Really? That's interesting.
I identified pretty strongly with her character. I do think she was a bit of an enabler but ultimately feel that she was victimized more than anybody else in the film via her sister, boyfriend/his friends.
I think that is the standard/desired effect. And I could see how the movie would be a very different experience for you if that were the case.
My partner and I were leaning over to each other and talking about what a piece of work she was from the very beginning.
I think perception of her character is something that's gonna be heavily influenced by the baggage you bring to the movie. FWIW I thought she was extremely sympathetic and while it was a toxic relationship with heavy codependence on her end that both of them should have ended long ago, even in the cut I saw it was obvious Christian was a gaslighting abusive piece of shit.
Yeah I saw Dani and Christian as deeply codependent people who were essentially doing the same thing to one another in slightly different ways, only for one to be framed as the film's hero and the other as its greatest monster.
Which I think could be an interesting tack to take with a movie if it was done with that intentional end, but Midsommar did not feel like that movie.
Why are you assuming a lack of intention? If it’s in the movie, it’s fair game to think about. I think it’s pretty obvious that Aster meant for their relationship to be difficult, toxic, and complicated. I don’t know why you’re going into it with bad faith, like anything the movie did right couldn’t possibly be the result of a good storyteller.
I’m struggling to not sound rude, but I’m honestly just curious. It seems a bizarre way to interact with a movie.
On a personal level, I can relate to the idea that having parents die and close family go through severe mental health issues is gonna make you cling onto whatever support structures you have, even when it's clearly not healthy. So that was the framework I was coming from wrt Dani's emotional state.
Basically the film managed to hit a lot of personal buttons for me, which is definitely not gonna be representative for everyone.
This is pretty much my thoughts exactly. The film means a lot to me in numerous ways and for those reasons it's one of my favorite (and already most-rewatched) films, but I can understand at the same time why some might never want to see or re-see it
Really? That's interesting.
I identified pretty strongly with her character. I do think she was a bit of an enabler but ultimately feel that she was victimized more than anybody else in the film via her sister, boyfriend/his friends.
I think that is the standard/desired effect. And I could see how the movie would be a very different experience for you if that were the case.
My partner and I were leaning over to each other and talking about what a piece of work she was from the very beginning.
I think perception of her character is something that's gonna be heavily influenced by the baggage you bring to the movie. FWIW I thought she was extremely sympathetic and while it was a toxic relationship with heavy codependence on her end that both of them should have ended long ago, even in the cut I saw it was obvious Christian was a gaslighting abusive piece of shit.
Yeah I saw Dani and Christian as deeply codependent people who were essentially doing the same thing to one another in slightly different ways, only for one to be framed as the film's hero and the other as its greatest monster.
Which I think could be an interesting tack to take with a movie if it was done with that intentional end, but Midsommar did not feel like that movie.
Why are you assuming a lack of intention? If it’s in the movie, it’s fair game to think about. I think it’s pretty obvious that Aster meant for their relationship to be difficult, toxic, and complicated. I don’t know why you’re going into it with bad faith, like anything the movie did right couldn’t possibly be the result of a good storyteller.
I’m struggling to not sound rude, but I’m honestly just curious. It seems a bizarre way to interact with a movie.
Midsommar
Because it didn't feel intentional? The movie was clearly centered around Dani's story and how things affected her - Christian is more a player in her life than a deuteragonist. There's even some stuff to imply that it is quite literally told from her perspective secreted away in there. Overall, it felt too morally simplistic for that to really be its message, and by two third of the way in I'd essentially given up hope on it being what I had thought it was going to be.
Additionally, reading interviews with Aster himself and the general audience reactions to the movie have generally shown me that my view of the movie is an outlier one. Yeah, that's not content within the movie, but it's a part of how I've come to think about it after the fact.
Straightzi on
0
Raijin QuickfootI'm your Huckleberry YOU'RE NO DAISYRegistered User, ClubPAregular
The reason why I referred to it as "awkward sex" is because I either missed or just didn't quite get the drugged aspect of it. When I think back on it though I'm very wrong in that respect.
I imagine as I ruminate on Midsommar more I'll probably like it less than I do but a big part of what I liked was the absolutely beautiful cinematography and I'd watch it again just for that.
Really? That's interesting.
I identified pretty strongly with her character. I do think she was a bit of an enabler but ultimately feel that she was victimized more than anybody else in the film via her sister, boyfriend/his friends.
