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baumer

mother! (2017)

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Is it wrong that I found the first part very, very funny? It was like the blackest of comedies as these guests would not leave and kept just doing whatever the fuck they wanted as your following the only character who's acting like a sane person would under the circumstances and no one will even listen to her. 

After the second book is released and things just keep escalating within seconds as the character literally moves from room to room the tension is horrible, I just felt anxious the whole time. The acting and direction is amazing would rate this an A 

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mother! is - to put it lightly - not going to be for everyone. Darren Aronofsky has always been one to provoke and throw standard conventions out the window, but he outdoes himself with the kooky, hazy, nightmarish qualities of this film (especially the third act, whose nuttiness is represented fairly accurately in my earlier post). Viewers will either love it or hate it, and you can count me in the camp that was fully on board with it from start to finish. The atmosphere that Aronofsky and cinematographer Matthew Libatique develop is intoxicating, and a pronounced sense of dread permeates every frame. Even before the film arrives at its delirious third act, the foreboding is palpable. Much will be made of Jennifer Lawrence's decision to appear in such an arty, audience-unfriendly film, but she delivers one of the best and most challenging performances of her career to date. Playing against type as a more reactionary character, Lawrence's performance excels on her nonverbal expressions through most of the running time before shifting into something more volcanic toward the end. I would dare to say it's her best performance since her Oscar win. Michelle Pfeiffer is also a devilish delight in a supporting role, creating a lusty, confident foil for Lawrence's Mother. I'm sure plenty of viewers will deride the film as pretentious for its refusal to conform to any genre expectations or explicitly spell out why its events are occurring, but for those who can get on board with the ride Aronofsky offers, it's a singular experience.

 

A-

 

Stray observations:

 

- That last portion of the film is nuts. The first two-thirds prime viewers for something strange, but it goes so far out there that nervous laughter at some of its crazier imagery is entirely acceptable.

 

- I saw it with an audience of about 30, and it didn't seem like most of the audience had any idea what to do with it. No reactions, just stone silence when the lights came up. At least my opening night crowd at The Master laughed occasionally, even if they weren't sure whether they should (hi, forced masturbation scene!).

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I'd read that the last act was insane so I was anticipating some baby/pregnant lady violence but it was the escalating invasion of privacy at the end of the second act that made me incredibly uncomfortable. As someone who needs to be in control, two twenty-somethings sitting on a sink made me anxious.

 

The more I dwell on it the more I love it.

 

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I lost the number of times that I was thinking I would want to scream at the guests to "Get the fuck out of the house!" if I were in Mother's shoes. It definitely makes for satisfying payoff any time she reaches a tipping point. Unless I'm mistaken, she also saves the one f-bomb for the very end.

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21 minutes ago, Webslinger said:

I lost the number of times that I was thinking I would want to scream at the guests to "Get the fuck out of the house!" if I were in Mother's shoes. It definitely makes for satisfying payoff any time she reaches a tipping point. Unless I'm mistaken, she also saves the one f-bomb for the very end.

She drops two f-bombs in the movie: one where she tells Him he doesn't fuck her anymore, and at the end.

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1 hour ago, ddddeeee said:

I'd read that the last act was insane so I was anticipating some baby/pregnant lady violence but it was the escalating invasion of privacy at the end of the second act that made me incredibly uncomfortable. As someone who needs to be in control, two twenty-somethings sitting on a sink made me anxious.

 

The more I dwell on it the more I love it.

 

This. This right here. I literally was squirming in my seat as that whole scene went on. As someone who doesn't deal well with crowds, noise, invasion of my space, I was on edge. lol Talk about the real horror...

 

As for the movie, I actually liked it. I wouldn't say it was flawless, but I am still digesting. The more I think about it, the more I like it. I don't know that I would watch it again, but it certainly gave us lots to talk about after the film, and in my mind, that's what good cinema should do. I would give it a solid B/B+ right now.

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My dad is an artist, he's been a painter for years. He works on these paintings, goes to art shows, meets other painters that win awards and spend alot of time on their paintings. But then there's this one guy, he calls himself the Birdman (no shit), who goes to these shows, grabs a bucket full of feathers, and starts throwing them around the gallery while clucking like a chicken. This is his official entry into every show. That's this movie. It's a guy who walks into a theater, starts throwing feathers around, and clucking as a piece of "performance art." This movie is one of those pieces in MOMA where it's just a chair with a tool hanging above it. Now, alot of people are into that. Me, I directed Shape of Things by Neil Labute which is a direct critique of performance art, so that's where I stand. But, you know, each their own. And I like weird shit usually!

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Easily one of the film of the year. Beautifully acted, lots of religious metaphors and and an angry rage at our modern society. Keeps you uneasy and uncomfortable, gets you under your skin. Great camerawork and gutsy filmmaking. Art in its purest form. Hopefully it will play well in award season. It's not cut for the GA, but the fans of art-house films will cherish this unique filmmaking of epic proportions.

Edited by The Dark Alfred
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4 hours ago, The Dark Alfred said:

It's not cut for the GA, but the fans of art-house films will cherish this unique filmmaking of epic proportions.


Fuck no, they won't (going to edit this because I didn't mean all won't - clearly some people loved this). At least not this fan of art house films. A Ghost Story and Personal Shopper are in my top 10 of the year so far. A Ghost Story is just under Baby Driver. I fucking hated this.
 

This isn't just a GA thing.

Edited by somebody85
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Just because you didn't like it doesn't mean that others won't. It points a black mirror to our modern society with such a strong imagination. This film is pure art. It doesn't want to please people, it wants to create an emotional response and it has a very strong message underneath it. A Ghost Story was beautiful, I agree.

Edited by The Dark Alfred
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I just had no interest in seeing an allegory about the Bible.

 

To those of you who love it, I'm glad.  I'm glad that a film can speak to you the way you say this one does.  But for me, it's not quite my tempo.

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3 hours ago, The Dark Alfred said:

Just because you didn't like it doesn't mean that others won't. It points a black mirror to our modern society with such a strong imagination. This film is pure art. It doesn't want to please people, it wants to create an emotional response and it has a very strong message underneath it. A Ghost Story was beautiful, I agree.


I never said they wouldn't, that's why I said (at least not this one). Everyone here knows that I did not like this. The only emotional response it triggered out of me was frustration. I kept asking myself "Why didn't I read any actual reviews before rushing out to see to this thing". 

I usually like to go in cold for movies that don't have a ton of blockbuster style hype. This one made me rethink that decision.

But yeah, if you guys enjoyed it. Fair play. I got what I wanted yesterday.

Edited by somebody85
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20 minutes ago, Stutterng baumer Denbrough said:

I just had no interest in seeing an allegory about the Bible.

 

Bible allegory is the most trite cliche to attempt at profundity in the art of cinema drenched in judeo-christian culture since its inception, that's hardly bold nor original in 2017 when the allegory is being shoved into your face as the text.

 

 

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