To me, Poppy sort of dances right on the edge of being over-precious, but it never quite crosses the line into feeling banal or forced. In real life, someone like that might eventually get under my skin, but as a character here? I find them pretty endearing.
It’s that whole "carefree" vibe paired with a superficially lighthearted movie—but it wouldn't be Leigh if he didn't weave in those various social frictions like racism, domestic tension, aggression, or just general petty small-mindedness. He hits those notes just enough to scratch the surface and flesh out Poppy's character without diving into a heavy-handed deep dive into any single issue.
Arthur Garcia59 said:I honestly don't think there was any guarantee that at least ten people would actually show up for the screening, so I really don't get the intense energy from the people who head over there only to walk right back out. It’s like, do they not bother to check what's actually being shown before they make the trip?
Megan Rodriguez44 said:And that’s exactly what I’ve never been able to wrap my head around. It’s like there’s this deep-seated need to be witnessed, to be able to stand up and say, "Yeah, I was actually there." They feel they have to be seen to exist, and then they go through all that agonizing struggle just to prove it. 🙂
...
Megan Rodriguez44 said:I went to see the new Carpenter flick... honestly, I couldn't even make it through the first third. I had to walk out.
redowl90 said:I'm not following. What was so funny?
Look, I didn't mean anything by it—honestly. It just triggered a memory of some lines from a book about tired old clichés. I figured it’d be pretty awkward to start lecturing everyone about literature when that isn't even what we're talking about, right?
And, for what it's worth, that movie poster is actually pretty slick. 🙂
Honestly, I think it’s a fundamental failure in direction—or maybe just poor screenwriting. They completely gutted the character development. In the book, their relationship evolves through layers of subtext, making certain scenes feel earned and deeply meaningful. But when you strip all that context away for the screen, those same moments just feel hollow and unconvincing.
You really nailed it with that cliché comment, 🤣 you actually had me laughing. I don't even want to get into a whole debate about it right now, but yeah, LOL. No offense intended, 😉
@ redowl90 - I’m not so sure; they already cut quite a bit from that second installment. If they had trimmed it any further, the whole thing would have been gutted. For me, the issue lies more toward the beginning—I think they could have used a bit more breathing room to really build out their relationship during those childhood years.
Kimberly Anderson22 said:I don't know, I'd say—if I had to choose—it's primarily about cowardice. It's about shame, and honestly, all the baggage that kind of cowardice leaves behind in a person's life. People don't always realize that those kinds of scars aren't something you can just move past; I guess some mistakes just stay with you forever.
That's a fair point. In many ways, the theme is strikingly similar to what we see in Atonement.
I noticed there wasn't a dedicated thread for this yet, and since it’s currently playing in theaters, I figured I’d start one...
The movie is an adaptation of the debut novel by the American author of Afghan descent, Khaled Hosseini. If you haven't read it, I’d highly recommend doing so; it is an incredibly moving story, and Hosseini is a writer with massive potential.
The plot kicks off in the USA, where Amira (our protagonist 😉), an Afghan immigrant living in America, places a phone call to an old family friend, urging him to return to Afghanistan to help his friend's son. As he makes that journey, we're taken back through a series of flashbacks detailing the childhood events that shaped who he became. While the backdrop is the political instability in Afghanistan / Kabul during the late seventies, at its core, this is a story about friendship, loyalty, and humanity—but also their darkest opposites.
I have to admit, watching a film right after finishing the book felt a little strange... it’s that classic feeling where you sense certain details were left on the cutting room floor. That said, I think the movie manages to capture all the essential beats of the novel and successfully translates its spirit to the screen. I also want to give a shout-out to the cast. Most of them were completely new to me, but honestly, not a single one of them missed a beat 🙂
Definitely worth checking out, both the book and the film. 🙂
I honestly can’t believe how quiet this thread is. We’re talking about a handful of comments here, while that other discussion about the Tribeca Film Festival went on for pages. *sigh* I managed to catch about ten screenings in total, and I’m sitting here wondering if this year's lineup was genuinely that stellar or if my standards have just shifted. Either way, everything I saw hit the mark. 🙂 Obviously, there isn't a uniform level of quality across the board, but sometimes a truly compelling subject matter can carry a film much further than its technical polish.
