Anora

[Dicktar2023]

If you're an indie movie fan, you might be surprised to learn that Sean Baker's new movie Anora is sitting quietly between "Venom Part 6" and "Terrifier 25" at your local movie plex. Might want to check it out.

Or, maybe wait for it to stream? I don't know. I mostly enjoyed it, but it's difficult to give a "definitely recommend" to a movie that I think should be a full 45 minutes shorter. And that's a lot of extra time with a bunch of characters that are aggressively annoying. But if you're curious about what the director of Tangerine and The Florida Project is up to, I'd say definitely see it in the theater where you can get locked in for the full running time and it doesn't have to compete with a second screen. Because this movie with its loose, repetitive structure, its endless running time, and its shrill, obnoxious characters, won't put up much of a fight against the lure of checking today's Wordle real quick. If you start this movie in your living room, I seriously doubt you finish it.

And then you won't make it to the totally "WOW" final scene.

[todd-parker]

I struggle to understand how this one won the Palme d'Or unless the judges were swayed by the many images of a nude Mikey Madison and the various vocal inflections used to utter the word "motherlover". The last 10 minutes did offer some redemption with the vulnerability displayed by Anora and the reaction of the Russian father to the whole situation.

Wasn't a big fan of Sean Baker's other works but wanted to see this one based on the hype. Can't ever see myself wanting to watch this one again. Rating grade: 'meh'

[Pink Freud]

Now that "Anora" has finally arrived at a theater near me I will see, but with trepidation: (1) I was really looking forward to Sean Baker's "The Florida Project" based on its glowing reviews....and I really, really disliked it; disliked that kid; and disliked her white trash mother. (2) With all of the sky-high marks given Baker's "Anora" on the MRQE review site from major coastal newspaper/magazine reviewers, I figured it must either be really good, or (more likely) it's all about LGBTQ-BiPOC-AA/PI-ABCDEFG-lamma lamma ding dongs' issues.

I'll still take my chances this weekend and see it.

[3dender]

Finally caught up with this... not too impressed. Basically a character study of a pretty irritating person that temporarily decides to become a mediocre road trip comedy for the 2nd act.

Maybe if it had been called "Igor" instead and focused on that character it could have been more interesting.

Pretty terrible BP winner and there had to be at least a half dozen better films in each category it won. Kinda insane that it won best screenplay when it's totally meandering and the actors seem to have adlibbed about half their lines. And the very end was at least interesting although it did not feel earned.

I think Dicktar said it was better than Conclave so if that's the case I don't need to see Conclave. I give it a C.

[Dicktar2023]

Finally caught up with this... not too impressed. Basically a character study of a pretty irritating person that temporarily decides to become a mediocre road trip comedy for the 2nd act.

Maybe if it had been called "Igor" instead and focused on that character it could have been more interesting.

Pretty terrible BP winner and there had to be at least a half dozen better films in each category it won. Kinda insane that it won best screenplay when it's totally meandering and the actors seem to have adlibbed about half their lines. And the very end was at least interesting although it did not feel earned.

I think Dicktar said it was better than Conclave so if that's the case I don't need to see Conclave. I give it a C.

Baker winning for editor is what made me laugh.

Conclave is a ridiculous movie, but if you can meet it at that level, there is some campy fun to be had.

I tried watching Anora again on Hulu the other night. I got so into an online chess game that I forgot it was on.

[Pink Freud]

I don't understand how a movie with more than 500 f-bombs can win Best Screenplay, much less Best Picture.

Seeing Mikey Madison hosting SNL I was surprised to see she was the Manson Girl who got blowtorched in the pool by Leonardo DiCaprio near the end of "Once Upon a Time In Hollywood". That's quite a leap, going from that to Best Actress Oscar.

Her IMDb.com profile says the "Anora" role was written specifically for her. So, was it great acting...great writing...or great casting?

Her next few roles will say a lot about her career arc.

[FrankTheTank]

I have not watched Anora yet, but I do want to see it.

But in regards to Mikey Madison, she has been acting since she was really young, and was in a terrific show called Better Things.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4370596/

She was very good in it, and the entire cast is great actually. She has the acting chops, so I expect big things from her. But yes, I also forgot she was the one that got blowtorched by Leo in the pool. ha ha

[FrankTheTank]

I finally watched Anora last Friday. She was good, but the movie was all over the place. I guess one of my questions is, what kind of movie was this supposed to be? Like, is Anora who she is, a stripper/escort (if paid enough) who honestly thought she was in love (or he was in love with her) with a spoiled PlayStation playing 20-second f***ing 21-year old? Was she supposed to be really street smart? If so, then she had to know better that the love wasn't real and was just a business transaction. But, in the last few minutes we see it really hits her and she was in love? Or thought she was in love?
Maybe I am thinking way too much into this movie. Ha! Anyways, I won't watch it again, a solid C+ I think, mainly due to her acting. As far as a Best Picture winner, yikes, I don't think this one will age well IMO.

[3dender]

I finally watched Anora last Friday. She was good, but the movie was all over the place. I guess one of my questions is, what kind of movie was this supposed to be? Like, is Anora who she is, a stripper/escort (if paid enough) who honestly thought she was in love (or he was in love with her) with a spoiled PlayStation playing 20-second f***ing 21-year old? Was she supposed to be really street smart? If so, then she had to know better that the love wasn't real and was just a business transaction. But, in the last few minutes we see it really hits her and she was in love? Or thought she was in love?
Maybe I am thinking way too much into this movie. Ha! Anyways, I won't watch it again, a solid C+ I think, mainly due to her acting. As far as a Best Picture winner, yikes, I don't think this one will age well IMO.

My take is she's not crying at the end bc she was actually in love with Vanya, she's crying bc she realizes Igor is the first man ever to treat her like a person and not a sex toy.

[FrankTheTank]

My take is she's not crying at the end bc she was actually in love with Vanya, she's crying bc she realizes Igor is the first man ever to treat her like a person and not a sex toy.

That's a good take, so the first guy to show her real love.

[GelatinousEndive]

I finally watched Anora last Friday. She was good, but the movie was all over the place. I guess one of my questions is, what kind of movie was this supposed to be? Like, is Anora who she is, a stripper/escort (if paid enough) who honestly thought she was in love (or he was in love with her) with a spoiled PlayStation playing 20-second f***ing 21-year old? Was she supposed to be really street smart? If so, then she had to know better that the love wasn't real and was just a business transaction. But, in the last few minutes we see it really hits her and she was in love? Or thought she was in love?
Maybe I am thinking way too much into this movie. Ha! Anyways, I won't watch it again, a solid C+ I think, mainly due to her acting. As far as a Best Picture winner, yikes, I don't think this one will age well IMO.

My take is she's not crying at the end bc she was actually in love with Vanya, she's crying bc she realizes Igor is the first man ever to treat her like a person and not a sex toy.

Yes, correct take.

Signed, a woman