"...locked inside themselves forever" jumped out at me, too, uncomfortably.
Also I had flashbacks at "rapping", "struggle", and from memory, "trashing" which, once upon a time, was a key part of struggle sessions. Shut up and take it.
Maybe I will see this film, although it might be scary.
-there are things we need more than we need to be who we think we are-
40 years from now when someone googles " Ed Roso quotes" that will be number 3.
Thanks for the review.The news is laughably grim and I'm ready for a moratorium, at least through the holiday though maybe for the rest of my life.
I watched "Persona" again last winter, a film all about identity. Your quote could easily be slipped into post Persona chat at the coffee shop and everyone would nod in affirmation, (all the while hating you because they couldn't think of anything half as cogent to say themselves.)
Now I want to see the film. Can't ask for any more than that!
I saw the title of the movie on the marquee of the Nuart. When I heard about this movie, I thought it could be good if handled right. The other review I heard mentioned the fact the cast for the Uncle Vanya production was made up of people speaking different languages, and I felt that alone could be interesting. But I cannot get the Beatles song out of my head when I see or think of the title.
The multi-language thing is handled so beautifully that I didn't want to mention it because it's even more off-putting than "communication" as a theme. (Obviously that doesn't apply to you!) A movie about communication in which people speak different languages. And one of them is mute! If I hadn't seen it actually work with my own eyes...
I read a review of this film which mentioned that the all-important car was a Saab 900. Having owned one of these many years ago I thought I couldn't possibly revisit that trauma just for the sake of a movie. However, your terrific review has changed my mind, although I'll have to wait until it's streamed somewhere. (I'll still be waiting for the clutch cable to snap at the worst possible moment.)
I'd never read that - it's hilarious. I heard the earlier Saabs were even worse, but couldn't imagine it being true. Many thanks for the link. (Anyone reading this should check it out, it's very short and very funny.)
This touches on one of my (many) pet peeves: Hollywood producers who make wildly inappropriate choices for cars driven by movie characters. They think "working class" and give the guy a 70's Ford Bronco, even though 70's Broncos are now only affordable to Crypto-enthusiast billionaires. Or the down-on-its-luck-and-living-in-a-trailer family that ALWAYS gets a vintage Airstream, when those now go for obscene prices.
So Kudos to whoever thought "quirky" and came up with a Saab 900.
Hey now! I loved my SAABs, always purchased well used. I've had two SAAB 99s one of which went from Iowa, to Oregon and Washington, up to Alaska (Valdez) and back to Iowa before heading back out to Washington (it was a hell of a summer). Then again they also had the fuel injected BMW engine that SAAB purchased and "SAABed" but I could fix it in apartment parking lots easily. Great mileage on long distance trips, plenty of room for a small car. My first one I bought was for $900 and sold it for the same price with a wheezing engine since the head had been corroded because the last owner before me used the wrong kind of antifreeze for an aluminum engine. But in comparison to performance and handling compared to American cars, the American cars were just plain flabby.
A former inamorata—she long ago, like, Carter Administration, moved over to Team Sappho—swore by, not at, her series of Saabs. I had a Christmas card from her today: I’ll have to ask her what she’s driving these latter decades.
I just got home from seeing it. I'm sure it would have taken me at least 100 guesses to come up with communication as the answer to the question of what that movie was about. I just don't see it. Is communication one of Murakami's typical themes? Is Uncle Vanya about communication? I'm thinking not, but perhaps I'm wrong?
The movie, as it is a very good movie, is about a lot of things. Storytelling, to name one. But as it is basically Murakami retelling Checkov, it largely will be about what those authors are about. In this case, I'd say isolation, and the necessity to trudge onward regardless, is the common theme that best unites the authors and the disparate elements of the story. That they use storytelling to help them trudge on through their isolation is a Murakami layer on top of the Checkov.
I haven't seen all of the Oscar nominated pictures, but am fairly confident that this must be the best among them. Before seeing this I would have chosen Card Counter as the likely best picture from the past year, but now it's very close and if I had to choose I'd probably go with Drive My Car. I thought it was an excellent film and what I found most excellent about it was how it effectively told a characteristically Murakami story in a characteristically Murakami way in a visual medium and managed to re-tell Uncle Vanya in a compelling manner at the same time. Either of those would be a great accomplishment. To manage both was special.
