I Saw the TV Glow - Review (Non-Spoiler & Spoiler)
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- čas přidán 30. 06. 2024
- A24's latest film doesn't neatly fit into any one category - and that's okay.
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0:00 - No Spoilers
7:51 - Spoilers - Zábava
Love your reviews BECAUSE you refuse to turn your brain/heart off. Roger Ebert called cinema an Empathy Machine, because it allows us to view the world from other points of view.
That's fantastic and probably sums up some of the ideas of this movie. They seemed to view this terrifying TV show as a shelter from abuse, this is something I'm sure many can relate with.
I love the new Reviews and Spoiler Reviews format.
Loved your analysis of this. Your love of cinema is what keeps your audience coming back.
And I'm happy to share my love of movies with everyone else! The only thing that makes me sad is that hating things seems to draw a much larger crowd these days. I wish, at least, that there were as many out there who wanted to celebrate the movies and not just spread anger.
❤yeah...i wish it was different as well.
I think the only way to change these sorts of things aside from a mass change in humanity and some form of a great awakening or something might some kind of Journey to the Center of the Earth exploration thing into the heart of the algorithms that power out society. like maybe finding when they got changed and maybe finding the heart of where they are now and changing them to that alternate better world.❤
@@DanMurrellMovies I agree, it’s so frustrating. It must be some kind of human desire to tear things down. What’s even the point if there’s not something to celebrate in return? But you have an audience that’s able to appreciate that kind of sincerity and joy, and I hope there’s comfort in that.
Matty: “but step dad, I want to watch TV”
Fred: “well it’s just… one of those days..”
"You see son... it's like a motherfucking chainsaw."
"... what?"
"See? You're getting the hang of it!"
I'll take an auteur film over cookie cutter corporate-studio formula every time.
I believe I read somewhere that the director mentioned that the ending isn't sad, and that Owen's time is not up. "There is still time".
I saw in the street near the end!
I would VERY heavily argue with her on that. Even if he did manage to turn things around, the shit he goes through would leave deep, life-altering scars that would take longer than the time he has left to truly heal from, not to mention that the very final shot/sequence (after he leaves the bathroom) implies he actively is choosing NOT to take advantage of that time. At best, it's a pitch-black stormcloud of an ending with an *extremely* thin silver lining.
@@MilkyWayGrump You're right that Owen lost a lot of time and this will result in their later years having additional complications that there may not be time to fully resolve. At the same time, the message "There is still time" is a powerful one. At the end of the movie, Owen is only about 40/45 years old, judging by the on-screen time cards (despite him looking like those years have taken an outsized toll). I've known so many LGBTQ folks who only come to this realization about themselves in later life: 50s, 60s and well beyond. It's certainly ideal to get there sooner, but it's a hopeful message, in my mind, to think that a person could experience even one day of being their authentic self, versus none at all.
@@MilkyWayGrump But also, the beauty of a movie like this one is that it leaves a lot of room for differing interpretations. So it's in no way my intention to shoot down your perspective.
I realize this recently. He proves to himself that there is something better out there in the bathroom scene. He may be on his way to taking action as the movie ends.
I didn't like it. I can appreciate it's uniqueness, but it didn't land for me. And it was totally in the back corner of my theater.
Hell yeah Dan, this is why you’re my favorite critic! Saw this a little over a month ago at its LA premiere, have thought about it daily since and have seen it a subsequent four more times since it opened down here. I cry harder each time than the last, you hit the nail on the head with that breakdown in the spoiler section. The people this hits for, it’s a life changing experience. And it’s great to hear someone who might not have connected with it in the same way elaborate on why they’re still glad it exists. You rule!!
YES, Dan is definitely a head above other critics!!! 🙌🏼 🙌🏼 🙌🏼 My trans friend and I watched it together and we both absolutely FELL IN LOVE with it for different reasons! (I know the commenters who shun movies like this are gonna be SHOCKED that non-trans viewers will also love it, lol)
@@yoshimasu_k agree 1000%. Who can’t relate to feeling so connected to a piece of media that it speaks to them more than actual people do? Especially as a teen. Very traumatic watch if you’ve ever struggled with finding your identity in any way!
