spintheblackestcircles.org

What say you, hive mind?

Looking forward to a second watch, hopefully projected somewhere. Will keep a lid on my thoughts for now.

As a side-topic:

Q. WHICH FILM WAS IT WHEN YOU REALISED THAT JENNIFER JASON LEIGH WAS A GODDESS WALKING UPON THE EARTH?

ScoJo wrote:Q. WHICH FILM WAS IT WHEN YOU REALISED THAT JENNIFER JASON LEIGH WAS A GODDESS WALKING UPON THE EARTH?

eXistenZ

I have beef with alex garland, but it’s on my list for the weekend. He fits in the category of ‘people I don’t like, really like Alex Garland films’ category. I’m always amazed by Portman, she’s done so much in her life.

JJL is from hudsucker proxy, in my 90s top five and my entry point to the Coens and Roger Deakins world. 1993/94/95 contain all the essential movies for life

93/4/5 were indeed excellent vintage years for movies.

Good JJL picks.

I have to go even earlier, muckers - she's great in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, but Flesh & Blood swiftly followed by her short (but incredible) part(s) in The Hitcher? Lord.

@ScoJo - She has been on my periphery since Fast Times and The Hitcher (I would also throw in Backdraft and SWF along with Hudsucker Proxy), but I had quite the unique psychedelic experience for my initial viewing of eXistenZ, so that one is going to get my top vote. Is Last Exit to Brooklyn worthy of the list? I've seen some eye-catching screenshots...

The hitcher! Holy shit never knew twas her

deafmetal wrote:@ScoJo - She has been on my periphery since Fast Times and The Hitcher (I would also throw in Backdraft and SWF along with Hudsucker Proxy), but I had quite the unique psychedelic experience for my initial viewing of eXistenZ, so that one is going to get my top vote. Is Last Exit to Brooklyn worthy of the list? I've seen some eye-catching screenshots...

I adore eXistenZ (i love how we're both insisting on it's silly meta-tyopgraphy ;) Last Exit to Brooklyn is astonishing, heart breaking and brutal. Like just about everything by Hubert Selby Jr. (Can't recommend him enough if you've not read him).
A truly great film, and she is phenomenal in it - a tragic force of nature. If I didn't love the other two I mentioned so bad, I would have gone for this as her 'revelatory' performance in a New York minute.

Single White Female?

Bezulsqy wrote:Single White Female?

Excellent choice - actually one of my very favourite performances of hers (and she's unbearably cute in it too ;)

IMO she elevates what is a pretty damn average 90s B-thriller onto another zeit-geisty level because she creates such a believable, sympathetic role out of 'lonely loser girl goes nuts' - I was rooting for her all the way through, as the honest, complicated, kinda damaged wallflower against that cold yuppie 90s beyatch that Fonda embodied.

Well, maybe most of the way through ;D

Back to the primary question:

I really liked Annihilation first time round. I liked it even more on second viewing. Watch it if you can y'all! (and if you're in US and can't get to a screening, hit me up for share...DM as per)

MINOR SPOILER:
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
If I were forced to be even remotely critical, I would suggest that it perhaps (unconsciously?) leans a little heavily on Under The Skin with it's ending, in both very direct and very abstract ways. I think you'll get what I mean. Did not prevent my enjoyment in any way however. Some stunning visual/conceptual ideas and moments. One to return to just to be absorbed in the world it creates. Music is PHENOMENAL.

Fast times for me...although Phoebe Cates was my dream.

Really good movie. Lot’s of good stuff to unpack.

As for JJL... Fast Times.

Credits are rolling. Need to digest. Music during last half hour and credits is fantastic. Loved the premise. Loved the flora. The fauna not sure.
Did wish my screen was bigger...

I've seen it 5 times now (Netflix) and I just found that it's screening at a local Everyman cinema for one showing on Mar 27th. I will be there. Last home viewing I sat really close to my monitor and the level of detail/new stuff that was revealed was very exciting. Can't wait. This film demands Imax!!

I will also be buying 2x copies of Invada vinyl ost release with the speed of the ancients. Incredible (mostly non-electronic) score, Salisbury and Barrow are the real deal.

ScoJo wrote:I've seen it 5 times now (Netflix) and I just found that it's screening at a local Everyman cinema for one showing on Mar 27th. I will be there. Last home viewing I sat really close to my monitor and the level of detail/new stuff that was revealed was very exciting. Can't wait. This film demands Imax!!

I will also be buying 2x copies of Invada vinyl ost release with the speed of the ancients. Incredible (mostly non-electronic) score, Salisbury and Barrow are the real deal.

We have a true fan!

^Bez - haha!

So much so in fact....spent the evening drinking and having synth having fun with a pal, who filmed me stumbling upon this:


https://twitter.com/ShottIvangorod/stat ... 3641808896

ScoJo wrote:^Bez - haha!

So much so in fact....spent the evening drinking and having synth having fun with a pal, who filmed me stumbling upon this:


https://twitter.com/ShottIvangorod/stat ... 3641808896

This is brilliant – that bass!

Finally got stuck into this. No surprises whatsoever, it’s the usual Garland trick of watching an episode of Star Trek or some middle ranking sci fi and incorporating it into a very basic plot. Like ex machina or 28 days later you only need to have seen one decent science fiction trope in your entire life and this comes in second. He’s a rip off merchant.

However: music/sound design = phenomenal
However: visuals = phenomenal.

Why it isn’t on general release in cinemas, imax, even a shitty post-effect 3D version is a total mystery. Maybe not the last one. The bedwetting millennial demographic shouldn’t be allowed to decide, this is a no brainer Saturday night spectacular with flaws. I’m getting older so I can’t overlook them but I can imagine this going down really well with a 16 year old me

Funny, the older I get the more willing I am to overlook flaws. When I was a young 20 something film snob I shit all over stuff. Now I enjoy the hell out of things that are severly flawed because honestly I just want to be entertained.

I loved this. And while it isn't perfect, it was a beautiful big sci-fi film that deserved more than 2 weeks in the theaters (in the US, I know it went straight to Netflix for the UK folks). At a time when we get a lot of the same things at the box office it's nice to have a some what original film hit the screen, I just wish it did better so it would put some confidence back in the studio system.

Only got round to watching this at the weekend and loved it. Not flawless by any stretch (characters a bit under-developed, and having one character explain the motivations of all other characters in a single sentence was a whopping sledgehammer of exposition).

Yes, it wasn't entirely original either, but I was taken in by the ideas, and the world they had created. Some of the 'horror' moments were very effective and the score was excellent, as could be expected. I could watch Garland/Barrow & Salisbury collaborations every day of the week, based on Ex Machina and now this. Highly recommended.

finally saw it, thought it was pretty decent. the visuals are amazing.

All things considering, this was a pretty good watch I must say. I enjoyed every minute of it. I decided not to be too critical of the weak points because it hit home with me in so many other regards.

Bump!

So, it has always bugged me that the cue where she first encounters the entity(?) is not on the soundtrack. Turns out that's because it's not a Barrow/Salisbury joint, but in fact this piece by Moderat: