September 16, 2017

"Although you will spend most of the painful, torturous and stressful two hours it takes to survive mother! trying to figure out what it’s all about..."

"... I advise you to ignore the reviews entirely and make up your own fantasy. One critic says it’s a satire on the chaos the dysfunctional world has been turned into by Donald Trump.... One reviewer says [Jennifer Lawrence] plays the quintessential Earth mother who works feverishly to restore balance to a planet Earth that is being constantly torn apart by wickedness and savagery. I love the review that compares the movie to the 'lancing of a boil.' They all insist mother! is a metaphor for something, although they are not quite sure what it is.... The New York Times critic arrogantly warns in his review: 'Don’t listen to anyone who natters on about how intense or disturbing it is.' Sorry, pal, but [SPOILER ALERT] a mob that burns a screaming baby and its mother alive, then turns cannibal, eats the baby and rips its heart out to flush down the toilet while Patti Smith sings about the end of the world pretty much fits my definition of both 'intense' and 'disturbing.' What’s yours?"

Writes Rex Reed. In addition to a rating of zero stars, Reed opines that “Worst movie of the year” isn't enough and calls it the “Worst movie of the century.” It's just too early in the century to be saying that though, so Reed seems to be of a piece with the culture of hysteria that's giving us movies like this.

76 comments:

Bill Peschel said...

"Reed seems to be of a piece with the culture of hysteria that's giving us movies like this. "

And abused wives are a piece with the culture of hysteria that's giving us abused husbands?

Guildofcannonballs said...

"It's just too early in the century to be saying that though," It's too early in the paragraph to just write that. Thinking in terms of centuries by using the term century even when only 17 years into one, as opposed to thinking about the next click or sugar hit within the next minute or ten seconds, offers many advantages in an ADHD society such as ours.

I saw previews of mother! when we saw Lucky Logan, looked stupid. I liked Pi by Aronofsky because he made it for $60,000. Pretty damn impressive.

Logan Lucky was okay, nice John Denver song to wrap it up.

Quaestor said...

There will be thousands who will see this movie because Reed has so vigorously damned it. These people need to be watched.

n.n said...

Planned Parenthood is a cult classic.

Michael K said...

I understand it is a real stinker and only made $8 million the first weekend.

rhhardin said...

There needs to be a nude scene report before you guess tha box office.

rhhardin said...

A lot of films just put in an inexplicable scene in a strip club to get boobs in the film though. This is cheating.

gg6 said...

"...Reed opines that “Worst movie of the year” isn't enough and calls it the “Worst movie of the century.” It's just too early in the century to be saying that though, so Reed seems to be of a piece with the culture of hysteria that's giving us movies like this."
Gee, Ms. A, I think you might want to lighten up on Reed a bit - perhaps he might be a piece of the 'culture of continuous exaggeration', but "hysteria"?? Isn't that charge a bit hysterical?

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Hillarywood is a no-go for me. I will not support. It's bad? Great! I'm not going anyway.

tcrosse said...

Jennifer Lawrence can go make movies in Argentina for all I care.

Bill said...

I liked Jen before Lena got hold of her.

Darrell said...

J-Law should whine again about not being the highest paid actor in Hollywood.

rehajm said...

You don't know to which century Reed is referring.

YoungHegelian said...

Maybe Aronofsky is trying out to be the first non-Danish member of the Dogme 95 club.

A great parody at The Onion. But, be warned: 1) it took forever for me to be able to skip the ad & 2) the parody itself is not easy to watch.

Gahrie said...

It's just too early in the century to be saying that though, so Reed seems to be of a piece with the culture of hysteria that's giving us movies like this."

Hyperbole is becoming a lost art.

Humperdink said...

With Hollywood in it's current condition of cultural rot and decay, my movie dollars will only be spent on military movies. And then, only if recommended by reliable sources.

pious agnostic said...

At any point, you can say "of the century" if you are willing to define it as the previous 100 years.

Virgil Hilts said...

I saw 'Logan Lucky' after Rex Reed utterly trashed it (comparing it to Toenail Fungus).
LL was one of the most fun movies I have seen in a theater in last several years and everyone in our group liked it. Something has malfunctioned in his brain and I won't be influenced by any of his reviews again.

