It hurts me so much that this movie bombed because it’s so good…… But I keep forgetting that maybe it doesn’t matter if it bombed or not…… The artist made it, and I’m in love with this movie…..that’s all that matters to me
Agreed, it's a shame, and I hope more people discover it like I did (not realizing how great it would be) but NOTHING will detract from the experience I had with this film. It truly is magic.
I think box office numbers don't really work as the measuring stick for a movie's success anymore. It made sense in previous decades when we weren't saturated with so many movies coming from all directions all the time, streaming didn't exist, etc. But now, a movie like Babylon can come and go, and it generates a bit of buzz, but we don't get a sense for how appreciated it truly is for months, if not years. And you're absolutely right, the only thing that really matters is what you take away from it. But there's nothing wrong with wanting others to see what you saw, feel what you felt, and being a little bummed when they don't. In any case, I have no doubt that Babylon is destined to be remembered fondly as the love letter to cinema it truly is.
I give it a few months or years and people will be talking about it again. The fact that it wasn't an outright massive success kind of parallels the movie's message which is meta as fuck
@@julianisaak603 It really is lol. I just hope Chazelle doesn't do a Jack Conrad tho 💀. Regardless I absolutely loved this movie, it was so fuckn beautiful yet so depressing at the same time. It's really a feeling of melancholy to a degree. I loved the raucous fun and 'Voodoo Mama' is brilliant. I almost get the same feeling from this that i get from Once upon a time or even the character of Darth Vader. What if? How could it have gone differently. But at the end it doesn't matter. Because this same thing has happened constantly over the decades in multiple eras of cinema and it will continue to happen. That talk with Conrad and the Journalist was perfect for the film as a whole lol.
I also loved the quiet theme of "Change'. Manny: "I AM changing." Jack:"I'm trying to change." Sidney:"I WON'T change." Nellie:"I CAN'T change." And all of their destinies depended on that one little word. Excellent. Wonderful.
Just watched it last night, i was the only one in the theater which I loved but made me a little sad especially after finishing the movie . I loved every second of it, the ending scene was my feelings of movies come to life. And the freaking soundtrack, i can't get enough of it
yup thats how I took his death as well, giving the money to the dude, sayig goodbye to his actress friend who is headed elsewhere because of the changes, he said im out too while still somewhat on top
I agree. He just knew that his life had peaked and it was all downhill from there, and decided to end on a high note. It made me sad, but I couldn't really blame him.
@@neofromthewarnerbrothersic145 it was already downhill. his high note days were behind him. he was washed, casted only to help directors finish movies quickly.
I just saw the movie (due to late release in Argentina) and felt overwhelmed in a good way. You just put in words my feelings. It's an outrage "Babylon" flopped and was ignored in all awards shows. Hollywood doesn't want to take accountability for what shady industry it is. In a few years "Babylon" will be appreciated. As for audiences, this is a movie for film lovers not casual viewers. Great essay. FYI: I was not alone at the cinema, there were around 40 people on a Wednesday afternoon show
This was one of my favorite theater experiences this year. The energy of this movie is amazing. I felt sick during the gross moments, the intensity from the parties and music made me feel energetic and giddy in my seat, and reflective during times it was called for. Especially that ending, the energy and spectacle it had was amazing. Great movie. Not my favorite of the year, but definitely up there. 10/10
Thanks for your passionate essay. To me, this movie was many things, but above all, it was intensely tragic. The final few shots close the loop. Manny starts out as a lover of cinema that just wants to be part of the magic. In the end, he knows exactly what the price of that magic really is, and he breaks down. But soon after, knowing what he knows, he is seduced once more.
I think not only that, but he realizes that he is STILL part of that magic, even after so many years. I believe that Damien is ultimately writing a love letter to Cinema. He understands all the nitty gritty and the dark side of the film industry, but he is charmed by the magic, just like how Manny is.
I don't think people were ready for what this movie actually was. So many thought that it would showcase the crazy fun of what the stories of 1920s Hollywood told. But in fact, this film showed how vile and hedonistic that era of filmmaking was. It was filled with depravity, racism, sexism, violence, drugs, and massive corruption. People were constantly killed or assaulted on set and this film doesn't shy away from that. It showed people that this "Golden Age" of movie-making wasn't something to celebrate and it's like finding out someone you admire is a vile individual, it leaves you feeling empty and uncertain. Which is what makes this film so good and why I love it so much. I understand others say the editing and pacing is headache inducing, but that's almost the point. Think of it as the perspectives are evolving when the film focuses on different characters. Which is what is so phenomenal about it. Nellie has this rapid hyper form of pace that feels frantic and out of control, Jack's is quiet and almost magically surreal as his world turns upside down around him. Manny's is a culmination of both because he is our observer, his perspective changes depending on who is in a scene with him. The ending is a culmination of everything Manny has experienced and what will come from his old world.
The whole Tobey McGuire section felt a lot like the gimp section out of Pulp Fiction to me. And I love that they cast Tobey McGuire to play this sort of twisted parallel to his Great Gatsby character. Cos it really is a section exploring the hanger-onners, those who won’t leave the party, and how toxic all that fun and chaos has become by not allowing it to die in it’s time.
Such a misunderstood masterpiece. I don't get the hate for this film. I came into one reviewer who said this is the worst movie of 2022. I wouldn't go as far as putting this at #1 but it's one of the best of the year.
Yeah no way this is the worst movie of the year. It isn’t the best but it’s close to being the best(in my opinion). The worst movie of 2022 is Thor love and thunder.
I thought it was good but I had a sense of disbelief at times when I was watching it in theatres due to the graphic nature. Now it’s grown on me and I’ve thought that these uncomfortable events might’ve happened in that era.
Boldest take of the year and I can’t really knock him for it. This film was widely entertaining and reminded me why cinema is such an essential medium.
There are more reviews of this film than spectators of it when it was launched. I have watched PLENTY, but this; this is a true review. Babylon is so complex, filled with absolutely everything. Damien Chazelle carefuly prepared each of those seconds and gave the industry a masterpiece like no other. It shows the good, the bad, the outrageous, the beauty: the truth. And it was, as you said, somehow his truth as weel, and THAT is what makes a story worth it. He took his brush and reused the same color pallet, but wow, he did his ultimate best. Thank you for the time you dedicated to this review; it was irresistible!
I loved this movie. After watching everything everywhere all at once I thought to myself: this is gonna be the movie of the year for me, but then I saw Babylon. Truly a masterpiece, Justin Hurwitz’s catching music, the cinematography, the characters the overall experience. For the first time and my life I went to the cinema for myself (19 years old), and there was like 9 others there, but still Babylon made me feel something. The amount of details and Intertextuality make the movie so fun, when you catch the references. Last year of high school I had a big project where I analyzed La La Land and it’s Intertextuality, and I was even more amazed by the movie. After watching a dozen musicals and classic Hollywood movies, you truly begin to admire Damien Chazzeles work, he is a geniuses. Before you comment this, let me just excuse my English and the overall flow of this text. I wrote it on my phone and I am not a native English speaker.
@@dipenchavda6988 why is anything required? If you want an answer, obviously it was just another example in the film of showing how full of ignorance and excess Hollywood was back in this time period.
