auteurs in franchises

In the scrapbook this week: Kūmāré and auteurs working in franchises

Hey guys,

Some new things:

  1. I'm on a cosmic kick.

  2. Well I'm glad I clicked on this one. It's rare that a date scene stands out anymore. Terrifically written. Completely recognizable characters, so well performed. And it's actually a promo for an album.

  3. Rian Johnson is a supremely skilled filmmaker - and whether or not you liked Star Wars: The Last Jedi, you can't deny he made a lot of artistic technical choices -- things that felt directorial, rather than autopilot-by-committee. (It's almost like the 3rd Harry Potter film, directed by Alfonso Cuarón, where the storytelling elements are assembled in a more deliberate and thoughtful way than otherwise expected -- the choices always have a philosophy.) Hope this company initiative actually comes to pass and picks interesting projects and doesn't fail to gain traction.

    I don't yet have the same confidence in another auteur entering the Marvel franchise. Kevin Feige claims: 
    "We cut a little sample reel together, I remember, to show [Disney higher-ups]. And it was so beautiful, and I had to keep saying, 'This is right out of a camera; there’s no VFX work to this at all!' Because it was a beautiful sunset, with perfect waves and mist coming up from the shore on this giant cliffside — really, really impressive stuff."
    Is this what Marvel movies have come to? Surprise there's an actual landscape?

  4. I haven't commented much on recent films/TV. This is partly because my mind/time has been busy elsewhere, and partly because of the boredom I feel from so much being released. I am watching some things, but find nothing much to say about them. I also scroll through entertainment news and rarely find much inspiring.

    I await the return of art that does for me what Synecdoche, New York did for Roger Ebert. That was over a decade ago, before most "important" films became thin ideological statements.

    In the meantime, I looked again at the 10-year-old documentary Kūmāré -- you can watch it here free. I admire it so much because I can admire it in many ways. 1) It's witty and silly and so very telling as a social experiment that successfully tricks its subjects (though there were a few comments about whether that was ethical -- watch and let me know what you think). 2) It's done very inexpensively. 3) It hones in on themes I frequently find myself digging into. 4) It pulls off a character change, a deepening, a realization that the thing being satirized may have its merits.

  5. Also found it cool to know all the businesses Mark Wahlberg is involved in.

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Chris