Films you've seen lately

[RichardB]

Drawing attention to the relation of Tár to the ‘real’ music world is to miss its point entirely.

Then I shall have to miss its point entirely!

Did I say Parallel Housewives??? oops

[Ein Heldenleben]

Drawing attention to the relation of Tár to the ‘real’ music world is to miss its point entirely. The music world is used a framework in which to place a singular, high achieving character whose many faults are then revealed. One should not expect A Beautiful Mind to be faithful to John Nash’s fundamental contributions to Game Theory, or for The Theory of Everything to essay the profound implications of Stephen Hawking postulating radiation from Black Holes. They are movies! These films are about singular individuals, even among their own rarified peer group, achieving extraordinary things despite mental and physical impairment, but they have to entertain too. Tár is not a documentary, just like The Soprano’s is not a series about waste disposal in New Jersey. The woke issues Tár addresses are provocative, not least because they are shown rather than told. It’s up to the individual to bring their own baggage to these issues and make their own mind up about what they have seen. Different people will view it in entirely different ways. I find that rather unusual for a film nowadays, and refreshingly grown up.

I was looking forward to Empire of Light enormously. It touches upon some of the themes in Tár. But it was a disappointment. No right minded person, whether woke or not, could fail identify and sympathise with the ‘goodies’ and abhor the behaviour of the ‘baddies’ - but they may as well be wearing white or black hats. It told us what to think. There was no subtlety, no ambiguity, no mystery; qualities that Tár has in spades.

And I have seen Parallel Mothers - it’s fine, but I didn’t feel compelled to write about it here, or indeed recommend it to anyone.

The Sopranos may not be a doc about waste disposal but as a management training manual it’s more or less unbeatable.

[Serial_Apologist]

The Sopranos may not be a doc about waste disposal but as a management training manual it’s more or less unbeatable.

From my reading of your take on The Sopranos as being ironic, I would have thought waste disposal to be precisely what it is about!

[ChandlersFord]

Coming from a woke frame of reference myself, I can see why Marin Alsop and others have criticised the film - there are so few films that attempt to engage with the world of intrigue and toxicity that often swirls around the classical music world, compared with all the films there are about writers, painters and so on, that when one does come along people might naturally expect it to focus on those male conductors and musicians, and god knows there have been far too many of them, who use their position to abuse their young colleagues; whereas I haven't come across any real life story that parallels the sort of thing that goes on in this film. If I were in Marin Alsop's position I might well feel the same way as she does. I tried to put these considerations to the back of my mind when watching the film, but I still really didn't like it. I respect Cate Blanchett less as an actor than I did before, I don't find her at all convincing as a conductor whether on or off the stage, and I also somewhat resent the way the director is using classical music as an exotic backdrop to tell - at considerable length - what is ultimately not that original a story.

Jayne mentioned Parallel Housewives, now that really held my attention throughout.

Had it been a film about a predatory male heterosexual (or even homo/bisexual) conductor, it would've been a boring proposition. The 'male maestro as predator' is already a well-established concept.

Making a film with a conductor as the central character is not exactly a surefire commercial proposition, in any case.

The filmmakers have been very brave (or stupid, depending on your pov) to make the central character a female who preys on other females. Given the relative scarcity of female conductors, I can see how this might upset the more prominent ones, but props are deserved for going down an unusual route.

I'd be interested in seeing the film, but find cinemas to be cold, alienating places - so I'll wait until it turns up on another platform (which it probably will in a few months' time: it has been a commercial disaster).

