- Rick
- Feb 23, 2004
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When I was 17, my father was so stupid, I didn't want to be seen with him in public. When I was 24, I was amazed at how much the old man had learned in just 7 years.
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This is my favorite movie of the year, so I'll elaborate on a few points.
First, Moondog's relationship with his wife isn't open. Moondog selfishly fucks anything and everything he wants, but it's brought up by his wife and daughter that he doesn't know about her and Lingerie, and it's preferred to keep it that way. He selfishly wants to remain loyal to him while he gets to be wild and free. Moondog is a narcissistic, and selfish, which is why seeing his wife with Lingerie is such a huge blow to his ego, and what leads to her death.
We are not supposed to pity Moondog. He is so numbed by self-indulgence, wealth and celebrity that he is no longer human. Everyone refers to him as an Other. He gets away with everything, or is rewarded for being the worst person imaginable. He is not necessarily a good poet, but he is a popular poet. He is creatively bankrupt, and only returns to writing because it is the only way to get access to his wealth, and to perpetuate this weird idea of Moondog as a person.
2019 was a year in film where class and wealth disparity were explored. Instead of showing class warfare (like Ready Or Not, Parasite, The Lighthouse, Us), instead we get to see the results of wealth with Moondog. He pretends to live among the common people, not because he finds solidarity with them, but because he is allowed to do anything he wants. Obese man playing a tuba? Knock his rear end in the water, Moondog. No one's gonna say anything about it, in fact, people may laugh with you! Have another beer on the house. His celebrity absolves him of his crimes. His wealth perpetuates his lovely actions without consequence.
Structurally, the film is a picaresque story, with Moondog as the central rogue character, bumbling through various situations. He meets a Nu-Metal fan who believes he can be the worst person imagineable, because Jesus already died for his sins, bro! He meets an entrepreneur who preys off of tourist culture. His best friend is a major drug dealer, and he gets involved in trafficking because it promises free weed. He doesn't learn a drat thing from any of it. Why should he? He's Moondog. He's already rich and famous. There is no room is his drunk and stoned head for life lessons. He is incapable of growing, and the structure reflects that, as does the genre of "stoner comedy".
As for the dialogue coverage, it's pretty unique. It can be distracting, but our perspective is with the stoned Moondog. It also creates an interesting tapestry with the many different takes. Harmony Korine doesn't do much improv in his films; all the dialogue is scripted, but he allows a lot of freedom in their delivery, and how the shots are executed. I thought it was pretty awesome, but that's to taste.
Like all Harmony Korine films, it's very polarizing. The dude doesn't care about broad appeal. This is as straightforward as he's gonna get.
I can't believe this is something that came out this year. Like my memory places it in 2017 or something. It does feel like it's worth watching, though.
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Jan 2, 2020 01:21
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May 15, 2024 13:48
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- Rick
- Feb 23, 2004
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When I was 17, my father was so stupid, I didn't want to be seen with him in public. When I was 24, I was amazed at how much the old man had learned in just 7 years.
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No matter how bad/racist a film like Loqueesha could be, it’s not doing as much concrete damage to cinema as a whole as Disney buying up Fox. Disney movies are fair game for polluting cinemas with endless franchise pictures and wannabes and choking the life out of daring independent films, but also because a lot of them suck rear end.
There has never been more money going to independent film producers, never more movies receiving theatrical release and never more platforms to release film on.
It's a cinematic golden age and all the giant poles that Disney are sticking in the tent do a lot to help that.
The cinema that Disney is choking out is the mid level fare, or large non-Disney Studio productions, which I don't think is a good thing either, but honestly if you ask me if I'd rather have things like they are now, where I can see films that would've been stuck in an art house 10 years ago if they even got made, instead of The Expendables 8, I'd choose the former.
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Jan 2, 2020 19:48
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- Rick
- Feb 23, 2004
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When I was 17, my father was so stupid, I didn't want to be seen with him in public. When I was 24, I was amazed at how much the old man had learned in just 7 years.
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I'd watch 3 Dogateers.
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Jan 14, 2020 21:30
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- Rick
- Feb 23, 2004
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When I was 17, my father was so stupid, I didn't want to be seen with him in public. When I was 24, I was amazed at how much the old man had learned in just 7 years.
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Yeah now that you mention it I don't think I've disliked anything more than the Hobbit films.
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Jan 15, 2020 02:54
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Jan 2, 2020 01:21
