Just got home from seeing The Substance, a film that’s desperately trying to make a statement of some substance but grotesquely fails.
I liked the first hour or so before what could have been great science fiction becomes illogical and turns into a horror that’s so absurd that people in the cinema were laughing.
That’s my issue with the Substance. It’s a good idea (although slightly predictable) and I thought the performances from the leads were good but it drags on far too long. There were a couple of moments about 30-45 mins before the finish when I assumed the film was ending, but no, on it goes with scenes that really add nothing to the story or the “message”.
If you look at Rotten Tomatoes 🍅 most of the public say something along the lines of this whereas the critics are largely gushing praise.
I think this makes a good illustration of the difference between public and critics: Is the public looking for entertainment and the critics looking for artistic merit?
I’m simplifying it somewhat but I see an ever increasing divide. Personally I want a logical storyline that’s believable. This for me is the bones of any book or film. A book then adds the flesh by good writing and a film by good acting and directing.
The Substance has good acting, directing that looks like 3 different directors have stepped in at different points, and a storyline that makes no sense in an effort to be artistic and clever. Not since AI has a film made me feel this annoyance.
Another nod to Gladiator, thought the lead guy was excellent, one or two daft moments in the filmwithout giving stuff away, they made me laugh.
And I did google one or two things that looked far fetched in the film, and stretched the boundaries a bit, but actually did happen.
Worth a watch, make your own mind up, loved the opening scenes.
I think the film actually started 39 minutes, after all the ads and trailers, the longest I can remember, sods law, you go in to see it after 30 minutes, and it’s already started! 🙄
Ads & trailers don’t usually last longer than 30 mins. I tend to get there 20 mins after the scheduled start.
The Substance in the opinion of my wife and I was the worst film we have seen at the cinema in 50 years ie our lives.
There were also people laughing when we were there & commenting on the way out how terrible it was.
Quite frankly I’m amazed that anyone could like it, but we’re all different.
A bit like artwork that looks painted by a 2 year old that some people think brilliant.
It is all about opinions . I thought it was great .
I’m often amazed how some films are classed as brilliant and I’ve hated them and Vice Versa . Especially Oscar winners . The Shape Of Water is one example I can think of . A terrible film in my opinion.
The Substance in the opinion of my wife and I was the worst film we have seen at the cinema in 50 years ie our lives.
There were also people laughing when we were there & commenting on the way out how terrible it was.
Quite frankly I’m amazed that anyone could like it, but we’re all different.
A bit like artwork that looks painted by a 2 year old that some people think brilliant.
It is all about opinions . I thought it was great .
I’m often amazed how some films are classed as brilliant and I’ve hated them and Vice Versa . Especially Oscar winners . The Shape Of Water is one example I can think of . A terrible film in my opinion.
The Shape of Water was a shockingly bad film. The Revenant was another awful film that people seemed to rate.
The Substance in the opinion of my wife and I was the worst film we have seen at the cinema in 50 years ie our lives.
There were also people laughing when we were there & commenting on the way out how terrible it was.
Quite frankly I’m amazed that anyone could like it, but we’re all different.
A bit like artwork that looks painted by a 2 year old that some people think brilliant.
It is all about opinions . I thought it was great .
I’m often amazed how some films are classed as brilliant and I’ve hated them and Vice Versa . Especially Oscar winners . The Shape Of Water is one example I can think of . A terrible film in my opinion.
The Shape of Water was a shockingly bad film. The Revenant was another awful film that people seemed to rate.
And I loved The Revenant so that kind of proves my point . I like it that people don’t agree on movies , it makes good conversation. ( most of the time !)
The Substance in the opinion of my wife and I was the worst film we have seen at the cinema in 50 years ie our lives.
There were also people laughing when we were there & commenting on the way out how terrible it was.
Quite frankly I’m amazed that anyone could like it, but we’re all different.
A bit like artwork that looks painted by a 2 year old that some people think brilliant.
It is all about opinions . I thought it was great .
I’m often amazed how some films are classed as brilliant and I’ve hated them and Vice Versa . Especially Oscar winners . The Shape Of Water is one example I can think of . A terrible film in my opinion.
The Shape of Water was a shockingly bad film. The Revenant was another awful film that people seemed to rate.
The Substance in the opinion of my wife and I was the worst film we have seen at the cinema in 50 years ie our lives.
