Maestro so moving to me as a genuinely nonjudgmental meditation on what it means to age as a hedonist who is addicted to attention, and to that end, [spoiler alert????] agèd Lenny dancing to Tears for Fears while drinking out of a red solo cup is my ultimate Maestro Moment, an image to me that serves as both comfort and warning. Like Bradley Cooper, I am incredibly normal 👍
We Own the Night blew my mind; Gray really wields an almost elemental obviousness in his storytelling in a way that still feels nuanced and grounded. It feels very Old Hollywood, not in a cheap, imitative way, but in the way it embraces the simplicity of its premise with total confidence.
aged Lenny with solo cup quickly overtaking aged Lenny smoking a cig as my most texted Maestro image - which maybe says something optimistic going forward, like how my emoji of the year last year was the parachute (why not!)
We Own the Night was pitched to me by another pal as Shakespearean which I totally see; in a number of ways I feel like it's in conversation with The Departed but going for an entirely different emotional register (drama over tragicomic). The ending in the wheat/long grass just felt like out of nothing I'd seen in recent years that wasn't just aggressively aping something else -- like a truly original series of images!!!
I think Emma's win actually speaks to an unpredictability in the Academy. Or not predictability but that they will change their minds over the course of the race. Like ofc she was one of the frontrunners the whole time but it had a surge of support right when it needed it bc of the box office gains post nom. I think Lily would have won if voting had happened maybe 6 weeks earlier. #itsmytwocents
to me it felt like she rode the wave of Venice into the Curse into the Globes win! and idk she can work a room! but I am gonna think about this more… your thought is valued 📝
I hear she's fab there - I wonder what % of the voting body has seen it... I would guess, like, 4%... but she was in the media a ton for it, which helped!
Armageddon Time is one of my favorites of the decade so far. It's one where I have a hard time explaining to people why it resonates so much for me, but you captured it perfectly.
My favorite Maestro moment is perhaps an obvious one, but I love the way he says, "I love too much, what can I say?" Pretty much boils the whole Bradley Cooper Experience down into one line (meant as a compliment)
That big scene outside the park is where Maestro really clicks into itself, the whole film opening up as a meditation on loving too much and all its faults. Maestro moment!
Welp, looks like I’m watching a James Gray film tonight, then. Many thanks for the rec, Fran! 😆(P.S: also the section on Armageddon Time made me realize how good it would be as a double feature with “Far From Heaven?” Call the rep theaters, we’re makin’ this happen🤭)
God I love The Lost City of Z. Really interesting that both it and KotFM excise Grann's personal viewpoint entirely in both adaptations, not that I'm sure that those pieces need to be adapted but certainly interesting.
I'm certainly curious to see a work that includes a nonfiction writer's journey into their field but that did seem to be the framing device for Origin which most agreed was admirable if not perhaps not the right choice (I still haven't seen it...) – I think Patrick Radden Keefe plays an interesting side character in something like All the Beauty & the Bloodshed which acknowledges the limitations of writing on a subject vs. say, "taking them on."
Top Maestro moment was seeing it with a bunch of Philadelphia Orchestra subscribers who clapped when Philadelphia was mentioned (in kind of a derogatory way?)
my favorite episodes of the Big Picture are when Fennessey has James Gray on...it's just two dudes cooking up facts about the world for an hour and I learn so much. very influential filmmaker on my worldview. wish more folks loved him too. gonna watch Little Odessa tonight, I think that's the last one in the Gray mog. don't think I'd love Lost City of Z as much as I do were it not for Fran and D. Sims
The Maestro moment I adore and attempt to reenact daily is during the dream ballet when he jumps off the stool and pats his knees rhythmically. Everyone around me is sick of said reference.
Maestro so moving to me as a genuinely nonjudgmental meditation on what it means to age as a hedonist who is addicted to attention, and to that end, [spoiler alert????] agèd Lenny dancing to Tears for Fears while drinking out of a red solo cup is my ultimate Maestro Moment, an image to me that serves as both comfort and warning. Like Bradley Cooper, I am incredibly normal 👍
We Own the Night blew my mind; Gray really wields an almost elemental obviousness in his storytelling in a way that still feels nuanced and grounded. It feels very Old Hollywood, not in a cheap, imitative way, but in the way it embraces the simplicity of its premise with total confidence.
aged Lenny with solo cup quickly overtaking aged Lenny smoking a cig as my most texted Maestro image - which maybe says something optimistic going forward, like how my emoji of the year last year was the parachute (why not!)
