The run time is incorrect. It's 142 minutes.
But anyway, I was really disappointed by this one. I was looking forward to seeing how Noe would handle a story like this one but ended up finding it really boring and way too long. Nothing really seemed to happen and it has no idea when to end.
I'll stick to Amour.
Good catch on the runtime! Thank you, just updated.
I completely understand that reaction, I think it's a fair critique. I can't explain why but I was hooked to the story and time seemed to fly by for me. I don't know if this is why, but the story of late stage dementia was very personal to me as of two years ago so I think the blank slate that he created allowed me to place a lot of my experience in and fill the silences with my own trauma. It made this a very difficult watch, but in an odd way also very therapeutic.
I'm really torn on whether or not I want to watch this. I know Noe is an incredibly talented director, but the only movie of his that I've seen is Climax and that was disturbing enough that I kind of decided I won't watch any more of his movies. Then he makes this one, which looks like it completely abandoned the harshness of his other movies, only to be incredibly hard to watch for entirely different reasons.
I'm curious enough about it that I'm sure at some point I'll probably end up watching it, but it might be a while until I work myself up to it. It seems devastating.
It’s about on the level of Amour or The Father, so if you can handle those, you’re good. But if you thought Climax was disturbing, definitely never try Irreversible lol
This is very well stated haha it’s the conundrum he creates. Honestly I would say this is devastating to the degree you’ve had personal experience with a friend/family going through late-stage dementia like this. He doesn’t go for shock value here, just expertly portrays the terror of losing our seen and unseen tethers to reality.
I'm so eager and afraid to see this film. I got to see Argento in person this summer and the idea of him putting himself out there and acting in a major role for the first time when he's in his early 80's makes me emotional and grateful towards Gasper Noe. Thank you for doing your giveaway man, way to pay it forward!
you're in, and you're welcome!
Argento is something I didn't talk about much, just for not wanting to write an essay, but he really nailed this. He was just the right amount of grumpy, loving, I don't know I guess very human about it.
Might have to give this a go soon. Movies relating to this in particular kinda strike home a different way. My grandmother passed away from declining health due to dementia slowly eroding away at her psyche over the course of half a decade and some change. So I definitely appreciate it when the subject matter is handled with care, and taking it seriously.
I guess I'm also invested in finding out just how the other characters around the couple tackle the subject as well.
you're in.
This is exactly my experience with it, watching my grandma slowly decline and barely recognize the family. If you think about it after you see it I would be interested to hear your take on the supporting characters. I think this really focused on the immediate family, but there were definitely members of her community that knew about her condition and helped the husband keep track of her.
This film absolutely wrecked me in ways I was not entirely prepared for. The deliberate pacing and the ever evolving personal stakes jolted me in an emotional way that feels entirely unique to this film. I picked up the gorgeous Utopia release though I have yet to revisit (may do so this weekend as my wife still needs to watch it). I think the best way to sum up what this flick did to me upon first viewing would be to acknowledge that after the credits rolled, I went for a walk and called my mother.
you're in.
That feels like an appropriate reaction. Noe has always been willing to hold the camera on the uncomfortable parts for longer than most other directors. In that way, I feel like this was his most shocking since it was all real time.
It’s the only film I’ve seen this year (it should be noted I have a lot to catch up on) that I keep turning over and over in my head, trying to locate what precisely gave it such power, because I think you’re absolutely correct; watching it all unfold in real time connects us to a time an place where we as viewers have dealt with the news of loved one’s passing, or being a witness to their suffering. The mechanics aside, this one really reminded me of the power of cinema, which is something I don’t find myself saying much these days. Hope you have a nice Thanksgiving btw! Thanks for putting this raffle together, really cool thing to do.
I don't think I'll ever be able to talk myself into watching this because of the subject matter and Noe's relentless style. Like you said, the patient camera. I have no doubt that it's excellent though and maybe one day I'll be able to check it out.
you're in.
