So... Who saw "Birth"?

Message Bookmarked
Bookmark Removed
I'm sure it will polarize audiences, and I wasn't immediately sure of what I thought.
But with a few days separation I have now decided that it is my second favorite film
of the year. And maybe Nicole Kidman actually is as good as people say she is? So
many great performances in a row...

firstworldman (firstworldman), Monday, 1 November 2004 17:57 (twenty years ago)

I like Nicole Kidman. A lot.

There, I said it.

nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 1 November 2004 18:06 (twenty years ago)

but did you see the movie?

firstworldman (firstworldman), Monday, 1 November 2004 18:09 (twenty years ago)

I started an ILF thread on it but no-one reads ILF except for adam.

I agree that it's one of the best films of the year. I liked the tracking shots, I loved the set design, I've always thought Nicole Kidman was amazing and she's pretty incredible in this. What do people think about the ambiguity in the film? Sloppiness, or deliberate? If deliberate, why? If sloppy, how, when everything else is so meticulous?

kyle (akmonday), Monday, 1 November 2004 18:24 (twenty years ago)

also, the ooh-ahh big controversial scene is hardly shocking. I haven't seen any ads for this film, did Lion's Gate dump it out of fear of controversy?

kyle (akmonday), Monday, 1 November 2004 18:25 (twenty years ago)

I still haven't seen it. This week is going to be my see-lots-of-movies week. On the menu = Birth, Ray, Team America.

nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 1 November 2004 18:29 (twenty years ago)

I do want to see this at some point.

jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 1 November 2004 18:31 (twenty years ago)

What's the controversy about?

(I don't think I'm going to see it)

Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 1 November 2004 18:32 (twenty years ago)

kid gets in a bathtub naked with a naked Nicole

Nicole kisses kid on the lips

kyle (akmonday), Monday, 1 November 2004 18:34 (twenty years ago)

Ah.

Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 1 November 2004 18:37 (twenty years ago)

audience walked out on it at the venice film festival in disgust, apparently. who knew the italians were so sensitive?

kyle (akmonday), Monday, 1 November 2004 18:38 (twenty years ago)

i thought that the ambiguity was deliberate... but i wouldn't have minded either way. sometimes it's acceptable to have an idea and not know how to or not be interested in making it completely resolve. i don't know why there is an insistence upon this point in so many films.

the scene where the camera stays on kidman's face for a minute or 2 during the symphony is perhaps one of the best pieces of silent acting i have ever seen. you can see exactly every thing that she's thinking on her face.

also, does anyoone know what that piece was that was playing during that seen? i can't find the answer anywhere online.

firstworldman (firstworldman), Monday, 1 November 2004 18:52 (twenty years ago)

I saw it this weekend, and enjoyed it a lot. 1WM, I so agree with you on the symphony scene - incredible. And of course NK is lovely throughout, and completely believable in this unbelievable situation.

I loved the ambiguity. I wanted to believe.

Certainly the "controversial" bits were to my mind not at all objectionable. As my husband said "that was the least sexual scene with two people nude in a bathtub that has ever been filmed". And the kiss is very brief, and not icky.

Layna Andersen (Layna Andersen), Monday, 1 November 2004 18:59 (twenty years ago)

kid gets in a bathtub naked with a naked Nicole

Nicole kisses kid on the lips

b-b-b-but it's art.

don carville weiner, Monday, 1 November 2004 19:00 (twenty years ago)

well it is

kyle (akmonday), Monday, 1 November 2004 19:04 (twenty years ago)

i wanna see this

s1ocki (slutsky), Tuesday, 2 November 2004 00:18 (twenty years ago)

also, does anyoone know what that piece was that was playing during that seen?

it's wagner.

cutty (mcutt), Tuesday, 2 November 2004 00:30 (twenty years ago)

anti-semites

s1ocki (slutsky), Tuesday, 2 November 2004 00:32 (twenty years ago)

five years pass...

Pretty music. Very pretty music.

cough syrup in coke cans (Eric H.), Sunday, 8 November 2009 02:00 (fifteen years ago)

loved this movie so

oops i accidentally made it personal (surm), Sunday, 8 November 2009 02:04 (fifteen years ago)

Did not love this movie, but it's a fascinating misfire, et al.

cough syrup in coke cans (Eric H.), Sunday, 8 November 2009 02:08 (fifteen years ago)

Not horrible.

