Board 8 > Movie Club Topic 3 - Murder by Marnie: Hunt for the Blue Hand Stalker Lobster

(+) Yeah! (+)

Witch

Newcomers are welcome! We take turns to recommend movies, vote and then all watch it once a week.

Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jQ5mrOOC83ua5DfEOd0DgZczFGm9qc8AMjQz-WSblrs

Feel free to rate or discuss any movie from the past. You may change your rating at any time. Newcomers can rate movies or request to be on the recommendations list at any time. You must maintain a 50% watch rate (subject to change) to recommend movies for your turn. If you would like to push your recommendation week back, please mention so IN ADVANCE. You will be moved to the bottom of the list if you do not meet the watch rate requirements and there is no other response from you when it is your turn. I will @ everyone on the list every week when its time to vote and to announce the movie.

Nominate movies by: Thursday of that week, 8:00 P.M. EST/5:00 P.M. PST
Vote by: Friday of that week, 8:00 P.M. EST/5:00 P.M. PST

Current recommendation order:
Aecioo
kateee
iiicon
CoolCly
Johnbobb
Raka_Putra
jcgamer107
ViolentAbacus
Suprak the Stud
SwiftyDC
Camden
Snake5555555555
Seginustemple
Xeybozn
tyder21
ChichiriMuyo
lucifiere

Cool Hand Luke isn't in the Indonesian Netflix library. Time to look elsewhere, yo ho, yo ho!

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arr it must be because it's too american

The Lobster (2017)

I love this movie because it's intense and uncomfortable, and it's the type of experience you can really only have with a few directors - Yorgos of course being one of them. Colin Farrell is a king of dark comedy; when his seriousness and absurdity breaks, it's usually enough to break the viewer (me, lol).

I've read reviews that take this movie so seriously, hailing it as a film that tries so desperately to be clever and (dramatically) make a statement. I think it fits right in with the best of dystopians - it reads like a novel, it has a level of damning absurdity that makes the consumer go, 'Wow that would never happen... unless? (eyes emoji)'. Hailing it as prophetic takes away from the immersion, imo.

The small details/one-off quotes make this movie charming, like, "We only play electronica music," and, "Is there a bisexual option?" I can't help but wonder how Joaquin Phoenix's character in "Her" would fare in the same role.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6pquk1zWYc&ab_channel=komarkive)

Anyways, you probably won't remember what happened in this movie a few years from now, but you'll remember how you felt. And that's probably the biggest tell-tale sign of a favorite movie for me. It's kind of how I feel with Lost in Translation, too, which I had only seen because of this movie group.

uhhhhhhhh 9/10

it's obvious i don't know how to embed links, 0/10

The Lobster

Somehow this movie doesn't entirely work for me, but I can't decide if that's because it's too crazy or because it's not crazy enough. It's just too out there to feel like a realistic setting, but the plot is too serious to feel like an absurd satire. That said, there are a lot of great jokes. And I do love how ridiculously far both the "couples" group and the "singles" group go to make sure they're the exact opposite of the other.

One important note though, I'm very disappointed that nobody ever got turned into a lobster. You had one job, movie!

7/10
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The Lobster

For me, this is easily the funniest film weve had so far. I think on my first watch, I was on the fence for a bit but after the Heartless Woman choked on the olive I was fully on board. I felt like I was a lot more receptive of the humor this time around as well. Even the small bits of dialogue like when the hotel manager says, That would be absurd or the woman who likes the biscuits talking about killing herself by jumping from a window and her room being on the first floor got a laugh out of me. The funniest part for me being when Colin Farrell says, The last thing I want right now is a kiss from a silly little girl, pauses and then fucking kicks her.

I really like the introduction to the world thats revealed through the dialogue when it shuts down any concept of the nonbinary. Youre either a size 44 or 45, no halves. Youre either a human in a relationship or an animal. It sets up the rules of a bizarre world with no nuance where everyone speaks with no filter and if you dont have a relationship, you have no standing. Everyone has an incredibly stupid defining characteristic that serves as the entire foundation for the relationships that hold so much weight in their society and its hilarious how absurd it is. And the rebel group is just as twisted (shudder at the imagery of the Red Intercourse).

Enthralling for the most part but I do start to feel a bit tired by the end. Just a bit. On the edge between an 8 and 9. I had it at a 9 before but Im feeling a very high 8 this time around.

kateee posted...

And the rebel group is just as twisted (shudder at the imagery of the Red Intercourse).

i love how the whole movie builds up this idea of the rebels that contradict the entire binary society, then you finally meet the rebels... And they're literally just as binary.



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yeah like how for sexuality matters, in the hotel they'll force the maid to grind on you until you get an erection but never anything past that and then fucking put your hand in a toaster to punish you for masturbating. meanwhile in the rebel group they'll cut your lips off for even flirting with someone else. there's that one part where the leader asks Colin Ferrell's character where he was and he just says "I was masturbating behind those trees" like it's the most natural thing and everyone's like k.

