Dev Patel's directorial debut brings the action, a group of girls attempt to keep democracy alive, and the latest from Bertrand Brunello hops unnervingly through time in this week's new releases.
I had such a difficult time pinning THE BEAST down, and I mean that as a compliment. It's so beautiful and sad, but it also scared me more than most conventional horror movies. I'll be thinking about it for a long time, but I also doubt I'll ever see it again.
It's interesting (and maybe telling) how the big election in GIRLS STATE is played down a bit compared to BOYS STATE. But it's amusing who gets elected "Governor," how they get over the top, and especially how they celebrate their victory immediately afterward. Felt good to go "that's politics!" without feeling despair for the process afterwards.
Look forward to Monkey Man part IV following the John Wick trajectory, 5 hours long as he beats the shit out of everyone who has set foot in a bank in the southern hemisphere.
Just wanted to swoop in to compliment how well the Monkey Man review captures the movie. The film is a bit too long and could have lent more depth to its side characters, but has style and energy to burn. Directing talent AND one of the most watchable faces in movies? Starting to get envious of Dev Patel.
Just left a screening of THE BEAST. I felt strangely optimistic walking in the sunshine of Lincoln Center after, with people and concrete all around, because that final shot of the movie was so unexpectedly emotional and devastating.
This is my first Bonello, and I was delighted from the start by how he makes the artifice of the film clear from the first scene, maybe like Kiarostami would. I can see all those other influences Scott cites in it, but honestly the only other film I actively thought about during this one was UNDER THE SKIN. Partly that’s the black tar bath where Seydoux gets her purification treatment, but I also felt it when MacKay stalks a random woman along the street in that big stupid jeep thing of his, and at certain points in the soundtrack.
Exhilarating and daring, and genuinely terrifying during the climaxes of the 1910 and 2014 storylines. Seydoux does hold it all together, and MacKay is astonishingly chameleonlike playing characters of (I think) three different nationalities. Paris looks great in both 1910 and 2044, and that doll factory… <shudder> Speaking of which, I loved the little parallels between the timelines, like the dolls that featured in each, and the necessity of surgery in order to get good work.
I’m rambling now, but I wanted to mention two remarkable visual moments too. One is early on, just after we first meet MacKay. She sees him in another room at the soirée, a dancing couple twirls in front of him, and when they twirl back he is gone (though a moment later we see him walking off). Very well done, that one. And the moment a bit later when Seydoux freezes in unnatural stillness, to demonstrate the nonexpression on a doll’s face… so eerie.
I’ll want to revisit this, and make other people watch it too.
I had such a difficult time pinning THE BEAST down, and I mean that as a compliment. It's so beautiful and sad, but it also scared me more than most conventional horror movies. I'll be thinking about it for a long time, but I also doubt I'll ever see it again.
The Monkey Man review seems to be missing a star rating.
It's interesting (and maybe telling) how the big election in GIRLS STATE is played down a bit compared to BOYS STATE. But it's amusing who gets elected "Governor," how they get over the top, and especially how they celebrate their victory immediately afterward. Felt good to go "that's politics!" without feeling despair for the process afterwards.
Look forward to Monkey Man part IV following the John Wick trajectory, 5 hours long as he beats the shit out of everyone who has set foot in a bank in the southern hemisphere.
Just wanted to swoop in to compliment how well the Monkey Man review captures the movie. The film is a bit too long and could have lent more depth to its side characters, but has style and energy to burn. Directing talent AND one of the most watchable faces in movies? Starting to get envious of Dev Patel.
Just left a screening of THE BEAST. I felt strangely optimistic walking in the sunshine of Lincoln Center after, with people and concrete all around, because that final shot of the movie was so unexpectedly emotional and devastating.
This is my first Bonello, and I was delighted from the start by how he makes the artifice of the film clear from the first scene, maybe like Kiarostami would. I can see all those other influences Scott cites in it, but honestly the only other film I actively thought about during this one was UNDER THE SKIN. Partly that’s the black tar bath where Seydoux gets her purification treatment, but I also felt it when MacKay stalks a random woman along the street in that big stupid jeep thing of his, and at certain points in the soundtrack.
Exhilarating and daring, and genuinely terrifying during the climaxes of the 1910 and 2014 storylines. Seydoux does hold it all together, and MacKay is astonishingly chameleonlike playing characters of (I think) three different nationalities. Paris looks great in both 1910 and 2044, and that doll factory… <shudder> Speaking of which, I loved the little parallels between the timelines, like the dolls that featured in each, and the necessity of surgery in order to get good work.
I’m rambling now, but I wanted to mention two remarkable visual moments too. One is early on, just after we first meet MacKay. She sees him in another room at the soirée, a dancing couple twirls in front of him, and when they twirl back he is gone (though a moment later we see him walking off). Very well done, that one. And the moment a bit later when Seydoux freezes in unnatural stillness, to demonstrate the nonexpression on a doll’s face… so eerie.
I’ll want to revisit this, and make other people watch it too.