Certain films (such as "It's A Wonderful Life,") exhibit a certain weight to audiences & critics who, as contemporarily demonstrated through the box office receipts, easily dismiss as a bomb. Over time, the genius shines through. After I caught a late-night showing of "Babylon" earlier this month, I left the cinema, slightly overwhelmed by the scope, and admittedly confused. BUT-- I couldn't stop thinking about what I experienced, for several weeks (which in itself is a testament to powerful filmmaking). My husband and I saw it tonight (his first, my 2nd), and now I think it is one of my all-time favorites, filled with some of the finest performances I have ever seen. THANK YOU for this review. I firmly believe Babylon is worthy of study by serious students and lovers of cinema, who consider the power of storytelling, visuals, and history! Your enthusiasm is contagious, in the best possible way!
This was an incredible meta fever dream of a movie, I could never stop watching and I could not tell how long I was in the cinema cause I was so taken into this world. It was a bombastically amazing calamity
Yes it is one of the best movies ever for me. It is meta, it is about filmmaking and how art makes us immortal because we keep live on in the big screen. It is a love letter to cinema and how viewers enjoy this collective friendship through it. As a filmmaker myself i was shocked at the ending. It was a dream come true because when i grew up old enough, i always wanted to make a movie about movies like this. Same exact plot almost. I am in awe. Just watched this yesterday home alone. And it was life changing.
I loved Babylon. I felt it was so inspired by Boogie Nights, another film I love so dearly. The drug deal scene with Tobey Maguire is STRAIGHT out of the drug deal scene in Boogie Nights with Alfred Molina.
I’m 26, I grew up watching Brad Pitt being the cool younger guy, and for some reason, seeing him telling that hotel clerk “it’s up to you now, kid”, right before he ends it all, kinda hit me for some reason.
Lolol same. But for me it was his scene with Jean smart. Too mawkish for my liking, BUT, it was just funny to watch that this is a scene that Brad Pitt now fits. Brad Pitt the stoner guy from True Romance, Brad Pitt as the hunky Achilles, Brad Pitt the male sex icon from Fight Club.. fitting the bill to enact an old man past his best years.
I loved this so much, I was the only person in the theater which honestly I'm glad I was. This movie reminded me of why I love movies so much and why I still go to the theater.
I also was the only one and quite frankly was glad because I could scream my head off at the absolutely amazingness of it. I applauded DURING the movie! Was it way OTT😵? Well hell yeah! But was it also some of the best filmmaking I've seen in decades....also HELL YEAH. I'm going to try to see it once more in theatre, I don't think it will be so magical to watch on TV. I'm so glad you enjoyed it too!
I had a similar experience. The second time I went to go see it I went with my Mom, and there were six other people in the theater and by the time the title showed up on screen four people had left.
thanks for always making such well written essays bout the movies you’ve seen. breathes a second life and brings introspective thoughts to those who’ve seen the film. great stuff!
My favorite movie of 2022 is still Everything Everywhere All At Once, but Babylon is definitely up there. I don't understand the hate that it's getting either. It's clearly made with a love for cinema, but without the rose tinted glasses. The way I described it to my friends was a combination of a darker retelling of Singin' in the Rain and a Scorsese crime drama. I've always been a sucker for the progression of rags to riches to excess to demise, and it felt just as natural here as it did in Wolf of Wall Street or Goodfellas. I also LOVED the tangent with Tobey Maguire. A perfect moment for Manny to fully realize just how far the Hollywood he knew getting into the industry in the 20s had fallen and evolved. Plus it was foreshadowed throughout the movie that Nelly would eventually go too far with her gambling addiction. I also loved the entire ending sequence in 1952. It brings all of the Singin' in the Rain nods and similar story beats to the forefront and gives them a whole new meaning. Definitely a very cool movie that I feel like people went into it with the wrong expectations and aren't seeing the movie for what it wants to tell, and rather what they think it wants to tell.
I completely agree with you. I would’ve thought that this would’ve been a film about Hollywood that people who don’t like Hollywood would like because like you pointed out. It shows a darker portrayal of the Hollywood lifestyle.
I didn’t get EEAAO. Why did you like it so much? I’m asking because we both like Babylon and I Really want to hear your opinion. There was so much superfluous and gratuitous violence and explicit stuff that didn’t add anything to the movie. It kind of lost itself in the end of the second and the third act and at the end put a bandaid on it with the talk that the mother had with the daughter, which wasn’t connected with the story line much. I felt like it just kind of unraveled into nothing. I was really looking forward to it after the first act and was left disappointed.
I was so devastated, in the best possible way. Damien took my soul and twisted it into a knot. Pure oeuvre as always, perfect merge of music and film art!
Just recently watched & loved it. While I can see why it bombed (length, debauchery, timing of release), this may grow as a cult favorite. I thought Tobey’s scene was fantastic. But this was notably Margot’s best performance to date. Also, Calva and Pitt were amazing too. 8.7/10 for me
Honestly one of the best movies up there, it's adultery is probably what made it bomb in the reviews. The music, the pictures, the creativity, I was captured in the plot. Just sucks that it didn't get the recognition it deserves. People will still complain that Hollywood only produce cheap capeshit when they literally make original ideas flop.
I enjoy very much but I don't understand why it's called a masterpiece. I mean, great movie, but masterpiece is a very abused word in the world of cinema imo. Crimes of the future is a real masterpiece in this 2022 for example.
I just saw this movie yesterday after seeing some good comments about it, i never heard of it till a few days ago. I liked it. The message of the film becomes even more tragic when you learn that, as of today, 90% of silent films no longer exist and actors as great as Jack Conrad or Nellie herself have simply been forgotten even when they probably thought that they would live forever through their movies, but no, the vast majority of them died in time. I think the movie do reference this fact in the montage at the end, when images of Nellie and Jack turnes red, blue or green, representing celluloid tapes decomposition process when they're not well preserved in time. They were forgotten, but they left their footprint for the future.
I just saw it and although there are some memorable parts, it’s about an hour too long. I lost my patience with the main female character who had few redeeming qualities, and the Brad Pitt character was just so vanilla and blah.
Movies: the movie Personally I think this is one of my favorite films ever. It encapsulates what these kinds of things can mean to us, in a genuinely unimaginable way. Expressing these desires and aspirations in your head is beyond difficult, but the way that every single second of this film portrays exactly what it's trying to say. It makes you look inward, almost like a sense of realization. It's beautiful, Damien chazelle knows it, I know it, you know it. It's life goddamit!
I really liked this movie. I think sometimes it had a little too much in it that was unnecessary and could’ve been a little shorter, but the more I think about and analyze this film the more I love it. Also the score and directing of Babylon is top top tier!!
It was AMAZING. Definitely one of my favorites of the year. So sad to hear that it is not doing well at the US box office. I hope it does well at the global box office.
Puss in Boots ended up being my favorite movie of the year but this was like .01 points lower. The animation really threw that film over the top, but this is probably the best film overall. I think it's genius.
I went to the premiere of the film and i really liked it, i may say i loved it a lot. I won't call it a masterpiece but damn it isn't bad at all. A great film of filmmaking and passion for art but also the dark truths of Hollywood and deauchery that people can do. A really extraordinary piece of art with that astounding direction, acting, cinematography, music. By the end of it, i walked out dancing of emotion. I can see why the USA critics hated it, it shows the dark side of Hollywood without being condescending with people or try to be moralist. Is a great film that reminds works like Fellini or Gaspar Noe. I will say this is the Boogie nights of the silent era, i just simple loved it, specially that ending that travels through the 100th years of cinema in full display of experimental visuals.
