Cosmopolis (David Cronenberg, 2012)

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Alan Smithee
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Cosmopolis (David Cronenberg, 2012)

#1 Post by Alan Smithee » Thu Feb 16, 2012 1:19 pm

Cosmopolis apparently won Mtv's "Must See Movie of the Year"

Interview with Cronenberg here. Never thought I'd see a headline describing Cronenberg as tickled.

Twilight fan girls have no idea what they're in for.

I'm really excited about this one. DeLillo is my favorite author and Cosmopolis is underrated. I think Cronenberg and DeLillo will probably be a really good match. Because DeLillo's work depends on language far more than plot, Cronenberg is one of the few people out there who could take the essence of the book and mold it into something unique but faithful. And it gives him some great opportunities to get 'weird' again. His recent films have been sort of trojan horse Cronenbergs. Still great in their own right of course but Eastern Promises and A Dangerous Method were both his work purely through subject matter and direction rather than writing.

ianungstad
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Re: Trailers for Upcoming Films

#2 Post by ianungstad » Thu Mar 22, 2012 8:20 am

French teaser for Cosmopolis

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dadaistnun
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Re: Trailers for Upcoming Films

#3 Post by dadaistnun » Thu Mar 22, 2012 9:15 am

Shit yeah. Love the shot of the giant rat.

I've never seen Pattinson in anything (and though his ubiquitous presence at the supermarket checkout has kinda sorta clouded my judgement of him, I'm willing to give him a fair shake) but the supporting cast for this can't be beat.

And I'd love to witness the reaction of of the Twilight-Tiger Beat crowd when he
SpoilerShow
gets his rectal exam in the back of the limo.
Last edited by dadaistnun on Thu Mar 22, 2012 12:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Mr. Ned
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Re: Trailers for Upcoming Films

#4 Post by Mr. Ned » Thu Mar 22, 2012 11:59 am

Wow. Looks like Cosmopolis is my new most anticipated film of the year; look out Cannes.


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eerik
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Re: Trailers for Upcoming Films

#6 Post by eerik » Thu Apr 19, 2012 6:48 am


flyonthewall2983
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Re: Trailers for Upcoming Films

#7 Post by flyonthewall2983 » Thu Apr 19, 2012 9:26 am

Blocked.

karmajuice
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Re: Trailers for Upcoming Films

#8 Post by karmajuice » Thu Apr 19, 2012 5:57 pm

The number of GIFs and screenshots they ripped from that trailer is downright frightening.


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HistoryProf
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Re: Cosmopolis (David Cronenberg, 2012)

#10 Post by HistoryProf » Sun May 20, 2012 7:19 pm

I read this the other night and have to say I'm quite excited for the film now more than ever. Unbelievably, the trailer actually heightened my enjoyment of the book and it looks to be a blisteringly faithful adaptation of the story. This could be Pattinson's American Psycho role that puts him in the mainstream....I went from completely tepid to incredibly anxious to see him in this.

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mfunk9786
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Re: Cosmopolis (David Cronenberg, 2012)

#11 Post by mfunk9786 » Sun May 20, 2012 7:22 pm

He's already in the mainstream... he just has to get the hell out.

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HistoryProf
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Re: Cosmopolis (David Cronenberg, 2012)

#12 Post by HistoryProf » Mon May 21, 2012 9:56 am

mfunk9786 wrote:He's already in the mainstream... he just has to get the hell out.
I guess I meant more as a gateway to "legitimate" acting - much like emo girl is trying to do post Twilight.

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TheDudeAbides
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Re: Cosmopolis (David Cronenberg, 2012)

#13 Post by TheDudeAbides » Wed Jun 20, 2012 2:41 pm

I just saw cosmopolis last night and I have to say, I have no idea what I just witnessed. Hands down one of the weirdest, most peculiar films i have ever seen. Its still kind of stewing in my brain and I have no idea what to really think of it. A very deep philosophical film about capitalism and the alienation that one experiences being at the very top. To me this film felt a lot like videodrome with a good mix of David Lynch.
SpoilerShow
Very deep movie, I particularly connected with the parts where eric asked the woman he was having sex with to tase him full strength with the taser and at the end when he shoots himself in the hand signified to me that he wanted to experience pain, a part of the human condition he had never experienced before. I also thought that the entire film was us following around eric while he was failing for the first time at something, and that we were watching his unraveling.
Cronenberg specifically designed this film in a manner that was almost in complete opposition of the traditional hollywood narrative structure. Any twi-hards looking to see this film for their Pattinson are going to be sorely disappointed, bored and lost. In fact the average cinema goer will likely feel the same way; this is not at all an easy view, it requires deep thought and an interest in watching cinema that does not focus on typical movie-going entertainment.

I felt this was the perfect post-twilight role for Pattinson to take as it was almost the complete opposite of the teeny-bopper bubblegum twilight roles he was doing before and may allow for him to get more attention as a serious actor.

The acting in this movie was very hammy in parts; it always felt off, the dialogue felt surreal (like it was said in a manner that no one would speak in), and the closeness that Cronenberg shot the dialogue in somehow made it feel more odd. I'm guessing that it was Cronenberg's decision to do it this way, I definitely felt that he wanted to make the film feel surreal and odd.

The cinematography was very nice, but again rather odd. Large emphasis on close ups, very wide angle lenses and placements of the camera that were very atypical. I found it refreshing that Cronenberg shot the film using many angles and viewpoints that are not typically shot in. I don't know if this is a hollywood produced picture (I saw french production titles at the beginning), but it would not surprise me if Cronenberg had to have this made independently as there is no way that hollywood producers would allow for Cronenberg to shoot this movie in such a manner.