[richardfinegold]

Coming from a woke frame of reference myself, I can see why Marin Alsop and others have criticised the film - there are so few films that attempt to engage with the world of intrigue and toxicity that often swirls around the classical music world, compared with all the films there are about writers, painters and so on, that when one does come along people might naturally expect it to focus on those male conductors and musicians, and god knows there have been far too many of them, who use their position to abuse their young colleagues; whereas I haven't come across any real life story that parallels the sort of thing that goes on in this film. If I were in Marin Alsop's position I might well feel the same way as she does. I tried to put these considerations to the back of my mind when watching the film, but I still really didn't like it. I respect Cate Blanchett less as an actor than I did before, I don't find her at all convincing as a conductor whether on or off the stage, and I also somewhat resent the way the director is using classical music as an exotic backdrop to tell - at considerable length - what is ultimately not that original a story.

Jayne mentioned Parallel Housewives, now that really held my attention throughout.

If the principal character had been a fat balding middle aged white male, who perhaps resembled Harvey Weinstein, the audience would have been immediately looking for villainous traits. The fact that the principal character is so non traditional, and therefore makes her a very sympathetic figure, makes the tragic flaw that undoes here so much more surprising. And people of communities color, or LGBT, don’t always have to be depicted as purely virtuous , always victims and never guilty of human frailty. True equality occurs when an individual can be depicted as belonging to a historically marginalized group and as simultaneously imperfect. The group isn’t being criticized, just the particular individual

[smittims]

I'd be interested to see if anyine saw the BBC3 film 'Mary Queen of Scots' and what they thought of it. I'm a slow thinker and I don't do 'subtle hints' but I kept getting the impression I was meant to be drawing some connection with the present-day relationship between England and Scotland. Or maybe this kind of historical drama just isn't for me.

[Cockney Sparrow]

I'd be interested to see if anyine saw the BBC3 film 'Mary Queen of Scots' and what they thought of it. I'm a slow thinker and I don't do 'subtle hints' but I kept getting the impression I was meant to be drawing some connection with the present-day relationship between England and Scotland. Or maybe this kind of historical drama just isn't for me.

I'm not Scottish (no surprise there) but visit a few times a year - in my family there are Scottish antecedents and present day connections. I do read the Scottish section of the Times, but my knowledge isn't deep or balanced. In short, my take is that Scotland is heading for a one party state with attempts to stifle alternative views (not all successful), concentration of power (one police service, etc) and very effective news presentation with much if not nearly all of the media - as far as I can see - going along with the Scot Nat narrative. Not really my business, but interestingly a couple of Scots I know, here in the London hinterland think Scotland should just have their second referendum and go if it wants (fed up of the grudges and constant conflict) leaving behind the Barnett formula etc.....

In answer to your question, no, the film didn't really resonate with present politics for me nor Mrs CS. Thought it was rather well done, albeit with the one big inaccuracy (and maybe others).

[Ein Heldenleben]

If the principal character had been a fat balding middle aged white male, who perhaps resembled Harvey Weinstein, the audience would have been immediately looking for villainous traits. The fact that the principal character is so non traditional, and therefore makes her a very sympathetic figure, makes the tragic flaw that undoes here so much more surprising. And people of communities color, or LGBT, don’t always have to be depicted as purely virtuous , always victims and never guilty of human frailty. True equality occurs when an individual can be depicted as belonging to a historically marginalized group and as simultaneously imperfect. The group isn’t being criticized, just the particular individual