Your Favorite Saturday Night Thing (Dr Morbius), Sunday, 8 November 2009 14:47 (fifteen years ago)

Pretty music. Very pretty music.

Yeah, I actually downloaded Desplat's opening theme after watching the movie.

Nuyorican oatmeal (jaymc), Sunday, 8 November 2009 15:12 (fifteen years ago)

loved this movie totally

ice cr?m, Sunday, 8 November 2009 15:26 (fifteen years ago)

it's great

banned, on the run (s1ocki), Sunday, 8 November 2009 16:44 (fifteen years ago)

when is dude going to make another movie

banned, on the run (s1ocki), Sunday, 8 November 2009 16:44 (fifteen years ago)

sean sean sean sean sean sean sean sean sean

ice cr?m, Sunday, 8 November 2009 19:06 (fifteen years ago)

top 5 00s imo, feeling kindof delirious from a cold+long day @ work, might watch it b4 bed

plaques (I know, right?), Sunday, 8 November 2009 19:09 (fifteen years ago)

yeah this movie is excellent, hugely underrated. still reminds me a lot of Polanski.

akm, Monday, 9 November 2009 05:53 (fifteen years ago)

liked it a lot. It was meticulous in a Kubrickian way, long takes and wide-angled lenses included. Which I loved, but occasionally it felt fussed-over in a way only first-time directors are capable of.

Cosmo Vitelli, Monday, 9 November 2009 06:30 (fifteen years ago)

not first time director iirc

plaxico (I know, right?), Monday, 9 November 2009 07:21 (fifteen years ago)

yeah, Glazer had done a stack of ad and music promo work AND directed Sexy Beast before this.

>when is dude going to make another movie

He's had an adaptation of Michael Faber's (incredible) Under The Skin in development hell for several years. Looks like there may finally be some progress though (this link spoilerises the book btw):

http://theplaylist.blogspot.com/2009/05/jonathan-glazers-under-skin-adaptation.html

Bill A, Monday, 9 November 2009 09:16 (fifteen years ago)

sexy beast and glazer are pretty great movie to have on ur cv let alone be the only ones

plaxico (I know, right?), Monday, 9 November 2009 17:52 (fifteen years ago)

ya sexy beast is definitely a top 10 of the 00s for me.

banned, on the run (s1ocki), Monday, 9 November 2009 18:36 (fifteen years ago)

word, had no idea that was his

oops i accidentally made it personal (surm), Tuesday, 10 November 2009 03:28 (fifteen years ago)

liked this a lot until the final scene.

ryan, Tuesday, 10 November 2009 03:41 (fifteen years ago)

<3 sexy beast

ice cr?m, Tuesday, 10 November 2009 05:15 (fifteen years ago)

watched this again last night and had forgotten so many great things, the extended shot of kidman at the opera, anne fucking heche, the score!, "you're the person who told anna there isn't a santa clause," cinematography, how at first you think its gonna be stylish enough to make up for its hollow emotional centre and then it completely catches you by surprise how emotionall involved u r. I spent so much time in this movie just thinking about how Nicole Kidman is just so cinematic, she looks like a fashion model in almost every still, is her haircut a Rosemary's Baby ref(?) How it turns Park Ave. into this fairytale dreamworld. awes.

plaxico (I know, right?), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 13:39 (fifteen years ago)

"you see how dirty my hands are?"

plaxico (I know, right?), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 13:42 (fifteen years ago)

when it cuts from "i didn't think she could have a baby" to her face

plaxico (I know, right?), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 13:55 (fifteen years ago)

not one tracksuit in this movie btw

plaxico (I know, right?), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 14:23 (fifteen years ago)

OK, now this is overappreciated

Your Favorite Saturday Night Thing (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 14:25 (fifteen years ago)

Just here. I think it's properly appreciated elsewhere.

cough syrup in coke cans (Eric H.), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 14:26 (fifteen years ago)

Anne Heche, tho, is absolutely MVP here, after Desplat.

cough syrup in coke cans (Eric H.), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 14:26 (fifteen years ago)

Anne Heche steals this movie in one scene basically, i love how you get a hint of it early on and then she reappears just as you've forgotten all about her and its like holy shit

plaxico (I know, right?), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 14:28 (fifteen years ago)

also when ur fav movies r all like malick, w kar w, its not really surprising when u love this. by u i mean me btw

plaxico (I know, right?), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 14:29 (fifteen years ago)

