@@rigelb9025 Idk, somewhere in the first 5 minutes, as I stopped watching because she still hadn't said anything specific about the movie. I think her genius may be covered up by word babble(on). Anyway, I am watching the movie tonight so I can see for myself.
I think the flaws make the film quite beautiful. minus that over-bloated montage at the end, but I think the issues people have with this film are the points Chazelle is making about films and Hollywood and people's experiences of the movies
@@hotglassfilms That montage reminded me of the "2001" climax, but much clumsier. It's clearly meant to be deeply significant, but it's not as if Calva's character is experiencing it. I liked the film over all, especially the performances of Robbie and Calva.
I agree w all of this review But also to affirm that it’s a fun watch, with many engaging sequences. It’s doesn’t all hold together. But I could watch it again at sometime, and not feel at all bad for skipping some parts etc
It's been a decade since Tobey Maguire has been in another eccentric movie about the lavished parties and lifestyle of the 1920s. I wonder which one he's gonna be in next decade.
First time viewing a video on your channel. I subscribed and liked. Your insights are refreshing. A movie doesn't need to be great to find a place in your soul.
I can’t stop thinking about Babylon despite how I wish I could have been in the editing room to trim some fat to make it more focused. Like you, I seem to favor it more than less flawed films recently. Love the Casino comparison.
I don't get the whole pleasing Hollywood thing with La La Land. It was trying to be a love letter to the every man and woman who struggle to achieve their dreams. It just used Hollywood because that's the most appealing subject for that kind of story. It's just as, if not more, personal than Whiplash as I'm sure he was in the same position as the characters early in his career and I could see people wanting to become musicians, actors, filmmakers, etc. because they were inspired after seeing it.
Damien Chazelle seems to have a fetish for putting down things he addresses in his work. For instance La La Land seems to hate Hollywood more than elevate it. Two, Whiplash is putting down music education. And Babylon is making fun past filmmakers because of the praise they constantly get. Like fuck that guy.
I did genuinely enjoy this film. It has plenty of flaws, but I had the best time. My favorite aspects were anything involving Brad Pitt or Margot Robbie. My least favorite aspect was that entire scene with Tobey Maguire. The aspects that frustrated me were the supporting characters. They seem interesting, but needed to be fleshed out much more. Overall, it’s like an ex where you see the red flags months after a breakup, but damn….they were a blast.
I agree..if they'd have spent more time focusing on margot and Brad's character archs.. and all that came with them. And less on DIEGO...and the elusive Asian chick ....and TOBEYS WHOLE SCENE CUT OUT.... ..then they'd of at least the blueprint/skeleton for a linear story that connected to the audience But THEY DIDNT... and that's why the movie falls flat People who "love it" and call it a "masterpiece " can't just negate all of the flaws..even tho there are alot of great aspects to the movie ....damien ESSENTIALLY shit the bed.
Same here, he was like the Mean Gene Okerland of mainstream entertainment interviewers, he knew how to bring the best out of the guests & get them to be as entertaining as possible. I would've never known just how funny someone like George Harrison actually is without Cavett's show
Oh, the thrill of behaving badly! Not surprising to me, but very interesting all the same. Speaking of Christmas movies; my wife and I went to see Scarface on Christmas day, 1983, and found a packed house of mostly children.
I agree the his best is whiplash,probably my favorite talent of obsession,not for perfection like black swan but for legacy which I find more relatable,I'll still check this out but it's a shame that he may start to lose his touch because he had a promising start
I feel like he's amazing, but like she said.......most filmmakers are pretty good, but on a technical aspect, the art seems to be there, but not quite there, they can see it, but the technical side of the art gets in the way
@@ballwreck1139 what I've noticed is that most filmmakers are pretty inconsistent and can have a couple greats to show their capability but a fair bit of missfires,but I guess it wouldn't always be their fault depending on what happened during production
I worked on Babylon for 4 days. "La La Land" is my favorite film and Babylon was my most anticipated media project of the decade so far (besides Top Gun: Maverick) before worked on it, this production was a full circle/360 experience. The best job of my life and 1 of the best, happiest and greatest days/times/experiences of my life. This was a dream come true. I watched it yesterday (only 1 in the theater/no distractions), what a surreal/magical experience. I'm also in 4 or so shots 👌. Thanks for watching everyone! Can't wait for all of you to see what we've created!
I just discovered your channel and love it. Honestly, this is the best critique of „Babylon“ I‘ve heard or seen yet. I loved this movie and it impressed me despite its flaws that you pinpoint so perfectly.
Sadly I won't get this film in my country until January so I am glad your review of it doesn't give major plot points away. I wasn't entirely sure whether to watch it in the cinema but some of the reviews definitely changed my mind.
I loved the tobey maguire sequence and half of that probably had to do with the music and red lighting. This was one of my favorites of the year but I do agree it kinda made me want to go back and rewatch Boogie Nights lol
While watching I kept thinking that once upon a time in Hollywood should be required watching before this movie both the content and the attention span required
I enjoy how "Deep Focus" speaks liberal arts college "artspeak," then randomly throws in moments of vulgarity (e.g."t-tties start floppin'!). She seems to contradict herself, criticizing the movie for the insertion of "modern characters" yet wanting the movie to incorporate a modern value system! Enjoy her reviews.
