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bartist |
Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2022 11:23 am |
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Joined: 27 Apr 2010
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Location: Black Hills
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Don't Look Up - the satire was about as subtle as a sledgehammer, and none of the scientists seemed very believable. Broad caricatures are less relatable, for many viewers. And the Trump caricature was low-hanging fruit. Yes, science denial is dumb. Message received! They milked the public apathy joke for all it was worth, and padded a 45 minute sketch into a feature-length movie. Meh. But, as Inla said, there were some lines that get a laugh, and it would be hard to hate the film. |
_________________ He was wise beyond his years, but only by a few days. |
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inlareviewer |
Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2022 3:33 pm |
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Joined: 05 Jul 2004
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Location: Lawrence, KS
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bartist wrote: Don't Look Up - the satire was about as subtle as a sledgehammer, and none of the scientists seemed very believable. Broad caricatures are less relatable, for many viewers. And the Trump caricature was low-hanging fruit. Yes, science denial is dumb. Message received! They milked the public apathy joke for all it was worth, and padded a 45 minute sketch into a feature-length movie. Meh. But, as Inla said, there were some lines that get a laugh, and it would be hard to hate the film.
This pretty much mirrors my reaction. So wanted to love it, and get why it's being received with such audience rapture, but couldn't take it, am afraid, in the spirit in which it was offered. Like "Being The Ricardos" but even more so, it seemed mainly more about its writer-director than its subject, and it really didn't earn its serious denouement dinner scene. That so many people are comparing it to "Dr. Strangelove" doesn't surprise me; that so msny of my former professional associates are finding it BETTER than "Dr. Strangelove" does surprise me, and maybe at some depressing level proves Mr. McKay's sledgehammered-home point about the dumbing down of society. |
_________________ "And take extra care with strangers/Even flowers have their dangers/And though scary is exciting/Nice is different than good." --Stephen Sondheim |
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Befade |
Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2022 11:43 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
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Location: AZ
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Quick picks: I surprised my self. Did not like Lost Daughter. Professor mother was not likeable or relateable. Really liked tick, tick, Boom. That was fun and clever and based on a true story. Enjoyed the music. |
_________________ Lost in my own private I dunno. |
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inlareviewer |
Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2022 11:54 am |
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Joined: 05 Jul 2004
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Location: Lawrence, KS
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Inadvertent duplicate post deleted. |
Last edited by inlareviewer on Mon Jan 03, 2022 6:58 pm; edited 1 time in total _________________ "And take extra care with strangers/Even flowers have their dangers/And though scary is exciting/Nice is different than good." --Stephen Sondheim |
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inlareviewer |
Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2022 11:55 am |
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Joined: 05 Jul 2004
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Befade wrote: Quick picks: I surprised my self. Did not like Lost Daughter. Professor mother was not likeable or relateable. Really liked tick, tick, Boom. That was fun and clever and based on a true story. Enjoyed the music.
Wow, you were busy. Haven't been able to finish "Lost Daughter," got about 20 minutes in and it just wasn't grabbing me. Will try again. Obviously, loved "tick, tick...BOOM!" Was quite taken w/Mr. Miranda's direction and found Mr. Garfield's musical abilities something of a revelation. Had seen the stage version in L.A. late last century, and thought the film did a really good job of opening it up without losing the personal aspects.
Next up: "Flee," if I can get a streamer, "The Last Duel" if I cannot. |
_________________ "And take extra care with strangers/Even flowers have their dangers/And though scary is exciting/Nice is different than good." --Stephen Sondheim |
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inlareviewer |
Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2022 1:27 pm |
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Joined: 05 Jul 2004
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Finished 'The Lost Daughter." Am not sure what to say, and cannot quite understand what all the hoopla is about. Maybe reading the novel would help, because my ultimate reaction was "Huh?" Just saying.
Couldn't get a "Flee" streamer, will try "Last Duel" tonight."
Elsewhere, "The Eyes of Tammy Faye" features an outstanding performance by Jessica Chastain, an excellent turn by Andrew Garfield, another one of Cherry Jones's How It's Done character riffs, an unrecognizable Fredric Lehne, Vincent D'Onofrio having fun as Jerry Falwell, and is intelligently scripted, well directed and lushly appointed. That said, at base it seems a fairly by-the-book, albeit glorified, tele-movie -- not bad, it held me, but not exactly anything one hadn't seen or been aware of before in the final analysis. Personally, the documentary gave me more to consider, which seems both odd and logical at once. A missed opportunity, because if ever there was a time when CBN and the PTL Club and the whole downfall of that phenomenon would make for a relevant picture, it's surely now, and am not certain this film goes the distance, but that also may be asking too much. It's certainly an enjoyable ride for as far as it goes -- and sometimes intentionally laughable: "With that whining, grating, BETTY BOOP VOICE!" I thought you liked Betty Boop." -- which is rather more than can be said for a lot of things of late.... |
_________________ "And take extra care with strangers/Even flowers have their dangers/And though scary is exciting/Nice is different than good." --Stephen Sondheim |
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bartist |
Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2022 12:01 pm |
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Joined: 27 Apr 2010
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Starting tick tick Boom! I had some minor trepidation of the "oh no, another artist struggles film" variety, but was soon won over. Really drills into the classic tension between being a sensible wage slave and doggedly following your Muse in an unheated 5th floor walkup. Good music and lyrics, with solid performances, and leaves you better understanding the genesis of "Rent."