@@turnipss CZcams will only let me like your comment once, so 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👻📺🌛
I like the split non-spoiler/spoiler format. I feel like a lot of times there are only spoiler discussions for the big blockbuster movies and I like having that for a wider variety of films. You can’t truly express how you feel about a movie unless you can talk about it in detail.
Your "back corner" movies is my indie theatre :) I'm lucky in that we have a couple of indie movie theatres that are always playing fun stuff like this. Great review.
Dan watch "HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS" you'll love it
Yes! I’d love to see his take.
I've seen it twice.
Replying so this gets boosted, it’s an incredible movie more people should see.
Signal boosting for this as well.
I think you can rent it now on streaming.
saw it theatrically it was a fun time.
Very glad to see you review I Saw the TV Glow. Can’t wait to see it here in Australia in June at the Sydney Film Festival, as it’s not coming out here officially until freaking September.
Fantastic review Dan!
I actually watched the film earlier today and it immediately shot up as one of the most memorable movie theater experiences I've had this year. However, it wasn't really because I got what Jane Schoenbrun was trying to convey with the film, it was mainly because I was just so sucked in the visual aesthetic, the cinematography, the performances, and the atmosphere of the film. From the first frame to the last, I was always in a constant state of uncomfortableness and tension, which is something I've rarely felt while watching movies. It's one of those cases where even if I didn't really catch the intent of the filmmaker, the film itself still worked for me because of so many other great qualities.
Now that you've discussed the spoilers and some of the central themes, it just makes me want to go out and see the film again and see it from a different point of view. What's funny is that I actually knew before seeing it that the film was an allegory for the trans experience, but I couldn't really pinpoint how it was exactly that while watching the film. Whether it was because I was just so engaged with the disturbing visuals, Schoenbrun's neon-like aesthetic, and the performances or I just simply didn't get it, I don't quite know.
Regardless, I cannot deny that Schoenbrun has crafted a film that gave me one hell of an experience at the theater and something that even hours later I am still thinking about.
Love the spoiler format because certain comment/reviews can only be made by discussing spoilers.
Dan thank you so much for always going the extra mile to be inclusive to queer films and artists on this channel. As one of your queer fans for many years now (who also uses neutral pronouns) it means the world to feel seen, appreciated, and respected by not only your inclusive language but how certain and steadfast you are in treating LGBTQ people with respect and dignity. It'd be so easy for a mainstream pop culture channel like this let stories like I Saw the TV Glow slip by unannounced or, if discussed, from an entirely bewildered and unresearched/heteronormative lens. You going the extra mile to treat Jane Schoenbrun and their film with the respect they deserve is what sets you apart from the other critics, and why you'll always have a following of queer movie lovers who can't wait for the next charts episode. Thanks again Dan, we love you 🫶🏻🏳️⚧️💕
Thank you so much for watching and for the very kind words. They are much appreciated
Really love the new format of this review! Also always great content and perspective!
This movie really reasonated with me in a way that I'm not comfortable with and I don't like (which makes me like the film). The feelings of unfulfilled potential and runaway from the challenge of being who you are to safety, even knowing it's hindering you emotionally rang all too real for me. The film is excellent in execution and I though I would not recommend it to many people in my life, anyone with empathy on your life and who loves film should definetly see this
It's not too late, there's still time.
The director commented on how the ending was supposed to be humorous, “just close yourself back up and apologize to everyone for ever existing.” This movie was great, I wish it went on a little longer but thumbs up overall!
So glad you reviewed this Dan. You changed my mind and I look forward to seeing it. Thanks for all you do!
what did you think
Love your intelligence and nuance when reviewing movies, Dan!
This is the exact same thing as MOTHER! for me when watching it I felt one way but after hearing the intention of the director/writer etc and watching it again you end up liking it a whole lot more
You’re just one of the best CZcamsrs- thank you for your work, I appreciate it
The movie industry absolutely needs more like “I saw the TV glow.” You are right about that. I loved how all of the people under 20 in the theater were confused about what was happening, but I wasn’t surprised.
I think this is my favorite review you have ever done, Dan. Specially the last part.
Maybe some of you can help me understand: why would the metaphor only resonate with people who are “trans?” You can go through your teenage years feeling alienated as a result of many issues, trans being one of them. To feel the way Owen felt, personally I related to him but it was due to losing a parent in junior high school.