I finally realized what the biggest structural problem with that script was.. how we felt like the relationship between Pitt and Robbie’s characters was actually going to develop after his big pool party scene.. and yet after that scene those two characters have hardly anything to do with eachother for the rest of the film.. which leaves you with a deep feeling of “WTF was the point of the plot spending so much leading those two together.. when their relationship went absolutely nowhere.. sigh.. all the performances were still great though🎉
I love this mess of a film. Elvis Costello, in his 2002 song "Episode of Blonde," sang "If the failure is great / Then it tends to fascinate," and after hearing that at the age of 17 that year, it resonated with me and became part of my aesthetic preferences. Like you, give me the big swings, the epic arrogances. Probably why I love the films of Richard Kelly, and also UNDER THE SILVER LAKE, etc,
You said that you were really into the 1920s. Please review some of the silent classics from that decade. I think the 1920s were on par with 1970s as far as greatest film decades go.
I know this is late but just saw it on Prime. It’s close to a masterpiece ….he swings for the fences so to speak for sure. Call it a flawed masterpiece ..A- for me . Thanks for your review.
Actors playing actors spout dialog as to how magical Hollywood is, the craft is a noble one and what is up on the screen is meaningful in a movie that is a meaningless three hour snoozefest full of grotesque, crude and vulgar scenes. A poison pen letter to Hollywood. I don't know why there was a need to make this movie, but I do know there is no need to see it on the big or little screen.
@@thedink5 The character in this movie is the cinema. Cinema changed in the end, cinema changed through the years. Is clearly the protagonist in this movie and if you realise it from the beginning you will deeply understand it. If you not you will continue to call it 3 hours meaningless snoozefest.
Bit of a jumbled mess, emotionally it didn't land at all, but I completely agree it was cool to see a very formal and tame director let loose and have a blast lol worth a watch for that alone
I just got back from this film and I hated it so much lol. To me it felt very much like a cynical scree of "oh you like movies? you like old hollywood? Well THIS is what old hollywood was all about? Do you still fucking like it? look at THIS! this is what it was like!" only for the very end to do a 180 and go "but actually it's not that bad right? movies are great and hollywood is great. the end." and I just hated the assaultive experience in service of seemingly nothing.
I see La La Land as a film about music/musicals. It explores what music communicates about love and dreams that film alone cannot. I wouldn’t call it an all time great if I saw it mainly as a film about hollywood, love, or chasing dreams.
First time channel view…just watched Babylon an hour ago…was trying to digest without reading a review but decided to watch this. I think your spot on with many of your points, although I respectfully disagree with your music takes. Something about the movie was more bluster than substance and you helped me articulate that. Thanks! Will check out more videos 👍🏽👏🏼🙏🏼
Just saw it, great review. I was constantly thinking how ambitious but messy it was. I enjoyed some of it but it was too long. I do respect the "shooting for the stars" even though it fell short. I hope Chazelle will be going back to smaller scale movies like Whiplash again.
The Dumbo dookie set the tone of the movie perfectly. I kept thinking that Damien Chazelle was trying to get fired. As if he's done with Hollywood and this is middlefinger to the industry.
Finally just caught it in Eastern Europe. There were many things to appreciate. And indeed there if one goes into this as a Baz Luhrmanesque Moulin Rouge type experience then it certainly has its moments. But musically, fashionwise, and for Hollywood corruptibility, none of it was right for the times. I agree with you that the characters feel inappropriate for the times. They don't talk anything like the 1930s. Margot Robbie is the exact opposite of the short firecracker smart, miniaturized mouths of the actresses of the times. The orgy seems much more like what was described of Abel Gance's La Fin du monde shoot in the 30s ... in France. Nevertheless I do expect to watch it again. One weird note, I was very pleased to see Margot Robbie and Samara Weaving play against each other briefly in a scene, since I've always felt they should play sisters sometime.
I loved this movie, i normally don’t like these “Hollywood celebrating themselves” type films but Babylon had this really bonkers energy to it and even though if call it messy, I would say it’s a beautiful mess. I loved the Tobey maguire scenes by the way, it kindof came out of nowhere and turned into a horror movie for a little bit which I really liked. Seen it twice now and thoroughly enjoyed the wacky ride it took me on.
I think this is the first youtube video with "Babylon" in it's title that I've watched that wasn't a deep-schizo theorycrafting conspiracy video. Anyhoo, I definitely wanna see this movie now. I've never even heard of it before this vid, but I loved the Hollywood Babylon book by Kenneth Anger & this sounds like it'd scratch that same itch
This movie is a weird one and I’m 100% in agreement comparing it to Casino and Boogie Nights. Both of those films are great despite not being masterpieces. I’d also say that as flawed as The Departed and Wolf of Wall Street are in that ultimately you feel like they’re good-not-great films, they are a blast to watch because they have enough great scenes to make them enjoyable in the aggregate. I have my criticisms about the film. It feels over the top, it’s hedonistic, but feels superficial, it could be trimmed, there are elements that feel out of place, it’s ambitious but doesn’t know where it wants us to focus. But in the end, I had a blast and I’m going to rewatch the film. It throws a lot at you and some of it doesn’t work, but my god, the sound stage scene alone is one of the best sequences I’ve seen in ages. Spike Jonze in his farcical role as a Von Stroheim-esque director and that whole chaotic energy of the silent films being shot, it’s pure energy. The film works in ways I normally don’t respond to. Like the whole rattlesnake set piece. I normally roll my eyes at that kind of over the top, cartoonish kind of work. It is borderline “eye bulging and hitting you over the head” but he knows how to find a tone that works. The Tobey Maguire portion also rides that line at times, but it works. And that’s why I love this movie. It’s imperfect and unfocused but it is a blast that somehow stands apart from the way Baz Luhrman revels in excess and spectacle. And that’s why it’s earned my respect.
Now t hat you mention it . I wouldn't mind watching a 6 hour uncut version if it's better. I still haven't seen his movie yet cuz I have so many others to look at but...... I'd watch the uncut 6 hour version if there is one If it makes the movie better.
