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Black Lighter posted:Yeah, I think all of this is only improved by all the Christ symbolism that gets attached to Beau. He's a Jewish guy who never met his biodad (and is hinted to be a virgin birth for a lot of the film's runtime), picks up a really vaginal stab wound in his side, is told he can't gently caress but eventually gets with his Mary Magdelene and is eventually gives himself up for an unjust execution. The whole thing's a subversion of the Christ narrative on top of everything else. I've never thought of it that way but in that respect the film is even more hilarious give he's unable to help or heal any of the insane people in his neighborhood, the PTSD soldier, or the sister who kills herself. His "voyage to the desert for 90 days" also is a failure given that he succumbs to temptation twice: by giving away his gift to the woman in the forest, and loving that woman on his mom's bed hours after he saw his mom (who he suspected wasn't even dead) was put to rest. It also feeds into how hilarious it is that Beau is literally the heir to this incredible fortune and business, yet lives in squalor and destitution. He basically rejects his destiny to be something greater, though that might also stem from wanting to get away from his overbearing mother so badly that he chose that life over her. I remember when this movie was called Disappointment Blvd and the summary was listed originally as "the story of the world's greatest entrepreneur" or something? Which makes me even more curious how the development of the movie went and if midway Aster decided to change directions and inject his original short film into the tissue of a still-developing project. Remembering this old description I kept watching knowing that Beau's family/mother was likely going to be wealthy and was convinced the sister was recording him because he was a famous rich guy who somehow got amnesia maybe, and recording him would lead to him being publicly shamed or something.
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May 5, 2023 16:48
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DLC Inc posted:I've never thought of it that way but in that respect the film is even more hilarious give he's unable to help or heal any of the insane people in his neighborhood, the PTSD soldier, or the sister who kills herself. His "voyage to the desert for 90 days" also is a failure given that he succumbs to temptation twice: by giving away his gift to the woman in the forest, and loving that woman on his mom's bed hours after he saw his mom (who he suspected wasn't even dead) was put to rest. Yeah! I never thought about how he basically rejects all his mother's material wealth to live a more ascetic lifestyle, but it doesn't lead him to any greater insight or spiritual fulfillment, just more fear and anxiety because her influence is still omnipresent in his life.
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May 5, 2023 17:09
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I think you're missing that the apartment building was built by his mother's company and originally looked like a bright, thriving development, it's just decayed throughout the years. It's another way in which Beau was unable to do anything for himself because assuredly Mona was the one who gave and moved him into the flat.
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May 5, 2023 21:55
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His card also gets canceled after his phone call with Mona. Likely she has him on an allowance
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May 5, 2023 22:18
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Mordja posted:I think you're missing that the apartment building was built by his mother's company and originally looked like a bright, thriving development, it's just decayed throughout the years. It's another way in which Beau was unable to do anything for himself because assuredly Mona was the one who gave and moved him into the flat. Yeah, but she's one of the richest people in the world. Beau could easily bug her to hook him up with a mansion - he chooses to reject that life, but not to the point that the rejection would actually be meaningful. His apartment sucks but her influence is still all over his life, so he just stews in impotent anxiety.
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May 5, 2023 22:32
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me, very socialistly: The mom is capitalism.
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May 6, 2023 02:05
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This movie marinates in magical realism. Thinking about plot as an a to b to c concept is a fool’s game.
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May 6, 2023 02:27
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Loved this movie and even though Hereditary / Midsommar definitely had some darkly funny moments I was not expecting to laugh as much as I did. Can't imagine anyone but Joaquin pulling this off, honestly. Starting to think Aster has got some unresolved issues w/r/t head trauma though!
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May 8, 2023 07:28
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Still working through my feelings on it. Definitely the funniest Aster film, and I loved his use of cuts to jump through time. The 3rd act when he finally arrives at his mom's place and everything after he sees his mother is alive is where the film loses me. I did listen to an episode of The Ringer's The Big Picture podcast talking about Beau is Afraid and they did mention how Aster used a lot of CGI so my surprise was at the end seeing Beau's penis monster father made me feel that it looked… kinda cheap. I can't believe it but loving MCU movies got me with a baseline of quality that if a movie doesn't clear it I get pulled out of the experience. The podcast did mention the themes of Jewish guilt & Aster wanting to do a perverted take on The Odyssey so I had an idea how things were going to be. This was the 1st Aster film I saw in the theater. Probably was a bad idea to eat pizza & have beers before watching this 3 hour movie tho… Also seeing this movie on Mother's Day was definitely… a choice.
