#film thoughts

[mararhodus]

Love Lies Bleeding is the story of a gym babe falling for a chain-smoking butch, murdering said butch's abusive brother-in-law, and the two dealing with the chaos that ensues. It features oral sex, injecting stuff into butts, and Ed Harris eating a bug.

In other words, a near perfect movie.

#love lies bleeding #film thoughts

[giveamadeuschohisownmovie]

One thing that I didn’t appreciate about “Starship Troopers” as a kid was how they portrayed the battles. I thought it was just bad writing at the time. Now, I can see it for the brilliant satire that it is. You have this nation that is always projecting military strength and showing off their weaponry and soldiers. But then you watch the actual battle and the troops are:

1) ill-equipped to the point that it takes multiple soldiers to take down one bug since their rifles do little damage on their own

2) are in a battlefield without armored vehicles or air support

3) given no strategy besides shoot everything that isn’t human

4) gullible and consumed so much propaganda to the point that they legitimately believed the bugs were stupid and easy to destroy

5) developed an irrational, xenophobic hatred of all bugs because of the aforementioned propaganda

And instead of switching up the tactics, the Federation just keeps on sending meat wave after meat wave. The humans only “won” because they finally overwhelmed the bugs. Before then, they were getting slaughtered left and right. It’s like a dumb, Michael Bay sci-fi version of “All Quiet on the Western Front”.

#starship troopers #1990s movies #1990s films #satire #satirical #political satire #all quiet on the western front #war movies #science fiction #sci fi #scifi #sci fi movies #sci fi film #movie thoughts #film thoughts #movie analysis #film analysis #paul verhoeven

[rosetintedpages]

Thinking about the pillows creating angel wings in the final shot, thinking about ‘dreams are like angels, they keep bad at bay’, thinking about Adam’s “dreams” keeping him secure in the arms of the people he loves, thinking about All Of Us Strangers constantly and with no remorse

#all of us strangers #all of us strangers spoilers #andrew scott #paul mescal #andrew haigh #film #film thoughts #cinema #jamie bell #claire foy

[sothisispoetry]

I think ultimately what Priscilla (2023) did so well was tap into a very real fear women have which is the chance that you might fall in love with a man who doesn’t want a partner, a lover, or even a friend. he just wants a good wife.

#priscilla movie #priscilla 2023 #film #film thoughts

[cotidianoseeder]

Can we just talk about how Imperium is a perfect representation of fascism and Nazism?

I can't be the only one to have noticed how Imperium is identical to a Nazi-fascist nation, it all fits together perfectly!

"Fascism is an ultranationalist and authoritarian political ideology characterized by dictatorial power, repression of opposition through force and strong regimentation of society and the economy. Although fascist parties and movements present significant divergences among themselves, it is possible to point out several common characteristics, including extreme nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and political and economic freedom, belief in a natural social hierarchy and the dominance of elites, and the desire to create a community of the people in which individual interests are subordinated to the interests of the nation. Opposed to liberalism, Marxism, socialism and anarchism, fascism is positioned on the extreme right of the traditional political spectrum."

I barely know where to start, it's all just so identical. The first thing we noticed when seeing Imperium for the first time is how it gives off the vibe of being a completely closed country, in addition to being extremely advanced in technology.

Features that match:

1) Cult of the leader: Certainly one of the most visible characteristics when thinking about Imperium. There are several posters of the Empress all over the city, the inhabitants are always trying to impress her by giving salutes, especially the "Hail to the Empress" which honestly reminds me a lot of "Hail Hitler". Everything is for the empress and to make her proud.

2) Nationalism: It's all for the good of the Imperium and its citizens, no matter if you hurt dragons, humans or anything else. Nothing should and can harm the honor of the Imperium.

3) Emphasis on militarism: The light mechanism that Sora created with good intentions was transformed into a weapon of war! We always see Imperium soldiers patrolling the region, as the entire city is made for attack and has an exceptionally strong defense.

4) Media control and censorship: It's super obvious that all media is controlled by Imperium, and honestly, I think they can even create channels that pretend they don't belong to the government to say that Imperium is a "democracy".

