Ryan McNeilOne of the craziest weeks I’ve had in ages and it’s still only Wednesday. Damn!
This will be up on Twitter and Facebook today, but just in case you haven’t listened to Matineecast 60, here’s the feedback question for the next episode:
Excluding the two CARS films, what is your least favorite Pixar movie and why?
In other news, P.T. Anderson has a new film coming soon. It’s been interesting for me to learn over the last year or so that he isn’t everybody’s cup of tea. Now, I shouldn’t be all that surprised since people’s tastes vary of course. However, when my mind drifts to divisive directors, I think of names like Kubrick, Malick, The Coens, Wes Anderson…people whose visions can be alienating at times. I guess I always saw P.T. as more across the middle of the plate, but it seems not.
If you are one of those who isn’t so fussed about Mr. Anderson, leave me a comment and ill me in as to why – just for educational purposes, I’m not looking to convert anybody.
But speaking of conversions (see what I did there?), Anderson’s new film THE MASTER is supposedly a veiled look at The Church of Scientology, and over the last few weeks, he has released a pair of enigmatic clips from the film. It’s worth noting that Anderson is one of the few directors in Hollywood who has sway over his trailers/teasers…hence their less commercial nature.
Take a look at the two clips unveiled so far…
I love the weird music so much. Phoenix looks spectacular. He just seems perfect for whatever this role is. And Hoffman and Adams can always be counted upon. These are like proper teasers because they don’t really give much away but seriously keep us wanting for more. Love all of it!
That weird music? Jonny Greenwood from Radiohead again.
If you haven’t already heard it, get your mitts on his score for THERE WILL BE BLOOD – it’s glorious in its unsettling nature, and is one of the very best scores of the last ten years.
These teasers have worked wonders, most importantly, they haven’t given away 3/4 of the film.
As for the Pixar question: the answer would have to be Finding Nemo.
Amazing what happens when you let a director create his own teasers eh?
Oh my lord… were you listening to All Things Must Pass? Best album by a Beatle.
As for your question, probably A Bug’s Life.
And I will see The Master but hope not to sit in the second row as I nearly lost my hearing watching There Will Be Blood in the theater during that oil explosion.
My younger brother bought me a copy of the “All Things” LP for my birthday a few weeks back, probably most inspired by me mentioning how much I enjoyed the Scorsese doc on Harrison.
I get the impression this film won’t be as epic in scale as THERE WILL BE BLOOD…but yeah, maybe if you back up a bit things would work out better.
Looking forward to this one. Looks so good. I’m a big PTA fan and the cast is…wow. Nice to see Joaquin Phoenix again!
About the question, probably A Bug’s Life but as I haven’t seen that in so long, I can’t really comment on it. So it has to be the Toy Story franchise. It’s not the movies themselves, but the reception. They’re very good but I really can’t understand why they’re so beloved.
I can’t wait for new PTA myself – it’s been a long five years!
The fact that you are anti-CARS baffles me. The first one is brilliant!
I’m not anti-CARS (Read this: http://www.thematinee.ca/another-day-cars/ ). I just took it out of play because it’s by far the most popular answer I hear.
I love, love, love how much this film is avoiding branding of any kind. Neither of these trailers exhibit branding of any sort; they work as little micro-narratives in their own right without being stamped with studio logos or anything of the sort. That’s wonderful, and something we need more of.
Plus, the footage looks spectacular, particularly Phoenix. I despise Oscar talk even at the most appropriate of times, but right now I don’t at all mind suggesting that this could be Phoenix’s year if The Master lets him take a turn for the Plainview. (Though if nothing else I think it’ll be exciting to see him spar with Philip Seymour-Hoffman.)
Also: curious to see how the Church of Scientology reacts to this, since it’s allegedly a veiled narrative about the birth of Scientology.
Could swear I read somewhere that the scientologists have seen an early cut. They haven’t raised a ruckus yet, which might be a good sign or it might not. And like you, I could help but think “Holy Oscar Batman” when I first laid eyes on these.
Isn’t it amazing what happens when a director is a allowed to cut his own trailers?
This movie looks like it has INSANE potential. Anderson, obviously, is a genius… so that alone has me sold. But combining him with Phoenix? Who’s that rare, kind of mercurial genius type talent? That’s awesome. That is going to be so sick.
The way the trailers are handled here is so unique, I cant wait to see how the movie comes out.
I’m pretty jacked up about it too. I’m actually rather hopeful that it comes to TIFF. PTA hasn’t been here since PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE but one can always hope.
If this movie isn’t Matineecast fodder, I don;t know what is!