There were also people laughing when we were there & commenting on the way out how terrible it was.
Quite frankly I’m amazed that anyone could like it, but we’re all different.
A bit like artwork that looks painted by a 2 year old that some people think brilliant.
It is all about opinions . I thought it was great .
I’m often amazed how some films are classed as brilliant and I’ve hated them and Vice Versa . Especially Oscar winners . The Shape Of Water is one example I can think of . A terrible film in my opinion.
The Shape of Water was a shockingly bad film. The Revenant was another awful film that people seemed to rate.
Gladiator II - 7/10, really good but not a as good as the original. Some of the contrived plot lines to make it connect to the first film are a bit silly and it may have been better off as a stand alone film. Denzel Washington is incredible.
It’s unusual for me to post on this thread and now I’m writing about a second film this weekend. Thankfully this time it’s about a film I loved: Get Out - this has to be the best film I’ve seen this year. Seriously, don’t even read about it, just watch it, it’s brilliant. It’s only on Netflix for two more weeks. If you can’t take my word for it, look on Rotten Tomatoes - I see loads of people are rightfully raving about it.
It’s unusual for me to post on this thread and now I’m writing about a second film this weekend. Thankfully this time it’s about a film I loved: Get Out - this has to be the best film I’ve seen this year. Seriously, don’t even read about it, just watch it, it’s brilliant. It’s only on Netflix for two more weeks. If you can’t take my word for it, look on Rotten Tomatoes - I see loads of people are rightfully raving about it.
I finally watched, well almost, the recent Joker film with InaGagadavida in it.
What f ing Joker, thought it would be a good idea to turn it into a musical, presumably to accommodate Lady G! I know, let’s get a musical celeb, Gaga and stick them in a film, twatts!
Bloody awful, it’s rare for me not to watch a film all the way through but just couldn’t stick with it.
Animated film about a robot that has to adapt to its new surroundings when shipwrecked on a desert island. A superb piece of animation with a captivating storyline - one of the best films I've seen this year. 9/10
Nowhere near as good as the first two. Not really any laughs apart from a couple of things from the stereotypical dopey dad. Not one remotely evil or 'bad' character (Hugh Grant in Paddington 2 set a high bar) so the film lacked any real interesting story. My daughter thought it was 'meh'.
I went to see Small Things Like These with Cillian Murphy at the weekend, a pretty sombre moving but quite touching. Based on a short story by Claire Keegan that my gf has read - Keegan also wrote Foster, which was turned into 'The Quiet Girl' a couple years back which I think won a few awards. Based in Ireland, I think it is meant to be Waterford, Murphy's character Bill Furlong struggles with conditions at the local convent in town which makes him reflect on his own upbringing - quite a touching story though not a happy Christmas tale even though it is set at Christmas.
I also watched Endurance on Disney+ on Friday night. Fascinating story, thoroughly enjoyed this with the mix of them telling the story of the hardships and struggles of the team, and the modern team trying to find the ship after it was swallowed by the sea. Would recommend if you have any interest in these expedition stories to watch if you can.
Thanks for heads up on Endurance, didn't know they'd made it.
Frank Hurley, the photographer on the original expedition, was a genius, and his surviving film footage and photos are incredible.
If you're interested in that aspect you'll really enjoy this then, they talk about Hurley a fair bit and there is quite a lot of the footage and photos, remastered and recoloured etc.
Nowhere near as good as the first two. Not really any laughs apart from a couple of things from the stereotypical dopey dad. Not one remotely evil or 'bad' character (Hugh Grant in Paddington 2 set a high bar) so the film lacked any real interesting story. My daughter thought it was 'meh'.
4/10.
I thought it was better than that but definitely is the weakest one of the three. Antonio Banderas was a bit TOO hammy for my liking which is saying something given he's following Hugh Grant in Paddington 2.
If you have kids in the right age range then there's worse ways to spend an afternoon.
Nowhere near as good as the first two. Not really any laughs apart from a couple of things from the stereotypical dopey dad. Not one remotely evil or 'bad' character (Hugh Grant in Paddington 2 set a high bar) so the film lacked any real interesting story. My daughter thought it was 'meh'.
4/10.
Agreed it's not a patch on the first two but it's watchable, I'd say 6/10.
Paddington 3. I still enjoyed it but very much agree that it's by far the weakest of the three. All perfectly competent performances all round but just missing a certain something.