5) Worship of tradition, xenophobia and eugenics: "We must not let Imperium mix with all these savage cultures." Honestly, in Dragons Rising this was one of the lines that stuck with me the most. At the same time the Empress said this, my mind actually confirmed that this was the same as a fascist regime. This whole issue of Imperium being a more advanced and superior culture, the people of Imperium are more intelligent, stronger, beautiful, evolved. Anything else outside is inferior and automatically a source of strangeness and must be eliminated as quickly as possible.

6) "Sacrifices are necessary for the greater good": This is more focused on Nazism itself, but the part about lying about dragon energy, claiming that it was a safe place reminds me a lot of the Holocaust. I watched a documentary on Netflix called "Holocaust Killers: Ordinary Men" or something like that, and if I'm not mistaken, in that documentary it was said that the Nazis created false news about the camp. They showed the inhabitants of Germany that it was a safe and extremely fun place for Jews, although in reality, they were in sub-human conditions and suffering both physically and psychologically. Another point is that they used the experiments on humans there to claim that it was "a necessary sacrifice" to ruin the lives of the Aryans. For Imperium, it is also a necessary sacrifice to trap dragons and put them in ill-treatment conditions, as it was for the "good" of the race.

Furthermore, there are several other details that I don't even remember, I should watch the series again and after that I would have to read a book about fascism. But something that really interested me was the Imperium Teen Protection force, do you know who else resembled them? Blackshirts, a leader support group, a "national security militia"…. BOOM! They are identical to the black shirts of Italian fascism! Okay, not so equally, while the group of teenagers is considerably smaller and less violent, but in general they have the same principle, even the same color of clothes (of course there is the issue of black being a cool color and matching the modern kingdom design).

Honestly, nothing convinces me otherwise, and I think that if you study history and watched the series you certainly felt the same connection with this historical moment. Let's face it, if Ninjago wasn't a series for children, everything focused on Prime Empire would be MUCH more violent. I'm sure they could even put in a "Hail Beatrix", criticize the moral and religious issues (conservatives certainly wouldn't like it, there is already a trace of criticism towards them in the canon, imagine that explicitly). So, this was my first opinion about Ninjago Dragons Rising and I really love this connection they made, especially while many far-right conservative movements and neo-Nazi movements (unfortunately rising from the ashes, these people have to study more history from good sources) continue to emerge. So that's it, sorry for the horrible writing and the bad translation, I don't speak English and stuff like that! I hope you enjoyed it and have a good day!

Note: This post does not aim to defend any far-right movement or neo-facist view. It's just my opinion related to the series, if it seems like I defended these movements, I'm sorry, but that's certainly not my intention.

#ninjago #ninjago dragons rising #ninjago theory #lego ninjago #dragons #oppression #fascisim #nazifascism #history #theories #film theory #film thoughts #ninjago headcanons #fake news #far right #headcanon #in my mind all Imperium citzens are “pure” white #i dont know #it just fits with the nazifascism part #fuck nazis #i am crazy #Cotidiano theories talks #Cotidiano history talks #It is just a film theory #I will miss this guy

[ohtylerrr]

spoiler-free thoughts on red white and royal blue movie <3 (both positive and critique)

—

• taylor zakhar-perez and nicholas galitzine did amazing, they had believable chemistry and really embodied their characters

• the more emotional and intimate scenes were definitely the best part, they really brought you into it and again, the chemistry worked so well

• didn’t really like a lot of the directing (so much greenscreen, animation, and voiceover) or a lot of the writing choices (pacing, removing/severely cutting down every side character, adding a lot of cringey or unnecessary dialogue)

• the directorial and writing choices made it super obvious that matthew lopez is experienced making plays, and this was his first film

—

did i like the movie? yes, it was a silly, sweet, easy watch and it’s fun seeing a book you love on screen! and movies are allowed to be silly, sweet, and easy! <3

but did i think it could have been a lot better as a mini series or with a different writer/director? also yes. and that’s ok, critique can and should be a part of these conversations too.

