Comments on: The Most Misunderstood Films of 2008 http://blog.spout.com/2008/12/26/the-most-misunderstood-films-of-2008/ Daily coverage of what is truly interesting in the film world Sat, 28 Nov 2009 06:18:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Bettina Rodgers http://blog.spout.com/2008/12/26/the-most-misunderstood-films-of-2008/#comment-128579 Bettina Rodgers Mon, 08 Jun 2009 20:22:24 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=8634#comment-128579 I agree Downloading Nancy is one of the most misunderstood movies of 2008. Even Lerman misses the point. Downloading Nancy is not about how awful sex is for the protagonist. What's awful for Nancy is her invisibility - in the eyes of her husband, her shrink, the world. She wants to be seen. For who she actually is. And, yes, that includes her distorted sexuality. That is what she most needs her husband to understand. Or at least care about. With a style that is neither sugar-coated nor sensationalistic, this film challenges the viewer and demands a degree of mental and physical processing that is rare in American cinema. It does not have a pat happy ending. Perhaps that's why so many reviews pan the film. If you want light entertainment, go elsewhere. If you are interested in provocative fare that really pushes your buttons, check out one of the upcoming screenings: Starting June 5 - New York, NY - CTY Angelika Film Center Los Angeles, CA - Laemelle Theatres: Sunset 5, Playhouse 7, Town Center 5, Monica 4-Plex June 19 - Palm Desert, CA - Cinemas Palme D'Or July 3 - San Francisco, CA - Presidio Theatre San Diego, CA - Gaslamp 15 Berkeley, CA - Rialto Cinemas Elmwood July 10 - Dallas, TX - Angelika Dallas Houston, TX - Angelika Houston I agree Downloading Nancy is one of the most misunderstood movies of 2008. Even Lerman misses the point.

Downloading Nancy is not about how awful sex is for the protagonist. What’s awful for Nancy is her invisibility - in the eyes of her husband, her shrink, the world.

She wants to be seen. For who she actually is. And, yes, that includes her distorted sexuality. That is what she most needs her husband to understand. Or at least care about.

With a style that is neither sugar-coated nor sensationalistic, this film challenges the viewer and demands a degree of mental and physical processing that is rare in American cinema. It does not have a pat happy ending. Perhaps that’s why so many reviews pan the film.

If you want light entertainment, go elsewhere. If you are interested in provocative fare that really pushes your buttons, check out one of the upcoming screenings:

Starting June 5 -
New York, NY - CTY Angelika Film Center
Los Angeles, CA - Laemelle Theatres: Sunset 5, Playhouse 7, Town Center 5, Monica 4-Plex

June 19 -
Palm Desert, CA - Cinemas Palme D’Or

July 3 -
San Francisco, CA - Presidio Theatre
San Diego, CA - Gaslamp 15
Berkeley, CA - Rialto Cinemas Elmwood

July 10 -
Dallas, TX - Angelika Dallas
Houston, TX - Angelika Houston

]]> By: / HAMMER TO NAIL » Blog Archive » MOVIES ON BIG SCREENS – Theatrical Releases: June 5th-7th, 2009 http://blog.spout.com/2008/12/26/the-most-misunderstood-films-of-2008/#comment-128360 / HAMMER TO NAIL » Blog Archive » MOVIES ON BIG SCREENS – Theatrical Releases: June 5th-7th, 2009 Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:44:52 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=8634#comment-128360 [...] not being all the way sure how I feel, though I do think an outright dismissal is inappropriate. At Spout, HTN contributor Michael Lerman gave an interesting defense for the film, but it’s his [...] [...] not being all the way sure how I feel, though I do think an outright dismissal is inappropriate. At Spout, HTN contributor Michael Lerman gave an interesting defense for the film, but it’s his [...]

