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Post by showgirl on Feb 10, 2019 15:33:58 GMT
Although this film has been discussed in other threads (LFF, Top 5 Films etc), I couldn't find a dedicated thread; apologies if there is one and if so, could someone please post the link so this can be merged with the original?
As the film is released this week and likely to be popular, I thought it worth starting a thread, though the comment which follows may be anything but popular: I know this film has been universally hugely praised and I booked to see it because I do enjoy seeing well-made films. However, I am already heartily sick of the trailer alone and the accompanying music, and words I'm hearing or reading in reviews now are really ringing alarm bells for me - words such as "beautiful", "lingering", "lyrical", "poetic" and so on - all of which signal treatment I would find infuriatingly sentimental and with which I would have little patience.
I don't mind slow burners; I'm not heartless and I'm well aware of the serious nature of the plot itself, but to those who have seen the film and can understand my point even if they don't share my taste, would I do better to give this a miss after all, please?
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Post by karloscar on Feb 10, 2019 16:18:16 GMT
It's not a really a sentimental film though it is a love story. Jenkins uses a lot of lingering shots on his actors faces where nothing is said, much as he did in Moonlight which affects the pace of the film, but it's beautifully shot. The ending is a bit more hopeful than the book, but hardly happy ever after.
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Post by showgirl on Feb 11, 2019 5:02:33 GMT
Thank you, karloscar. Moonlight was one of several highly-praised films from last year which both failed to meet my expectations and really dragged, so that sounds like another trigger warning for me, as in "Don't see this if you disliked X". |
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Post by karloscar on Feb 11, 2019 8:06:59 GMT
Yeah, if you didn't like Moonlight you won't like this. But both films are worth repeat viewing to get the whole picture.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 14, 2019 22:20:16 GMT
Oh my god, the book's *less* hopeful than the film? Well that's ruined my Valentine's day and no mistake!
Loved the film though, also found it easier to love than Moonlight somehow? You really had to be willing to put the work in yourself with Moonlight, this one came to meet the audience a lot more.
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Post by showgirl on Feb 15, 2019 4:32:13 GMT
Well I'm still not going to risk it. I'm glad you found it more accessible than Moonlight, @baemax, but I couldn't face sitting through another long film, not liking it and thinking "Oh for goodness' sake, get on with it!" Plus possibly being unable to avoid fidgeting and disturbing others. So I wasted my ticket and will wait for something more suitable. However, I'm sure this will do very well and will be popular with the majority.
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Post by missthelma on Feb 15, 2019 11:01:44 GMT
This is one of those films which sits there glaring at you reproachfully for not watching it. I've had it a while now but just can't face it. I was the same with 'The Wife' which in the end I found tremendous so i may be lucky when i get round to it. But I did dislike 'Moonlight'
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Post by kathryn on Feb 15, 2019 11:26:44 GMT
I really liked this film. It's not got a happy ending but it's somehow not as dreary as you'd think - probably because it looks so gorgeous and the performances are so luminous.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 15, 2019 11:31:42 GMT
I haven't yet managed to get through Moonlight, but I loved Beale Street and think it's a real shame it hadn't had more love from the awards circuit this year. Fingers crossed for Regina King at the Oscars though!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 15, 2019 11:32:04 GMT
I mean, it's a really great film, so although clearly you don't have to go see it if you don't want to, the only person who loses out this way is you.  |
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Post by missthelma on Feb 23, 2019 11:53:01 GMT
Finally caved and watched this. It's a good film but I was left with an overwhelming feeling of meh. I mean it's all impeccably crafted but I can't see that in six months I will be able to recall much about it. Except that fabulous scene near the start with all the female characters discussing the situation one of them was in. That was a firecracker and that's the film I wanted to see.
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Post by David J on Feb 23, 2019 13:11:32 GMT
Finally caved and watched this. It's a good film but I was left with an overwhelming feeling of meh. I mean it's all impeccably crafted but I can't see that in six months I will be able to recall much about it. Except that fabulous scene near the start with all the female characters discussing the situation one of them was in. That was a firecracker and that's the film I wanted to see. I liked the film but wasn’t overwhelmed by it Wasnt sold on the jumps back and forth in time. It is a story device I’m not terribly keen on anyway. Thematically they worked but I wished that the film stayed on that firecracker scene for instance |
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Post by greeny11 on Feb 23, 2019 13:26:37 GMT
It dragged for me - like David and missthelma, I wish more of it was like that scene between the 2 families. Too much time was spent on certain scenes, and I didn't feel like Kiki Layne was a strong enough lead. The only performance I remember is Regina King's performance, for which she has been nominated for an Oscar.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2019 12:19:20 GMT
This is one of those films which sits there glaring at you reproachfully for not watching it. I've had it a while now but just can't face it. I was the same with 'The Wife' which in the end I found tremendous so i may be lucky when i get round to it. But I did dislike 'Moonlight' Those glaring reproachful films. Glad someone else seems them like this. We have a family project to watch a bunch of movies (husband is more into film than I am, it started with him educating me about how Jurassic Park was not the best movie of all time) and there are so many on the list that I just keep makinf excuses not to watch. |
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Post by showgirl on Feb 24, 2019 13:05:45 GMT
This is one of those films which sits there glaring at you reproachfully for not watching it. I've had it a while now but just can't face it. I was the same with 'The Wife' which in the end I found tremendous so i may be lucky when i get round to it. But I did dislike 'Moonlight' So though at first I seemed the lone dissenter, there are actually several of us now. Mind you, I did like The Wife and didn't hesitate to see it but found Moonlight tedious and feel Beale St is a "should see" rather than something for which I have any enthusiasm. However, now that there have been other new releases since and further promising films to follow, I think I'm out of danger and unlikley to cave in and see this. |
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Post by MrsCondomine on Feb 25, 2019 11:11:09 GMT
So I hated this.
Uneven, some truly dreadful caricatures (Fonny's mother), and a cop-out ending. I don't understand what was so special about Regina King's performance to get her the Best Supporting Actress award, either.
Also the baby was enormous and was born into a clean bath with no umbilical cord? Okay then.
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Post by orchidman on Mar 5, 2019 22:11:28 GMT
I liked this a lot more than Moonlight because it actually has, y'know, a story. But still way too slow. First half hour was very promising. Can't believe that the main guy's female relatives never appeared again. Maybe more of them and less of a young couple staring at each other for minutes at a time?
Also the (major spoiler) decision to take a plea bargain at the end is just about the most important thing that happens in the film but we hear about it in a retrospective voiceover? Umm. Interesting choice.
Bemused that Regina King wins the Oscar for that role. She was fine but it wasn't that kind of part. And it's not like she has missed out on Oscars before for some kind of career achievement win.
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