#rwrb film #red white and royal blue #firstprince #alex claremont diaz #henry fox mountchristen windsor #film thoughts #rwrb

[cameronlockhart]

Merry Little Batman is a lot of fun, and I can't wait for the TV show. I can see hardcore fans disliking the tone or the liberties taken, but to me, it was a funny, heartfelt, gorgeously animated romp. It's also just nice to see the Caped Crusader be silly once in a while.

#amazon prime video #prime video #batman #merry little batman #christmas movies #my thoughts #movie review #film thoughts #animation #watercolor

[seasonofthewitch06]

Milo Manheim should play more antagonists. He just has this ick factor that makes him really threatening. I think he’d make a good slasher.

#06 speaks #film thoughts #milo manheim

[thought-bubble-doodly-doo]

Barbarian 2022 Thoughts

Spoilers and TW: Incest, Rape, Police being Useless

First off, this was one of the most unsettling horror movies I’ve seen in a long, long time.  I had to keep pausing the video and looking away to get passed some of these scenes.  But onto a more analytical note, I think it’s very interesting how men in the story think of themselves as a good person, not by comparing themselves to the best, but by comparing themselves to the worst. 

Keith is the best man Tessa encounters (save for Andre), but he’s still kinda pushy and creepy and needs validation at the expense of Tessa’s comfort.  He thinks he’s a good person.  He may be dismissive of Tessa’s concerns and needy, but he’s not one of those creepy, rapey guys.

You know, guys like AJ who definitely ARE one of those creepy rapey guys.  He is a confirmed sexual predator in the movie, but even he thinks of himself as a good guy, because his definition of “rape” doesn’t match what he did to that girl.  He pressured her, again and again, coerced her until she finally gave in.  In his own words she “took some convincing.”  But because he didn’t grab her by the hair and shove her down and rape her, it doesn’t count.  

Even AJ reacts in horror to what Frank did to those girls, which was a much more classical idea of what rape is.  He kidnapped women and kept them in his basement and filmed himself sexually assaulting them as they screamed and cried and begged him to stop.  Going so far as to impregnate these women and then continue this cycle of abuse with his own children for who knows how many generations.  

AJ is able to think of himself as a good guy, because he isn’t a Frank.  And Keith is able to think of himself as a good guy, because he isn’t an AJ.  I’m pretty sure Frank knows he’s evil, and just doesn’t care.  It goes to show how narrow definitions of what “counts” as sexual assault allows supposedly lesser forms of crime to perpetuate themselves, because if your actions don’t fit some narrative scenario, then it doesn’t count.  You did nothing wrong. 

The problematic nature of narrative is also shown in how the police handle Tessa’s accusations of being held captive.  She calls the police in a frantic state, as anyone just having escaped a nightmare would be.  She’s in dirty, weeks old clothes, disheveled and scared.  They think she’s a addict describing some hopped up solution.  They refuse to help her or even investigate the house, leaving after getting a call about gunshots across town. 

There’s this idea of the “perfect victim” in abuse cases.  A wilting flower that merely excepts the violence done to her and never tries to fight back.  A completely innocent person in a violent, toxic scenario.  Only then can sympathy be cast upon her.  Any transgression from this ideal gives way to backlash and criticism.  “You should’ve known better.”  “You should’ve fought back.”  “If he was really so bad, why didn’t you leave?”  “You hit him back?  You’re also an abuser.”  Etc, etc.  And because Tess doesn’t fit this narrative of a perfect, wilting flower, her accusations aren’t taken seriously.  Of course, there’s a wider issue of women’s accusations not being taken seriously, but I think the racial element comes into play as well.

Andre, the homeless man Tessa originally called the cops on, tried to warn her about the Mother in the basement.  If even the homeless know what’s going on in that house, I’d hazard to guess the entire neighborhood knows what’s going on in that house.  The Mother does, after all, come out at night, so she must’ve been spotted by others in the 40 years she’s been alive.  You’d think the story “Multi-Generational Incest Monster Terrorizes Locals” would make headlines if it were reported.  You’d think someone would report it!!  You’d think anyone with a conscience would tell the police that bad things were happening to women in that house.  But even if they never tried, I can’t blame them.  I don’t think the police would’ve taken them seriously.  