This was the best theater experience all year. Made me feel horrified and laugh my ass off. Great dialogue and poop jokes. It was just jazz as a movie.
I thought the movie did an excellent job of showing the collision of art and commerce in Hollywood. Certain individuals are chosen by the system to be elevated to demi-gods but they are at its essence disposable commodities. The result is occasionally great beauty but the price is very high. I watched it after reading the dreary initial reviews and was shocked at its depth-it worked for me
This movie feels the way it feels to be around Mormon's swearing. Also, he had no idea what he was trying to say with the trumpet player, he played into all his critiques of the industry for black people. The guy was a trumpet player, that's it, no other parts of his character was explored, and the movie was critiquing Hollywood for having forced black characters.....
I agree with 95% of your review. I personally loved Babylon. I’ve seen it twice, and would love to watch it again. The soundtrack and cinematography were amazing. A love letter to Hollywood, totally!
It is not a masterpiece and it has its warts, but the pacing, the exhilaration, the spectacle of it, the irreverence and debauchery, the dual tone of reverence and love for the craft while also exposing the disposability and fragility of those who have ascended to the top (only to see their positions usurped), and the giddiness of the film in general made this an absolute pleasure. It’s also more than just it’s superficial satire and there are four or five scenes that make it such a memorable experience (the decadent, bacchanalian party, the chaotic charge of making movies in the silent era, the soundstage set piece (which is worth watching the film alone), the rattlesnake sequence, and the dark, uncanny underworld of the Tobey Maguire set piece). If you love movies and love the movie going experience, it’s an absolute must to see this in the theater. Even with its 3 hour run time and with its flaws, it is one of the most enjoyable and ecstatic moviegoing experiences I’ve had in many years. And that’s considering some of the darker aspects of the film. It’s a beautiful, chaotic, decadent mess of a film that still shines despite everything.
@@BishopWalters12 I haven't seen it yet. But I have seen the Captain America and The Avengers cycles and it was an enjoyable time. And yes, some of them were a bit too long without needing to. The last 3 hour movie I enjoyed seeing was «Don't look up», Too bad our dear DeepFocusLens didn't review it.
I saw it last weekend and I'm still trying to process this. Its Damien Chazelle channeling Paul Thomas anderson channeling Robert Altman. Its too long for sure, some of the scenes just didnt need to go for as long as they did but theres a lot I liked. Margot Robbie is immense, she seems to get better and better. Brad pitt is very good too, the film looks great and I think that score will be stuck in my head for a long time to come. La la land is one of my favorite films and whiplash holds up to repeated viewings but this.........I'll have to let it percolate for a time.
anyone who's had a wild phase keeps it close to the vest if any of it would be frowned upon later on. that said, time to look into what the seniors got up to in their youth during the '20s.
Sure it's a little all over the place but so is EEAAO and somehow everyone loved it and wasn't bothered by it. I didn't find anything in Babylon to be contrived at all. It was such an incredible experience. La La Land was so trite and corny. The writing was actually really bad. Babylon on the other hand had outstanding writing, and the music is really something else. (Also, side note on how the writing and costumes were not actually of the 1920s -- wasn't that a very clear artistic choice? It was very clear it was not trying to actually look or sound like the 1920s but was rather a fusion with the modern.)
Today's problem in Hollywood is dialogue being clunky and not having interesting characters. Nolan, Chezelle films or Villeneuve's Dune are prime examples for that. Screenplay writers need to focus on that.
I use to think it was cgi that was modern films biggest problems but for awhile now I think the writing has over taken it in both story structure and dialogue.
@@joeodonnell921 Yes. The screenplays are made for two kinds of people. One who votes for Oscars and awards stuff without offending anyone. The other one is to feed a bunch of man babies on RUclips to talk about concepts rather than art and character. Tenet is a fantastic concept but does not work as a film due to these two reasons.
@@abinashmohanty3201 I agree. I do think their has become a whole tiresome us vs them divide on RUclips that didn't exist before and both sides can be obnoxious and just want to win an argument.l, which we never had before. And the Oscars could disappear and we d be better off for it
I think Babylon is a 7.5 out of 10 film. It could have been done better, but it was hard work, lots of content, and a spectacle, and very long due to the amount of content. I don't think it'll ever be a classic, but it might be a cult classic. Margot Robbie or Jean Smart might actually win an award. Especially Jean Smart. Her last delivered lines of the film with Brad Pitt was masterfully. I believed everything she said in that scene.
It wasn’t a fun time for everybody. Believe me when I tell you. A lot of people suffered back then. They were still doing lynching back in those times. Not everyone got to live the highlife.
big band Caravan slaps hard af tho. Neiman's character needed to climax in a more technically impressive way than what the Thelonious Monk version offers. Would have been super underwhelming tbh. I haven't seen Babylon yet. Got a friend who was an extra in it. I'm still gonna go check it out and I consider your critiques on point for the most part so I'll probably find myself agreeing as I watch it. I'm sure the community you've cultivated keeps you occupied with films to view. Here's one more: Steven Soderbergh's Schizopolis. His early work is weird as hell and there is quite a story to be told behind his transformation from whatever Schizopolis is to Ocean's. it's definitely one of those movies that film enthusiasts haven't discovered yet, but when they do, there's gonna be clickbaity three hour video essays about it.
I agree with this review I enjoyed it I felt Diego and Pitt acted their butter offs I honestly felt sad for brads character because how the trailer presented him dancing up the stairs felt completely different. But it's far from perfect
Chazelle is a good Catholic boy, educated in a Jewish school, who makes movies that enable him to do stuff that was never allowed at home. That's why Babylon is predictable, a bit tiresome, and ultimately a bit sad.
