What movies are you watching?

[tragabigzanda]

Whenever there's active promotion on the part of somebody else, whenever I see somebody all dolled up for a fancy photograph and someone's handing out flyers or whenever there's active promotion for something like that, as an imposition on my day, I hate all those people and I want them to fail. I have a visceral reaction to advertising and promotion. There's just something about salesmanship that grates on me on a very base level and I react very negatively towards it. I want those people to suffer and I want their enterprises to fail.

[epilogue]

Bigger question: really confused as to how you can appreciate the maturity and nuance lurking in Tully and yet not like Young Adult, which is far and away a superior film.

Because it's all the same issues but with less underneath. And the people that populate the world are far less likable -- more importantly, they are far less nuanced or interesting.

Apart from Thank You, has he ever made nuanced characters? They’re all so one-dimensional.

I'll point to Up In The Air again as the strongest example. But again, I don't think the characters in Tully are one-dimensional on balance. There's a lot of nuance in Marlo (for example). Part of that is that he casts well. Charlize deserves most of the credit, if we're being honest.

[Mickey]

Bigger question: really confused as to how you can appreciate the maturity and nuance lurking in Tully and yet not like Young Adult, which is far and away a superior film.

Because it's all the same issues but with less underneath. And the people that populate the world are far less likable -- more importantly, they are far less nuanced or interesting.

I don't think that's true! They're definitely less likeable but in a way where the movie provides a psychological-material framework for their behavior, which I think makes them more complex and heartbreaking.

[epilogue]

Bigger question: really confused as to how you can appreciate the maturity and nuance lurking in Tully and yet not like Young Adult, which is far and away a superior film.

Because it's all the same issues but with less underneath. And the people that populate the world are far less likable -- more importantly, they are far less nuanced or interesting.

I don't think that's true! They're definitely less likeable but in a way where the movie provides a psychological-material framework for their behavior, which I think makes them more complex and heartbreaking.

I think I can maybe see that for Oswalt's character. But that's the end of the list.

[tragabigzanda]

Whenever there's active promotion on the part of somebody else, whenever I see somebody all dolled up for a fancy photograph and someone's handing out flyers or whenever there's active promotion for something like that, as an imposition on my day, I hate all those people and I want them to fail. I have a visceral reaction to advertising and promotion. There's just something about salesmanship that grates on me on a very base level and I react very negatively towards it. I want those people to suffer and I want their enterprises to fail.

[VinylGuy]

I agree with joey's view.
I wasnt in love with the movie, and thought the twist was obvious, but i feel the representation of motherhood and depression could be accurate. Women responded with the movie too, and they were touched by it.
I dont think it has a cynical or pessimistic view at all.

It might be a difficult movie as a man to really get or judge.

Yeah, for me, the biggest flaws in the film are the execution of the twist and the depth. There are so many great, moving, and interesting ideas/themes, I just wanted the movie to go even further. But the performances are wonderful and I think it's well shot. All of Reitman's strengths are in full display: characters, humor, pacing, simplicity, voice.

It was a good movie (slightly above average) that could have been a great film. It was more successful than not, though.

yeah, agreed. It could have better if the nanny was actually real. The twist felt too gimmycky, too Shyamalan.
And i loved Charlize's character. It felt real for sure.

[VinylGuy]

I love his movies and i think he works fine with Cody. Both YA and Tully are good movies for me. And i love what they did with Charlize in YA.

I dont liked Labor Day at all, and Juno hasnt aged well. But Up In The Air is brilliant. YA i love it...Tully too...and yes, Thank You For Smoking too. I love his visuals too.

[Mickey]

Probably important to note that Up In the Air was adapted from a Walter Kirn novel.

[epilogue]

Bigger question: really confused as to how you can appreciate the maturity and nuance lurking in Tully and yet not like Young Adult, which is far and away a superior film.

Because it's all the same issues but with less underneath. And the people that populate the world are far less likable -- more importantly, they are far less nuanced or interesting.

Apart from Thank You, has he ever made nuanced characters? They’re all so one-dimensional.