I think that is the standard/desired effect. And I could see how the movie would be a very different experience for you if that were the case.
My partner and I were leaning over to each other and talking about what a piece of work she was from the very beginning.
I think perception of her character is something that's gonna be heavily influenced by the baggage you bring to the movie. FWIW I thought she was extremely sympathetic and while it was a toxic relationship with heavy codependence on her end that both of them should have ended long ago, even in the cut I saw it was obvious Christian was a gaslighting abusive piece of shit.
Yeah I saw Dani and Christian as deeply codependent people who were essentially doing the same thing to one another in slightly different ways, only for one to be framed as the film's hero and the other as its greatest monster.
Which I think could be an interesting tack to take with a movie if it was done with that intentional end, but Midsommar did not feel like that movie.
Why are you assuming a lack of intention? If it’s in the movie, it’s fair game to think about. I think it’s pretty obvious that Aster meant for their relationship to be difficult, toxic, and complicated. I don’t know why you’re going into it with bad faith, like anything the movie did right couldn’t possibly be the result of a good storyteller.
I’m struggling to not sound rude, but I’m honestly just curious. It seems a bizarre way to interact with a movie.
Because it didn't feel intentional? The movie was clearly centered around Dani's story and how things affected her - Christian is more a player in her life than a deuteragonist. There's even some stuff to imply that it is quite literally told from her perspective secreted away in there. Overall, it felt too morally simplistic for that to really be its message, and by two third of the way in I'd essentially given up hope on it being what I had thought it was going to be.
Additionally, reading interviews with Aster himself and the general audience reactions to the movie have generally shown me that my view of the movie is an outlier one. Yeah, that's not content within the movie, but it's a part of how I've come to think about it after the fact.
Fair enough. I’m sick and grumpy, so sorry if that was unpleasantly phrased.
I guess I see it as that you’re supposed to have some sympathy and catharsis with Dani’s ending, but it’s obviously not that black and white, considering the horrible things that happened to people who, while toxic, clearly don’t deserve that. So you’ve got to reflect on what really was happening, how people were really treating each other, both within the film and your own experiences. The director’s cut makes this more clear (or intentionally unclear, I guess?), but I still see it in the original cut. I definitely think you’re supposed to want to cheer, in a horrible way, at the ending, but then question that impulse.
Raijin QuickfootI'm your Huckleberry YOU'RE NO DAISYRegistered User, ClubPAregular
Also, framing it as rape REALLY effects some of the reviews I was reading that said he got what he deserved at the end.
+6
MaddocI'm Bobbin Threadbare, are you my mother?Registered Userregular
Finally got around to watching The Void last night, and I enjoyed it on some level because it had practical effect monsters and weird cultists doing weird cultists stuff
But I don't think it ever came together in a satisfactory way that wasn't just "Remember these better John Carpenter movies?"
I wouldn't say it's bad, but I probably also wouldn't recommend it unless you're bored and have watched every movie it apes already
+2
StraightziHere we may reign secure, and in my choice,To reign is worth ambition though in HellRegistered Userregular
Really? That's interesting.
I identified pretty strongly with her character. I do think she was a bit of an enabler but ultimately feel that she was victimized more than anybody else in the film via her sister, boyfriend/his friends.
I think that is the standard/desired effect. And I could see how the movie would be a very different experience for you if that were the case.
My partner and I were leaning over to each other and talking about what a piece of work she was from the very beginning.
I think perception of her character is something that's gonna be heavily influenced by the baggage you bring to the movie. FWIW I thought she was extremely sympathetic and while it was a toxic relationship with heavy codependence on her end that both of them should have ended long ago, even in the cut I saw it was obvious Christian was a gaslighting abusive piece of shit.
Yeah I saw Dani and Christian as deeply codependent people who were essentially doing the same thing to one another in slightly different ways, only for one to be framed as the film's hero and the other as its greatest monster.
Which I think could be an interesting tack to take with a movie if it was done with that intentional end, but Midsommar did not feel like that movie.
Why are you assuming a lack of intention? If it’s in the movie, it’s fair game to think about. I think it’s pretty obvious that Aster meant for their relationship to be difficult, toxic, and complicated. I don’t know why you’re going into it with bad faith, like anything the movie did right couldn’t possibly be the result of a good storyteller.
I’m struggling to not sound rude, but I’m honestly just curious. It seems a bizarre way to interact with a movie.
