Aronofsky's "mother!" (Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem)

[TheVileOne]

It really sounds like Aronofsky was trying to channel David Lynch here.

 

[weezerspider]

My best friend growing up and still best friend to this day has a pastor for a father and went to school to be a pastor himself (though he isn't). I grew up surrounded by biblical teachings and Christianity so it was much more blatant what the film was going for than it would be for someone who perhaps doesn't have any background in that kinda stuff. Still, it's not like it's using the obscure bits. It's pretty obvious.

Yeah, like I said, it may just be because all of that kind of stuff has been with me forever, so it just seems really obvious to me. That said, By the end of the film, especially considering the title of the film, I'm baffled some people didn't even get Lawrence's character.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Is it because it is hard to follow or because they just stopped following it? There are occasions where I have sat through a movie fairly simple to follow but others were just bored to the point of not really following along.

 

[weezerspider]

Is it because it is hard to follow or because they just stopped following it? There are occasions where I have sat through a movie fairly simple to follow but others were just bored to the point of not really following along.

People are hating it, so maybe they do just turn their brain off halfway through. I don't know.

 

[guitarsingerguy]

Maybe it is because I'm a son of a preacher, but I find it kind of baffling that anyone is having a hard time "understanding" this. I honestly think one of it's weaknesses is that the allegory is too on the nose, but then again, the film is kind of a complete mess if you try and watch it as reality without the allegory. It is a difficult film to watch, but it is not difficult to understand.

Also, after two viewings, I think I'd call this a masterpiece. It's so fun to watch this with a full crowd who don't know what they signed up for.

My fiancee and I were discussing this very thing earlier considering it revolves around the most covered part of the Bible. It would be one thing if he had chosen some really obscure portion to allude to but...Genesis?! And this is going over some people's heads?!

 

[guitarsingerguy]

It really sounds like Aronofsky was trying to channel David Lynch here.

I kinda felt the same way. He claims he wrote it in 3 days. Not that the two are related, but I found it an interesting tidbit.

 

[guitarsingerguy]

People are hating it, so maybe they do just their brain off halfway through. I don't know.

Are we really surprised that it's being hated on though? I expected as much. Most films that ask you to do a bit of thinking and self reflection are rarely received well. I mean...I loved the Fountain mostly for all the time I spent reflecting on what I had just watched, but again...most people hated it. Aranofsky is just that kind of filmmaker. If one of his flicks was received well across the board, I don't know that he'd know how to react.

 

[Luigi]

Surprised that some reviewers are claiming that this isnt horror, when it clearly is. This was a cluster**** of a film that I was thoroughly engrossed in.

Spoiler

I stayed away from most of the promotional material so I was surprised to see Domhall Gleeson in this. It was such a cathartic moment when Jlaw started slashing at the people in her house.

 

[Matt Mortem]

Yeah, like I said, it may just be because all of that kind of stuff has been with me forever, so it just seems really obvious to me. That said, By the end of the film, especially considering the title of the film, I'm baffled some people didn't even get Lawrence's character.

For me it all became really obvious when the brothers showed up. From that moment on I had figured out what I was watching.

 

[guitarsingerguy]

Surprised that some reviewers are claiming that this isnt horror, when it clearly is. This was a cluster**** of a film that I was thoroughly engrossed in.

Spoiler

I stayed away from most of the promotional material so I was surprised to see Domhall Gleeson in this. It was such a cathartic moment when Jlaw started slashing at the people in her house.

Well...I honestly don't know if I'd label this as horror either. Maybe more like psychological thriller...no... psychological, yes...thriller...prob not. IDK, but I probably wouldn't call it horror either.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Are we really surprised that it's being hated on though? I expected as much. Most films that ask you to do a bit of thinking and self reflection are rarely received well. I mean...I loved the Fountain mostly for all the time I spent reflecting on what I had just watched, but again...most people hated it. Aranofsky is just that kind of filmmaker. If one of his flicks was received well across the board, I don't know that he'd know how to react.

Wasn't Black Swan?

 

[Kane52630]

Is it because it is hard to follow or because they just stopped following it? There are occasions where I have sat through a movie fairly simple to follow but others were just bored to the point of not really following along.

If they're paying attention, it's not that hard to follow. There are clues everywhere... even from the very first scene.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

If they're paying attention, it's not that hard to follow. There are clues everywhere... even from the very first scene.