For the life of me I couldn’t see a single point to this movie other than free money for big names and shock value. So many scenes weren’t enhanced by how grotesque they were, and often there were too many threads to follow. What is it trying to say?? There’s an art to contrasting moods and emphasizing a moment to make it more tense, but there was never not a tense moment. Tbh, most of the things I had to see stuck with me too much to even properly recover before something, just god awful, happened before my eyes. It got to the point that I truly didn’t know what to expect in the worst way, and I’m not usually squeamish… I also don’t love how it just pokes at sore spots of marginalized groups, again, for no effin reason. It didn’t seem to really vilify the people being the most awful, nor punish them. So I’m just confused on why I had to have such a personal, visceral reaction to some deep-seeded racial trauma for seeming no real reason. It was just casually thrown in many times, and let’s not pretend it’s because the director cares about historical realism, how realistic is this movie actually? Be so effin fr. If you’re gonna have a fantastical movie then a lot of things really could have been left out, like the black dude having to darken his face. That was a demeaning scene, I felt the secondhand shame. And I don’t care if he chose to do it, I can’t speak for him, he didn’t write it in, he’s an actor who made a personal choice. He’s not the one in power ultimately. And like the P-word stuff…wth man this just seemed like tense, upsetting movie with ocasional laughs, and I do mean occasional. It would be better if the jokes weren’t usually right after a racist or misogynistic rant or some shit. It was just lazy punt after lazy punt with most of the humor though. Although, I did say I wouldn’t judge unless I saw it through. And since I saw the ending with my own eyes, I can say, confidently, that it puttered out like silent, but deadly, fart.
Ya know. The movie made me laugh, and I find it very interesting, yet I didn't enjoy it. Cinematically it was mesmerizing, and I accept it as great art. I didn't walk away offended, I knew what I was getting into, the amount of debauchery just desensitizes the experience. Of coarse the movie doesn't feel new, it's a composite of many charecters and stories of the bible written into a similar landscape within a different time reference. Like Lot I have to walk away and not look back.
I'm wondering, are there any movies in the last like 5 years or so that you think actually chewed on and dealt with the ideas they were attempting to deal with properly? Just seems like it's been a while since I've heard you talk about something new that actually lives up to its goals...
The comedy in Babylon felt like a bunch of rejected Key and Peele skits strung together, especially the Margot Robbie freak out scene and the scene with the director losing his shit. A lot of the “satire” also felt like something straight out of Family Guy. The comedy in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood puts this movie to shame IMO
This was great film-making in a not-too-great movie. It's also so extreme in the lifestyle and party scenes, it's way too difficult to accept it as a period piece. But if movies are your HOBBY, this is a must-see. For the rest of us...enter at your own risk. But If you like "extreme" films in general, this is enough to satisfy that itch. That's the one of many levels it tries to work on that works with no doubts. If this is a love letter to Hollywood, it's a love letter to a crazy hooker, but "That's Entertainment!"
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
“the corks are popping and the titties are flopping.” that was iconic 😂
They didn't call them flappers for nothing.
''It's constipated thematically in terms of what it's wanting to express''. You're a genius, truly.
Why is this true
@@donkeyparadise9276 Why is what true?
Yeah the same "genius" said, "More ejaculations than fireworks."
@@FathomlessJoy When? And if so, do you think that discounts her as a genius?
@@rigelb9025 Idk, somewhere in the first 5 minutes, as I stopped watching because she still hadn't said anything specific about the movie.
I think her genius may be covered up by word babble(on).
Anyway, I am watching the movie tonight so I can see for myself.
It's weird because I know this movie has so many flaws but I still loved it
I think the flaws make the film quite beautiful. minus that over-bloated montage at the end, but I think the issues people have with this film are the points Chazelle is making about films and Hollywood and people's experiences of the movies
@@hotglassfilms That montage reminded me of the "2001" climax, but much clumsier. It's clearly meant to be deeply significant, but it's not as if Calva's character is experiencing it. I liked the film over all, especially the performances of Robbie and Calva.
@@johnpjones182 That montage is significant considering both "2001" and "Babylon" are films that deal with humans' relationship with technology.
I agree w all of this review
But also to affirm that it’s a fun watch, with many engaging sequences. It’s doesn’t all hold together. But I could watch it again at sometime, and not feel at all bad for skipping some parts etc
3 videos in 3 days?!? It’s a Christmas miracle! 🎄🥂
It's been a decade since Tobey Maguire has been in another eccentric movie about the lavished parties and lifestyle of the 1920s. I wonder which one he's gonna be in next decade.
He's signed a contract with Apple that he'd get the role in Apple's original movie.
@randywhite3947 It was released in 2013. Time goes by so fast it's scary!
First time viewing a video on your channel. I subscribed and liked. Your insights are refreshing. A movie doesn't need to be great to find a place in your soul.
I can’t stop thinking about Babylon despite how I wish I could have been in the editing room to trim some fat to make it more focused. Like you, I seem to favor it more than less flawed films recently. Love the Casino comparison.
Thank you so much! Yes, seems we are on the same page.
I don't get the whole pleasing Hollywood thing with La La Land. It was trying to be a love letter to the every man and woman who struggle to achieve their dreams. It just used Hollywood because that's the most appealing subject for that kind of story. It's just as, if not more, personal than Whiplash as I'm sure he was in the same position as the characters early in his career and I could see people wanting to become musicians, actors, filmmakers, etc. because they were inspired after seeing it.
Damien Chazelle seems to have a fetish for putting down things he addresses in his work. For instance La La Land seems to hate Hollywood more than elevate it. Two, Whiplash is putting down music education. And Babylon is making fun past filmmakers because of the praise they constantly get. Like fuck that guy.
