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TST Film Review Thread

I’ve seen Matilda the musical it’s very good I recommend it to anyone who likes musicals.🐵
 
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Why am I not suprised that people aren’t getting Barbie. It’s perfectly well told. If your problem is that Ken’s are subjugated and subservient just because they’re Ken’s, and that 2 dimensional representation of your gender in the movie makes you feel worthless and a commodity - you’re *so* close to getting it
 
tayspru said:
Why am I not suprised that people aren’t getting Barbie. It’s perfectly well told. If your problem is that Ken’s are subjugated and subservient just because they’re Ken’s, and that 2 dimensional representation of your gender in the movie makes you feel worthless and a commodity - you’re *so* close to getting it
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Which people? I haven't seen anyone in real life have any issues with it, only loud mostly American right wing types who make a living from being professionally obnoxious, and a very few online who have their voice amplified by people reporting on what a shame it is that 'people' dont get it.

Maybe I just keep exceptionally good company, or maybe people on the whole aren't as dumb or obnoxious as you think.
It's just taken over a billion dollars, seems like not many people have any issue at all.
 
In just this thread it’s been described as pushing a “weird personal” agenda and the message has been taken as “all men are awful”

Neither of these are the point. The point of the movie is that rigid gender roles don’t benefit anyone, in reality or Barbieland
 
tayspru said:
In just this thread it’s been described as pushing a “weird personal” agenda and the message has been taken as “all men are awful”

Neither of these are the point. The point of the movie is that rigid gender roles don’t benefit anyone, in reality or Barbieland
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I've not seen it, so neither know nor really care what the message is, although that review appears to be referencing the likely age of the audience and their ability if particularly young to understand the nuance of that narrative and dynamic between the characters. That seems a pretty valid concern. Two wrongs don't make right, especially when you are 4 and you won't see beyond face value.

I do think it's a bit of a shame that it doesn't seem to have been made in a way that would make it suitable for the likes of my 4 year old to enjoy, plenty of ways to do that while still having jokes and messages 'hidden' under the surface for the adults to enjoy.

4 year olds love Barbie, 12 year olds not so much! She wants to see it, but I'm thinking she's a bit young to be dropping casual motherfuckers at preschool.
 
Barbie seems to be landing well with most people, given that it’s probably the strangest blockbuster of all time. I thought the first hour was extremely funny, but the second threatened to collapse under its own meta-ness. Seeing Ken discover and embrace the patriarchy in the real world did a better job of exploiting how silly and toxic it is than the film’s inevitable Big Points in the second hour, but I appreciate that I’m not necessarily the films target audience. Although it did also contain a joke about the band Pavement, which was extremely triggering. But I have other interests as a man. For example, I have listened to ‘I’m Just Ken’ a dozen times since seeing it. Will need to watch it again in the future, as I felt it impossible to divorce the film from its hype or these perceived politics. Gender aside, I appreciated the sentiment that life, for all its problems and frustrations, is worth living in raw, imperfect form, and that final line in the film did a great job of encapsulating that while remaining very funny. I think the question of what men should ‘do’ these days (aside from being a good ally) is one also worth asking, and funnily enough, I think a Ken spin-off would deal with that cannily.

Anyway, all in all, Oppenheimer was better.
 
pluk said:
I've not seen it, so neither know nor really care what the message is, although that review appears to be referencing the likely age of the audience and their ability if particularly young to understand the nuance of that narrative and dynamic between the characters. That seems a pretty valid concern. Two wrongs don't make right, especially when you are 4 and you won't see beyond face value.

I do think it's a bit of a shame that it doesn't seem to have been made in a way that would make it suitable for the likes of my 4 year old to enjoy, plenty of ways to do that while still having jokes and messages 'hidden' under the surface for the adults to enjoy.

4 year olds love Barbie, 12 year olds not so much! She wants to see it, but I'm thinking she's a bit young to be dropping casual motherfuckers at preschool.
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For what it’s worth, it’s absolutely not for young kids and considering the first trailer was the “beach you off” scene, no part of the marketing has suggested that - the MF is censored though!
 
tayspru said:
For what it’s worth, it’s absolutely not for young kids and considering the first trailer was the “beach you off” scene, no part of the marketing has suggested that - the MF is censored though!
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To be fair, as much as I enjoyed the film and have been very interested in watching it go from meme to cultural phenomenon, I definitely think it's reasonable that people have perhaps been baffled that the Barbie film is an absurdist comedy focusing exclusively on issues of gender and existentialism. Even knowing it was written by Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach, I had initially imagined a more 'Paddington' approach, although both films have a lot of heart in their own way.

Talking of heart, there's a wonderful film out now called 'Past Lives', about two Korean childhood friends whose romance blossoms and is then thwarted when life gets in the way across the world. It's probably my favourite this year.
 