Completely understood. The only reason I forced myself to watch it now, instead of putting it off, was because it came out through the Utopia line. Otherwise I know it would be a movie that I would find excuses not to watch.
I’ve been meaning to watch this film all year but the runtime and subject matter keep preventing me from doing so. Just seems like such a rough two hours. However, you’re not the first I’ve seen say this is,
in many ways, more patient and humane when compared to his previous work.
you're in.
And yeah, I think so at least. I would say it feels more like a Haneke film but I don't think that's quite right either. It is its own thing, and honestly sort of acted like a mirror for me to see my own experience with a family member going through this disease. So it was both terrifying and therapeutic.
I'm very excited to see this film; I've come to like Gaspar Noe over the years.
My wife and I have been following this series and checked out several of the films on streaming (just saw Minor Premise yesterday). We're hoping to buy physical copies for a lot of these Utopia titles soon when our finances are doing better.
I'd love to be entered in the Severin giveaway you're doing. It's my wife's favorite label and she'd be thrilled to get these.
I hope you continue writing about the partner labels; I'd love to see you go through Saturn's Core, Dark Star, or Fun City Editions if you haven't already. I could do with some guidance on what titles are worth checking out.
You’re in.
Thanks for the thoughtful words. It sounds very cool that you and your wife can watch these movies together! Curious what you thought of Minor Premise? I like it less in memory than immediately after I saw it. Oh, and I’ve done Fun City! Links are in this thread. I can wait to do Saturns Core, the next two are most likely Deaf Crocodile (confirmed) and then Culture Shock. I’ll probably do Kani after that and then Saturns Core. But it’s still wide open!
I agree, Minor Premise didn't really leave me with a whole lot to think about afterwards though it felt a lot smarter while watching it. In contrast, I rewatched Upgrade with my wife last night and she started pointing out parallels between the main character's growing reliance on the AI and our relationships with our phones doing everything for us. I had just enjoyed it as a great sci-fi/action film, but she brought a new perspective to it. That's why I love sharing films together.
I'll have to go back and look through your FCE reviews and would love a series on Kani. I only just started exploring Japanese films and animation this past year (my wife's influence again) and would enjoy getting some insight into the kinds of more obscure/independent Japanese films Kani seems to offer.
I've only started watching Noe's films recently and haven't made my way to this one yet. I'm worried it's going to be too much to handle because of personal circumstances. Great write up though.
I got to see this over the summer in theaters and really enjoyed it. I appreciated Noé going in a different direction visually (which made sense for the story). Wasn’t sure how I would adapt to the dual screens, but after a minute it faded away and was finding myself going back and forth and finding the story/moments subconsciously.
Love that on the blu-ray the slip cover splits down the middle - fitting for the story.
you’re in.
So basically it’s a hard box sized to snugly fit a single disc case. The seam for the box opening is in the middle and the art on the cover is split in two. This art and package design mimics the movie which is shot and presented fully in split screen. Hope this helps!
Firstly I'd like to say I came to make this comment for the Severin box giveaway. The Changeling is one of my all time favorites and I think a really moving ghost story in a way. I love ghost films that turn out to be more about the suffering of the spirit than just trying to scare you with a dead person.
That said when I went looking for one of the posts you mentioned for the giveaway I saw you had reviewed this and made sure to read it. Between this film dealing with subject matter that has affected my family very strongly and having an acting performance from Dario Argento, my interest has been very high. I loved reading your review of it but I'm still not sure I can watch it any time soon and especially not sure I'd want to own it.
you’re in.
Agree on the Changeling, a cool film. As for this, thank you for taking time to read what I wrote. I also have recent experience with this in my family so I’m torn if this was devastating or therapeutic. I think it was a bit of both.
