Chorus.Fm Weekly Movie Club • Page 10

Meek's Cutoff takes us on a slow and deliberate journey through the harsh landscapes of the Wild West. The measured pace reflects the arduousness of the settlers' journey and enhances the feeling of isolation and vulnerability. Reichardt avoids simplistic notions of heroism and focuses instead on confronting the complexities of survival in a harsh and unforgiving environment.

The fact that America was founded on stolen land reverberates through the very fabric of this story, and the vastness of the wilderness becomes a haunting reminder of the displacement and injustices inflicted upon Indigenous communities. It serves as a reminder that beneath the romanticized narratives of the American frontier lies a history of dispossession and displacement, compelling the viewer to acknowledge the truths that often remain obscured by the grandeur and myth-making surrounding the founding of a nation.

 

Four Lions is even better than I remember. It's a perfect satire, lampooning extremists as utter buffoons, but it still manages to make some of them sympathetic and tragic figures. It's genuinely sad at the end when Waj blows himself up in utter confusion and you see Omar's guilt at having manipulated his friend to a pointless death.

Outside of foolish young men getting manipulated, you can see other reasons why they would become radicalized with just how incompetent the police are in every scene they appear in. The "is a wookie a bear?" bit was hilarious, along with the "we want to make it clear, we shot the right man but the wrong one blew up".

It's hilarious all the way through too. Puffin party, the altered version of the Lion King, bazooka pointing the wrong way, "my dad was pecked to death by chicken's, you think I would joke about that?". Too much to fit in one post.

 

Like a lot of great satire, the film has grown in relevance.

This was pre-ISIS, so since then we have seen many stories of Western-born or longtime Western residents who decided to convert or join fundamentalist terror cells, and the one constant is that they tended to live pretty normal aimless young middle-class male lifestyles before something in them changed. The characters here are performing fundamentalism but they are more looking for meaning in their lives. This observation has been made many times, but the mirror image in White America is seen in the MAGA and other racist online movements. Of course, there are countless videos mocking those people, often by just asking simple questions and letting them incriminate themselves, so it makes sense that the characters here have less than a coherent ideology as well.

 

I did think about the parallels to the MAGA movement and what drives someone to join up with the Proud Boys as I was watching. American remakes tend to be awful, but I do think there could be an interesting take on this film reframed for the rise in the far-right movement here in the US. I don't know who I would trust to do it though.

 

Kieran Culkin gives a solid performance in Igby Goes Down and the exploration of privilege, parental abuse, and the struggle for identity in the film resonates, even if it falls slightly short of its full potential.

 

Sorry for the terrorist rant I see you guys probably just want a fun movie attacking proudboys


I have a problem with correlating the rise of MAGA and islamic extremism because it removes the ideology and demographics and just looks at the pattern which is all there for how to blow up a pipeline too. The pattern of [feel bad > pick and ideology > go hard] got us democracy so I only have a problem with the ideology picked. Discussion of why they feel bad largely comes down to the ideology you've picked.


Blaming internet echo chambers feels like blaming the french revolution on the printing press.

 

I think @aoftbsten is next.

 

Ahh damn, I’m traveling all week so we’ll probably have to skip me.

 

@bradsonemanband then?

 

I will accept your challenge

 

If anyone is late to the thread, or are like me and kinda fell off the last few weeks, I made a Letterboxd list of all the selections so far for referencing. I'll try to remember to keep it updated as we go

 

Do you have a pick?

 

It’s hard finding movies I wanna watch that I haven’t seen that are also readily available on streaming services.

let’s go with Heathers (1989) I believe it’s on Prime, if my Google search is accurate.

 

Awesome. I needed this little boot in the ass to finally watch it. It’s one of my biggest misses

 

Heathers is so good

 

Just finished Four Lions - a daring satire that tackles the absurdity of religious extremism. While the script includes genuinely funny moments, it also never shies away from the harrowing aspects of terrorism. Chris Morris manages to evoke sympathy for some of the misguided characters while also showcasing their lack of coherence in their ideologies.

The film prompts viewers to question the motivations and beliefs of the characters, shedding light on the complexities that drive their actions. By revealing the lack of coherence in their ideologies, it explores the individual search for identity and meaning. This provokes introspection and serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of fanaticism.

 

It has been a few years since my last re-watch of Heathers, and I am glad that it still holds up. The film explores the concept of individualism and its consequences within the high school setting, where suicide and the glorification of self-destruction become symbols of rebellion and popularity. It remains incredibly quotable, and the chemistry between Winona Ryder and Christian Slater is fantastic.

The film's influence on popular culture cannot be denied, and its relevance in sparking conversations about the pressures of conformity and the consequences of selfishness still holds true today.

 

First time with Heathers, what an honor to watch such an important peice of emo cinema history. Did not know From First to Last named their ablum after that quote. This ranks it up there at the top with Enternal Sunshine and Donnie Darko.

Revisited the album again and had a blast! Sonnys going off and the druming performance and production is unhinged.

 

@flask is next.

 

I’ll choose one tonight

 

whats the pick?

 

can we do documentaries?

 

If it had a theatrical release i dont see why not

 

Fuck yeah make me watch an obscure/controversial documentary. Tis why I follow this thread

 

All Light, Everywhere (2021)

Streaming on hulu and also for free on youtube.