Her Smell

Started by Alethia, October 01, 2018, 09:33:15 AM

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Alethia



Written and Directed By Alex Ross Perry

Starring Elisabeth Moss, Cara Delevingne, Eric Stoltz, Madisen Beaty

Caught this yesterday at NYFF and...wow. This is a hyper-aggressive assault on the senses. A noxious oozing across five acts that settles somewhat in the last two in pursuit of grace/re-connection. Perry's most ambitious film by far - shot on 35mm in 2.35! with incredible, unnerving aural acrobatics mixed into the sound design and score  - and though I don't quite love it as immediately as I did, say, Golden Exits earlier this year, it has been festering inside me since the screening and I am dying to see it again which tells me that my for now intense admiration is soon to blossom into unwieldily passionate love.

Also peppered in are a couple of sly nods to PTA that nerds like us are bound to immediately recognize and drool over.

modage

I liked this a lot. My biggest nitpick is that (as a drummer) I could tell during the live performances that nobody was credibly playing their instruments. Which I think they could've cut around but with longer takes that Perry favors, it becomes more apparent. Still, this was maybe my second favorite of his behind LUP and I really need to see Golden Exits.

The two-tone backstage wall reminded me of the blue/white wall in Barry's office in PDL and also thought the score reminded me of "Tabla" PDL anxiety by way of Gaspar Noe. And funny he did shout out PTA during the Q&A.

Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.

Alethia

NERDY SPOILERS
My favorite PTA nod is two-fold: the title HER SMELL being presented in the film as a neon sign a la Boogie Nights, and also its appearance at the beginning as well as the end of the film, as has been PTA's preference since CMBB.

Alethia

Quote from: modage on October 02, 2018, 08:16:57 AM
My biggest nitpick is that (as a drummer) I could tell during the live performances that nobody was credibly playing their instruments.

This stood out to me as well (also a drummer!) I rationalized that it was a stylistic choice meant to vaguely evoke some kind of old-school music video vibe, perhaps. But then in the q and a it was revealed that they all practiced for months beforehand in order to make their playing look as realistic as possible, so...yeah, odd.

jenkins

i rather wish i felt the need or even wanted to see this, since really i prefer to like things. it's just not for me in any way

Alethia


jenkins

my kicks are light and graceful

based on my life history, i'll one day be able to view this movie and appreciate it for what it is, after i erase from my mind what i wish it was

Alethia

Perry's films definitely aren't for everyone. They tend to push all the right buttons for me though.

jenkins

it's his intensity you relate to, of course it is. and that's valid, that's totally valid.

Alethia

Out of curiosity, which of his films have you seen?

jenkins

honey you about to know he's already tried his best with me. it ain't like i wanna be against the guy, though i'll call myself out on mostly speaking against the guy. i think that's envy, really? i've talked about this type of envy before--why do his feelings matter more, and he's being called great omfg--etc you know. just pretend i'm a guy in one of his movies. you can like the movies can't you.

i saw the The Color Wheel at AFI Fest, the year they were celebrating Joe Swanberg funny enough. i was feeling generational with them. our generation was forming a voice. that felt cool. Swanberg i remember was seeing the movie too, and he was with--i just realized i should get to my main story. afterward there was a q&a, Ross and Carlen Altman. Carlen Altman said she liked b&w bc she didn't have to bleach her teeth, i thought that was hilarious and remember it to this day. a lady in the audience asked why they had to be so incestuous and said she thought that was awful. and what happened? i'll be goddamned--Jeff Garlin was there, and he started saying the lady asking the question was his sister, and he'd made out with her. the lady didn't laugh but she didn't get mad about that, she and Garlin both started yelling things, her yelling incest is bad idea, Garlin yelling she was his sister, everyone else was smiling for sure. i can't remember how that ended but i remember those things. the movie i remember felt creepy, why would i rewatch it.

Listen Up Philip i saw at Sundance Next in Ace Hotel and afterward there was a q&a with Bret Easton Ellis. by the time Ross was naming books he read in high school i realized i just didn't like his whole approach. i hadn't liked the movie at all, no. plus then Ross and Easton said america will have a harder time with the movie because americans are stupid, and i'm not misquoting them, you know these guys, they said that, America is too stupid to like Listen Up Phillip, and i've mentioned before that i don't appreciate preaching to the choir. i thought, my god. they can't even imagine someone not liking it! that's crazy.

i retired him then and haven't felt the need to return.

Drenk

I've seen Listen Up Philip and Queen of Earth and I'm with jenkins. I might see Her Smell but I'm sure I'll stay two thousand miles from it, thinking: "...dude". If it's his best one I'm not sure it's that positive if I dislike his general output.
Ascension.

Alethia

Fair enough, fellas. He's not your jam/totally my jam/we can all still jam regardless.

Drenk

Yes, but what is especially weird with Perry for me is that he likes the directors and writers that I like— and you can witness that influence on screen— and yet he's not my jam. I'll try Golden Exits, though! Another sample.  :yabbse-grin:
Ascension.

jenkins

his imdb photo was/maybe is him and a cat, and i would be like okay come on, wanting to root for him. but simply, him being aware of what kind of movies he makes, and me being aware of what kind of movies he makes, i can't imagine a day when i'll need to look again. they don't call me, and everyone goes where they're called