Mandy

[jenkins]

some stuff: just withnail's World Wide Woven Bodies dp + Jóhann Jóhannsson's current last imdb credit (and Panos Cosmatos is still the son of George Cosmatos)



September 14

[Just Withnail]

<3 benjamin loeb

[Jeremy Blackman]

This is worth seeing for a dozen or so transcendently great scenes and moments. And I can definitely understand why a person would love this film. Nicolas Cage also does not disappoint.

But listen. The actor who plays the cult leader gives one of the worst performances I have seen in my life. It's not just that he's bad; the camera lovingly lingers on him as he tediously delivers one terribly-written monologue after another. I almost stopped the movie because of how ineffectual and mind-crushingly boring this character was. The wasted potential here is kind of tragic.

I would recommend seeing Mandy, but don't feel bad about fast-forwarding through much of the first half. (I wish I had.)

[jenkins]

The surprise theatrical success of Nicolas Cage's new movie 'Mandy' has forced its distributor to completely overhaul its release strategy

props to a surprise hit. it was interesting the weekend when LA was freaking out about not having it.

[Just Withnail]

I had a blast with this - especially the completely bonkers last half.

As the film is starting to pivot into the revenge part, there's this amazing scene where it literally gives Cage a stage to build up his rage freely for a few moments. We see him strolling back and forth in a bathroom in an extended take that is really just there to tell the audience "here it comes", and you get an unobstructed view of Cage pumping up the rage. This film really knows what it is.

It was also of course terribly exciting seeing a close friend doing work as amazing as this, and extremely inspiring.

[Alexandro]

I watched this two days in a row because it was fucking awesome.
I love that is not an intellectual exercise and it's purely visceral, and that you can enjoy it on the formal choices alone. Yet, Cage really shines here with almost no dialogue at all. It's more like an experience than a film in a very literal sense.
Wish I could have seen it in the cinema, but my big tv wasn't that bad at all.

[jenkins]

it's a visual/visceral experience, not a vision from a page but a screen. i believe the dialogue is intentional humor basically always. the narrative is Nic Cage's face. basically the director is a true artist there's no denying it.