I think that the metaphor definitely won't only resonate with trans people -- clearly it resonated with you! But I do think there can be a deeper level of resonation with the experience many trans people go through, in regards to themes of disassociation, fear of transition, fear of regret, suppressing your identity, and the isolation that can come with it. As a trans person, I very much resonated with it in these ways, but I think that it should be expected that others will find ways in which it resonates with them, since trans people are first and foremost *people*, and stories like this are about aspects of a somewhat shared human experience.
The main thing is that the film doesn't only depict the experience of isolation, but the experience of feeling like you are being slowly suffocated to death, which is far more a *person who represses a profound aspect of their identity* thing. While the text is almost explicitly trans, the experience being shown isn't necessarily trans, but it is about identity and has a lot of intersections that are fairly specific.
That being said, I think a lot of the themes of the film, and of transness are relatable to everyone. I have a friend who's trans and I can relate to a lot of what she goes through and feels in my own way.
Adding to what other commenters are saying, but much of the intensity of the film, particularly in the audiovisual and fantasy-horror aspects, is a metaphor for the life sucking, soul killing force that is gender dysphoria. Now, not every trans person experiences dysphoria (some not at all, some maybe all a little), but that feeling of incongruency of one's gender identity and gender assigned at birth manifests as a kind of erasure of the spirit; to conform to a world that wants your identity vaporized due to a lack of understanding, phobia, hatred, and malice can be described, and more importantly felt, as a bifurcation of one's truest self. To straddle between and act of self-disappearance and an act of true self love must be excruciatingly exhausting. This aspect of the film is why it is both universal (to feel torn between identities and life choices is a very human experience), but also exceptionally trans, as the specificity of living under a thin veneer of conformed, but entirely untrue, gender expression to avoid the overwhelm and consequences of living life as a fully out trans person results in a more realized and grounded version of the fantastical and heartbreaking experiences the characters go through (for example, being reborn after being buried alive).
@@mitchellgenesse2866 beautifully expressed.
This is a great and thoughtful review! I also loved the movie and appreciated getting to hear your spoiler thoughts on the ending. Be well!
I saw it today. I loved the way it looked. It was absolutely gorgeous. I came home. Had dinner with friends and sat down to watch your review, and I'm so glad I did. That's what it took for the movie to click for me. Thank you.
I’ve been waiting for your review on this!! Really loved the ending. The visuals and just overall feel of the movie were awesome. The beginning definitely felt slow/left me thinking “so when’s this gonna get weird” but I have high hopes for whatever Jane Schoebrun does next
I like this non-spoiler/spoiler review. It's a genius way of getting me to watch this video twice. I see what you're doing here, Dan.
good review by the way.
the details about the director being trans and the other prefaces you gave about them helped a little more with reframing the film after I saw it.
Just saw it this afternoon, in a "corner theater" in fact, and I was slow to warm to it, but left being really affected by it. I am not a trans person or part of the LGBTQIA community (but I do really like tv shows...), but it still connected with me on a very personal level. When he walks across the chalk art that reads "There is still time" it felt like a personal call to action. I definitely bonded with this movie.
thank you for covering this! I Saw the TV Glow and Longlegs are the movies i am most excited for this summer. neither one is likely to play near me (it's a road trip to get to the closest place playing I Saw The TV Glow), so i am looking forward to the streaming releases.
I liked the film, but thought that it kinda just stopped rather than having a real ending.
SPOILERS
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Personally, I saw the ending as Owen recognizing his true self (restroom scene) BUT deciding to continue the self-repression and leading a miserable existence ("I'm sorry") - and it abruptly ends because perhaps this incident at work has happened before and will likely happen again with the same outcome. 😊
@@yoshimasu_k That's interesting. I read everything after the 20 year jump as a lie. Living in the big house while working at fun zone, having a family they never show, still unpacking the balls. It's like they fast forwarded and had lines with no real meaning.
I thought the "I'm sorry" stuff was him in a daze saying it to others while meaning it to himself and his friend. The gasping for air being him finally near death in his true body and maybe he was finally ready to take the steps his friend had tried to get him to do before, but without something more showing that I wasn't able to fully get there.