I did genuinely enjoy this film. It has plenty of flaws, but I had the best time. My favorite aspects were anything involving Brad Pitt or Margot Robbie. My least favorite aspect was that entire scene with Tobey Maguire. The aspects that frustrated me were the supporting characters. They seem interesting, but needed to be fleshed out much more. Overall, it’s like an ex where you see the red flags months after a breakup, but damn….they were a blast.
I agree..if they'd have spent more time focusing on margot and Brad's character archs.. and all that came with them. And less on DIEGO...and the elusive Asian chick ....and TOBEYS WHOLE SCENE CUT OUT.... ..then they'd of at least the blueprint/skeleton for a linear story that connected to the audience
But THEY DIDNT... and that's why the movie falls flat
People who "love it" and call it a "masterpiece " can't just negate all of the flaws..even tho there are alot of great aspects to the movie ....damien ESSENTIALLY shit the bed.
My favorite part was when Margot Robbie fought the snake! 😅
You described this film perfectly. The excesses of the 1920's in Hollywood is truly amazing. I loved the film.
The Dick Cavett show was the best
I love watching those old talk shows...
There were so many great characters....
Same here, he was like the Mean Gene Okerland of mainstream entertainment interviewers, he knew how to bring the best out of the guests & get them to be as entertaining as possible. I would've never known just how funny someone like George Harrison actually is without Cavett's show
His show is on RUclips now! I’ve been bingeing it.
Its The Great Gatsby meets the Wolf of Wall Street meets Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Brad Bitt was in 2 of those movies, Leonardo DiCaprio was in 2 of them, Margot Robbie was in 2, and Tobey Maguire was in 2.
Oh, the thrill of behaving badly! Not surprising to me, but very interesting all the same. Speaking of Christmas movies; my wife and I went to see Scarface on Christmas day, 1983, and found a packed house of mostly children.
I saw it that weekend in Cincinnati. Was 14! perfect age for Scarface. The chainsaw scene def one of the most amazing cinematic experiences I ever had
Just ordered the blu ray as this film really intrigues me. Great review as always.
Finally saw this movie on your recommendation. Loved every frame of it.
I agree the his best is whiplash,probably my favorite talent of obsession,not for perfection like black swan but for legacy which I find more relatable,I'll still check this out but it's a shame that he may start to lose his touch because he had a promising start
I feel like he's amazing, but like she said.......most filmmakers are pretty good, but on a technical aspect, the art seems to be there, but not quite there, they can see it, but the technical side of the art gets in the way
@@ballwreck1139 what I've noticed is that most filmmakers are pretty inconsistent and can have a couple greats to show their capability but a fair bit of missfires,but I guess it wouldn't always be their fault depending on what happened during production
I worked on Babylon for 4 days. "La La Land" is my favorite film and Babylon was my most anticipated media project of the decade so far (besides Top Gun: Maverick) before worked on it, this production was a full circle/360 experience. The best job of my life and 1 of the best, happiest and greatest days/times/experiences of my life. This was a dream come true. I watched it yesterday (only 1 in the theater/no distractions), what a surreal/magical experience. I'm also in 4 or so shots 👌. Thanks for watching everyone! Can't wait for all of you to see what we've created!
How did you work on it?
Cool
Don't look at the reviews.
@@docastrov9013 Yeah, I've read/checked the mixed reviews. Not a surprise, it's not for everyone, etc.
As if…
I just discovered your channel and love it. Honestly, this is the best critique of „Babylon“ I‘ve heard or seen yet. I loved this movie and it impressed me despite its flaws that you pinpoint so perfectly.
Sadly I won't get this film in my country until January so I am glad your review of it doesn't give major plot points away. I wasn't entirely sure whether to watch it in the cinema but some of the reviews definitely changed my mind.
I loved the tobey maguire sequence and half of that probably had to do with the music and red lighting.
This was one of my favorites of the year but I do agree it kinda made me want to go back and rewatch Boogie Nights lol
If the Wolf of Wall Street and once upon a Time in Hollywood had a baby. They would have created Babylon!! 🤩🤩🤩
my thoughts exactly!!
While watching I kept thinking that once upon a time in Hollywood should be required watching before this movie both the content and the attention span required
I enjoy how "Deep Focus" speaks liberal arts college "artspeak," then randomly throws in moments of vulgarity (e.g."t-tties start floppin'!). She seems to contradict herself, criticizing the movie for the insertion of "modern characters" yet wanting the movie to incorporate a modern value system! Enjoy her reviews.
I finally realized what the biggest structural problem with that script was.. how we felt like the relationship between Pitt and Robbie’s characters was actually going to develop after his big pool party scene.. and yet after that scene those two characters have hardly anything to do with eachother for the rest of the film.. which leaves you with a deep feeling of “WTF was the point of the plot spending so much leading those two together.. when their relationship went absolutely nowhere.. sigh.. all the performances were still great though🎉
I love this mess of a film.
Elvis Costello, in his 2002 song "Episode of Blonde," sang "If the failure is great / Then it tends to fascinate," and after hearing that at the age of 17 that year, it resonated with me and became part of my aesthetic preferences. Like you, give me the big swings, the epic arrogances. Probably why I love the films of Richard Kelly, and also UNDER THE SILVER LAKE, etc,
Lol what mess? Stop saying this
You said that you were really into the 1920s. Please review some of the silent classics from that decade. I think the 1920s were on par with 1970s as far as greatest film decades go.
Wow, this review floored me. Subscribed and cannot wait to hear more from you!
Your increased production is very welcomed (lapel mic and lighting).