I love a musical I do, so WICKED albeit long is going to be tremendous fun if you like those sort of things. Gladiator 2 - seen so many good and bad reviews, i think I'll wait to watch it at home Lots of good things coming up over November and December if you go to the cinema as a family : -
Jeez, I was about to reply to this and realised it was my own post.
No but I read today (in The Guardian) that it's been ranked as Spielberg's best ever film and the 3rd best film of this century overall by French film critics.
Which says more about the French than anything else if they think it’s better than Jaws , Close Encounters, Schindlers List , ET , Saving Private Ryan , Minority Report , Jurassic Park etc…
The Fablemans is a good film but it’s way , way down on the list of his best films .
I just watched it for a second time on Saturday and although I like it, I wouldn’t put it higher than 5th amongst your short list. French film critics like to look/sound clever.
Which is difficult seeing as they write and speak French.
I went to see Small Things Like These with Cillian Murphy at the weekend, a pretty sombre moving but quite touching. Based on a short story by Claire Keegan that my gf has read - Keegan also wrote Foster, which was turned into 'The Quiet Girl' a couple years back which I think won a few awards. Based in Ireland, I think it is meant to be Waterford, Murphy's character Bill Furlong struggles with conditions at the local convent in town which makes him reflect on his own upbringing - quite a touching story though not a happy Christmas tale even though it is set at Christmas.
I also watched Endurance on Disney+ on Friday night. Fascinating story, thoroughly enjoyed this with the mix of them telling the story of the hardships and struggles of the team, and the modern team trying to find the ship after it was swallowed by the sea. Would recommend if you have any interest in these expedition stories to watch if you can.
Was it his treat or did he make you buy your own ticket?
One of my favourite films of the year, Everyone knows how good a story it is, and the film really does it justice. In French with subtitles but the 3 hours flew by.
Not a new film but just watched ‘The Rifleman’ on Amazon Prime. Latvian film about a soldier in WW1. Highly recommend.
I saw that a while ago, it’s very good.
Another film that isn’t that new that I watched recently was Lee with Kate Winslet. It’s about the life of Lee Miller, who worked as a journalist for Vogue during WW2. It was brilliant
Comments
I think this makes a good illustration of the difference between public and critics:
Is the public looking for entertainment and the critics looking for artistic merit?
I’m simplifying it somewhat but I see an ever increasing divide. Personally I want a logical storyline that’s believable. This for me is the bones of any book or film. A book then adds the flesh by good writing and a film by good acting and directing.
The Substance has good acting, directing that looks like 3 different directors have stepped in at different points, and a storyline that makes no sense in an effort to be artistic and clever.
Not since AI has a film made me feel this annoyance.
Quite frankly I’m amazed that anyone could like it, but we’re all different.
A bit like artwork that looks painted by a 2 year old that some people think brilliant.
Thankfully this time it’s about a film I loved:
Get Out - this has to be the best film I’ve seen this year. Seriously, don’t even read about it, just watch it, it’s brilliant. It’s only on Netflix for two more weeks.
If you can’t take my word for it, look on Rotten Tomatoes - I see loads of people are rightfully raving about it.
I’m still getting over the thrill of it an hour later.
Animated film about a robot that has to adapt to its new surroundings when shipwrecked on a desert island. A superb piece of animation with a captivating storyline - one of the best films I've seen this year. 9/10
Nowhere near as good as the first two. Not really any laughs apart from a couple of things from the stereotypical dopey dad. Not one remotely evil or 'bad' character (Hugh Grant in Paddington 2 set a high bar) so the film lacked any real interesting story. My daughter thought it was 'meh'.
4/10.
What a bloody good film that is.
If you have kids in the right age range then there's worse ways to spend an afternoon.
Gladiator 2 - seen so many good and bad reviews, i think I'll wait to watch it at home
Lots of good things coming up over November and December if you go to the cinema as a family : -
Wicked
Moana 2
Mufassa 2
The Magic Reindeer
Wallace & Gromit
One of my favourite films of the year, Everyone knows how good a story it is, and the film really does it justice. In French with subtitles but the 3 hours flew by.
Another film that isn’t that new that I watched recently was Lee with Kate Winslet. It’s about the life of Lee Miller, who worked as a journalist for Vogue during WW2. It was brilliant