Funny, it's Larson's fail-to-launch musical, "Superbia," that I would have more liked to see on a trip down Broadway.
I think the world would have had several more good musicals if they had diagnosed Larson's Marfan's Syndrome and sewed a patch on his aorta. |
_________________ He was wise beyond his years, but only by a few days. |
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inlareviewer |
Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2022 7:14 pm |
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Joined: 05 Jul 2004
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Location: Lawrence, KS
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bartist wrote: Starting tick tick Boom! I had some minor trepidation of the "oh no, another artist struggles film" variety, but was soon won over. Really drills into the classic tension between being a sensible wage slave and doggedly following your Muse in an unheated 5th floor walkup. Good music and lyrics, with solid performances, and leaves you better understanding the genesis of "Rent."
Funny, it's Larson's fail-to-launch musical, "Superbia," that I would have more liked to see on a trip down Broadway.
I think the world would have had several more good musicals if they had diagnosed Larson's Marfan's Syndrome and sewed a patch on his aorta.
Bingo, on all counts. |
_________________ "And take extra care with strangers/Even flowers have their dangers/And though scary is exciting/Nice is different than good." --Stephen Sondheim |
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bartist |
Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2022 9:55 pm |
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inlareviewer wrote: Finished 'The Lost Daughter." Am not sure what to say, and cannot quite understand what all the hoopla is about. Maybe reading the novel would help, because my ultimate reaction was "Huh?" Just saying.
...
Ya got me curious now.
Am watching I am Mother atm, the 2019 sci-fi one with maternal robots and (midway at least) a puzzling time interval for the maturation of a decanted child. Definitely some "2001" resonance, in terms of what Mom is really up to and the austere interiors. |
_________________ He was wise beyond his years, but only by a few days. |
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bartist |
Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2022 10:00 pm |
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Joined: 27 Apr 2010
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Location: Black Hills
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So, while the thread briefly revives, I again invite Billy weeds to drop in and let his non-FB pals know how he's doing. But I know he does not believe in retirement and is MTL up to his eyeballs in some project. |
_________________ He was wise beyond his years, but only by a few days. |
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Syd |
Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2022 10:24 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
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Location: Norman, Oklahoma
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Billy's in some films he's relentlessly promoting. Apparently one of them's gotten nominations in India. |
_________________ I had a love and my love was true but I lost my love to the yabba dabba doo, --The Flintstone Lament |
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Befade |
Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2022 11:02 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
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Location: AZ
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Inla……Maybe reading the novel would help……Lately a lot of films are crediting novels…..So…..2 things: Rebecca Hall was just on Finding Your Roots. Seems she liked the novel, Passing before she made the movie. AND after she made the movie she learned she had African American roots herself!
And now that I’m reading the novel, Nightmare Alley I’m aware both film versions changed some significant things. I’m becoming very fond of the novel. It’s well written and the main character is quite filled out. I just made the connection with House if Games, a favorite movie of mine. I’ve always liked films that feature psychiatrists but to see a psychiatrist pitted against a con artist is a treat. |
_________________ Lost in my own private I dunno. |
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knox |
Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2022 2:31 pm |
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Joined: 18 Mar 2010
Posts: 1246
Location: St. Louis
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bartist wrote: inlareviewer wrote: Finished 'The Lost Daughter." Am not sure what to say, and cannot quite understand what all the hoopla is about. Maybe reading the novel would help, because my ultimate reaction was "Huh?" Just saying.
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Ya got me curious now.
Am watching I am Mother atm, the 2019 sci-fi one with maternal robots and (midway at least) a puzzling time interval for the maturation of a decanted child. Definitely some "2001" resonance, in terms of what Mom is really up to and the austere interiors.
Couldn't get into Lost Daughter. Loved tick tick and the New Improved WSS. Liked Power of Dog, Campion loves people with secrets and gives plenty of time to let them emerge. "Passing" was an exercise in storytelling, many boxes correctly checked off, but wasn't somehow real to me.
I am Mother was a fresh retelling of the amoral robot story, well done. Hope the girl finds the main bus in the main fusebox. |
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knox |
Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2022 2:32 pm |
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Joined: 18 Mar 2010
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Syd wrote: Billy's in some films he's relentlessly promoting. Apparently one of them's gotten nominations in India.
Heh! |
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bartist |
Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2022 9:06 pm |
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Joined: 27 Apr 2010
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Location: Black Hills
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I laughed at that, too. And I failed to watch Psycho Ape. I am a disappointment.
Knox, I was impressed by I am Mother. I appreciated the many trite touches that were avoided, and the ambiguous ending. It was interesting how the bot mama had one moral imperative which, ironically, rendered it completely amoral in its planning. The bot reads Jeremy Bentham and absorbs the utilitarian part but not his caution that came with. Or why Bentham and Mill were social reformers. |
_________________ He was wise beyond his years, but only by a few days. |
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