Licorice Pizza - Speculation & General Reactions

[Lots of Bees]

Yeah, I mean I've seen two tweets about screenings (the one that said word is positive from insiders, and the person who said they got tickets to one this week) but nothing since. Feels like there would definitely be more word if it was actually being shown, although maybe everyone's just sworn a vow of silence.

[Yes]

Critics and pundits and industry peeps are seeing it

The guy who tweeted last week about the screening lied. I did expect an announcement this week, though, about previews

[wrongright]

I'm sure it's screened but it's strange that we haven't gotten any hints directly. Critics/pundits always let you know in some way, like logging/even rating on Letterboxd or "wink wink" tweets.

Nightmare Alley and Don't Look Up have screened as well and more word has spilled out from those two.

[Lots of Bees]

Interesting letterboxd comment - the barbara streisand pronunciation scene is a reference to the opening of Bowie's "Andy Warhol."

From the same album as Life on Mars too - looks like PTA was listening to some Bowie for this one.

[Yes]

I'm sure it's screened but it's strange that we haven't gotten any hints directly. Critics/pundits always let you know in some way, like logging/even rating on Letterboxd or "wink wink" tweets.

Nightmare Alley and Don't Look Up have screened as well and more word has spilled out from those two.

Don't Look Up has test screened to general public over a dozen times across the country since March. I know you will look for any reason to deem this film a failure but bad analogy here

[d]

I know a couple of people who've seen and compared to Lady Bird. Some people are making a lot of personal assumptions based on trailer and preconceived notions than just listening to all the early word

Wait! What?! People are wondering here if preview screenings are really happening now and you KNOW A COUPLE of people who have SEEN it already?

I assume it is not that much similar to Lady Bird so the only thing "a couple of people" say independently about LP is a comparison to LB so you must know more, do you?

[Drenk]

It was easy to predict the Lady Bird comparison a year ago; people often go to the most obvious, yet hollow comparison, every time. Remember all the Big Lebowski comparisons for Inherent Vice although they're very different movies? So. Yeah. Inscrutable detective stories with potheads as the main characters..."Nostalgic" stories with high school theater kids at the center...

But you all should remember that Lady Bird has no element of romance in it. Chalamet is a pretentious fuckboy and barely present in the movie. The main relationship of Lady Bird is between the daughter and her mother.

[d]

Sure. Big Lebowski still seems more obvious comparison (and honestly quite justified one - goofy, incomprehensible/irrelevant plot, a masterpiece of modern cinema, great cinematography, funny/serious dynamics) than the Lady Bird now. Fore some reason it gets repeated but I doubt it is relevant or says much about LP.

[Lewton]

I found one reference to what I was thinking of. I remember him talking about Jaws & Star Wars ending the 70s golden age and how sad that was, regardless of their merit as films. Perhaps in one of the BN commentaries?

Jaws and Star Wars were the main factors in ending the 70s Golden Age. That's pretty much an accepted fact by everyone who cares about this stuff. Believing that doesn't necessarily mean you dislike those two films. I adore both of those films. It's not those films' fault that Hollywood took the wrong lessons from them. Considering PTA has said positive things about both, I would think his comments about them ruining the American New Wave were meant to be matter of fact.

I took the paraphrasing/recollection of the quote ("crime against art") too literally, so that's my mistake. I thought it was indicating PTA's dislike of the movie and that didn't match up with what I remembered about his appreciation of Jaws and other Spielberg movies. Anyway, even if PTA did use those exact words--I'm assuming he didn't, but if he did--then that's his opinion. Personally, I certainly wouldn't use those same terms to describe a movie as masterful as Jaws, even though I do acknowledge its success changed the industry (to an extent). I agree with you that those changes were actually brought about by Hollywood's response to those films, not the films themselves.

This conversation has reminded me that it's been a long time since PTA has shared any candid/critical remarks about other movies. The closest recent example, I guess, is when he said it's a bad look (or something) when older directors try to make films as if they were younger directors, or when they try to keep up with a new generation of filmmakers. He didn't mention any examples.

