Mark Ariel Waller gave a really great talk about video editing in which he mentioned several of the key points of our dissertation. He was approaching editing with reference to the ways that we make sense of discontinuous images in film. Unpicking a range of approaches and technical processes to consider rhythm, sound and transitions, which build up a semantic pallet. He also posed a couple of very thoughtful questions that we’re definitely going to consider while making new works around this subject matter. How is the edit a simulation of thought? How does the cut connect association, desire and experience to the present of being in front of a screen?
We had another group tutorial last week too which, unfortunately, didn’t go quite so well. We hadn’t had a particularly good morning and so we approached the explanation of the work in completely the wrong way and in turn received quite a negative response. This was also due to not nearly being prepared enough, usually we plan this sort of thing but we negated to do so this time. it made us think about Captain America Civil War when The Avengers are asked sign the Sokovia Accords – also known as the global superhero legislation. By signing they will no longer be officially sanctioned to try and stop global terror without the consent of a panel made up of various individuals from the United Nations. Iron man feels that the Avengers need to take more responsibility for the consequences of their actions, as he did when he discovered his company was secretly shipping weapons to terrorists and we agree. Not that our situations are in anyway the same but the point is that it’s necessary to be kept in check.
This week’s films began with Murder on the Orient Express, a fun but slightly dull variety show style film, full to the brim with stars from Johnny Depp to Judy Dench. It’s not that the acting was badly done or that the script didn’t give the actors lines which created a believable character, it was just not that gripping. We didn’t care for the character who had been killed, he seemed like he wasn’t so favourable and then everything is thrown away at the end anyway! So, any stake a viewer had in the film felt pointless.
As a total contrast, Lady Bird was absolutely amazing! We hate this phrase but it truly was an “emotional rollercoaster”. The script was written so that one minute you’re on the side of a character and the next you think they’re the devil. It’s about love, loss, mother/daughter relationships and how people interact with one and other in close proximity. Could not recommend more highly.
Next was The Post, a film about The Washington Post exposing a massive cover-up of government secrets that spanned three decades and four U.S. Presidents. The thing which made this film thought-provoking to us was considering it in reference to the current climate of Donald Trump calling fake news at any and all news organisation. Spielberg has definitely done this on purpose, choosing the perfect time to tell a story is a skill in and of itself.
In preparation for the sequel we watched the first instalment of Paddington. It was a charming film, making us laugh the entire way through as well as having a heartfelt message about family and belonging. On a separate point, the CGI was so good that we completely forgot that Paddington wasn’t real!
On completely the other end of the spectrum is Mother! which is not something to be watched unless in the right mindset. Potentially one of the most amazing films of 2017 but the actual viewing experience was almost torturous. We didn’t sleep the night after watching it and struggled to talk about it for a few days after. That being said, Jenifer Lawrence’s performance is exceptional, you feel all her pain and frustration, so much so that half way through we checked how long we had left of the film because we weren’t sure if we would take anymore. Definitely watch this film but approach with caution.
We indulged in the new saw film, the 8th in the franchise. Jigsaw is definitely a film for the fans which means it’s enjoyable but not something we’re massively involved with. We’re always torn between relishing in the mass of exposition at the end where the plan is revealed in all its glory and being annoyed by it. But there was certainly a thought process behind it and we haven’t seen a saw film for some time so it was fairly fun to revisit that world of crazy torture devices.
Finally, we had Phantom Thread, a fresh Paul Thomas Anderson film which has such pure delicious pleasure in it. This comes from its strangeness, its vehemence, its flourishes of absurdity and it’s carried off with superb elegance. Woodcock’s sartorial creations have a surreal quality, decadent, like dishes at a Roman banquet. It’s sad to think that it might actually be Daniel Day-Lewis’s final performance. It’s a wonderful high note for him to end on. It adds to the films mixture of euphoria and desperate sadness.
This week also marked the beginning and end of The End of the Fucking World and we loved it. It’s a show that cares about those who aren’t cared for and presents them in a considerate way. We really feel something when their distrust of adults – ranging from their parents to an empathetic cop – leads to their undoing. Unlike other films and TV shows in the same vein, this is by no means a celebration of criminal behaviour. It’s more of a wake-up call about how quickly things can get scary, and how quickly you can lose your sense of self when you act purely on impulse. The title tells us pretty clearly that this show won’t have a happy ending. But even in its tragic moments, there are still glimmers of loveliness in it. You just have to be patient, and watch closely, to fully see them.
