I just saw the film and was in awe of it. It is meticulously directed and grips you for it's whole runtime. Every shot in the film felt crafted to perfection and the it just picked up pace as it went on. The surreal moments of the film were an overwhelming emotional experience. They suck you in and leave you with neon imprints on your retinas.
I feel that Refn has hit just the right spot with the balance of style and substance. It's highly stylized like his work before, but not devoid of a narrative. Don't expect to see a great big plot unravel, but the characters were just so fascinating that I was anxious to see what was going to happen. They were supercilious in a wonderful way. The cast did a great job. Even Keanu fit right in the movie even though I was a bit suspicious of him.
Same as Only God Forgives this will have and has had a very mixed response, but this is a much better film in my opinion. The whole crew has not half-assed anything. Lighting, set design, make-up, the sound-mix, never missed a beat. Martinez's music fits perfectly with the style of filming and Braier's cinematography blew me out of the water.
Go see this in a theater. It is such a gripping experience on the big screen. Mind you, if you hated Refn's work before you probably won't like this one either. But you definately won't see another film like this. Atleast until his next work.
Never has beauty and ugliness been portrayed so strongly, graphically within the same frame. Like other Nicolas Winding Refn's films (especially his last two-Drive and Only God Forgives), there is a lot more style than substance, yet, as other commentators have noted, the style IS the substance.
Here, perhaps more than his other works, everything is so apparently intentional that it borders on obvious meaning. The most notable characteristics are the striking use of color and music. Even if you hate an NWR picture and can't find anything to connect to, the one thing most people will agree on are the sights and sounds. From the opening credits, you know you are about to enter a world that take place in a parallel reality where the 1980s never ended but have evolved to take place in a vision of Los Angles that looks remarkably like the early 21st century. The pulsating synths of NWR regular, Cliff Martinez, recall his work on that arthouse actioner, Drive, and like that feature, the music is as much a part of the landscape as the long corridors and swimming pools.
Beauty is the currency and as you get on in years, you can maintain your tenuous hold on it through artificial means. The seemingly perfect exteriors hide the ugly cracks underneath, that grotesque nature of ourselves that we don't even admit to our own mirrored reflections. Narcissus fell in love with his own reflection and Dorian Gray killed to maintain his youth.
(If they were ever to remake Suspiria [not that that should ever happen, but it is inevitable] I hope NWR does it. Even if he goes the Gus Van Sant Psycho route, this movie played like his modern take on that Argento classic.)
Started off well, as beautiful as Elle Fanning.. Showed a lot of potential to be a great film..
But towards the last 20 mins, the sordid details were hard to stomach..
I would have hated this movie if not for Elle Fanning..
My rating: 6/10.
I'm not sure what I feel about this movie. Really nice photography, and there were some aspects that I really liked, but towards the end..... I don´t know, it felt..... weird.
Also, don't let your amateur photographer boyfriend stitch you! You're a model! It will leave a horrible scar in your hand!
Add your comment
Comments 1 - 15 of 19
FreakyJk
I just saw the film and was in awe of it. It is meticulously directed and grips you for it's whole runtime. Every shot in the film felt crafted to perfection and the it just picked up pace as it went on. The surreal moments of the film were an overwhelming emotional experience. They suck you in and leave you with neon imprints on your retinas.I feel that Refn has hit just the right spot with the balance of style and substance. It's highly stylized like his work before, but not devoid of a narrative. Don't expect to see a great big plot unravel, but the characters were just so fascinating that I was anxious to see what was going to happen. They were supercilious in a wonderful way. The cast did a great job. Even Keanu fit right in the movie even though I was a bit suspicious of him.
Same as Only God Forgives this will have and has had a very mixed response, but this is a much better film in my opinion. The whole crew has not half-assed anything. Lighting, set design, make-up, the sound-mix, never missed a beat. Martinez's music fits perfectly with the style of filming and Braier's cinematography blew me out of the water.
Go see this in a theater. It is such a gripping experience on the big screen. Mind you, if you hated Refn's work before you probably won't like this one either. But you definately won't see another film like this. Atleast until his next work.
fonz
Never has beauty and ugliness been portrayed so strongly, graphically within the same frame. Like other Nicolas Winding Refn's films (especially his last two-Drive and Only God Forgives), there is a lot more style than substance, yet, as other commentators have noted, the style IS the substance.Here, perhaps more than his other works, everything is so apparently intentional that it borders on obvious meaning. The most notable characteristics are the striking use of color and music. Even if you hate an NWR picture and can't find anything to connect to, the one thing most people will agree on are the sights and sounds. From the opening credits, you know you are about to enter a world that take place in a parallel reality where the 1980s never ended but have evolved to take place in a vision of Los Angles that looks remarkably like the early 21st century. The pulsating synths of NWR regular, Cliff Martinez, recall his work on that arthouse actioner, Drive, and like that feature, the music is as much a part of the landscape as the long corridors and swimming pools.
Beauty is the currency and as you get on in years, you can maintain your tenuous hold on it through artificial means. The seemingly perfect exteriors hide the ugly cracks underneath, that grotesque nature of ourselves that we don't even admit to our own mirrored reflections. Narcissus fell in love with his own reflection and Dorian Gray killed to maintain his youth.
(If they were ever to remake Suspiria [not that that should ever happen, but it is inevitable] I hope NWR does it. Even if he goes the Gus Van Sant Psycho route, this movie played like his modern take on that Argento classic.)
Carota
I never wanted to dislike a NWR movie.Jesus, have mercy with me.
filmyjo
Started off well, as beautiful as Elle Fanning.. Showed a lot of potential to be a great film..But towards the last 20 mins, the sordid details were hard to stomach..
I would have hated this movie if not for Elle Fanning..
My rating: 6/10.
God
FUCK YOU LIVTiago Costa
3 /5Remember, just because something looks good, doesn't mean it tastes good.
The One With Wen
I'm not sure what I feel about this movie. Really nice photography, and there were some aspects that I really liked, but towards the end..... I don´t know, it felt..... weird.Also, don't let your amateur photographer boyfriend stitch you! You're a model! It will leave a horrible scar in your hand!
zundrall
similar to Herutâ sukerutâ but this is less crazyfbillys
Boringmorti-viventi
I go into every Refn film knowing it should be on the big screen and I should be drunk.balaclava
insufribleTeaDrinker3000
And they say romance is dead...starnamedstork
Gotta be seen!moviefan28
Crap film waste of 2 hours no redeeming quality to be foundjulia314
It's beautifully filmed, and to me, that's all it has.Showing items 1 – 15 of 19