We Own the Night was pitched to me by another pal as Shakespearean which I totally see; in a number of ways I feel like it's in conversation with The Departed but going for an entirely different emotional register (drama over tragicomic). The ending in the wheat/long grass just felt like out of nothing I'd seen in recent years that wasn't just aggressively aping something else -- like a truly original series of images!!!
I think Emma's win actually speaks to an unpredictability in the Academy. Or not predictability but that they will change their minds over the course of the race. Like ofc she was one of the frontrunners the whole time but it had a surge of support right when it needed it bc of the box office gains post nom. I think Lily would have won if voting had happened maybe 6 weeks earlier. #itsmytwocents
to me it felt like she rode the wave of Venice into the Curse into the Globes win! and idk she can work a room! but I am gonna think about this more… your thought is valued 📝
half of this second Oscar belongs to the finale of The Curse, imo
I hear she's fab there - I wonder what % of the voting body has seen it... I would guess, like, 4%... but she was in the media a ton for it, which helped!
Armageddon Time is one of my favorites of the decade so far. It's one where I have a hard time explaining to people why it resonates so much for me, but you captured it perfectly.
My favorite Maestro moment is perhaps an obvious one, but I love the way he says, "I love too much, what can I say?" Pretty much boils the whole Bradley Cooper Experience down into one line (meant as a compliment)
That big scene outside the park is where Maestro really clicks into itself, the whole film opening up as a meditation on loving too much and all its faults. Maestro moment!
Welp, looks like I’m watching a James Gray film tonight, then. Many thanks for the rec, Fran! 😆(P.S: also the section on Armageddon Time made me realize how good it would be as a double feature with “Far From Heaven?” Call the rep theaters, we’re makin’ this happen🤭)
I’ve never seen Far From Heaven!
Oof, what a good one it is. Top-tier Todd Haynes campy stuff. It’s got “May December” vibes but with… a marginally less demented approach.
It's the only Haynes I have left... it will happen this year
it's so good....watch with All That Heaven Allows
So much heaven! Two heaven titles! It’s meant to be!😉
Well, once you do get to it— Enjoy!!
God I love The Lost City of Z. Really interesting that both it and KotFM excise Grann's personal viewpoint entirely in both adaptations, not that I'm sure that those pieces need to be adapted but certainly interesting.
I'm certainly curious to see a work that includes a nonfiction writer's journey into their field but that did seem to be the framing device for Origin which most agreed was admirable if not perhaps not the right choice (I still haven't seen it...) – I think Patrick Radden Keefe plays an interesting side character in something like All the Beauty & the Bloodshed which acknowledges the limitations of writing on a subject vs. say, "taking them on."
i hadn't watched that abbott elementary clip yet and omg lol... love him!
he's smiling :)
i thought it was charming asf
Top Maestro moment was seeing it with a bunch of Philadelphia Orchestra subscribers who clapped when Philadelphia was mentioned (in kind of a derogatory way?)
LOL – I do think if Cooper was really serious about being "guy from Philly," he would start shooting his movies there a la Shyamalan
Knock at the Cabin but the dads are Mr. and Mrs. Maestro
Great piece! I’ll come back with something more substantial maybe but just wanted to leave this here for now: https://twitter.com/marshlands/status/1568368708707577856
literally always hits… & thank you!!!
my favorite episodes of the Big Picture are when Fennessey has James Gray on...it's just two dudes cooking up facts about the world for an hour and I learn so much. very influential filmmaker on my worldview. wish more folks loved him too. gonna watch Little Odessa tonight, I think that's the last one in the Gray mog. don't think I'd love Lost City of Z as much as I do were it not for Fran and D. Sims
We do our part!
The Maestro moment I adore and attempt to reenact daily is during the dream ballet when he jumps off the stool and pats his knees rhythmically. Everyone around me is sick of said reference.
Awesome moment - never give up on it!!!
What will happen on the 100th issue...????
🫣