Because it didn't feel intentional? The movie was clearly centered around Dani's story and how things affected her - Christian is more a player in her life than a deuteragonist. There's even some stuff to imply that it is quite literally told from her perspective secreted away in there. Overall, it felt too morally simplistic for that to really be its message, and by two third of the way in I'd essentially given up hope on it being what I had thought it was going to be.
Additionally, reading interviews with Aster himself and the general audience reactions to the movie have generally shown me that my view of the movie is an outlier one. Yeah, that's not content within the movie, but it's a part of how I've come to think about it after the fact.
Fair enough. I’m sick and grumpy, so sorry if that was unpleasantly phrased.
I guess I see it as that you’re supposed to have some sympathy and catharsis with Dani’s ending, but it’s obviously not that black and white, considering the horrible things that happened to people who, while toxic, clearly don’t deserve that. So you’ve got to reflect on what really was happening, how people were really treating each other, both within the film and your own experiences. The director’s cut makes this more clear (or intentionally unclear, I guess?), but I still see it in the original cut. I definitely think you’re supposed to want to cheer, in a horrible way, at the ending, but then question that impulse.
Yeah I did not want to cheer for
a woman being misled into thinking that her boyfriend had cheated on her and deciding to murder him for it
Especially not a woman who was already in a weird emotionally manipulative place with said boyfriend
0
Raijin QuickfootI'm your Huckleberry YOU'RE NO DAISYRegistered User, ClubPAregular
One big thing I took away from Midsommar is that more movies need to take place in bright daylight.
Some of the shots in Midsommar were just outstanding
Thinking that any one of the outsiders in that movie "got what they deserved" shows a startling lack of reflexivity, but also (to me) that the movie achieved its main goal -
my immediate takeaway was that you were supposed to be in Dani's emotional headspace at the end, and experience her catharsis, but also like Marcus says, that you should definitely walk away and think really fucking hard about that, because it's extremely fucked up.
Thinking that any one of the outsiders in that movie "got what they deserved" shows a startling lack of reflexivity, but also (to me) that the movie achieved its main goal - my immediate takeaway was that you were supposed to be in Dani's emotional headspace at the end, and experience her catharsis, but also like Marcus says, that you should definitely walk away and think really fucking hard about that, because it's extremely fucked up.
Yeah, I think this is accurate.
For me, the magic trick didn't work, and honestly, that's overall fine. I wish I'd liked it more, but that's just the way it goes sometimes.
I've also encountered a lot of the reverse, the people who the trick worked too well on, and didn't have the following introspection about how deeply fucked it was. Which tends to put me on uneasy ground as someone who it didn't work on at all.
+1
Raijin QuickfootI'm your Huckleberry YOU'RE NO DAISYRegistered User, ClubPAregular
The shot that stood out the most to me was... I think it was the old man, not the old lady... There's an overhead shot of them walking up to the cliff's edge that was beautiful.
Tigers Are Not Afraid was last night's horror movie and it's fantastic.
Kids orphaned by Mexico's drug wars survive on the streets and with some supernatural help, try to get revenge/closure.
It's great. It looks good, the kids are very good, it's very early/mid Guillermo del Toro with the dark fairy tale/magical realism. I can't recommend it enough. It's on Shudder.
Thinking that any one of the outsiders in that movie "got what they deserved" shows a startling lack of reflexivity, but also (to me) that the movie achieved its main goal -
my immediate takeaway was that you were supposed to be in Dani's emotional headspace at the end, and experience her catharsis, but also like Marcus says, that you should definitely walk away and think really fucking hard about that, because it's extremely fucked up.
Yeah, I think this is accurate.
For me, the magic trick didn't work, and honestly, that's overall fine. I wish I'd liked it more, but that's just the way it goes sometimes.
I've also encountered a lot of the reverse, the people who the trick worked too well on, and didn't have the following introspection about how deeply fucked it was. Which tends to put me on uneasy ground as someone who it didn't work on at all.
Yep I can absolutely see that. It could easily end up being one of those movies retroactively ruined by its fans.
In the context of horror/thriller films generally, I think it's a solid entry in the 'seductive cult' subgenre. I remember we talked about this a couple of threads ago, how western cultures don't have approved communal rituals for cathartic external processing of extreme trauma. There are pockets, especially in the US (Revivalist churches spring to mind), but there is something immensely seductive about having your internal wounds being publicly recognised and validated. That's something that comes up in any authentic representation of cults, and Midsommar definitely isn't the only horror movie to tackle this idea, but I don't know if others I've seen have been quite so explicit about drawing parallels between cult behaviour and individual abuser behaviour, for example.