I think from the get go with Greta Gerwig, Noah Baumbach, Margot Robbie, and Ryan Gosling all involved it was never going to be a simple toy commercial writ large.

Sadly I can only see the studios seeing this success ignore the fact its an interesting director with something to say, or the fact there aren't enough movies of this scale aimed at the female market. But will instead double and treble down on films based on toys.

Also if anyone wants to see another Ryan Gosling film were he's playing a fool I'd highly recommend The Nice Guys.
 
pluk said:
I've not seen it, so neither know nor really care what the message is, although that review appears to be referencing the likely age of the audience and their ability if particularly young to understand the nuance of that narrative and dynamic between the characters. That seems a pretty valid concern. Two wrongs don't make right, especially when you are 4 and you won't see beyond face value.

I do think it's a bit of a shame that it doesn't seem to have been made in a way that would make it suitable for the likes of my 4 year old to enjoy, plenty of ways to do that while still having jokes and messages 'hidden' under the surface for the adults to enjoy.

4 year olds love Barbie, 12 year olds not so much! She wants to see it, but I'm thinking she's a bit young to be dropping casual motherfuckers at preschool.
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There was definitly too many parents in the screening I went to that hadn't realised its not a kids film. But I thought it was obvious from the trailers that its a silly comedy film aimed at adults with a stupid sense of humour. But there was a large number of bored under 10s, with the parents on their phones.
 
tayspru said:
For what it’s worth, it’s absolutely not for young kids and considering the first trailer was the “beach you off” scene, no part of the marketing has suggested that - the MF is censored though!
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The 60 odd years of prior marketing Barbie to toddlers is probably not overcome by this!
 
It’s just absolutely not the movies fault that parents don’t pay attention to the media their kids consume
 
I saw it today and thought it was fabulous. The chimp however, got a bit bored although she liked the car chase and the dancing. Absolutely not a kids film but brilliant all the same.
 
Packed in a few more cinema trips before and after the weekend.

The Meg 2 - The Trench

Lots of fun once it got going, Statham always good value in things like this.

Gran Turismo

Surprising good, really good visuals and using a gaming aesthetic for the racing. David Harbour is the best thing in it.

Haunted Mansion

A really game cast led by Lakeith Stanfield, Danny DeVito is lots of fun when he turns up. I've never done any of the rides, except for the knock off one at Europa Park so can't really say how it uses the rides story. I liked the use of the stretching room though.
As for Disney adaptations of rides to films it's definitely no Pirates of the Caribbean, and I enjoyed Jungle Cruise more. Probably get a bit of a cult following similar to Hocus Pocus.
 
John_P said:
New on Netflix is They Cloned Tyrone

Starring John Boyega, Jamie Foxx, and Teyonah Parris.

Really difficult to describe this without spoiling it. But it really mashes the genres together after quickly setting up the main three characters.

Would definitely recommend watching it and going into seeing it with as little knowledge of the film as possible.
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Just watched this on your recommendation and agree totally, really enjoyed it. 10/10
 
I took my 9 year old daughter to see Barbie and I thought it was about right for her. She understood the themes and much of the humour and had a great time. The Mother Fucker is censored, but she knew exactly what was said and laughed her head off.

There seems to be a lust from a loud minority of both hard right wingers and crusading Social "Justice" Warriors to use the movie as a catalyst for their usual brand of divisive gender warfare. But this movie is clearly not designed for either of them, not that I've ever met anyone who is that rabid about it. The converted to their respective causes, hoping to gain social media views and political gains need not apply.

Most of us without axes to grind should find it enjoyable and, apart from one out of tone and cringworthy preachy speech that nearly derails the tone of the movie, it mostly deals with its themes excellently. At some points slapstick and in your face, at other points beautiful and thought provoking, mixed together rather well. Shocked Mattel let this through, which makes the movie even funnier for me.

Regarding Openheimer on the other hand, Christopher Nolan felt the need to explain why he has broken with his usual tradition and included a sex scene in the movie, arguing that it was necessary to the plot. He's known for not including smut, gore and swearing in his (mostly excellent) movies gratuitously. However, unless you're expected to believe that Jean Tatlock genuinely got off on the Bhagavad-Gita being read to her whilst getting it on, I don't buy it. Like the poison apple plot, there is no historical basis for this in a movie that prides itself on being a close interpretation of American Prometheus from which it is based. So, sorry Mr Nolan, it does come across as just an excuse for you to show Florence Pugh's boobies bouncing around (possibly to also show Cillian Murphy naked yet again).

Excellent movie though. I'm watching it for a second time tonight. A great second half of 2023 for Cinema so far. Roll on - err, Saw Patrol anyone?
 
Blue Beetle

The latest DC film, have to say I enjoyed this. It does reference Batman and Superman but it's very much its own thing and completely standalone.
Really liked the main character and how important his family is to him.
No idea were this stands in the DC film universe with them moving into a new era in the next few years but I'd hope this one makes the jump over.
 
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