@Aecioo it is your turn to recommend but you do not currently meet the watchrate requirement. are you still interested? please respond by Thursday 8:00 P.M. EST/5:00 P.M. PST

Surprised this is the second movie in a row with a dead dog.

More thoughts on The Lobster tomorrow, Im tired.

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Finally have time to catch up on movies!

I'm half way through Hunt for the Wilderpeople.

I have a feeling this could be explained if they didn't run away after the first interaction, but other than that it's been a really fun romp. I really like the kid actor, I've liked him in everything he's been in so far.

Also, it's been like 7-8 years ago now, but I've watched Cool Hand Luke in a Highschool Film Class.

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The Lobster (2017)

Well, that was certainly an interesting movie. Weird, but very interesting. The movie is basically a case study on relationships and the lengths that someone would go to find love or to just not be alone, and others just fine being alone.

Colin Farrell did a great job playing this sad, kind of pathetic, male figure. And hes basically okay with how he is. Hes not sad that he is the way he is but later on he tries to be different, but its mostly for others. Like him acting like an asshole to that little girl to impress the psycho dog-killing bitch lady. Or him knowing how to catch, kill, and flay a rabbit for his mate. Maybe thats just the animal instinct in all of us. When it comes to the relationship, I found it fascinating that both characters, even though they seemed to deeply love each other, they love themselves more. When the Rabbit Lady (does she have a name?) gets blinded by the jealous Loner Leader, she asks her Why didnt you blind him instead? And then the last scene David is last seen wanting to gouge his eyes out, but I dont think he did it. Why would you want to do that? It would be best if ONE of them could see to help the other out, but it was obvious that he was growing tired of assisting her. I guess true love is taking a bullet, or in this case, your eyes out to be on that same wavelength. But relationships are funny, on any given day you might love your other more than they love you, and vice-versa.

Anyways, I would NOT have picked a lobster. Im more a dog person but I think Id choose to be a cat.

8/10

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SwiftyDC posted...

When the Rabbit Lady (does she have a name?)

nope. the only characters who are named are the main character (David) and the other two men he hangs out with at the hotel (one of them is John and it comes up in a line of dialogue later on when Colin Farrell says "Who's John?"). it's not that they don't have names but that they're never identified with them (unimportant) because the only importance they have is their single defining characteristics like having a limp and so on.

SwiftyDC posted...

And then the last scene David is last seen wanting to gouge his eyes out, but I dont think he did it. Why would you want to do that? It would be best if ONE of them could see to help the other out, but it was obvious that he was growing tired of assisting her.

earlier when they're at the leader's parents' house and he is not-really-saying-but-actually-saying those things about going on a vacation and how much he loves his "wife" he says "I could die for her. That's how much I love her." this is right after finding out that she too, is short-sighted. and i think practical matters aren't really taken into account in this society because the foundation for all the relationships is some shallow commonality, so if you no longer have that thing in common, the relationship is as good as dead. the man with a limp was giving himself nosebleeds to be able to fake the relationship. David's relationship was based on the fact that they were both short-sighted and it would depend on if he was desperate enough to be in a relationsip to blind himself so they would have that in common.

In that case, he should understand that it wasnt her choice to go blind and continue loving her. His solution to the problem seems kinda culty, and Id imagine hed grow some resentment if he actually went through with it. But idk maybe Im taking it too literal. I get it that having things in common is important in the world of Lobster, but irl opposites attract and intros date extros.


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the world is really the emphasis there. like being single in that world is literally illegal and they have their different values. but the ending is left ambiguous on purpose. and it's not like people in the real world don't play up/fake interests to maintain a relationship at first.

ok @kateee it's your turn to recommend

I'm of the mindset that he left her in that diner. Sadge.


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three noms for me this time. they're all things i've been wanting to revisit for a bit. being very minimal with descriptions.

Bad Genius (2017): This is a Thai film about students who become involved in a mass standardized-testing cheating operation. It is available for streaming on Netflix and Amazon Prime.

Sound of Noise (2010): This is a Swedish film about a group of drummers who put on...illegal performances throughout the city. It is available for streaming on kanopy.

The Tribe (2014): This is a Ukranian film about a deaf boy who goes to a deaf boarding school and gets involved in some SHIT. The film is in Ukranian sign language and there are no subtitles. It is available for streaming on kanopy.

