|
Post by pacinoyes on Jun 10, 2017 16:37:44 GMT
Just creating a thread on this because I have finally watched it and I know some people (Roth!) we're interested in my take on it back in the good, sexy, emotionally aloof IMDB days (Um.....).
I liked the film and it's ideas but found it redundant, occasionally very heavy-handed and it wore me out a bit too. I also had that thing I had with Inception where I'm not sure I really even got it all (ok, I didn't) and thought it had some mumbo jumbo in the plotting and space details especially (whereas the first 3 Nolan films, which I looooooooove, were ruthlessly scripted and, tightly, beautifully conceived).
Some of the shots have a real sense of wonder and scope to them that I really liked (what I criticized as specifically missing in Arrival) some of it is staggeringly beautiful but beyond that there's a struggle to justify 169 minutes of this pontificating and didactic stuff to me. It also pays diminishing returns as it goes along, the set-up trumps the resolution to me. But, still I have never voted "thumbs down" on a Nolan film, even though it's becoming harder to really wear that a badge of honor exactly.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2017 16:42:44 GMT
I think it's Nolan's best film, and the only work of his aside from The Dark Knight that I would call great. As I said in another thread yesterday, I think it greatly benefited from how ambitious it was - it made the aspects that fell a bit flat easier to overlook.
Great performance from McConaughey, too.
|
|
|
Post by Pavan on Jun 10, 2017 17:24:16 GMT
Arrival is ambitious and beautiful in it's own way. Can't compare it to Interstellar (may be that higher dimension beings thing).
Very few films can the match ambitions of Interstellar. Flawed but pretty great.
|
|
|
Post by ganzehrlich on Jun 10, 2017 17:32:24 GMT
It's been quite a while since I last saw it, but I really enjoyed numerous aspects esp. the visuals. McConaughey does an amazing job with what he's given and MacKenzie Foy gives one of my favourite child performances (my S. Actress win for 2014).
|
|
|
Post by The_Cake_of_Roth on Jun 10, 2017 18:17:50 GMT
Finally! Haha Yeah, I was curious where you fell on the film since it seems to have been rather divisive... it's been interesting actually seeing people who aren't normally fans of Nolan come out in support of this film in some cases. Some have been pitching it as sort of Nolan's response to people's criticisms that his films (his more recent blockbusters at least) lack a strong emotional core. I can certainly see how some find parts of it heavy-handed (the ruminations on love in particular), but I think it works anyway, even if the writing is not particularly elegant at times and rather workmanlike, especially near the end. Much like Inception, it's Nolan in geekbait mode with a lot of ideas he's throwing at the wall. Admittedly, I was a little disappointed when I saw it for the first time because I found the last act a bit hard to swallow, but I think on a second viewing I was able to digest it all more easily. I think some of the space details are masterfully integrated into the plotting and exploited for great dramatic effect: using the black hole as a gravitational slingshot to propel the ship... (how cool is that!) and obviously using relativity and the passage of time as a major dramatic element. Regarding the runtime, I know some people have suggested that a movie of this scale and scope might have actually worked better as a miniseries with more time spent on earth and establishing more of a clear backstory. I didn't have as much of a problem with the lack of detail in that part of the film, but I think it's worth noting that Nolan's story ambitions (at least recently) always seem to be toeing the line as far as just how much PLOT he can stuff into one movie (though Dunkirk is allegedly going to be significantly pared down in terms of plot and dialogue). I like how Nolan continues integrating themes of his previous films (presenting moral dilemmas, raising questions about the greater good, our desire for survival and its relationship with our capacity for evil) while dealing with new ideas (man's philosophical obligation to explore the unknown). I also think it's interesting how the film's visual spectacle and its IMAX scenes are actually thematically significant... Cooper himself yearns for spectacle, longing to be in the sky again at the beginning and so the film allows the realization of his personal ambitions to be affectively experienced by the viewer in generating a sense of awe and wonder with its monumental visuals. Thoughts on McConaughey's performance and the supporting cast? What did you think of the score? I personally love it but I know some people thought it was overbearing. Where do you think you would rank it with the rest of Nolan's films?
|
|
|
Post by Tommen_Saperstein on Jun 10, 2017 18:58:05 GMT
Oversentimental garbage and probably Nolan's worst-written film. It's crammed with eye-rolling bits of obvious exposition that takes you out of the experience (and it has that Anne Hathaway love monologue - PASS) and the plot substitutes cohesive storytelling for a cheap emotional punchline that has Nolan desperately trying to channel his inner Spielberg (despite all that bullshit about the film being inspired by 2001 A Space Odyssey... ). Nolan has never been this grandiose or this pretentious. It's a well-polished turd.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2017 19:16:35 GMT
I never watched it.. and I'm not intending to! Not a fan of Nolan..