Then I realised that there was no way that another 30 posts would appear before I went to bed, and a new post would probably go up while I was sleeping.
Thinking that any one of the outsiders in that movie "got what they deserved" shows a startling lack of reflexivity, but also (to me) that the movie achieved its main goal - my immediate takeaway was that you were supposed to be in Dani's emotional headspace at the end, and experience her catharsis, but also like Marcus says, that you should definitely walk away and think really fucking hard about that, because it's extremely fucked up.
Yeah, I think this is accurate.
For me, the magic trick didn't work, and honestly, that's overall fine. I wish I'd liked it more, but that's just the way it goes sometimes.
I've also encountered a lot of the reverse, the people who the trick worked too well on, and didn't have the following introspection about how deeply fucked it was. Which tends to put me on uneasy ground as someone who it didn't work on at all.
This makes a lot of sense to me. For me the trick worked well enough that I got to feel it, but not forget how absolutely fuckedthe whole situation is. If you didn’t get the catharsis, I can see how that would change things for you. Especially because the immediate reaction, even from critics, was largely way too simplistic and gross about that ending. But I don’t see any reason to assume Aster himself was being simplistic.
David Ehrlich did a good piece about the director’s cut that tackles the complexity pretty well. Although tynic just summed it up better than anyone I’ve yet seen.
And sorry again for being a dink. I need to Log Off when I have this much cold medicine on board.
On a personal level, I can relate to the idea that having parents die and close family go through severe mental health issues is gonna make you cling onto whatever support structures you have, even when it's clearly not healthy. So that was the framework I was coming from wrt Dani's emotional state.
Basically the film managed to hit a lot of personal buttons for me, which is definitely not gonna be representative for everyone.
This is pretty much my thoughts exactly. The film means a lot to me in numerous ways and for those reasons it's one of my favorite (and already most-rewatched) films, but I can understand at the same time why some might never want to see or re-see it
There are two scenes in Midsommar that are directly related that I think will stick with me forever.
The first is when Dani get's the news about her sister juxtaposed with Christian talking to his friends about breaking up with her followed by the shot of her crying in his lap when he's clearly sitting there feeling trapped. For better of worse I've been in relationships like that and I could palpably feel the despair there.
The second is Dani's catharsis scene in the hut with the other may queens towards the end because I don't think I've ever seen a non-verbal scene combined with some good editing convey so much. I literally get goosebumps thinking about it.
SatanIsMyMotor on
+2
Raijin QuickfootI'm your Huckleberry YOU'RE NO DAISYRegistered User, ClubPAregular
Then I realised that there was no way that another 30 posts would appear before I went to bed, and a new post would probably go up while I was sleeping.
Yep.
I always forget that's what the forums actually look like
+5
Garlic Breadi'm a bitch i'm a bitch i'm a bitch i'm aRegistered User, Disagreeableregular
That's a lot of open spoilers for a movie that just hit digital/home video
+4
StraightziHere we may reign secure, and in my choice,To reign is worth ambition though in HellRegistered Userregular
Shit, I'm sorry, I'll go back over my posts and edit some tags in.
+2
Garlic Breadi'm a bitch i'm a bitch i'm a bitch i'm aRegistered User, Disagreeableregular
OK, so I need to stop reading these posts and actually watch Midsommar before I learn any more, cuz now I know more than I did since I saw the trailer.
Sorry, I was being generally cranky about all the unspoilered posts even if they were just hinting at stuff. Pretty much all of us post spoiler-adjacent things all the time about things, no worries.
Posts
Rooting in a pen sounds unhygienic.
Why are you assuming a lack of intention? If it’s in the movie, it’s fair game to think about. I think it’s pretty obvious that Aster meant for their relationship to be difficult, toxic, and complicated. I don’t know why you’re going into it with bad faith, like anything the movie did right couldn’t possibly be the result of a good storyteller.
I’m struggling to not sound rude, but I’m honestly just curious. It seems a bizarre way to interact with a movie.
This is pretty much my thoughts exactly. The film means a lot to me in numerous ways and for those reasons it's one of my favorite (and already most-rewatched) films, but I can understand at the same time why some might never want to see or re-see it
Steam
Midsommar
Additionally, reading interviews with Aster himself and the general audience reactions to the movie have generally shown me that my view of the movie is an outlier one. Yeah, that's not content within the movie, but it's a part of how I've come to think about it after the fact.
