Talk About Movies: Part 4

Yesterday I watched The Last Picture Show and really enjoyed it. Hadn't seen it in over a decade. Makes me wonder why there are so few Black and White movies anymore. B&W is perfect for this subject to show the desolation of a dieing town and era. In color it just wouldn't work as well. Anyway if you are looking for a bleak coming of age story in a dusty little Texas town in the early 50's check it out. Very strong cast.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

such a great film

Saw it when I was a senior in high school. Yeah, I was a nerd then, too.

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I did too as a senior in high school in 1971 watching a movie about seniors in high school in 1951.

Was the cast known stars at that time, or did that come later?

A ton of talent early in their careers.

Also, I came across something called The Movie Man last night on TCM. It's a documentary about this guy in a little town north of Toronto who built a small, multi-screen theater into and around his house. Highlands Cinemas in Kinmount, ON.

Mostly told the story of how he dealt with the pandemic shutting them down, but also quite a lot of history.

He's kept it going for 43 (? IIRC) years. It's apparently become quite the tourist attraction. In addition to the movies, he's a collector (some might say hoarder) of memorabilia, so patrons can view his collection of stuff as well.

Wasn't great, but was interesting. I think I might take a side trip if I'm ever up north again.

Anora...

The best way to see most films

Anora...

One of the greatest opening horizontal tracking shots in these modern times... mixed in with a really fantastic Beginning credit sequence over the last few years!

Spoiler

Show

The ending is just superb... one long single take in the front seat of a idling diesel Mercedes during a snow storm where a frigid modern woman finds her humanity in the form of her first Orgasm at the caring and nurturing hands of a hired Russian strong man/thug.

I'd be lying if I were to tell you that the Films did not touch me deeply and emotionally

I watched that also... it saddened me.

I came home from a GREAT film experience after seeing Anora and found a couple new Boxed Set remastered Films had been delivered from Europe...

Wender's Paris Texas and Carol Reed's The Third Man...

Clue has nothing on Neil Simon's Murder by Death.

I think I will see this alone. I often go to films with my former administrative assistant, but, given the spoiler, I will go alone.

Now there is one other woman ....

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Oh yes... do not go with anyone that might misconstrue improriety!

That being said my theater had maybe 25 people in it, my wife was the youngest person there and she's early 50's... and the rest of the theater was ALL older women and you could tell they all loved it.

You know what I think... I think that there are many different types of people in this world, and while we are all one family under the heavens above, we all seem to 'see' with different eyes.

This films unique narrative on modern society thru the telling of these extreme lifestyles is quite refreshing and for me personally, very touching.

Sure you can say it's a rip off of a Todd Phiilips comedy with a touch of wim wenders and Alexander Payne... I say it's greatest attribute is that it is a cross of a Todd Phillips comedy with the humanity of Wim Wenders and Alexander Payne's storytelling.

One only needs to look more deeply to see the truth of it.

BTW, I read the spoilers. They don't bother me unless they are the "he's really dead" type of spoiler. I can't imagine the spoiler for Anora will affect my reaction to the film.

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And Sean Baker's Tangerine may now be my favorite Christmas movie.

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I thought HERETIC was great - my top 3 favorite movie I've seen this year along with Red Rooms and Oddity.

I'd be OK with Hugh Grant only playing a villain the rest of his career - he is really great at it.

HERETIC is a dialogue heavy movie that I was never bored with at all. Well written and acted. My guess are the only people who would not like this movie are those that don't care about religion at all, are religious zealots, or need of constant explosions to be entertained.

saw Anora , and as someone who grew up near that area (and used to play a cash razz game in a spot in the movie when she gets off the Stillwell avenue stop in Brighton Beach ) and have also had more than my fair share of experience with strippers/sex workers , this movie is pretty well acted on them . (the scene of her taking an almost 2 hour subway ride Into CI from midtown after making 800+ dollars sounds ludicrous but I knew a couple girls who make over 600 a night easy and not want to pay for a cab and would indeed take the subway or more than usual get some customer to drive them over ) .

outside her fake accent ,she did a great job in playing that role.

others also acted really good , the 2nd in command was a little over the top silly but otherwise liked the story line .

as for why she cried when she orgasmed was because she has been dealing mostly with little boys and men she did not feel a connection for or cared for her and then the emotions hit her (happens often ,sometimes good ,sometimes bad ).

Russian thug was very believable as well with how quiet and matter a fact they could be .

re: Anora ending

saw anora with a sense of anticipation of greatness, and ended up walking out halfway through. not because it was terrible... just didn't care where it was going and felt like i was stuck in purgatory... couldn't sit through another hour and longed to sleep

probably a bad take that will age poorly

gladiator 2 looks epically moneygrab bad. seems not good when your trailer literally features cgi sharks jumping in a colosseum, as well as numerous cuts of gladiator 1 footage when none of those characters actually appear in the sequel

should've sprung for the original script:

I probably know why - horror seems to be the way to get in to the industry if you are on the fringe or you have been doing other independent films. It is the rawest of all the movie genres.