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2017 19:37:55 GMT
It's decent. It drags quite a bit and the sentimental aspect is kinda laughable. It's well-made and enjoyable enough to warrant a weak recommendation from me.
|
|
Zeb31
Based
Bernardo is not believing que vous êtes come to bing bing avec nous
Posts: 2,557
Likes: 3,794
|
Post by Zeb31 on Jun 10, 2017 19:54:56 GMT
When it was nearly done, I thought to myself, why, wasn't this nice. Not Nolan's best, but still strong. All they have to do is keep it together for the next half hour.
Then I looked at my watch and only 80 minutes had passed.
I thought, all right, so where are they taking this thing for another hour and a half? Then they kept going on and on about love transcending time and space. Then Matt Damon showed up. Then the bookshelf thing.
Oh, so that's where.
or:
It's brought down severely by its script, which has far too much questionable dialogue and glosses over too many important plot points to really reach the admirable heights that Nolan intended for it. And that's a pity, because it has a mostly fantastic cast, lovely visuals and a really pretty (if a little overbearingly mixed) score. I didn't even mind the runtime. I haven't felt compelled to revisit it since it came out, but I quite dug it overall, even if it's not quite the gem it could've been.
or:
EUREKA!/10
|
|
|
Post by getclutch on Jun 10, 2017 20:20:24 GMT
The movie made sense without pause and to me that is original and genius and was not easy to do.
|
|
|
Post by jakesully on Jun 10, 2017 21:05:39 GMT
Oversentimental garbage and probably Nolan's worst-written film. It's crammed with eye-rolling bits of obvious exposition that takes you out of the experience (and it has that Anne Hathaway love monologue - PASS) and the plot substitutes cohesive storytelling for a cheap emotional punchline that has Nolan desperately trying to channel his inner Spielberg (despite all that bullshit about the film being inspired by 2001 A Space Odyssey... ). Nolan has never been this grandiose or this pretentious. It's a well-polished turd.^^^ Pretty much this. Its the biggest letdown of 2014 for me. I literally waited like 45 minutes in line to see it in IMAX and was baffled at how shitty it was. Yeah , there were SOME jaw dropping moments in some of the space sequences but thats about it. Anne Hathaway 's "love" monologue made me want to vomit in my popcorn. Can't believe Nolan thought that was a great idea to put that in the film. 4.5/10 Pretty much the only Nolan film I dislike and will never watch again.
|
|
|
Post by urbanpatrician on Jun 10, 2017 21:16:38 GMT
I love it, and I'd rank it in Nolan's top 3.
But I guess it's just my type of movie. That zen space and time warp stuff is my ideal lunch. I can see how it'd turn off Nolan's more commercial minded viewers - 95% of them are that. Tommen said it channeled Spielberg, but I don't think channeling A.I. is necessarily a bad thing, but to each his own I guess. Personally, the A.I. (one of the century's best) vibe is exactly why I like it.
|
|
|
Post by pacinoyes on Jun 10, 2017 22:08:02 GMT
@ Cake_of_Roth:
I liked most of the acting, McConaughey had some great go for broke moments. The score was grand (may be a touch too much up front), tech specs were aces, masterful.
For me, I'd rank it in the bottom 3 of his - with Inception, and Dark Knight Rises - so his last 3. But that is just me - clearly there are pieces of the work in his last 3 films I like and admire. I rank the first 3 as the best, the next 3 were great achievements but I didn't feel they were "mine". Nolan's first 3 films to me just felt so "right" in pacinoyes' world haha - dark stories, 3 fascinating central characters playing out weirdly tragic arcs.
I'm a sucker for that early stuff......
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2017 22:41:36 GMT
I love it, and I'd rank it in Nolan's top 3. But I guess it's just my type of movie. That zen space and time warp stuff is my ideal lunch. I can see how it'd turn off Nolan's more commercial minded viewers - 95% of them are that. Tommen said it channeled Spielberg, but I don't think channeling A.I. is necessarily a bad thing, but to each his own I guess. Personally, the A.I. (one of the century's best) vibe is exactly why I like it. A.I. is Spielberg's best by miles, and one of my favorite science fiction films in general. Nice to see some love for it on here.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2017 22:51:43 GMT
I only saw it in theaters. I remember being kinda confused as to how I felt about it originally. I bought the Blu-ray from Amazon with a gift card (so I wouldn't have to spend my own money on it) and I owned it for like a year without ever watching it and then selling it back. Looking back, it was an overlong lecture about boring sci-fi mumbo jumbo that ultimately slowed it down. I know that sounds like idiot speak for "I don't understand what was going on" but fuck it, it was dull and I expect Dunkirk to play out the same way.
