Sam Mendes WWI drama ‘1917’

[Schlosser85]

My god was the Deakins cinematography in this movie incredible. Between this and Ad Astra I honestly don't know which was the most visually stunning film of 2019, but I definitely enjoyed this film a lot more than that one overall.That combined with the score from Thomas Newman were easily more than enough to keep me hooked the entire time, and the fact that I actually connected somewhat with the lead characters is why I found this to be a far more successful movie going experience than something like Dunkirk. Not that I hated that movie or anything, because I didn't, but damn was the second half of this movie compelling and riveting as hell.

9/10

Agreed

 

[Silvermoth]

It’s such an incredible film. I love that they used big name actors but maybe for just one quick scene. It’s also wonderful that they were all character actors who fit in with the period. I hate when you watch a film like this and everyone looks botoxed and waxed and prettied up

 

[Chesterfield]

Such a great film. I'm seeing it again later today.

 

[Flint Marko]

It is ranked #10 of 2019 for me but the lack of character Scenes and a real Story hurts a lot. It is "just" a technical movie-porn fantasy. And that will be forgotten in 2 or 3 years like Dunkirk.

I strongly disagree. Time will tell but this movie has already gotten a stronger reception on the whole than Dunkirk did upon release as far as I remember.

 

[Steyin]

Great visuals and cinematography, and it does keep up one's anxiety, but rather bland otherwise.

 

[GunBlade]

Truth.

 

[MadVillainy]

The more I think about it. It is an egregious snub that George McKay didn't get an Oscar nom for acting

 

[Drizzle]

The more I think about it. It is an egregious snub that George McKay didn't get an Oscar nom for acting

It's impressive that he managed to mostly carry the movie on his own along with Dean Charles Chapman. But the Best Actor category was insanely competitive this year where even the likes of Taron Egerton and Adam Sandler didn't get nominated. In a weaker year McKay would probably have snuck in there but he got lost in the shuffle.

 

[moviedoors]

After sitting with it for a week now, I'm gonna be that guy: I think it's a mixed bag. The No-Man's Land portion is so spectacular, so good, it clouded my feelings on the movie as a whole. There's something detached and distancing about the entire gimmick. It reminds me of THE REVENANT, where I can feel the director's presence, and he's the actual star of the movie. 1917 is no where near as obnoxious as that movie was, but I'm still always aware of the artifice, of the it being a technical achievement. This is the polar opposite of how I felt after DUNKIRK; I didn't feel like I'd just watched a movie, it felt like it happened to me.

 

[MadVillainy]

I thought this did what Dunkirk was doing except a WHOOOOOOOOLE lot better. But then again, I think Dunkirk is a trash movie

 

[MadVillainy]

It's impressive that he managed to mostly carry the movie on his own along with Dean Charles Chapman. But the Best Actor category was insanely competitive this year where even the likes of Taron Egerton and Adam Sandler didn't get nominated. In a weaker year McKay would probably have snuck in there but he got lost in the shuffle.

I thought he was better than Egerton and Sandler. I haven't seen Pain & Glory or The Two Popes yet, but I was blown away by MacKay's performance

 

[Mandon Knight]

Went to see it for my birthday yesterday with my partner and we were simply blown away by it. As a piece of technical film-making, it’s on another level, every performer gives their best performance, to a man & woman, if cinematography and lighting don’t win big in awards season, there is no justice. Beautiful, emotional, cripplingly powerful and realistic, I cannot recommend this film enough. 10/10 for me.

 

[Venomfan]

I was not expecting this movie to remind me of

Spoiler

Psycho, with the "main" character dying. I kept waiting for the other guy to get taken out

 

[lime]

Amazing film

 

[lime]

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Saw it tonight, not much to say really but an amazing technical achievement and just all round great film.

 

[Doctor Jones]

Spectacular. I was floored. Mendes' best film, and the, if not one of the greatest films of the decade. A masterpiece. Apart from being sucked in, I was knocked away by the achievements I was witnessing. A film that exceeds it's own hype.