I'll point to Up In The Air again as the strongest example. But again, I don't think the characters in Tully are one-dimensional on balance. There's a lot of nuance in Marlo (for example). Part of that is that he casts well. Charlize deserves most of the credit, if we're being honest.

I agree that Up In The Air is one of his stronger features, but I'm not sure this is true. Farmiga's about-face doesn't equate to nuance to me, and her character is otherwise portrayed as (speaking bluntly) an independent woman who takes what she wants, no strings attached, and isn't concerned when others get hurt.

And then Clooney, while always charismatic, is pretty unbelievable as a dashingly handsome corporate guy who's obsessed with his frequent flyer miles. Granted, there are emotional shades to his character, but nothing like his work elsewhere (The Descendants, for example).

Disagree about Clooney. I had no issue buying his character. While I agree that it's not his best performance, it's far from unconvincing or even middling. It's a very compelling turn.

Interesting that you think your description of Farmiga and nuance are mutually exclusive. Not sure why your description is negative in an of itself either. With only a few scenes, she manages to create a fully realized person. Nothing about her reveal is cheap at all. It's all there and it works (unlike Tully) because of what it says about Clooney's perspective and his expectations.

I never read the book it's based on, so I have no idea if that's an element of the novel or not. Reitman is the sole author credited on the movie script. If that's his invention, I'm all the more impressed.

[epilogue]

Probably important to note that Up In the Air was adapted from a Walter Kirn novel.

Did you read the book? I thought about picking it up after I saw the movie. But I never did.

[VinylGuy]

Bigger question: really confused as to how you can appreciate the maturity and nuance lurking in Tully and yet not like Young Adult, which is far and away a superior film.

Because it's all the same issues but with less underneath. And the people that populate the world are far less likable -- more importantly, they are far less nuanced or interesting.

Apart from Thank You, has he ever made nuanced characters? They’re all so one-dimensional.

I'll point to Up In The Air again as the strongest example. But again, I don't think the characters in Tully are one-dimensional on balance. There's a lot of nuance in Marlo (for example). Part of that is that he casts well. Charlize deserves most of the credit, if we're being honest.

I agree that Up In The Air is one of his stronger features, but I'm not sure this is true. Farmiga's about-face doesn't equate to nuance to me, and her character is otherwise portrayed as (speaking bluntly) an independent woman who takes what she wants, no strings attached, and isn't concerned when others get hurt.

And then Clooney, while always charismatic, is pretty unbelievable as a dashingly handsome corporate guy who's obsessed with his frequent flyer miles. Granted, there are emotional shades to his character, but nothing like his work elsewhere (The Descendants, for example).

Disagree about Clooney. I had no issue buying his character. While I agree that it's not his best performance, it's far from unconvincing or even middling. It's a very compelling turn.

Interesting that you think your description of Farmiga and nuance are mutually exclusive. Not sure why your description is negative in an of itself either. With only a few scenes, she manages to create a fully realized person. Nothing about her reveal is cheap at all. It's all there and it works (unlike Tully) because of what it says about Clooney's perspective and his expectations.

I never read the book it's based on, so I have no idea if that's an element of the novel or not. Reitman is the sole author credited on the movie script. If that's his invention, I'm all the more impressed.

I loved Farmiga's character even more with her reveal. And the scene with both of them in the parking lot is so fucking good.

[epilogue]

Bigger question: really confused as to how you can appreciate the maturity and nuance lurking in Tully and yet not like Young Adult, which is far and away a superior film.

Because it's all the same issues but with less underneath. And the people that populate the world are far less likable -- more importantly, they are far less nuanced or interesting.

Apart from Thank You, has he ever made nuanced characters? They’re all so one-dimensional.

I'll point to Up In The Air again as the strongest example. But again, I don't think the characters in Tully are one-dimensional on balance. There's a lot of nuance in Marlo (for example). Part of that is that he casts well. Charlize deserves most of the credit, if we're being honest.

