‘One Battle After Another’ (dir. by Paul Thomas Anderson) | Leonardo DiCaprio, Regina Hall, Sean Penn (9/26)

[Hugs]

Went in with high hopes, left bemused by the love for this film. It’s like the very worst elements of Wes Anderson and Tarantino, and the moments of captivating cinematography can’t counterbalance that for me. The question that plagued the film, for me: what did this movie think it was? A commentary? A satire? A comedy? All of that and none of that at once? A lot of substituting quirk for character. Felt like porn for disaffected stoners from a guy with a peculiar fetish.

This was Tarantino for hipsters

 

[MrRDU]

Penn should win an Oscar for this

But otherwise, this film was very ok. Wtf were they fighting against anyway?

 

[Hugs]

Penn should win an Oscar for this

But otherwise, this film was very ok. Wtf were they fighting against anyway?

The point of this movie, imo, is that both sides (military and revolutionaries) were criminals. But one side that broke the law (military) was supported by the people who made the laws.

 

[Maude]

 

[voltronblack]

Penn should win an Oscar for this

But otherwise, this film was very ok. Wtf were they fighting against anyway?

Spoiler: penn character

Penn character who you know is a racist, was using the illegal immigration raids as a smokescreen to hunt and kill his biracial daughter. The CAC club he was trying to join did not like him using the raids for that because it was messing up their business. The racist CAC club members use illegal aliens in their business, but to join the club, you cannot have any mixed-race kids; you have to kill them if you have them. Really, that what Penn character was doing more or less.

 

[Jugernot]

Where's the slander?

nikka has played himself in every role since Titanic. Gilbert Grape was the last time he was more of a character actor than a leading man.

This is objectively false. How has he played himself when his characters in Blood Diamonds, The Wolf of Wall Street, The Departed, Django Unchained, The Revenant, Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, The Departed, Gangs of New York, Don't Look Up, this movie etc.. are all wildly different people with distinct characteristics? If you don't like him fine, but to say he just plays himself is laughable.

 

[OJ Simpsom]

Penn character who you know is a racist, was using the illegal immigration raids as a smokescreen to hunt and kill his biracial daughter.

This is the part that made no sense to me after he gets their location. Instead of going in undetected, he raids the whole city which allows them to escape in the chaos.

 

[Art Barr]

Just to get it out of the way,because they willl be constantly ranked and compared until the oscars

Sinners > One Battle After Another . Favorites this year are

1. Siiners
2. OBAA
3. Superman

Havent seen f1 or weapons fwiw

F1 is better than all of them tbh. except maybe sinners.
F1 was the best nostalgia summer movie experience this year.

F1 = highly recommende, maybe most recommended movie this year. besides the obvious choice in sinners.

Art Barr

 

[Ed MOTHERFUCKING G]

Where's the slander?

nikka has played himself in every role since Titanic. Gilbert Grape was the last time he was more of a character actor than a leading man.

low quality posting

 

[Art Barr]

stellar writing
Great direction
EXCELLENT performances
Brisk pacing (runtime never slogs)

The issue with this film is the issue I have with many liberal white directors who tackle their films from the “black power” theme.

Spoiler

the black characters are limited to caricatures in service to the white protagonist. Teyana Taylor is the object of lust/carnal desire. Regina Hall is the “mother”/protective figure. And thats all they are. I’m not even looking for a black man to come save the day because you don’t pay Leonardo Dicaprio $20 million to NOT be the protagonist and focal point. But at the same time you can’t have “black power” be window dressing for a white man’s hero’s journey. The principal black women in this movie FAILED in their endeavors. Teyana Taylor FAILED as a revolutionary figure,
a mother, and a pro-black figurehead. The chick named Jungle p*ssy FAILED and was killed. Regina King FAILED to protect Willa and ended up captured. The black nuns FAILED. There’s not one black character in this film who succeeded in their mission/objective, there’s no redemption. And no, that weak ass letter written to Willa at the end doesn’t count as redemption. The message of this movie still screams that a white male savior is necessary for any type of black progress/revolution. Notice how when the Latino/Mexican immigrants were doing their thing. They had a male of their own heritage/community leading the charge in Benicio Del Toro, successfully getting his people to save havens and spaces. This type of characterization is denied the black characters and their organization. Wood Harris did absolutely nothing of note, a wasted character either due to editing or because he was simply cast to have a face audiences would be familiar with when the shyt hit the fan so they could empathize in a sense with the downfall of the French 75.

Even with my STRONG criticisms of the themes driving the story and how they minimize black characterization and autonomy, it was an enjoyable film. PTA proved he can do mainstream, streamlined, big-budgeted entertainment. Its an almost three hour film that doesn’t lag at any point (impressive) and everyone in the cast put on a MASTERCLASS in acting. I fully expect this film to garner Sean Penn his third academy award and Dicaprio his second. PTA will finally get his long awaited Best Director trophy and probably Best Adapted Screenplay.

This is NOT in my opinion the hands down best film of year. Thematically Ryan Coogler was able to do with Sinners what PTA tried to do with One Battle, in a more authentic manner. Sinners also felt more authentic as a statement of who the director is. PTA’s statement film will probably remain Boogie Nights.

Prolific posting.

Spoiler

Great way, to be elaborate but not demonstrative.
to this brand of quasi-revolutionary storytelling. Where generally most black male anything is made inferior.
to the portrayal of other male counter parts from other backgrounds. As well as the general failure of the black female matriarch.
Without taking extreme issue with that direction. Plus being objective to the submission.

Art Barr

 

[Knicksman20]

Sean Penn playing his real personality in this lol

 

[OJ Simpsom]

Sean Penn playing his real personality in this lol

 

[IVS]

i turned this off. Maybe ill go back. Sumpn bout Teyana Taylor face just disturbs me

 

[Piff Perkins]

Sound greedy as hell saying it with the movie not even a week in from release, but I really wanna see PTA tackle horror at some point. Next, even, if he doesn’t go through with that rumored jazz project with Denzel.

Spoiler

I bring that up because of all the scenes that stood out to me, the sequence where Junglep*ssy had that monologue in the bank was some genuinely unnerving shyt. You just knew shyt was about to hit the fan.

It’s titled ‘Baktan Cross’ on the official score. Very Pendericki-inspired. Greenwood was on one here.

Did NOT know Jon Brion collaborated with Greenwood on the score.

But now that I think about it, the movie did sound like a grown ass version of Punch-Drunk Love. Lol.

The rumor was that he might be adapting A Rage In Harlem. Bill Duke already (loosely) adapted it in the 90s. Fun movie.


If he does it, I'd imagine it'll be similar to OBAA where he takes general inspiration from the novel and does his own thing, with some aspects kept in tact (the nuns for instance).

 

[cartierhoe]

Just got out of the theater about an hour ago, will edit in the morning with thoughts. But goddamn this and Sinners are my favorite movies of the year.