Humperdink said...

So I kinda violate our marching orders and read Reed's review. One sentence, in part, caught my eye: "This delusional freak show is two hours of pretentious twaddle that tackles religion, paranoia, lust, rebellion, and a thirst for blood in a circus of grotesque debauchery ...."

I am fairly certain this movie is not my style.

exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...

"As she grows more understandably neurotic every day, the house is invaded by nameless strangers (Ed Harris and gorgeous Michelle Pfeiffer, looking unbelievably haggard) "

Too bad Michele Pfeiffer, one of my favorite actresses, is in this. I normally enjoy her work.

I think I'll pass on this one.

The Godfather said...

Sounds great for a fun night at the movies with the grandkids! Can't wait til it comes to our little town.

Ann Althouse said...

" I liked Pi by Aronofsky because he made it for $60,000. Pretty damn impressive."

I went to see it because of that but I hated.

Ann Althouse said...

It.

Ann Althouse said...

The only other Aronofsky movie I've seen id "The Wrestler," which is the movie Meade and I saw the night we met.

David said...

Keep it up, Hollywood. You are having exactly the opposite effect than you intend, and that is a very good thing.

walter said...

Because TRUMP!

J. Farmer said...

Aronosky's greatest film is Requiem for a Dream, based on Hubert Selby's novel. It is incredibly dark and unforgiving of its portrayal of its group of characters descent into unescapable addiction, of both the "hard" and "soft" varieties.

Narayanan said...

My strategy for sampling the culture is to see movies at discount theaters ... Low cost buyer's remorse. +

walter said...

The burning human flesh scenes might be awkward at the dine in theatres.

Larry J said...

Perhaps his sentence should've said it was the worst movie of the century "so far".

I Have Misplaced My Pants said...

Wow sounds like a rollicking good time.

Robert Cook said...

I saw Mother! last night with my girlfriend, in a brand new movie theater at 57th St. and 12th Avenue, The Landmark (right by the West Side Highway). Yesterday was the first day of operation for this deluxe "art" theater and the place was swarming with management and ushers. Mother! was playing at three of the complex's several screening theaters. The theater in which we saw the film was perhaps 25% filled, but I put that down to the theater being brand new--I hadn't even been aware of its pending existence until a few days ago!--and that it is located so far west.

This is a film one will either love or hate. We loved it. It is certainly extreme...like a David Lynch film made in collaboration with David Cronenberg. One's attention is held and drawn along minute-by-minute as the initial faint sense of unease and oddness incrementally grows into apocalypse.

None of the interpretations quoted by AA in her comments has any resemblance to the meaning we drew from it. It's really not that obscure, in my view. I will only say here that it all has to do with him, (Javier Bardem, the husband) and not her (the wife, Jennifer Lawrence), though the entirety of the story is seen from her viewpoint.

rcocean said...

90 percent of movies are complete crap and I don't think the other 10 percent are that hot either.

At least we have Reed to writer entertaining reviews about how crappy they are.

Michael K said...

None of the interpretations quoted by AA in her comments has any resemblance to the meaning we drew from it

Stalin Lives !

rcocean said...

BTW, no matter how crappy a movie there's always SOMEONE who likes it.

99% of Americans might think "Mother" is a piece of shit, but if 1% like it, that's 3 million people.

I saw Ishtar, one of the worst comedies ever, and everyone in theater was laughing their heads off.

Robert Cook said...

Michael K., why even bother if you're just going to post a lazy and inapt non-sequitur?

Robert Cook said...

I also heartily recommend Logan Lucky, a delightful comedy heist film!

rcocean said...

My Mother always used to say "There's always one".

Aka there's always an odd ball who can't follow instructions, get with the program, *likes* shit sandwiches, thinks a drama is a comedy, etc.

The Vault Dweller said...

I've heard more than a few people say this movie was particularly bad. So I am inclined to not watch the movie. That being said I hope Hollywood continues to try to make movies like this. And I don't mean that in a pining for financial ruin for Hollywood kind of way. While this movie sounds kind of bad I am happy they took a chance on making something different and weird.

Guildofcannonballs said...

