Damsels in Distress (Whit Stillman)

[Boner M]

IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1667307/)

http://collider.com/wp-content/uploads/Damsels-in-Distress-poster.jpg

[Boner M]

Had great fun w/ this, Gerwig and Brody are perfect for Stillman dialogue. The trailer (or Stillman's other films) should give you an idea if you'll be annoyed or charmed.

UMIA1KMwDqE

[Sycophant]

How the hell did I not know about this film till today? Last Days of Disco is one of my absolute favorite films, and I'm thrilled he's made another. Hoping it hits my area before too long!

[Irish]

I really want to see this, having an odd soft spot for Metropolitan and Barcelona.

Where the hell has this guy been hiding all these years?

[elixir]

Odd soft spot? They are good movies. I'm very excited about this.

[Irish]

Odd soft spot? They are good movies. I'm very excited about this.

No, they're really not. Stillman reminds me of Hal Hartley a bit because both of them make very narrow kind of films for a specific kind of audience.

I'm not sure if that really makes them "good," or just good at appealing to my offbeat sensibilities.

[elixir]

:confused:

Making more niche films means they are bad?

[Irish]

:confused: Making more niche films means they are bad?

I'm saying they're not well made, they're pretty shallow at the end of the day, and they appeal to the kind of people who might, at some point in their lives, been tempted to pretend they were characters in an F Scott Fitzgerald novel.

Appealing to a certain niche doesn't make the film good just because the niche likes it.

[Raiders]

I'm saying they're not well made, they're pretty shallow at the end of the day, and they appeal to the kind of people who might, at some point in their lives, been tempted to pretend they were characters in an F Scott Fitzgerald novel.

Appealing to a certain niche doesn't make the film good just because the niche likes it.

You have a populist mentality (as in judging things by their success and mass appeal) that boggles my mind, especially when in the same sentence you admit the films succeed in their aim. You need to embrace the subjective.

[Boner M]

I'm saying they're not well made, they're pretty shallow at the end of the day
Hartley's films are very well made.

[Derek]

Hartley's films are very well made.

He made several of the best comedies of the 90s.

[Irish]

You have a populist mentality (as in judging things by their success and mass appeal) that boggles my mind, especially when in the same sentence you admit the films succeed in their aim. You need to embrace the subjective.

Market success is just one facet. It means, on some level, the work resonated with a large number of people. I'll always find that interesting because, if it's not immediately apparent, I'll always try and figure out why. It's not about the money, but the emotion invoked.

I wasn't implying that because a film succeeds with its core audience, it has then succeeded on any measure that matters creatively.

Your comment about subjectivity is provocative. Although, I'm not sure I see a distinct advantage in doing so. Or at least to the point where I'd want to talk about it.

[Irish]

Hartley's films are very well made.

He made several of the best comedies of the 90s.

It must've not been clear, but I was talking about Whitman, not Hartley.

[Izzy Black]

Holy shit how did I missed this. I love Stillman. I've been out of the loop for too long. I must see this ASAP.

[Pop Trash]

No, they're really not. Stillman reminds me of Hal Hartley a bit because both of them make very narrow kind of films for a specific kind of audience.

I'm not sure if that really makes them "good," or just good at appealing to my offbeat sensibilities.

I know what you mean. Both Stillman and Hartley are quite "stuff white people liked in the 90s." Then again, you could say similar things about Woody Allen's entire oeuvre.

[Izzy Black]

Whit Stillman's films are very well made.

Is this film available anywhere? I can't seem to find it anywhere on the InterWebz.

[Sycophant]

I think Stillman's films (I confess I haven't seen Barcelona yet) are personal stories about subjects Stillman finds interesting. I find them well written and well made (even if he doesn't have the greatest sense of visual flair--which I really don't think impedes the success of his work). I happen to find the same things interesting, which may have helped the work to resonate with me, but if we use that to discredit it, it seems like we're getting dangerously close to a place where we're appealing to some objectively good art.

[Izzy Black]

I think Whit Stillman's films are objectively good by any known acceptable standard of film analysis. I don't see the controversy here. They're witty, insightful, well acted, and cleverly shot. He's a very charming filmmaker. I don't see the hesitation to simply say just that. No - he's no Tarkovsky, but so what?

ANYWAYS, does anyone know where I find this film ???

[elixir]

I think Whit Stillman's films are objectively good by any known acceptable standard of film analysis. I don't see the controversy here. They're witty, insightful, well acted, and cleverly shot. He's a very charming filmmaker. I don't see the hesitation to simply say just that. No - he's no Tarkovsky, but so what?

