Anyway, this movie has been released in several versions, and I’m watching the three hour DVD version:
While the studio insisted the film’s running time could not exceed 150 minutes, Lonergan’s preferred version was closer to three hours. Martin Scorsese and Thelma Schoonmaker contributed to editing a 165-minute version that Lonergan approved; the cut was never released because producer Gary Gilbert refused to approve it. Eventually, Fox Searchlight Pictures released the 150-minute film in a limited release in the United States on September 30, 2011, to moderately positive reviews from critics.
Hey! Anna Paquin! I like her…
Oops. This guy… not a fan. Whatsisname… er… Batfleck? No… Matt Damon!
Basic instinct.
This starts very strong, and not how you’d expect at all.
And I have no idea why I bought this movie — somebody must have recommended it, or something? But as usual, I have no recollection of why I bought it.
You know, I’m not sure about this movie. On the one hand, there’s interesting stuff going on — and on the other hand, there’s scenes like this that are supposed to be … knowing? in a way? and instead it comes off as clichéd.
I mean, clichéd in that it’s a middle-aged director doing a movie about teenagers getting laid.
And I’m guessing Lonergan was a huge nerd, so it’s like a Mary Sue on his part.
Checks out.
Hey, it’s that guy…
Er…
Yeah. that guy.
I’m enjoying this movie, but I can understand why the producers wanted to edit it down… All the scenes are interesting and stuff, but some scenes, like discussing Shakespeare, might not be … vital? But I like it — it’s a very unusual movie for a 2011 movie: It’s more like a 70s movie, but with better hair and less sweat.
Oh my god, I want to live there.
OK, into Mary Sue territory again — Mary Paquin’s character (who’s like 18?) is totally hot for her middle-aged teacher.
Checks out.
OK, there’s wobbly parts in this, but it’s a really original, interesting and affecting movie.
So, this is the companion movie to Smoke — I saw both of these when they were released, but I don’t remember at all what this is all about.
This little box set was released by Arthaus — a German distributor. (But the soundtrack and stuff is in the original English.) When I was looking for these movies, this seemed to be the only bluray option — which makes me wonder: Are Miramax movies just verboten in the US these days? Because of the Weinstein thing? But Miramax was perhaps the most important US indie thing back in the 90s, so it’s a shame that their catalogue is … er… mostly forgotten now? Perhaps it’s because Disney bought them, though?
Anyway!
Roseanne! Is this just a bunch of adlibs done on the sets of Smoke? With famous people doing cameos?
John Lurie!
Jim Jarmusch!
Is that… Lily Tomlin!?
This movie is just so random… but so amiable.
Oh, I had forgotten that Lou Reed is in this.
That’s whatsisface? Er… uhm… Oh, Michael J Fox.
This movie is amusing throughout — I smiled the entire time — but it does dip in interest depending on who’s doing a little story. Like, Jim Jarmusch was great — they could have done an hour of him just talking — but some of the other people sounded a bit, er, like they’d rehearsed an anecdote for a talk show? I mean, not a lot of those, but a couple.
Yes, it’s Madonna!
Yes, it’s RuPaul!
Half a meter taller than all the other actors!
They’re short in Brooklyn, I guess.
Anyway, this is a really enjoyable lark of a movie — it’s really charming. I can totally see how people would get a bit impatient with it, but I loved it.
