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John Carter (2012)

*after not ever going on tumblr for any reason other than to post, this will be my last post here. if for some reason youve been following my thoughts on movies just follow my letterboxd* https://letterboxd.com/FJORD/

Taylor Kitsch, an actor i very much admire, respect and have looked to as a role model, said after the flop of John Carter that he would do another John Carter in a second and that he was very proud of the film. With JC being the butt end of numerous jokes for the last 7 years, I finally sat down to watch it knowing full well that I would probably like it given its lead actor, world-building and strangeness. I have mixed thoughts.

I understand this only came to being because of Disney, but Disney took one of their own to make their live-action debut WITH A $200+ MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT. We’ve seen what movies can do with $200 million, and like a lot of Disney aka Marvel shit, where does the money go? John Carter is no different, there’s some visual spectacle but I’m mainly upset about the fact that if this was made for half or even 3/4ths the budget, there might have been a sequel. (but also I dont remember the marketing being all that great)

So, most of my negative thoughts are about the studio aspect of the film. The rest of the film, outside of some plot and character problems is fantastic. It has a wonderful heart and innocence to it, harkening back to childhood, where we were all invincible when we played. Taylor Kitsch is in peak performance, giving just enough behind his cold and mysterious eyes. There’s a lot of fun to be had, not as adventurous or imaginative as Valerian but it takes itself serious enough to capture the epic sci-fi genre to be entertaining til the end.

An under-appreciated film. Maybe one day we’ll see more, or this film will just live in legend.

“When I saw you, I believed that something new, could come into this world.”

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Destination Wedding (2018)

very, very, very apathetic, performance-wise and visually. with such an apathetic tone its hard to place my thoughts on the film but the mountain lion scene was incredibly funny and brilliant.

“It’s too big for an ocelot or a bearcat, but too small for a panther, I think.“

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Vox Lux (2018)

Jesus Christ. 30 minutes in texted Connor that this film hit my aesthetic before Natalie Portman even appeared. The dark and gritty first Act, highlighted by some fantastic visuals (was not expecting so much haunting imagery) and a scene-stealing performance by Raffey Cassidy, who later plays Celeste’s daughter. The film is tough to judge, it almost feels like it needed another hour to become the epic it wanted to be. But it’s Second Act, a slice of life, one day response to a tragedy is fascinating. Nothing is torn open or explored, rather just lived and performed by Celeste. Not sure how much I liked the narration (outside of the Devil line at the end) but thought the exploration of this story was interesting.

“I just want to be queen for them, and sometimes I don’t feel like a queen at all.“

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Backdraft (1991)

A lot less of the disaster movie I thought it was and a lot more the conspiracy thriller I didn’t expect. But all that Baldwin/Russell drama made up for the fact there was no absurd disaster movie sequences I wanted. Been meaning to watch this film ever since I went to Universal Studios when I was 13 and loved literally every single show there, especially the horror effects and the Backdraft one, also the Kong audio one, nooooo, it was def the stunts show. Trying to get back my childish love for filmmaking again. Getting there.

“Look at him... That's my brother goddammit!“

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Crawl (2019)

Half disaster movie half monster movie, Crawl is the perfect movie for the world rn. It’s short, not bogged down with pointless characters, effective, and an all-around good time. The gators hiding beneath the murky water make for great tension without making the jump scares feel pushy. My only issue, which I wonder if anyone else felt similarly, was the lack of claustrophobia I felt and how the set pieces didn’t stand out. Thoughts?

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The Great Silence (1968)

Sergio Corbucci’s winter Django twin is also his most beautiful looking, set entirely in the snow. Visually felt an awful lot like McCabe & Mrs. Miller. 

If Django is the story of a hero who returns to an old town seeking justice is summer, then Great Silence is the story of a man forced into action by trauma seeking revenge is winter. It’s darker than its summer counterpoint, with Silence unable to speak, his actions do it for him. But unlike Django, this isn’t a hero story, its a tormented soul struggling to find his place in a world full of bounty hunters and injustice and its impossible to get every one of them to pull a gun on him.

As Al Pacino said in Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, Corbucci is the ‘2nd best spaghetti western filmmaker’ and by god its close...

also cant get through this without mentioning the electric klaus kinski.

“There's a bounty on each one. We'll come back and collect 'em later... all according to the law.“

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Once Upon A Time in Hollywood (2019)

Love this film more and more as I soak it in since I watched it a week ago. Felt like Tarantino stepped back from his style and indulged in a character piece while subtly combining his main style elements. Hyper-violence is rare but when it shows its effective, nostalgia is ever-present that only adds to the production design and never bogs down the story, and his love of revisionist history is clearly there. 

The scenes are slowed down allowing for a triumphant Brad Pitt at his best and a brilliant tongue-in-cheek, inside-joke Leo to really shine and carry the movie. Sorry, I’m just another white boy that loves Tarantino. But maybe I also just love a director with a singular vision who understands himself, and that is very present in his 9th film. Also, its incredibly funny and his most sincere film to date.