I just streamed this movie last night and I’m glad I did. It was obvious that the excess moments on the screen were there for a reason and were not just superfluous. The quieter nuanced moments especially acted by Brad Pitt and Diego were spotlighted better because of it all. I think it’s a great movie, one of the best I’ve seen in the last 10 years
The entirety of the scene as Nelly tries to get through her first scene in a talkie absolutely killed me, haven’t laughed that hard at a movie in some time. Definitely one of my favorite movies of the year.
@@jamestriska14 There’s a little Steve Buscemi film from the nineties, Living in Oblivion, that features the same kind of bits where they’re trying to capture a scene and everything that can go wrong does do wrong. It’s just such good, simple, classic comedy.
There were a couple of scenes which felt over-exaggerated and false, just for the enjoyment of the viewer (mild SPOILERS): the amount of cocaine on the trays, the liters of vomit spilt, the pile of shit falling onto a man who wouldn't move away from it, the multiple deaths of extras who seemed to die only to put an end to a scene. Otherwise, the movie was really solid. I liked that it didn't use the typical hero journey structure. What happened next was always unexpected. It didn't feel long to me despite its runtime. Some scenes are pure gold.
My pick of Best Film of 2022... second only to The Northman. That it bombed is just mind-boggling, it deserved better. I hope it gets inducted into the Criterion Collection.
best movie I've seen in a long time. felt like a true odyssey with some scenes I will never forget. I didn't even think it was messy I had no problem following the story but that's the main criticism I've been hearing. It isn't messy, it's insane and I love it.
The ending sequence was one of the most experimental, unique things I've ever seen on screen, the only thing I can compare it to is the ending episodes of Evangelion
Agreed all the way - right up until the end(s). Really, out of the six different instances a cathartic finale would've worked, maybe three could've been combined into a satisfying ending - but not all of them. As a salute to cinema, this is to me a cardinal sin, since it only made me want to run the hell out of the movie theatre far sooner than the movie allowed. Chazelle has had the exact same problem with all of his, admittedly good, movies: he has no idea of pacing, and doesn't know when to simply stop.
This is a beautiful movie, im really sorry i didint see it in the theaters but honestly it had a bad campaign, they didint know how to sell it. If they had said something like a love letter to classic hollywood, from the makers of la la land, i would have been sold, but nope, missed it, and wtach it in prime video and now i regret it. 3 hours and wasnt bored an sigle minute. a must watch
This was hands down one of the best cinematographic experiences of all time. The acting was incredible, the best I have ever seen. They all deserved Oscars. Go figure.
To be fair, in Jack’s final scene, a guy says to him: “Jack’s back!” I do find it endearing that Jack was able to get a hit again with his last film but it also makes it sadder that Jack considers the film to be a piece of shit. He’s unfazed by it. He’d get into the same cycle again anyway, so he stoped it. Too bad, if he was a real guy and had lived till 38, then he’d be a great Rhett Butler.
I hated it but it got firmly lodged in my consciousness. I've felt this way before about pieces of art I didn't like that I ended up loving. I think I need to see it again.
here's a tldr. im a bit baffled as to why people are hating on it at all. it isnt glorifying hollywood in the way that people are suggesting. it glorifies the longevity that a film can provide in regards to sticking throughout history and the impact it leaves on a general audience, which is beautiful, but that's it. it actually shows how the lifestyle can deteriorate and hollow out the mind, leaving you with nothing once the studios don't want to hire you, or when the world reacts to something you presented in a way you didn't prefer, etc. top that with the fact that it's well acted, compelling, has some fantastic scenes that'll linger in the mind, and has a great ending, at the most i would expect people to call it "mediocre" (which it still isn't), but not garbage. i guess it's just one of those bandwagon things and nobody has actually went out and seen it, and if somebody actually has and still dislikes, i would like to hear an actual reason as to why besides "ew it has gross scenes 🤢"
I'm really glad to see people loving this film, but unfortunately I am not one of them. I'm a big Damien Chazelle fan (Whiplash and La La Land are two of my top 10 favorite movies) so this was my most anticipated film of the year, but I couldn't help but be disappointed after leaving the theater. I thought the first hour was fantastic. It moves at a breakneck pace and establishes all of the characters perfectly. There were segments that I absolutely loved like the entire filming of the epic battle with all the extras and Nellie's first attempt at filming a talkie. But around the halfway point, I thought that the film lost its way. The film felt like it had 5 main leads, but only cared about three of them. I thought Sidney and Lady Fay were terribly underutilized and got relegated to B plots when they had the most intriguing character conflicts. For a three hour film with so many characters, it didn't seem like a single one got a proper resolution to their arc. I get that it's a tragedy, but the endings for these characters don't feel justified or earned. My biggest gripe though is the ending. While I felt like the second half of the film was unfocused, I still found it enjoyable and well executed on a technical level. But the last sequence of the film, mainly the montage of other films, I thought was the tackiest, cop out ending I've ever seen. It felt like an Instagram film account edit. I get that the film is self-indulgent, and I thought it worked for the entirety of the film up until this ending which was just way too on the nose for me. I get that the entire film is a love letter to the medium of cinema itself, but it shouldn't have to rely on pre-existing content, especially not Avatar, to convey that theme. I want the film itself to make me feel that passion and love. I want the film itself to make me sit up and cry at the beauty on the screen. I want the film itself to make me feel the way Manny does in that theater. The real magic that this film is all about was nowhere to be found for me. Technically I think this film is amazing. The performances, the cinematography, the score are all phenomenal. And I applaud Chazelle's ambition. But at the heart of it is a flawed screenplay, and an ending I despised. That's just my opinion though. I hope my points were clear and I'd love to discuss more or clarify any of my takes. I do plan on seeing Babylon again in theaters after sitting with it more and hearing some differing opinions, so I'm excited to watch FilmSpeak's video!
Nicely written thoughts on the film @Maxwell Johnson I appreciate your fairness. I personally loved it, and I have a respectful rebuttal to your issues with the film’s ending. The sequence at the end of the film is not just a montage, but a self contained and formal experimental short within the larger film. In experimental cinema there are rhythmic and associative categories. Although I am no expert of experimental movies, I believe this is a rhythmic short film that is associatively juxtaposed to the main film. I will not go into more detail done since I am not qualified in this realm, but the end of the film is reminiscent of the classic experimental movie “Ballet Mechanique,”which you can find on RUclips. Please watch this fascinating film. It might offer you fresh insight into the ending of Babylon. Babylon’s ending is maximalist and gutsy, but it may appear less cheap with this context.
Are people seriously saying the film glorifies Hollywood? One character walks away because they made him wear blackface and another blows his brains out and we're meant to think the filmmaker was showed us these things to demonstrate the glory of Hollywood? What???
@@babylonian.captivity I definitely agree. It's a complicated film that Damian Chazelle describes as a love letter to cinema and a hate letter to Hollywood.
This was my favorite film of 2022. For all the internet folk claiming this was Hollywood congratulating itself (99% of whom didn’t watch it), they didn’t get this is the most anti-Hollywood a mainstream movie can get. Under the guise of portraying the silent era for its lawless self (even an introductory scene highlighting by proxy the Fatty Arbuckle scandal), it becomes plain as day that this film is as autobiographical about 1920s Hollywood as it is about Hollywood now. I even applauded the elephant scene at the beginning, because the old school Paramount logo was an Oscar baity “From the studio that brought you ‘-My Fair Lady,’ ‘The Godfather,’ and ‘Ordinary People,’” the film says “Yeah, but it’s the same studio that brought you ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ and ‘Jackass.’”
