Ryan McNeil
Question to those who write about film in any capacity: Where new releases are concerned, how interested are you in immediate post-film discussion?
I sit here this morning in the wake of NOAH. Last night a fine critic – and dear friend – hosted a double-feature here in Toronto down near St. Lawrence Market. The bill was an Aronofsky double-feature of PI, followed by his new biblical epic starring Russell Crowe. After both films…and especially after NOAH…there was a lengthy discussion led by the host with the small audience gathered. People got into their thoughts on the film, themes touched upon, where it fit within Aronofsky’s body of work, and many more ideas. It’s the sort of discussion I love, but also one I seldom participate in.
For starters, I usually like to let a film sit with me for a little bit. I’m seldom jumping up and down in my seat the moment the credits roll, nor am I gathering my coat and running for the hills. I want time to let it stew with me…see if the highs stay high, and if the lows are THAT low. The only person I tend to chat about a film with immediately is Lindsay, and that’s just because it’s part of the deal. Even then, we sometimes don’t get into it until after dinner has been ordered, or we’re a few blocks away from the cinema.
I’m conflicted since sitting in the audience last night and listening to the ideas being thrown around was wonderful. But when I take part in such things, I feel like the thoughts I eventually write and share with you will not be my own. So I like it, but I seldom take part in it.
How about you? Do you want to dissect the film in great detail over pie and coffee? Or do you want to let it sit with you…allow yourself a chance to publish your own ideas…then begin the discussion once you’ve planted your flag?
For Your listening and reading fulfilment, I give you…
The Jamaican Bullshitting Team was in fine form this week discussing THE GREAT BEAUTY. Word has it their next episode is dedicated to THE WOLF OF WALL STREET, and I can only imagine how that is going to play out.
Wunderkind extraordinaire – and recent Matineecast guest – Sam Fragoso this week launched a storefront all his own. The guy’s an inspiration really…both in talent and ambition. One day, we’ll all be working for him.
Fun fact: When looking through my blogroll for posts I want to plug each week, I try to spread the wealth. As such, I tend not to plug the same site/podcast two weeks in a row. I’m a big believe in that, if you post link round-ups yourself – food for thought! However, there’s a writer out there who’s been off the horse far too long. Seeing him crank out wonderful reviews in back-to-back weeks has been encouraging, and I want him to keep it up. So again this week, drop by Dear Film, and check out what Brian J. Roan has to say about ENEMY.Maybe it’ll even prompt him to get the podcast back on track!
It’s been a little more than a decade since CHICAGO dropped in theatres and confirmed once and for all that the modern movie musical would be sticking around. But how has the film fared through the years? This week, Katy Rochelle took a look back at The Adventures of Roxy &Velma, and wrote about it with fresh eyes.
Once upon a time – around the setting of the #tbt photo I posted yesterday across social media – I counted myself a big fan of vampires. These days though, the genre is beginning to feel a little bit toothless (pardon the pun). Fandango took a moment this week and looked back on where the genre has been, and the occasionally original ideas it has dared to unleash.
For the Tweet of The Week today, I point you towards Andrew. “Fisti” as he’s known around these parts, finally took the bait and launched a Twitter feed (as a late adopter myself, I identify with his hesitation). To paraphrase the song that gave my site its name, find him and follow him:
I have a feeling that this is either going to become something I used far too often, or something I completely forget about tomorrow. — Andrew Ellington (@fististhoughts) March 21, 2014
Enjoy!
Thanks for the shoutout! I really appreciate it. Twitter has certainly become a quick addiction.
It’s a handy tool for people like us that are using it to further a specific conversation. Ideas and details once I fined to a comment section or forum can be opened-up for more ideas and more immediacy. In the end though, you get what you give to it.
What I’m saying is that we’ve taken a vote, and the first time you tweet about what you’re eating for lunch, you get your account revoked.
I usually sleep on a movie before I’m willing to talk about it with another person. And ideally, I like having written down my own thoughts first, but that doesn’t always happen. It’s the main reason I plan on seeing NOAH by myself this weekend even though I know a lot of my friends are interested in seeing it.
Of course, when you do see movies with people, you usually end up talking about them after you see them. I do that enough, and sometimes I worry about it skewing my thoughts, but it happens rarely. I probably see 95% of movies by myself.
There’s always a time and a place, right? Plus an occasion where it may it may not matter. For instance, I don’t think I’ll be running much of a risk by seeing CAPTAIN AMERICA with friends. I compare that with keeping myself in the dark over ENEMY, and it’s like night and day.
Maybe one day I’ll just stop writing this space and enjoy movies like a normal person!
Thank you for sharing my post of the Broadway jazz dames! 🙂
Reactions to movies vary for me. If I love or dislike something, usually I have a visceral immediate response. I know what it is about it that I connected to or didn’t. But there are others where I’m a bit confused about what it is that I felt didn’t worked or was perfect, and let my thoughts wander. Some movies have yet to get posted on my blog because I haven’t been able to figure out my exact thoughts yet. 🙂
Ooh – colour me curious! Which films are you still sorting through?
I definitely don’t like discussing films until I’ve had at least a few minutes to mull them over. I mean, unless it’s something just so fun and light that I can immediately go “yeah, I had fun with that.” Other stuff takes me longer. I hate going to movies with people who start going “so, what did you think?” as soon as the credits start rolling. It’s like, dude. At least let me get out of the theatre first. Jonathan and I tend to do like you and Lindsay – stay pretty quiet until we’re on the way home or getting food or something. With other people, it’s usually even longer before I’m ready to discuss it. But like I said, it depends on what it is and how much there is in it to mull over.