“Anybody order fried sauerkraut?!”

[jordanmckinneylol]

Adventureland (2009)

thank u connor for the rec

was much more romantic than i was expecting it to be and i liked that a lot. still have much love for kristen stewart who has finally been getting the respect she deserves in the last 5ish years.

watched it on the plane tho so that sucked

“I think somebody was trying to write "Satan Lives" on that wall but they spelled it ‘Satin Lives’.“

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BlackkKlansman (2018)

Finally got around to seeing what people have heralded as Spike's best film since 'Do The Right Thing'. I think the time I gave it actually added to the film, given the film's direct response to the Charlestown riots. Seeing this ending 2 years after the incidents made it more interesting and powerful to me, and I may be in the minority when I say that I think it works. Think it will work even more 15 or 30 years from now when it is revisited by people. In the moment, it's on the nose, but in the future, it's a reminder this is fiction based off reality.

About the film itself: Spike's tone (who's shakespearian, self-aware, comical one moment dreadfully serious the next is something I admire) really works in context of the story. The dry and subtle humor provides a nice layer to the honest film. Adam Driver delivers as usual and this is an outstanding lead debut for baby Denzel, John David. (which is actually not his first collab with Spike, trivia for ya)

"What is this? Is this your Jew den? Is this where you make your candles, you know, and your lampshades?"

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Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011)

Watched on the plane up to Seattle, its an average rom-com brought to a higher level from its superb cast dealing with the material. Ryan Gosling is a forever star in my eyes and even in 2011 Steve Carrell deserved to do whatever he pleased. Julianne Moore and Emma Stone have their moments but are generally given places behind the two men, which is unfortunate, but also it's Cal's story disguised as an ensemble piece.

"I'm so mad at you. I'm really mad at you for what you did. But I'm mad at myself too. Because I should not have jumped out of that car - I should have fought for you. Because you fight for your soul mates."

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Why Him (2016)

Didn’t watch it during Christmas time but whats a lil Christmas in July with James Franco?!?! Also, I watched this in its entirety on tv with commercials lol and thats probably the perfect platform for it.

“Oh, my gosh, I'm like drowing in bukkake at this point.“

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Unsane (2018)

Prepping for my lo-fi shoot this weekend and this was a fabulous break from thinking about it and also quite inspiring. It’s probably one of my favorite looking Soderbergh films and the iPhone feel fits him very well, kind of a seamless transition. 

Loved the first half of the film as it was very tense and I also loved the decision to reveal the truth over continuing the questioning of whether Claire Foy was insane or not. Also as I’m writing Claire Foy, I legit thought Emma Roberts was the lead until I got the DVD in the mail lol. But starting with solitary confinement, the film started to feel like an episode of Criminal Minds, which worked but its Sodey, so I want a lil more.

“Column number two. For life.“

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Battleship Potemkin (1925)

I’ll take ‘Important Films I’ve still never watched’ for $200, Alex.

okay, so like how many fucking cuts were in this movie, it’s pace was insane. that was like an avengers movie. 

loved the first half, on the boat. i get that its a propaganda piece but I would have loved for it to stay small scale throughout the whole film. still amazing though. and the classic baby stroller shot aka one of the top 5 most reused shots of all time.

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Pink Flamingos (1972)

The filthiest movie ever made. Pink Flamingos transcends cinema, often becoming 4D at parts. You can taste the dog shit, you become a part of the court scene, and you can smell the fire of the trailer burning. In attempting something so far fetched and outlandish, John Waters exercise in bad taste becomes a liberating and powerful film. It’s as absurd as it is important, that’s best scenes draw comparisons to the best filmmakers; the couch rejecting Connie echos a Bunuel feeling.

Divine takes over the medium towards the end, it becomes her show and everything she says is as she is...perfect.

Also, my version was the 1997 version that had a John Waters section at the end talking about the film and deleted scenes and that really tied it all together for me.

Most liberating filmmaking, one of the best films of all time.

“How can a couch be out of order?!“

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Midsommar (2019)

I’m with Aldo on this one.

Don’t wanna talk about it anymore.

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Mandy (2018)

Lots of conflicting thoughts on this one. Probably cause I watched this film that feels like a 1 hour film at half speed, right before bed.

Nicholas Cage was outstanding though and that one-shot drinking scene was fascinating for not only his performance but the set also. Very out of place, very theater, but fascinating.

“That was my favorite shirt!“

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The Beach Bum (2019)

A fine piece of poetry, that’s relaxing as much as it is hilarious. McConaughy and Snoop Dogg are equally as transcendent in their free-flowing roles as Moondog floats effortlessly between conversation and lifetime. Meanwhile Snoop’s Ray (short for Lingerie) is a stagnant poet and a beacon of wisdom (if his beacon was a flaming tower of weed). 

“One day I will swallow up the world. And when I do, I hope you all perish violently.”