Check out the 1975 film called The Day of the Locust. Similar theme capturing the moment when cinema was undergoing an historical change. The characters all had a desire to be in the movies or were obsessed with the industry. It is pretty dark. Worth watching.
I found myself so engaged in certain parts of the movie that i forgot I was watching one. BUT i did not understand and/or like the following scenes: - The snake fighting and bite. To introduce the lesbian love? To show how ridiculous these people were? - Pale vampire yellow teeth Toby Maguire mobster taking the movie producers to the den with the mice eating giant. - White movie employee giving Manny fake stage money. Why the hell did he do that??! - The ending when Manny is watching the movie and sees scenes of his own life and the ways he changed cinema over the years. Was it his thoughts? Did someone make a movie based on his life? Or is it just showing us, the viewers, what Babylon was modelled after?
No clue on the first and last tbh. But the Toby Maguire sequence was because he wanted the producers to cast the big guy in a film. And the count gave him fake money because it was what he was able to find easily
Just saw it tonight and the ending brought me to tears. Brilliant film, a true celebration of and critical look at Hollywood, and a unique take on the story of Babylon.
Fucking thank you! I have no clue what’s going on with this movie. It’s Perfect and nobody on this app is talking about it. I’ve seen it twice now and I’m going to see it again, this movie is a drug trip I didn’t know I needed. The soundtrack has been on replay in my house and it will be for a while. I can’t get enough of it and I have no clue why everyone is hating it
I’m late to the party, this video is 2 months old as I post, but I found this highly insightful as a film history aficionado. I both liked and disliked Babylon before this video but now I see how it is a potential screen classic that will likely be more appreciated as time goes by.
I thought this was good but not my thing. The score was incredible, and the main motif has stuck with me and that ending...yeah. Loved the Secret of the Ooze clips! I'm glad to see Tobey Maguire in something big after No Way Home. Hope he gets more work!
I thought the movie was an amazing anthology touching on many historical aspects of the time. I also felt cheated with so many parallels to other movies. At the beginning, I kept thinking I'd seen this before. The plot line was sooooo familiar. Then at the end, they had the gall (or openness of full disclosure) to actually show nearly identical clips from "Singing In the Rain." Babylon had too many remake scenes., that quite frankly were not as good. The prolonged barfing scene from "Stand By Me." It was embarrassingly over the top for Margot. Later, essentially the same scene of Margot conniving free entrance to her movie and being enthralled seeing herself on screen from "Once Upon a Time In Hollywood." Brad hit by a car in "Meet Joe Black;" albeit barely winged this time. And one upping "The Artist" by finishing the suicide. Then the snake bite. Margot was more energetic resulting in complete chaos, but Brad had her beat in "Bullet Train." Had I not seen the other movies, "Babylon" would have fresh and 5 stars!
This movie was fantastic. I can't understand why it polarized critics so much...oh wait, I do understand. Modern movie critics aren't human and don't understand normal people
I've seen it three times in the last week, dragging different friends and my dad with me to see it. It may not be the best film of 2022, but it's absolutely my favorite.
personally i don’t understand how anyone could watch this movie and not love it? so many moments that showcase great dialogue, set design and acting that culminate in a memorable finale. babylon is a love letter to cinema, but a hate letter to hollywood.
I fell in love with this movie when I first watched it and I would have LOVED to see it in theaters, but the reason this movie totally bombed is because they didn’t market it right, which is sad since this film is a masterpiece. The ending literally sent chills down my spine
"A film can be commercial, but it has a larger purpose than just making money. A movie is a commercialized product created for mass consumption. Its sole purpose is profit. A film is characterized by the personalities, beliefs, and artistic ambition of the people making it" a 2016 article quote by Robert Hardy, for me this sums up Babylon perfectly
Right?? Plus why is that a selling point? Why don't you want artists to draw stuff?? I'm so frustrated he chose this AI art prompt thing as a sponsor. Its mega disappointing
I loved every bit of this big beautiful mess. Chazelle went all out and didn't disappoint. If it were not for EEAAO (which i liked), this film could've dominated the Oscars.
You know.... I tried to watch this movie.... I couldn't make it past the first few minutes. I felt like the director was literally pooping on the audience
It hurts me so much that this movie bombed because it’s so good…… But I keep forgetting that maybe it doesn’t matter if it bombed or not…… The artist made it, and I’m in love with this movie…..that’s all that matters to me
Agreed, it's a shame, and I hope more people discover it like I did (not realizing how great it would be) but NOTHING will detract from the experience I had with this film. It truly is magic.
I think box office numbers don't really work as the measuring stick for a movie's success anymore. It made sense in previous decades when we weren't saturated with so many movies coming from all directions all the time, streaming didn't exist, etc. But now, a movie like Babylon can come and go, and it generates a bit of buzz, but we don't get a sense for how appreciated it truly is for months, if not years.
And you're absolutely right, the only thing that really matters is what you take away from it. But there's nothing wrong with wanting others to see what you saw, feel what you felt, and being a little bummed when they don't.
In any case, I have no doubt that Babylon is destined to be remembered fondly as the love letter to cinema it truly is.
I give it a few months or years and people will be talking about it again. The fact that it wasn't an outright massive success kind of parallels the movie's message which is meta as fuck
@@julianisaak603 It really is lol. I just hope Chazelle doesn't do a Jack Conrad tho 💀.
Regardless I absolutely loved this movie, it was so fuckn beautiful yet so depressing at the same time. It's really a feeling of melancholy to a degree. I loved the raucous fun and 'Voodoo Mama' is brilliant. I almost get the same feeling from this that i get from Once upon a time or even the character of Darth Vader. What if? How could it have gone differently. But at the end it doesn't matter. Because this same thing has happened constantly over the decades in multiple eras of cinema and it will continue to happen. That talk with Conrad and the Journalist was perfect for the film as a whole lol.
Some of the most respected films of all time were considered to be financial disasters.
I also loved the quiet theme of "Change'.
Manny: "I AM changing."
Jack:"I'm trying to change."
Sidney:"I WON'T change."
Nellie:"I CAN'T change."
And all of their destinies depended on that one little word. Excellent. Wonderful.
Just watched it last night, i was the only one in the theater which I loved but made me a little sad especially after finishing the movie . I loved every second of it, the ending scene was my feelings of movies come to life. And the freaking soundtrack, i can't get enough of it
i wouldve loved to see this with a full audience, an empty theater is a vibe though too
Some girl in the theatre at the end said “I don’t get it” whilst I was crying my eyes out realising how much I loved cinema
@@iluvpink1176 because there was too much going on, most people won’t get it. it could have toned down a bit especially the ending
I was also in an empty theater 🥲
I don’t think Jack Conrad was depressed throughout the whole film. I think that he figured a life outside the spotlight is no life at all.
yup thats how I took his death as well, giving the money to the dude, sayig goodbye to his actress friend who is headed elsewhere because of the changes, he said im out too while still somewhat on top
I agree. He just knew that his life had peaked and it was all downhill from there, and decided to end on a high note. It made me sad, but I couldn't really blame him.
