Sounds like a boatload of fun. Still, I'm looking forward to seeing the film for de Armas, who is luminous in most of her films so far (though it sounds as if Dominik doused that here).
Thanks for the heads-up, Ty. I have a high and quite possibly genetic tolerance for difficult films -- I took my 93-year-old mother to see Son of Saul, and we both thought it was extraordinary--but you make a strong case that this is just misery porn (if that's not an insult to porn).
I was thinking about a substitute and realized that I should screen The Misfits, which I've been itching to see a second time, for my (mostly) sci-fi / fantasy gang. They may well have never seen her act, and I suspect it's the best choice for those with a ditz aversion.
It's also worth noting that My Week With Marilyn, for all its inconsistencies, gets the persona thing right: there's a wonderful moment where she's hanging with Eddie Redmayne's viewpoint character, the press suddenly shows up en masse, and as they approach she asks him "Shall I be her?"
I do not understand why anyone would watch or read a fictional story about a super-famous person, when a true biography is compelling. It’s like a fictional movie about the Beatles. Yech.
Nice piece, thanks! I will eventually end up watching this, if for nothing else then for de Armas, who I’ve really liked in everything I’ve seen. But how disappointing that a high profile film about one of the greatest hollywood stars ever is a misconceived grueling slog.
I was telling my partner over the weekend: everyone always wants to “get behind the mask”, but it would be so much more interesting to have a sustained reflection on the mask itself.
Amazing and nuanced film criticism - nice piece Ty!
Sounds like a boatload of fun. Still, I'm looking forward to seeing the film for de Armas, who is luminous in most of her films so far (though it sounds as if Dominik doused that here).
Thanks for the warning Ty. View at your peril.
PS. Dont understand the sub stack security requirement to having to sign in to comment.?
Thanks for the heads-up, Ty. I have a high and quite possibly genetic tolerance for difficult films -- I took my 93-year-old mother to see Son of Saul, and we both thought it was extraordinary--but you make a strong case that this is just misery porn (if that's not an insult to porn).
I was thinking about a substitute and realized that I should screen The Misfits, which I've been itching to see a second time, for my (mostly) sci-fi / fantasy gang. They may well have never seen her act, and I suspect it's the best choice for those with a ditz aversion.
It's also worth noting that My Week With Marilyn, for all its inconsistencies, gets the persona thing right: there's a wonderful moment where she's hanging with Eddie Redmayne's viewpoint character, the press suddenly shows up en masse, and as they approach she asks him "Shall I be her?"
I do not understand why anyone would watch or read a fictional story about a super-famous person, when a true biography is compelling. It’s like a fictional movie about the Beatles. Yech.
Nice piece, thanks! I will eventually end up watching this, if for nothing else then for de Armas, who I’ve really liked in everything I’ve seen. But how disappointing that a high profile film about one of the greatest hollywood stars ever is a misconceived grueling slog.
I was telling my partner over the weekend: everyone always wants to “get behind the mask”, but it would be so much more interesting to have a sustained reflection on the mask itself.