haven't seen this one but was just talking to a friend last night about Happy Feet, which i described as "absolutely a fun little penguin movie for kids, but also absolutely a movie by the director of Fury Road"
I saw this when it came out, and I’m not sure whether or not I was aware it was from the director of the Mad Max movies. I remember loving it, but I’ve been afraid to revisit it for fear it would turn out to be just another terminal disease weeper. I’m glad for confirmation I wasn’t wrong as a younger viewer.
(I think I’ve also somehow conflated it at times with Take Down, the Lorenzo Lamas wrestling movie, which was directed by the often regional Utahn filmmaker Kieth [sic] Merrill. This is entirely because of the name Lorenzo, but somehow still the whiff of regional cinema had attached itself to Lorenzo’s Oil in my mind, even though that’s a false association.)
Great write-up. One observation: not meant as a "well, actually," but missing from your filmography is his TWILIGHT ZONE: THE MOVIE segment, which I do think important in that it showed Hollywood he could adapt his sensibilities to its model (and perhaps mop the floor with its vanguards on occasion, if TWILIGHT ZONE could be considered a head-to-head with Spielberg in particular, with FURY ROAD and READY PLAYER ONE a three-years-apart rematch).
With one directly leading to the other - Spielberg was supposed to adapt 'The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street', but wanted to cancel the whole film after the accident. Warners put its foot down (not just for monetary reasons, but because they were afraid it would look like an admission of guilt), so he chose something he could film in a week with basically no real investment required on his part.
A great piece, and not just because I agree wholeheartedly. So much of this movie seared itself into me — I can even remember the theater where I saw it the first time. This might be my favorite Miller film.
Need to rewatch this - I was a little mixed on it before, but I did watch this in the midst of Covid and the material just landed really oddly at the time, as we were dealing with anti-vaxxers and ivermectin pushers. Just couldn’t help but feel conflicted about a film which concluded that alternative medicine was the solution all along.
On the other hand, Miller worked in the medical field before becoming a filmmaker so I guess if anyone has the right to tackle this material it’s him?
I thought about that a little bit too this time, but I think there's a substantial difference between the "research" anti-vaxxers were doing on Facebook or whatever and the level of intellectual engagement the Odones were attempting, at least in the movie's telling. One of the things I appreciate about the film is how in-the-weeds it's willing to get about the complexities of the disease and the therapeutic options. My conclusion is that the film ultimately respects science-- and even respects the POV of the medical community and foundation the Odones were defying-- but the Odones were in the unusual and identifiable position of having to do everything they could to keep their son alive.
That’s a totally fair read and even while watching it I was asking myself “am I being too defensive about this?” so I actively knew I would need to give it another shot down the road. Appreciate all your analysis on it!
This was actually the first Miller I watched (if we don't count BABE, although he didn't direct that), in high school bio of all places. Need to rewatch it now with several more of his movies (including FURIOSA today) under my belt, but I remember a lot of shocking scenes that wouldn't be out of place in any MAD MAX movie.
haven't seen this one but was just talking to a friend last night about Happy Feet, which i described as "absolutely a fun little penguin movie for kids, but also absolutely a movie by the director of Fury Road"
Great piece, great movie.
Also, we should be applying the word “masterpiece” to Babe: Pig in the City as often as possible and without feeling foolish for it. There, I said it.
I saw this when it came out, and I’m not sure whether or not I was aware it was from the director of the Mad Max movies. I remember loving it, but I’ve been afraid to revisit it for fear it would turn out to be just another terminal disease weeper. I’m glad for confirmation I wasn’t wrong as a younger viewer.
(I think I’ve also somehow conflated it at times with Take Down, the Lorenzo Lamas wrestling movie, which was directed by the often regional Utahn filmmaker Kieth [sic] Merrill. This is entirely because of the name Lorenzo, but somehow still the whiff of regional cinema had attached itself to Lorenzo’s Oil in my mind, even though that’s a false association.)
Great write-up. One observation: not meant as a "well, actually," but missing from your filmography is his TWILIGHT ZONE: THE MOVIE segment, which I do think important in that it showed Hollywood he could adapt his sensibilities to its model (and perhaps mop the floor with its vanguards on occasion, if TWILIGHT ZONE could be considered a head-to-head with Spielberg in particular, with FURY ROAD and READY PLAYER ONE a three-years-apart rematch).
That wasn’t really a fair fight, though, since Spielberg handicapped himself with his choice of “Kick the Can.”
“Kick the Can.” The second biggest atrocity connected to the Twilight Zone movie.
With one directly leading to the other - Spielberg was supposed to adapt 'The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street', but wanted to cancel the whole film after the accident. Warners put its foot down (not just for monetary reasons, but because they were afraid it would look like an admission of guilt), so he chose something he could film in a week with basically no real investment required on his part.
I watched this movie when my oldest was their son's age and it destroyed me. It's in the category of movies I really loved and will never watch again.
A great piece, and not just because I agree wholeheartedly. So much of this movie seared itself into me — I can even remember the theater where I saw it the first time. This might be my favorite Miller film.
Need to rewatch this - I was a little mixed on it before, but I did watch this in the midst of Covid and the material just landed really oddly at the time, as we were dealing with anti-vaxxers and ivermectin pushers. Just couldn’t help but feel conflicted about a film which concluded that alternative medicine was the solution all along.
On the other hand, Miller worked in the medical field before becoming a filmmaker so I guess if anyone has the right to tackle this material it’s him?
I thought about that a little bit too this time, but I think there's a substantial difference between the "research" anti-vaxxers were doing on Facebook or whatever and the level of intellectual engagement the Odones were attempting, at least in the movie's telling. One of the things I appreciate about the film is how in-the-weeds it's willing to get about the complexities of the disease and the therapeutic options. My conclusion is that the film ultimately respects science-- and even respects the POV of the medical community and foundation the Odones were defying-- but the Odones were in the unusual and identifiable position of having to do everything they could to keep their son alive.
That’s a totally fair read and even while watching it I was asking myself “am I being too defensive about this?” so I actively knew I would need to give it another shot down the road. Appreciate all your analysis on it!
This was actually the first Miller I watched (if we don't count BABE, although he didn't direct that), in high school bio of all places. Need to rewatch it now with several more of his movies (including FURIOSA today) under my belt, but I remember a lot of shocking scenes that wouldn't be out of place in any MAD MAX movie.
I'm in this movie!
Whoa! Are you the Lorenzo who wants his mom to read a different story to him?