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May 15, 2023 15:15
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swear to god that someone in front of me at my screening said after the movie ended: “this kinda happened to me, my mom tried to make me think she had died.”
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May 15, 2023 17:31
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Android Apocalypse posted:Still working through my feelings on it. Definitely the funniest Aster film, and I loved his use of cuts to jump through time. The 3rd act when he finally arrives at his mom's place and everything after he sees his mother is alive is where the film loses me. I did listen to an episode of The Ringer's The Big Picture podcast talking about Beau is Afraid and they did mention how Aster used a lot of CGI so my surprise was at the end seeing Beau's penis monster father made me feel that it looked… kinda cheap. I can't believe it but loving MCU movies got me with a baseline of quality that if a movie doesn't clear it I get pulled out of the experience. The podcast did mention the themes of Jewish guilt & Aster wanting to do a perverted take on The Odyssey so I had an idea how things were going to be. It was a prosthetic
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May 15, 2023 18:54
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Barry Convex posted:swear to god that someone in front of me at my screening said after the movie ended: “this kinda happened to me, my mom tried to make me think she had died.” crazy these days it's tough to tell an old fashioned giant rubber penis from a computer generated one
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May 15, 2023 21:33
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Hey all. I made a quick little video discussing what I think the big, girthy themes in this movie are. Please lemme know what you think 0 and any comments/subs appreciated!
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Jun 25, 2023 21:47
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Just watched last night and it all made sense when I saw that Aster has A Serious Man in his Sight and Sound top 10. I can’t believe it was not originally written as a Jewish movie, though the character originally being black adds to the already funny gag of Nathan Lane constantly saying things like “brotha” and “my man” when talking to Beau. Parts of this movie were incredible and parts made me roll my eyes. Mariah Carey drop was hilarious. Definitely his worst movie but I’m glad he got to make it.
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Jun 27, 2023 15:37
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Calico Heart posted:Hey all. I made a quick little video discussing what I think the big, girthy themes in this movie are. Please lemme know what you think 0 and any comments/subs appreciated! YouTube took this down. Anywhere else I can watch?
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Jul 13, 2023 22:33
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Saw this yesterday and it was really good. Not sure if it was pointed out somewhere, but Beaus mother's company made the food he ate, the pills he took, the apartment he lived in, etc. Likely every product the company made was part of a way to control Beau, "your security is our business". It reminded me a lot of the Truman Show. The play in the woods was my favorite part, not only as a break from the anxiety, but also as Beau imagines his life could have been if he wasn't under his mother's control
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Jul 14, 2023 18:02
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Well, finally got round to watching this. Call me crazy, but I felt like Aster was taking the piss out of the direction style of Wes Anderson.
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Aug 8, 2023 21:06
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Samovar posted:Well, finally got round to watching this. Call me crazy, but I felt like Aster was taking the piss out of the direction style of Wes Anderson. OK, I will. How is any of this like Anderson?
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Aug 8, 2023 21:23
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🤔👶
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Aug 9, 2023 07:46
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I don't know, it was... Something about the way things were framed? It seemed more symmetrical somehow. Also, probably because it was a lot more farcical than the other two movies Aster has made.
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Aug 9, 2023 10:45
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Considering he wrote the first draft in film school, I think it's more likely this was his "I can be Anderson/Kaufman too!" movie
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Aug 9, 2023 17:41
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it's def Charlie Kaufman all over. the most Charlie Kaufman rear end movie since Sorry to Bother You (not as good though).
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Aug 11, 2023 16:40
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Sorry to Bother You, to me, felt less Kaufman and more Gondry (inexorably linked as they are)
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Aug 11, 2023 17:06
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mutantIke posted:Sorry to Bother You, to me, felt less Kaufman and more Gondry (inexorably linked as they are) I can definitely see that, although the film it reminded me most of in the moment was Being John Malkovich
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Aug 11, 2023 17:07
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Uncle Boogeyman posted:I can definitely see that, although the film it reminded me most of in the moment was Being John Malkovich YES! That definitely tracks with the vibe I was getting.