I know this is late but just saw it on Prime. It’s close to a masterpiece ….he swings for the fences so to speak for sure. Call it a flawed masterpiece ..A- for me . Thanks for your review.
where did you start when researching the stories from the 1920s? is there any other youtube interviews? maybe some articles?
Babylon should win Best Picture.🔥
Actors playing actors spout dialog as to how magical Hollywood is, the craft is a noble one and what is up on the screen is meaningful in a movie that is a meaningless three hour snoozefest full of grotesque, crude and vulgar scenes. A poison pen letter to Hollywood. I don't know why there was a need to make this movie, but I do know there is no need to see it on the big or little screen.
@@thedink5 The character in this movie is the cinema. Cinema changed in the end, cinema changed through the years. Is clearly the protagonist in this movie and if you realise it from the beginning you will deeply understand it. If you not you will continue to call it 3 hours meaningless snoozefest.
Bit of a jumbled mess, emotionally it didn't land at all, but I completely agree it was cool to see a very formal and tame director let loose and have a blast lol worth a watch for that alone
Exactly! Everytime Margot’s character cried I just rolled my eyes.
I was unsure about this movie, but upon hearing your review, I'll give it a try.
I really enjoy your reviews.
I just got back from this film and I hated it so much lol. To me it felt very much like a cynical scree of "oh you like movies? you like old hollywood? Well THIS is what old hollywood was all about? Do you still fucking like it? look at THIS! this is what it was like!" only for the very end to do a 180 and go "but actually it's not that bad right? movies are great and hollywood is great. the end." and I just hated the assaultive experience in service of seemingly nothing.
I see La La Land as a film about music/musicals. It explores what music communicates about love and dreams that film alone cannot. I wouldn’t call it an all time great if I saw it mainly as a film about hollywood, love, or chasing dreams.
First time channel view…just watched Babylon an hour ago…was trying to digest without reading a review but decided to watch this. I think your spot on with many of your points, although I respectfully disagree with your music takes. Something about the movie was more bluster than substance and you helped me articulate that. Thanks! Will check out more videos 👍🏽👏🏼🙏🏼
Please don’t be another hater I love this movie even though it’s fucking gross and creepy as hell like beyond pale
THIS MOVIE WAS FUCKING WILD!!! 🤯🤯🤯🤯 LOVED IT.
I really liked it I had a blast admittedly it isn’t for everyone but damn it’s flawed heavily flawed but I had a blast
Just saw it, great review. I was constantly thinking how ambitious but messy it was. I enjoyed some of it but it was too long. I do respect the "shooting for the stars" even though it fell short. I hope Chazelle will be going back to smaller scale movies like Whiplash again.
Wow , your references, your way to smart for this day and age.
You pretty much summed up my feelings on this film perfectly. Great analysis.
I enjoyed this film in the most part. Recently purchased it on 4k. I like your reviews, too.
The Dumbo dookie set the tone of the movie perfectly. I kept thinking that Damien Chazelle was trying to get fired. As if he's done with Hollywood and this is middlefinger to the industry.
Finally just caught it in Eastern Europe. There were many things to appreciate. And indeed there if one goes into this as a Baz Luhrmanesque Moulin Rouge type experience then it certainly has its moments. But musically, fashionwise, and for Hollywood corruptibility, none of it was right for the times. I agree with you that the characters feel inappropriate for the times. They don't talk anything like the 1930s. Margot Robbie is the exact opposite of the short firecracker smart, miniaturized mouths of the actresses of the times. The orgy seems much more like what was described of Abel Gance's La Fin du monde shoot in the 30s ... in France. Nevertheless I do expect to watch it again.
One weird note, I was very pleased to see Margot Robbie and Samara Weaving play against each other briefly in a scene, since I've always felt they should play sisters sometime.
I loved this movie, i normally don’t like these “Hollywood celebrating themselves” type films but Babylon had this really bonkers energy to it and even though if call it messy, I would say it’s a beautiful mess. I loved the Tobey maguire scenes by the way, it kindof came out of nowhere and turned into a horror movie for a little bit which I really liked. Seen it twice now and thoroughly enjoyed the wacky ride it took me on.
Agree.
I would love to know more films that capture that feel you described at the beginning ( 0:24 )
Day of the Locust has that feeling, I think.
I think this is the first youtube video with "Babylon" in it's title that I've watched that wasn't a deep-schizo theorycrafting conspiracy video. Anyhoo, I definitely wanna see this movie now. I've never even heard of it before this vid, but I loved the Hollywood Babylon book by Kenneth Anger & this sounds like it'd scratch that same itch
This movie is a weird one and I’m 100% in agreement comparing it to Casino and Boogie Nights. Both of those films are great despite not being masterpieces. I’d also say that as flawed as The Departed and Wolf of Wall Street are in that ultimately you feel like they’re good-not-great films, they are a blast to watch because they have enough great scenes to make them enjoyable in the aggregate.
I have my criticisms about the film. It feels over the top, it’s hedonistic, but feels superficial, it could be trimmed, there are elements that feel out of place, it’s ambitious but doesn’t know where it wants us to focus. But in the end, I had a blast and I’m going to rewatch the film. It throws a lot at you and some of it doesn’t work, but my god, the sound stage scene alone is one of the best sequences I’ve seen in ages. Spike Jonze in his farcical role as a Von Stroheim-esque director and that whole chaotic energy of the silent films being shot, it’s pure energy. The film works in ways I normally don’t respond to.
Like the whole rattlesnake set piece. I normally roll my eyes at that kind of over the top, cartoonish kind of work. It is borderline “eye bulging and hitting you over the head” but he knows how to find a tone that works. The Tobey Maguire portion also rides that line at times, but it works. And that’s why I love this movie. It’s imperfect and unfocused but it is a blast that somehow stands apart from the way Baz Luhrman revels in excess and spectacle. And that’s why it’s earned my respect.
musical score is top notch. 5 Star.
