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What was the last film you watched?
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<blockquote data-quote="Mel O&#039;Drama" data-source="post: 411517" data-attributes="member: 23"><p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center"><strong><span style="font-size: 22px">Red Lights </span></strong>(2012)</p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center"><img src="https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.traileraddict.com%2Fcontent%2Fmillennium-films%2Fred_lights-10.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=af6e4308b32b30da677b83053b071713cd034b2d5d0c6a94af515ba4174ed986&ipo=images" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center">The first I knew of this film was seconds before I watched it. I saw Sigourney Weaver's face in the thumbnail and that was enough for me. </p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center">As hoped, she's great here. Playing the expert in her field, haunted and somewhat incapacitated by unresolved trauma and a medical condition that requires her to pop pills reminded me greatly of Helen Hudson in <em>Copycat</em> and, to a lesser extent, Ellen Ripley in <em>Aliens</em>. The "field" here is paranormal phenomena. Her character has devoted decades to debunking and exposing psychics in general and Simon Silver in particular. Cillian Murphy is aiding and abetting her quest and it turns out the catalyst for each of them was a single encounter with a psychic (different in each case) where they received information relating to a loved one that turned out to be damaging. </p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center">The cast is an interesting mix. Robert De Niro as the slimy psychic gets to go theatrically large, with lots of roaring monologues to his character's assembled fanbase. Joely Richardson is boo-hissably arch as his aide (I found myself feeling anger at her smug character belittling Sigourney's character during a televised debate). Marvel's Wanda is the student out to learn from the two protagonists. Toby Jones and Ben Roberts' supporting roles worked particularly well, and I found myself questioning their motives. </p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center">The premise feels refreshingly different and there's plenty of scope for exploration, but I'd say it ultimately tries too hard to have its cake and eat it: aiming to please both sceptics and believers alike, whilst frustrating both. It talked big in its first hour, but ended up feeling more hollow and predictable than it should have. The last act felt far too Hollywood. There are a couple of twists and turns along the way. Most can be seen ahead of time. There's a significant change to cast dynamics after the first half, which isn't for the best. </p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center">It might not have delivered as powerfully as I'd hoped, and I have no desire to watch again, but I'm still glad I watched.</p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center"></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>His realisation that his own theory is the basis for this murder feels like the moment towards which it all builds. Based on his looks as each piece of the puzzle falls into place for him, I don't even think there's a question of him joining the collusion or keeping the secret. When he fires the gun into the air, I read it as an admission of his own defeat and failure as much as anything else. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>The whole thing feels like an extension of their closeted relationship. Now there's another forbidden secret into which Phillip has been drawn thanks to Brandon's powers of persuasion. And once it's done Brandon has even more power because Phillip feels guilt. Brandon's brand of sociopathy means he feels nothing but a temporary thrill. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>And this is the key reason why it was doomed. Brandon's ego needs people to know what they've done so he can bask in his superiority, but the perfect crime is only truly perfect if nobody finds out. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Incidentally, a big part of <em>Rope's</em> appeal for me is the real-time aspect, and the fact it's shot to look like one continuous take. It feels charmingly stage-like. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p> Are <em>Rear Window </em>and<em> North By Northwest</em> on your Hitch list? They're both towards the top of my list of his films.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Mel O'Drama, post: 411517, member: 23"] [CENTER] [B][SIZE=6]Red Lights [/SIZE][/B](2012) [img]https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.traileraddict.com%2Fcontent%2Fmillennium-films%2Fred_lights-10.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=af6e4308b32b30da677b83053b071713cd034b2d5d0c6a94af515ba4174ed986&ipo=images[/img] The first I knew of this film was seconds before I watched it. I saw Sigourney Weaver's face in the thumbnail and that was enough for me. As hoped, she's great here. Playing the expert in her field, haunted and somewhat incapacitated by unresolved trauma and a medical condition that requires her to pop pills reminded me greatly of Helen Hudson in [I]Copycat[/I] and, to a lesser extent, Ellen Ripley in [I]Aliens[/I]. The "field" here is paranormal phenomena. Her character has devoted decades to debunking and exposing psychics in general and Simon Silver in particular. Cillian Murphy is aiding and abetting her quest and it turns out the catalyst for each of them was a single encounter with a psychic (different in each case) where they received information relating to a loved one that turned out to be damaging. The cast is an interesting mix. Robert De Niro as the slimy psychic gets to go theatrically large, with lots of roaring monologues to his character's assembled fanbase. Joely Richardson is boo-hissably arch as his aide (I found myself feeling anger at her smug character belittling Sigourney's character during a televised debate). Marvel's Wanda is the student out to learn from the two protagonists. Toby Jones and Ben Roberts' supporting roles worked particularly well, and I found myself questioning their motives. The premise feels refreshingly different and there's plenty of scope for exploration, but I'd say it ultimately tries too hard to have its cake and eat it: aiming to please both sceptics and believers alike, whilst frustrating both. It talked big in its first hour, but ended up feeling more hollow and predictable than it should have. The last act felt far too Hollywood. There are a couple of twists and turns along the way. Most can be seen ahead of time. There's a significant change to cast dynamics after the first half, which isn't for the best. It might not have delivered as powerfully as I'd hoped, and I have no desire to watch again, but I'm still glad I watched. [/CENTER] His realisation that his own theory is the basis for this murder feels like the moment towards which it all builds. Based on his looks as each piece of the puzzle falls into place for him, I don't even think there's a question of him joining the collusion or keeping the secret. When he fires the gun into the air, I read it as an admission of his own defeat and failure as much as anything else. The whole thing feels like an extension of their closeted relationship. Now there's another forbidden secret into which Phillip has been drawn thanks to Brandon's powers of persuasion. And once it's done Brandon has even more power because Phillip feels guilt. Brandon's brand of sociopathy means he feels nothing but a temporary thrill. And this is the key reason why it was doomed. Brandon's ego needs people to know what they've done so he can bask in his superiority, but the perfect crime is only truly perfect if nobody finds out. Incidentally, a big part of [I]Rope's[/I] appeal for me is the real-time aspect, and the fact it's shot to look like one continuous take. It feels charmingly stage-like. Are [I]Rear Window [/I]and[I] North By Northwest[/I] on your Hitch list? They're both towards the top of my list of his films. [/QUOTE]
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