A massively overlooked film from 2017 although from the other Letterboxd reviews it would appear I'm in a minority who thinks so. The animation is wonderful, it's directed with an energetic charm and makes brilliant use of all the songs. It may end up as just another "putting on a show" but all the characters are built up and performed so well, it's a show you want to see (even if it does go on a bit too long).
March 31, 2018 at 03:41PM
There's lots of good stuff packed into Isle Of Dogs and some really great moments (I was completely won over by the prologue) but somehow it never managed to come together in a satisfying way. I've heard others say that there is too much going on and as a result the plot gets lost and I'm inclined to agree. It looks amazing, the different animation techniques all work well together and all the performances are great but it's lacking something and at times feels like a Wes Anderson parody.
Q&A with storyboard artist Jay Clarke.
March 31, 2018 at 03:35PM
Completely charming and a great indicator of what greatness Waititi would go on to make.
March 29, 2018 at 08:11PM
Amazing to think there is a 90 minute documentary talking about a single scene which leaves you wanting more. There's lots of great points and insight but also more than a few moments when you think people are perhaps reading too much into something. Ironically the film could be edited better, it jumps around too much and isn't helped by distracting music.
March 18, 2018 at 04:26PM
Well intentioned but lacking something, pretty much what I was expecting really.
March 18, 2018 at 04:06PM
It's not usually a good sign when I completely forget that I've watched a film. I don't think The Levelling is particularly forgettable, it's full of intrigue, strong performances and a rural British grimness we've seen in Dark River and God's Own Country. On the other hand I did forget I'd watched it and so it can't have had that much impact.
March 18, 2018 at 03:55PM
Yes I'm annoyed that I can't see this in the cinema. At home it was good but the final act deserves so much more than the living room can ever provide and if I'd experienced it in a cinema then it could have been a 5 star experience.
Digital distribution is supposed to make it easier to exhibit films. I don't understand why this couldn't get a limited release and also be available on Netflix. I believe there are plenty of people who would still pay to see it especially if it was a one-night only event screening. I'm glad it's on Netflix so more people will see it and I can watch it again but it deserves more. Netflix, cinemas and distributors need to sort out their issues so people can see content how they want to see it and why not premiere new Netflix TV shows in cinemas?
As for the film, for me it was all about the climax which took everything to another level. Before that I was unsure where it was going (in a good way) but glad I was along for the ride. Frequently incredibly beautiful, often strange and with a depth that is so often lacking. I think there is more to appreciate on subsequent viewings and that's one reason why I am pleased it is on Netflix.
March 13, 2018 at 05:37PM
There are a few moments when it feels like this has been edited to contrast more with Trump and there really didn't seem to be any need to do that. The material and contrast is strong enough without having it forced. There's a sadness about looking back on a more sane time but also a surprising amount of hope. The thing I took away was how presidential Obama was and not just compared to Trump, but also the Bushes and Bill Clinton. For younger people (like the kids of Parkland) it is all they'll really know and therefore not surprising that they want change.
March 13, 2018 at 05:24PM
I'm pretty amazed that this won the Best Picture Oscar, not because it didn't deserve it (although it wouldn't have been my choice) but because it's so far from what I think an "Oscar film" is.
The film didn't completely work for me. I admired it a lot and wanted to like it more but tonally I thought it was all over the place. Perhaps I'm becoming prudish as I get older but there didn't seem to be any need for so much sex, nudity and gore. Without those things I think it would have worked better and felt more magical. The main romance is believable but also seems to come out of nowhere and feels very under developed. It all looks and sounds fantastic though and the attention to detail is pretty spectacular. It does feel like another film that may get better on repeated viewings because there is a lot of depth to just about every aspect.
March 08, 2018 at 06:44PM
There's so much to like about Lady Bird but apart from a couple of scenes towards the end I'm not sure how special I found it.
The next day I did wake up with a sense that there was an authenticity to everything about the film that I maybe didn't appreciate as I was watching it and that is to be applauded.
March 04, 2018 at 07:21PM
I wonder if I would have appreciate this more if I'd seen this projected at Keswick Film Festival where I attended a talk on director George Stevens. At home, with ad breaks, I got distracted which says more about me than the film. Anyway it's good but I'm not sure if it's really for me.
March 04, 2018 at 03:43PM
Mute doesn't get off to a great start. It's unengaging with weak performances and does just feel like another Blade Runner rip off. The world in which it takes place is odd; sometimes it looks great but other times it looks like they couldn't quite afford to do what they wanted. Perhaps it's a problem with it being on TV that it instinctively just feels cheaper.
Once the story gets underway I did find myself getting more and more drawn in. Forget about Blade Runner (and even the futuristic setting, which serves little purpose) and just take it as a sleazy noir and it suddenly becomes a lot more enjoyable. Yes, Skarsgård's character isn't that interesting but he moves the story forward and the focus should always have been on Rudd's character. The darker turns the film takes are really interesting and it's perhaps not odd that people have issues with them but it's strange that critics of the film think they serve no purpose when they drive the final act.
I ended up enjoying it and I hope it finds an audience somewhere down the line.
March 04, 2018 at 03:38PM
I wasn't sure if I should watch this because I'd heard it might just make me angry. It is mostly a quite balanced film trying to convey the views from all sides of a complex issue. However my problem was with those people with whom I most strongly disagreed. Of course I was never going to agree with them but at two points they present such pathetic and misguided justifications for what they do and then have the audacity to say anyone who disagrees is an idiot. That's when I got angry. It's not just a case of disagreeing, it's more that there is no logical or sane argument to be made. They are killers, what they are doing is a disgusting display of humanity and the fact they are proud of what they do only makes matter worse.
Watching it so close to the Parkland shootings only highlighted that this mentality is much bigger than the issues covered in the film and I can only hope that this time things are going to start to change.
Rant over. It's a shame the film couldn't present an intelligent argument for these people (perhaps because there isn't one) because the other groups all make valid points for what they do.
This was the 90 minute Storyville edit shown on TV and not the longer version released in cinemas.
March 01, 2018 at 05:23PM