I think that’s exactly right. It’s very clever how Blanchett and the writer director Todd Field play with our sympathies. She is not wholly bad - a kind mother and in places a sympathetic partner . Her commitment to her art is quite moving but the way she imposes her views constantly is repellent. It’s an excellent portrait of the narcissism that quite a few very talented people have - how everything has to revolve around them. The sexual predation element is never fully explored - we never really find out what she did but it sounds dark. It is emphatically not a whodunit or indeed a plot driven film dropping clues in the manner of so much BBC, ITV and streamed drama. That’s what makes it such a powerful watch. There are also places , including the very final scene ,that are laugh out loud funny or heart breaking depending on your viewpoint.
I can see why it hasn’t been an audience winner. It contains a stupendous amount of music talk which hardly anyone outside the profession ( or knowledgeable amateurs ) will get e,g, “ he has a weird fetish for vintage Kalmus scores” - which is weird because mine is for Eulenberg. The much talked about masterclass is is full of in jokes e,g, a reference to “ Punkt Contrapunkt “ the famous R3 prank. That scene is a good example of the films ambiguity . Some have taken it as Tár’s passionate defence of western values against student workery - one of the student doesn’t like Bach because he’s a “CIS male” . But it’s also a study in dominance and narcissism , not listening to the students , imposing your view on everyone . In short the bad side of masterclasses.
The other audience killer is the length of some of the scenes - the film starts with a ten minute public interview with Tár done by a real life New Yorker journalist. Even though I always listen to them I don’t think I’ve ever heard a conductor interview worth listening to and this is no exception. I suspect the writer thinks so too and the sequence does reveal a bit about the character.
It’s all shot on very long takes with a bleached out style that is about as far removed from Hollywood blockbuster style as can be imagined. It must have the slowest cut rate ( the number of edits) in any film I’ve seen for a long time. It also has an exceptionally good and I mean really exceptional soundtrack with completely audible sound for once.
It’s riddled with implausibities ( mind you so is Shakespeare) not least Cate B’s conducting style - a pity because her piano playing is real for once. It also has a very good British cellist who makes her debut as a Russian not -so -ingenue . She has definitely got a career in front of her.
I would be surprised if it doesn’t win a few Oscars - the sound people are a shoe-in.
Finally it made me wish for a film performance of Mahler 5 filmed and directed to that technical level . Crunchy closeups and really in the orchestra . Sadly it it’ll never happen.

[pastoralguy]

Just returned from seeing The Fablemans, Steven Spielberg’s semi-autobiographical movie. To be honest, quite disappointing. VERY long indeed which left this viewer saying ‘so what?’ Young boy develops a desire to make movies which is indulged by his middle class parents. Said boy gets older and makes slightly more advanced movies and, on the way, discovers marital discord in his parents relationship.

Goes to high school where he makes a bigger movie having been the subject of anti-Semitic bullying. Gets job in a movie studio.

End.

[richardfinegold]

I think that’s exactly right. It’s very clever how Blanchett and the writer director Todd Field play with our sympathies. She is not wholly bad - a kind mother and in places a sympathetic partner . Her commitment to her art is quite moving but the way she imposes her views constantly is repellent. It’s an excellent portrait of the narcissism that quite a few very talented people have - how everything has to revolve around them. The sexual predation element is never fully explored - we never really find out what she did but it sounds dark. It is emphatically not a whodunit or indeed a plot driven film dropping clues in the manner of so much BBC, ITV and streamed drama. That’s what makes it such a powerful watch. There are also places , including the very final scene ,that are laugh out loud funny or heart breaking depending on your viewpoint.
I can see why it hasn’t been an audience winner. It contains a stupendous amount of music talk which hardly anyone outside the profession ( or knowledgeable amateurs ) will get e,g, “ he has a weird fetish for vintage Kalmus scores” - which is weird because mine is for Eulenberg. The much talked about masterclass is is full of in jokes e,g, a reference to “ Punkt Contrapunkt “ the famous R3 prank. That scene is a good example of the films ambiguity . Some have taken it as Tár’s passionate defence of western values against student workery - one of the student doesn’t like Bach because he’s a “CIS male” . But it’s also a study in dominance and narcissism , not listening to the students , imposing your view on everyone . In short the bad side of masterclasses.
The other audience killer is the length of some of the scenes - the film starts with a ten minute public interview with Tár done by a real life New Yorker journalist. Even though I always listen to them I don’t think I’ve ever heard a conductor interview worth listening to and this is no exception. I suspect the writer thinks so too and the sequence does reveal a bit about the character.
It’s all shot on very long takes with a bleached out style that is about as far removed from Hollywood blockbuster style as can be imagined. It must have the slowest cut rate ( the number of edits) in any film I’ve seen for a long time. It also has an exceptionally good and I mean really exceptional soundtrack with completely audible sound for once.
It’s riddled with implausibities ( mind you so is Shakespeare) not least Cate B’s conducting style - a pity because her piano playing is real for once. It also has a very good British cellist who makes her debut as a Russian not -so -ingenue . She has definitely got a career in front of her.
I would be surprised if it doesn’t win a few Oscars - the sound people are a shoe-in.
Finally it made me wish for a film performance of Mahler 5 filmed and directed to that technical level . Crunchy closeups and really in the orchestra . Sadly it it’ll never happen.

