noahgibbobaker Reviews

Almost Famous (2000)

Repulsive for personal reasons.

[5/10 · 30 June 2021]

As a aspiring journalist, pessimistic by choice I say that 'Almost Famous' radiates an unrealistic optimism I loathe, I only hope nobody falls for Crowe' idealistic reality; it is exactly what its meant to be: a rock fans wet dream, and there's a place for that, but as it stands I can't stand it.

Points for a good soundtrack, mainly for Cat Stevens and the uttering of "Bob Dylan" though.

Shame (2011)

Song should be appreciated more in the context of the film.

[8/10 · 28 June 2021]

Start spreading the news I'm leaving today I want to be a part of it New York, New York These vagabond shoes They are longing to stray Right through the very heart of it New York, New York

I want to wake up in a city That never sleeps And find I'm king of the hill Top of the heap

These small town blues They are melting away I'll make a brand new start of it In old New York

If I can make it there I'll make it anywhere It's up to you New York, New York

New York, New York I want to wake up in a city That doesn't sleep And find that I'm number one Top of the list Head of the heap King of the hill

These little town blues They've all melted away I'm gonna make a brand new start of it In old New York

And If I can make it there I'll make it practically anywhere It's up to you New York, New York New York.

K2: The Impossible Descent (2020)

Can't wait to see the feature length version.

[6/10 · 28 June 2021]

BANFF #7

Watched 23 min tour edit.

This, this is inspiring! A human at his peak, mentally, physically and emotionally perfect. It's impossible to capture how gnarly this one is on film. To climb K2 and return is a feat in itself (25% of people who attempt to do so die), to spend as long as Bargiel does in the death zone is inhuman, and then to ski down slushy never-before-skied snow... Absolutely out of it!

Climbing Blind (2020)

Awesome

[7/10 · 26 June 2021]

BANFF #3

Watched 46 minute tour edit.

'Climbing Blind' follows the ever optimistic, very blind, very good rock climber, Jesse Dufton. It has great personality(ies) and no shortage of moments that will have you both laughing and/or crying. The filmmaking & festival limitations gave way for interesting framing and no nonsense storytelling.

This is probably the best film I saw at Banff this year. Loved it!

Bo Burnham: Inside (2021 TV Special)

Special special.

[7/10 · 21 June 2021]

Bo Burnham' reflection of himself and the current state of, everything. It's the most intimate thing Bo has ever released, it's proper glimpse 'Inside' Mr. Bo Burnham, although it's still very performative, the contrast of goofy skits and really personal moments was quite jarring, a good balance of the two is not found. Bogged down by a couple duds on the tracklist and severe pacing issues, a couple songs could have been cut in service of the fantastic emotional moments. Outstanding lighting & framing, unusual limitations and Bo being the emotional, creative that he is, sparked a special special.

Il Grido (1957)

I don't like melodrama

[6/10 · 20 June 2021]

Unremarkable Fellini-esque melodrama (a never-before-said sentence), performances are a little more nuanced than those in 'La Strada' or 'Nights of Cabiria'. 'Il Grido' sent Antonioni in a new direction, one with characterful grand landscapes, and much less subtlety.

The Girlfriends (1955)

Score sucks all emotion.

[6/10 · 20 June 2021]

Mature black-telephone™ movie. Seeing Gabriele Ferzetti, Franco Fabrizi & Yvonne Furneaux was nice, and the build of tension through conversation was consistently effective, but as soon as the enviable emotional climax(es) hit... Nothing.

Solaris (1972)

Overfocus leaves blind spots...

[9/10 · 19 June 2021]

Overfocus leaves blind spots, that's where the issues with 'Solaris' arise. Tarkovsky isn't about specifics; he provokes and knows precisely how to do so, he created an artifice around him where his films aren't about any one thing ('Solaris' is closest to being an exception), but to each individual they are. His movies end up being about what the audience members think he thinks. This is especially clear with 'Solaris', a film where trauma is pulled from normal people's pasts to confront, like audiences forced to project to "understand" Tarkovsky. The issue I allude to is his desperate need to be thought provoking, often distracting from details and fluid storytelling.