Yeah, I can see it working like that on a select cult audience.

cough syrup in coke cans (Eric H.), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 14:31 (fifteen years ago)

so wait, ur saying this movie is overappreciated by ppl who like it(?)

plaxico (I know, right?), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 14:32 (fifteen years ago)

I like the film a fair bit, but the opening sequence is 100% wonderful. Largely thanks to Desplat's mesmeric theme.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hFO9sA7LsA

Bill A, Wednesday, 11 November 2009 14:38 (fifteen years ago)

the opening is amazing.

banned, on the run (s1ocki), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 14:39 (fifteen years ago)

sound design of the film in general is v. elegant

plaxico (I know, right?), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 14:39 (fifteen years ago)

i love how even when danny huston is playing "happy birthday" on the piano, its really beautiful

plaxico (I know, right?), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 14:40 (fifteen years ago)

i love danny huston tbh

banned, on the run (s1ocki), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 14:41 (fifteen years ago)

so wait, ur saying this movie is overappreciated by ppl who like it(?)

No, I'm just saying it was generally accepted as an interesting failure, which matched my own take on it, so therefore I'd say it was properly received.

cough syrup in coke cans (Eric H.), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 14:42 (fifteen years ago)

Danny Huston is great too, but Heche's character saw through Kidman even before the movie started, which makes her even greater.

cough syrup in coke cans (Eric H.), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 14:42 (fifteen years ago)

i didn't think it was accepted as a failure -- the people i talked to really liked it.

reviews or box office stats, i don't know, or care.

IKR i can't believe u forgot about the opera scene.

oops i accidentally made it personal (surm), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 15:21 (fifteen years ago)

yeah i'm not normally such a kidman stan but this is her greatest performance for me

plaxico (I know, right?), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 15:24 (fifteen years ago)

I saw it about 2 years ago on DVD, thought "hmmm, has its points," and remember very little now. Cuz the premise is, you know, silly.

Your Favorite Saturday Night Thing (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 15:25 (fifteen years ago)

premise is obv one of the best -- especially to see nicole kidman wield it

oops i accidentally made it personal (surm), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 15:26 (fifteen years ago)

it's kind of hilarious in parts

oops i accidentally made it personal (surm), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 15:26 (fifteen years ago)

Kidman's greatest perf for me is:

http://images2.fanpop.com/images/photos/5800000/Eyes-Wide-Shut-nicole-kidman-5848044-640-480.jpg

cough syrup in coke cans (Eric H.), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 15:27 (fifteen years ago)

Doesn't hurt that it's also the best movie she's ever been in.

cough syrup in coke cans (Eric H.), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 15:27 (fifteen years ago)

okay but its kindof a dark fairytale, you're supposed to suspend disbelief and I think its suitably dreamy and atmospheric to let you do that. Also I think its really weird the way you're saying a movie you saw two years ago on DVD and can barely remember is overrated, maybe try rewatching some of the movies u dismiss out of hand and just let them surprise u?

plaxico (I know, right?), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 15:28 (fifteen years ago)

xp to morbs

plaxico (I know, right?), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 15:28 (fifteen years ago)

its a rad movie not that many people saw cause of you know pedophilia basically

ice cr?m, Wednesday, 11 November 2009 15:28 (fifteen years ago)

that scene is amazingly creepy too

plaxico (I know, right?), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 15:29 (fifteen years ago)

also this movie reminds me of eyes wide shut like a lot so...

plaxico (I know, right?), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 15:29 (fifteen years ago)

in places i mean

plaxico (I know, right?), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 15:29 (fifteen years ago)

yeah kidman's EWS performance is classic for all time

oops i accidentally made it personal (surm), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 15:32 (fifteen years ago)

but she also killed in The Hours

oops i accidentally made it personal (surm), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 15:33 (fifteen years ago)

like, she looked legitimately disturbed, in the scary way

oops i accidentally made it personal (surm), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 15:33 (fifteen years ago)

after i saw birth i was raving abt it to a friend being all its so great and by the guy who did sexy beast yet some how no one saw it!!! and he was all what does it have child fucking in it and i was like oh well kind of

ice cr?m, Wednesday, 11 November 2009 15:33 (fifteen years ago)

