Happened to me last time I tried to use a spoiler but I assumed it was just me (still likely/possible).
I guess the Nomaland that could get made and Oscared and all that is not the Nomadland that would reflect reality? I mean Salt of the Earth…
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Roger that.
I mean, the Academy did fall all over themselves to heap accolades onto Parasite, which I thought was a good handling/expose of classist exploitation in our neoliberal era. But maybe it’s being set in Korea made that message more palatable? 
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You know I haven’t seen that. Must do but I find his films hit and miss but mostly miss.
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Parasite hits, I assure you.
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I mean, I don’t think this gives much away… it really isn’t a plot heavy movie with lots of twist anyway… more of a slice of life type thing?
I agree with your analysis about Nomadland, too. I enjoyed McDormand and appreciated all the real life nomads the director Chloe Zhao put into the film, but agree with you that she sort of downplayed the negative aspects at play there. It could be that she was attempting to give it from the perspective of people in that situation, that they don’t want to be seen as victims, so they see themselves as nomads by choice rather than from lacking something. I think she could have done a better job balancing how they want to be seen vs. the neoliberal reality of this “lifestyle”…
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Yep, like say Ken Loach would’ve done. But then, that likely wouldn’t attract enough of a US audience to cover McDormand’s salary.
Could be. But then, I think it’s a matter of cherry picking, since I’m sure some others pushed into living that way are more bitter about it. And some are surely also good at articulating their justfiable rage against the machine/oligarchs.
Zhao also worked on the script, and no doubt helped shape the overall message, which celebrates tough, independent spirits, instead of people who, i suppose, would be seen as whiners? Libertarians and preppers would probably love it.
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Probably. It certainly leans towards that POV!
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I love this guy’s movies. This one was great too.
Since his fascinating feature breakthrough, Afterlife, in 1998, Koreeda has established himself as a supremely intelligent and valuable film-maker: I Wish is the moving and deeply satisfying work of a director who just keeps on getting better.
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Russophiles should be urged to watch Chantal Ackerman’s 1993 unnarrated documentary of her filmed trip from Berlin to Moskow, D’Est (From the East). No dialogue. No one is interviewed. The images (which you could almost smell) show life in post-collapse Eastern Bloc East Germany and Poland, and then, even worse, Moskow: So many queues. So many waiting areas. So many people looking sad and traumatized, some angry, seemingly all carrying similar looking bags hanging from limp arms as if they’re hoping for something useful to drop in; a sidewalk lined with people (who did not appear to be homeless) holding various objects for sale or trade: a woman holding a container of milk; another holding a large bottle of Coke; a woman holding a net-bag of oranges; a man holding a bottle of booze; a woman holding a carton of eggs; several women with each holding a cellophane bag – all identical – filled with wrapped candy (?). Then there were images of individuals in their small, shabby Soviet-style apartments with one occupant preparing a snack (meal?) of hand-sliced salami on hand-sliced bread, apparently for her film crew guests. Throughout the Moskow segment, you could sense real danger everywhere and feeling incredibly fortunate not to live there.
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Please read my review of D’Est further up, then tell me if you’d recommend that I watch Nomadland. I love McDormand, but if it’s a real saddy…
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Hmmm. That reads to me like a “description.” To me, a “review” also evaluates. I can’t tell if you liked that movie. Your second comment suggests not, because it’s a saddy.
I’d say Nomadland is mostly not a saddy. I think its makers wanted it to be uplifting, so for me, a problem with it is that it sweeps too much that might tip it over into saddy territory under the rug.
I don’t know if that helps, but i think it’s worth watching since you like McDormand, who does an awesome job yet again of embodying her character.
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My favorite of hers, I think.
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I would argue that Nomadland DOES do a good job of (subtly) showing the truth of how hard it actually is while ostensibly showing the brave face so many put on to make it seem like they’ve chosen the lifestyle, instead of being forced into it, or at least forced to stay in it past the point where it’s still a good choice for them. And, I would say that McDormand’s acting is the crucial factor in showing that public/private distinction.
It’s not for everyone, but I would recommend the movie.
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Is there any special significance to the bread and salami being “hand-sliced”?
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Maybe for someone from an affluent country who is used to buying everything pre-sliced and shrink-wrapped in plastic?
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Context. Western v. Eastern. At that time (collapse of the Soviet Union), Eastern states and Russia were not brimming with processed, packaged, pre-whatever food. The host pulled out a very wide sausage (looked like salami, although it may have been a particular very common Russian sausage (I believe it was the Cervelat). Many food items were basic in every sense and required preparation not commonly required in the West. The predominance of endless queues (and the sad image of sidewalk barterers) shown in the documentary, explains the kind of snack offered by the host.
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Did I get back to you after I checked Kevin Rockett’s Irish filmography ?
Well if I didn’t the answer is no. No I don’t think there are any significant Irish language fiction feature films that people don’t know (up to 96 anyway) while cinema was here right from the beginning the flight of capital with independence killed off what industry there was. Most early films are gone of course like everywhere.
I finally watched the Banshees of Inisherin tonight. Without thinking i had been pronouncing it InishEErin which sounds like an actual Irish island name but of course the joke is Inis (island in Irish) Erin (the whole place) so this remote backwards insular begottten afterthought on the edge of civilisation represents the whole country. Okay, that’s actually fair. I have very mixed views on Martin McDonagh. I didn’t like the plays I saw and I thought three billboards was as insulting to rural Americans as his plays were to rural Irish people. Ignorant gobdaws with funny accents being his thing. But we really enjoyed in Bruges so went for it.
It’s depressing. It’s not bad but I would have preferred more of the humour in Bruges. As close as it gets is when Siobhán (the excellent Kerry Condon playing Farrell’s brother) asks what he can do and Brendan Gleeson says “not talk to me” “great. Another silent man in Inisherin”. TBF most of them have little to say worth hearing. Their relationship really rings true of isolated, dying, depopulated, impoverished rural communities in emigration nation. Also bonus marks for making the copper the absolute git of the piece rather than the priest.
Also: donkeys are great actors. I see there is a new donkey feature out E O or something. I loved the wee donkey in this.
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