MAY DECEMBER - Movie Review
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- čas přidán 2. 12. 2023
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I thought that the frustration and lack of catharsis was the point, at least in part. A typical movie about this subject would have Joe breaking free and re-starting his life, but that doesn't happen here because maintaining the status quo is too important to most of the characters. There are facts about the situation which simply cannot be spoken about or acknowledged in any way.
I agree. I feel like the butterfly was all we needed to see (along with him crying at his kids' graduation) to indicate that something has awoken in him and that the future will be different. We don't get anything further, though, because the film Portman's character is filming gets the last word and gets to decide what we think is real. It's bitter and cold and gives no justice to him, but indicates that maybe he'll be able to pursue justice for himself. That's what I took from it.
julianne moore in my opinion stole the show. there was something super authentic and real about that performance. the lisp, the housewife vibe, something about it was special. she's a fantastic performer.
Recently discovered this channel with the Maestro review. I couldn't stand May December and thought Maestro was quite good, but despite potentially having polar opposite tastes I really appreciate how thorough and honest your analysis is. Will definitely be coming back for more.
Joe is a blank slate for Garcie and Elizabeth, ultimately making them alike rather than different. Portman's character Elizabeth in a way enjoys this taboo and in a twisted way so she can vicariously devle into Gracie's twisted mind. Natalie Portman played this character scrumptiously.
The ending feels very much like real life. I agree there felt like a buildup throughout that would lead to a big climactic ending, and I think some of that has to do with the way the score drops in at pivotal moments, in a way that feels very Kubrickian. (There is actually a shot or two that feel like nods to The Shining.) Not to mention Chekhov's inhaler & roof & hunting rifle, etc., I really felt like something dreadful would happen at the end.
That said, I think something did. Between the letter, and the bomb Moore's character drops at the end, I really do think the huge reveal is that she knew what she did was wrong and the weight of it all along: she wasn't made, she was born, or it at least suggests we'll never get the answer to that question. She goes hunting for the fox but I don't think she shoots it cause she recognizes it as an equal, a mirror. She is not naive, but like an actor plays as naive, and it's only at the end of the film that her husband and Portman realize it. She is the fox in the hen house.
And I feel like the whole butterfly metaphor (+ him being separate from her in the end) suggests the husband will leave her.
This could be all wrong, but this was my take. And I'm kind of happy they didn't go down the route I expected / hoped for.
The movie portrays the concept of Carl Jung's the devouring mother and also the Puer aeternus ''manchild'' and does it so very subtly and methodically. Amazing movie
Apologies for the off topic comment, but I watched a documentary over the weekend called Leap of Faith, which is a feature length doc about William Friedkin and his film-making process. It’s ostensibly about the making of The Exorcist, but it’s actually much more broad than that and covers his entire philosophy, methods, etc. He was truly a brilliant man and I could listen to him talk all day. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it.
I came straight to your review after watching the film. The tension (helped by that simmering score) in every scene is so delicious, so interesting to soak in, that I had to keep laughing to relieve myself of it. A dark comedy indeed. Loved the film's very self-aware lens too. I need to check out other Todd Haynes films. Great review, as always. Thank you, well done, and happy holidays!
delicious
The best way I can describe this movie is David Lynch makes a hallmark channel tv movie. Pretty uncanny valley at times and that piano score pangs off at weird times.
i think you mean lifetime moreso
@@tyler5550 yeah! I think hallmark makes the cheesy holiday tv movies. My mistake
@@alexanderg1297This one was really cheesy and bad.
@@sandorx4 nah
Wouldn't that just be The Straight Story? :P
This idea: "I don't think the movie is saying as much as it thinks it's saying." I hear this or similar sentiments in film criticism, but I have to admit I don't understand it. Who is the subject in this construction? The director? The cinematographer? The actors? I mean, what is the part of a movie that _thinks_ ?
I thought Charles Melton was wonderful, his performance broke my heart. All of the performances and the screenplay are excellent in this film
It's such a gutsy performance! I can't think of a single performance like it given the circumstances of this character. He totally exudes this attractive, leading man energy, but then undercuts everything with poor posture, mumbling, gaps in his language, the way he looks at everyone around him. It's so subtle and devastating, but also kind of funny, but not in a mean spirited way. Loved all the performances, but I walked away thinking "DAMN what a breakout."