The area Tessa is renting the AirBnB from is mentioned to her would-be employer, who immediately reacts with shock and concern.  The neighborhood is known for being dangerous, but obviously not because of the Mother.  Because it’s a predominantly black neighborhood in a bad part of the city.  Of course, it wasn’t always this way.  Flashbacks show the same neighborhood as a picturesque suburb only a few decade prior, when it was a white neighborhood.

The film even makes a commentary about “white flight” as one of the neighbors tells Frank they’re leaving because the community is going to hell in a handbasket, implied to be that the racial demographic of the suburb is changing.  We also hear on the radio the recent election of President Ronald Reagan, who is infamous for so many things, but most pertinent here was the war on drugs which destroyed a lot of black communities and families through over-harsh policies and policing and also literally introducing crack into black populations. 

We’re shown how society has left this neighborhood to crumble and decay because of who lives inside it.  Police are often an antagonistic force in colored communities, but the negligence can be equally as harmful.  Tessa tries to call the police on Andre, but she’s informed there’s no available units to come to her aid.  I don’t know if the film was trying to imply this or if I’m just projecting, but honestly I think the Operator was just lying to her.  I think there were units available, but they just wouldn’t “waste” them sending them to THAT part of town. 

My mother is Latina, not black, but she grew up in a very rough part of San Diego.  And she described to me how she saw from her window a woman faint on the street.  She seemed to be having a medical emergency.  She called the police, and 20 minutes passed.  She called them again, and 30 minutes passed.  Finally, she calls them a third time saying, “I bet if I lived in a better part of the city, you’d have sent someone down already.  I’d bet you’d actually care if it was someone who didn’t live here.”  And finally after an hour, somebody shows up.  

The police treat “bad” neighborhoods as low-priority.  Their concerns and fears are not worth addressing.  Their word is not to be taken seriously.  So Tessa’s reports and the assumed community’s knowledge of the Mother goes in one ear and out the other. 

It was a really good film.  I would suggest it if you can stomach it.  

#barbarian 2022 #horror film #horror #film thoughts

[dramatic-in-autumn]

Petition to Duffer Brothers to bring Saoirse Ronan to Stranger Things (s5), so we can have the trinity of Jo March at one place.

#stranger things #saoirse ronan #maya hawke #winona rider #tv shows #film thoughts #st5 #little women #little woman movie #jo march #josephine march #actors #classic #book blog #little woman 2019

[offline-nobody]

you know when you watch something, and it doesn’t quite click initially, but then a few weeks later it all comes together and suddenly it all makes sense and its now one of your faves?

well i just had that moment with asteroid city, and i really need to write down all my thoughts about it so here we go

so, the big thing i was mulling over was ‘what was the point?’ not in a cynical way, just in a curious way, yknow. what was the point? its asked at multiple points in the film, so clearly there must be answer, right?

no, there isn’t an answer. and thats the point

an alien showed up, and for a moment it was the most important thing in the world. and then it wasn’t, and life moved on again. everything froze, and then it unfroze again, and nothing changed, and everything changed.

because life is forever moving. even when everything feels frozen, the world is still spinning, and someone somewhere is eating cereal. life moves, even in mundane ways.

whats the point?

you’re never going to find the meaning of anything, and thats ok. thats the point. just keep telling the story

its a film about nothing, and about everything. because even in the nothing of meaning, there is everything. does that make sense? i don’t know, and thats ok. thats the point. you dont have to know everything, you dont have to ‘get it’ to appreciate it. sometimes a film is just a film.

maybe the alien is a metaphor for covid, or for the loss of a loved one, or some third thing that i cant think of. it doesnt matter. because ultimately life went on, with or without the alien. regardless of what the alien was, the story kept being told. the play kept on going, even when the lead left the set. the film kept playing, even when you left the room. the world kept spinning, even when the world was frozen.

whats the point? i dont know, and thats ok. thats the point.

im going to stop typing now, because im pretty sure im about to start going in circles, but yeah, i just wanted to share some thoughts on what might be my new favourite wes anderson film

