Posts by Jose Miller17

blueranger12 said:Alright, look, Ethel and that guy are actually my favorites. 😁 That scene where they walk through the park is funny. And when "that guy" claims this is his best Christmas ever, it didn't make me laugh. 😕 I just pictured him without the TV (😁) and without anyone else, and realized how much better that would be. Who knows, maybe I’ve just lost my touch, or maybe I need to start drinking again.
They aren't flat; maybe they're shallow, but not flat (don't try to figure out the difference, I don't know either). But the dad is solid because he stood by his wife and tried to understand. Like, he wasn't thrilled, but he knew she didn't mean any harm. He's the deepest character behind Vera. Also, why didn't they dive more into Vera's past? Give us some backstory so we actually get it. What if things had gone differently?
Just a plot device? What plot? Maybe just a way to create a heavy atmosphere?

...so now you're telling me that walk in the park isn't something...😍...
...and now that you've imagined him without a TV...🤣...no wonder he was so depressed...what war? He didn't even have a TV!! 😁😁...
...well...the past...that part felt unfinished...I got the impression it was intended...but to me, she was more like a vertical axis that the whole movie revolves around...like a central pillar of New York. You have hundreds of different families and fates, but if they share anything, it's her...Vera...the only thing bigger than faith is—tea...tea and faith...that was the vibe of the 50s...New York and tea were accessible to everyone... at least until they squeezed them out. I also find it interesting how you have this completely ordinary woman performing abortions like she's just brewing tea... faster, actually...there's no over-the-top heroism or glorification here...
...I always feel like Mike Leigh is talking about family above all else.

blueranger12 said:I hated it.😕 And quite a bit, actually. Like you guys said, the whole subplot with the wealthy woman was a total waste. It’s like a useless appendix—just sits there doing nothing. It tries to make a point about privilege, but it feels totally disconnected from the rest of the movie. Then you have Ethel and that guy... what's his name? She's too muddled to say anything meaningful about the abortion theme, and he just plays this naive, simpleton type because he grew up with a bunch of brothers. And the sister-in-law? A completely flat, wasted character. Total zero.
To keep it brief, they completely missed the mark with the main motive: abortion. You could have had some killer dialogue or used it to really test the characters, but instead, half the movie is just Vera skipping around happily performing abortions, while the other half is just people mumbling and crying. Empathy level: 0%. Frustration level: 100%.
It was about as bad for me as All or Nothing. Haven't seen Naked or Secrets & Lies.

1. If we're being specific... the wealthy woman subplot isn't "wasted," it's just weirdly paced... kind of like that appendix analogy you used...
...it kicks off with a lot of energy and then just dies.
2. Don't even get me started on Ethel and "that guy"...🙂...they don't need to lecture us about abortion... why would they?... "that guy" said more in one single sentence than he ever needed to...😁...
3. The sister-in-law is flat? ...Sister-in-laws are flat, fathers are flat, friends are flat... some people are just flat.😁
....
In my opinion, the abortion thing is just the catalyst for the plot...

Justin Patel said:Was she only included to show off how much money goes into making this legally?

...
I feel like... honestly, you get the sense that something big is actually going to happen with her...

blueranger12 said:Alright, maybe I'm being a bit dramatic 😬 Sure, taste is subjective, but people love using that excuse to justify watching absolute garbage. I just enjoy playing devil's advocate to see if I can nudge them toward having actual standards. 🙂

I don't think you could be more right if you tried (is that allowed 😁?)... the "I like it" category gets under people's skin because it’s basically a shield for ignorance. Film as an art form is constantly undervalued. Most people just rate movies based on gut feeling... film literacy is basically non-existent, and throwing out negative criticism is free. 😁 😁
...
The difference between what someone likes and what is actually good is massive... even those people realize that much. 😁

blueranger12 said:No offense to the movie, but that whole "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" line is just lazy. It’s wrong. You have good stuff—it appeals to people who actually know what they're looking at. You have bad stuff—it appeals to people who don't. Absolute truth exists; relativity is just a cop-out. Let's not play games here. Please, let's be real.