I was actually pleasantly surprised by the turnout at the screenings. The crowds were solid, and the organization was surprisingly smooth—it was such a relief that the schedule actually stayed on track. They really nailed the timing this year. It wasn't like the mess we dealt with at the Toronto International Film Festival, where they’d schedule films for 8:00 PM and 10:30 PM, but then slot a thirty-minute short right before a massive three-hour epic. By the time the crowd settles in, the trailers run, and people filter out, you’re already forty-five minutes behind schedule. :rolajz:
All things considered, this year's Sundance Film Festival was 👍
I caught a screening of War Dance a couple of nights ago—it covers war-torn Northern Kenya and follows kids heading to a national music and dance competition. I really appreciated how they handled the subject matter; it’s this heavy, tragic undertone because you’re looking at childhoods that have been completely shattered, yet it’s balanced by this incredible sense of optimism and raw vitality. It’s an emotional rollercoaster, honestly. Very moving. I also managed to catch a short film by Lozinski and was pleasantly surprised—it was witty and felt quite gutsy for its time. I’ve definitely missed out on a lot of what I intended to see—including the re-release of The Devil Came on Horseback today (yeah, yeah, I know, I clearly have a thing for stories about Africa 😉), but starting tomorrow—well, technically starting now since it's hard to type this in the middle of the night 😁—I’m planning to hit at least two screenings a day. 🙂
Sophia Hughes90 said:So, how much are the tickets?
Kenneth Lee16 said:Stop messing with me. I’ve built this massive storage unit and I need to fill it with something useful. Would about 400 used DVDs work? Maybe around $700? As for VHS, I wouldn't pay more than $110 total. But I'm looking for the originals because this is for a hospitality business.
Honestly, just grab some graphic novels or books for people to flip through when they show up. Okay, fair point—nobody is going to walk out with a stack of VHS tapes. 😬
The Japanese film 😉 wasn't exactly a home run, to be honest. 😢 And the guy promoting tomorrow's screening was really hyping it up, calling it one of those standout feel-good movies from Sundance.
Actually, they aren't sold out. I went looking for tickets for that Israeli film and showed up around 6:00 PM—which was three hours before the screening—and there were still about ten left. But keep in mind, that movie was a festival winner, so naturally, the crowd was bigger. When I went to grab tickets for tomorrow today, there were plenty left for all three remaining screenings. People don't really rush to buy tickets in bulk ahead of time here. However, the guy working the box office did give me a heads-up: he suggested getting there earlier because once things start moving, they sell out fast. Since the seating isn't numbered, you really want to get in early to snag a decent spot.
So, my honest advice? Don't wait until 8:55 to show up looking for a ticket, because you might find yourself staring at an empty box office. You can always call ahead to check availability. You can't reserve a seat, obviously, but you can definitely get a status update. Also, just a heads-up: even though the website says "Tickets available on the day of the event from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM," I have a feeling they actually wrap up sales around 1:00 PM and then pick back up around 5:00 PM. Some guy told me that when I called earlier 🤔—I can't recall the exact details, so your best bet is to just call them and ask.
The screenings start at 9 PM. Honestly, I’d suggest you don't wait until the absolute last minute to grab your tickets. It gets incredibly crowded around here—it was a madhouse during that Israeli film, for instance, and even today when I went to get my ticket for tonight's showing (šuma žalovanje), they told me the sessions were already fully booked. ***
***EDIT - To clarify, those earlier shows were the ones sold out, not necessarily the upcoming ones. Looking back at what I wrote, I realized I phrased that pretty clumsily.
