Xixax Film Forum

Film Discussion => The Vault => Topic started by: wilder on March 18, 2016, 04:03:34 AM

Title: Midnight Special
Post by: wilder on March 18, 2016, 04:03:34 AM
(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FPNNsMaF.jpg&hash=374e95a3fdeffc689d1f2f2511cd9896fad32654)

A father and son go on the run after the dad learns his child possesses special powers.

Directed by Jeff Nichols
Release Date - March 18, 2016



PANAVISION
Title: Re: Midnight Special
Post by: Fuzzy Dunlop on March 18, 2016, 01:42:17 PM
I'm hyped for this. Loved Mud. Loved it.
Title: Re: Midnight Special
Post by: RegularKarate on March 23, 2016, 02:58:08 PM
I think Jeff Nichols is a great filmmaker that still needs to find a great story.
I always enjoy his movies until the end and then feel a little disappointed. This was probably my favorite of his (biased because of the 80s sci-fi element), but there were so many logic flaws and I was again let down by the end.

STILL, everything else is great. Acting is great, music is great, tone is great... it's all really well executed. Just stings a little to be so close to being a great movie.
Title: Re: Midnight Special
Post by: polkablues on March 23, 2016, 03:11:07 PM
I haven't seen this one yet, but your description pretty accurately mirrors my feelings about Take Shelter. Nichols' distaste for narrative convention grants his movies a unique vibe, but seems to leave them feeling hollow. Still, I'm looking forward to seeing this and whatever comes next.
Title: Re: Midnight Special
Post by: modage on March 27, 2016, 09:11:20 AM
Quote from: RegularKarate on March 23, 2016, 02:58:08 PM
I think Jeff Nichols is a great filmmaker that still needs to find a great story.
This, exactly. I came out of this going Nichols is a great filmmaker but not a great storyteller, if that makes any sense. Style, tone, atmosphere, performances, all tangible elements are so great but after an intriguing setup (the 5 minutes before the title comes up makes you think this is going to be the best film of all time), unfortunately it's all downhill from there. He doesn't know how to build on the setup in any satisfying way.

The film acts like it's withholding secrets but is actually pretty straightforward. The crazy cult that they escape from is introduced but then goes nowhere (couldn't Sam Shepard have been an awesome villain?) and sequence after sequence kinda repeats the same pattern without adding anything new. They show up someplace to hide, people are coming to find them, they have to run, they go someplace else. Repeat. It's weird to watch a 2 hour movie where you don't know really anything more about the characters at the end than you did in the first 5 minutes but that's what this film feels like.

There's no shame in getting a co-writer to help bring your ideas to life, or getting someone else to take your story and write a great script. Nichols just can't do everything though it's admirable that he keeps trying.