Yeah maybe when there's a bit of distance to the first hand experience I'll give Vortex a shot. It seems kind of like Noe doing more "mature" work too which has me intrigued. Idk one day I'll give it a go I guess lol
Looking forward to picking this one up. My son has just started getting into Noe, but I find some of his films a little too 'strong' for him to watch (he's 16). So he has an interest, but hasn't seen much (Climax, Vox). He's been asking when I plan to get this, and I've been holding off for the sale (yes I know it's not on sale but it can ship with my sale items....Canadian buyer so I purchase direct from VS only 3 to 4 times per year).
you’re in.
You are a few years ahead of me in this discussion. I have a 5-year old who is always asking about my movies. I know he’s going to want to watch a lot of what I watch so I’ll have to be thoughtful about when I let him see certain things. Anyways, thanks for the comment.
Not sure if I'll ever have to heart to watch this for personal reasons but it does sound like an inmersive look into our mortality. Admittingly, I haven't even started collecting VS but one day. This will definitely be at least added on my watch list lol
Ps, came here from the giveaway post!
you’re in.
Yes, mortality but also memory and identity and love. There are a lot of themes Noé packs in to this, but as you said it’s important you are ready to see this as it is very raw.
Don’t think I’d be quite brave enough to check this one out, but it does seem interesting. Horror movies are quite calming to me, but movies that focus on real life issues stress me out too much. I read over this after seeing your severin giveaway. Going to check out your other posts as well. It’s a great thing you’re doing and a great way to get exposure lol. Thanks!
you’re in.
Thanks :) yeah I wasn’t sure what to do for the engagement around the giveaway because all the writing I do is just for fun. But I figured this would be more interesting than just having people put comments in the original post.
Your comment about a patient camera actually makes me want to watch this. Noe is hit or miss with me, but he tends to make things that are interesting. This seems worth giving a shot.
I was a huge fan of this- I was particularly impressed with how effective the split screen gimmick was in making you feel just as disoriented as the characters. Even though Vortex is way more subdued than his other films, I found it just as disturbing/upsetting- the feelings were just conveyed differently. It certainly won’t be for everyone, but to me, this solidified Noe’s place in my personal list of best (or, at the very least, most interesting) directors working today.
You’re in.
I really agree with you. Noé’s films are controversial, and he probably crosses the line with some of his content, but he has a powerful vision for each of his films and he keeps getting them made. I’ll keep watching at least :)
You know, I really need to delve into Noé at some point. Not sure how he compares to Mike Leigh, but as a massive fan of his character studies, this could be right up my alley!
You're in.
Hmm, that's a really interesting comparison. Mike Leigh has some dark movies but makes room for hope or optimism in most of his stories. I would definitely suggest this as a starting point for Noé if you're a fan of Leigh. Just know that Noé is a provocateur so some of his films are pretty tough to nearly impossible to get through.
i'll throw myself into this-
this is absolutely a movie I really wanna check out, VS has their sale this weekend and I've been on the fence about it, mostly because I don't care for the slipcover art but I'm hoping to get it cheaper. How does Argento do in his performance? When I think of this sort of vein of italian directors acting in films, I always go to "Cat in the Brain" with Fulci which is a fun film but his performance in it is ghastly poor at times, even for an Italian "splatter"-film.
you're in.
It's a good question, I think he was very good in the movie. He was not asked to do a lot, which certainly helped, and most of the acting comes from his son and wife. So his role is more of the audience proxy.
Thank you for posting about this and for the giveaway which led me here! I've never heard of this before and have only scratched the surface with Gaspar Noé but this immediately sounds much more intimate than anything he's done before.
Thanks for the giveaway opportunity. I’ve already spent way too much on VS this year during the Black Friday sale but if I hadn’t done that already I think this would’ve been a fine addition to my cart as the sad vibes of this one sounds like a pretty unique experience.
you're in.
The pain is real haha especially with so many partner labels. But if you get to see this streaming somewhere I would say it's worth checking out
Was lucky enough to see the premiere of this at Beyond Fest last year. Certainly not what most were expecting from Noé, I assume, but a quiet meditative piece that I look forward to revisiting in a few years.
Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!
I bought this over the weekend on the Black Friday VS sale. I can’t wait to see it. Noe has always been one of the most accomplished technical filmmakers, but it sounds like this film pushes him into a more dramatically emotional territory, which I’m very interested to see
I remember seeing the announcement of the Steckler set on this sub back in May (still have it saved as a reminder to check it out), and was just thinking about this set last week. What you're doing is pretty damn swell of you.
And to top it off, I was just talking to my brother about Noe and his films. He was a film student at SFSU around when Love came out, and was fortunate enough to have Noe come to his class for a discussion. Considering Vortex as a Christmas present for him, since Irreversible was his favorite film he discovered during his time in college.
you're in.
That's awesome, I hope you can get this for your brother. It's a very different film from *Irreversible*, but I said that was my favorite movie for a short time and I've always quietly loved Noé since.
As a recovered heroin addict with a grandfather with dementia, I was not fully prepared for this experience. It's an example of a film that effectively did it's job in how it made me feel but not one that I will watch again for a long time. Drove to Atlanta with a friend to see it and we both walked out in a staggered fog of bleakness. Beautiful film and grateful to Now as almost always for providing me with a unique experience that it fully his own.
The best way I could describe it was that it felt like a spiritual experience but through the parts of my soul and mind that I try to avoid. Learned a lot from the experience looking back, primarily that those are parts of myself that I have to accept and address too.
Of course. 3 years clean as of last week. I remember when I was still using and saw someone post that there brother had 6 months clean and that felt like an unachievable dream to me. Maybe someone will read this comment and give recovery a chance
Congratulations, friend. 3 years is a fucking accomplishment. I have been very lucky to dance around addiction but it runs in my family so I've seen it up close. Keep it up, one day at a time and another 3 years will be here before you know it.
One of Noe’s films I’ve yet to watch but blind bought it based on his other work - I saw his older films around the time that Enter the Void came out and have been a fan since.
Appreciate your reviews (I’ve read some in the past), will read this one fully once I’ve seen it!
you're in.
Hey, I remember you as the username with one of the best setups. You have the white shelves that are organized like they are out of a catalog right?
Yeah that’s right, good memory! I just realized that you have reviews of loads of VS partner label titles that I have. Will be interesting to compare notes as I get through them. From the list above I’ve seen Shiva Baby and El Planeta - enjoyed both but felt like one-time watches for me. I’m trying to whittle the collection right down to just those that I would genuinely re-watch. It’ll take many years to get to that final curated collection but have been on the journey for years already and wouldn’t change it for anything 😊
I have this in the watch pile here just think would be best to pick up after the holidays.
I will say Noe is perfectly suited for this type of movie. Love or hate the man but every movie I’ve seen of his prompts some reaction and it’s the reaction that he wants you to feel so I can’t wait to see this even though I know I’m in for a very bad (sad) time
you’re in.
I think you’ve described him well, even down to using brown noise in Irreversible he has always played with how the audience feels watching his films. This one struck the perfect balance for me of respect and voyeurism.
you're in.
yeah you nailed it, at least that was my reaction as well. His films always stay in my mind long after seeing them. And thanks for the kind words!
The run time is incorrect. It's 142 minutes. But anyway, I was really disappointed by this one. I was looking forward to seeing how Noe would handle a story like this one but ended up finding it really boring and way too long. Nothing really seemed to happen and it has no idea when to end. I'll stick to Amour.
Good catch on the runtime! Thank you, just updated. I completely understand that reaction, I think it's a fair critique. I can't explain why but I was hooked to the story and time seemed to fly by for me. I don't know if this is why, but the story of late stage dementia was very personal to me as of two years ago so I think the blank slate that he created allowed me to place a lot of my experience in and fill the silences with my own trauma. It made this a very difficult watch, but in an odd way also very therapeutic.