I agree that Up In The Air is one of his stronger features, but I'm not sure this is true. Farmiga's about-face doesn't equate to nuance to me, and her character is otherwise portrayed as (speaking bluntly) an independent woman who takes what she wants, no strings attached, and isn't concerned when others get hurt.

And then Clooney, while always charismatic, is pretty unbelievable as a dashingly handsome corporate guy who's obsessed with his frequent flyer miles. Granted, there are emotional shades to his character, but nothing like his work elsewhere (The Descendants, for example).

Disagree about Clooney. I had no issue buying his character. While I agree that it's not his best performance, it's far from unconvincing or even middling. It's a very compelling turn.

Interesting that you think your description of Farmiga and nuance are mutually exclusive. Not sure why your description is negative in an of itself either. With only a few scenes, she manages to create a fully realized person. Nothing about her reveal is cheap at all. It's all there and it works (unlike Tully) because of what it says about Clooney's perspective and his expectations.

I never read the book it's based on, so I have no idea if that's an element of the novel or not. Reitman is the sole author credited on the movie script. If that's his invention, I'm all the more impressed.

I loved Farmiga's character even more with her reveal. And the scene with both of them in the parking lot is so fucking good.

SO good!

I'm glad you're a Reitman fan, TVG. I thought I was the only one on RM.

[tragabigzanda]

Whenever there's active promotion on the part of somebody else, whenever I see somebody all dolled up for a fancy photograph and someone's handing out flyers or whenever there's active promotion for something like that, as an imposition on my day, I hate all those people and I want them to fail. I have a visceral reaction to advertising and promotion. There's just something about salesmanship that grates on me on a very base level and I react very negatively towards it. I want those people to suffer and I want their enterprises to fail.

[lennytheweedwhacker]

i really enjoy up in the air and thank you for smoking

I’m going to assume juno didn’t age well...young adult is good

don’t think I’ve seen the rest

[epilogue]

I've still never seen Juno.

[epilogue]

Come on. Farmiga is a great actress, but her characters would have to be a sociopath to lead Clooney on to the extent she does, without defining some important aspects of her life. Going back to his hometown and touring his school should have been a big clue that he was looking for something fairly serious.

And if she's a selfish, lying sociopath who's reckless with other peoples' feelings, then she should be written that way. But she's not. She's written as a tender love interest, who -- surprise! -- is married and has kids. It was a nasty turn, and the emotional impact for the viewer of having the rug ripped out from under them just as the same happens for Clooney feels dishonest.

Why do you feel it's dishonest?

[tragabigzanda]

Whenever there's active promotion on the part of somebody else, whenever I see somebody all dolled up for a fancy photograph and someone's handing out flyers or whenever there's active promotion for something like that, as an imposition on my day, I hate all those people and I want them to fail. I have a visceral reaction to advertising and promotion. There's just something about salesmanship that grates on me on a very base level and I react very negatively towards it. I want those people to suffer and I want their enterprises to fail.

[VinylGuy]

Come on. Farmiga is a great actress, but her characters would have to be a sociopath to lead Clooney on to the extent she does, without defining some important aspects of her life. Going back to his hometown and touring his school should have been a big clue that he was looking for something fairly serious.

And if she's a selfish, lying sociopath who's reckless with other peoples' feelings, then she should be written that way. But she's not. She's written as a tender love interest, who -- surprise! -- is married and has kids. It was a nasty turn, and the emotional impact for the viewer of having the rug ripped out from under them just as the same happens for Clooney feels dishonest.

I know LOTS of people who have that double life. Lots. And the parking lot scene is so good and believable.

[lennytheweedwhacker]

I've still never seen Juno.

you totally should

[tragabigzanda]

Whenever there's active promotion on the part of somebody else, whenever I see somebody all dolled up for a fancy photograph and someone's handing out flyers or whenever there's active promotion for something like that, as an imposition on my day, I hate all those people and I want them to fail. I have a visceral reaction to advertising and promotion. There's just something about salesmanship that grates on me on a very base level and I react very negatively towards it. I want those people to suffer and I want their enterprises to fail.