I like that it's like that, it's a jump of faith, you feel like your life will end if you take it and you have no ways of knowing the outcome
Season 6 doesn't exist yet, it's the possible future
the time jumps/20 year time jump was to show how he continued to live his life as he always had, repressing his true self and living a life he would ultimately always be unhappy with. i.e him starting a family and all of that, while still not being his true self. which was shown by the breathing as the movie went on. he became more miserable as life went on and was reaching a point where life was completely suffocating and unhappy that it was literally killing him and he could barely breathe or catch his breath anymore. the ending then showed that after so much time it finally clicked in his head and he pretty much broke and couldn’t hold it in anymore. hence the bathroom scene, opening up his chest, was seeing his true self again that he had shut down and never allowed out. the problem then and the reason it ended the way it did was to then show that even though he had finally realized he didnt want to keep it all inside anymore and wanted to be his true self he felt he needed to apologize to everyone. thats why none of the characters never even looked at him or anything bc it wasn’t about them or that scene where he screamed but only just about him finally coming to terms with himself and his life. ultimately trying to portray that he could’ve always just been himself and no one else would have really cared or gave it any thought. yet he never saw it that way so it tormented him his entire life. and yet even after all that, again, in the end of it all he still felt the need to apologize to everyone bc of it. which is why the ending is so devastating
I agree that knowing the filmmaker and their background can help you enjoy/understand the message of a film better. However, that message should be clear on its own within the movie. Filmmakers shouldn’t expect all moviegoers to know their backgrounds going in.
For all it's worth, I didn't even know the director was non binary.
The most I got was that I heard from a friend that the film was very much trans.
But like even then, I think I would've figured it out instantly with all the dresses, Owens imagining themself as Isabelle, and basically every word written in the script
I think this falls under the category of "who is this movie for?" As a trans woman, the trans parallels were incredibly obvious to me, as it likely is for most other trans people. It's possible that Schoenbren may have made this film primarily for a trans audience and didn't care as much about making sure it resonated with cis people because that wasn't the intention.
I'm also not the director, so I really can't say for sure.
LOOOVE the back corner theater comments!! I feel connected, having never talked with or heard anyone mention this haha
I saw it a little while ago.
...this was hard for me to pin down my feeling on.
i liked the visuals and colors.
but I don't think I liked how the movie made me feel. made me feel really dark, existential, depressed and uncomfortable.
it took me a while to wash out those dark feelings and thoughts from my head
i mean good job with this kind of thing out there and having different styles and types of movies outside the mainstream type and being available in a multiplex
I just don't think this would be something I could recommend to anyone in my personal circles.
That's what Gender dysphoria feels like, the horror of the film is the existential horror of living with a repressed gender identity.
And that's completely fine.
👍❤️
God I love you, you’re reviews are so thoughtful
describing it as bonding is such a neat thing, gonna be thinking about that for a while
The only A24 movie that was marketed as mainstream was Civil War. Other than that they marketed to a certain audience who are looking for something different than your mainstream blockbuster film
The Pink Opaque is the name of the 1986 Cocteau Twins album. *I still have this cd. Is that a reference or easter egg to the show within the movie?
Having seen it, I'm honestly not sure. I don't know the album, but from skimming the wikipedia page for it, the only thing I can find in common is that it's by the Cocteau "Twins" and the show is similarity about two people with a strong bond. Beyond that, I don't know if there's anything in common. Could be a complete coincidence
Thanks for the thoughtful review, Dan. My husband and I saw the movie last night, and I absolutely loved it, despite *and* because of all the quirky directorial decisions. My husband did not like how confusing it was. The flat delivery by the characters was the main down-side for me. I can see how that choice makes thematic sense, but it really puts on the viewer at a disadvantage if they want to connect to the characters at all.
Also; the sound. The sound mixing was bizarre - at least as it was presented at my theater! Main characters with muffled, distorted voices, sudden jolting uses of surround, background noises that are just a bit too loud, and of course the squishy sounds used to make all the little violent bits just that much more unpleasant.
You are the absolute best, Dan! Thank you for being you. Have a great weekend!