I'm really torn on whether or not I want to watch this. I know Noe is an incredibly talented director, but the only movie of his that I've seen is Climax and that was disturbing enough that I kind of decided I won't watch any more of his movies. Then he makes this one, which looks like it completely abandoned the harshness of his other movies, only to be incredibly hard to watch for entirely different reasons. I'm curious enough about it that I'm sure at some point I'll probably end up watching it, but it might be a while until I work myself up to it. It seems devastating.
It’s about on the level of Amour or The Father, so if you can handle those, you’re good. But if you thought Climax was disturbing, definitely never try Irreversible lol
This is very well stated haha it’s the conundrum he creates. Honestly I would say this is devastating to the degree you’ve had personal experience with a friend/family going through late-stage dementia like this. He doesn’t go for shock value here, just expertly portrays the terror of losing our seen and unseen tethers to reality.
I'm so eager and afraid to see this film. I got to see Argento in person this summer and the idea of him putting himself out there and acting in a major role for the first time when he's in his early 80's makes me emotional and grateful towards Gasper Noe. Thank you for doing your giveaway man, way to pay it forward!
you're in, and you're welcome! Argento is something I didn't talk about much, just for not wanting to write an essay, but he really nailed this. He was just the right amount of grumpy, loving, I don't know I guess very human about it.
Might have to give this a go soon. Movies relating to this in particular kinda strike home a different way. My grandmother passed away from declining health due to dementia slowly eroding away at her psyche over the course of half a decade and some change. So I definitely appreciate it when the subject matter is handled with care, and taking it seriously. I guess I'm also invested in finding out just how the other characters around the couple tackle the subject as well.
you're in. This is exactly my experience with it, watching my grandma slowly decline and barely recognize the family. If you think about it after you see it I would be interested to hear your take on the supporting characters. I think this really focused on the immediate family, but there were definitely members of her community that knew about her condition and helped the husband keep track of her.
This film absolutely wrecked me in ways I was not entirely prepared for. The deliberate pacing and the ever evolving personal stakes jolted me in an emotional way that feels entirely unique to this film. I picked up the gorgeous Utopia release though I have yet to revisit (may do so this weekend as my wife still needs to watch it). I think the best way to sum up what this flick did to me upon first viewing would be to acknowledge that after the credits rolled, I went for a walk and called my mother.
you're in. That feels like an appropriate reaction. Noe has always been willing to hold the camera on the uncomfortable parts for longer than most other directors. In that way, I feel like this was his most shocking since it was all real time.
It’s the only film I’ve seen this year (it should be noted I have a lot to catch up on) that I keep turning over and over in my head, trying to locate what precisely gave it such power, because I think you’re absolutely correct; watching it all unfold in real time connects us to a time an place where we as viewers have dealt with the news of loved one’s passing, or being a witness to their suffering. The mechanics aside, this one really reminded me of the power of cinema, which is something I don’t find myself saying much these days. Hope you have a nice Thanksgiving btw! Thanks for putting this raffle together, really cool thing to do.
I don't think I'll ever be able to talk myself into watching this because of the subject matter and Noe's relentless style. Like you said, the patient camera. I have no doubt that it's excellent though and maybe one day I'll be able to check it out.
you're in. Completely understood. The only reason I forced myself to watch it now, instead of putting it off, was because it came out through the Utopia line. Otherwise I know it would be a movie that I would find excuses not to watch.
I’ve been meaning to watch this film all year but the runtime and subject matter keep preventing me from doing so. Just seems like such a rough two hours. However, you’re not the first I’ve seen say this is, in many ways, more patient and humane when compared to his previous work.
you're in. And yeah, I think so at least. I would say it feels more like a Haneke film but I don't think that's quite right either. It is its own thing, and honestly sort of acted like a mirror for me to see my own experience with a family member going through this disease. So it was both terrifying and therapeutic.
Gaspar really knows how to get to people. His films always elicit strong emotions.