Vote for any and all movies you would be interested in seeing for the next week (~April 16th, NA). The movie with the most overall votes wins. You may rank your votes from most preferred to least (do not rank movies you would not vote for) so I don't have to @ you back in case of a tie. If you do not intend to vote and are fine with whatever wins, please reply with "No Vote" so there is as little of a waiting period as possible. If you list multiple movies in your vote but you are not ranking them, please include "Not Ranked" along with your vote (I will assume they are ranked otherwise). Please vote by Friday, April 16th, 8:30 PM EST/5:30 PM PST

Bad Genius (2017)
Sound of Noise (2010)
The Tribe (2014)

@Aecioo
@Camden
@ChichiriMuyo
@CoolCly
@iiicon
@jcgamer107
@Johnbobb
@lucifiere
@Raka_Putra
@Seginustemple

@Snake5555555555
@Suprak_the_Stud
@SwiftyDC
@tyder21
@ViolentAbacus
@Xeybozn

Ranked

Bad Genius
Sound of Noise
The Tribe

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SwiftyDC posted...

I'm of the mindset that he left her in that diner. Sadge.

i think i saw something where Colin Farrell comments on the ending and gives the three possibilities of he does it, he doesn't do it (and runs) or he doesn't do it but tells her he did.

Bad Genius
The Tribe

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kateee posted...

i think i saw something where Colin Farrell comments on the ending and gives the three possibilities of he does it, he doesn't do it (and runs) or he doesn't do it but tells her he did.

That third option never crossed my mind.

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yeah he has already faked it before with the Heartless Woman so there's precedent there too

The Tribe

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Normally I'd also vote for Bad Genius, but The Tribe looks very interesting so I'm going to vote for just that one.

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Sound of Noise

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The Lobster

I've seen this movie probably 3 times now? The first Yorgos film was actually Dogtooth, but I didn't even realize it was a Yorgos film until years later. This is what made me realize what a weird fuckin guy he is, but I really dug it. This movie tightrope walks the line of funny and uncomfortable more than possibly any other I've seen, and everyone is great in their respective parts.

I mentioned the binaries earlier in this topic, and how the rebel group just as easily gives into them, and it's wild the extremes they'll go to. For instance, there's clear suggestion that the maid and the leader of the rebels have some sort of mutual attraction, but the leader, true to her stance on solidarity, sacrifices the maid without a second thought.

Special note #1: Watching this movie again after seeing Blue is the Warmest Color makes the loner leader feel that much more jarring.

Special note #2: The maid dancing in the forest is easily the best scene in the film.

9/10

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Bad Genius
Sound of Noise

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Bad Genius (2017)

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The Tribe (2014)
Bad Genius (2017)
Sound of Noise (2010)

they all seem v interesting

Bad Genius (2017)
The Tribe (2014)
Sound of Noise (2010)


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Bad Genius (2017)
Sound of Noise (2010)
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Johnbobb posted...

Special note #2: The maid dancing in the forest is easily the best scene in the film.

i think all her scenes are hilarious like the scene where she's describing how she killed her husband.

tangentially, i found out she is married to Yorgos.

Murder by Marnie: Hunt for the Blue Hand Stalker Lobster Witch

This is about where Netflix serial killer documentaries are at right now

The Tribe
Sound of Noise
Bad Genius

A no-subs foreign sign language film seems too interesting to pass on
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If allowed to change my vote then I'll retract and only vote for The Tribe.

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next movie is Bad Genius (2017) directed by Nattawut Poonpiriya

@Aecioo
@Camden
@ChichiriMuyo
@CoolCly
@iiicon
@jcgamer107
@Johnbobb
@lucifiere
@Raka_Putra
@Seginustemple

@Snake5555555555
@Suprak_the_Stud
@SwiftyDC
@tyder21
@ViolentAbacus
@Xeybozn

has anyone seen it before btw?

nope!

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I've heard of it and some of my friends recommended it. It was played here in Indonesia at the time.

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No, never heard of it.

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SwiftyDC posted...

No, never heard of it.

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Johnbobb posted...

nope!

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I'd never heard of any of the three nominations this week, though there's been a lot of weeks where I haven't heard of three or four of the movies.

Still haven't watched The Lobster. Haven't been busy or doing anything else at all really, just kind of in that funk where you just don't want to hit the play button on anything.

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The Lobster: 7/10

Feels like a great movie to use as an example for me of liking the idea of something more than the execution of it. The weird setting and the story were great, but the intentionaly awkward dialogue just wasn't for me, especially in the second half of the movie.

Also, my hand thankfully won't fit in my toaster beyond the second knuckles so they'll have to maim me in some other manner.

Edit: Also, I really love when movies utilize a song inside of the movie itself and not just as a song, probably a better way to describe what I'm talking about I imagine. The dance section where Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart is playing was probably my favorite section of the movie.

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i just realized that the hotel director and her partner are the ones performing in that dance scene

hmm i've never really thought about songs in-universe vs. as part of the score/soundtrack but i would be interested to keep it in mind for the future. there's def some eye-rolling heavy-handed stuff though.

@Aecioo
@ChichiriMuyo
@CoolCly
@iiicon

please respond if you are still interested in recommendations/votes by the next vote. otherwise i will be taking you off the list for the time being. i will still keep any past ratings and you can get back on the list whenever you ask.