A problem I had with this film was that we were constantly introduced to new characters as they were entering his limo and then they just disappeared forever; and while i get as to why Cronenberg went for that approach (especially considering we are following eric around the streets of New York for one day), the lack of emphasis of characters was bothersome to me. Cronenberg instead opted to make this film a philosophy work; where characters would emerge, spout out their philosophical views and then would disappear.

I still haven't decided myself if I liked this film or hated it. An argument can definitely be made for saying its one of the worst movies of all time, if you can't get into the surreal and odd structure. If you are looking to watch a traditional narrative or traditional entertainment based flick, maybe avoid this one. Very odd flick that will likely leave you saying "what the hell did i just see"

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The Narrator Returns
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Re: Cosmopolis (David Cronenberg, 2012)

#14 Post by The Narrator Returns » Wed Jun 20, 2012 2:46 pm

TheDudeAbides wrote:Very odd flick that will likely leave you saying "what the hell did i just see"
Well, I'm definitely seeing this now.

j99
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Re: Cosmopolis (David Cronenberg, 2012)

#15 Post by j99 » Thu Jun 21, 2012 2:42 pm

TheDudeAbides wrote: I don't know if this is a hollywood produced picture (I saw french production titles at the beginning), but it would not surprise me if Cronenberg had to have this made independently as there is no way that hollywood producers would allow for Cronenberg to shoot this movie in such a manner.
No, it isn't. It's predominantly a European co-production.

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tachyonEvan
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Re: Cosmopolis (David Cronenberg, 2012)

#16 Post by tachyonEvan » Fri Jul 20, 2012 3:33 pm

Haven't read DeLillo's original, but I have a lot of interest in this, mainly because it's Cronenberg directing a very interesting cast.

I have a modest amount of respect for Robert Pattinson as an individual, and so far this looks like an excellent departure from Twilight and either a great or terrible move in his career (depending on how this is recieved when it gets a wide release). Juliette Binoche is excellent, of course, but Baruchel, Giamatti, K'naan, and Kevin Durand are all interesting choices.

Posts in here along the lines of "this requires a great deal of thought" and "'what the hell did I just see?'" have me even more excited, believe it or not. Not sure if anywhere around me is showing it yet.

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R0lf
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Re: Cosmopolis (David Cronenberg, 2012)

#17 Post by R0lf » Sat Aug 04, 2012 2:01 am

This is Cronenberg's Inglourious Basterds; It's a series of dramatically drawn out vignettes being overtly cinematic and also overstepping what some might consider good taste in their composition.

I was completely electrified from start to finish.

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tavernier
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Re: Cosmopolis (David Cronenberg, 2012)

#18 Post by tavernier » Sat Aug 04, 2012 11:40 am

R0lf wrote:This is Cronenberg's Inglourious Basterds
my interest is now almost nil

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mfunk9786
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Re: Cosmopolis (David Cronenberg, 2012)

#19 Post by mfunk9786 » Sat Aug 04, 2012 11:58 am

Because it has a similar basic compositional plot structure to a film you don't like? So silly

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tarpilot
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Re: Cosmopolis (David Cronenberg, 2012)

#20 Post by tarpilot » Sat Aug 04, 2012 2:50 pm

Needed more CGI dinosaurs

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tavernier
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Re: Cosmopolis (David Cronenberg, 2012)

#21 Post by tavernier » Sat Aug 04, 2012 2:59 pm

for a start

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R0lf
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Re: Cosmopolis (David Cronenberg, 2012)

#22 Post by R0lf » Sat Aug 04, 2012 10:55 pm

tavernier wrote:
R0lf wrote:This is Cronenberg's Inglourious Basterds
my interest is now almost nil
Has Cronenberg's career been so up and down that people would really question going to see one of his new movies?

I mean if you don't like his movies to begin with a new one isn't going to change your view but his movies have largely been about the same quality. Sometimes they are only "good" but there isn't much wrong with that is there?

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hearthesilence
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Re: Cosmopolis (David Cronenberg, 2012)

#23 Post by hearthesilence » Sat Aug 04, 2012 11:03 pm

Heads up, Cronenberg will be at Lincoln Center to present this when it begins its theatrical run there.

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Professor Wagstaff
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Re: Cosmopolis (David Cronenberg, 2012)

#24 Post by Professor Wagstaff » Sat Aug 04, 2012 11:45 pm

hearthesilence wrote:Heads up, Cronenberg will be at Lincoln Center to present this when it begins its theatrical run there.
So glad you brought this to my attention. Will not be missing it!

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colinr0380
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Re: Cosmopolis (David Cronenberg, 2012)

#25 Post by colinr0380 » Tue Aug 07, 2012 4:33 pm

I was watching the new interview with Abel Ferrara by Nicole Brenez on the King of New York disc last night and this moment made me think of Cosmopolis!:
Ferrara: King of New York was about a very wealthy New York of that time. These clubs that we were in. I mean that was a decadent period when they still had stretch limousines. We didn't even realise it. Everybody thought that it was going to keep going. It was still "New York, New York", you know, but it was already changing...

Berenz: In a way all your other films about New York are about the 'lumpen proleteriat'. Would you accept that your work as a whole is about that struggle?

Ferrara: Yeah, well the wealth that we don't see, except may you do see it briefly in that film. King of New York is about the working class of the cops versus the nouveau riche of the drug dealers, there for a brief moment, flaunting their bullshit money that they have. Whether they are symbolic or metaphoric of Wall Street guys who are just a flash...because those families in Brooklyn and those places have at least some longevity to them because they're not opulent and it is a life of survival. You know...you're not going to survive in the back of a limousine. It doesn't make sense. It is not a survival way of transporting yourself from one place to another, which is what we've found out.

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