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Aug 11, 2023 17:23
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I just watched this and it might be the weirdest film I've seen. elpaganoescapa posted:Not a bad movie but not his best and also Synecdoche, New York is the better anxiety epic with a hapless protagonist who everybody hates. It definitely reminded me of Synedoche, albeit with some different themes. Did anyone notice Archie Madekwe in this? He's the guy in Midsommer who was completely horrified when the old man jumps to his death, and in Beau he says, "we're all trying to get him to jump!"
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Oct 20, 2023 14:56
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I definitely felt the runtime on this one, but it was a hoot. Easily the biggest laugh I've had from any movie this year was the "Stop incriminating yourself" note.
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Oct 20, 2023 14:58
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I'm going to a screening later today - really looking forward to rewatching this with an empty bladder
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Oct 20, 2023 16:25
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Laughed so hard through the first act that after the paint scene the guy behind me said "I don't know how ANYBODY could LAUGH at that!"
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Oct 21, 2023 04:36
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mutantIke posted:Laughed so hard through the first act that after the paint scene the guy behind me said "I don't know how ANYBODY could LAUGH at that!"
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Oct 22, 2023 22:09
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The movie tends to focus most of its hatred directly on Beau so all the jokes about veterans and the fetishization of dead soldiers really stick out to me in a good way. The thousand-piece-puzzle of their dead son's face had me rolling in the aisles.
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Oct 23, 2023 14:23
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If I were Beau I would’ve handled this all better. I would have been fine.
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Oct 25, 2023 13:32
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Drunkboxer posted:If I were Beau I would’ve handled this all better. I would have been fine. I'd have been more than fine. I'll take crippling anxiety and an everpresent sense of guilt and self loathing inadequacy in exchange for an unearned inheritance of billions of dollars any day; I already have those things anyway! I enjoyed the movie, as I watched the first part in the city what struck out to me most was a resemblance to Kemo City in classic 90s PC game Quarantine
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Nov 19, 2023 07:47
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I would have simply not left my bag in the hallway
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Nov 20, 2023 02:41
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Just watched this and I kinda loved it. Feel like it's rare to see an Odyssey story where the worst possible outcome happens every single time without reprieve. The end feels like a mercy killing . It makes for a depressing story, but there's so many fun set pieces that it's still an enjoyable watch. I'm almost surprised to see discussions about "what was real" or what Beau might have been imagining, as the movie at no point ever pulls back to suggest there is a more reasonable explanation for anything we're seeing. Like there's no cutaway when Beau is freaking out in the bodega to the cashiers perspective raising an eyebrow to why this worried man is eying his apartment door. The movie shows over and over and over again these events are actually happening and have explicit consequences both for Beau and everyone around him. I did think it was in the final act at the two hour mark and was surprised to see it had another hour. A-OK with that though, as it meant we got a very Kill Bill -esque finale with plenty of breathing room. Suicide by drinking paint, good god.
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Dec 2, 2023 07:04
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Just because the film never leaves a character's POV does not mean their POV is unbiased or correct.
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Dec 2, 2023 07:09
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I guess, but w/o any other reference it a "reality" it feels like a fun thought experiment but completely futile given the movie itself clearly gives no shits about that. It makes it less "did the spinning top fall" and more "Sandy died at the beginning of Grease and it's all a fever dream". One is a clear open question made by the flick, the other is something you could kind of sort of interpret from the film, but not one it engaged with. Closet it comes to is the woods where Beau imagines the play is about him, then snaps back to ichabod crane saying hello. But then Ichabod explodes.
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Dec 2, 2023 14:26
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The first thing we see after Beau leaves his therapy appointment that establishes he has serious mommy issues is him walking down an oddly busy street as he eats the new pills he was just prescribed, and then the camera happens to briefly center on a mother frantically scolding her bratty kid. There's also a moment during the therapy scene where Beau is asked if he wishes his mother were dead, and as it visibly stresses him, street noise starts edging into the ambient silence, only to disappear as soon as the therapist changes the subject. It was clear to me from the word go that we're inside this guy's head and there's no guarantee anything we see reflects reality, and that was reinforced by every following second of the movie.
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Dec 2, 2023 18:36
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I mean "a movie from the perspective of someone with debilitating anxiety" and "a movie where every single one of someone's dehabilitating anxieties come true" are the same thing in execution
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Dec 2, 2023 20:10
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