Blade Runner 2049

[BB]

Yes, but it is being spoiled to still be picky when a movie is worth discussion? I did think about it. It's true that most movies on this scale aren't even trying. That said, even if I, personally, think the movie is messy, the mere fact that I am writing a lot about it here is a sign that they have done something.

Yes, totally. Didn't mean to call you out. Was speaking generally to similar sentiments I've seen here and there. Love that the movie is generating discussion. Love when ANY movie generates discussion. Just sense a slight forest-for-the-trees perspective lately. I feel like any conversation between movie people on this one should begin from the premise that it's something special. You may like it, you may hate it, but I think we can (mostly) all agree that it's a cut above. 

[Jeremy Blackman]

So glad I caught this in IMAX. I have no idea what it's like in other formats, but I think I will carry that experience with me through every rewatch.

This movie showed me things I've never seen before, sounds I've never heard before. I can think of 5 or 6 scenes that were absolutely jaw-dropping. It's boiling over with new ideas. I want more!

Never has Hans Zimmer bombast worked so well for me. I was continuously blown away, and then swept away, by this glorious soundtrack.

But it is way too self-conscious and its originality becomes a gimmick. Let me explain. The movie isn't as fast paced as almost all the big Hollywood movies. At the contrary, it takes its time. But every scene takes its time even when it is absolutely not necessary. There are a lot of shots of Gosling slowly walking in great sets. Do great sets make a great movie? Some shots seem to be motivated by how great the set is. There is no reason for this movie to be that long.

Having watched Arrival, I can be 100% certain that this movie's patience and ponderousness is genuine. Denis Villeneuve is such a perfect fit. The original Blade Runner is even slower, I'd argue, and is more transparently about the beauty of its world.

I am also completely fine with a movie that sacrifices character/story potential for other equally cinematic things. Avatar was kind of the embodiment of that, for example.

But I fully agree with this criticism:

probably would have been even better with less dialogue- in fact, less dialogue, fewer scenes and overall greater abstraction could have made this really, really special

With that alteration, this easily could have been a masterpiece. Shame it was so close.

Spoilers

When Harrison Ford arrived, it was like, wow, that's a real actor right there. This is his best performance in a very long time. He pumped so much emotion and weight into his first few scenes especially.

Most fiction about androids, including Westworld and Ex Machina, don't bother to deal with the issue of the human soul — what that is, and under what circumstances a synthetic human could hope to have one. Blade Runner 2049 addresses this question head-on. To paraphrase the movie: if something is legitimately, biologically born, how could it not have a soul? I appreciated that this movie is philosophically serious.

[The Ultimate Badass]

Great direction, acting, cinematography and FX. Shit script.

[jenkins]

mentioning for jb.

Here’s IMDb’s Top 10 Movies of 2017, along with a note from the site on its methodology:

1. “It”
2. “Wonder Woman”
3. “Beauty and the Beast”
4. “Logan”
5. “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2”
6. “Justice League”
7. “Split”
8. “Alien: Covenant”
9. “Thor: Ragnarok”
10. “Blade Runner 2049”

*Among the movies released in the U.S. in 2017, these 10 movies were consistently most popular with IMDb users as determined by the actual page views of IMDb’s more than 250 million monthly unique visitors worldwide. This exclusive data is derived from IMDbPro’s definitive MOVIEmeter rankings, which are updated weekly throughout the year. IMDb users can add these and other titles to their IMDb Watchlist. To learn more, go to: http://www.imdb.com/watchlist

the box office is a head scratcher to everyone. BR2049 was of immediate cultural relevance and one of the ones of the year.

i checked the Logan thread and it was appreciated here. what i hear is it's the most adult comic book movie ever. props to Split. the list is 50/50 comic book movies.