Dan you are the top reviewer around & I hope you never stop doing movie reviews. The spoiler/non-spoiler format is a wonderful addition but I have a suggestion for your consideration. I think it would be great to have 2 kinds of spoilers. There are plot outcome spoilers that really nobody should know before a movie. & there are spoilers that some may not want to know but others may benefit from - i.e. get more out of the movie because of them. These are sometimes about mood, theme, director intent & such. I think your two recent reviews for If & I Saw the TV Glow are perfect for illustrating both kinds (perhaps there are more or they could be broken down differently). Sometimes I'll read a review that has "spoilers" of the latter kind & they help me understand a movie better or come into it with the appropriate mindset. Or I'll read a review after & think that I would have appreciated/understood the movie better if I had known something. Thanks as always for your amazing work.
I’m so glad you covered this movie, Dan! I saw it last night and adored it. I really enjoyed hearing your perspective!
I do disagree with your read that the time has past for Owen/Isabel, though, given the still-open plot on the football field and the chalk art that says, “There Is Still Time,” after Maddy disappears the second time (that feels as much a message to Owen/Isabel as it is to the audience members who need it). Going off the trans read, there is a presupposition in the trans community that there is a “too late to transition” that older trans folks work hard to push against. I did feel like Schoenbrun was leaning away from the presupposition rather than leaning into. It’s just that Owen/Isabel is too scared, even after she finally “looks inside herself” - Maddy, God, whomever can’t make her do the thing, but it’s never too late to get out of the world she’s dying in and live fully. That’s just my read, though! Love your channel!
For as cheesy & outdated as it would be, I’d like to see the Pink Opaque as an actual show
Loved it and liked it even more with your analysis. Helped me appreciate the ending much more and that way I love film analysis so much!
Much love for this one, thank you Dan!
Just wanna say that I appreciate you and your reviews, Dan!
I'm trans and got absolutely nothing from this film, but i am happy that this message is being shown in movies,
I have to roll my eyes when people say “turn your brain off.” That seems to be a talking point from studio execs who just want people to consume crappy content that is usually part of an IP.
I like that studios like A24 aren’t trying to make everything a franchise and are letting films be unique and niche.
THANK YOU, DAN, for acknowledging the importance of "back corner movies"!!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 I like this phrase because it implies that movies like this shouldn't be limited to inaccessible film festivals, that they deserve to have mainstream releases next to the summer blockbusters, Oscar-baiting dramas, soulless horror remakes/reboots/requels, etc.
I'm not trans so I didn't identify with this movie on that level, but the protagonists' social awkwardness, the despairing loneliness and disconnection (especially to self), and the need to obsess over and find deeper meaning in something external are all things that knocked the air out of me while watching this (these are also things that engaged me in Schoenbrun's "We're All Going to the World's Fair", albeit less effectively).
The friend who I saw this with happens to be trans and we were both profoundly impacted! 🥹
You made this movie make sense to me! Literally an ah ha moment. I'll see it again with new eyes.
This is the closest we'll ever get to a dreamcore movie
I get the undertones that the writer director was going for but for me this was just 90s nostalgia and the show they were watching reminded me of are you afraid of the dark and goosebumps. Was a great movie.
Exactly how I felt leaving; thank you for so eloquently articulating my own thoughts! How does he do it?!
Great review. Will be subscribing. I really really loved this film, and I loved it before learning about the very deliberate allegorical intent the director had. Regardless I recognized a lot of familiar themes and it resonated deeply with me in multiple ways (especially as an 80s/90s kid). This film reminds me a bit of Synecdoche, New York in that there is a very specific and deliberate allegory/viewpoint on display but that every viewer can take something of their own from it. Love to see this type and wish there more taking risks like this. They’re soon becoming one of my new favorite directors and I’m excited to see what’s next from them.
I saw this film. Once the ending credits hit, the theater was silent… we all sat there wondering “did the movie just end right now?” It was a confusing choice, especially since no one clapped (even with the director present within the theater) for a minute or two… until one person took the lead, and the rest followed suit; but it was more as a courtesy.
As Dan also mentioned, it is a very slow burn too, and I don’t think it delivered in the end.
Watched this today and absolutely loved it!
Great video Dan!
Im really glad i watched this review, thanks
Didn't even know that was Fred Durst.
I loved this movie and will be seeing it again
Dan, would love to know what % of the box office A24 is picking up these days - they seem to be so prolific but still in the 'Other' category in your weekly charts.
Spoilers bellow for the film!!!