The Crash Reel on HBO affected me for a few days afterward. Not the main character/subject so much although a compelling narrative in itself, but another young guy with a TBI who hurt his mom (emotionally, on purpose, on camera, in a psychopathic manner) as a way, I assume natch, to try and not acknowledge that he himself ruined his life by snowboarding and damaging his brain.

Made me feel good about being self-aware I was/am too uncoordinated to try the more dangerous stuff.

I won't ever be in the intimate company of an Amy Michelson or Giselle, nor that of a 24/7 nurse needed to feed me and wipe me when soiled. All in all pretty damn lucky I say.

Birkel said...

I am quite happy that the Left invests and loses a lot of money on Leftist crap. That is so much better than others losing money on Leftist crap.

Guildofcannonballs said...

"Michael K., why even bother if you're just going to post a lazy and inapt non-sequitur?

9/16/17, 4:51 PM"

I find humans fascinating for reasons the answer to this question addresses.

I meta-err to the point of error on the side of communicating anything and everything one thinks about maybe saying, because because* and because why not, whereas others appreciate the refinement and discipline to not say anything with a knowledge I presume is based in man's never-ending 99% subjective and 1% objective outlook.

* Hat Tip Marylin vos Savant

Robert Cook said...

Mother! has nothing to do with politics. Perhaps you should be checked for Tourette's Syndrome.

mockturtle said...

Satan always overplays his hand.

rehajm said...

BTW, no matter how crappy a movie there's always SOMEONE who likes it.

That person's handle is Robert Cook.

tcrosse said...

De gustibus ain't what it used to be.

Robert Cook said...

"'BTW, no matter how crappy a movie there's always SOMEONE who likes it.'

"That person's handle is Robert Cook."


Actually, no. I don't like crappy movies. I only like good movies. I am the unfailing arbiter of good movies.

tim in vermont said...

A tweet is worse than anything else you could imagine. Hillary thought that it was at least as bad as electrodes clamped to your genitals, so the movie is understandably horrific, and still it doesn't convey the depth of the horror. Think of Trump as Colonel Kurtz, from Apocalypse Now, and you might be halfway there.

tim in vermont said...

Masterminds is better than Logan Lucky in the hillbilly heist genre.

RMc said...

How often do people see Rex Reed's byline and think, "He's still around? I thought he died years ago." (He turns 79 in a few weeks.)

tim in vermont said...

Masterminds is on Netflix

Guildofcannonballs said...

One last over-indulgence for me here: I will always love the girl from Boys Don't Cry and Million Dollar Baby doing her Eastwood impression in LL. Masterful.

Can't remember her name. Don't know why ... HILLARY SWANK!

I will probably buy the DVD to watch her again. Just excellent. Not campy, but approaching it. But so did Eastwood. All tastefully done; I didn't want to punch anyone connected to the film when it was over.

Found out the one guy from, get this, fucking Girls* on HBO, Adam Driver?, is a Marine. Maybe combat vet and shit if my memory serves. He is swell too, almost but never campy, but also understated in many ways.

*Same with the disdainful photographer for the kidnapping Commies named Mr. Smitrovitch in Ethan and Joel's "Hail Caesar."

Guildofcannonballs said...

Addendum: Yoakam.

They don't have problems at Monroe.

THEY DO NOT HAVE PROBLEMS AT MONROE!
!

mockturtle said...

How often do people see Rex Reed's byline and think, "He's still around? I thought he died years ago." (He turns 79 in a few weeks.)

I sent the review to my daughter and she was astonished. "Rex Reed is still reviewing movies??"

n.n said...

This is not just a documentary of Planned Parenthood, but rather the abortion industry's miscarriage of rites by the State-established Pro-Choice Church, under a layer of quasi-legal privacy no less, the clinical cannibalism of profitable clumps of colorful cells by Planned Parenthood Corporation et al, and its littlest selected and voluntary incidental victims: babies and mothers, respectively. It's a story of the Democratic Party's evolution as neo-National Socialists.

Quaestor said...

I don't like crappy movies. I only like good movies. I am the unfailing arbiter of good movies.

How quickly non-sequiturs acquire sequiturality.

William said...

