The Favourite (2019)

[Wet Blanket]

That Twitter feed seems to take more issue (justifiably) with critics' choice of words on the issue rather than the film itself, but I wouldn't turn to Yorgos Lanthimos films for reassurance and good taste on this or any other subject.

[gilbertharding]

I agree with you that @alexhaagaard would likely make a TERRIBLE film, and her criticism of the film holds very little water.

The Queen prevails, after all.

Her critical round-up of the reviews, on the other hand, is fairly righteous, as you say.

[Funcrusher]

I'm not looking, however much you tempt me...

The identity politics crowd should in general avoid any filmmaker like Lanthimos whose films themes are morally complex and messy and don't offer pat answers or a black and white view of the human condition as they're not likely to get on well with them

[zomgmouse]

That twitter thread is really strange because for most of it it definitely seemed like the person was taking issue with critics who were missing a point that the film was expressing rather elegantly, and then in the final tweet goes and attacks the film itself?? This makes little sense to me.

[Mister Six]

I hate to be a thick cunt but what's the actual complaint in that Twitter thread? That the reviews don't acknowledge that Anne is disabled? But several of them talk about depression. That they don't acknowledge that she's physically disabled? But several of them talk about her being wheelchair-bound. That they're mocking her? But most of the reviews are just describing how she's portrayed in the film, albeit sometimes with florid language.

[greenman]

I agree with you that @alexhaagaard would likely make a TERRIBLE film, and her criticism of the film holds very little water.

Sadly not alone though as evidence by the trailers shown before the film, almost wall to wall Oscar bait blandess.

Watched it again last night and I would say its up there with You Were Never Really There as the best I'v seen from 2018 so far.

[Lost Oliver]

Saw this last night and thought it was great. That said, it was the least enjoyable of his I've seen so far (bar Kinetta) but that's still high praise from me. I accept that he needs to try new things and I'd be more than happy to watch him continue down this path but I'd also love to see another film like Alps and in his own language.

Did anyone see 'Pity' by the way? Thought that was surprisingly weak.

[Soup Dogg]

Yeah I'm not sure I get the point of that twitter thread. is it that some of the reviews fall into cliches about disability and its representation? Cos, yeah I think that's fair. But the film is definitely not, in any way, "about" disability, a lot of those reviews do, as noted, acknowledge the fact of Anne's being disabled and the accusation of Colman performing in "disabled drag" is fucking ludicrous. What, should they have cast someone with gout and severe digestive troubles in the role and induced a fucking stroke in them halfway through?

There's the germ of an idea, certainly around the reviews and possibly around the way Anne's health is used in the film itself (and compared to similar representations in other movies), but maybe not while pointscoring on twitter.

[PlanktonSideburns]

Nobody is to become permantley ill or disabled under that logic inni

[holyzombiejesus]

Really enjoyed this. Costume and sound design were great. Such a brilliant, bleak ending. Felt sorry for the pigeons.

[alan nagsworth]

The identity politics crowd should in general avoid any filmmaker like Lanthimos whose films themes are morally complex and messy and don't offer pat answers or a black and white view of the human condition as they're not likely to get on well with them

christ almighty

[Funcrusher]

Triggered.

[Blinder Data]

Loved this film. Weisz's performance is very underrated, though everyone was fantastic. What an ending too.

For some reason I'm blocked from viewing that Twitter thread :( I must have been 'liked' a problematic tweet or something and am now on a #cancelled list

[greenman]

Am I the only one who though the ending shot with the Rabbit overlays was a bit of a sly dig at....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8k06D8x1HMk

[alan nagsworth]

Triggered.

Are you going to call me a snowflake as well? Or were you saving that one up? Treat yourself, go on, it's Sunday.

The identity politics crowd should in general avoid any filmmaker like Lanthimos whose films themes are morally complex and messy and don't offer pat answers or a black and white view of the human condition as they're not likely to get on well with them

Another way of saying this is: "Them lot are clearly too wrapped up in their own silly little affairs to understand any sort of abstract artistic expression." How dreadfully condescending and ugly of you. Again.

[Funcrusher]

Are you going to call me a snowflake as well? Or were you saving that one up? Treat yourself, go on, it's Sunday.

Sarcy pop at me replied to with a sarcy pop at you.

Another way of saying this is: "Them lot are clearly too wrapped up in their own silly little affairs to understand any sort of abstract artistic expression." How dreadfully condescending and ugly of you. Again.

No, that's not another way of saying what I've written, it's a clumsy construction of your own making. The condescension comes from woke prats who always think that they're morally superior to everyone, and in this case (as I understand it because I'm not reading this stupid shit) think that Lanthimos is too dim to see that he has delivered an 'ableist' depiction of a disabled person and that his casting choices are some kind of lesbian erasure. 'Wrapped up in their own silly affairs" is right, as this constant hunt for something to take offence at in order to confirm one's woke credentials is a silly game.

[marquis_de_sad]

this constant hunt for something to take offence at in order to confirm one's woke credentials is a silly game.

Then stop playing it.

[Funcrusher]

Then stop playing it.

I have not read the Twitter thread and will not do so.

[alan nagsworth]

Hey maybe you could do a better job of reviewing the film? Oh wait never mind, you bothered to watch it before forming an opinion. I thought it was only woke prats who did that.

[Funcrusher]

Not really sure what this means.

[alan nagsworth]

That doesn't surprise me.

[Funcrusher]

That's a bit condescending.

[Norton Canes]

Er the film is good.

[Funcrusher]

It is.

[Norton Canes]

What with the fish-eye distortion and that it's got a sort of an unsettling vibe to it, like a hazy old film from the 70's. It does have a stuttering start but it quickly gathers momentum, I do think though that it could have lost the last fifteen minutes or so; once Lady Sarah's carriage has departed it's said most of what it needs to say and could've cut straight to the final scene. Did anyone else think the casting of Mark Gatiss as a dashing beau type was a bit amiss..? 

[sevendaughters]

it is not mutually exclusive to think the film might be good and artistically valent and yet also have some slightly regressive strategies in play in its manufacture. i disagreed with the twitter thread, ultimately, but i don't think that all forms of identity politics lie in tatters as a result.

one thing that i find curious is Colman getting all the Best Acting nods. she is great in it but to me it is an ensemble cast at best and in truth Emma Stone is the lead!

[Blinder Data]

Did anyone else think the casting of Mark Gatiss as a dashing beau type was a bit amiss..?

Maybe it's just because I know Gatiss is gay in real life, but in conjunction with the lesbianism I read a lot into his "I must sleep with the men tonight, it is only right" line before heading off to battle. He's an aristocratic general so his casting was pitched right for me.

[marquis_de_sad]

Did anyone else think the casting of Mark Gatiss as a dashing beau type was a bit amiss..?

Not that they were going for strict historical accuracy, but Churchill himself wasn't much of a beau by time of the War of the Spanish Succession:

[Funcrusher]

Should've got David Mitchell.

[marquis_de_sad]

Should've got David Mitchell.

Ha!