#i dont know whether this is anything or just reads as the rambling of mad person lol #i suppose ill find out once i reread it at some point #im pretty sure im not even scratching the surface of this film #i still dont get what ‘you cant wake up if you dont fall asleep means #maybe ill come back in a week and add onto this #who knows #asteroid city #wes anderson #film thoughts

[mararhodus]

Me, watching every scene between Phoebe Spengler and Melody the ghost girl in the Ghostbusters Frozen Empire:

#ghostbusters #ghostbusters frozen empire #film thoughts

[giveamadeuschohisownmovie]

Just had a random thought. While thinking about the “Indiana Jones” original trilogy, I’ve developed a sort of newfound appreciation for the casting of Harrison Ford. My thoughts haven’t necessarily changed on this character, I still think Indy is fun but not that complex of a character, it’s just that now I imagine casting the character wasn’t the easiest thing in the world.

What Indy lacks in complexity, he makes up for sheer leading man charisma. This is a role where you absolutely need someone who can be able to act without saying anything. Because Indy has to be both:

1) convincing as an Everyman protagonist, in that he’s vulnerable and relatable enough that you can convince the audience that he’s not superhuman and is just a regular guy.

2) the coolest man who has ever lived. Someone who can walk into frame and exude “Yeah, I’m that guy” energy.

Harrison Ford really did have that level of charisma where he can be relatable and vulnerable enough to convince you he’s the underdog, but also make you think he’s the coolest person ever. I’ve tried imagining some other leading actors in the role and, honestly, it makes you realize that Indiana as a character needs more than just a handsome leading man.

Arnold Schwarzenegger wouldn’t have been able to convince you he’s an Everyman protagonist. Sylvester Stallone is better at playing more vulnerable, complicated characters like Rambo and Rocky. Michael Biehn is good at the underdog role, but not necessarily at being the cool guy. Keanu Reeves, while I love the guy to death, is too wooden to be the charming, cool guy (he’s better off at comedy and darker roles anyways). Kurt Russell and Clint Eastwood were close, but I think they’re better off at being action hero badasses. Bruce Willis, I think he’s similar to Keanu in that he’s better off at comedy and darker roles (even his most famous action movie role as John McClane just shows he excels in being comedic, not necessarily being the cool guy).

The actors who I felt could’ve done Indiana Jones justice, aside from Harrison Ford, were Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Denzel Washington, and Charlie Cox (Daredevil convinced me he could be the Everyman protagonist, She-Hulk convinced me he could pull off the cool guy role). And, if South Korea made the Indiana Jones movies, Won Bin came to mind.

EDIT: I just realized. Pedro Pascal! Just imagine a combination of Din Djarin, Joel Miller and Oberyn Martell.

I think “roguish charm” is what I’m getting at here. It’s actually quite hard to pull off the more I thought about it. For example, while I like David Harbour and his character of Jim Hopper, I don’t think Harbour can pull off roguish charm. I think that’s why Hopper came off so hostile and combative in Stranger Things season 3; Duffer Bros wrote him as Indiana Jones-like, but the end result was more off-putting than charming. As another bad example; Sean Penn in the movie “Shanghai Surprise”. That’s probably the worst example at an attempt at roguish charm.

Anyways, I’m curious. Which actor do you think could’ve pulled this role off convincingly?

#harrison ford #indiana jones #raiders of the lost ark #Indiana Jones and the temple of doom #Indiana Jones and the last crusade #kingdom of the crystal skull #dial of destiny #movies #films #actors #thoughts about movies #the temple of doom #the last crusade #character analysis #character breakdown #movie thoughts #film thoughts #indiana jones films #indiana jones series #indiana jones raiders of the lost ark #indiana jones movies #movie actors #1980s movies #Disney #my hot takes

[kop-mischief]

Post Pandemiea Watch Party: The Wall - Part 1

Some movies are hitting totally different after the pandemic. Holy shit. Rewatching 1982's Pink Floyd's The Wall unexpectedly fucked me up. It's got a lot more weight from a post pandemic POV.