A perfect review - This is exactly how I saw the film too.
Wonderful review. So brilliantly put.
I also thought boogie nights, to the extent that it almost felt like a remake. cheers!
i hope you make a review for the whale, i loved that movie so much and i’m curious to see your thoughts
Now t hat you mention it . I wouldn't mind watching a 6 hour uncut version if it's better. I still haven't seen his movie yet cuz I have so many others to look at but...... I'd watch the uncut 6 hour version if there is one If it makes the movie better.
This was the best theater experience all year. Made me feel horrified and laugh my ass off. Great dialogue and poop jokes. It was just jazz as a movie.
I thought the movie did an excellent job of showing the collision of art and commerce in Hollywood. Certain individuals are chosen by the system to be elevated to demi-gods but they are at its essence disposable commodities. The result is occasionally great beauty but the price is very high. I watched it after reading the dreary initial reviews and was shocked at its depth-it worked for me
The first draft of the screenplay is a masterpiece. Loved the film but Chazelle failed to capture the brilliance he had on the page.
This movie feels the way it feels to be around Mormon's swearing.
Also, he had no idea what he was trying to say with the trumpet player, he played into all his critiques of the industry for black people. The guy was a trumpet player, that's it, no other parts of his character was explored, and the movie was critiquing Hollywood for having forced black characters.....
I agree with 95% of your review. I personally loved Babylon. I’ve seen it twice, and would love to watch it again. The soundtrack and cinematography were amazing. A love letter to Hollywood, totally!
I was the only person in the theater… what was the deal with the screen flashing blue over and over again at the very end??”
You should check out Glass Onion, it was so entertaining!
I didn’t care for glass onion.. but I I thought Babylon was extremely fun.
The John Legend jab 😂
Well, it it takes 3 hours of my life to see it, it better be a masterpiece and one of the best movies ever made....
It is not a masterpiece and it has its warts, but the pacing, the exhilaration, the spectacle of it, the irreverence and debauchery, the dual tone of reverence and love for the craft while also exposing the disposability and fragility of those who have ascended to the top (only to see their positions usurped), and the giddiness of the film in general made this an absolute pleasure.
It’s also more than just it’s superficial satire and there are four or five scenes that make it such a memorable experience (the decadent, bacchanalian party, the chaotic charge of making movies in the silent era, the soundstage set piece (which is worth watching the film alone), the rattlesnake sequence, and the dark, uncanny underworld of the Tobey Maguire set piece). If you love movies and love the movie going experience, it’s an absolute must to see this in the theater. Even with its 3 hour run time and with its flaws, it is one of the most enjoyable and ecstatic moviegoing experiences I’ve had in many years. And that’s considering some of the darker aspects of the film. It’s a beautiful, chaotic, decadent mess of a film that still shines despite everything.
It's superior compared to all this superhero bulls@@@ and many of those movies are almost as long.
@@BishopWalters12 I haven't seen it yet. But I have seen the Captain America and The Avengers cycles and it was an enjoyable time. And yes, some of them were a bit too long without needing to. The last 3 hour movie I enjoyed seeing was «Don't look up», Too bad our dear DeepFocusLens didn't review it.
I saw it last weekend and I'm still trying to process this. Its Damien Chazelle channeling Paul Thomas anderson channeling Robert Altman. Its too long for sure, some of the scenes just didnt need to go for as long as they did but theres a lot I liked. Margot Robbie is immense, she seems to get better and better. Brad pitt is very good too, the film looks great and I think that score will be stuck in my head for a long time to come. La la land is one of my favorite films and whiplash holds up to repeated viewings but this.........I'll have to let it percolate for a time.
maggie i would love to hear your opinion about Aftersun.. this is easily one of the best and most original films of recent years
Help! where can i watch Babylon?
…movie theatres?
@@brianvaira486 i wanna watch it for free 😭
anyone who's had a wild phase keeps it close to the vest if any of it would be frowned upon later on. that said, time to look into what the seniors got up to in their youth during the '20s.
Where do you watch your movies from?
So much of the movie felt like a teenager that discovers profanity and porn for the first time and proceeds to use it constantly.
Sure it's a little all over the place but so is EEAAO and somehow everyone loved it and wasn't bothered by it. I didn't find anything in Babylon to be contrived at all. It was such an incredible experience.
La La Land was so trite and corny. The writing was actually really bad. Babylon on the other hand had outstanding writing, and the music is really something else.
(Also, side note on how the writing and costumes were not actually of the 1920s -- wasn't that a very clear artistic choice? It was very clear it was not trying to actually look or sound like the 1920s but was rather a fusion with the modern.)
Today's problem in Hollywood is dialogue being clunky and not having interesting characters.
Nolan, Chezelle films or Villeneuve's Dune are prime examples for that. Screenplay writers need to focus on that.
@CWS and TKP 66-02 Whiplash is barely 100 minutes long tf are you talking about
nope, not true
I use to think it was cgi that was modern films biggest problems but for awhile now I think the writing has over taken it in both story structure and dialogue.
@@joeodonnell921 Yes. The screenplays are made for two kinds of people. One who votes for Oscars and awards stuff without offending anyone.
The other one is to feed a bunch of man babies on RUclips to talk about concepts rather than art and character.
Tenet is a fantastic concept but does not work as a film due to these two reasons.
@@abinashmohanty3201 I agree. I do think their has become a whole tiresome us vs them divide on RUclips that didn't exist before and both sides can be obnoxious and just want to win an argument.l, which we never had before. And the Oscars could disappear and we d be better off for it
Can't wait for this one. Need your perspective on this one for sure.