ANYWAYS, does anyone know where I find this film ???
I don't think it's leaked yet, if that's what you are asking, but it comes out in theaters in the US starting this weekend...

[Irish]

ANYWAYS, does anyone know where I find this film ???

I think it got a couple of festival showings last year, but IMDb has April 6, 2012 as its US release date.

If you're thinking of pirating it, don't be that guy.

[Izzy Black]

Ah, I thought it was already out.

And c'mon, don't pretend like we aren't among thieves here.

[Sycophant]

Yeah, most of the Internet seems to only believe that it's worth reporting its Venice premiere date. (I think it was Venice.)

[Izzy Black]

It looks like it's only playing at 4 theaters (2 in NY, 2 in LA) on the 6th, according to Moviefone. Ugh.

[Boner M]

Market success is just one facet. It means, on some level, the work resonated with a large number of people. I'll always find that interesting because, if it's not immediately apparent, I'll always try and figure out why. It's not about the money, but the emotion invoked.

I wasn't implying that because a film succeeds with its core audience, it has then succeeded on any measure that matters creatively.
There is truth to this, but assuming an 'objective' stance makes film discussion on a forum for cinephiles deeply uninteresting.

[Irish]

There is truth to this, but assuming an 'objective' stance makes film discussion on a forum for cinephiles deeply uninteresting.

Hm, you lost me. How am I assuming an objective stance?

I think a kind of worldview, or consistent criteria, is important to have, and that if you're serious about a thing, you should adopt one.

Otherwise, as I said elsewhere, we might as well be talking abut ice cream.

[Fezzik]

This is one of those times when I feel like such a philistine.

I have never seen a Whit Stilman film, I hadn't heard of him until yesterday.

I do want to see this, though. It looks like my kind of comedy.

If I like it at all, I'll check out the rest of his filmography.

[Acapelli]

this was really charming and amusing

i liked it

[Pop Trash]

This is playing near me, and I was thinking of seeing it this weekend, then I watched that trailer and it reminded me why I couldn't even get through Metropolitan. Ugh.

[EyesWideOpen]

I loved this. I was already aware of this fact but I wanted to reiterate that Greta Gerwig is enchanting.

[Mal]

Hilarious. Stillman hasn't lost his touch at all. Slightly reminded me of Heathers, though in the sense that it outdid it at every turn.

[kopello]

Yea I guess I'll go ahead and give this a yay. I'm not the biggest Stillman fan but it's so damn charming and funny it's kind of hard to dislike. I haven't seen Metropolitan but I liked this way more than Last Days of Disco.

[Izzy Black]

A delight. There was only one other person in the theater when I watched this and he walked out about mid way through.

I'd say this ranks just above The Last Days of Disco and just below Barcelona. Nice to see him with new actors and retaining his touch. It also develops nicely on Stillman's themes and fits very nicely as contribution to his overall oeuvre. Tipton and Gerwig were great, nice composites of Aubrey Rouget, Nick Smith, and Tom Townsend.

[eternity]

Whit Stillman's worst movie? Possibly. Still fun.

[MadMan]

I've only seen Last Days of Disco from him, and I rather liked that movie. I'll check this out when it hits DVD, since it apparently didn't get a wide release or at least come to my crappy town with crappy theaters.

[ThePlashyBubbler]

Really effin' great.

[Izzy Black]

Surprised a new Whit Stillman movie isn't getting more attention than this. I realize he's always been rather under recognized, but with the recent Criterion additions of his oeuvre and his very sparse output I expected some more interest. Guess not.

[ThePlashyBubbler]

Surprised a new Whit Stillman movie isn't getting more attention than this. I realize he's always been rather under recognized, but with the recent Criterion additions of his oeuvre and his very sparse output I expected some more interest. Guess not.

Hopefully more-so once the DVD comes out (this month I think)?

[elixir]

I definitely enjoyed it a lot, but I think it's probably the least of Stillman's films. Definitely want to see him be a bit more prolific though!

[Raiders]

Surprised a new Whit Stillman movie isn't getting more attention than this. I realize he's always been rather under recognized, but with the recent Criterion additions of his oeuvre and his very sparse output I expected some more interest. Guess not.

The fact that 14 people here have seen it and it never released in more than what, 100 theaters and hasn't had a DVD release yet, that's pretty good interest.

[dreamdead]

I really enjoyed this. It's the least of his that I've seen (still need to get to Barcelona, unless people think that I shouldn't), but the richness of his dialogue is still a wonder. Rose's rants about "playboy operators" never failed to make me smile, and the deftness of the rhetoric (namely regarding Frank and Jimbo) was exquisite.