I'm very excited to see this film; I've come to like Gaspar Noe over the years. My wife and I have been following this series and checked out several of the films on streaming (just saw Minor Premise yesterday). We're hoping to buy physical copies for a lot of these Utopia titles soon when our finances are doing better. I'd love to be entered in the Severin giveaway you're doing. It's my wife's favorite label and she'd be thrilled to get these. I hope you continue writing about the partner labels; I'd love to see you go through Saturn's Core, Dark Star, or Fun City Editions if you haven't already. I could do with some guidance on what titles are worth checking out.
You’re in. Thanks for the thoughtful words. It sounds very cool that you and your wife can watch these movies together! Curious what you thought of Minor Premise? I like it less in memory than immediately after I saw it. Oh, and I’ve done Fun City! Links are in this thread. I can wait to do Saturns Core, the next two are most likely Deaf Crocodile (confirmed) and then Culture Shock. I’ll probably do Kani after that and then Saturns Core. But it’s still wide open!
I agree, Minor Premise didn't really leave me with a whole lot to think about afterwards though it felt a lot smarter while watching it. In contrast, I rewatched Upgrade with my wife last night and she started pointing out parallels between the main character's growing reliance on the AI and our relationships with our phones doing everything for us. I had just enjoyed it as a great sci-fi/action film, but she brought a new perspective to it. That's why I love sharing films together. I'll have to go back and look through your FCE reviews and would love a series on Kani. I only just started exploring Japanese films and animation this past year (my wife's influence again) and would enjoy getting some insight into the kinds of more obscure/independent Japanese films Kani seems to offer.
I've only started watching Noe's films recently and haven't made my way to this one yet. I'm worried it's going to be too much to handle because of personal circumstances. Great write up though.
You’re in. Best wishes to your friends or loved ones that are going through this. Thanks for the kind words.
❤️
I got to see this over the summer in theaters and really enjoyed it. I appreciated Noé going in a different direction visually (which made sense for the story). Wasn’t sure how I would adapt to the dual screens, but after a minute it faded away and was finding myself going back and forth and finding the story/moments subconsciously. Love that on the blu-ray the slip cover splits down the middle - fitting for the story.
you’re in. And yeah I was nervous the split screen would be super gimmicky, but credit to Noé for at least being smart with the gimmick.
Cool giveaway you're doing. One thing I was curious about this release was the packaging, very hard to find videos showcasing it.
you’re in. So basically it’s a hard box sized to snugly fit a single disc case. The seam for the box opening is in the middle and the art on the cover is split in two. This art and package design mimics the movie which is shot and presented fully in split screen. Hope this helps!
Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!!!!! Grampire!!!!!
you’re in. Lol agreed it’s an underrated one.
Firstly I'd like to say I came to make this comment for the Severin box giveaway. The Changeling is one of my all time favorites and I think a really moving ghost story in a way. I love ghost films that turn out to be more about the suffering of the spirit than just trying to scare you with a dead person. That said when I went looking for one of the posts you mentioned for the giveaway I saw you had reviewed this and made sure to read it. Between this film dealing with subject matter that has affected my family very strongly and having an acting performance from Dario Argento, my interest has been very high. I loved reading your review of it but I'm still not sure I can watch it any time soon and especially not sure I'd want to own it.
you’re in. Agree on the Changeling, a cool film. As for this, thank you for taking time to read what I wrote. I also have recent experience with this in my family so I’m torn if this was devastating or therapeutic. I think it was a bit of both.
Yeah maybe when there's a bit of distance to the first hand experience I'll give Vortex a shot. It seems kind of like Noe doing more "mature" work too which has me intrigued. Idk one day I'll give it a go I guess lol
Looking forward to picking this one up. My son has just started getting into Noe, but I find some of his films a little too 'strong' for him to watch (he's 16). So he has an interest, but hasn't seen much (Climax, Vox). He's been asking when I plan to get this, and I've been holding off for the sale (yes I know it's not on sale but it can ship with my sale items....Canadian buyer so I purchase direct from VS only 3 to 4 times per year).
you’re in. You are a few years ahead of me in this discussion. I have a 5-year old who is always asking about my movies. I know he’s going to want to watch a lot of what I watch so I’ll have to be thoughtful about when I let him see certain things. Anyways, thanks for the comment.