I think the makeup scene is the true turning point because Todd Haynes said this is where Gracie tells Elizabeth that she has now become her after being fed up by all her extensive note-taking and shadowing.
I'm not sure if it's a masterpiece but it's certainly masterfully done - as you say, in a Todd Haynes, Sirk melodrama-infused, Persona-like story of women and the tension between them. I think the frustrations you have with the film in terms of lack of closure remind me of the likes of Mystic River, and Zodiac where we CANNOT have full satisfaction because, in reality, people live with their secrets and protect themselves, particulalry when it comes to trying to tell a story of someone's 'reality'. What is that? As Elizabeth says to Joe, 'it's such a great story' and Joe says, 'it's not a story, this is my f****** life!' How can you ever get to the truth, as it's an evolving phenomenon as we see with Joe, releasing the butterfly and reacting to his childrens' graduation. Where the truth lies is left up to the audience and respectfully imbues the film with the appropriate amount of mystery and complexity as the story itself.
Really enjoyed your review once again.
And I humble ask to please review Godzilla Minus One, I'm really interested to hear your thoughts.
I think "Carol" and "Mildred Pierce" and "May December" are all brilliant. Instant classics. Todd Haynes is definitely one of my favorite directors.
Thoughtful review as always. I just watched it a couple hours ago and now want to review it on my own channel because there is so much detail in the film. What is unsaid is as important as what's said, as you mentioned, and one could spend hours picking at every line or mannerism. I agree on the undercooked finale, but the performances (especially Charles Melton) were more than enough to recommend.
heyyyy you should review The Holdovers :)
This movie is incredible. It's my favorite of those I've seen so far this year and may be one of my favorites I've ever seen. There is so much there, so many levels and layers. I've never seen anything like it really.
I agree that the movie seems to be building to something and then eventually fizzles out but that final scene is so great, I thought. It reads like some absurd punchline to everything that preceded it
So was the punchline in the end just that she did all that digging and mining for material from the actual people to just go and just do a remake of a bad hallmark movie with that’s the format and tone Haynes formatted this film in seemingly? I was a tad lost on what I was supposed to take from it but I could tell it was not of an lol ending than anything.
@@drewmcgill5290 I saw the ending as no matter how much "research" Elizabeth did, and despite Joes and Gracies wishes of the film being authentic and truthful, the film we see being made at the end seems nothing like that. And probably never was going to be.
@@bloandon I like your answer and agree with your viewpoint of it. Sounds right and helps me appreciate it a bit more.
@@drewmcgill5290 Glad I could do that!There's a scene earlier where Elizabeth is watching a seemingly bad, cheesy, and poorly depicted version of the couples story. The ending scene seems almost identical to that version.
@@bloandon exactly why I thought it was just a joke that she did all the research to just do a shitty remake of a lifetime movie lol.
I didn’t mind the ending but thought it would and could have ended on Natalie Portmans letter monologue which was captivating. Overall this one is in my top 10 of the year. 9/10 for me
I totally agree it reminded me a bit of Atonement which makes me wish it ended there .
Omg YES. I can’t wait to watch this in a little bit. The very moment I finished this movie, I was like, “I REQUIRE a review from DFL on this”
I need to rewatch this but i really didnt care for it the first go around. it felt sort of pointless and directionless and thought the last 30 minutes were especially sloppy. also i hate hate HATED the score.
I saw the movie a couple of nights ago and I agree with this review. I would add that the scoring was also a negative for me. The music was distracting and didn't seem right for the movie. But the performances were all very good, and the way the story is told was very original.
I myself always think of Douglas sirk when I see Hayes work . I have no problem with it whatsoever I’m a huge Sirk fan
Yea. They are men who comfortably write/wrote female-centered stories - among other similarities. Guillermo del Toro referenced Sirk’s films as one of his influences for The Shape of Water.
Ending gave me DePalma vibes
Most of the film did, specially bcz of that score.
