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Post by masterofallgoons on Jul 19, 2019 15:42:37 GMT
Has anybody else seen this yet?
I hadn't seen Hereditary, but heard all of the praise it got for a year until this follow up came out, so I watched that one the night before I saw Midsommar. That was probably a mistake. With I heard about Hereditary, I wasn't quite prepared for how upsetting it would actually be. I don't know of people consider it 'scary' the way they talk about other horror movies, but it was deeply depressing and unnerving. It actually ruined my mood for the whole next day after I saw it.
I also didn't have enough time to shake it off before going to see Midsommar, which was rather different, but had a similar effect. Ari Aster certainly loves to put his characters, and audiences, through deeply felt nearly unbearable trauma. And that seems to just be his starting point, in both films, for things to get much worse.
This is a weird one. Certain elements feel inevitable, and you might say predictable, but the specific ways that things arrive there are still jarring and unsettling. The film had really strange effect on me. It felt like living through and actual nightmare.
Character act in ways and make decisions the are so frustrating but still make sense within the function and tone of the piece because there's sort of a dreamy logic to it, and there's a psychedelic element to the proceedings as well. If you've ever had that experience you'll recognize that feeling as being extremely well depicted.
This film is a really stressful and unpleasant experience, until the end potentially. And if it's as bizarrely satisfying at that point as (I think?) it may be intended to be, then that is all the more unnerving as it reveals something about the viewer along with the character.
I'm honestly not sure how I feel about this film yet. It's so odd and it left me so emotionally confused and all around shaken that I can't assess it properly on an intellectual level.
But what I can say is that this is a filmmaker with a mastery of the medium. His choices are so deliberate, confident, and effective that it's astonishing that this is only his second feature film.
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Post by Nicko's Nose on Jul 19, 2019 17:09:37 GMT
If a horror movie makes you feel the way you described then I’d say it’s a great one.
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Post by masterofallgoons on Jul 19, 2019 17:38:47 GMT
If a horror movie makes you feel the way you described then I’d say it’s a great one. I agree for the most part, and I'm thinking this just may be a great film. To that effectively evoke these feelings is no small feat, especially to us, the jaded horror viewers who think we've seen it all. But this is made with supreme skill like most are not. And that's true of Hereditary, as well. BUT... with Hereditary, I was so upset by the first half that when it got to the supernatural stuff in the second half I almost felt like it had betrayed where it came from. That second half is still exceptionally well directed, but I think I was more affected by the genuinely horrifying human drama of the first half. I don't think I've responded to a moment in a film like THAT one in a very long time. It all made sense still, but it's a film of two halves and I think the first was better. The second half let me off the hook a bit from the first. Maybe I'd have to see it again, but I think I might have a hard time bringing myself to see that first portion another time. Midsommar feels like a more cohesive work. It was deeply affecting, but I also think I could give this one another go, as difficult and anxiety laden as that first viewing was. I dont know though. I gotta keep thinking this over. No denying this is truly a work of art.
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Post by masterofallgoons on Jul 19, 2019 17:40:40 GMT
Another thing to note about this director is that he's great at casting and is a great director of actors. All of the performances in both of his feature films are superb.
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Post by masterofallgoons on Jul 24, 2019 21:21:11 GMT
Nobody else?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2019 21:34:34 GMT
Haven't seen it yet mate.
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rogerthat
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Post by rogerthat on Jul 24, 2019 22:53:42 GMT
I hope to catch it this Monday when I have a day off from work. Will get back to you with thoughts.
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Post by James on Jul 24, 2019 23:11:34 GMT
Not sure if I want to see this in theatres, but only because it would be to distressing of an experience, I fear.
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Post by masterofallgoons on Jul 25, 2019 11:31:09 GMT
Not sure if I want to see this in theatres, but only because it would be to distressing of an experience, I fear. Hard to say how it would affect anyone else. I had a fairly profound response to it, but I've seen that other people that loved Hereditary said they found it less impactful, which was the opposite of my experience. To me, Hereditary was rather distressing, but somewhat less so as it went on. This film started with an emotional devastation, and I don't think it ever let up. 'Distressing' is a good word. The lead character has anxiety and panic attacks and I felt it a lot of the time. It was a stressful viewing. Another point to make, though, is that it's bizarrely very funny at times. There are some more traditionally humorous moments, but also some of the jokes come from the extremity of the scenario and just dealing in the insanity of it all. In my theater those comedy beats really landed with the audience. I'm not sure it offered any comfort or respite from the proceedings, but it is in there.