Another thing that really impressed me was the sound design. I thought it was incredible throughout. It was mostly subtle and quiet, and it would periodically veer off into some very strange soundscapes. Along with all the footage of a car being driven around a large Japanese city, I was often reminded of the Tokyo driving scene in Solaris (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rswYl7RLRNE).
From a visual perspective, I was uninspired by the cinematography in the early parts of the film, but it got much more interesting as it went along. I think it kind of changed gears when he had her drive him around Hiroshima just to see the sites, or places she liked. The snow scene near the end had some incredible frames.
You're right -- we did see different movies. Which is fine. Maybe we saw different "Uncle Vanya"s too. I agree about the later scenes -- when the director and the driver go to her mother's house I think that's one of those blessed scenes that, if you described it with no context to someone, it would seem ridiculous, but it's very beautiful right there in that place, with them overlooking the debris.
I had edited that significantly before I saw your comment. Of course we all see different movies. I would have no interest in the writing of someone who saw the same movie I did. The only Uncle Vanya I've seen, until this one, was Vanya on 42nd Street. Love that.
Just watched pursuant to our film club meeting in a couple weeks. Was conscious of the "wanting to see what happens next" urge that Roy mentioned in re another film.
Note to web-savvys here: Since I nominated the film, I'm also leading the discussion for the club. One thing I depend(ed) on for analysis: I used to be able to take a screen grab from a flick so I could go back later to study the frame, and look for subtle details. Now Prime blocks that by making any screen grab of a film just a black sheet of nothing. Anyone got a workaround?
"...locked inside themselves forever" jumped out at me, too, uncomfortably.
Also I had flashbacks at "rapping", "struggle", and from memory, "trashing" which, once upon a time, was a key part of struggle sessions. Shut up and take it.
Maybe I will see this film, although it might be scary.
There are places where the nerves are stretched
I'm trying to see as many new movies as I can before the missus grounds me.
This isn’t a remake of “Baby Driver”? Ok, sounds good. Which of the available eighty seven streaming services has it?
-there are things we need more than we need to be who we think we are-
40 years from now when someone googles " Ed Roso quotes" that will be number 3.
Thanks for the review.The news is laughably grim and I'm ready for a moratorium, at least through the holiday though maybe for the rest of my life.
I watched "Persona" again last winter, a film all about identity. Your quote could easily be slipped into post Persona chat at the coffee shop and everyone would nod in affirmation, (all the while hating you because they couldn't think of anything half as cogent to say themselves.)
Now I want to see the film. Can't ask for any more than that!
I saw the title of the movie on the marquee of the Nuart. When I heard about this movie, I thought it could be good if handled right. The other review I heard mentioned the fact the cast for the Uncle Vanya production was made up of people speaking different languages, and I felt that alone could be interesting. But I cannot get the Beatles song out of my head when I see or think of the title.
Is that a bad thing? Also, I wonder if the title is a deliberate reference.
The multi-language thing is handled so beautifully that I didn't want to mention it because it's even more off-putting than "communication" as a theme. (Obviously that doesn't apply to you!) A movie about communication in which people speak different languages. And one of them is mute! If I hadn't seen it actually work with my own eyes...
Wiki-something says the filmmakers tried to get rights to use it but whoever owns the Beatles catalog declined. You will NOT miss it...
I read a review of this film which mentioned that the all-important car was a Saab 900. Having owned one of these many years ago I thought I couldn't possibly revisit that trauma just for the sake of a movie. However, your terrific review has changed my mind, although I'll have to wait until it's streamed somewhere. (I'll still be waiting for the clutch cable to snap at the worst possible moment.)
No doubt you’re already aware of Kurt Vonnegut’s short essay on the engineering marvel that was Saab, but for those who might not be:
https://inthesetimes.com/article/have-i-got-a-car-for-you
I'd never read that - it's hilarious. I heard the earlier Saabs were even worse, but couldn't imagine it being true. Many thanks for the link. (Anyone reading this should check it out, it's very short and very funny.)