|
|
|
Post by The_Cake_of_Roth on Jun 10, 2017 22:59:05 GMT
@ Cake_of_Roth: I liked most of the acting, McConaughey had some great go for broke moments. The score was grand (may be a touch too much up front), tech specs were aces, masterful. For me, I'd rank it in the bottom 3 of his - with Inception, and Dark Knight Rises - so his last 3. But that is just me - clearly there are pieces of the work in his last 3 films I like and admire. I rank the first 3 as the best, the next 3 were great achievements but I didn't feel they were "mine". Nolan's first 3 films to me just felt so "right" in pacinoyes' world haha - dark stories, 3 fascinating central characters playing out weirdly tragic arcs. I'm a sucker for that early stuff...... Yeah, I remember you saying you were a bigger fan of his early, more modestly scaled neo-noir films than the sci-fi/fantasy/comic-book stuff, with which he's carved a niche for himself over the last decade or so. While his upcoming film is still technically blockbuster territory, I think it definitely appears to be somewhat of a departure for him (first film based on a historical event, rumored to be under two hours with minimal dialogue/exposition). Any thoughts on what you've seen regarding Dunkirk?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2017 23:02:03 GMT
Piece of garbage, but the docking scene is well-done, and McConaughey was truly invested in the role
|
|
|
Post by The_Cake_of_Roth on Jun 10, 2017 23:38:51 GMT
I never watched it.. and I'm not intending to! Not a fan of Nolan.. But... but... MATT DAMON IS IN IT
|
|
|
Post by mikediastavrone96 on Jun 10, 2017 23:48:30 GMT
The production value is spectacular, most of the performances are good aside from Jessica Chastain and an unfortunately wasted Casey Affleck, and its ambition is admirable. However, that ambition is executed with a screenplay that honestly feels like a first or second draft. There are a lot of characters that make ridiculous decisions with the only explanation being some vague concept of their emotions getting the best of them and yet this film is supposed to be about the ability of love to transcend beyond what we can comprehend? As I said back on MA, Huey Lewis did a much better job convincing me of the power of love.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2017 23:51:20 GMT
I never watched it.. and I'm not intending to! Not a fan of Nolan.. But... but... MATT DAMON IS IN IT Yeah.. I saw his part.. Still didn't push me to see the movie!! It looks so boring.. sadly! Also I can see you are a fan of Nolan..
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2017 23:53:16 GMT
The production value is spectacular, most of the performances are good aside from Jessica Chastain and an unfortunately wasted Casey Affleck, and its ambition is admirable. However, that ambition is executed with a screenplay that honestly feels like a first or second draft. There are a lot of characters that make ridiculous decisions with the only explanation being some vague concept of their emotions getting the best of them and yet this film is supposed to be about the ability of love to transcend beyond what we can comprehend? As I said back on MA, Huey Lewis did a much better job convincing me of the power of love.This closing line made me groan harder than anything that happened in the film
|
|
|
Post by pacinoyes on Jun 10, 2017 23:53:48 GMT
@ Cake_of_Roth:
Dunkirk looked great in the trailer to me but I see it as a huge risk. Nolan has always been a filmmaker of a certain trickery - be it the early noirs or the gimmickry (not a put down) of Inception and The Prestige. Even where there isn't trickery per se there's something that distinctly focuses us on him. There is something in every film he's made that suggests his supreme intelligence I guess I'm saying and not in a way that is absent to the audience.
In a movie with this subject matter, I'm thinking he's going to have tone that thing down and be "anonymously great" like Louis Malle or someone - it's going to be a triumph and artistic breakthrough..........or it's going to be a lumbering bore I'm thinking.
|
|
|
Post by mikediastavrone96 on Jun 10, 2017 23:55:20 GMT
The production value is spectacular, most of the performances are good aside from Jessica Chastain and an unfortunately wasted Casey Affleck, and its ambition is admirable. However, that ambition is executed with a screenplay that honestly feels like a first or second draft. There are a lot of characters that make ridiculous decisions with the only explanation being some vague concept of their emotions getting the best of them and yet this film is supposed to be about the ability of love to transcend beyond what we can comprehend? As I said back on MA, Huey Lewis did a much better job convincing me of the power of love.This closing line made me groan harder than anything that happened in the film I'm glad.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2017 2:06:16 GMT
The movie was shit, and not because it was too far-minded or anything. They just support the clichés which pull anyone's emotional strings, but they do it a LOT, too much after a point to actually take the movie seriously. Some ideas, while having holes in them, were quite interesting if we don't see them too factually (like the Bookshelf scene, and inability of survival of life on Earth and stuff), but that's pretty much all what I really like about the narrative. Rest is garbage.
Zimmer's score was GOAT tho.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2017 2:07:40 GMT
One of the biggest reasons I'm not having faith for Dunkirk
|
|