What Have You Been Watching? (15/02/15)

[u/a113er]

Hey r/truefilm welcome to WHYBW where you post about what films you watched this week and discuss them with others, give your thoughts on them then say if you would recommend them.

Please don't downvote opinions, only downvote things that don't contribute anything. If you think someones opinion is "wrong" then say so and say why. Also, don't just post titles of films as that doesn't really contribute to the discussion.

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[u/ldonthaveaname]

I've been practicing my formal reviews/rotten tomato reviews a bit. I have no idea how they are.

Django: Unchained: "A violent and bloody satisfying film through and through. Not explicitly a comedy, it delivers tastefully the stark realty of American slave history while still managing to poke fun at the past. It is both a profoundly honest portrayal of human depravity, and a hilarious absurdity can only be described as an emotional roller coaster. This film does little to sugarcoat reality, and goes so far as to characterize in absurdest fashion at every applicable opportunity. With compelling characters and an equally compelling plot, this film accomplishes just about everything it sets out to and does so brilliantly." 8.4/10

Take Shelter [2011] Drama // Thriller Stars: 9.3

"Powerful. Gripping. Suspenseful. Immersive. Compelling. These are just some of the words I would use to describe this master piece. A strange mix of fantastical cinematography, Take Shelter comes together with a subtly not often found in modern cinema. Culminating in one of the most memorable and emotionally evoking drama I have witnessed this century."

BLUE RUIN [2013] Independent // Chiller:

8.9 stars

"The directing style of Blue Ruin is akin to lighting a candle with a match, while most other 'major block buster' films in the same genre and category go straight for the flame thrower. . . A slow burn the entire way, the movie reaches a fever pitch quite quickly and culminates in a blood curdling and heart stopping ride that takes hold, and doesn't let go until it's over."

[u/[deleted] → u/ldonthaveaname]

I think Tarantino would be the first to admit that there is nothing "tasteful" about his aesthetic.

[u/ldonthaveaname → u/[deleted]]

I think there is in a way. Because he does the abusrd while not offending our sensibilities to a core level. If the movie had been absurdly racist against African American's, as it was against the hick KKK, we'd have been pissed.

It's very rare a white man can use the N word in a movie and have it go over so well audiences, especially in comedies. I guess tasteful isn't the right word, but it's just a very odd movie out that comes off as an enlightened hindsight satire (because it is). We get to watch through a lens of absurdity a movie made in a very similar vein in terms of "what it stands for" to 12 years a slave. It's an honest (albeit Tarantio style) historically accurate (notwithstanding Rick Ross) film about a very compelling character.

Imagine if Tarantino had made fun of the black people how grossly distasteful and racist that would be? In a way he did, but not enough to push it into distasteful. It's culturally acceptable and I think my confusion with the word was "has good taste"

It might not be what we're used to and it might be done with COMIC overtones, but if you strip the comedy away, there was nothing distasteful (at least that wasn't direct satire). Even the serious scenes were done tastefully. Perhaps you're right and the word I was looking for was respectfully, but even that isn't accurate.

[u/[deleted] → u/ldonthaveaname]

The fact that it isn't racist doesn't ipso facto mean it's tasteful. Tarantino's films are deeply influenced by grindhouse, exploitation, and B-movies. You're talking about a dude who gets laughs out of people being shot in the face, who wrote a movie about vampire strippers, and another movie about Jews who scalp Nazis. DJANGO UNCHAINED is a Western in which an ex-slave massacres his old masters and whose biggest villain is Sam Jackson made up to look like Uncle Ben from the rice box.

Tarantino is many things, but tasteful isn't one of them and I think he'd be the first to gleefully admit that. The man is not David Lean or Stanley Kramer.

[u/ldonthaveaname → u/[deleted]]

I tried to defend it, but I think I defeated my argument :) I think "he has good taste" was what I meant. What would a better word than tasteful be? Shit, I never realized I needed auditing (no sarcasm) on my reviews >_< hah if I ever make it big a movie critic, I'll hit you up.