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Owlwise's Replies
For me, that's part of the film's offbeat charm. But to each their own.
You said it all. :)
Agreed. I get that contemporary audiences often find the pure, selfless heroes of the past ridiculous & enjoy mocking them -- and certainly they're not "realistic" characters -- but that four-square, idealized nature is precisely what makes them so appealing. A decent hero who abides by a moral code doesn't have to be boring; he can also have wit, style, charm, while still doing the right thing simply because it is the right thing. While I appreciate films about morally ambiguous & complex characters as well, sometimes that basic "unrealistic" decency is just what I want.
Just as Mann inspired Ray & Annie with his writing when they were young, so now Ray & Annie are essentially repaying him by re-inspiring & bringing his own lost passion back to life. Ray gets his own true heart's desire, reconciliation with his father, because he has willingly helped others along his journey. And one of those willing acts is helping Mann realize that he can become a meaningful writer again.
Anything can be a metaphor for life, if viewed from the right perspective.
Well, damn. I first took note of him as Jerry Hubbard on Fernwood 2-Night Later America 2-Night), and enjoyed his work ever since. One of those people who always seemed to be there, brightening any show he was on, and one that I expected to always be there, too. Not realistic of me, of course, but still he always struck me as that sort of performer. He will be missed.
Actually, the reverse-order format is a direct homage & reference to the acclaimed 1983 film Betrayal.
It doesn't give answers so much as it poses questions, inviting the viewer to reflect upon & consider his or her own perspective on life, death, personal meaning (or the lack thereof), and what constitutes a worthwhile existence. It's asking both whether Life on the grand scale is absurd or not, and whether each individual & unique life is absurd or not. If so, either way, is it possible to find or make meaning that satisfies you & makes life worth living for you? Remember, this was filmed not long after the immense slaughter WWII, in the looming shadow of nuclear war being possible at any moment. So people had grim reason to ponder such things. But at any time, the question of whether life is worth living, or whether it has any meaning, is always pertinent.
At least, that's my own reaction to it.
Well said!
Rod Serling himself was a strong liberal, as anyone can tell by the classic episodes he wrote for the original Twilight Zone.
But I do agree that this latest iteration is a sadly pale imitation of the original.
Nailed it!
Also, I try to judge the FX of any film according to when it was made. If they're doing their best with what was available to them, then I have absolutely no complaints. If anything, I appreciate all the effort they put into their work.
I respectfully disagree on one point. There are films from just a year or two ago that already look & feel aged, while there are many, many classic films going back to the 1930s that still look & feel fresh, gripping & vibrant.
Well said!
Tati's humor isn't laugh-out-loud humor, though. It's more subtle & understated, calling for a wry smile that acknowledges both the absurdity & the sadness of modern life.
Both too many & not enough! :)
Again, for me it works all the better by going on for as long as it does. But I can understand how it might drag for some viewers, and that's just as valid an experience as mine.
To each his own. For me, it's a stunning representation of the human mind confronted with something beyond its wildest imagining & being changed & remade utterly by it. It's an incredibly immersive experience … but best experienced in a movie theater, on the biggest screen possible. Home theater just can't do it justice.
LiquidOcelot, there's no pretense in my comment. That's exactly how the film made me feel. And how it made many other viewers feel, too. It's not as if we're merely pretending to love it because we "must" in order to satisfy the gods of High Art. Nor are we dutifully worshipping at the altar of Kubrick. It's simply that for us, 2001 was a powerful & moving experience. Obviously, it's not that for everyone. And that's fine. You're certainly under no obligation to like it if it didn't do anything positive for you, and I'd never insist that you should. Different tastes, different experiences.