Last time I watched this movie I was like 15. Thought it looked cool AF and the imagery was inspiring but it didn't exactly hit close to home. Honestly I put it on the other night remembering this was a thing while working on my own upsetting flowers project.

I can see why it's a cult classic with mid ground reviews. Hardly any dialogue, heavy in visual symbolism and story telling. I love stuff like that but I get it's not for everyone. Also that it's in part Rodger Water's personal biography masked in trippy imagery. I'd imagine, especially with the passage of time, quite a bit would get lost in translation to a wide, sober audience.

But after what we all went through the last few years The Wall might be primed to make the most sense to the most amount of people (while sober even!) than it ever has before.

Worse comes to worse, still a gorgeous movie to stare at. I'm saddened we'll never see the animation found in there like that again. And I'm terribly curious what other people's reactions to it now we're all on the "other side".

#art thoughts #movie thoughts #pink floyd #pink Floyd's the wall #the wall #the wall movie #film thoughts

[orpheuslookingback]

Okay idk why I'm thinking about Saltburn now because I watched it like. Several weeks ago at this point but. I guess I've been talking to people recently about if I'd recommend it and so I've been having to coherently put together what I actually thought of the film and I think it's this:

it's a good movie if you look at it as just a kind of campy thriller that's about obsession and attachment and what happens when you contort yourself to appeal to someone else, and what happens when you contort someone else based on the idea you had of them.

And it's a bad movie if you try to look at it as a piece of coherent class commentary. Because it really just isn't, or if it is it's not good at being that.

And the film's big problem is that it seems like its totally content to be the former for about 2/3 of the runtime and then suddenly at the very end it suddenly really, really wants you to read it as the latter and it just does not work because it does not have the actual content to support that. Like you cannot just put in one monologue and a flashback montage and call it a day when the rest of the film really does not feel like it's coherently angling to be a movie with Something To Say about wealth. Like the rest of the film has no real thesis about class; the rest of the film uses class to make a point about something else (those aforementioned topics of codependency & obsession & the way we remake other people and our ourselves).

And like I know a lot of people complain about the ending and it being hamfisted and how it kind of sinks the film, but I think it really isn't quite that it's not well written or that it's over the top or that it explains something that's already obvious (though that last part is an actual issue with it a bit). It's just that it belongs in a different movie.

Like, specifically- the twist itself isn't bad at all imo. The idea that Oliver was lying/manipulating things is clearly set up (and one reason the ensuing montage doesn't work super well is because the movie does such a good job setting this up, we don't need such an extensive and obvious confirmation and it ends up feeling superfluous). What I feel like the problem is is that the monologue feels like its last-minute trying to shift what the main motivation/theme is. If you had the same exact reveal just with a slightly different delivery, the whole movie would click into place, I think.

#saltburn #film thoughts #saltburn spoilers #emerald fennell #film #movies #cinema #i do actually like the movie to be clear #i just wish it didnt have that slight identity crisis right at the end #because it pushes viewers to read the film as class commentary and once you start looking for that in the film it doesnt work as well #but if you look at it as just a fun weird thriller about weird toxic people #it works super well and is a really enjoyable movie

[klave-the-dragon]

apparently they're making an adaptation of the Haunted Mansion attraction (again)

and this cast is just simply way better than it needs to be

like, Disney has had this problem with the Haunted Mansion for a long time, where the ride has a surprisingly strong fandom in its own right (doombuggies is a website specifically for documenting the minutiae of the ride that's been actively updated since the 90's)

but the ride has just enough of a plot and concept that's just too dark to properly adapt into a Disneyland-friendly property

because the ride itself is structured as: the first half is extremely gothic horror and has a bunch of lore about a tragic romance cut short by a vengeful spirit, before a bunch of unrelated ghosts have a goofy musical number at you

they seem only interested in adapting the comedic half of the ride, but i hope the pendulum swings the other way, and we get a high-melodrama musical(?) about the first half

#haunted mansion #film thoughts #jared leto plays the hatbox ghost #i repeat; jared leto plays the hatbox ghost - if you want to know who the hatbox ghost is please DM me promptly