Chorus.Fm Weekly Movie Club • Page 22

In Bed with Victoria was cute. Virginie Efira is great and should be in more things. (More people watch Benedetta, please.)

 

Same, I’ve only seen Opening Night

 

Ahh I knew I recognized her from something else. I loved Benedetta.

 

https://reverseshot.org/features/3126/american_movie

Great read Re: American Movie

 

My blu ray came. So stoked.

 

I watched and really enjoyed Ikarie XB 1.

It seems to straddle the line between the wonders of space travel (talking robots and interiors straight out of The Jetsons), and a bleaker more paranoid version of life and death in space. Perhaps being made in 1963 was an exact perfect time for those two approaches to sci-fi and space travel to align.

The set design here is fantastic, a blend of surreal and menacing architecture depicting a futuristic ship 100 years in the future. This pairs well with the looping sound design, sounding ahead of it's time for 1963 with it's bleeps and whistles, but with a real sinister repeating edge to it. The more you hear it, the more it gets under your skin.

 

The Devils was absolutely wild. I loved it.

 

In Bed with Victoria was charming. It not only serves as a poignant exploration of depression and social disorders but also breaks away from genre conventions. Justine Triet balances the absurdities and moral complexities inherent in the pursuit of truth and also questions the notion of success in the 21st century.

Thanks again to @George for the hook-up!

 

Ikarie XB 1 was difficult to get into at first, but the more time passed, the more I became completely engrossed by it. A fascinating Czech film that was way ahead of its time. Beautiful sets, stunning spacecraft models, and an ending that confirms that aliens exist.

 

@aliens exist is up

@George is up next week

 

Decided to go with The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie for my pick. Doesn't seem to be streaming anywhere, but should be available on all good torrent sites and I have a copy uploaded on my Google Drive if anyone needs a link.

 

Ikarus XB-1’s optimistic view of humanity. Alien (1979) the team discovers new life, they are undercut by capitalist sabotage, corrupt crew, fear and only through the determination of the individual can one triumph or even just survive. With the capitalist left behind discovered dead hoarding their nukes, Ikarus says humanity will flourish through cooperation. Dangers are approached not with war drones but together with an olive branch. “Humans are not perfect like robots, all we have left is hope and bravery” when fear strikes we do not have to retaliate with violence, it can be treated with compassion, as an opportunity for connection.


“No im not afraid. honestly, id just love to hear those words that we made up together”

 

Ikarie XB-1 fucking rules. Love all the designs, the part where they find the "alien" ship is incredible. Really wish the ending went on just a little longer, would've loved to see them touch down on the planet.

 

Still thinking about Ikarie as well. At first I was struggling to put together the optimistic ending with some of the more dour sequences like the nuke spacecraft. I think @Long Century's take on it helped my understanding. The nuke sequence represents the barbaric self-interested politics of the Cold War (with the capitalist side being the paranoid and destructive side here). In the end, the ship survives through hope and the kindness of beings they don't even know.

It might be my favorite of this round so far.

Starting Husbands tonight and then maybe I can sneak in The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie tomorrow.

 

Watching now, will probably only get through half

 

Yeah this is a tough one haha. Performances are really incredible, obviously, but I need to take a break from these guys for a bit

 

The way Husbands is shot is really interesting. Most of the time when we are viewing our main characters, the camera feels very voyeuristic. It's either very far away from the action or slightly obscured by objects in the foreground. That contrasts with several close-ups of the people (women, more often than not) these three men are harassing. With this framing, we see the contrast between the men behaving how they will when they think no one is watching versus how that behavior makes everyone around them feel.

It's not an easy watch as it goes on. At first, it seems like an enjoyable slice of life look at three friends going through the trauma of losing someone. As it goes on, we see how that grief manifests itself in male power fantasies and just gross behavior.

 

The contempt Cassavetes holds for the characters in Husbands is palpable from the very beginning. The trio of protagonists, played by Cassavetes, Columbo, and Jackie Treehorn, are unable to deal with their grief and impending midlife crises without resorting to bullying and berating everyone in their path. Strangers, spouses, and even each other are not spared from their scorn. They flee from their responsibilities and engage in childlike debauchery. Yet, even in this escape, they find themselves unable to break free from their internal struggles. Inevitably, their search for freedom becomes a source of mutual embarrassment, and in the end, they surrender wearily to their prior obligations. They opt not to resolve any of their emotional conflicts but to remain trapped in their own expectations of masculinity.

 

Im at the vomit scene and would like a break

 

@George is up!

@I Am Mick is up next week

 

My choice is a documentary called Streetwise from 1984.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streetwise_(1984_film)

A documentary about young homeless people in the streets of Seattle. Meant to be very good, but quite possibly a bit harrowing, though I haven’t actually seen it yet. Hopefully it doesn’t ruin my week!

Available in good quality on YouTube here;

Alternatively, please feel free to let me know if you’d prefer a link to it on Google Drive, or similar.

 

Really great one

 

Husbands. There is debate in certain mens circles on the advice “just be yourself”, that women do not respect vulnerability and perceive it as weakness. Husbands what it is you, your inner self, your stunted ego, that core part of you is what is repulsive. How fortunate for these men that they have brothers to indulge them and share their disgusting lives with free of judgment. How unfortunate for everyone else involved

 

Watched Streetwise.

The filmmakers have remarkable access and images here, a series of raw and vulnerable portraits of children on the fringes of society, but living day to day in the cities. What we get here is snapshots of life, little moments in 1984, characters and people that might only pop up briefly, no doubt with their own story and hardships.

At points (in fact for most of it), it's harrowing beyond belief, children being exploited, forced into prostitution or addiction by scumbag pimps. We hear these children, 13-14 year old talk about tricks, and the men they're with, all while barely understanding their own anatomy, and it almost makes you blind with rage and sympathy.

This film simultaneously made me reflect on how grateful and lucky I am by comparison, and also made me feel like Travis Bickle.

 

Yeah it’s one that will stick with you. One of the kids was later killed by the Green River Killer