]]> By: mother http://blog.spout.com/2008/12/26/the-most-misunderstood-films-of-2008/#comment-119034 mother Thu, 01 Jan 2009 07:18:35 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=8634#comment-119034 i agree speedracer was totally misunderstood in the fact that the whole family not just the kids, can sit and watch it together. how many other movies lately can brag about that. not many. anyways my 2 cents worth :D i agree speedracer was totally misunderstood in the fact that the whole family not just the kids, can sit and watch it together. how many other movies lately can brag about that. not many.

anyways my 2 cents worth :D

]]> By: otomen87 http://blog.spout.com/2008/12/26/the-most-misunderstood-films-of-2008/#comment-119031 otomen87 Thu, 01 Jan 2009 06:22:14 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=8634#comment-119031 blindness(film) blindness(film)

]]> By: Richard http://blog.spout.com/2008/12/26/the-most-misunderstood-films-of-2008/#comment-119026 Richard Thu, 01 Jan 2009 03:39:40 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=8634#comment-119026 My vote for most misunderstood movie of 2008 is Speed Racer. Most people will immediately write off a movie based on a cheesy anime tv series. But the job the Wachowski brothers did that movie was absolutely unbelievable. Never has a tv show been better translated to the screen. My vote for most misunderstood movie of 2008 is Speed Racer. Most people will immediately write off a movie based on a cheesy anime tv series. But the job the Wachowski brothers did that movie was absolutely unbelievable. Never has a tv show been better translated to the screen.

]]> By: paul seton http://blog.spout.com/2008/12/26/the-most-misunderstood-films-of-2008/#comment-119009 paul seton Wed, 31 Dec 2008 20:51:45 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=8634#comment-119009 to: michael lerman cc: sdfjhfk re: burn after reading / no country for old men you're both out of your mind. making absurd claims doesn't make you different or smart, it makes you absurd. to: michael lerman
cc: sdfjhfk
re: burn after reading / no country for old men

you’re both out of your mind. making absurd claims doesn’t make you different or smart, it makes you absurd.

]]> By: Jon C http://blog.spout.com/2008/12/26/the-most-misunderstood-films-of-2008/#comment-119008 Jon C Wed, 31 Dec 2008 20:36:47 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=8634#comment-119008 Oh and I also want to add that the disclaimer at TIFF about it making Inside look like Disneyland is laughable. Inside is far more gory but, more importantly, it has some genuinely creepy scenes that don't involve gore (like the long shot where the intruder slides into the background and walks away or the intruder at the window). I never felt all that scared or disturbed by anything that happened in Martyrs. Oh and I also want to add that the disclaimer at TIFF about it making Inside look like Disneyland is laughable. Inside is far more gory but, more importantly, it has some genuinely creepy scenes that don’t involve gore (like the long shot where the intruder slides into the background and walks away or the intruder at the window). I never felt all that scared or disturbed by anything that happened in Martyrs.

]]> By: Jon C http://blog.spout.com/2008/12/26/the-most-misunderstood-films-of-2008/#comment-119007 Jon C Wed, 31 Dec 2008 20:34:44 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=8634#comment-119007 I completely agree with your assessment of Burn After Reading but you talk about a very small part of Martyrs as being misunderstood. Honestly, Martyrs had an interesting first two-thirds but veers off into pretentious babble in the last act. Don't get me wrong - I love audacious endings (I'm a big fan of Perfume as well as 3-Iron, Vanilla Sky, etc) but even Martyrs is too ambiguous with its ending - I love open endings as well but the ambiguity here is a thin way to cover up the lack of depth in the film. It's an easy way out - one that lets people praise it as deep when it's anything but. I completely agree with your assessment of Burn After Reading but you talk about a very small part of Martyrs as being misunderstood. Honestly, Martyrs had an interesting first two-thirds but veers off into pretentious babble in the last act. Don’t get me wrong - I love audacious endings (I’m a big fan of Perfume as well as 3-Iron, Vanilla Sky, etc) but even Martyrs is too ambiguous with its ending - I love open endings as well but the ambiguity here is a thin way to cover up the lack of depth in the film. It’s an easy way out - one that lets people praise it as deep when it’s anything but.