This touches on one of my (many) pet peeves: Hollywood producers who make wildly inappropriate choices for cars driven by movie characters. They think "working class" and give the guy a 70's Ford Bronco, even though 70's Broncos are now only affordable to Crypto-enthusiast billionaires. Or the down-on-its-luck-and-living-in-a-trailer family that ALWAYS gets a vintage Airstream, when those now go for obscene prices.
So Kudos to whoever thought "quirky" and came up with a Saab 900.
Hey now! I loved my SAABs, always purchased well used. I've had two SAAB 99s one of which went from Iowa, to Oregon and Washington, up to Alaska (Valdez) and back to Iowa before heading back out to Washington (it was a hell of a summer). Then again they also had the fuel injected BMW engine that SAAB purchased and "SAABed" but I could fix it in apartment parking lots easily. Great mileage on long distance trips, plenty of room for a small car. My first one I bought was for $900 and sold it for the same price with a wheezing engine since the head had been corroded because the last owner before me used the wrong kind of antifreeze for an aluminum engine. But in comparison to performance and handling compared to American cars, the American cars were just plain flabby.
A former inamorata—she long ago, like, Carter Administration, moved over to Team Sappho—swore by, not at, her series of Saabs. I had a Christmas card from her today: I’ll have to ask her what she’s driving these latter decades.
Consider yourself blessed. My Saab lived up to the acronym: Shit Automobile, Always Broken.
That last paragraph, Roy--But there are things we need more than we need to be who we think we are,--You may be in danger of achieving wisdom.
Good heavens.
What ya don't know can't hurt ya.
A fate worse than death
I just got home from seeing it. I'm sure it would have taken me at least 100 guesses to come up with communication as the answer to the question of what that movie was about. I just don't see it. Is communication one of Murakami's typical themes? Is Uncle Vanya about communication? I'm thinking not, but perhaps I'm wrong?
The movie, as it is a very good movie, is about a lot of things. Storytelling, to name one. But as it is basically Murakami retelling Checkov, it largely will be about what those authors are about. In this case, I'd say isolation, and the necessity to trudge onward regardless, is the common theme that best unites the authors and the disparate elements of the story. That they use storytelling to help them trudge on through their isolation is a Murakami layer on top of the Checkov.
I haven't seen all of the Oscar nominated pictures, but am fairly confident that this must be the best among them. Before seeing this I would have chosen Card Counter as the likely best picture from the past year, but now it's very close and if I had to choose I'd probably go with Drive My Car. I thought it was an excellent film and what I found most excellent about it was how it effectively told a characteristically Murakami story in a characteristically Murakami way in a visual medium and managed to re-tell Uncle Vanya in a compelling manner at the same time. Either of those would be a great accomplishment. To manage both was special.
Another thing that really impressed me was the sound design. I thought it was incredible throughout. It was mostly subtle and quiet, and it would periodically veer off into some very strange soundscapes. Along with all the footage of a car being driven around a large Japanese city, I was often reminded of the Tokyo driving scene in Solaris (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rswYl7RLRNE).
From a visual perspective, I was uninspired by the cinematography in the early parts of the film, but it got much more interesting as it went along. I think it kind of changed gears when he had her drive him around Hiroshima just to see the sites, or places she liked. The snow scene near the end had some incredible frames.
You're right -- we did see different movies. Which is fine. Maybe we saw different "Uncle Vanya"s too. I agree about the later scenes -- when the director and the driver go to her mother's house I think that's one of those blessed scenes that, if you described it with no context to someone, it would seem ridiculous, but it's very beautiful right there in that place, with them overlooking the debris.
I had edited that significantly before I saw your comment. Of course we all see different movies. I would have no interest in the writing of someone who saw the same movie I did. The only Uncle Vanya I've seen, until this one, was Vanya on 42nd Street. Love that.
Man! The 2 actors in that Solaris scene have human anime eyes...<shiver>
Just watched pursuant to our film club meeting in a couple weeks. Was conscious of the "wanting to see what happens next" urge that Roy mentioned in re another film.
Note to web-savvys here: Since I nominated the film, I'm also leading the discussion for the club. One thing I depend(ed) on for analysis: I used to be able to take a screen grab from a flick so I could go back later to study the frame, and look for subtle details. Now Prime blocks that by making any screen grab of a film just a black sheet of nothing. Anyone got a workaround?