocab said:

Can we just agree that Jordan Peele is one of the most overrated people in Hollywood right now?

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get out wasnt even good. i dont begrudge this guy success but holy hell the hype machine around him is unbearable 

  On 3/23/2020 at 11:02 PM, Rubin Farr said:

What's on our members' quarantine watchlists?

 

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Heimat

60 fucking hours.

this was genius. 2nd favorite of ralph bakshi's oeuvre so far. nothing beats coonskin for me, but this comes close

  On 3/24/2020 at 3:56 PM, IDEM said:

Heimat

60 fucking hours.

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Yes! Heimat II is even better (imo). I haven't seen Heimat III. 

I've got the first 2 on the old Kino dvd boxsets and they look like shit but there's a very nice-looking R2 restoration of the first series out on blu ray. I need to get that soon.

  On 3/23/2020 at 9:19 PM, Schlitze said:

Just watched Us, very disappointed. It sets up this high concept idea that grabs you by the balls for the first half hour but starts to fall apart early in the second act. And from there on the script continues write itself into a corner it cant explain its away out of. Well shot and acted...but just REALLY fucking dumb

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Us? I think you mean "U.S.".

I haven't watched a movie for like 2 months now... Gave knives out a try and i really enjoyed it, it's fun and silly and it doesn't take itself too seriously... Great cast, overtheatrical acting... Pretty cool stuff! 

The Lighthouse

Pretty much a modern masterpiece

Color Out of Space - it's Lovecraft, it's Nicolas Cage. Obviously I was going to like this no matter which way it ended up going. Imagine my surprise when this thing actually turned out to be pretty fucking awesome. 

my wife and i are drinking heavily right now. i think we're 15min in

Elevator to the Gallows directed by Louis Malle, Is on mubi. Excellent classic noir shots and scenes. The plot sometimes relies on its characters making ridiculous decisions but it also has some clever moments, and overall an entertaining watch

documentary about japanese idols (poptarts) and their fan(atical)s. basically- IRL perfect blue

Watched Contagion last night. No idea why. 

Could have been a good film but the director blew it

on a 2 week forced staycation cuz ov corona so since thursday i,ve watched STALKER,MAD MAX FURY ROAD and KING OF NEW YORK,all great,think its gonna be PRINCE OF DARKNESS(87) tomorrow