...so can someone who 'knows' actually enjoy something 'bad'?
...or can someone who 'doesn't know' actually enjoy something 'good'?...

Alex Rogers96 said:What about Career Girls, Life is Sweet, Bleak Moments, High Hopes, or Topsy-Turvy?

.....I'm hoping I get a chance to catch those. Bleak Moments was one of his early ones... just praying PBS puts them on... High Hopes too...

Brenda Rodriguez17 said:Which four?

Vera, All or Nothing, Secrets & Lies, and obviously Naked...
...

Brenda Rodriguez17 said:Personally, I still think Naked is his best work, like I mentioned before, but I'd love to hear which of his other films you guys have seen and which one hit home for you most?

I've checked off four from that list... but Naked is easily in a league of its own for me.😍...

45 and counting 😁😁

Noah Harris50 said:Keep it simple. 🤣

🤣 🤣

Only 35 people have seen the movie so far 👍...as for Avina’s grandma and the critic, I still can't tell if they were laughing or just crying 😁😁

Whether it was intentional or not, half the theater lost it. Everyone was cracking up. :-)

Brenda Rodriguez17 said:Watched it last night.
Classic Leigh.
Nobody captures that heavy, dark, suffocating atmosphere without making it feel cheap or pathetic quite like he does.
And it wasn't just Vera Drake; the entire cast was spot on.
Man.
The son and daughter too.
And Reg... man, Reg is a genius. This is officially my favorite depressing Christmas ever.

...Yeah, that kitchen scene at Christmas... imagine, the worst part is Reg actually told the truth 😢 ... 😁

Brenda Rodriguez17 said:I can't wait to go see Vera Drake.
But let's be real, nothing, and I mean NOTHING, tops Naked Gun.

That goes without saying. :-)

placidseal18 said:Easy there, kid. Don't get cocky. 😉

You know the rule... never disrespect someone who’s clearly had work done or spends their life obsessing over women whose names rhyme with a wheelbarrow. So, I take back everything I said about you being too critical of Hollywood films. 😁

placidseal18 said:I’m talking about the casting director's job here. Wouldn't it be easier to just pick someone who actually looks the part instead of sweating over whether they can pull it off? It’s not like Anne Hathaway is going to save this, and honestly, it’s not like this is going to be some massive Hollywood film either. 😉

Come on, just admit who's paying you to lobby for them! Just put a name on it already. 😁

placidseal18 said:Who's paying you? Seriously, who is actually footing your bill? 😉

Fidelity Investments 😁

...Leigh’s latest flick covers Vera Drake, a woman performing abortions in 1950s London... there's a lot of truth to be found there... but you have to hand it to Leigh, England in his movies is never exactly a vacation destination....
On top of that, he put together the best onscreen couple I've seen in a while... Reg and Ethel 😍 , and honestly, he captured the most heartbreaking Christmas I've ever seen on screen... just my two cents :-) *
..

* highly recommended by all 6 patrons at the local AMC theater 😁

placidseal18 said:So, I’m listening to some obscure radio show last night, and they’re claiming Anne Hathaway has to pack on 15 pounds for her role in that Hollywood film, What it means to be a man without a mustache. Given how tight budgets usually are in the American film industry, I don't get why they'd pressure a mid-tier actress like this instead of just casting someone who already fits the part.
Anyone got a logical explanation for this? 😉

...maybe she gains it fast so they don't waste too much cash...
They'll probably end up spending way more on the weight loss process anyway...but I guess that falls outside the production budget. Plus, once she's back to her regular size, she can always tell her husband, "Sorry honey, you wouldn't understand, it's called art." That's how it goes. 😁

I actually dig this one too:

"Wait, hasn't this thread been posted already?"...😁
...

Daniel Lopez said:Yeah, that's the one! Thanks, thanks, thanks! 🙏 🙂

..I know she can sing too...but my Italian is non-existent, so whatever. 😁