Will you be reviewing Bardo from Netflix?
I really liked the film as a critique of Hollywood however the ending confuse me a lot and I didn't enjoy it.
I think Babylon is a 7.5 out of 10 film. It could have been done better, but it was hard work, lots of content, and a spectacle, and very long due to the amount of content. I don't think it'll ever be a classic, but it might be a cult classic. Margot Robbie or Jean Smart might actually win an award. Especially Jean Smart. Her last delivered lines of the film with Brad Pitt was masterfully. I believed everything she said in that scene.
It wasn’t a fun time for everybody. Believe me when I tell you. A lot of people suffered back then. They were still doing lynching back in those times. Not everyone got to live the highlife.
big band Caravan slaps hard af tho. Neiman's character needed to climax in a more technically impressive way than what the Thelonious Monk version offers. Would have been super underwhelming tbh.
I haven't seen Babylon yet. Got a friend who was an extra in it. I'm still gonna go check it out and I consider your critiques on point for the most part so I'll probably find myself agreeing as I watch it.
I'm sure the community you've cultivated keeps you occupied with films to view. Here's one more:
Steven Soderbergh's Schizopolis. His early work is weird as hell
and there is quite a story to be told behind his transformation from whatever Schizopolis is to Ocean's.
it's definitely one of those movies that film enthusiasts haven't discovered yet, but when they do, there's gonna be clickbaity three hour video essays about it.
Thanks for the review. Do you have any opinions about AI art?
I felt this was the best film of 2022. Not for everyone but amazing!
@deepfocuslens Thanks Much! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
I agree with this review I enjoyed it I felt Diego and Pitt acted their butter offs I honestly felt sad for brads character because how the trailer presented him dancing up the stairs felt completely different. But it's far from perfect
This movie is a masterpiece and time will prove that fact.
Agree about the ending. Felt out of place and going from the main character, to that, and back again just made it even more jarring
Social Network is the best film of that decade, by far.
Chazelle is a good Catholic boy, educated in a Jewish school, who makes movies that enable him to do stuff that was never allowed at home. That's why Babylon is predictable, a bit tiresome, and ultimately a bit sad.
Have you seen the movie Empire of Light? You should make a review on that movie.
For the life of me I couldn’t see a single point to this movie other than free money for big names and shock value. So many scenes weren’t enhanced by how grotesque they were, and often there were too many threads to follow. What is it trying to say?? There’s an art to contrasting moods and emphasizing a moment to make it more tense, but there was never not a tense moment. Tbh, most of the things I had to see stuck with me too much to even properly recover before something, just god awful, happened before my eyes. It got to the point that I truly didn’t know what to expect in the worst way, and I’m not usually squeamish… I also don’t love how it just pokes at sore spots of marginalized groups, again, for no effin reason. It didn’t seem to really vilify the people being the most awful, nor punish them. So I’m just confused on why I had to have such a personal, visceral reaction to some deep-seeded racial trauma for seeming no real reason. It was just casually thrown in many times, and let’s not pretend it’s because the director cares about historical realism, how realistic is this movie actually? Be so effin fr. If you’re gonna have a fantastical movie then a lot of things really could have been left out, like the black dude having to darken his face. That was a demeaning scene, I felt the secondhand shame. And I don’t care if he chose to do it, I can’t speak for him, he didn’t write it in, he’s an actor who made a personal choice. He’s not the one in power ultimately. And like the P-word stuff…wth man this just seemed like tense, upsetting movie with ocasional laughs, and I do mean occasional. It would be better if the jokes weren’t usually right after a racist or misogynistic rant or some shit. It was just lazy punt after lazy punt with most of the humor though. Although, I did say I wouldn’t judge unless I saw it through. And since I saw the ending with my own eyes, I can say, confidently, that it puttered out like silent, but deadly, fart.
I don’t even need anyone to actually read this, I needed that off my chest more than anything🙃🙃
You should try to watch "threads" its a very good movie about a realistic nuclear Apocalypse. But be warn, it's very brutal.
Wonderful reviwe 🎉
Ya know. The movie made me laugh, and I find it very interesting, yet I didn't enjoy it. Cinematically it was mesmerizing, and I accept it as great art. I didn't walk away offended, I knew what I was getting into, the amount of debauchery just desensitizes the experience.
Of coarse the movie doesn't feel new, it's a composite of many charecters and stories of the bible written into a similar landscape within a different time reference.
Like Lot I have to walk away and not look back.
Technical talent, but I feel like it gets in the way of the art sometimes..
You have to watch the movie Aftersun, directed by Charlotte Wells
Movie of the year, loved it.
I'm wondering, are there any movies in the last like 5 years or so that you think actually chewed on and dealt with the ideas they were attempting to deal with properly? Just seems like it's been a while since I've heard you talk about something new that actually lives up to its goals...
This movie is trash. This movie seems like dress up to me and never believed it was the 20’s
The comedy in Babylon felt like a bunch of rejected Key and Peele skits strung together, especially the Margot Robbie freak out scene and the scene with the director losing his shit. A lot of the “satire” also felt like something straight out of Family Guy. The comedy in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood puts this movie to shame IMO
Someone has called this movie a brilliant mess.... and I do agree with it.
one of the most fun movie to watch!
This was great film-making in a not-too-great movie. It's also so extreme in the lifestyle and party scenes, it's way too difficult to accept it as a period piece. But if movies are your HOBBY, this is a must-see. For the rest of us...enter at your own risk. But If you like "extreme" films in general, this is enough to satisfy that itch. That's the one of many levels it tries to work on that works with no doubts. If this is a love letter to Hollywood, it's a love letter to a crazy hooker, but "That's Entertainment!"