So much for getting to bed early. Just went to set my alarm and saw this. Had to decide between sleep or an AE review. Obviously I made the responsible choice.
Wonderful review as always, and I certainly agree with your critiques. - The suspense of not knowing what happened would have improved it greatly as would ANY character development. However, I was more engaged with it than you were because I found the puzzle aspect of "what is this thing doing to the world?" interesting by itself and the ending was pretty tripy. I really liked that they didn't explain the all-female team, that was MUCH MUCH better than interjecting some feminist diatribe which would have distanced me from the movie. Ok, so it just happens to be women, that seems statically unlikely, but eh, whatever, it happened. :P Is there a word for the level at which you're making your critique? Storycraft or something? I enjoy your channel because you hit on the meta-writing questions quite a bit, such as "how does this flashback serve the story." I've read several books on writing but not anything that deals with some of these atypical writing tools that are outside the story itself. You should watch the movie Magnolia if you haven't seen it. Too obscure for a review, but I find that to be an amazing bit of cinema .. particularly if you go into it completely cold.
Thank you, Indy Jones. Glad to hear that you appreciated the movie more than me. That ending was pretty mesmerizing! Oh, I agree that a monologue about, "why this needs to be an all-female team," would have been bad. I would have preferred something along the lines of: These ladies are good friends -- and if they have to go on a suicide mission, there's no one else they'd rather go with... That is pretty cheesy, but essentially, I think just I wanted some acknowledgement from Dr. Ventress about why she chose these women, specifically. Like I said, I went with it, but the question did occur to me while watching. And I decided to be honest about it in my review. I'm not well-read on writing and critical analysis techniques; so unfortunately, I have no idea if there is a word for how I approach my reviews. Though, having been a hobbyist video editor and a good grades earning English Class student, I tend to focus on grammar and structure. How does the scene assembly and plot order serve the characters' stories? Why did the editor choose to cut the film this way? How would I have edited it? How would re-arranging, deleting, or adding scenes affect the movie as a whole? Why do I feel indifferent toward a character? What is missing that would make me care? Does the character have a goal or drive? Etc. Most of this I picked up from watching a lot of Movies and TV. Still, my reviews aren't meant to be an objective quality analysis. Rather, I use detailed examples to try to communicate my personal perspective. I'm going to have some shallow, surface-level opinions on many movies... Those'll be embarrassing, but I'll always try to explain myself. Thank you for the recommendation. Haven't seen Magnolia. No idea what it is about. I'll check it out sometime.
Editing decisions certainly become part of the story, be that film or book. They're (gosh I hate to use this word since it has both political and philosophical baggage) meta-narrative decisions which frame the presentation of the material and focus our attention on whatever the director believes is important, the value the audience should take from the experience. I was curious because it seems like those values-of-the-story are really what you're focusing attention on, and I don't know what to call them. Like your Game Night review where you're pointing out the tension between the comedy and action styles the movie switches between. Or if the movie has a greater purpose (or thinks it does), such as 3 Billboards, what makes the audience receptive vs resistant to that purpose. But that's what I see your analysis doing .. sorting through the options for possible value you (and other audiences as well) might find in the piece and commenting on how / what story elements focused or diffused the impact of that element. -- Heh heh .. this from a guy who saw Jerry Maguire in the theaters at least 5 times, dragging various members of my college philosophy club along with me to analyze the possible meanings of "love" and human agency in the journey of each character. Magnolia is one of my top 5 movies - heavy drama, energetic character driven plot, all star ensemble cast (Tom Cruise, William H Macy, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore, Jason Robards, John C. Reilly, etc..) -- But it becomes WEEEEIRD as heck several times. Think M. Night Shyamalan and you won't be far off. But if you read anything about it, you'll probably spoil something, so I don't want to say more. -- I think you'll like it, but if somehow you don't, it'll certainly be worth the experience.
Totally. Growing up, I was taught that the best stories are communicating a truth from the creator's point-of-view. Editing, in the harshest sense, is all about manipulating the audience to relate to the filmmaker's perspective. And you're right. My reviews, many times, focus on if I agree with the ideas presented and/or how gracefully+effectively I was manipulated, and why. My goal is definitely to relate what value I took from the movie. Value-craft? :P Paul Thomas Anderson meets Shyamalan? Sounds cool.