I imagine as I ruminate on Midsommar more I'll probably like it less than I do but a big part of what I liked was the absolutely beautiful cinematography and I'd watch it again just for that.
I guess I see it as that you’re supposed to have some sympathy and catharsis with Dani’s ending, but it’s obviously not that black and white, considering the horrible things that happened to people who, while toxic, clearly don’t deserve that. So you’ve got to reflect on what really was happening, how people were really treating each other, both within the film and your own experiences. The director’s cut makes this more clear (or intentionally unclear, I guess?), but I still see it in the original cut. I definitely think you’re supposed to want to cheer, in a horrible way, at the ending, but then question that impulse.
But I don't think it ever came together in a satisfactory way that wasn't just "Remember these better John Carpenter movies?"
I wouldn't say it's bad, but I probably also wouldn't recommend it unless you're bored and have watched every movie it apes already
Yeah I did not want to cheer for
Especially not a woman who was already in a weird emotionally manipulative place with said boyfriend
Some of the shots in Midsommar were just outstanding
Yeah, I think this is accurate.
For me, the magic trick didn't work, and honestly, that's overall fine. I wish I'd liked it more, but that's just the way it goes sometimes.
I've also encountered a lot of the reverse, the people who the trick worked too well on, and didn't have the following introspection about how deeply fucked it was. Which tends to put me on uneasy ground as someone who it didn't work on at all.
Kids orphaned by Mexico's drug wars survive on the streets and with some supernatural help, try to get revenge/closure.
It's great. It looks good, the kids are very good, it's very early/mid Guillermo del Toro with the dark fairy tale/magical realism. I can't recommend it enough. It's on Shudder.
He'll be a good weasley, sniveling Riddler.
Yep I can absolutely see that. It could easily end up being one of those movies retroactively ruined by its fans.
In the context of horror/thriller films generally, I think it's a solid entry in the 'seductive cult' subgenre. I remember we talked about this a couple of threads ago, how western cultures don't have approved communal rituals for cathartic external processing of extreme trauma. There are pockets, especially in the US (Revivalist churches spring to mind), but there is something immensely seductive about having your internal wounds being publicly recognised and validated. That's something that comes up in any authentic representation of cults, and Midsommar definitely isn't the only horror movie to tackle this idea, but I don't know if others I've seen have been quite so explicit about drawing parallels between cult behaviour and individual abuser behaviour, for example.
I completely misread this and thought you meant he'd freakin' died.
underlining "underling" in red pen, scribbling underneath "underLINING"
Last night I got home and saw the movie thread was on 99 pages.
So I thought, fuck it, I'll just recycle the OP that I didn't manage to post before the last movie thread.
So I spent 5 minutes doing that.
Then I realised that there was no way that another 30 posts would appear before I went to bed, and a new post would probably go up while I was sleeping.
Yep.
Yes this is good casting
now i hope that when i die, there is at least one person who finds out via news about a batman movie
This makes a lot of sense to me. For me the trick worked well enough that I got to feel it, but not forget how absolutely fuckedthe whole situation is. If you didn’t get the catharsis, I can see how that would change things for you. Especially because the immediate reaction, even from critics, was largely way too simplistic and gross about that ending. But I don’t see any reason to assume Aster himself was being simplistic.
David Ehrlich did a good piece about the director’s cut that tackles the complexity pretty well. Although tynic just summed it up better than anyone I’ve yet seen.
And sorry again for being a dink. I need to Log Off when I have this much cold medicine on board.
Can’t believe you decided not to accept the role of Batman.
He's holding out for the role of a lifetime.
Jarro
Fuck people already said that,
I’m so tired today y’all
you spin me right round baby
right round like a record baby
right round round round
There are two scenes in Midsommar that are directly related that I think will stick with me forever.
The second is Dani's catharsis scene in the hut with the other may queens towards the end because I don't think I've ever seen a non-verbal scene combined with some good editing convey so much. I literally get goosebumps thinking about it.
I always forget that's what the forums actually look like
Appreciated! I've seen it already, but I'm sure a lot haven't yet
it's a small thing but using "disenfranchised" when "disenchanted" is clearly intended really bugs me
Rock Band DLC | GW:OttW - arrcd | WLD - Thortar
The only thing I speak specifically about happens 2 minutes into the movie but I will regardless.
In other news...
(Text in spoiler)
Link goes to story that Paul Dano has been cast as the Riddler in new Batman