Damnnnn that's crazy how you put that haha
@@tombucannon he was not at the top anymore. he was a mockery by then. audiences were laughing at his performance. it was already over for him
@@neofromthewarnerbrothersic145 it was already downhill. his high note days were behind him. he was washed, casted only to help directors finish movies quickly.
I just saw the movie (due to late release in Argentina) and felt overwhelmed in a good way. You just put in words my feelings. It's an outrage "Babylon" flopped and was ignored in all awards shows. Hollywood doesn't want to take accountability for what shady industry it is. In a few years "Babylon" will be appreciated. As for audiences, this is a movie for film lovers not casual viewers. Great essay.
FYI: I was not alone at the cinema, there were around 40 people on a Wednesday afternoon show
This was one of my favorite theater experiences this year. The energy of this movie is amazing. I felt sick during the gross moments, the intensity from the parties and music made me feel energetic and giddy in my seat, and reflective during times it was called for. Especially that ending, the energy and spectacle it had was amazing. Great movie. Not my favorite of the year, but definitely up there. 10/10
Thanks for your passionate essay.
To me, this movie was many things, but above all, it was intensely tragic. The final few shots close the loop. Manny starts out as a lover of cinema that just wants to be part of the magic. In the end, he knows exactly what the price of that magic really is, and he breaks down. But soon after, knowing what he knows, he is seduced once more.
Holy shit, this!
I think not only that, but he realizes that he is STILL part of that magic, even after so many years. I believe that Damien is ultimately writing a love letter to Cinema. He understands all the nitty gritty and the dark side of the film industry, but he is charmed by the magic, just like how Manny is.
I don't think people were ready for what this movie actually was. So many thought that it would showcase the crazy fun of what the stories of 1920s Hollywood told. But in fact, this film showed how vile and hedonistic that era of filmmaking was. It was filled with depravity, racism, sexism, violence, drugs, and massive corruption. People were constantly killed or assaulted on set and this film doesn't shy away from that.
It showed people that this "Golden Age" of movie-making wasn't something to celebrate and it's like finding out someone you admire is a vile individual, it leaves you feeling empty and uncertain. Which is what makes this film so good and why I love it so much.
I understand others say the editing and pacing is headache inducing, but that's almost the point. Think of it as the perspectives are evolving when the film focuses on different characters. Which is what is so phenomenal about it. Nellie has this rapid hyper form of pace that feels frantic and out of control, Jack's is quiet and almost magically surreal as his world turns upside down around him. Manny's is a culmination of both because he is our observer, his perspective changes depending on who is in a scene with him. The ending is a culmination of everything Manny has experienced and what will come from his old world.
The whole Tobey McGuire section felt a lot like the gimp section out of Pulp Fiction to me. And I love that they cast Tobey McGuire to play this sort of twisted parallel to his Great Gatsby character. Cos it really is a section exploring the hanger-onners, those who won’t leave the party, and how toxic all that fun and chaos has become by not allowing it to die in it’s time.
The ending made me sad ngl. This movie will be revisited and called a masterpiece.
As it should! I hope so too.
It was garbage and I want my time back.
@@able75dev60 well you can’t have it back, so get over it
Such a misunderstood masterpiece. I don't get the hate for this film. I came into one reviewer who said this is the worst movie of 2022. I wouldn't go as far as putting this at #1 but it's one of the best of the year.
Yeah no way this is the worst movie of the year. It isn’t the best but it’s close to being the best(in my opinion). The worst movie of 2022 is Thor love and thunder.
I thought it was good but I had a sense of disbelief at times when I was watching it in theatres due to the graphic nature. Now it’s grown on me and I’ve thought that these uncomfortable events might’ve happened in that era.
Crimes of the Future is the silent masterpiece of 2022. But Cronenberg is too much for the medium audience.
The way internet film nerds have bastardized the word masterpiece needs to be studied.
@@backto-il9ne The way pretentious internet nerds feel they're above using the word masterpiece does NOT need to be studied.
Boldest take of the year and I can’t really knock him for it. This film was widely entertaining and reminded me why cinema is such an essential medium.
There are more reviews of this film than spectators of it when it was launched. I have watched PLENTY, but this; this is a true review.
Babylon is so complex, filled with absolutely everything. Damien Chazelle carefuly prepared each of those seconds and gave the industry a masterpiece like no other. It shows the good, the bad, the outrageous, the beauty: the truth. And it was, as you said, somehow his truth as weel, and THAT is what makes a story worth it. He took his brush and reused the same color pallet, but wow, he did his ultimate best.
Thank you for the time you dedicated to this review; it was irresistible!
I loved this movie. After watching everything everywhere all at once I thought to myself: this is gonna be the movie of the year for me, but then I saw Babylon. Truly a masterpiece, Justin Hurwitz’s catching music, the cinematography, the characters the overall experience. For the first time and my life I went to the cinema for myself (19 years old), and there was like 9 others there, but still Babylon made me feel something. The amount of details and Intertextuality make the movie so fun, when you catch the references. Last year of high school I had a big project where I analyzed La La Land and it’s Intertextuality, and I was even more amazed by the movie. After watching a dozen musicals and classic Hollywood movies, you truly begin to admire Damien Chazzeles work, he is a geniuses.
Before you comment this, let me just excuse my English and the overall flow of this text. I wrote it on my phone and I am not a native English speaker.
I loved it ! Don’t believe all these negative reviews about it - the rattlesnake vs nellies dad was HILARIOUS !
Right?! That part was AMAZING 😂
But why was thar required??
@@dipenchavda6988 why is anything required? If you want an answer, obviously it was just another example in the film of showing how full of ignorance and excess Hollywood was back in this time period.
Certain films (such as "It's A Wonderful Life,") exhibit a certain weight to audiences & critics who, as contemporarily demonstrated through the box office receipts, easily dismiss as a bomb. Over time, the genius shines through. After I caught a late-night showing of "Babylon" earlier this month, I left the cinema, slightly overwhelmed by the scope, and admittedly confused. BUT-- I couldn't stop thinking about what I experienced, for several weeks (which in itself is a testament to powerful filmmaking). My husband and I saw it tonight (his first, my 2nd), and now I think it is one of my all-time favorites, filled with some of the finest performances I have ever seen. THANK YOU for this review. I firmly believe Babylon is worthy of study by serious students and lovers of cinema, who consider the power of storytelling, visuals, and history! Your enthusiasm is contagious, in the best possible way!
This was an incredible meta fever dream of a movie, I could never stop watching and I could not tell how long I was in the cinema cause I was so taken into this world. It was a bombastically amazing calamity
Yes it is one of the best movies ever for me. It is meta, it is about filmmaking and how art makes us immortal because we keep live on in the big screen. It is a love letter to cinema and how viewers enjoy this collective friendship through it.
As a filmmaker myself i was shocked at the ending. It was a dream come true because when i grew up old enough, i always wanted to make a movie about movies like this. Same exact plot almost. I am in awe. Just watched this yesterday home alone. And it was life changing.
I loved Babylon. I felt it was so inspired by Boogie Nights, another film I love so dearly. The drug deal scene with Tobey Maguire is STRAIGHT out of the drug deal scene in Boogie Nights with Alfred Molina.
I’m 26, I grew up watching Brad Pitt being the cool younger guy, and for some reason, seeing him telling that hotel clerk “it’s up to you now, kid”, right before he ends it all, kinda hit me for some reason.
