Really agree with this review on many fronts. Formally very accomplished, but all of the lived in qualities of his previous worlds seem missing here. It feels like it wanted to be a salacious romp, but also posture itself as having something significant to say about class, or sex work, and I think it very much failed on every front of the latter agenda. I really never felt like I knew Annie as a person, or felt like her relationship to Vanya had anything more than vapid surface level glamour. Maybe this was the point, but if so, by the end I asked myself what the point of any of it was? The ending also felt really really icky and amateurish. Like borderline exploitative or cruel, in a way that some have accused baker of being in his past works, but that I have not felt, and have given him the benefit of the doubt. Very surprised at the universal praise on this one. Glad you had a more mixed reaction.
Honestly yea I think this is his first non neo-realist film. Doesn’t make it any less bad imo but if you’re looking for something neo-realist, Anora definitely was not
Interesting, I loved the movie because of the coldness, I thought it contrasted nicely with the fragile, childlike warmth of the lead. It gave the message that 'there's no space to be a real human here', which broke my heart in a good way
4:17 Glad you touched on the "gaze" and the level of inclusiveness that Baker tries to employ in his films. I've seen some people tear this film down for being another "male gaze" oriented film. I understand where people are coming from when they say that and don't harbor any ill-will to those opinions, but Baker has always tried to be collaborative with his portrayals, which is certainly leagues above 70's/80's exploitation cinema.
Take a shot every time he says "material conditions".
Really agree with this review on many fronts. Formally very accomplished, but all of the lived in qualities of his previous worlds seem missing here. It feels like it wanted to be a salacious romp, but also posture itself as having something significant to say about class, or sex work, and I think it very much failed on every front of the latter agenda. I really never felt like I knew Annie as a person, or felt like her relationship to Vanya had anything more than vapid surface level glamour. Maybe this was the point, but if so, by the end I asked myself what the point of any of it was? The ending also felt really really icky and amateurish. Like borderline exploitative or cruel, in a way that some have accused baker of being in his past works, but that I have not felt, and have given him the benefit of the doubt. Very surprised at the universal praise on this one. Glad you had a more mixed reaction.
8mins ago is neorealist
Honestly yea I think this is his first non neo-realist film. Doesn’t make it any less bad imo but if you’re looking for something neo-realist, Anora definitely was not
Interesting, I loved the movie because of the coldness, I thought it contrasted nicely with the fragile, childlike warmth of the lead. It gave the message that 'there's no space to be a real human here', which broke my heart in a good way
Great use of a parenthetical frfr
I thought the actress was the girl from Silent Hill, but she isn’t.
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4:17 Glad you touched on the "gaze" and the level of inclusiveness that Baker tries to employ in his films. I've seen some people tear this film down for being another "male gaze" oriented film. I understand where people are coming from when they say that and don't harbor any ill-will to those opinions, but Baker has always tried to be collaborative with his portrayals, which is certainly leagues above 70's/80's exploitation cinema.