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Scraps: Movies Watched, June 2019
I am trying this format, inspired by Khoi Vinh’s “Movies Watched.” My previous attempts to keep track of films that I’ve watched was a little too time consuming, making it a habit that was easy to drop once I get too swamped. Rocketman (2019) An entertaining romp. Realized that I knew nothing about Elton John…
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Scraps: “Barry Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk”
Director: Ang Lee Really wished that I had seen this in the movie theater. Feels cohesive in his trilogy of American life (Brokeback Mountain, Taking Woodstock.) The ugliness and superficial feeling from the way the film is shot really captures the obscene, excess setting of the Super Bowl. Felt like an uneven and strange film.…
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Scraps: “Crazy Rich Asians”
Director: Jon M. Chu It wasn’t perfect but it was a lot of fun. The film seemed to take on too much expectations on its very small shoulders. People seem to don’t realize that the director’s filmography includes Step Up 2, Step Up 3D and the Now See Me films. Its problems and failures seem…
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Scraps: “My Beautiful Laundrette”
Director: Stephen Frears Didn’t expect the film to have the tone that it does. In an interview with Criterion, the screenwriter (Hanif Kureishi) refers to Frears’ style to be ‘operatic.’ Mirrors used as a way to reveal and hide at the same time. Tana showing Omar her breasts during the scene where all the men…
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Scraps: “Nervous Translation”
Director & Writer: Shireen Seno Cinematography: Albert Banzon, Jippy Pascua and Dennese Victoria A film about the anxieties, curiosity and boredom of childhood. Love the effort to emulate the unnerving, disjointed feeling of remembering your time as a child. Very expressionistic and modern in its approach. The crispness of the cinematography feels distracting from the…
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Scraps: “Call Me by Your Name”
Director: Luca Guadagnino Cinematographer: Sayombhu Mukdeeprom Writers: James Ivory (screenplay by), André Aciman (based on the novel by) Surprised that this movie somehow is still echoing at the back of my mind long after I’ve seen it. The music in the film definitely helps engrain it into my head further. Sufjan Stevens did a wonderful…
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Scraps: “Only Yesterday”
Director: Isao Takahata Mellow, understated but very poignant. Feels very simple but with a quivering sincerity that still feels very relevant. Looks at urban life with a sense of apathy, but not hatred – while it faces quiet rural life with empathy, romanticism but also caution. Beautiful animation, naturally. The contrast of the fuzzy, vignetted…
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Scraps: “A Brighter Summer Day”
Director: Edward Yang Cinematographer: Hui Kung Chang & Longyu Zhang Masterful and contemplative, an important film that lingers with you long after the viewing. Tensions of time, history and family life in an uncertain time. America is a character that is seemingly invisible in the background of the film, but apparent in other ways. Beautiful…
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Scraps: “Thor: Ragnarok”
Director: Taika Waititi Cinematographer: Javier Aguirresarobe Very, very, very fun. Definitely one of my favorite Marvel films ever, even though I hated Thor as a character and a premise. Visually amazing – from the production design, to the cinematography, just a blast in all directions. “Fun” but doesn’t feel tedious or tacky despite the…
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Scraps: “Force Majeure”
Director: Ruben Östlund Cinematographer: Fredrik Wenzel It’s getting kind of weird that I’ve unintentionally been seeing films that explore the toxicity and fragility of male masculinity. Beautifully shot. The way the film looks help elevate the sense of discomfort and isolation. Children are scary, but also realizing that you are stuck in a relationship and…
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Scraps: “Lady Bird”
Director: Greta Gerwig Cinematographer: Sam Levy Went to see this without expectations, and was surprised at how lovely this film was. Omg, Laurie Metcaif. Took the feelings of its characters seriously, with some levity. It juggled ingenuity, bitterness and humor really well. The scene where Danny cries holding Lady Bird after she took out the…
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Scraps: “Paris 05:59:Théo & Hugo”
Directors: Olivier Ducastel & Jacques Martineau Cinematographer: Manuel Marmier Dreamy, surreal dialogue. Surprising structure and story, especially for a gay film. Beautiful and anxious in all the right ways. Makes me miss Singapore in the late night hours. Realized that I haven’t really seen that many movies about iconic cities being empty, during the odd…
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Scraps: “Thelma”
Director: Joachim Trier Cinematographer: Sidney Lexy Plaut Beautiful acting from all the leads. Came in with a mild skepticism, as it’s a film about a young gay girl – made by an older straight guy. Was generally impressed that how sex and desire play out in the film, nothing felt forced or overly sensualized. The…
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Scraps: “Killing of a Sacred Deer”
Liked this more than The Lobster, although I haven’t seen Dogtooth or Alps. Great casting, Nicole Kidman was pretty great. Barry Keoghan was amazing – a great embodiment of volatile, young masculinity with high potential for violence. Again, felt like the movie was kind of talking about the male ego – and violent consequences. The…
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Scraps: “The Tale of Princess Kaguya”
One of the best movies I’ve seen this year. Beautiful style that accurately reflects the original source material. Definitely a movie I regret not seeing in the movie theater. Malcolm: “Feels like the director’s swan song.” Feels very spiritual without the angst, but instead a melancholic feeling.
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