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Post by James on Jul 25, 2019 11:47:19 GMT
Not sure if I want to see this in theatres, but only because it would be to distressing of an experience, I fear. Hard to say how it would affect anyone else. I had a fairly profound response to it, but I've seen that other people that loved Hereditary said they found it less impactful, which was the opposite of my experience. To me, Hereditary was rather distressing, but somewhat less so as it went on. This film started with an emotional devastation, and I don't think it ever let up. 'Distressing' is a good word. The lead character has anxiety and panic attacks and I felt it a lot of the time. It was a stressful viewing. Another point to make, though, is that it's bizarrely very funny at times. There are some more traditionally humorous moments, but also some of the jokes come from the extremity of the scenario and just dealing in the insanity of it all. In my theater those comedy beats really landed with the audience. I'm not sure it offered any comfort or respite from the proceedings, but it is in there. Huh, laughter for an Ari Aster film. That’s ironic.
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Post by masterofallgoons on Jul 26, 2019 17:25:52 GMT
Hard to say how it would affect anyone else. I had a fairly profound response to it, but I've seen that other people that loved Hereditary said they found it less impactful, which was the opposite of my experience. To me, Hereditary was rather distressing, but somewhat less so as it went on. This film started with an emotional devastation, and I don't think it ever let up. 'Distressing' is a good word. The lead character has anxiety and panic attacks and I felt it a lot of the time. It was a stressful viewing. Another point to make, though, is that it's bizarrely very funny at times. There are some more traditionally humorous moments, but also some of the jokes come from the extremity of the scenario and just dealing in the insanity of it all. In my theater those comedy beats really landed with the audience. I'm not sure it offered any comfort or respite from the proceedings, but it is in there. Huh, laughter for an Ari Aster film. That’s ironic. Indeed. No laughs in Hereditary from my memory. A surprising number in Midsommar, and in various forms.
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Post by Lebowskidoo 🦞 on Oct 12, 2019 22:54:57 GMT
Not pleasant viewing, but one hell of a wild ride. 😈
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Post by northernlad on Oct 12, 2019 23:16:41 GMT
Watched it a couple nights ago...it was...well...odd. It was such a pretty picture though...but contrast that with what was really going on...and again, it just was odd to me.
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Post by sdm3 on Oct 16, 2019 13:11:20 GMT
(Spoilers will follow. Although if you haven’t seen the movie yet, why click the thread?)
Just noticed this thread. I saw Midsommar the other weekend and I think it’s slightly better than Hereditary. Like you I thought the first half of the latter was exceptional but the supernatural element towards the end was disappointing, if competently shot.
Midsommar on the other hand just gradually grew more and more unnerving and felt like a more complete work. There are several scenes that live long in the memory. For one, there was just something about the reveal of the exhaust pipe duct taped to the sister’s mouth that was horrifically grisly and upsetting.
Also, the entire dinner sequence with the “elders” morbidly chanting before their final “ritual” was a masterpiece. What a way to introduce the horror element to the locale. The two of them were so incredibly eerie right up to their ascent to the cliffs... and the immediate descent. It’s hard to forget scenes like that.
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Post by TheOriginalPinky on Oct 16, 2019 14:59:21 GMT
My daughter wants to see it, and I liked Hereditary, so maybe I'll like this as well. Hopefully we can grab a view prior to it's disappearing from theaters.
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Post by James on Oct 26, 2019 2:28:22 GMT
After seeing it, I’m glad I stayed at home to watch it. Not that it was bad - far from it - but many scenes were pretty fucked up. I think this is another brilliant gem from this director, and I hope he brings us more. Maybe not as good as Hereditary, but it’s close.
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Post by moviebuffbrad on Oct 26, 2019 20:07:48 GMT
Finally saw it. It's not as good as Hereditary, or as unsettling, but like that film, works on a psychological level.
Hereditary almost gave me PTSD because it reminded me of fuck ups I made as a kid and the complicated relationship I have with my mom. This one similarly reminded me of dating relationships I've been in where I no longer liked the girl but couldn't really break up with her for whatever reason, and how that indifference escalated into some uncomfortable situations.
There aren't a lot of surprises in the movie - tbe only real surprise is how rudimentary the whole thing is. But that's fine. A simple movie told very well. Ari Astor is 2 for 2.
Kind of a waste of Will Poulter, though.
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Post by rogerthat on Oct 26, 2019 21:25:17 GMT
Just watched it today for October Challenge. Really took me a little to et into it at first but was captivated with it once they were in Sweden.
Beautifully filmed with most of the actors good though I hated the Mark actor/character - he just seemed like he should be in a different movie.
Now a definite fan of director Ari Aster after this and Hereditary.
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Post by darkpast on Jan 10, 2020 8:38:47 GMT
on Amazon Prime now if missed
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2020 9:21:33 GMT
It's good, but not Wicker Man good.
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