What Did You Watch Today?

[Arjen Robben]

I watched Once Upon a Time in Hollywood last night. I really liked it for the most part, I enjoyed the character and world building and just being allowed to take in the world. But then the ending just felt so out of place and jarring it just kind of undercut everything that had come before it for me?

[Arjen Robben]

Watched The Sisters Brothers today. It really wasn't what I was expecting at all to be honest. I remember seeing the trailer a while ago and it seemed to be presented as some kind of stylish, sub-Tarantino comedy-drama. I was interested cause of the cast but never made the time for it cause I wasn't as interested based on how it was presented.

Think it's actually a lot more melancholy than funny really, but I liked it for that, was absolutely nothing like what was presented in the trailer. Think they fucked it with how they marketed it vs. what it actually is, but I love what it actually is. Phoenix and Reilly are great together, and Gyllenhaal and Riz Ahmed are really good too. Particularly enjoy Riz Ahmed actually. Anyway, I'd recommend it. Beautiful cinematography too.

[Moses Julep]

On 28/12/2019 at 13:48, Arjen Robben said:

I watched Once Upon a Time in Hollywood last night. I really liked it for the most part, I enjoyed the character and world building and just being allowed to take in the world. But then the ending just felt so out of place and jarring it just kind of undercut everything that had come before it for me?

I loved the ending. I think it worked fantastically well with the rest of the movie. It’s honestly one of my favourite Tarantino films.

[Arjen Robben]

I dunno, I just felt tonally it clashed with what had came before.

Spoiler

I expected it to be an alternate history type thing, so that was fine, and honestly it was relief he didn't go with the reality of how that all happened. I actually thought it was very a compassionate and not exploitative portrayal of Sharon Tate too. The scenes with her watching herself in the cinema with the audience and taking in their reaction to it I thought was really very sweet. I enjoyed the slow pace and just absorbing that world and drifting through it. But then it felt like the ending suddenly got very cartoony and slapstick, like the actors were reprising their characters for an SNL sketch or something. Throwing cans and hitting someone’s head off about ten different pieces of furniture and then the flamethrower just felt at odds with everything that had happened up to that point for me. 

 

[MalaCloudy Black]

I feel like I need to see this movie now?

[Lint]

Watched John Mulaney and the Sack Lunch Bunch on Netflix over Christmas.  It was like some weird fever dream.  Loved some parts of it, other parts were just OK

[Josh]

Oh, I highly recommend that one. Very good watch.

[Moses Julep]

10 hours ago, Arjen Robben said:

I dunno, I just felt tonally it clashed with what had came before.

  Hide contents

I expected it to be an alternate history type thing, so that was fine, and honestly it was relief he didn't go with the reality of how that all happened. I actually thought it was very a compassionate and not exploitative portrayal of Sharon Tate too. The scenes with her watching herself in the cinema with the audience and taking in their reaction to it I thought was really very sweet. I enjoyed the slow pace and just absorbing that world and drifting through it. But then it felt like the ending suddenly got very cartoony and slapstick, like the actors were reprising their characters for an SNL sketch or something. Throwing cans and hitting someone’s head off about ten different pieces of furniture and then the flamethrower just felt at odds with everything that had happened up to that point for me. 

 

I thought the tonal shift was done on purpose. Rick and Cliff were doing everything they could to stay relevant in this new era and that for them to go full psycho on the Manson family felt fitting' they were responsible for furthering this radical shift in both Hollywood's and America's respective cultures. Rick and Cliff were pushed to extreme lengths for cultural preservation that they had to turn to extreme violence and Rick getting to join the others at the Polanski residence highlights that maybe he succeeded in extending his star just a bit? I thought it was cool, but that's the beauty of these endings, everyone will feel differently!

[GoGo Yubari]

For me, the Once Upon a Hollywood ending

Spoiler

Didn't entirely work because it felt like a trick Tarantino already played in Inglourious Basterds. Still really liked the movie, it's going to be on my top ten, but after the initial shock of the violence I was just like "oh, it's that again."

That being said, all the moments leading up to it with the rising tension and whatnot (and especially Cliff blowing off Tex Watson's "I am the devil" line) is really strong.

Anyway, I saw Uncut Gems and even though I wasn't nearly as stressed out by it as a lot of people seemingly were, I do think it's impressive the way that movie is perfectly calibrated to make you uncomfortable the whole way through. Great performances too from Adam Sandler, Julia Fox, and Kevin Garnett of all people.

[Jimmy]

Little Women is beautifully realised. Lovely stuff. Greta and the cast absolutely smashed it. 

[GA!]

I restarted my Letterboxd account - follow me! - but yesterday I started the new decade by watching The Truman Show (obviously), Rashomon (extraordinary piece of cinema), Force Majeure (engrossing if quite European in its portrayal of gender roles), and True Romance (mmmmeeehhhh).

[MDK]

2 hours ago, GA! said:

True Romance (mmmmeeehhhh).

Excuse you?

[GA!]

Never been hot on Tony Scott's films anyway, and I forgot this was one of his. Feels outdated as fuck and I've always struggled to empathise with anyone who willfully commits crimes.

Like, I was turned off by Goodfellas thanks to the first piece of dialogue: "As far back as I can remember I always wanted to be a gangster." It's rare I like an irredeemable arsehole as the main character (Wolf of Wall Street and Hateful Eight spring to mind as exceptions), and Christian Slater is that despite his video store geek exterior.

And what the fuck was Gary Oldman doing?

[MDK]

2 minutes ago, GA! said:

And what the fuck was Gary Oldman doing?

Just Gary Oldman things

[Roster Depth Sicko No. 2]

BBC's new Dracula series was great, really enjoyed it.

[Jimmy]

On 02/01/2020 at 09:34, GA! said:

I restarted my Letterboxd account - follow me! - but yesterday I started the new decade by watching The Truman Show (obviously), Rashomon (extraordinary piece of cinema), Force Majeure (engrossing if quite European in its portrayal of gender roles), and True Romance (mmmmeeehhhh).

Force Majeure is an incredible piece of cinema. Have you seen any of Ruben Ostland's other films? The Square (which might still be on Netflix?) is also excellent, as are some of the short films he's made, which are really inventive and fun. 

Rashomon is great, I need to get back on watching more Kurosawa. 

[MDK]

If you like Rashomon you'd like Ghost Dog.

[GA!]

17 minutes ago, Jimmy said:

Force Majeure is an incredible piece of cinema. Have you seen any of Ruben Ostland's other films? The Square (which might still be on Netflix?) is also excellent, as are some of the short films he's made, which are really inventive and fun. 

Rashomon is great, I need to get back on watching more Kurosawa. 

Not seen any of his films up until Force Majeure. I'll add The Square to my watchlist!

[DMN in the House]

I cannot recommend Queen & Slim enough. It was moving and powerful. I'm glad I was able to catch it in theaters.

[Benjamin]

The Peanut Butter Falcon made me bawl my eyes out.