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Saw it yesterday on the recomendation of a trans call in show i watch regularly. while as a trans person i felt like the allegory might have been hard to parce in the text of the show itself without that outside awareness that its an allegory specifically for the trans experience, i think the film works on a core emotional level regardless of if you are trans or not or if you see its connection to trans people. To me it feels like the film i have wanted to see in cinema but failed to really see a good example of. That of the film that version of what happens if Neo or Alice or any other heroes refuse the truth and accepts the metaphorical blue pill. As much as i can relate to Neo, someone larger than life who sees the lies of the world around, i related a lot to the character of cypher, someone who just wants a happy life even if it is all a lie. So showing a main character who is given the choice of the red pill or blue pill, and screams in utter terror and runs away from the truth, that hit home for me far more than Neo did. Because honestly, it took me 8 years i will never get back to come out and start my transition. from ages 12 to 20 i knew i was trans and ran away from it for fear of the consequences of accepting the truth i had been running from. Like the main character i accepted that the world was just miserable to exist in and that it was somehow my fault that i was unable to accept who i am. I tried for years to run from the truth because accepting the truth meant literally putting my life permanently in danger.
On the topic of the monotone and choice to have the characters talk in a way that seemed "unnatural", to me that was part of the story. During her Monologue at the school gym, the friend/spirit companion of the protagonist mentions talking to the mc about all this on the benches at the high school. But the film showed that conversation being about sexuality. At least, that's what it seems like. But in hindsight i realized that there are a lot of edits during those conversations that also feature the characters talking in ways that don't match their body language or tones. This implies, to me at least, that those conversations were altered memories that don't match what actually happened. I hope to check for this when it releases on streaming/in stores, but i suspect that even the mouth movements of some of the words were left vague, as though even the mc couldn't really identify the words being said at times and filled in the gaps.
There's 1 other interpretation of the mc and friend's monotone that I have, though obviously i am biased here: they both are meant to represent the autism spectrum, something that overlaps a lot with many trans people, including myself. The way the villain characters all demand eye contact and mock the depressive signs and actions of the characters seems more than a little pointing at the 2 normal people being alienated and treated like they are in the wrong for behaving in ways neurotypicals don't act. This too is something that both people on the spectrum and people who are trans have in common. Our behaviors, which not only feel natural but often second nature to us, are treated as personal insults to those around us who don't understand our feelings and thus misregister them as inappropriate. This is especially a problem in cinema, where as you said the neurotypical audience is put off by these kinds of neurodiverse traits that cinema will only show as a way to, at best, make the audience sympathize with autistic characters ie Rainman, or at worse are used mockingly as ways to imply our social traits being atypical somehow make us stupid. As a result, i personally felt seen more than ever in those autistic characters and felt their awkward, flustered way of speaking that only gets somewhat clear headed as they describe their pains and traumas openly to each other is a very honest portrayal of people with disabilities compared to basically any cinema based attempt i have seen to portray autism authentically without mocking the seeming awkwardness and monotone esque talking inherent in being neurodiverse.
Over all i agree with your review beyond those points. If your only goal for entertainment is brain off and to destress, i feel that is a completely valid way to enjoy entertainment. This film doesn't offer much to that kind of viewer, which is fine. Many shows and films i have enjoyed fully aware they are completely without substance. But if you are looking for a film with substance that will leave you having to pause through the credits and think about what you just saw to process it all, this and many other a24 films are all fantastic examples of that IMO. I am looking forwards to seeing more of a24's backlog that i missed. I only have seen a few of their films like Everything Everywhere All At Once, and they have all made me at least feel glad that i had the great torture to see it even if it always land the way i hoped it would.
there is stil/ time
The secondary autism themes were also apparent to me. One of the characters literally says "why don't you make eye contact"
So glad you saw this bc Bibbs and Whitney loved it so I wanted to hear your thoughts
Hoping its good. Going to get this in along with IF and Spider-Man Homecoming on Monday.
I seek out the smaller indie films if their isn’t a big release I’m excited for
Yeah I feel like I got it but Owen was just kinda boring. Intentional as it was it also just reminded me of the worst possible combination of Shinji from Eva and Morty from Rick and Morty. When Owen was freaking out I really couldn’t help but imagine this in Rick and Morty or even Smiling Friends. Color Palette was great and soundtrack was right up my alley. I also loved the two “live” performances.