A rare film that not only is an incredible technical achievement, but with an amazing story with characters you care about to match it. I go to the theater to experience something new and for each movie to be the best it can be. I want to be transcended. This is that rare time. This is what movies can do.

This is one of the greatest war films of all time. The best war film since Saving Private Ryan. These two would make a great double feature.

This will be celebrated in the years to come.

10/10

 

[Asr]

Just saw this and have to agree, this was amazing!

Although the plot was nothing new, the presentation was pure brilliance. The continuous "one-take" shot approach was more than just a novelty IMO, and really helped to add to the immersiveness. It definitely helps suck in the viewer, as it makes you feel like you're right there with the soldiers at all times, since the camera never leaves ground level or the characters' POV. It only felt a bit gimmicky at first when the film started out by tracking the two young soldiers with the camera in front of them and backtracking to reveal more scenery, but as things moved on and the camera finally swung around and got behind them, it felt way more natural. And the way that the camera always stuck at ground level and with the characters really helped me to connect and empathize with the characters as a viewer and experience everything that they were going through.

The cinematography, sound editing & mixing, and musical score were also super on point. All around a simply amazing achievement, and I'm glad I saw it in theaters on the big screen. Definitely a film that everyone should try to catch on the biggest screen possible!

And if this wins the BP Oscar, I won't complain even if it's a cliche for war films to be Oscar bait. This was easily one of the greatest achievements I've ever seen. 11/10!

 

[Brother Jack]

I thought Deakins had reached another plane with BR2049, but here he's ascended to the level of godhood. The "night window" scene is one of the most beautiful and mesmerizing compositions I've ever seen. This film is a visual masterpiece, practically unparalleled.

 

[Doctor Jones]

I'm gonna say it, Mendes made a classic.

 

[Doctor Jones]

I thought Deakins had reached another plane with BR2049, but here he's ascended to the level of godhood. The "night window" scene is one of the most beautiful and mesmerizing compositions I've ever seen. This film is a visual masterpiece, practically unparalleled.

That night window scene. The context of its writing and what Scofield has been through to get there, the composition, Deakins incredible cinematography, Newman's incredible score, this alchemy that creates something that transports you beyond the genre or its premise. It's what cinema is lacking now. I truly believe moments like this are the closest thing to actual magic. The fact that something like that comes from within through an experience is why I love movies. I was awed beyond anything.

People talk about our love movies predominately through mythicating it. I don't think it's something so simple. I think things like this is what it's about.

 

[Filmfan93]

Congrats to 1917 for winning the BAFTA awards for best film, best British film, best director and best cinematography!

Well deserved - saw it for a 2nd time on Thursday and was still blown away by how good this film is.

 

[Kev4000]

Congrats to 1917 for winning the BAFTA awards for best film, best British film, best director and best cinematography!

Well deserved - saw it for a 2nd time on Thursday and was still blown away by how good this film is.

+ dont forget Sound categories and visuals.

 

[Kane52630]

 

[Mjolnir Reborn]

I finally got to watch this in a theater and it was amazing. This was everything that I had hoped that Dunkirk would be, and many here seems to share that sentiment. Nolan is, in my view, not that good at creating emotional connections to the viewer but that was done very well in 1917. I could really feel attached to the characters, which also helps me feel how it would be being caught up in such a struggle, which is necessary to set the correct atmosphere in the film.

That 1917 would be emotionally more moving wasn't unexpected, but that it actually managed to significantly top Dunkirk in the technical aspect was extremely impressive (I probably can't say that it was really unexpected since there had been so much talk about it). Deakins again, like with BR2049, produces such good cinematography that it sort of breaks immersion at times because you just want to marvel at what you're seeing. I guess it's the combination of cinematography and production design that is the MVP here, as Birdman did the same thing and what makes this into the next level of that is the scope rather than the cinematography alone.