Lost City of Z

Glad I was well rested for this slow mover. Attempts to show the Amazon Indians as more advanced, but still goes with the Tarzan tropes of the good vs bad white people and the natives as misunderstood savages.

I think that might depend on how you're approaching the movie. I mean, I agree, but I don't know that I would have agreed when I had first seen it, at age 13 or something. Probably felt like a weird rom-com to me.

In reality I think you're right though. We don't believe in it, but that's because we know enough by now to understand that neither of the big scary unknowns in the film (pointless middle class existence, and the idealized "dreams coming true" bulkshit of youth) really exist in reality as they do in Benjamin's mind.

Show it to a bunch of high school seniors, and I'll bet they will think it's a story of triumph and individuality, and I'd bet an audience like that would very much say that the "film" itself is sympathetic to Benjamin and rooting for him.

Of course, what the film itself believes or doesn't believe is really up to whoever is watching... that's what I'm getting at. But I think one of the reasons the movie is so powerful is that if you did show it to a class of high school seniors, it would probably have a visible emotional impact on both the kids and the teachers lined up in the back of the room, counting the minutes until their cigarette break. It's hard for me to watch it as an adult and not be just a bit crushed by the thought of how vibrant and hopeful it felt to me when I was younger, and how repeated viewings have pulled that final moments into sharper and sharper focus as the years have gone by.

(To be fair, I might be over-dwelling a bit. But the first time I saw it I was with my father, and he let the film play up to the black out, and then said, "Hang on, I want to show you something." Then he paused and rewound -- yes, it was VHS, of course -- to the closing scene on the bus and he played it again and said, "What's happening here?" I don't remember exactly what I said, but his point was, "Don't miss the fucking point." And I had indeed missed the point. Of course, at 13 I didn't really want to get the real point of the scene, and I wanted my easy happy ending, but I'm glad my father did that, though I'm entirely sure why he did.
Anyway, that's just a very clear memory for me, and now I tear up a little at the end of the film every time J watch it because ... well... my fucking dad hit "pause" on life to tell a 13-year-old me that fairy tales weren't real, and happiness was not simple, and might even be kind of a lie.)

ALSO... I don't think the influence of The Graduate on the work of Wes Anderson can really be overstated. There are so many little Mike Nichols odes in his moves, nodding back to scenes in that film. Even the positioning of the camera; and the dynamic angles used.

Especially in Anderson's first few (Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, Royal Tenenbaums) and then again, later, on The Darjeeling Ltd.

it was ripped off by Say Anything (ending)

Oh yeah, for sure. On the plane. Yes. I'd forgotten about that m, but you're very right. Of course, that entire film is something of an attempt at Graduate-goes-'80s. And Cameron Crowe is kind of a champion of pop culture, so I don't think I'd call it a "rip off," but definitely an homage. For sure.

I wonder if the final scene in Jackie Brown, with Pam Grier in her car, was some kind of reference to The Graduate. Certainly the opening shot of her going through the airport is. Be interesting if QT decided to book end that film with references to the same movie. Although I'm not convinced it has any relevance beyond just being a neat idea. I certainly don't see much equivalence between Jackie and Benjamin.

Yeah, I don't know about that, but you're totally right about the opening scene of Jackie Brown.

Another homage to the Graduate. For 100% suresies. I've thought that ever since the very first time I saw that movie.

I think the Graduate might be in the undisputed 10 greatest films of all-time list. Like, I don't think that's a stretch at all. In the company of Citizen Kane and The Godfather and so on. I know I push it with my gushing over Dark Knight and There Will be Blood and GoodFellas, but I don't think anyone would disagree that The Graduate is on some pantheon shit.

I found it boring. I think it is overrated melodrama about rich people's problems. Seen it thrice and each time hated it more.

plus, very dated. The book (about 6 or 7 stories, as I recall), didn't really do it for me, either.. I think some of Bruce Jay Freidman is just as representative of the American Jewry of the period, and is a whole lot more humorous. Stern is really sort of the same story and is just magnificent.

American Jewry?

weren't they all Jewish? well, I see not. My bad rememberer.

On a more contemporary theme, Toni Erdmann. Pretty great.

Well, it's taken me four attempts, but I think I might finally understand this movie. And it's good. In fact, I'm pretty sure it's very good, but it's also hideous in a lot of ways.

Hmm.

Weird one, this.

finally finished whit stillman's "love and friendship", which is on amazon (an original movie i think)



what i mean by "finally" is that i tried several times to get through it but got interrupted, mostly by sleep. it's an extremely "talky" movie and it's hard to follow all those accents, and the subtitles weren't properly synced so i'd snooze repeatedly.

but it's a funny film, with funny dialogue and a funny plot and funny characters, so worth the 3rd (or 4th) attempt at getting into it.

it's not a cinematic masterpiece or anything, just good entertainment for less than 2 hours. based on jane austen's "lady susan," which of course i've never read and probably never will but that's okay, the movie is enough.

If anyone wants to talk about Only God Forgives, I'm way up in that headspace right about now. In case you couldn't tell.

I think this is the second time I've watched it and felt a need to post my watching of it, but like I said -- I think I finally "get" that film. To the extent that such a thing is possible.

Shit is literally about god forgiving people. Who knew?

Also, I just remembered that Nicolas Winding Refn directed Bronson. Now I kinda want to watch that one again. Goddammit that was a weird one. So close to being so satisfying at so many points, but ultimately just being a glorious befuddling mess.

Fun fact: Bronson got Tom Hardy the part of Bane in The Dark Knight arises. ;)

I liked Only God Forgives but it didn't blow me away. I'm not a big Ryan Gosling fan which may have something to do with it. But I don't want that to sound like I didn't enjoy it, because I did. I've only seen it once though. I have the DVD so I should probably watch it again.

havent seenit

actually first i even hear of it

I never heard of it either. Which is weird. A good friend of mine has a man crush on Goss.

I kinda wish Ryan Gosling and I were friends because I think we'd get along really well.

Dheepan

Tamil fighter leaves conflict behind in Sri Lanka, maybe at first...

great movie, recco+++

apparently I have two friends with a man crush on Goss.