I had said during the film the score felt like an 80's 90's erotic thriller lol@@abhiezibran9654
~SPOILERS~
Personally, I love this film and, especially, the ending because it feels so unsatisfying for us. We typically crave endings that pay off what our anxieties are about, but this film doesn’t want to be typical in any way. I think the true meaning of the film is the actress, who has an inflated ego by default and who looks down upon Gracie, expects to find cracks in her life so she can give a successful performance. One that will show off these “faults” that she picked up on from Gracie’s daily life. However, apart from sleeping with her husband, Natalie Portman’s character never gets that satisfaction of being “better” than Gracie. By the end, Joe is crying at his children's graduation and Gracie is walking through the woods with a rifle. We presume she is going to commit suicide due to the recent meta-examination of her life…But that doesn't happen. She shows up at the graduation and bids farewell to the actress, labelling herself as a "secure person". In the end, the actress is left with more questions than answers. Her weaknesses are shown through Gracie's confidence. On set, she can't wrap her head around Gracie's motives and, therefore, is never satisfied with each take. She can't have peace of mind knowing she is "better" than Gracie while playing as her.
I got this flash while you were talking that the couple would file for divorce thanks to all the issues kicked up by the development of the film within the film and the probing of the actress. Then the movie in development has to contend with the dramatic shift in the story that no longer looks much like the script they've created. Suddenly the Portman character is a key element in the story, and the movie in the movie evolves into telling the story about the creation of itself.
I'd watch the hell out of that.
I was expecting something carefully 'woven' but I thought it was too meandering. For me, the story ran out of steam long before the lacklustre ending. I think I was a bit bored by Moore's character and irritated by the 'quirky' soundtrack. Short of going all Basic Instinct, I'm not sure what kind of ending might have saved such an oddly trivial script.
Totally agree
Truly shocked how high the reviews on RT are
This is about why my opinion and review is
My favorite reviews on CZcams!oh and 1st!
Godzilla Minus One review in the works?
I saw it last night and really liked it. The three central performances were very good.
It mirrors the real crime history case of Mary Kay Letourneau. That is quite a story in itself. Including her father who was like a CIA right wing John Birch Society guy.
I loved the Joe character and performance too.
If the John Birch society was a product of the CIA, then when did actual CIA affiliated people like Bill Buckley go so hard on it and drive it out of the mainstream GOP?
I was surprised to recognize the soundtrack of "The Go-Between", ironically
used in this movie. By the way, I recommend that one, an interesting mixing of coming of age story and romantic drama. Directed by Joseph Losey in the early 70s, starring Julie Christie and Alan Bates
this actress is also abused, if you remember her conversation with the director. this actor tries to get over her abuse by trying to make her act real, and this couple tries to get over the abuse by trying to make their love real. the film draws parallels between the two. would you like it if love blossomed between this man and the actress at the end of the movie? even that angle was great. movie cornered some men, he he. i just finished the movie, my emotions and thoughts have not calmed down yet. anyway, if i go back to the beginning, this is what happens when you made movie about the real event, the acting of the actors, the directing of the directors are become more important that reality itself. the movie shows you that, it does not paint your eyes, it does not mislead you with the magic of the movie, it shows the realty.
Personally I’ve always been intrigued by the Watchmen graphic novel. But hey, I liked the ads. At the end, I mean.
Really looking forward to checking this one out, especially after your review!
Hey. I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t normally react to a Godzilla movie but I’m sure you’ve heard all the buzz about Godzilla minus one. This is a movie you need to see and react to. It’s a great drama that happens to have a monster in it.
Please review Animal. It's the biggest film in India right now. I was overwhelmed by your review of RRR, do it again 😊.
Have a nice day
Always appreciate your take on todays cinema, wanted to like this film. I love the story idea for sure but oh boy, great actors in a Hallmark movie. Maybe should have been a hallmark movie, probably would have been more acceptable. Oh well , to each their own. Everyone is a critic!
I felt the exact same about the let down at the end, it left me flustered but I also agree about the things that were "unsaid" being so telling!!
You can definitely tell that Elizabeth's character became enticed by both Joe for the challenge I think but at the end she was aroused by the actor playing young Joe..
I paused at 3:30 to go watch this film, thanks for tipping me over in that direction :)
Longtime viewer/fan. You usually have great film radar for unsung gems..2 current movies are must sees for you. Eileen (Neon) currently in theaters is just a dazzler on every level. READ NOTHING!
And Sebastian Silva's Rotting in the Sun is the most original, scandalous and hilarious flick in a while. That one you can read about. It's airing now on MUBI and streaming. Act accordingly. Best!
just watched the movie, hopped on youtube and my favorite reviewer uploaded a review just an hour ago.