heard it was a disaster and my local video shop had it which is kinda weird because they only really have sandra bullock movies there

plaxico (I know, right?), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 15:35 (fifteen years ago)

this is about when I started art school and I was v. serious all the time

plaxico (I know, right?), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 15:36 (fifteen years ago)

lol

oops i accidentally made it personal (surm), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 15:36 (fifteen years ago)

the danny huston spanking freakout in this movie = A+++

banned, on the run (s1ocki), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 16:45 (fifteen years ago)

thank u ilx for introducing me to this film

just sayin, Sunday, 22 November 2009 17:58 (fifteen years ago)

its haunting

Lamp, Sunday, 22 November 2009 19:32 (fifteen years ago)

Did anyone else here actually hate this movie with a passion?

Salvador Dali Parton (Turangalila), Sunday, 22 November 2009 19:38 (fifteen years ago)

Nah, just mostly underwhelmed.

Xiffy Pup (Eric H.), Sunday, 22 November 2009 20:31 (fifteen years ago)

two months pass...

I got this movie for the weekend, so I'm looking forward to under- or overappreciating it, depending on the film.

Blue Fucks Like Ben Nelson (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 29 January 2010 14:21 (fifteen years ago)

i find it's best appreciated at the correct level but ymmv

scent of a wolfman (s1ocki), Friday, 29 January 2010 15:48 (fifteen years ago)

"ymmv"?

Blue Fucks Like Ben Nelson (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 29 January 2010 15:48 (fifteen years ago)

dude how long have you been readin the internet

in Lakota you are now Snow Tubes With Gangbangers (gbx), Friday, 29 January 2010 15:54 (fifteen years ago)

yummy men may vomit

鬼の手 (Edward III), Friday, 29 January 2010 16:22 (fifteen years ago)

dude how long have you been readin the internet

longer than your mom

Blue Fucks Like Ben Nelson (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 29 January 2010 16:24 (fifteen years ago)

yowling meerkats mate verily

鬼の手 (Edward III), Friday, 29 January 2010 16:24 (fifteen years ago)

your mama made vermicelli

free the charmless but occasionally brilliant Dom Passantino (history mayne), Friday, 29 January 2010 16:24 (fifteen years ago)

your mom masturbates viciously

鬼の手 (Edward III), Friday, 29 January 2010 16:26 (fifteen years ago)

you made me vanish

鬼の手 (Edward III), Friday, 29 January 2010 16:30 (fifteen years ago)

^^birth

plaxico (I know, right?), Friday, 29 January 2010 23:01 (fifteen years ago)

eight months pass...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hFO9sA7LsA

masterful

candid gamera (s1ocki), Tuesday, 26 October 2010 15:51 (fourteen years ago)

thank u ilx for introducing me to this film

― just sayin, Sunday, 22 November 2009 17:58 (11 months ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

just sayin, Tuesday, 26 October 2010 15:52 (fourteen years ago)

cosine

mr. mandelbrot flythrough vertigo, esq. (Edward III), Tuesday, 26 October 2010 16:25 (fourteen years ago)

No dedicated Glazer thread it seems, but figure it's worth putting this here:

Scarlett Johansson to star in Under The Skin

Pleased that this finally seems to be on track. I adore the book, although it looks like all the reporting on this casting is likely to spoilerise an element of it (the Graun's piece does so in its title). I dunno, maybe the book's early twist is common knowledge now.

Bill A, Friday, 5 November 2010 14:50 (fourteen years ago)

new glazer? awesome!

koyaani (s1ocki), Friday, 5 November 2010 14:56 (fourteen years ago)

two years pass...

^^ when is this coming out???

just sayin, Monday, 15 April 2013 15:54 (twelve years ago)

four months pass...

A: its being shown at the venice film fest

just sayin, Wednesday, 28 August 2013 15:03 (twelve years ago)

Those clips are stunning. 5-star review from Xan Brooks in The Guardian today, seen a few horrible ones too. From what I've read it looks like only the skeletal remains of the book are in there, but Glazer's previous films are so good that I'm totally hyped for this. Only major disappointment so far is that the name "Isserley" seems to have been abandoned for "Laura", no idea why.

that mustardless plate (Bill A), Thursday, 5 September 2013 07:24 (twelve years ago)


You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.