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Post by PromNightCarrie on May 21, 2019 1:55:15 GMT
Gaga's singing was fantastic and acting was very good, but it's Bradley Cooper's performance that stole my heart. AMAZING. Those sad blue eyes are so expressive throughout.
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Post by Martin Stett on Jul 29, 2019 2:39:56 GMT
This is mediocrity in nearly every department. 1. First I have to deal with the songs. They are thoroughly mediocre. Only "Always Remember Us This Way" had any spark to it, and I don't even know where in the movie it played (outside of the end credits). But then, I tried listening my way through at least one song from each album you guys voted for "best album of the 60s" and almost without exception they made me want to kill myself, before I gave up twenty-odd albums in (Pet Sounds is incredible, but good lord do people actually like The Doors/Beatles/Kinks/Bob Dylan/Velvet Underground). So my taste is music is apparently awful, as these are comparatively just... dull. 2. Ally isn't a character in her own right. This is Jackson's story, and the only arc Ally has is in support Jack. We never get any insight into why she makes her music, or any backstory. We're meant to think that Ally's pop career isn't "honest," but we never see enough of her to know what is "honest." We only see what Jack sees. We don't know why she falls in love with this creepy stalker and we don't know what gives her the strength to stand by him. She's wish fulfillment, the perfect woman for Jack to abuse, who never leaves him no matter how much shit he gives her and no matter how much power she has over him. 3. So there's this scene where Jack passes out drunk in a neighbor's yard, and the neighbors are all "hi Jack!" and chummy with him and there's never been a single reference to these people before but they're clearly meant to be the closest things to friends that Jack has. It's really weird. And then Ally shows up and tells him that she can't take his drinking anymore, and then... well, I assume y'all have seen the movie by now. What the hell? And then these people are never seen again after that and... I have no words. 4. Cliched manager is cliched. 5. I have to go back to something I said about the music. I don't know when "Always Remember Us This Way" played. And that's a big problem: this is a musical, and the songs feel slapped together in their order. Each song should have a purpose in each individual scene. It should tell us something about the characters. Maybe it's just because I didn't like the music, but it all seemed interchangeable. Whereas starting off Once with Glen Hansard belting out "Say It to Me Now" immediately grabs the viewer by the throat, and tells us something about the character, that he is singing this particular song at this particular time. 6. And the obligatory talk about Sam Elliott: He exists. That is as insightful as I can get about him. 7. I forgot to say this, so editing it in: Jack is a creepy, CREEPY man who stalks Ally until she lets him in her pants.
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Zeb31
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Post by Zeb31 on Jul 29, 2019 3:02:27 GMT
2. Ally isn't a character in her own right. This is Jackson's story, and the only arc Ally has is in support Jack. We never get any insight into why she makes her music, or any backstory. We're meant to think that Ally's pop career isn't "honest," but we never see enough of her to know what is "honest." We only see what Jack sees. We don't know why she falls in love with this creepy stalker and we don't know what gives her the strength to stand by him. She's wish fulfillment, the perfect woman for Jack to abuse, who never leaves him no matter how much shit he gives her and no matter how much power she has over him. 3. So there's this scene where Jack passes out drunk in a neighbor's yard, and the neighbors are all "hi Jack!" and chummy with him and there's never been a single reference to these people before but they're clearly meant to be the closest things to friends that Jack has. It's really weird. And then Ally shows up and tells him that she can't take his drinking anymore, and then... well, I assume y'all have seen the movie by now. What the hell? And then these people are never seen again after that and... I have no words. 4. Cliched manager is cliched. Perfectly put.
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Post by Martin Stett on Jul 29, 2019 3:14:25 GMT
One more thing I forgot that REALLY bothered me: The passage of time was hard to discern. Jack is a star at one moment, and the next he's supporting some guy doing a Roy Orbison tribute, and I never noticed when he fell out of fame. Similarly, I never noticed when Ally became famous, she just suddenly was ALLY with her face on billboards?