Tact is generally a wise approach so that's all good, but I'm still curious. Given what PTA said to John Krasinski about being nice when discussing other films, I'm not sure if we'll ever hear much about the films he dislikes (I remember some folks speculated that he's not a fan of Noah Baumbach's work but that didn't seem like it was based on anything concrete).

I wonder what his movie discussions with Tarantino are like, as he certainly doesn't share PTA's cautiousness (i.e., criticizing the logic of It Follows and responding to Drive by saying something like "nice try").

EDIT: I'd love to know what PTA thinks about Under the Silver Lake, for example...his positive or negative thoughts on that one.

[jviness02]

I found one reference to what I was thinking of. I remember him talking about Jaws & Star Wars ending the 70s golden age and how sad that was, regardless of their merit as films. Perhaps in one of the BN commentaries?

Jaws and Star Wars were the main factors in ending the 70s Golden Age. That's pretty much an accepted fact by everyone who cares about this stuff. Believing that doesn't necessarily mean you dislike those two films. I adore both of those films. It's not those films' fault that Hollywood took the wrong lessons from them. Considering PTA has said positive things about both, I would think his comments about them ruining the American New Wave were meant to be matter of fact.

I took the paraphrasing/recollection of the quote ("crime against art") too literally, so that's my mistake. I thought it was indicating PTA's dislike of the movie and that didn't match up with what I remembered about his appreciation of Jaws and other Spielberg movies. Anyway, even if PTA did use those exact words--I'm assuming he didn't, but if he did--then that's his opinion. Personally, I certainly wouldn't use those same terms to describe a movie as masterful as Jaws, even though I do acknowledge its success changed the industry (to an extent). I agree with you that those changes were actually brought about by Hollywood's response to those films, not the films themselves.

This conversation has reminded me that it's been a long time since PTA has shared any candid/critical remarks about other movies. The closest recent example, I guess, is when he said it's a bad look (or something) when older directors try to make films as if they were younger directors, or when they try to keep up with a new generation of filmmakers. He didn't mention any examples.

Tact is generally a wise approach so that's all good, but I'm still curious. Given what PTA said to John Krasinski about being nice when discussing other films, I'm not sure if we'll ever hear much about the films he dislikes (I remember some folks speculated that he's not a fan of Noah Baumbach's work but that didn't seem like it was based on anything concrete).

I wonder what his movie discussions with Tarantino are like, as he certainly doesn't share PTA's cautiousness (i.e., criticizing the logic of It Follows and responding to Drive by saying something like "nice try").

I am sure PTA drops his "don't criticize other filmmakers"  filter in private conversations with  Tarantino seeing how they are good pals. In fact, I would guess if we ever hear honest criticism about a modern film by PTA, it will be secondhand from Tarantino name dropping him on a podcast or something. "I was talking about this with Paul Thomas Anderson and he made a good point about how the third act is just terrible..."


ALSO, I think the Big Lebowski comparisons with IV are very fair. Both are comedic riffs on Raymond Chandler noirs where the PI is a heavy pot smoker. The Dude may not officially be a PI, but he acts and serves as one in the plot.

[Drill]

He'll voice some criticisms here and there (like the sound in "California Split" and I believe he said "Funny Games" wasn't for him) but yeah, it's been a long while since he's gone "I dont like ____". The last time I think was when he said he'd never really liked "East of Eden", at least compared to the book. And that he's never seen and doesn't care about "Gone with the Wind".

Personally, I wouldn't mind him going back to being more unfiltered.

[jviness02]

I think East of Eden situation is a little different because it's a much older film. I think his filter in more about his "peers". I could be wrong, but that's how I've taken it.

[Jeremy Blackman]

Yeah, "crime against art" was my tongue-in-cheek paraphrasing. I just remember him being pretty vitriolic in tone about the rise of blockbusters and suggesting the 70s golden age could have lasted longer.

But yes, it seems like he basically stopped speaking negatively about movies after the Boogie Nights era. Admirable, tbh.

[Drenk]

There was the Fight Club incident.

[polkablues]

I wonder what his movie discussions with Tarantino are like, as he certainly doesn't share PTA's cautiousness (i.e., criticizing the logic of It Follows and responding to Drive by saying something like "nice try").

Tarantino talked shit about It Follows? I knew I didn't like that guy...