'May December' is an an absurdist.comedic commentary on society's fascination with 'True Crime" stories which exploit real-life tragedies for our entertainment. The joke is that no beneficial or redeemable purpose exists in telling Gracie's story; other than to cash in on it and titilate viewers, which the film understands. Where Elizabeth exploits the trauma for professional gain, Gracie hopes the undue attention will result in an undeservedly compassionate potrayal of her. But neither is considering the effects that airing out this decades' old dirty laundry will have on Joe, or their children, who are condemned to forever have this tabloid footnote looming over their heads. Joe's storyline feels unresolved because society demands it to be. In our eyes he must always remain that abused and fragile 13 year-old boy, as that is the only depiction which satisfies our narrative. There is a very touching shot of Joe from a distance, watching his childrens' graduation. Hidden from the crowds and the public speculation, we catch a glimpse of whom Joe truly is; a proud father celebrating his childrens' achievement, and filled with the hope that they will move on to form identities all of their own creation. Joe isn't asking for our empathy or approval, because his story doesn't belong to us. What Joe wants most is for us to finally leave him and his family alone.
i agree that the climax is unsatisfying but I think this was Haynes' choice and a brilliant one. The climax is Joe confronting his wife and abuser and you want there to be this explosion, the fallout of which is Joe making a change to ensure his own survival. But I think the script is saying this kind of abuse renders the victim emotionally impotent and only results in the abuser resorting to more extreme manipulation to silence the revelation, so to speak. It's a dark ending for sure because we're left understanding Joe will never escape this alive but I also think it's truth because how could one in such circumstances escape such a thing alive. This type of abuse is permanent and irreversible and the film's acknowledgment of that inescapable truth, and its courage to say it in a world where an organization like M.A.P. exists, made an indelible impression on me. Yet again your opinions are inciteful and refreshing. The most intellectually stimulated I've been on CZcams in a long time. Perhaps ever.
A curious hommage/parody/deconstruction of cheap soapy TV drama stories based on true events, developed with cheesy over the top music.
However, the movie is less brilliant that it tries to be. The themes (the abuse disguised of love, the actress mirroring her real life inspiration, the victim trying to evolve) are too much on your face. And I find the actor quite wooden to get my emotions shaken by the history of abuse his character tries to cope with. Maybe that is part of the joke as well
From 5:48 to 6:00 I 100% agree. Well said.
I LOVED this movie. An Existential horror movie that’s all about what’s under the surface of the scenes. This takes my title for favorite movie of the year so far…. Until I see Poor Things maybe….
I enjoyed the film overall but the ending seemed somewhat lackluster and abrupt. I try to accept art for what it is without injecting my expectations or how I thought the story was going to play out. The ending left me kind of nonplussed.
I'm not sure I can call Portman our audience surrogate, as she's so slimy and predatory. I don't think I hate even true crime audiences quite as much as that. Great performance by all three leads - two abusers and a victim in denial basically.
i was satisfied with the ending of the movie, i couldn't think of any other ending anyway. i wish the sexual abuse by the actress character had been made more explicit, because she hides it, acts as if she wants it, and tries to make it worth it by being obsessed with her art.
I really wanted to like it more ..still a solid film but not by any means essential. B-
Have you seen Godzilla Minus One? You should see it! :)
Nathalie Portman in.. ( the Proffesional 2 )
I was deeply disturbed by this movie, so much so that I had to go walk off the discomfort. I am a musician, and the music to me was absolutely wrenching. I felt like it was a character in the film. Overall, the whole thing kind of made me sick (I am a victim of sexual abuse), which is maybe the point? But I definitely could not watch it again.
Just watched it last night. I liked it. I thought it was very good.
Julianne Moore playing a conniving gas-lighting evil bitch. 😂😂😂. And so was Natalie.
But the film belongs to Charles Melton. Giving a soulful heartbreaking performance. But I do feel like the film could be even more menacing, given the right director, like Brian De Palma. I think he would have had a lot of fun with this.