Wow, I feel this, definitely hit me hard too. Agreed man.
Lolol same. But for me it was his scene with Jean smart. Too mawkish for my liking, BUT, it was just funny to watch that this is a scene that Brad Pitt now fits. Brad Pitt the stoner guy from True Romance, Brad Pitt as the hunky Achilles, Brad Pitt the male sex icon from Fight Club.. fitting the bill to enact an old man past his best years.
This movie made me feel why I love cinema and wanna work in it and loved Diego Calva performance and the soundtrack ❤❤
Diego Calva was AMAZING! Love him
I loved this so much, I was the only person in the theater which honestly I'm glad I was. This movie reminded me of why I love movies so much and why I still go to the theater.
I also was the only one and quite frankly was glad because I could scream my head off at the absolutely amazingness of it. I applauded DURING the movie! Was it way OTT😵? Well hell yeah! But was it also some of the best filmmaking I've seen in decades....also HELL YEAH. I'm going to try to see it once more in theatre, I don't think it will be so magical to watch on TV. I'm so glad you enjoyed it too!
I had a similar experience. The second time I went to go see it I went with my Mom, and there were six other people in the theater and by the time the title showed up on screen four people had left.
This movie is so misunderstood, I’ve seen it twice in the theatre and it’s just amazing
I saw this movie with Damien Chazelle and Diego Calva in the Premiere. One of the best experiences ever.
Ahhh love that! I love Damien and Diego. I’m sure that was an unforgettable experience.
thanks for always making such well written essays bout the movies you’ve seen. breathes a second life and brings introspective thoughts to those who’ve seen the film. great stuff!
Thank you so much! That really means a lot.
Masterpiece, best of the decade so far
My favorite movie of 2022 is still Everything Everywhere All At Once, but Babylon is definitely up there. I don't understand the hate that it's getting either. It's clearly made with a love for cinema, but without the rose tinted glasses. The way I described it to my friends was a combination of a darker retelling of Singin' in the Rain and a Scorsese crime drama. I've always been a sucker for the progression of rags to riches to excess to demise, and it felt just as natural here as it did in Wolf of Wall Street or Goodfellas. I also LOVED the tangent with Tobey Maguire. A perfect moment for Manny to fully realize just how far the Hollywood he knew getting into the industry in the 20s had fallen and evolved. Plus it was foreshadowed throughout the movie that Nelly would eventually go too far with her gambling addiction. I also loved the entire ending sequence in 1952. It brings all of the Singin' in the Rain nods and similar story beats to the forefront and gives them a whole new meaning. Definitely a very cool movie that I feel like people went into it with the wrong expectations and aren't seeing the movie for what it wants to tell, and rather what they think it wants to tell.
I completely agree with you. I would’ve thought that this would’ve been a film about Hollywood that people who don’t like Hollywood would like because like you pointed out. It shows a darker portrayal of the Hollywood lifestyle.
Absolutely. This is the one time I've watched a movie and been genuinly just completely surprised by the negative reception
I didn’t get EEAAO. Why did you like it so much?
I’m asking because we both like Babylon and I Really want to hear your opinion.
There was so much superfluous and gratuitous violence and explicit stuff that didn’t add anything to the movie. It kind of lost itself in the end of the second and the third act and at the end put a bandaid on it with the talk that the mother had with the daughter, which wasn’t connected with the story line much.
I felt like it just kind of unraveled into nothing. I was really looking forward to it after the first act and was left disappointed.
I was sobbing at the end. As a Mexican that hit home. Love it.
I was so devastated, in the best possible way. Damien took my soul and twisted it into a knot. Pure oeuvre as always, perfect merge of music and film art!
Just recently watched & loved it. While I can see why it bombed (length, debauchery, timing of release), this may grow as a cult favorite. I thought Tobey’s scene was fantastic. But this was notably Margot’s best performance to date. Also, Calva and Pitt were amazing too. 8.7/10 for me
Babylon will go down as one of the greatest movies ever. Give it time. Damien Chazelle is an absolute genius
Honestly one of the best movies up there, it's adultery is probably what made it bomb in the reviews. The music, the pictures, the creativity, I was captured in the plot. Just sucks that it didn't get the recognition it deserves. People will still complain that Hollywood only produce cheap capeshit when they literally make original ideas flop.
I don’t care that this movie didn’t make back it’s budget! It’s a goddamn masterpiece of cinema. 🎥
Amen to that!
I enjoy very much but I don't understand why it's called a masterpiece. I mean, great movie, but masterpiece is a very abused word in the world of cinema imo. Crimes of the future is a real masterpiece in this 2022 for example.
@@miccorr99 crimes of the future fucking sucks wym
I just saw this movie yesterday after seeing some good comments about it, i never heard of it till a few days ago. I liked it.
The message of the film becomes even more tragic when you learn that, as of today, 90% of silent films no longer exist and actors as great as Jack Conrad or Nellie herself have simply been forgotten even when they probably thought that they would live forever through their movies, but no, the vast majority of them died in time. I think the movie do reference this fact in the montage at the end, when images of Nellie and Jack turnes red, blue or green, representing celluloid tapes decomposition process when they're not well preserved in time. They were forgotten, but they left their footprint for the future.
It’ll be interesting to see a positive opinion on this movie considering I’ve only seen people panning it so far.
Really? I must be looking in the wrong place, because I’ve been hearing a lot of praise for this vulgar movie.
It depends on where you look. It's largely divisive. I've seen so many put it in their top 5 of the year and just as many say it wasnt good
I just saw it and although there are some memorable parts, it’s about an hour too long. I lost my patience with the main female character who had few redeeming qualities, and the Brad Pitt character was just so vanilla and blah.
This movie was over 3 hours long and I wish it was LONGER! Fantastic.
Movies: the movie
Personally I think this is one of my favorite films ever. It encapsulates what these kinds of things can mean to us, in a genuinely unimaginable way. Expressing these desires and aspirations in your head is beyond difficult, but the way that every single second of this film portrays exactly what it's trying to say. It makes you look inward, almost like a sense of realization. It's beautiful, Damien chazelle knows it, I know it, you know it. It's life goddamit!
I really liked this movie. I think sometimes it had a little too much in it that was unnecessary and could’ve been a little shorter, but the more I think about and analyze this film the more I love it. Also the score and directing of Babylon is top top tier!!
It was AMAZING. Definitely one of my favorites of the year. So sad to hear that it is not doing well at the US box office. I hope it does well at the global box office.
I have a feeling it’ll find audiences on VOD when it releases there. It’s bound to become a cult classic
Puss in Boots ended up being my favorite movie of the year but this was like .01 points lower. The animation really threw that film over the top, but this is probably the best film overall. I think it's genius.
I went to the premiere of the film and i really liked it, i may say i loved it a lot. I won't call it a masterpiece but damn it isn't bad at all. A great film of filmmaking and passion for art but also the dark truths of Hollywood and deauchery that people can do. A really extraordinary piece of art with that astounding direction, acting, cinematography, music. By the end of it, i walked out dancing of emotion. I can see why the USA critics hated it, it shows the dark side of Hollywood without being condescending with people or try to be moralist. Is a great film that reminds works like Fellini or Gaspar Noe. I will say this is the Boogie nights of the silent era, i just simple loved it, specially that ending that travels through the 100th years of cinema in full display of experimental visuals.