I saw Black Swan. Ordinarily I'm not into movies about the career challenges of ballet dancers, but it was pretty good. It featured a lesbo scene with Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis. That was the selling point of the movie, but, independent of that, it was an interesting movie.......The review of this movie makes it sound singularly unappealing. I don't want to see a baby burned alive, even if the special effects are convincing. Unless there's a lesbo scene with Jennifer Lawrence and Michelle Pffeifer, I pass.

Robert Cook said...

"How quickly non-sequiturs acquire sequiturality."

But then...there was no non-sequitur.

Henry said...

It's just too early in the century to be saying that though, so Reed seems to be of a piece with the culture of hysteria that's giving us movies like this.

Au contraire. The beginning of the century is the best time to saying that.

Robert Cook said...

Yep. On January 01, 2101 they'll be able to correctly say, "This is the most eventful day of the century."

lonetown said...

My favorite review was when John Simon called Ben stiller revolting. Critics can be prickly.

Darrell said...

I will only say here that it all has to do with him, (Javier Bardem, the husband) and not her (the wife, Jennifer Lawrence), though the entirety of the story is seen from her viewpoint.

That's Him--you commie cunt. Or didn't you understand the Genesis story at all? The only character added was "Mother Nature." And you can guess who plays her, for most of the film. Does that spoil this for anyone? Good. More mind vomit from a Lefty people hater, Aronofsky. Cookie especially enjoyed when the guests killed and ate Baby Jesus. Here's another spoiler for you--It was meant to happen for forgiveness of Sin. Now cue the hurricanes to punish America for electing Trump. Mother Nature never got it, either.

Robert Cook said...

I don't say "Him" even when I'm referring to god, who is nonexistent.

donald said...

Ishtar was hilarious

Darrell said...

I don't say "Him" even when I'm referring to god, who is nonexistent.

As I said.

Robert Cook said...

No, you didn't, though you may think you did. You called me a commie. That's not synonymous with atheist.

Darrell said...

As I said.
Originally.
I even used a lower-case "c" to give you a tweak.

Gahrie said...

No, you didn't, though you may think you did. You called me a commie. That's not synonymous with atheist.

Yes it is. One of the fundamentals of Communist thought, and in every communist country the law, is the rejection of religion as a means to control the masses. There is no such thing as a Communist who believes in God.

mockturtle said...

Gahrie, while I agree that all communists are atheists, not all atheists are communists. My mother was both an atheist and Milton Friedman free-marketer.

rehajm said...

Rave reviews from Cookie but a rare F from CinemaScore.

Darrell said...

Gahrie, while I agree that all communists are atheists, not all atheists are communists. My mother was both an atheist and Milton Friedman free-marketer.

True. But I was talking about Cookie--The One True Commie.

Robert Cook said...

"The One True Commie."

False. I'm not even a commie.

As for notion that all communists are atheists, this is simply childish thinking. You're mistaking the edicts of a government for the thoughts and beliefs of individuals in the society.

Robert Cook said...

"Rave reviews from Cookie but a rare F from CinemaScore."

I see Killing Them Softly is in the CinemaScore "F" Club. That was also a great movie. As for Mother!, it is a masterpiece, and will be seen as such over time. That the American public doesn't like it is no more surprising than that It is slaying at the box office.

Gahrie said...

As for notion that all communists are atheists, this is simply childish thinking. You're mistaking the edicts of a government for the thoughts and beliefs of individuals in the society.

No...you're mistaken in the idea that everyone trapped under a Communist government is a Communist.

However...by definition...Communists are atheists.

Tell you what...provide a citation for a widely accepted Communist who believed in God.

Gahrie said...

False. I'm not even a commie.

Comrade Marvin repeatedly writes this, and even claims to have never read Das Kapital.

He just coincidentally has never heard of a Communist he dislikes, or a capitalist he likes. It's just an accident that he constantly defends the USSR and longs for the old days when Communism was strong.

And definitely don't make anything of his constant disdain of and disgust with the American people.

Darcy said...

Thanks for the "mother!" info. I am a scaredy cat who loves horror movies. I was initially excited to see this movie, then J-Law did her thing and caused me to stubbornly decide not to help her pocketbook. But reluctantly, because the movie's cast is impressive.

Anyway, the baby scene will be enough to keep me away, so the spoiler was really helpful to me. I don't think I need that scene graphically residing in my brain forever. I draw the line at babies.