Thanks, jadetinker85 🙂 I caught a screening of Drag Blato today, and honestly, I’m still thinking about it. It’s such a powerful, heavy-hitting piece of cinema 🙂
There’s something special about that improvised cinema vibe they have over at MUO, just sitting out in the courtyard under the open sky. My only real gripe? Those chairs are absolutely brutal—my back is killing me now. But hey, if you have to endure some physical discomfort to sit through a truly great film, 🙂it's worth it.
Sean Nguyen said:Can anyone tell me how much a single ticket costs per screening, without getting into all those deals from $33 where you get 5 screenings for a bundle?
$8.25You can grab those via VIP SMS for $20. As for the live show, you can catch Amadeo performing in Washington, D.C. for $30. 🙂 I'm not sure what you're getting at with that abbreviation. If you have a specific topic or a piece of text you want me to rework, lay it out for me. I'm ready when you are.
Alright, folks down below—do me a solid and drop a few thoughts on the movies you've watched lately. I’d love to hear what you actually thought of them. Up next on stage, we’ve got Amadeo performing:
drag blato Adam Meshuga'at Dror Shaul Adam Meshuga'at Dror Shaul, Israel
"Red Road" Andrea Arnold, United Kingdom
day night day night day Night day Night Julia Loktev, USA
"Forest of Lamentation" Mogari no mori Naomi Kawase, Japan
"MY BROTHER IS AN ONLY CHILD" My brother is an only child. Daniele Luchetti, Italy
ruggedmarlin15 said:On Tuesday, July 24th at 9:15 PM, the Barbacan theater will be screening the Japanese horror classic "Kurutta ippeiji" (stranica ludilo) from 1926. What makes this screening special is that benshi (a live narrator) is traveling all the way from Japan to perform. Since the film is silent, it’s definitely an experience for those who enjoy that style...
ruggedmarlin15
P.S. There's also a Tamara Obrovac concert on Monday night.
😢 I’d really love to see that. Honestly, I'm dying to know what that actually looked like back in the day—you know, that whole scene with the Benshijin in Japan.
Quote : Discovery
ruggedmarlin15 said:On Tuesday, July 24th at 9:15 PM, the Barbacan theater will be screening the Japanese horror classic "Kurutta ippeiji" (stranica ludilo) from 1926. What makes this screening special is that benshi (a live narrator) is traveling all the way from Japan to perform. Since the film is silent, it’s definitely an experience for those who enjoy that style...
ruggedmarlin15
P.S. There's also a Tamara Obrovac concert on Monday night.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. 😢
Well, that leaves me with nothing but Amadeo. At this point, I’ll just take whatever comes my way. To everyone heading out to the Sundance Film Festival, I hope you have an absolute blast and get to see plenty of great films. 🙂 Honestly, this whole mandatory ticket purchase thing for campers is such a joke. If you ask me, they shouldn't be offering any discounts at all. 😈 😬 Look, let's be real here—the folks heading out to a campsite aren't exactly swimming in cash, so come on...
Honestly, it’s genuinely great. I actually enjoyed watching it—the theater was about half full today, which is pretty impressive considering it's mid-week and the film has already been out for a while now. 🙂 I don't recall seeing Marion Cotillard in anything quite like this before, but she absolutely crushed this performance. 👍
Just like Joseph Lee3, that handheld camera work at the beginning really threw me for a loop, but thank God they moved past it quickly. 😬 There were a few moments where I felt a bit lost in the narrative; that non-linear jumping through time was honestly disorienting. 😵 But ultimately, the kind of life events depicted here are what define a person, and it almost doesn't matter exactly which stage of life they occurred in. I adore her songs, but I realized after watching this movie that I knew next to nothing about her actual life. I had no idea it was so heavily marked by personal tragedy, or that she passed away at just 47 😢 years old.
Anonymous said:Wait, aren't both versions playing in theaters right now?
They are, though there's an unsynchronized version running over at AMC Theatres. It’s charming, funny, and actually carries a decent little lesson 😉—it's solid, all things considered. Plus, the animation quality is high enough that I think seeing it on a big screen is worth the ticket price. Then again, I have a massive soft spot for animation, so maybe my judgment is a bit biased. 😁