MUBI (Criterion-affiliated streaming classic, foreign, independent movie site) - c/d, comments, recommendations, etc.

Okay, sure. I might go to see this one just for the foreign language angle.

Some of the cast was also in Tehran Taboo, which I still need to watch.

Similar sort of expat film about Iranian demimonde or whatever you want to call it.

they're holding over Decision to Leave, which is good because i didn't see it!

― “Cheeky cheeky!” she trills, nearly demolishing a roadside post (forksclovetofu), Friday, October 21, 2022 2:28 AM (one week ago) bookmarkflaglink

I saw this last night. It's an interesting neonoir, but I continue to wish that most 2+-hour movies be taken out of their directors' hands and be edited down to 90 minutes. And I remain unconvinced that Mubi US is worth the subscription.

Think I mentioned on the Park Chan-Wook thread that I didn’t mind the length upon second viewing, which is saying something.

This week’s offering, Holy Spider, is not for everyone. At first blush it may seem like a grisly true crime fictionalization masquerading as social commentary, but after pondering it for a few days maybe I liked it after all and maybe it did add to that small body of films that take place in Iran but are made outside of Iran by expats and can show things that cannot be filmed in country.

Is that the one where the actress, upon winning at Cannes, delivered a 17-minute speech?

Dunno but I will agree that it's quite a good film that lingers in the memory; caught a screening at the local Alamo the other week.

Can't find the acceptance speech, did find a press conference.

Hah, I guess it was a comparatively brisk 6 minutes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSaNZRcaQ7g

My one major beef with MUBI is some download weirdness.

Le Bao's Taste is very strange. It has arresting images but is inscrutable. There is almost no dialogue or explanation of events. It is a step further removed from Pedro Costa in that it shows an oppressed environment but it doesn't offer any context

So next week’s NYC GO offering is MEET ME IN THE BATHROOM? Don’t know how I feel about that. Also just a notice that WIFE OF A SPY is leaving soon but no sign of when.

Hmm.. Don't see WIFE OF A SPY here, which is usually the best way to see what's leaving. https://mubi.com/specials/leaving-soon

Restored & remastered riget incoming

All episodes of Lars von Trier’s (Melancholia, Nymphomaniac) classic original 90s series THE KINGDOM I stream in never-seen-before versions from this Sunday, followed by THE KINGDOM II on November 20.

THE KINGDOM EXODUS, a brand new limited event series, premieres weekly from November 27. A MUBI Release.

Don’t I know it.

MUBI hype injection into the James Redd cranial pleasuredome almost as intense with this as with DECISION TO LEAVE.

oy @ meet me in the bathroom; i didn't want to be part of that clique while it was happening, wtf do i wanna watch the movie of them

Kingdom on the other hand

I feel exactly the same although I may go see the first thing anyway just because, just because…because I still have a krush0r on Karen O from the time I saw her hanging around MoMA downstairs when Spike Jonze interviewed Maurice Sendak? Or was it the other way around? I mean interview-wise.

In any case I prefer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3z8nGVkQ-8

The ground underneath the Kingdom is an old swamp.

Hmm, I got an alert about THE KINGDOM but I guess I still have to wait a few hours.

Ran over to see Netflix’s WHITE NOISE at the Angelika at the last minute yesterday, sorry forks for not letting you know.

Was it any good? I kinda hate Baumbach’s whole steez

Thought it was really, good but I usually like his stuff.

Recent reviews on this have been a bit of an about-face from its initial TIFF/NYFF buzz

I hadn't read anything in advance. I didn't really even know who was in it except for the couple. When I blinked and figured out who was playing the nun I almost laughed.

Which experience A.O. Scott would have spoiled for me.

Likely gonna see Nanny on Tuesday night at IFC at an open captioned screening as that's what my schedule allows. "Horror-version of Sembene's Black Girl" is of interest to me.

With MUBI GO? Seems like not too many showings available.

Yeah. I wanted to go Monday but my MUBI buddy wasn't available so we pushed to the subtitles. Looks like IFC is just running this for awards season qualification which is a surprise given the substantial hype surrounding it.

ended up paying for this again because I fancied a Chan-Wook weekend. I re-watched Thirst which I've always liked (it seemed far funnier in parts than I noticed the first time) and watched Joint Security Area which is all over the place but basically v good.

DECISION TO LEAVE streaming premiere party in NYC in a half hour but I won’t be able to make it unfortunately.

It’s at https://posteritati.com/

Maybe one of you can go and pretend you are James Redd.

Nanny wasn't good btw! needed significantly more time in the oven.

RIP, Mike Hodges. May be time to re-watch CROUPIER.

Had a “your MUBI retrospective 2022” email, which informs me that I watched 14 films in 2022 - placing which me in the top 21% of MUBI users.

I wonder how much use the average subscriber makes of it.

Good question. I feel like maybe it undercounts somehow, like if you didn’t watch something to the very end it’s not in there?

l definitely didn't complete all of the films listed. I think I only saw 11 films in full.

Any streamer is more likely to do the opposite for their metrics: if you watched just a little bit it counts.

Wondering why pip doesn’t seem to work on my phone app anymore or if it ever worked and I am misremembering.

You mean this?

Heh, no. Picture in Picture.

CAIRO CONSPIRACY had me on the edge of my seat the whole time.

Guess I should watch his other one, THE NILE HILTON INCIDENT

really! It didn't look of much interest. You recommend?

Yeah, but's it's kind of up my alley, not yours I don't think. Middle Eastern things shot in other countries. See also HOLY SPIDER and Apple TV+'s TEHRAN (the first season anyway).

hm, yeah i dunno. i should deffo watch holy spider.

Holy Spider is very good indeed.