I just streamed this movie last night and I’m glad I did. It was obvious that the excess moments on the screen were there for a reason and were not just superfluous. The quieter nuanced moments especially acted by Brad Pitt and Diego were spotlighted better because of it all. I think it’s a great movie, one of the best I’ve seen in the last 10 years
This movie made me tear…
The entirety of the scene as Nelly tries to get through her first scene in a talkie absolutely killed me, haven’t laughed that hard at a movie in some time. Definitely one of my favorite movies of the year.
Flawlessly executed comic genius. And the dead camera man jack-in-the-box punchline. My God. Just perfect.
@@babylonian.captivity I think they end up doing 8 takes, if it had gone to 16 I wouldn’t of been mad.
@@jamestriska14 There’s a little Steve Buscemi film from the nineties, Living in Oblivion, that features the same kind of bits where they’re trying to capture a scene and everything that can go wrong does do wrong. It’s just such good, simple, classic comedy.
THIS 30 MINUTE VIDEO ESSAY ON ONE OF THE AND ARGUABLY THE BEST MOVIE OF 2022 IS EXACTLY HOW I FELT ABOUT THIS FILM.
It feels like walking half drunk at night in Bourbon Street with bunch of friends. What a movie! This is a movie!
There were a couple of scenes which felt over-exaggerated and false, just for the enjoyment of the viewer (mild SPOILERS): the amount of cocaine on the trays, the liters of vomit spilt, the pile of shit falling onto a man who wouldn't move away from it, the multiple deaths of extras who seemed to die only to put an end to a scene.
Otherwise, the movie was really solid. I liked that it didn't use the typical hero journey structure. What happened next was always unexpected. It didn't feel long to me despite its runtime. Some scenes are pure gold.
My pick of Best Film of 2022... second only to The Northman. That it bombed is just mind-boggling, it deserved better. I hope it gets inducted into the Criterion Collection.
I love love this movie and really don’t get the critics reaction. Most fun I’ve had at the movies in a while.
Somebody needs to invent a time machine and take BABYLON into the 1920’s 💀💀💀
best movie I've seen in a long time. felt like a true odyssey with some scenes I will never forget. I didn't even think it was messy I had no problem following the story but that's the main criticism I've been hearing. It isn't messy, it's insane and I love it.
The ending sequence was one of the most experimental, unique things I've ever seen on screen, the only thing I can compare it to is the ending episodes of Evangelion
Agreed all the way - right up until the end(s). Really, out of the six different instances a cathartic finale would've worked, maybe three could've been combined into a satisfying ending - but not all of them. As a salute to cinema, this is to me a cardinal sin, since it only made me want to run the hell out of the movie theatre far sooner than the movie allowed. Chazelle has had the exact same problem with all of his, admittedly good, movies: he has no idea of pacing, and doesn't know when to simply stop.
This is a beautiful movie, im really sorry i didint see it in the theaters but honestly it had a bad campaign, they didint know how to sell it. If they had said something like a love letter to classic hollywood, from the makers of la la land, i would have been sold, but nope, missed it, and wtach it in prime video and now i regret it. 3 hours and wasnt bored an sigle minute. a must watch
Uh... no. Manny isn't thinking about the bigger picture of him as a latino in the entire movie...
This was hands down one of the best cinematographic experiences of all time. The acting was incredible, the best I have ever seen. They all deserved Oscars. Go figure.
This movie is so good I can’t wait until the dust clears and it gets the love it deserves
To be fair, in Jack’s final scene, a guy says to him: “Jack’s back!”
I do find it endearing that Jack was able to get a hit again with his last film but it also makes it sadder that Jack considers the film to be a piece of shit. He’s unfazed by it. He’d get into the same cycle again anyway, so he stoped it.
Too bad, if he was a real guy and had lived till 38, then he’d be a great Rhett Butler.
I hated it but it got firmly lodged in my consciousness. I've felt this way before about pieces of art I didn't like that I ended up loving. I think I need to see it again.
This and La La Land are both in my top ten movies of all time! Everything, Everywhere all at whatever? How did this not take best picture
absolutely love this movie. not my number one, but definitely in my top 10 of the year
So glad you loved it!
here's a tldr. im a bit baffled as to why people are hating on it at all. it isnt glorifying hollywood in the way that people are suggesting. it glorifies the longevity that a film can provide in regards to sticking throughout history and the impact it leaves on a general audience, which is beautiful, but that's it. it actually shows how the lifestyle can deteriorate and hollow out the mind, leaving you with nothing once the studios don't want to hire you, or when the world reacts to something you presented in a way you didn't prefer, etc. top that with the fact that it's well acted, compelling, has some fantastic scenes that'll linger in the mind, and has a great ending, at the most i would expect people to call it "mediocre" (which it still isn't), but not garbage. i guess it's just one of those bandwagon things and nobody has actually went out and seen it, and if somebody actually has and still dislikes, i would like to hear an actual reason as to why besides "ew it has gross scenes 🤢"
I'm really glad to see people loving this film, but unfortunately I am not one of them. I'm a big Damien Chazelle fan (Whiplash and La La Land are two of my top 10 favorite movies) so this was my most anticipated film of the year, but I couldn't help but be disappointed after leaving the theater.
I thought the first hour was fantastic. It moves at a breakneck pace and establishes all of the characters perfectly. There were segments that I absolutely loved like the entire filming of the epic battle with all the extras and Nellie's first attempt at filming a talkie.
But around the halfway point, I thought that the film lost its way. The film felt like it had 5 main leads, but only cared about three of them. I thought Sidney and Lady Fay were terribly underutilized and got relegated to B plots when they had the most intriguing character conflicts. For a three hour film with so many characters, it didn't seem like a single one got a proper resolution to their arc. I get that it's a tragedy, but the endings for these characters don't feel justified or earned.
My biggest gripe though is the ending. While I felt like the second half of the film was unfocused, I still found it enjoyable and well executed on a technical level. But the last sequence of the film, mainly the montage of other films, I thought was the tackiest, cop out ending I've ever seen. It felt like an Instagram film account edit. I get that the film is self-indulgent, and I thought it worked for the entirety of the film up until this ending which was just way too on the nose for me. I get that the entire film is a love letter to the medium of cinema itself, but it shouldn't have to rely on pre-existing content, especially not Avatar, to convey that theme. I want the film itself to make me feel that passion and love. I want the film itself to make me sit up and cry at the beauty on the screen. I want the film itself to make me feel the way Manny does in that theater. The real magic that this film is all about was nowhere to be found for me.
Technically I think this film is amazing. The performances, the cinematography, the score are all phenomenal. And I applaud Chazelle's ambition. But at the heart of it is a flawed screenplay, and an ending I despised.
That's just my opinion though. I hope my points were clear and I'd love to discuss more or clarify any of my takes. I do plan on seeing Babylon again in theaters after sitting with it more and hearing some differing opinions, so I'm excited to watch FilmSpeak's video!
Nicely written thoughts on the film @Maxwell Johnson I appreciate your fairness.
I personally loved it, and I have a respectful rebuttal to your issues with the film’s ending.
The sequence at the end of the film is not just a montage, but a self contained and formal experimental short within the larger film. In experimental cinema there are rhythmic and associative categories. Although I am no expert of experimental movies, I believe this is a rhythmic short film that is associatively juxtaposed to the main film. I will not go into more detail done since I am not qualified in this realm, but the end of the film is reminiscent of the classic experimental movie “Ballet Mechanique,”which you can find on RUclips. Please watch this fascinating film. It might offer you fresh insight into the ending of Babylon.