Honestly, it's a mixed bag. Depends on your personal preference. It's worth reading (kinda like 1984) but I'm not gonna go out of my way to read it again.
The sub-plot with her Cheating on her Husband with a Black Colleague was utterly pointless and added nothing to the Story. Combine that with the entire Female "Squad" Casting. Sprinkle in some pretty Gaia-esk Animals & Plants are *One* Theme... And.. I can't help but think SJWs creamed over making this Movie.
I guess it's lucky that the all woman team didn't find a insurmountable challenge that they were unable to conquer... like moving a couch up some stairs. It might make some wonder that is an Alien foothold incursion is failed to be stopped by an all woman team - is the counter implication that an all male team would have succeeded ? I guess that implication is an entirely accidental one. likely why they hung a lampshade on it by saying the blokes failed. You really have to tie yourself into some knots to come up with a reason why anyone would even think to send an all female team and not mixed ones - unless mixed ones had failed. I get the impression they'd just through warm bodies at the problem in the hope that one of them would succeed. I guess one of those heavy Surface to Surface Missiles seen in some videogames or in the Tom Cruise War of the Worlds Movie used to simply blow up the light house didn't occur to someone. I guess they must have tried a high altitude bomb though (if they had any sense) That Purfume advert with Portman in must have been shot many years ago or they must have CGie'd the heck out of her face like they did some of the other older woman in adverts - as darn does she look old - heck Mira Furlan or Amanda Tapping look better than that and they are both much older than her. Unless they made her look rough on purpose I guess.
The sub-plot with her Cheating on her Husband with a Black Colleague was utterly pointless and added nothing to the Story. Combine that with the entire Female "Squad" Casting. Sprinkle in some pretty Gaia-esk Animals & Plants are *One* Theme... And.. I can't help but think SJWs creamed over making this Movie.
Another fun review, man. Keep it up. :)
Thank you, JO 0015.
Agreed, this man needs more Subs I enjoy his Style of Movie Reviews.
I imagine watching movies with you, is typically more fun an interesting than the movie itself. This review is quite funny.
So much for getting to bed early. Just went to set my alarm and saw this. Had to decide between sleep or an AE review. Obviously I made the responsible choice.
Lol. I appreciate it, Assume room Temperature. Now, get some rest!
No way, I've got 15 minutes of video left! Great work as usual. Love the energy.
Wonderful review as always, and I certainly agree with your critiques. - The suspense of not knowing what happened would have improved it greatly as would ANY character development. However, I was more engaged with it than you were because I found the puzzle aspect of "what is this thing doing to the world?" interesting by itself and the ending was pretty tripy.
I really liked that they didn't explain the all-female team, that was MUCH MUCH better than interjecting some feminist diatribe which would have distanced me from the movie. Ok, so it just happens to be women, that seems statically unlikely, but eh, whatever, it happened. :P
Is there a word for the level at which you're making your critique? Storycraft or something? I enjoy your channel because you hit on the meta-writing questions quite a bit, such as "how does this flashback serve the story." I've read several books on writing but not anything that deals with some of these atypical writing tools that are outside the story itself.
You should watch the movie Magnolia if you haven't seen it. Too obscure for a review, but I find that to be an amazing bit of cinema .. particularly if you go into it completely cold.
Thank you, Indy Jones. Glad to hear that you appreciated the movie more than me. That ending was pretty mesmerizing!
Oh, I agree that a monologue about, "why this needs to be an all-female team," would have been bad. I would have preferred something along the lines of: These ladies are good friends -- and if they have to go on a suicide mission, there's no one else they'd rather go with... That is pretty cheesy, but essentially, I think just I wanted some acknowledgement from Dr. Ventress about why she chose these women, specifically. Like I said, I went with it, but the question did occur to me while watching. And I decided to be honest about it in my review.
I'm not well-read on writing and critical analysis techniques; so unfortunately, I have no idea if there is a word for how I approach my reviews. Though, having been a hobbyist video editor and a good grades earning English Class student, I tend to focus on grammar and structure. How does the scene assembly and plot order serve the characters' stories? Why did the editor choose to cut the film this way? How would I have edited it? How would re-arranging, deleting, or adding scenes affect the movie as a whole? Why do I feel indifferent toward a character? What is missing that would make me care? Does the character have a goal or drive? Etc. Most of this I picked up from watching a lot of Movies and TV.