In saying that 'Solaris' tells a hugely detailed story of a Tarkovsky everyman dealing with trauma at different points of his life - different stages represented by each character. We all struggle, things like trauma and existentialism can be impossible to overcome; ignorance is bliss, it's best to stick to the lakes you believe you know, rather than the vast erratic ocean you don't. Once you know, you know.

That's what I think he thinks anyway.

The Vanquished (1953)

Pretty boring, very inconsistent.

[5/10 · 19 June 2021]

An Antonioni anthology about post-war violence in the youth of the world. Being an anthology film actually harms 'The Vanquished' in a big way; two of the three chunks (Francia & Italia) are rushed and bite off more than they can chew, they aren't able to explore sexual discovery, loss of innocence, the fleeting nature of life and post-war violence like they try to. The one that does feel as if it accomplished what it sets out to (Inghilterra) is disinteresting as anything and by the point it begins the ideas and presentation are stale.

The Lady Without Camelias (1953)

Vague thoughts.

[7/10 · 18 June 2021]

About sex and cinema 'The Lady Without Camelias' reaches new heights in technical quality and sexiness, for Antonioni, whilst thoroughly dismantling the superficiality of cinema.

Story of a Love Affair (1950)

Simple, effective.

[7/10 · 17 June 2021]

'Story of a Love Affair' - sexy, self-aware, fueled by the notion of eventual bliss. Simple, clever techniques; blown out whites as to say Paola and Guido are disconnected or simply don't care about anything surrounding them, both are true. And a purposeful lack of establishing shots pre-encounter(s). Each 1 on 1 (Paolo - Guido) scene is almost constructed backwards, it's awesome when the filmmaking is reflective of the characters in it.

Lies of Love (1949)

Sheer ambition!

[7/10 · 17 June 2021]

To set out to critique art and its role in society is one thing, to do it successfully in 10 minutes as your forth short film is something out of this world. If only I was a bigger fan of the presentation, still feels quite Impatient.

Superstitions (1948)

More ambitious than his previous.

[5/10 · 17 June 2021]

Interestingly enough 'Superstizione' is presented with the least nuance, and most ambiguity; till' this point in Antonioni' catalogue.

N.U. (1948)

Actually really good. Especially for a second short, wow.

[6/10 · 17 June 2021]

Really like this kind of anti-beauty, terrible, essential hardships presented beautifully. Also like the framing and high-angles, shows that these people are perceived insignificant.

People of the Po Valley (1947)

Good first outing for sure.

[5/10 · 17 June 2021]

Too brisk when giving exposition, Impatient in that way. Often verbally gives information already given visually too.

All That Heaven Allows (1955)

Classic! Layered! Awesome!

[8/10 · 14 June 2021]

As the credits of 'All That Heaven Allows' rolled I couldn't help but feel, underwhelmed. I thought some of the acting was stiff, many camera movements jarring, and the handsome white superseducer tried and boring; and for the most part I still do, so what changed in those hours after the credits?

For one I realised something I didn't during the run, it's a huge subversion of female representation in cinema. It's something I should have picked up on during the viewing, but I'm glad I didn't.

It leads me to my next point.

Details. Every gesture, every word, every thought is drowning in subtext that you only begin to understand after taking the previous gesture word or thought into account. Longer than average shots give you time to digest this.

Longer than average shot length reveals the intricate set design and representative colours. The focus on modern expansion vs the comfort of the past with a cozy fireplace and fluffy blankets in the woods is huge and reveals a lot, not only of Cary & Ron, but American society as well.