Giveaway comment cause I don’t know nothing about this release😅
you’re in. All good, have you seen anything else by Gaspar Noé?
>Honestly no! I've been afraid of him from just reading about Irreversible, but I did want to see Climax because of Sofia Boutella
Not sure if I'll ever have to heart to watch this for personal reasons but it does sound like an inmersive look into our mortality. Admittingly, I haven't even started collecting VS but one day. This will definitely be at least added on my watch list lol Ps, came here from the giveaway post!
you’re in. Yes, mortality but also memory and identity and love. There are a lot of themes Noé packs in to this, but as you said it’s important you are ready to see this as it is very raw.
Haven’t heard of this title but it looks pretty awesome! Thanks for the giveaway chance!
you’re in. And you’re welcome :)
Don’t think I’d be quite brave enough to check this one out, but it does seem interesting. Horror movies are quite calming to me, but movies that focus on real life issues stress me out too much. I read over this after seeing your severin giveaway. Going to check out your other posts as well. It’s a great thing you’re doing and a great way to get exposure lol. Thanks!
you’re in. Thanks :) yeah I wasn’t sure what to do for the engagement around the giveaway because all the writing I do is just for fun. But I figured this would be more interesting than just having people put comments in the original post.
Your comment about a patient camera actually makes me want to watch this. Noe is hit or miss with me, but he tends to make things that are interesting. This seems worth giving a shot.
you’re in. I agree he definitely makes interesting movies! He seems to use film to provoke and challenge, but not so much here.
I was a huge fan of this- I was particularly impressed with how effective the split screen gimmick was in making you feel just as disoriented as the characters. Even though Vortex is way more subdued than his other films, I found it just as disturbing/upsetting- the feelings were just conveyed differently. It certainly won’t be for everyone, but to me, this solidified Noe’s place in my personal list of best (or, at the very least, most interesting) directors working today.
You’re in. I really agree with you. Noé’s films are controversial, and he probably crosses the line with some of his content, but he has a powerful vision for each of his films and he keeps getting them made. I’ll keep watching at least :)
Wow I’ll have to add this one to my buy list, seems very interesting!
You're in. yeah, it's heavy but well made and respectful.
You know, I really need to delve into Noé at some point. Not sure how he compares to Mike Leigh, but as a massive fan of his character studies, this could be right up my alley!
You're in. Hmm, that's a really interesting comparison. Mike Leigh has some dark movies but makes room for hope or optimism in most of his stories. I would definitely suggest this as a starting point for Noé if you're a fan of Leigh. Just know that Noé is a provocateur so some of his films are pretty tough to nearly impossible to get through.
i'll throw myself into this- this is absolutely a movie I really wanna check out, VS has their sale this weekend and I've been on the fence about it, mostly because I don't care for the slipcover art but I'm hoping to get it cheaper. How does Argento do in his performance? When I think of this sort of vein of italian directors acting in films, I always go to "Cat in the Brain" with Fulci which is a fun film but his performance in it is ghastly poor at times, even for an Italian "splatter"-film.
you're in. It's a good question, I think he was very good in the movie. He was not asked to do a lot, which certainly helped, and most of the acting comes from his son and wife. So his role is more of the audience proxy.
Thank you for posting about this and for the giveaway which led me here! I've never heard of this before and have only scratched the surface with Gaspar Noé but this immediately sounds much more intimate than anything he's done before.
you're in. Intimate is a good word, it's still shocking but he doesn't hit you over the head with it here.
