Ad Astra

[MrWayne]

I was going to see this movie regardless... Just for it being a new sci-fi space flick and with Brad Pitt? Sold.

REALLY enjoyed the visuals... I mean damn... this movie is visually beautiful, captivating and all the space sequences look very real. They did a great job on the visual effects. I also loved the music.

There is a lot to like here but I was a tad let down with what I got from the story. The trailers definitely sell this movie as something else in my opinion. I feel like this movie could have and should have been longer too. Just to flesh out a few more things. Looks like they left some things out that were shown in the trailers.

However.. I find myself thinking about this movies themes and message and compounded with the amazing cinematography, I find myself wanting to go see this again.

 

[KaijuDude1992]

Yeah I'm still looking forward to seeing this as well. It sucks that it's not getting better buzz from general audiences though. I also remember a lot of people saying they found First Man to be pretty boring too, but I ended up loving that film anyways. Hopefully, this ends up being the same, because I have really liked all the trailers.

 

[MrWayne]

Its a slow burn for sure. I want to say that this movie is for everyone, it should be. But it definitely isn't and I can see why some or many may have their issues with it.

Its not a bad movie, I just think you don't get what you think you're going to get from it and that is the let down.

I'll wait until more have seen it to get into more engaging aspects and discussion of the film. I'm sure by Sunday we will have lots to say... But I do plan to go see this again. So that says something.

 

[MOVIELORD101]

Need a bit of clarification on the story:

Spoiler

So, WHY did Tommy Lee Jones suffer TWO mutinies again? The entire universe would not have been at risk had neither happened!

 

[antsman41]

That was magnificent and stunningly one of the finest films I’ve seen, let alone pertaining to space.

It’s everything I wanted out of Interstellar (even though I do greatly enjoy it). So much more astonishingly wonderful about the space aspects and hurt more on the emotional side of things.

 

[Black Narcissus]

Ad Astra

Daddy issues in space!

James Gray often talks about being bitter that he is more liked by euro critics than US critics, but this will surely bring him that type of welcoming he kinda deserves, at least he should be nominated for best director imo. Masterful directing, but as I try to reach my hand out for it, it comes short of greatness, and lands on somber preaching and what not. The scenes in space are beautiful! Kubrick would give this bald man a hug, no mistake about that. I did feel the running time tho, some stuff is just there to move the plot along, mostly Ruth Negga in a thankless role or Liv Tyler who gives her best performance since them LoR flicks, as she just stands there or walks by, looking tenderly at Pitt. There is a scene that made go wtf, like I wasn't expecting that from this movie and then its quickly explained as to why ''that/them'' were there, I laughed and enjoyed it, but I doubt that was Gray's intention. Pitt is just great, man, he is just a great actor, a true movie star. If he is nominated for this I wouldn't hate it, but felt like he was better in OUATIH.

One thing that did bother me a lot was the voice over narration. It wasn't necessary imo. I just kept thinking of Harrison Ford's Blade Runner awful voice over narration, this isn't as bad as that, but unnecessary. He often points out something that we as an audience can clearly pickup or get through the acting performances, no need to point them out. lol

A solid 8/10

 

[TMP98]

Loved this movie. Gray's best since Two Lovers

 

[terry78]

I enjoy how divided people are with this movie, it shows they did something right. I kinda raise an eyebrow when something is universally panned or acclaimed.

 

[8ulk87]

What does the tracking for Ad Astra look like?

Around $20 mil for the US opening weekend.

 

[antsman41]

Does anyone think this secretly the closer film to 2001, and the first in a long while to push space films along ala 2001?

the first notion, how the world was ours but enhanced by space travel (Avis, Subway, etc.).

And, on the second notion how it time jumps, all the while sitting very still in its story sections, doesn’t go where you’d think, and is more existential than full of action.

 

[Zorro]

It was beautifully shot, Brad Pitt did great and there was some really cool scenes! The story was a good concept/idea but didn't really like how it played out much

 

[Breogan]

Wow, great movie, and it had nothing to do with space. It's all the internal focus, struggles, goals, and realizations.
Incredibly powerful story.

Great psychological, thematic and structural(pacing) parallels to Sheen's Captain Willard in pursuit of Brando's Kurtz in Apocalypse Now and Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. Although to different ends.

 

[terry78]

Oscar worthy?

 

[Doctor Jones]

This and Under the Silver Lake are the best movies of the year for me. This was simply great.

 

[killface]

yeah, this film is like a perfectly distilled mixture of apocalyspe now, 2001: a space odyssey, sunshine and hurt locker.

The narration during his stop on the moon was a pretty damning indictment of how humanity is a fruit that eats itself.

 

[Doctor Jones]

This movie is rarer now. This felt like a movie that would have come out ten years ago. And that's great! I'm glad it did well.

 

[Filmfan93]

This movie is rarer now. This felt like a movie that would have come out ten years ago. And that's great! I'm glad it did well.

Except it didn't.

After the added cost to the budget (raising it to $100 million), the film will most likely lose money.

 

[terry78]

It can still get some acclaim. Gray knows how to direct an action scene and make it intense as ****.

 

[Kane52630]

I didn't think the film was nearly as great as his last film, but there is a lot to admire about it.

 

[Kane52630]

For anyone interested, there's a James Gray interview by The Ringer that's worth a listen.

‘Ad Astra’ Is a Masterpiece, and Brad Pitt Has Won 2019. Plus: James Gray on Making His Space Epic.

 

[TheVileOne]

Oscar worthy?

No. It's a decent movie, but hardly transcendent. Good performance by Pitt.

I enjoyed it, some of the visuals and ideas, but it's not as deep as it thinks it is.

Also very derivative. Basically, Hearts of Darkness/Apocalypse Now in space.

 

[Pink Ranger]

Movie's overrated. Very engaging at first, but falls apart in the third act when it abandons the tone of visceral realism that got us that far.

 

[MrWayne]

The last act really didn't sit too well with me and I feel was a bit rushed. Some details mentioned early on still didn't click... And I don't get what the whole anti-matter thing was about. I never felt any sense of high stakes in the sense that the entire universe was riding on that.

 

[Kane52630]

It doesn't help that they kinda fumbled the Brad Pitt and Tommy Lee Jones relationship. To me it felt hallow and cold the entire time.

 

[scarlet-witch]

I ended up liking this a lot more than I expected to. It is a slow burn, but it's very interesting throughout and I thought they did an excellent job at world building. Solid B for me.

Liv Tyler just have had a ton of scenes cut. I recall her talking in the first trailer and she doesn't say a word in the film.