Mahler 5 has figured peripherally in several movies, such as Death in Venice. As for the Tar character being overbearing in the Master Class—close your eyes and imagine it’s Leonard Bernstein saying those lines

[richardfinegold]

Just returned from seeing The Fablemans, Steven Spielberg’s semi-autobiographical movie. To be honest, quite disappointing. VERY long indeed which left this viewer saying ‘so what?’ Young boy develops a desire to make movies which is indulged by his middle class parents. Said boy gets older and makes slightly more advanced movies and, on the way, discovers marital discord in his parents relationship.

Goes to high school where he makes a bigger movie having been the subject of anti-Semitic bullying. Gets job in a movie studio.

End.

I’ll try to arrange a nice Superhero movie for you next time, PG

[Ein Heldenleben]

Mahler 5 has figured peripherally in several movies, such as Death in Venice. As for the Tar character being overbearing in the Master Class—close your eyes and imagine it’s Leonard Bernstein saying those lines

Both Death In Venice and Bernstein are mentioned in the film. You don’t have to imagine Bernstein as there are plenty of examples of his somewhat heavy handed rehearsal style on film e.g. his disastrous Enigma with the BBC SO and his somewhat rough handling of Jose Carreras. Funnily enough the fictional Tár has all of Bernstein’s programmes on VHS and goes misty eyed watching one. Even from the brief clip shown it’s clear what an extraordinarily powerful communicator he was - so much better than many “professional “ presenters.

[smittims]

I think that's because he actually knew a lot about the music. I felt that with the Andre Previn interview someone referred us to recently. Their informed comments were 'informed' indeed, and over many years.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Just returned from seeing The Fablemans, Steven Spielberg’s semi-autobiographical movie. To be honest, quite disappointing. VERY long indeed which left this viewer saying ‘so what?’ Young boy develops a desire to make movies which is indulged by his middle class parents. Said boy gets older and makes slightly more advanced movies and, on the way, discovers marital discord in his parents relationship.

Goes to high school where he makes a bigger movie having been the subject of anti-Semitic bullying. Gets job in a movie studio.

End.

Thanks for the tip off

[jayne lee wilson]

I can't recommend Aftersun (MUBI) too highly. A very naturalistic portrayal of a father-young daughter relationship, set on a holiday in Turkey for which Dad, separated from the Mother, has custody. They have a lovely close and easy relationship, the more so because the Father himself is quite young - just 30; Sophie is 11. Dad seems troubled by something; we're not quite sure what; does Tai Chi, has medication. But he looks after Sophie with a lovely blend of freedom and care.

The holiday is framed as a recollection by the adult Sophie, starting with video camera footage of her Dad, then we go back to the early 2000s in Turkey. Beautifully shot, directed and written (Charlotte Wells) it is deceptively low-key and quite elliptical; I had to see it again to understand the many subtleties I'd missed, with much review reading between.
(I must mention the soundtrack (Oliver Coates): subtle. drifting electronics, very atmospheric and apt to the passing moods; never loud or intrusive; perfect, really).

Paul Mescal is marvellous in this touchingly tender, desperately moving film, as is his child co-star Frankie Corio. By the end of my second viewing I was sobbing my heart out; one of the most devastatingly beautiful films I've ever seen, in a lengthening life of movie-loving obsessions. I'm getting that lump in my throat again just writing this.