]]> By: Matt http://blog.spout.com/2008/12/26/the-most-misunderstood-films-of-2008/#comment-119005 Matt Wed, 31 Dec 2008 20:19:19 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=8634#comment-119005 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. VERY misunderstood. ET aside, the only real issue with the movie was Shia LeBouf swinging with the monkeys. Silly Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. VERY misunderstood.

ET aside, the only real issue with the movie was Shia LeBouf swinging with the monkeys. Silly

]]> By: Harvester http://blog.spout.com/2008/12/26/the-most-misunderstood-films-of-2008/#comment-118994 Harvester Wed, 31 Dec 2008 17:25:21 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=8634#comment-118994 More 'artsy' cineastes may strongly disagree (99% of the time because they haven't even seen it), but my vote for most misunderstood / underrated film of 2008 is undoubtedly SPEED RACER. I work at a video store and you wouldn't believe the dirty looks I get from customers when I recommend it, or from the other film studies grad students I know. The biggest problem? That SPEED RACER was marketed as the new movie by the Wachowskis, and not as a family-friendly "live-action cartoon" for children. So much attention went this year to WALL-E that critics (and audiences) missed another great-looking, finely-crafted and funny "kids movie." More ‘artsy’ cineastes may strongly disagree (99% of the time because they haven’t even seen it), but my vote for most misunderstood / underrated film of 2008 is undoubtedly SPEED RACER.

I work at a video store and you wouldn’t believe the dirty looks I get from customers when I recommend it, or from the other film studies grad students I know.

The biggest problem? That SPEED RACER was marketed as the new movie by the Wachowskis, and not as a family-friendly “live-action cartoon” for children. So much attention went this year to WALL-E that critics (and audiences) missed another great-looking, finely-crafted and funny “kids movie.”

]]> By: Mike R. http://blog.spout.com/2008/12/26/the-most-misunderstood-films-of-2008/#comment-118993 Mike R. Wed, 31 Dec 2008 17:11:43 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=8634#comment-118993 "It is gross and unsettling..." ...just like that other Maria Bello movie this year, "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor." “It is gross and unsettling…”

…just like that other Maria Bello movie this year, “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.”

]]> By: sdfjhfk http://blog.spout.com/2008/12/26/the-most-misunderstood-films-of-2008/#comment-118991 sdfjhfk Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:54:51 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=8634#comment-118991 Thank you for stating the truth about No Country For Old Men. It appeared to me that people raved about it because it "had a message" and it "didn't have a conventional ending", etc. I found a message in No Country that I thought was plainly obvious, but that no one else shared with me: that our perception of the world gets more cynical and grimmer as we get older, when in reality, things aren't any worse than they were when we were young. I thought this was conveyed quite clearly in the final scene, yet everyone else seemed to understand the opposite. When I state my opinion of this movie, that it was really nothing special, I am nearly always told that I "didn't understand it." Apparently, the only way one can possibly not enjoy a movie is if one doesn't understand it. I understood it better than just anyone. Why did everyone love it so much? Because they like to think they were intelligent for understanding it, which I don't think most people truly did. Burn After Reading was a far better movie. Thank you for stating the truth about No Country For Old Men. It appeared to me that people raved about it because it “had a message” and it “didn’t have a conventional ending”, etc. I found a message in No Country that I thought was plainly obvious, but that no one else shared with me: that our perception of the world gets more cynical and grimmer as we get older, when in reality, things aren’t any worse than they were when we were young. I thought this was conveyed quite clearly in the final scene, yet everyone else seemed to understand the opposite. When I state my opinion of this movie, that it was really nothing special, I am nearly always told that I “didn’t understand it.” Apparently, the only way one can possibly not enjoy a movie is if one doesn’t understand it. I understood it better than just anyone. Why did everyone love it so much? Because they like to think they were intelligent for understanding it, which I don’t think most people truly did.

Burn After Reading was a far better movie.