Babylon’s ending is maximalist and gutsy, but it may appear less cheap with this context.
Are people seriously saying the film glorifies Hollywood? One character walks away because they made him wear blackface and another blows his brains out and we're meant to think the filmmaker was showed us these things to demonstrate the glory of Hollywood?
What???
@@babylonian.captivity I definitely agree. It's a complicated film that Damian Chazelle describes as a love letter to cinema and a hate letter to Hollywood.
This was my favorite film of 2022. For all the internet folk claiming this was Hollywood congratulating itself (99% of whom didn’t watch it), they didn’t get this is the most anti-Hollywood a mainstream movie can get. Under the guise of portraying the silent era for its lawless self (even an introductory scene highlighting by proxy the Fatty Arbuckle scandal), it becomes plain as day that this film is as autobiographical about 1920s Hollywood as it is about Hollywood now. I even applauded the elephant scene at the beginning, because the old school Paramount logo was an Oscar baity “From the studio that brought you ‘-My Fair Lady,’ ‘The Godfather,’ and ‘Ordinary People,’” the film says “Yeah, but it’s the same studio that brought you ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ and ‘Jackass.’”
So good
Check out the 1975 film called The Day of the Locust. Similar theme capturing the moment when cinema was undergoing an historical change. The characters all had a desire to be in the movies or were obsessed with the industry. It is pretty dark. Worth watching.
This movie made me cry
Thanks for the interpretation of the colors at the end!
I absolutely love that you included Titane in the intro.
If you love the art of motion pictures then you have to love this movie. The rest are just details.....
LOVE this movie!
I found myself so engaged in certain parts of the movie that i forgot I was watching one. BUT i did not understand and/or like the following scenes:
- The snake fighting and bite. To introduce the lesbian love? To show how ridiculous these people were?
- Pale vampire yellow teeth Toby Maguire mobster taking the movie producers to the den with the mice eating giant.
- White movie employee giving Manny fake stage money. Why the hell did he do that??!
- The ending when Manny is watching the movie and sees scenes of his own life and the ways he changed cinema over the years. Was it his thoughts? Did someone make a movie based on his life? Or is it just showing us, the viewers, what Babylon was modelled after?
No clue on the first and last tbh. But the Toby Maguire sequence was because he wanted the producers to cast the big guy in a film. And the count gave him fake money because it was what he was able to find easily
Just saw it tonight and the ending brought me to tears. Brilliant film, a true celebration of and critical look at Hollywood, and a unique take on the story of Babylon.
Fucking thank you! I have no clue what’s going on with this movie. It’s Perfect and nobody on this app is talking about it. I’ve seen it twice now and I’m going to see it again, this movie is a drug trip I didn’t know I needed. The soundtrack has been on replay in my house and it will be for a while. I can’t get enough of it and I have no clue why everyone is hating it
I am OBSESSED with the soundtrack. It's SO GOOD! Yeah I think this will definitely be one of those films we look back at as a cult classic.
Yeah I really need to see this movie now. Wasn't the smartest seeing this given spoilers but I don't care. I'm very intrigued
If it gets you to see it, that’s all that matters!
I’m late to the party, this video is 2 months old as I post, but I found this highly insightful as a film history aficionado. I both liked and disliked Babylon before this video but now I see how it is a potential screen classic that will likely be more appreciated as time goes by.
This movie was my favorite from 2022 and the fact it didnt get the acclaim I believe it should've gotten is insane to me
I thought this was good but not my thing. The score was incredible, and the main motif has stuck with me and that ending...yeah. Loved the Secret of the Ooze clips! I'm glad to see Tobey Maguire in something big after No Way Home. Hope he gets more work!
Incredible breakdown 🔥
I thought the movie was an amazing anthology touching on many historical aspects of the time. I also felt cheated with so many parallels to other movies. At the beginning, I kept thinking I'd seen this before. The plot line was sooooo familiar. Then at the end, they had the gall (or openness of full disclosure) to actually show nearly identical clips from "Singing In the Rain." Babylon had too many remake scenes., that quite frankly were not as good. The prolonged barfing scene from "Stand By Me." It was embarrassingly over the top for Margot. Later, essentially the same scene of Margot conniving free entrance to her movie and being enthralled seeing herself on screen from "Once Upon a Time In Hollywood." Brad hit by a car in "Meet Joe Black;" albeit barely winged this time. And one upping "The Artist" by finishing the suicide. Then the snake bite. Margot was more energetic resulting in complete chaos, but Brad had her beat in "Bullet Train." Had I not seen the other movies, "Babylon" would have fresh and 5 stars!
This movie was fantastic. I can't understand why it polarized critics so much...oh wait, I do understand. Modern movie critics aren't human and don't understand normal people
I've seen it three times in the last week, dragging different friends and my dad with me to see it. It may not be the best film of 2022, but it's absolutely my favorite.
Personally I think it's BEST film of the 21st Century!!!
@@darnellmajor8895 That's a stretch and it's legit my favourite movie at this point. It's an underrated masterpiece but it's defo not perfect.
Ogs remember the title being "babylon is irresistible"
the end just reminds me that i love movies so much
personally i don’t understand how anyone could watch this movie and not love it? so many moments that showcase great dialogue, set design and acting that culminate in a memorable finale. babylon is a love letter to cinema, but a hate letter to hollywood.
Widly epic! Loved it.
Hell yes!
I saw this movie as the only person in the theater it was an experience
I’m glad you saw it in a theater!
I fell in love with this movie when I first watched it and I would have LOVED to see it in theaters, but the reason this movie totally bombed is because they didn’t market it right, which is sad since this film is a masterpiece. The ending literally sent chills down my spine
great video essay i was actually looking for
Great movie. Never even heard of it until a couple days before I watched it. Trippy masterpiece. Sodom and Gomorrah in Hollywood and a history lesson.
I agree! One of the best movies of all time! I've seen it 4 times!
I think it's okay but just ran a bit too long and kinda lost focus in bits and pieces but still an amazing feat of a film
Totally get that!
I'm glad you liked it, but I would've been very happy if the underground scene wasn't in the film. It almost made me puke
The stage director breaking and just screaming "SHUT UP! SHUT THE FUCK UP!!" had me in tears
Finally somebody makes this video and points out some good in this movie!
"A film can be commercial, but it has a larger purpose than just making money. A movie is a commercialized product created for mass consumption. Its sole purpose is profit. A film is characterized by the personalities, beliefs, and artistic ambition of the people making it" a 2016 article quote by Robert Hardy, for me this sums up Babylon perfectly
the irony of the ad with the topic of the movie
2:20 not exactly the best example of "you can hardly tell a human didn't make it"
Right?? Plus why is that a selling point? Why don't you want artists to draw stuff?? I'm so frustrated he chose this AI art prompt thing as a sponsor. Its mega disappointing
Really loved the film. It was so special. Along with so many movies in the last year 😍
I loved every bit of this big beautiful mess. Chazelle went all out and didn't disappoint. If it were not for EEAAO (which i liked), this film could've dominated the Oscars.
That George Lucas quote from the Phantom Menace screening was just rightly timed. Had a great chuckle. 😆
You know.... I tried to watch this movie.... I couldn't make it past the first few minutes. I felt like the director was literally pooping on the audience