Movies are still a big part of my life, though I struggle to write about them. It is obvious what sort of material would work well in discussion, but how do I summon those details of experience to the fore? There are some recent projects I want to touch on.
Deeply anticipated
The Holdovers - Payne - Classical American artist
Killings of the Flower Moon - Leo/Scorsese - I haven't revisited The Irishman, but I frequently fantasize about it. I have towering optimism about this project since Scorsese is clearly getting better with age. Leo may be my top movie star as well. I saw glimpses of the trailer… my God
Anticipated
Afire - Petzold/Beer - This has to at least be what Undine was; I hope it’s more fully formed
Dune: Part Two - the novel/Villeneuve/Zendaya/Rebecca Ferguson/Chalamet (reluctantly) - The world of Dune is a great place to be. A great case for reading a novel so its residual follows you for the rest of time. I didn’t like BR2049, but I think a re-approach is possible
Ferrari - Mann - We have not had a Mann in nearly a decade. I recall tragically finding out about him a couple weeks after Blackhat released (and had already vanished from theaters)
Murder Mystery 2 - Sandler - I saw the original before I re-discovered Sandler as an adult. I was aware of the weird Sandler corner of the internet, but didn't find myself in step with them until more recently
Oppenheimer - Nolan/process-oriented - Classical American artist
Showing Up - Reichardt - I have some optimism this will be about modern American life (so few movies are)
Viduthalai: Part I - Vetri Maaran
Somewhat anticipated
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret - I have pivoted away from Sundance-adjacent material (e.g. CODA), but I faith in this one since KFC did Edge of Seventeen
Beau is Afraid - Hereditary was a good experience in the theater. Midsommar was an awful one at home (excepting the whole-house garage-suicide). I feel like Joaquin should hold this one over, and the 3-hour runtime is promising
Copenhagen Cowboy - I haven't kept up with Refn since Neon Demon, but I feel like it will go similarly now
Dhruva Natchathiram: Chapter One Yuddha Kaandam - GVM - I suppose it may not release, but I can’t leave it out due to its spiritual connection to Enai Noki Paayum Thota
Eureka - Viggo/Alonso/modern western with classical look
The Killer - Fincher - Cozy director for me; his first since Gone Girl (does Mank count?)
Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part 1 - Cruise
Napolean - Scott/historical
No Hard Feelings - JLaw - I would have thought the run she is on is worse than it is. She is not great in Don’t Look Up, but it’s more a fault of the screenplay; the movie is good overall. I am a Dark Phoenix defender–though that’s more Sophie Turner’s movie. Red Sparrow was awful, but not a Serena-level situation. mother! was respectable choice; Aronofsky is on a stunning run up to now. After that we have the X-Men movie that followed her peak in 2015–so not too shabby!
Ponniyin Selvan 2 - Ratnam - I saw this a week or two ago. I’ve struggled a bit with this series, but there were 2 moving songscapes, and I saw it on a fantastic screen. I hope he steps back a bit from these epic scales and returns to the basic romance structure
Thuramukham - Epic
Non-negligibly anticipated
Challengers - Zendaya/Luca (I guess)
Jawan - SRK
Maamannan - Selvaraj
May December - Haynes
Music - Schanelec
Tiger 3 - Maneesh Sharma
I was just on an 11hr flight with a movie menu oddly similar to this list. I made it through Killers of the Flower Moon and Napoleon. I'm guessing those didn't live up to your anticipation...
ReplyDeleteKOFM I had built up too high b/c of Irishman. I think I liked it a good bit. But it faded in my memory for some reason. The avant garde ending maybe changes my memory of it. Never got around to Napoleon. I get excited for any movie remotely interesting, but once it comes out I realize if the excitement was imposterous (Or the reviews seem to bode not well). I'll have to monitor comments more closely. I'm just seeing this now lol
DeleteJoaquin and De Niro are almost too iconic and distinctive nowadays to honestly perform anything that isn't written specifically for them. Leo is the best of the 3 in that he can still chameleon
Delete...although I think KOFM let him fly too under-the-radar / didn't use his talent enough
DeleteOne reason I want to rewatch KOFM is Leo. I think knowing from get-go it's not Good Guy Leo helps temper expectations in the right way. His character's arc was a big disappointment. So much of my anticipation for the movie was getting to see a Leo Movie.
DeleteIt would be interesting to see De Niro and Joaquin playing a part against type. I wonder how possible that even is. So Joaquin would have to be jolly without any dark undertone? Imagine him in a Kevin James role on a sitcom. De Niro's tougher. I guess against type for him is not being a curmudgeon. I think basically The Intern? Just a normal guy. Like normal normal. A little meek, but not pathetic.
You must really like Leo if you're considering enduring KOFM again. I recall it was a slog.
DeleteReading a little Vineland really lowered my expectations for Leo's first PTA collab. Doesn't seem at all like a Daniel Plainview kind of role, more like Doc Sportello, unfortunately
Wasn't a slog for me. Just no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Yes, I love Leo. Too many that are unassailable: WOWS, Titanic, Don't Look Up, CMIYC, Departed, GONY, Blood Diamond. I guess Inception too. But whenever I put that on now it feels like an empty exercise. But that is the main archetype. The alt is tougher. And the affection I have vanishes. OUATIH, Django, Revenant, KOFM, J. Edgar. Just remembering I've never seen Gatsby. Insane. Seems like I'm going to love it. I might read the book again too.
DeleteI don't imagine a Daniel Plainview type exists anywhere in Pynchonland. Everything's a tinge goofy.