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Midweek Movie Free Talk
Have you watched any movies recently you want to discuss? Any films you want to recommend or are hyped about? Feel free to discuss anything here.
Please just try to provide fair warning of spoilers if you can.
How does Luke Skywalker fall down a vertically sided shaft and end up going into a vent on the side of it? Is it supposed to be pulling a suction? Is he using his powers? He doesn't seem in control when he comes to a stop.
What about the weakspot at the end of the trench on the first death star. Why do the two missiles suddenly right angle turn down the shaft? Are they guided? It can't be pulling a suction against the vacuum of space.
If they are guided, why couldn't they be fired from significantly further away?
Of all the fandoms, there are definitely explanations for both of those things. I'm awake at 3am instead of sleeping so
#1 image from officially licensed book
It does seem to be more of a window.
#2
The Death Star primary exhaust port did have shielding, but it was a magnetic shield designed to repel attacks from conventional laser weaponry and even ballistic weaponry. This was why they specifically needed to use proton torpedoes in their attack as opposed to missiles or bombs - the protons interacted with the magnetic field in such a way that the shots could (in theory) curve to just the right angle to be sent down the shaft and reach the core, causing a chain reaction and destroying the station. No other attack pattern had a chance at causing a similar result.
(From a reddit answer but frankly it seems legit)
Also a draft of the script
because of course
And a possible alternate explanation of manually controlling the missiles guided by the force in the face of tons of missile defense systems. (So further away wouldn't work)
I have been enjoying a handful of Isabelle Huppert movies and she is quickly becoming my favorite actress. Something about her astute and confident demeanor is always pleasant to watch.
To start with the best, La Cérémonie from 1995 directed by Claude Chabrol. A slow burn thriller of sorts about an in-house maid for a wealthy family where differences and tension slowly builds and spirals out of control. Everything seems innocent and pretty mundane at first, with Sophie starting as a maid and generally being treated well enough, though we see small hints of general classist arrogance. Gradually we get the sense of something being hidden and later some horrifying stories about the past is revealed. Initially, as a regular viewer I am inclined to first side with the working class against the privileged upper class people. Most movies of that type also tends to go for redemption for the underdog. Which is exactly what makes this movie great is how that pre-assumption is challenged and turned around. It was weird seeing Huppert playing the almost quirky and rebellious role here, as I would normally put here in Sophie's role or as one of the upper class people, but she masters her role perfectly and so does Sandrine Bonnaire.
Guillaume Nicloux's Valley of Love from 2015 has a strange sort of meta-layer as it stars Huppert alongside Gérard Depardieu, and in the film they both have the same first name as themselves and there are some rather funny references to their acting careers, but they are still playing fictional characters of a divorced couple that meet in Death Valley on the wishes of their son who has committed suicide. His suicide letter asks them to go to various locations in Death Valley. Their trips in the extreme heat brings out some really unappealing character traits in both of them, while also sort of bringing them closer together. Huppert and Depardieu are very convincing in portraying a divorced couple with a long history. Plenty of bickering and resentment, but they both have some tenderness and compassion for each other deep down. But the whole film feels very constructed, and it even sort of acknowledges that. Worth watching for the two actors, but the film itself is a bit strange and flat.
In the more humorous side of things, 8 Women from 2002 directed by François Ozon is an odd Agatha Christie type locked-room-Christmas-mystery with some musical elements on top. It is farcical and colorful with everyone hilariously overacting with exaggerated gestures in playing their roles to the fullest. What each woman may lack in character depth, they make up for it in execution. The twist reveal ending is not something I saw coming and I found it to be reasonably clever, but the way there was an odd mix of scenes going nowhere and mostly uninspiring songs.
Another Claude Chabrol film with Story of Women (Une affaire de femmes) from 1988 is a historical biopic where Huppert plays Marie Latour who during World War II made a number of illegal abortions. While this film is really only a story of one women, it does capture a lot of stories and destinies for many women of the time. Not sure if I want to call this a feminist movie, but it definitely has a feminist focus not limited to the biographical part of the movie. Marie Latour is an interesting and very complex character. She is not a saint that helps women in need, she more or less stumbles into it because she needs the money and subsequently gets used to having more money. Chabrol doesn't provide easy answers for good or bad in terms of morality, where I can only imagine how a commercial Hollywood production would have destroyed this story by making it simplistic. Though given the subject matter of abortions, I don't see any big studious touching that one. As usual, Huppert plays exceptionally well showing both sides of confidence and astuteness, while also letting her fear and vulnerability to surface - especially in the end.
On a general ending note, if anyone wants to give some Isabelle Huppert films a chance I can highly recommend The Piano Teacher, Elle and Things to come.