LIFF31 2017 #2
"Nature has cunning ways of finding our weakest spot."
There is no doubt how incredibly beautiful "Call Me By Your Name" is. Putting aside your age and sexuality, the film offers more than romance. It's not sad or tragic, but a peaceful one. It's all about falling in love. What's been said by many will be repeated here, so none of this is gonna be new to you, because it's all true.
Armie Hammer, Michael Stuhlbarg, and newcomer Timothée Chalamet all deliver terrific performances. Not a weak or unconvincing actor in sight. All of them were perfectly cast in the roles and there was no shred of doubt during the emotional parts. Especially Stuhlbarg monologue towards the end is as moving as anything I have ever seen.
The way Luca Guadagnino manages to play on your emotions and present gay romances is really mesmerizing. The warm and summer spectacle of Italy makes you want to be there. With the scenery, sunny waters, and the food which look so good, all through Sayombhu Mukdeeprom brilliant cinematography. It's paradise.
Even the sexual tension never once came across pornographic. I don't mind sex or nudity in movies and people seriously just need to stop being so sensitive about it. Ever thought that making little things a huge deal only makes it a huger deal. Or your sloppy description.
The sexuality in this film is more of an emotional connection you personally experience through the characters. And you don't have to be gay to enjoy those scenes. It avoids the typical tropes you find in movies that isn't as perfectly presented as this.
This is a truly special movie that I easily got lost in.
Went into this thinking that the discourse online and similar think pieces HAD to be overblown and had to admit, they had good gripes.
If this were almost any other director this film would be such a bigger issue and is that right? Every "cinephile" adores PTA so he gets a pass from people?
Some other thoughts:
- Wanted to leave the film thinking everyone is overhyping Alana Haim, and jokes fucking on me because she slays
- Should a 25 yr old female and 15 yr old male romcom be celebrated?
- Regardless of if they spend the rest of their lives together or not, does that negate the fact that the relationship is being celebrated?
- Should it just be swept under the rug of "welp, this was what the 70s was like"?
- Why does the Asian bit play for laughs?!? Why include it at all when it serves no purpose to the plot and is only a low hanging fruit chuckle from the crowd?
- I love Benny Safdie, but should he have been cast in this role as a closeted individual when there is otherwise so much pressure to accurately cast actors for those roles?