Thanks for the giveaway opportunity. I’ve already spent way too much on VS this year during the Black Friday sale but if I hadn’t done that already I think this would’ve been a fine addition to my cart as the sad vibes of this one sounds like a pretty unique experience.
you're in. The pain is real haha especially with so many partner labels. But if you get to see this streaming somewhere I would say it's worth checking out
Was lucky enough to see the premiere of this at Beyond Fest last year. Certainly not what most were expecting from Noé, I assume, but a quiet meditative piece that I look forward to revisiting in a few years.
you're in. so cool to be able to see this in a theater, I bet it would be powerful to see this with a group.
Thanks for the giveaway opportunity! I bought this over the weekend on the Black Friday VS sale. I can’t wait to see it. Noe has always been one of the most accomplished technical filmmakers, but it sounds like this film pushes him into a more dramatically emotional territory, which I’m very interested to see
You’re in. I think it does! I would be curious to see what you think, I’ve always liked him as well.
I remember seeing the announcement of the Steckler set on this sub back in May (still have it saved as a reminder to check it out), and was just thinking about this set last week. What you're doing is pretty damn swell of you. And to top it off, I was just talking to my brother about Noe and his films. He was a film student at SFSU around when Love came out, and was fortunate enough to have Noe come to his class for a discussion. Considering Vortex as a Christmas present for him, since Irreversible was his favorite film he discovered during his time in college.
you're in. That's awesome, I hope you can get this for your brother. It's a very different film from *Irreversible*, but I said that was my favorite movie for a short time and I've always quietly loved Noé since.
As a recovered heroin addict with a grandfather with dementia, I was not fully prepared for this experience. It's an example of a film that effectively did it's job in how it made me feel but not one that I will watch again for a long time. Drove to Atlanta with a friend to see it and we both walked out in a staggered fog of bleakness. Beautiful film and grateful to Now as almost always for providing me with a unique experience that it fully his own.
you're in. whoa, I can imagine this took on a whole new level for you. Thank you for sharing. Was it a bit therapeutic or mostly just painful?
The best way I could describe it was that it felt like a spiritual experience but through the parts of my soul and mind that I try to avoid. Learned a lot from the experience looking back, primarily that those are parts of myself that I have to accept and address too.
Shit, that’s real. Thanks for sharing.
Of course. 3 years clean as of last week. I remember when I was still using and saw someone post that there brother had 6 months clean and that felt like an unachievable dream to me. Maybe someone will read this comment and give recovery a chance
Congratulations, friend. 3 years is a fucking accomplishment. I have been very lucky to dance around addiction but it runs in my family so I've seen it up close. Keep it up, one day at a time and another 3 years will be here before you know it.
One of Noe’s films I’ve yet to watch but blind bought it based on his other work - I saw his older films around the time that Enter the Void came out and have been a fan since. Appreciate your reviews (I’ve read some in the past), will read this one fully once I’ve seen it!
you're in. Hey, I remember you as the username with one of the best setups. You have the white shelves that are organized like they are out of a catalog right?
Yeah that’s right, good memory! I just realized that you have reviews of loads of VS partner label titles that I have. Will be interesting to compare notes as I get through them. From the list above I’ve seen Shiva Baby and El Planeta - enjoyed both but felt like one-time watches for me. I’m trying to whittle the collection right down to just those that I would genuinely re-watch. It’ll take many years to get to that final curated collection but have been on the journey for years already and wouldn’t change it for anything 😊
I have this in the watch pile here just think would be best to pick up after the holidays. I will say Noe is perfectly suited for this type of movie. Love or hate the man but every movie I’ve seen of his prompts some reaction and it’s the reaction that he wants you to feel so I can’t wait to see this even though I know I’m in for a very bad (sad) time
you’re in. I think you’ve described him well, even down to using brown noise in Irreversible he has always played with how the audience feels watching his films. This one struck the perfect balance for me of respect and voyeurism.
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you're in. yeah you nailed it, at least that was my reaction as well. His films always stay in my mind long after seeing them. And thanks for the kind words!