As 'All That Heaven Allows' folds out before you, you can feel the characters - & the United States - dancing around the soul issues of any given situation, they all prance around what is difficult.... All? Not all, one small village still holds out against the invaders; that village is Mrs. Mona Plash, abruptly cutting to the soul issue of any given situation, generally Cary and subsequently the ridiculous, confusing, unfair expectations placed upon women.

Sweet Smell of Success (1957)

Grimy, scummy, detailed.

[7/10 · 13 June 2021]

'Sweet Smell of Success' - a resounding portrayal of the social hierarchy ruling us all.

Star Wars: The Bad Batch: Decommissioned (2021) Season 1, Episode 6

Dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb, dumb dumb.

[2/10 · 10 June 2021]

Lol, Rafa and her stupid sister are in this. Two of the worst Star Wars characters ever.

Only good parts were when Omega almost died, you know shes not going to but I can hope, I hate her almost as much as Wrecker. Wreckers chip activating is brilliant news to my ears! I can't wait til' he's not hanging around the other characters just being dumb and annoying, I absolutely hate Wrecker and I'm convinced the writers do too, they don't put any effort into making him interesting. He's somehow completely uninteresting while surrounded by other characters who are literally clichés!

Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

Gud, it gud

[8/10 · 7 June 2021]

'Once Upon a Time in the West' - A human story of humans defined by violence rather than a story of humans defined by violence, near everything reinforces this; native Americans often depicted as brutes are actual people, struggling people robbed of everything by American development. People die left and right with consequence. And the score features the most human thing of all as a motif for humanity in the midst of the mindless violence and pointless death... The voice.

Human voices had been used in western scores before, by Ennio Morricone too, but never with such purpose to accentuate humanity in an inhumane world. In itself using singing in this way is another subversion of a typical western.

Rio Bravo (1959)

Absolutely timeless.

[6/10 · 7 June 2021]

'Rio Bravo' throws you in at the feet of the oppressors, while the civilians are thrown in over their heads.

It's the typical western - a people dependent on violence even when it's least constructive - that's all these broken people know, and to change is even harder than living in pain.

Killer's Kiss (1955)

Roots of a genius!

[6/10 · 6 June 2021]

Mid 50's Kubrick is fascinating; conflicting ideas crossing paths & the want to make something unique cemented in the past.

The Seafarers (1953)

Ad.

[2/10 · 5 June 2021]

Not interesting! Seafarers propaganda.

Points for photography.

Stromboli (1950)

Back story is most of my enjoyment.

[7/10 · 5 June 2021]

Since the 1940's Roberto Rossellini was a forward thinking revolutionary, so why does 'Stromboli' feel so stuck in the past?. I think it's as a result of the films semi-autobiographical & biographical nature, and the "sinful" Rossellini + Bergman relationship that flourished during production; both a very 50's relationship and a very scandalous one for the period.

Fear and Desire (1952)

The points are too dumb for more effort than I put.

[3/10 · 4 June 2021]

Incredibly incomptitent, an unintelligent unusuality by iconial Kubrick plain as TipTop bread from internal artery to glans.

'Fear and Desire' is dumb as rock's, but some beg to differ, some have dug so deep into 'Desire' that they believe that it's good actually. But I am yet to find an intelligible argument; the most popular follow - 'F&D' is a visual film, "he was a visual artist you can't just watch his films and judge them" (actual point made by someone). 'F&D' explores morality, war, and death, like a few of Kubrick' greats. It ties into all of Kubrick' other films! "river of blood!!!", 'Shining' much?!?!? (is the most popular example of this tying into the man's other works). And, "just read 'Philosophy of Stanley Kubrick' by JJ Abrahams and Elizabeth Cook". - I've made the points readable, generally they're written and structured in such a way that takes longer to decipher than the film.

Anyway, you can like this movie, just make sense, please :). I agree that it's important to Kubrick' career, it likely taught him how not to movie.

Day of the Fight (1951)

Significant improvement on 'Flying Parde'.

[6/10 · 4 June 2021]

Interesting presentation (very 'The Killing'), great photography, compelling dialogue.