]]> By: Alex http://blog.spout.com/2008/12/26/the-most-misunderstood-films-of-2008/#comment-118989 Alex Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:28:14 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=8634#comment-118989 Burn After Reading's problem was never that it was slight. It was never that it was derivative. It was that it wasn't funny. I get the joke but it's not funny. The fun of the Coens' comedies is that they always know how to balance out the humor with the horror, and as out of control as some characters get, it's always under control. With Burn, the joke of watching the Coens make not only their characters into caricatures but their own filmmaking as well, lasts about 10 minutes. The fact that they're doing it intentionally doesn't make it a good film. It's just intentionally bad which doesn't make me worry about the Coens' skill as filmmakers but their intent. Burn After Reading’s problem was never that it was slight. It was never that it was derivative. It was that it wasn’t funny. I get the joke but it’s not funny. The fun of the Coens’ comedies is that they always know how to balance out the humor with the horror, and as out of control as some characters get, it’s always under control.

With Burn, the joke of watching the Coens make not only their characters into caricatures but their own filmmaking as well, lasts about 10 minutes. The fact that they’re doing it intentionally doesn’t make it a good film. It’s just intentionally bad which doesn’t make me worry about the Coens’ skill as filmmakers but their intent.

]]> By: Michael http://blog.spout.com/2008/12/26/the-most-misunderstood-films-of-2008/#comment-118988 Michael Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:09:52 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=8634#comment-118988 I really agree with you on MARTYRS ! I really agree with you on MARTYRS !

]]> By: Dr Fil http://blog.spout.com/2008/12/26/the-most-misunderstood-films-of-2008/#comment-118978 Dr Fil Wed, 31 Dec 2008 08:48:07 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=8634#comment-118978 "No Country, with all its ingenious directorial decisions and memorable sequences, holds very little thematic weight." Whosaywhat? A joke, surely. Yes, the film has garnered every accolade possible, largely for the superficial reasons you cite -- but I'd actually hold that NCFOM was the most misunderstood film of its year, and that it tackles the most grandiose of themes in genre-satisfying but utterly disarming and original ways. “No Country, with all its ingenious directorial decisions and memorable sequences, holds very little thematic weight.”

Whosaywhat? A joke, surely. Yes, the film has garnered every accolade possible, largely for the superficial reasons you cite — but I’d actually hold that NCFOM was the most misunderstood film of its year, and that it tackles the most grandiose of themes in genre-satisfying but utterly disarming and original ways.

]]> By: Patrick http://blog.spout.com/2008/12/26/the-most-misunderstood-films-of-2008/#comment-118914 Patrick Sun, 28 Dec 2008 14:19:06 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=8634#comment-118914 The only one of those films I've heard of is Burn After Reading. I liked it well enough, though I thought it was missing something. The visual tone didn't match the tone of the script. It was as if Peter Segal or Tony Scott was directing The Big Lebowski. The Serious 90s CIA Thriller aesthetic really counteracted the goofyness of the script almost as if to say: "Hey We have an Oscar, so now you have to take us serious... nah just joking, we're still goofin with you." The only one of those films I’ve heard of is Burn After Reading. I liked it well enough, though I thought it was missing something. The visual tone didn’t match the tone of the script. It was as if Peter Segal or Tony Scott was directing The Big Lebowski. The Serious 90s CIA Thriller aesthetic really counteracted the goofyness of the script almost as if to say: “Hey We have an Oscar, so now you have to take us serious… nah just joking, we’re still goofin with you.”

]]> By: 12/28 Oscarweb Round-up http://blog.spout.com/2008/12/26/the-most-misunderstood-films-of-2008/#comment-118913 12/28 Oscarweb Round-up Sun, 28 Dec 2008 13:38:07 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=8634#comment-118913 [...] • Michael Lerman on the most misunderstood films of 2008. [Spout Blog] [...] [...] • Michael Lerman on the most misunderstood films of 2008. [Spout Blog] [...]

]]> By: Rodney Perkins http://blog.spout.com/2008/12/26/the-most-misunderstood-films-of-2008/#comment-118860 Rodney Perkins Fri, 26 Dec 2008 18:11:24 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=8634#comment-118860 Honestly, that is the best assessment of Martyrs that I have read. Honestly, that is the best assessment of Martyrs that I have read.

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