Fun fact: one of the lead kids on the original Are You Afraid of the Dark show on Nickelodeon later created and starred as the gay preacher on Letterkenny.
Loving the Non-Spoiler/Spoiler format. Even though I want to give this movie a shot, I went ahead and watched the spoiler section, and I'm glad I did. I can't wait to see this movie, and I hope I can get a chance to see it in theaters
I like what you said about movies and bonds. And as a queer kid of the 90s, this is one of the strongest bonds I've ever felt to a film. Planning to see it again almost immediately.
I literally saw this movie in a back corner auditorium, at 11:30 am with the auditorium all to myself 🙌
I cannot focus on this review because I've got the exact same intermission sign hanging up in my home too
It was heartbreaking
Dan is the best! I can think of very few critics who express their thoughts as clearly and gently.
I love Lynch, my favorite filmmaker of all time. Just had to say that.
I loved Are You Afraid of the Dark. It's the other show that I use the Star Trek/Twin Peaks app to watch
I think this may have been my favorite movie since Boyhood… and that was like 10 years ago. Dunno, over time I’ll see how it stacks up against Little Women and Mad Max: Fury Road.
I had the perfect experience with this movie. I walked in last night having seen no trailers, and knowing absolutely nothing about the contents of the movie. I only knew the title and the poster, and my brother had seen it and told me it seemed like it was up my alley (since you brought him up, I am a massive fan of David Lynch).
I cannot imagine how discovering this movie would work outside of a theater, and it’s something of a shame that so many will get around to it at home. But by that same token, I’m so happy I was alone in the theater. The tone and atmosphere of I Saw the TV Glow are deeply felt, and as an expression from Schoenbrun, they did something I don’t think a movie has ever done: it made me feel like I became a different person for 100 minutes. Engrossing, hypnotic, and (in the end) devastating.
I was particularly impressed with how the movie relates the human form to the form of television.
I saw this movie on Wednesday and I'm still thinking about it. It's powerful and the messages will stick with me. An easy top 5 for me. Also, amazing soundtrack.
EDIT: Also the cinematographer as you pointed out shot A Thousand and One, another top 5 film for me from last year. Very cool indeed.
This sounds like a perfect film for A24 - and something I’ll enjoy a lot. I don’t like ‘leave your brain at the door’ movies unless I’m very tired or stressed, but regardless I do love a movie (or book) that makes watching/reading an active, rather than a passive, experience.
Thank you for this: since I’m not much of a horror movie person I would have skipped this, thinking it was horror. (I’m not judgemental about horror, just can’t deal with the type of horror that could be real. I’m OK with strictly supernatural horror, since I’m not superstitious, but not slasher/home invasion/human cruelty horror.)
Very good review. Interesting. Thanks.
I LOVED this movie! I do hope that even though it’s not an easy watch people will challenge themselves and give it a chance.
One of the cool things in this movie is rarely seeing the step dad…and the first time you see him, the first thing he says is “isn’t that a show for girls?” About the Pink Opaque… oof
He’s such a scary / big bad type of character … I think he -is- Mr. melancholy, in a way. Idk!!! I want to watch it again!! I’m not sure what to takeaway re: the ending -
Was there hope left, or not?
Also when Owen says “ I have a family of my own now” and you never see them… lmao
Yes In a way he is Mr melancholy because he always made him go to sleep at night. He refused Owen to find his own identity, hence break the simulation (moonlight realm)
I thought it was the tv show GLOW.
🤣😆
For filmmakers on this video and comments section, IMO folks need to thread thoughtfully about needing the audience to understand information outside of the bounds of the movie in order to access the movie in and of itself.
Ultimately it’s the prerogative of the filmmaker but context IMO matters. There are Contemporary Art works that run feature length and are shot like features but they are made, and shown in the context of a gallery. In that context, seeking for the viewer to have prior knowledge is wholly common/typical but also not uncommon.
A movie theatre, the movie industry ultimately is about commercial filmmaking. Building a practice, placing vital keys to accessing the work to things outside of the start/end points of the viewing can become a distraction from developing film craft. It can become an easy get out of jail card if not handled thoughtfully. IMO it’s important to develop a rigour and discipline, awareness around our practice. An ethic, intellectual honesty to ourselves, to our audience.