So is Transformers. Beats me if I know what is going on.

 

[guitarsingerguy]

Wasn't Black Swan?

That's true. Black Swan was a bit of a critical darling wasn't it? Still, it's definitely more a rarity with Aranofsky than the norm.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

That's true. Black Swan was a bit of a critical darling wasn't it? Still, it's definitely more a rarity with Aranofsky than the norm.

No doubt. I am a big fan of his work. Especially of The Wrestler and The Fountain. But for some reason I have been really turned off by the advertising here. Who released this movie?

 

[guitarsingerguy]

No doubt. I am a big fan of his work. Especially of The Wrestler and The Fountain. But for some reason I have been really turned off by the advertising here. Who released this movie?

Oh man...I forgot all about The Wrestler. That was another great one. I'm glad to see I'm not the only person that enjoyed The Fountain. That definitely seems to be one of his more split films, but his movies in general are just hard to watch. They're all SO ****ing depressing. I have to make sure I'm in a certain headspace to watch his films.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Oh man...I forgot all about The Wrestler. That was another great one. I'm glad to see I'm not the only person that enjoyed The Fountain. That definitely seems to be one of his more split films, but his movies in general are just hard to watch. They're all SO ****ing depressing. I have to make sure I'm in a certain headspace to watch his films.

My brother and I love the Fountain. One of our favorite scores as well. His movies are definitely an experience and you are so right. I to have to be in a certain headspace for them as well. I do think it is kind of funny his most "accessible" movie is probably Noah, and that movie gets rather uncomfortable on the boat.

 

[Brother Jack]

People are hating it, so maybe they do just turn their brain off halfway through. I don't know.

I've heard some people say that they understood it just fine but still didn't like it. Because it was too heavy handed and pretentious, in their opinion. I haven't seen it myself so I don't know.

 

[guitarsingerguy]

I've heard some people say that they understood it just fine but still didn't like it. Because it was too heavy handed and pretentious, in their opinion. I haven't seen it myself so I don't know.

Pretentious is the EXACT word my fiancee used, and she understood it just fine. She isn't a large movie buff though, so she doesn't get impressed by things like visuals, etc.

 

[Brother Jack]

Yeah, I don't think disliking and misunderstanding are synonymous here.

 

[kvz5]

No doubt. I am a big fan of his work. Especially of The Wrestler and The Fountain. But for some reason I have been really turned off by the advertising here. Who released this movie?

Paramount.

 

[guitarsingerguy]

No doubt. I am a big fan of his work. Especially of The Wrestler and The Fountain. But for some reason I have been really turned off by the advertising here. Who released this movie?

You know...I don't think they were expecting big numbers out of something this strange anyway, so they may have held back on the marketing on purpose. Maybe they simply didn't think spending the money was worth it?

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Paramount.

You know...I don't think they were expecting big numbers out of something this strange anyway, so they may have held back on the marketing on purpose. Maybe they simply didn't think spending the money was worth it?

Oh, it isn't the money. I have seen plenty. I just am not a big fan of the in your face nature of it. Like, "this is a religious experience, you will remember the first time you saw mother!". When I went to go see It, they had a trailer that told me I had to go get my tickets after the movie. It just felt... ugh.

 

[guitarsingerguy]

Oh, it isn't the money. I have seen plenty. I just am not a big fan of the in your face nature of it. Like, "this is a religious experience, you will remember the first time you saw mother!". When I went to go see It, they had a trailer that told me I had to go get my tickets after the movie. It just felt... ugh.

Hahahaha Well, like I said, the word Georgia used to describe it was pretentious. I'd say that falls in line. Ho! You've GOTTA see this! It's gonna blow your ****ing mind!!!!

 

[Teelie]

I haven't seen mother! yet but I have read the spoilers on it and it looks like the reason audiences hate it is because this is a bait and switch with a hefty dose of pretentious garnish. People go in expecting a horror-ish movie, come out wondering what the hell it was they just saw instead.

Given the subject matter buried under the layer of allegory I am both surprised and yet not surprised it failed to find an audience. The people who went all out over [blackout]The Passion of the Christ[/blackout] must like their movies to be more blatant than this apparently because it would otherwise be right up their alley I would think.

Having never seen the aforementioned blackout tagged movie and never intending to, I don't know how it and mother! compare in similarity besides the tone and allegory burying setting.