The final scene shows Portman as a temptress. She's Eve, temping the man with the snake to eat the forbidden fruit and corrupt him. However, Joe said he wanted it and that she saw him. Gracee says Joe was in control, he tempted her. They hoped for an honest portrayal to get some sympathy. The friend said their life has just started to calm down and then a long comes Elizabeth and her movie. Elizabeth not only destroys their marriage but the portrayal is nothing like they wanted or felt. Elizabeth used them for her own attempt to be a star and yet, it's some shitty B-movie she did this for.
my favorite movie of last year
Ashleigh burton: She is so pretty!
Now why am I thinking of Mary Kay however-her-last-name-is-spelled?
Mary Kay Letourneau
@@foregonebooks Thank you.
Yeah I was disappointed as well, ambiguity should make it so questions are more interesting than answers but here it moreso made the whole thing feel shallow and indecisive. I can't say any theme is getting a "definitive" exploration like I could of a film like Persona, which clearly May December is taking after. I can picture someone like Abbas Kiarostami grabbing this themes and keep twisting and twisting them until we get some never seen before contemplation. Is there gonna be a single film this year that doesn't disappoint?
" Is there gonna be a single film this year that doesn't disappoint?" That probably says more about you than the films.
😂😂 36 and 13 is only described as a romance if it's an older woman and a boy not the reverse. Anyway as she's aged Natalie is just sex walking but I hated Black Swan and I'm a Natalie Portman simp. I've only seen a few minutes of this film but I've read a lot of negative things from average moviewatchers - not critics.
do napoleon
it’s one of my favorites of the year honestly
[03:42] Saucy minx!
One of the few films I’ve been interested in seeing this awful year for interesting new films. But I’m waiting to stream it, as no theaters near me will bother showing anything but comic-book crap. 🙄
I've often thought of Catherine Keener as being Nicole Holofcener's muse (as she's starred in so many of her films) but Julianne Moore certainly qualifies as Haynes'. This is her fourth film in a starring role and fifth altogether w/ the LA-born director.
There is no climax in that movie.
Haven't seen this one yet but it's one my list.....
Why the name, are there any ties to the poem? Seems out of place
a may december is an age gap relationship
@@joshtalks6684 ah
is this what we are reduced to.... Meta movies about meta subjects of post modern ideology. Make a movie about a movie of a movie star pretending to be the person the movie is based on.... I sum this movie up quoting the Tropic of thunder "Me? I know who I am! I'm a dude playing a dude disguised as another dude."
I mean considering films of that genre that inspired May December include Mulholland Drive, 3 Women, Persona, All About Eve, and Rebecca, it seems you have a problem with everything post 1940?
You can simplify it as a story about grooming but also a critique of media sensalization of very real traumatic events
Whenever I see you praising a movie, I predominantly wait for your frustration part to start. Nevertheless, I am also someone who struggles with Natalie Portman as an actress and yes, I do agree this is her best performance.
excellent as always though i thought some of the casting was ill-conceived.
Mary Kay laternoue
Natalie Portman seen her chin hairs coming into color, "I better do something before they cast me as a witch!"
She's 42. Hardly an old crone -_-
I absolutely hated this film.
Im praying you like this one
Gorgeous lady ❤
I finally watched it.
SPOILERS
The ending was very interesting for me. When we finally get to see the delivery, the final result of Portman’s character’s effort, it turns out that the movie is really bad, a B movie, almost a soft porn film.
The performances were great. Charles Melton is very subtle and delivers a fresh look of a tortured soul. Portman is extremely sensual here, it’s hard to describe. Her character is full of nuances. The duality between Moore and Portman is excellent.
❤❤❤❤
Considering this was in fact based on the Seattle true story of the female rapist, I found this movie nauseating. It goes nowhere. Portman has a flat performance in her typical monotone voice. I fell asleep multiple times.
I think natalie portman is kind of a bad actress. and this film didnt do her any favors. i just feel like her style is so thinly veiled and im always 100% aware that she's acting and TRYING to be someone else. she doesn't disappear into roles except for Jackie and Garden State. Black Swan is a bit too much. She was also really bad in the last Thor movie. And the star wars prequels?? forget about it, although to be fair almost everyone is terrible in those.
but she is good in this film because of what you said, she is obviously acting and trying to be someone else through out the film and that's the point
Who farted?
will you watch godzilla minus one
I’m 3mins in and you haven’t really mentioned much about the film, ur making smart commentary about the director, his previous work and the surrealism of biopics in general.
TBH I typed in May December review and you were an attractive face I clicked on🫤