Spot on review, wondered why I agreed with everything and then saw the FSU hat! I trust most FSU film or film adjacent kids as a former one!
This movie absolutely destroyed me. The parallels were uncanny
I too don't understand the "turn off your brain" thing.
I knew nothing about this movie or the director so I went in totally blind. Leaving the theatre i felt sad and couldn't pinpoint why. The way I watched it, I thought it was trying to say something about our relationship to nostalgia and using TV/movies as escapism. But having watched this review I think I need to see it again and look at knowing the directors POV. But there's something to be said that even tho I didnt initially see it through a trans lens, the fact that I still felt it is incredible work on the directors part.
HI Dan. I wish unusual films were marketed to more people. For example, I was in the theatre & saw a sign for the movie Mars Express. My brother saw that it looked like a French anime type of movie, so we checked it out. Mars Express has wonderful world building & I hope there are more movies set in that world, but it fits as a stand alone movie too. I highly recommend Mars Express if you haven't seen it. When I saw the title I Saw the TV Glow, my first thought went to the movie Color Out of Space, which was way too long & anti-climatic, although the source material sounded more horrifying & interesting to me. I might give I Saw the TV Glow a shot, especially because Justice Smith is a good actor & I felt like he was wasted in the Jurassic World movies.
Dan. You are the BEST movie reviewer on this platform!
I just saw this and while these sorts of movies are usually hit or miss for me, this one was a hit. I do want to argue a point, however: SPOILERS
While I absolutely agree that this movie is inspired by the director's life experience as transgender, the plot and metaphor are open to other interpretations and I believe are relatable by a variety of other viewers. For me, this reminded me of my cousin and I and how we would get carried away with our imaginations as kids. She later had some mental health issues that she had to work through. Also, I think this can be viewed as speaking to how powerful a viewers' love of a TV show can be and how people can bond around TV shows.
Not for me I’m a 90s kid I like goosebumps and the genre of 90s kid horror but characters I didn’t feel that 90s vibe also characters were really bland imo
I DIDN’T See the TV Glow.
My 7 year old finds your comment hilarious
I probably won't see the TV glow.
Please don't. Save your time and money
@@waynedexteryour 7 year old trans too lmao
What’s fascinating to me is that I had no idea this movie was made by a trans person … and as a result, I ended up seeing it more as a metaphor for nostalgia and fantasy consuming a person’s reality. These two had their escape in this TV show, but as their lives kept failing to get better, they *maybe* let that escape overpower their minds, or at least Maddy did. I say “maybe” because the movie never confirms that Maddy is right or wrong. So, I found myself internally debating the line between nostalgic fondness and nostalgic obsession, and how the abstract nature of the film - time passing quickly, the show being cheesier than Owen remembers, etc. - asks whether these characters are victims of an oppressive world or victims of their own minds. Either way, I still felt highly relatable sympathy for them because of the parallels to my own experiences with fiction and escapism, and how the world often *forces* us to make that escape.
I did pick up on possible trans allegories right away, but I wasn’t sure if they were intentional. Now I know that they were, and because of that, I haveANOTHER way to look at the movie, one that’s very different but just as meaningful, probably more so to people who identify as trans. Sure, that means ditching the interpretation that these characters are delusional, for obvious reasons, but the film works in a way where both of these mutually exclusive interpretations are viable, and I love that.
… But it’s still a slow, abstract, deliberately awkward movie, so I’d be *very* obtuse to not see how anyone else could dislike or not gel with it.
Phenomenal review. Trust is earned.
For a momenr, i thought Dan is going to review the Netflix' TV show - GLOW. 7 years too late. :)
I LOVED THE MUSIC GOING FOR ROUND 3 TONIGHT AMC MIAMI !!
I Saw the TV Glow is a new generation of David Cronenberg's Videodrome and I did see the trailer and I was intrigued about it and I'm definitely going to see it next month
😂
The movie did nothing for me, especially when the movie ended - huh?
So, glad you went into a spoiler discussion. I think this is a movie that will help me with a director commentary track. I might value the movie more.
the conner o'malley jumpscare nearly ripped me right out of the movie