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Joined: Sun May 25, 2014 9:32 pm Posts: 31614 Location: Garbage Dump
theplatypus wrote:
LoathedVermin72 wrote:
I actually thought the direction was terrible in Gravity. Cuaron's insistence on doing that opening sequence in one shot was distractingly showy and felt more like a proclamation of "I AM ALFONSO CUARON AND I'M KNOWN FOR LONG TAKES" than an organically conceived and executed sequence.
I think I derived more enjoyment out of the almost balletical unraveling of that sequence than any gripes I could have with Cuaron being showy. Also, you thought the direction was "terrible"? I'm going to assume you're being hyperbolic, because there was nothing about the use of cinematric devices, plays on POV, camera movement and sequencing in that movie that pointed to anything other than a visual storytelling powerhouse at total ease with the elements he's juggling. I understand, and to some point empathize, with the issues that people can raise about the story, the dialogue and the music, but I can't really fathom how someone with an understanding of cinematic language can diss the movie on a compositional level.
I'm not being hyperbolic; I legitimately found it to be terribly directed movie. “Compositional” skills (and it’s debatable whether Cuaron even handles this element well here) don’t mean much when the aesthetics and style are as showy and heavy-handed as they are here (that fetal position shot…uggghhhh). I found the camera movement and general use of visual kinetics to be, like I said, showy and distracting. It’s less a film than a theme park ride with delusions of grandeur. It’s all so over-the-top and self-satisfied that it’s almost jokey.
Joined: Tue January 01, 2013 3:35 pm Posts: 32296 Location: Buenos Aires
And Fifi Howls From Happiness, which won the International Prize at the Buenos Aires independent film festival this year but is actually from 2013. An outstanding documentary. Frozen, Iron Man 3 and The World's End were also movies I really enjoyed. Man, 2013 was a pretty good year, I think.
Joined: Tue January 01, 2013 3:35 pm Posts: 32296 Location: Buenos Aires
LoathedVermin72 wrote:
I'm not being hyperbolic; I legitimately found it to be terribly directed movie. “Compositional” skills (and it’s debatable whether Cuaron even handles this element well here) don’t mean much when the aesthetics and style are as showy and heavy-handed as they are here (that fetal position shot…uggghhhh). I found the camera movement and general use of visual kinetics to be, like I said, showy and distracting. It’s less a film than a theme park ride with delusions of grandeur.
It's a disaster movie that aims to be an immersive experience; in that regard, it succeeds with aplomb, and those visual elements are employed masterfully. I agree that womb shot was particularly heavy-handed, though, as were several elements of the ending.
Joined: Sun May 25, 2014 9:32 pm Posts: 31614 Location: Garbage Dump
theplatypus wrote:
LoathedVermin72 wrote:
I'm not being hyperbolic; I legitimately found it to be terribly directed movie. “Compositional” skills (and it’s debatable whether Cuaron even handles this element well here) don’t mean much when the aesthetics and style are as showy and heavy-handed as they are here (that fetal position shot…uggghhhh). I found the camera movement and general use of visual kinetics to be, like I said, showy and distracting. It’s less a film than a theme park ride with delusions of grandeur.
It's a disaster movie that aims to be an immersive experience; in that regard, it succeeds with aplomb, and those visual elements are employed masterfully. I agree that womb shot was particularly heavy-handed, though, as were several elements of the ending.
But it’s not really a disaster movie; Cuaron is too pretentious to do that honestly and well. It’s trying to be something more grandiose; Cuaron is shoving his style down the movie’s throat. I’d argue that any of Roland Emmerich’s disaster movies are more successful, better made, less pretentious, and more rewarding/satisfying/entertaining.
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