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Post by Pittsnogle_Goggins on Jul 29, 2019 23:39:23 GMT
But then, I tried listening my way through at least one song from each album you guys voted for "best album of the 60s" and almost without exception they made me want to kill myself, before I gave up twenty-odd albums in (Pet Sounds is incredible, but good lord do people actually like The Doors/Beatles/Kinks/Bob Dylan/Velvet Underground). So my taste is music is apparently awful
Agreed
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Post by Martin Stett on Jul 30, 2019 3:20:41 GMT
But then, I tried listening my way through at least one song from each album you guys voted for "best album of the 60s" and almost without exception they made me want to kill myself, before I gave up twenty-odd albums in (Pet Sounds is incredible, but good lord do people actually like The Doors/Beatles/Kinks/Bob Dylan/Velvet Underground). So my taste is music is apparently awful
Agreed I'm working my way through the 70s a bit, and this is a lot better. I've tagged The Clash, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Simon & Garfunkel to listen to later. And I'm still in the top 10. None of this stuff is especially amazing at first listen, but I'm basically just doing a little bit of playing to see if I can stand it. I'll see if these strike me when I set down the time to focus on them.
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Post by theycallmemrfish on Jul 30, 2019 3:45:43 GMT
I'm working my way through the 70s a bit, and this is a lot better. I've tagged The Clash, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Simon & Garfunkel to listen to later. And I'm still in the top 10. None of this stuff is especially amazing at first listen, but I'm basically just doing a little bit of playing to see if I can stand it. I'll see if these strike me when I set down the time to focus on them. The Lemon Song Thank You Immigrant Song Friends Tangerine Rock and Roll Going to California The Song Remains the Same The Rain Song Over the Hills and Far Away The Ocean Kashmir In the Light Ten Years Gone Night Flight The Wanton Song Those are my favorites and a good jumping off point.
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Post by cheesecake on Jul 30, 2019 14:41:50 GMT
It's trash. If I think on it too long I'll start fuming again, but Cooper is such a raging, unlikable asshole in this movie. It's incredibly rushed and character development is given a backseat. Nothing is earned. I'm fine with Shallow winning but Cooper's pedestrian direction, his mumbling Sam Elliot impression and Gaga's inconsistent portrayal deserve I'm gonna be so happy if the Oscars snub some of it. Remember when Cooper was snubbed in director? That was so hot.
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Post by cheesecake on Jul 30, 2019 14:44:25 GMT
This is mediocrity in nearly every department. 1. First I have to deal with the songs. They are thoroughly mediocre. Only "Always Remember Us This Way" had any spark to it, and I don't even know where in the movie it played (outside of the end credits). But then, I tried listening my way through at least one song from each album you guys voted for "best album of the 60s" and almost without exception they made me want to kill myself, before I gave up twenty-odd albums in (Pet Sounds is incredible, but good lord do people actually like The Doors/Beatles/Kinks/Bob Dylan/Velvet Underground). So my taste is music is apparently awful, as these are comparatively just... dull. 2. Ally isn't a character in her own right. This is Jackson's story, and the only arc Ally has is in support Jack. We never get any insight into why she makes her music, or any backstory. We're meant to think that Ally's pop career isn't "honest," but we never see enough of her to know what is "honest." We only see what Jack sees. We don't know why she falls in love with this creepy stalker and we don't know what gives her the strength to stand by him. She's wish fulfillment, the perfect woman for Jack to abuse, who never leaves him no matter how much shit he gives her and no matter how much power she has over him. 3. So there's this scene where Jack passes out drunk in a neighbor's yard, and the neighbors are all "hi Jack!" and chummy with him and there's never been a single reference to these people before but they're clearly meant to be the closest things to friends that Jack has. It's really weird. And then Ally shows up and tells him that she can't take his drinking anymore, and then... well, I assume y'all have seen the movie by now. What the hell? And then these people are never seen again after that and... I have no words. 4. Cliched manager is cliched. 5. I have to go back to something I said about the music. I don't know when "Always Remember Us This Way" played. And that's a big problem: this is a musical, and the songs feel slapped together in their order. Each song should have a purpose in each individual scene. It should tell us something about the characters. Maybe it's just because I didn't like the music, but it all seemed interchangeable. Whereas starting off Once with Glen Hansard belting out "Say It to Me Now" immediately grabs the viewer by the throat, and tells us something about the character, that he is singing this particular song at this particular time. 6. And the obligatory talk about Sam Elliott: He exists. That is as insightful as I can get about him. 7. I forgot to say this, so editing it in: Jack is a creepy, CREEPY man who stalks Ally until she lets him in her pants. THANK YOU. It's such a disturbing examination of toxic relationships but presented like we should be supporting their tragic love story and that nothing is wrong. I honestly still feel like I'm being gaslighted by the amount of people who think this is a beautiful relationship and film.
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