Still, my reviews aren't meant to be an objective quality analysis. Rather, I use detailed examples to try to communicate my personal perspective. I'm going to have some shallow, surface-level opinions on many movies... Those'll be embarrassing, but I'll always try to explain myself.
Thank you for the recommendation. Haven't seen Magnolia. No idea what it is about. I'll check it out sometime.
Editing decisions certainly become part of the story, be that film or book. They're (gosh I hate to use this word since it has both political and philosophical baggage) meta-narrative decisions which frame the presentation of the material and focus our attention on whatever the director believes is important, the value the audience should take from the experience. I was curious because it seems like those values-of-the-story are really what you're focusing attention on, and I don't know what to call them. Like your Game Night review where you're pointing out the tension between the comedy and action styles the movie switches between. Or if the movie has a greater purpose (or thinks it does), such as 3 Billboards, what makes the audience receptive vs resistant to that purpose.
But that's what I see your analysis doing .. sorting through the options for possible value you (and other audiences as well) might find in the piece and commenting on how / what story elements focused or diffused the impact of that element. -- Heh heh .. this from a guy who saw Jerry Maguire in the theaters at least 5 times, dragging various members of my college philosophy club along with me to analyze the possible meanings of "love" and human agency in the journey of each character.
Magnolia is one of my top 5 movies - heavy drama, energetic character driven plot, all star ensemble cast (Tom Cruise, William H Macy, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore, Jason Robards, John C. Reilly, etc..) -- But it becomes WEEEEIRD as heck several times. Think M. Night Shyamalan and you won't be far off. But if you read anything about it, you'll probably spoil something, so I don't want to say more. -- I think you'll like it, but if somehow you don't, it'll certainly be worth the experience.
OH, and Magnolia was written and directed by the writer /director of Phantom Thread.
Totally. Growing up, I was taught that the best stories are communicating a truth from the creator's point-of-view. Editing, in the harshest sense, is all about manipulating the audience to relate to the filmmaker's perspective. And you're right. My reviews, many times, focus on if I agree with the ideas presented and/or how gracefully+effectively I was manipulated, and why. My goal is definitely to relate what value I took from the movie. Value-craft? :P
Paul Thomas Anderson meets Shyamalan? Sounds cool.
Good review bro!
I remember reading this book in Scifi Lit. I didn't care for it, then, either.
Huh. I would have hoped the book was better and something was lost in adaptation.
Honestly, it's a mixed bag. Depends on your personal preference. It's worth reading (kinda like 1984) but I'm not gonna go out of my way to read it again.
The sub-plot with her Cheating on her Husband with a Black Colleague was utterly pointless and added nothing to the Story. Combine that with the entire Female "Squad" Casting. Sprinkle in some pretty Gaia-esk Animals & Plants are *One* Theme...
And.. I can't help but think SJWs creamed over making this Movie.
I guess it's lucky that the all woman team didn't find a insurmountable challenge that they were unable to conquer... like moving a couch up some stairs.
It might make some wonder that is an Alien foothold incursion is failed to be stopped by an all woman team - is the counter implication that an all male team would have succeeded ?
I guess that implication is an entirely accidental one. likely why they hung a lampshade on it by saying the blokes failed.
You really have to tie yourself into some knots to come up with a reason why anyone would even think to send an all female team and not mixed ones - unless mixed ones had failed.
I get the impression they'd just through warm bodies at the problem in the hope that one of them would succeed. I guess one of those heavy Surface to Surface Missiles seen in some videogames or in the Tom Cruise War of the Worlds Movie used to simply blow up the light house didn't occur to someone.
I guess they must have tried a high altitude bomb though (if they had any sense) That Purfume advert with Portman in must have been shot many years ago or they must have CGie'd the heck out of her face like they did some of the other older woman in adverts - as darn does she look old - heck Mira Furlan or Amanda Tapping look better than that and they are both much older than her.
Unless they made her look rough on purpose I guess.
The sub-plot with her Cheating on her Husband with a Black Colleague was utterly pointless and added nothing to the Story. Combine that with the entire Female "Squad" Casting. Sprinkle in some pretty Gaia-esk Animals & Plants are *One* Theme...
And.. I can't help but think SJWs creamed over making this Movie.