PTA's latest effort "Inherent Vice"

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Stewball
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PTA's latest effort "Inherent Vice"

Post by Stewball »

I put this one below Magnolia 9/10, but still well above that abomination, The Master 2/10. It looks like they actually used a script this time, but I'm still wondering if some of Phoenix's unintelligible mumblings were scripted or not (those are going to give the subtitle guys for the foreign versions and the DVD, fits). Of course the film involves heavy use of drugs on screen as well as off I'm sure. The humor was a mix of clever sight gags and ironic dialogue mixed in with what I'm assuming are inside jokes for the drug culture--which some of the students from ASU in the audience appeared to appreciate, if indeed that's indeed what was going on (how the hell would I know).

A couple of notable scenes were when the movie took a serious turn starting with a very intensifying and off the wall sex scene, and the short but actually touching scene when Doc (Phoenix) takes Coy (Wilson) home. ("Touching"....PTA....who knew.) The audience I saw it with was surprising for the lack of any reaction at all when it ended, and the rep wasn't getting many comments, but then he'd asked at the beginning that people keep them short. Hard to do. 7/10

Suture Self
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Re: PTA's latest effort "Inherent Vice"

Post by Suture Self »

How do you always manage to see all these limited release films in Arizona, of all places?

I'm jealous you got to see this. :(

Stewball
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Re: PTA's latest effort "Inherent Vice"

Post by Stewball »

Suture Self wrote:How do you always manage to see all these limited release films in Arizona, of all places?

I'm jealous you got to see this. :(


It was just a one-time screening instead of a limited release, and they happen all around the country like with GoFoBo or through movie clubs. This audience was mostly the Phoenix Film Society members and students from ASU's film school. But all, as in this case, is not gold. They usually do this to generate word-of-mouth which it isn't getting via marketing or spontaneous generation--which could be saying it may be lacking something. Film promotions they show with the pre-showtime advertisements (like the current Into the Woods example), are usually in a similar situation. But it works sometimes, as with Guardians of the Galaxy which was huge. It's been a long time since I saw a really outstanding movie by either of these avenues, and though they're free, they're usually a hassle what with the need to show up way early, and getting good seats or even any seats at all isn't guaranteed.

The last time I saw a 9 or 10 (for me) this way was Shuffle in 2012 (which nobody saw anyway), and Up in the Air in 2009. I did see Birdman at an intermediate early release, in Scottsdale, Emma Stone's hometown, hoping, but..... Most big cities get some intermediate releases in between LA/NY releases and general releases, in another effort to generate wom.

Suture Self
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Re: PTA's latest effort "Inherent Vice"

Post by Suture Self »

By the way, just for the record, Joaquin Phoenix made it crystal clear that no actual drugs were used during the making of the film, but I'm glad you got the impression that drugs actually were used, because that means the actors were doing their jobs. :P

Suture Self
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Re: PTA's latest effort "Inherent Vice"

Post by Suture Self »

Movie rocked. See my review.

3dRevelation
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Re: PTA's latest effort "Inherent Vice"

Post by 3dRevelation »

Was super excited that this was added to Amazon this week, as I didn't have a chance to get to the theaters to see it. Definitely am disappointed. Part of that might be because I have really high expectations for PT Anderson and part of it might be because I've read the Pynchon novel (which I felt was better than the film). Expected a mix between Altman's The Long Goodbye and the Coens' The Big Lebowski, and felt Inherent Vice was inferior than both of them. I didn't even really find it that funny. In fact, the funniest part of the novel IMO wasn't even in the film. None of the acting is bad, but there isn't anyone that sticks out. And I thought the ending was near awful. I mean that last scene involving Bigfoot was almost cringeworthy IMO (and I might add doesn't appear in the novel). My least favorite of his films, which is crushing considering the expectations I had. I originally felt the same way after The Master, which has since grown on me (although I still think it is one of his lesser works), so maybe Vice will grow on me more after some re-watches.

CarsonWid
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Re: PTA's latest effort "Inherent Vice"

Post by CarsonWid »

As odd as it seems, I think this is the movie that puts Joaquin Phoenix into the highest level of actors currently working. It's a goofy role, but he absolutely nails it. Compare it to his previous 2 efforts, Her and The Master, and you get to see every bit of his range. It helps when you work for someone as good as PTA, but I still couldn't help but be incredible impressed.

As for the movie itself, it wandered quite a bit but I still managed to enjoy it. I feel the narrative could have been improved by editing out a few scenes, but those scenes were key to the mood of the film, and the mood is what the film is all about.

If he tightened up his narratives a bit, PTA would be hitting Kubrick territory. His visuals, ability to capture his characters, and the performances that he gets out of his actors are phenomenal. Unfortunately, we seem to wander a bit as his movies seem to happen around us instead of guiding us through them. Regardless, I look forward to his next film because on a technical level he is doing amazing stuff.

Neonman
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Re: PTA's latest effort "Inherent Vice"

Post by Neonman »

Good film. I'm a PTA fan-boy and this is easily my least favourite by him, but I tried my best to keep my expectations at bay, considering what people had said about this film. I ought to give it a re-watch pretty soon, but the storyline is just too complicated, on a self-indulgent, too-clever-for-the-audience level. The story is somewhat important in this film since it invades not only every scene, but just about very line -- it's at least very detailed, I'll give it that. What the film gets right is it's 1970 mood, a soothing place between the idealistic '60s and the more cynical '70s. Despite being disappointed, I still left the film feeling elevated and in good spirits. Most of the acting is very good, though I feel some players like Reece Witherspoon and Benecio del Toro are unfortunately underused. Phoenix is pretty great in the lead role, despite his lack of professionalism and his stoned state, I can't see how any audience member wouldn't feel he's right as the leading character, he's still too damn likeable. Josh Brolin is excellent as his opposite, the straight-edge, militarist Bigfoot -- his final scene had me howling with laughter, I wish more of the film was funnier.

Bojangles
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Re: PTA's latest effort "Inherent Vice"

Post by Bojangles »

I saw this about a month ago. The plot isn't meant to be understood on one viewing, and so it would seem that the movie was more about evoking a feeling than anything else. It succeeds and fails based on the *feelings* it evokes. Or, more pessimistically, the feelings it *recalls*, for those of the baby-boomer generation.

Success (nostalgia): http://streamable.com/2rv2

Failure (recollection of "reality"): http://streamable.com/v2bh

The actual "failures" are probably just a bunch of moment-in-time vignettes that I don't have the education/experience to appreciate. The "successes" make me cry like a little pussy bitch.

The whole thing (inherent vice) is about the passage of time; the duality of nostalgia/remorse, good/bad. An examination of a certain time/place (70s/America.) Almost every scene seems to be viewed through the prism of 60s idealism VS. contemporary capitalism: http://streamable.com/arw8

Waiting for their Money.

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