I think that Violet might be Stillman's most non-three-dimensional lead, which is a problem, but otherwise I think the film works. One could likely contend that Violet never changes and that limiting her register in this way is precisely the point. It might not be wholly enriching because of this, but it still suggests a purpose...

[baby doll]

I really enjoyed this. It's the least of his that I've seen (still need to get to Barcelona, unless people think that I shouldn't), but the richness of his dialogue is still a wonder. Rose's rants about "playboy operators" never failed to make me smile, and the deftness of the rhetoric (namely regarding Frank and Jimbo) was exquisite.

I think that Violet might be Stillman's most non-three-dimensional lead, which is a problem, but otherwise I think the film works. One could likely contend that Violet never changes and that limiting her register in this way is precisely the point. It might not be wholly enriching because of this, but it still suggests a purpose...Clearly you haven't seen Barcelona. It's worth checking out, but my main memories of the movie are the two lead dudes, both privileged neo-cons, lecturing the Spanish on how misinformed they are about American foreign policy (which is totally awesome, apparently) and bitching about the music at parties. It's better than I'm making it sound, but that's the general thrust of it.

[elixir]

Clearly you haven't seen Barcelona. It's worth checking out, but my main memories of the movie are the two lead dudes, both privileged neo-cons, lecturing the Spanish on how misinformed they are about American foreign policy (which is totally awesome, apparently) and bitching about the music at parties. It's better than I'm making it sound, but that's the general thrust of it.
What? No. It takes jabs against American jingoism as well. And it's not like the film is necessarily endorsing those characters...

[Izzy Black]

I've been over this a few times with baby doll before. He apparently doesn't read any satire in the film (because, you know, Whit Stillman hates irony) and some how walked away thinking that the film was a straightforward and uncomplicated endorsement of the main characters' politics.

On a side note, I certainly wouldn't begrudge him for saying the film has flat female characters. That's simply a given. The difference however is that Barcelona doesn't have any female leads since they're all side characters.

[Izzy Black]

The fact that 14 people here have seen it and it never released in more than what, 100 theaters and hasn't had a DVD release yet, that's pretty good interest.

I don't just mean people who've seen it. And I've seen bigger reactions and more interest in obscure art films that aren't even available anywhere other than through online piracy. It's not a big deal, though, I was just hoping Stillman's name alone commanded more interest. I was wrong.

Btw, DVD is scheduled for release soon.

[Pop Trash]

I get the feeling Whit Stillman was never quite invited into the rich and privileged cliques he knew around Harvard and Manhattan, so he just decided to make gentle satires about the rich and privileged. It's like everything criticized about Woody Allen times ten. He should move to West Virginia for awhile.

[Izzy Black]

And also, there has been a lot more votes since I made that original post.

[Izzy Black]

I get the feeling Whit Stillman was never quite invited into the rich and privileged clicks he knew around Harvard and Manhattan, so he just decided to make gentle satires about the rich and privileged. It's like everything criticized about Woody Allen times ten. He should move to West Virginia for awhile.

He was definitely a part of that scene. Harvard, Finals Clubs, the school newspaper, and so on. He's writing from experience. Typically satires about the upper-class tend to come from its members on the inside. And his films are as much endearing and sympathetic in their commentary as they are critical and disparaging. That's what makes them subtle and a somewhat difficult read, and most of all, Stillman an interesting filmmaker.

[DavidSeven]

Man, this was wonderful.

Yeah, the yays are unanimous here, but I'm still surprised this wasn't a bigger hit than it was. My first Stillman, so to hear people call this one of his lesser works is pretty exciting. Can't wait to see more. This will surely end up being one of my favorites of the year. Cast is perfect. 'Dat dialogue.

[Izzy Black]

Awesome. Let me know what you think of Metropolitan.

[Boner M]

It's kinda weird that the yays are this unanimous, considering how many people elsewhere hate it with a passion. I was one of, like, several people laughing in the packed Rotterdam screening where I saw it.

[Rowland]

It took ten minutes or so before I adjusted to this film's peculiar wavelength, but I was consistently amused from that point on. It began to lose me towards the end though, and I can already feel it slipping away after just a few hours. Smart and sweet, but too disjointed and slight to fully flower.

[Rowland]

Also, I found myself distracted by how much the actor Ryan Metcalf (http://www.wearysloth.com/Gallery/ActorsM/90725-30039.jpg) reminded me of Asian Jim Sturgess (http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02380/jim_2380718b.jpg).

[Dukefrukem]

This was so good.

[Melville]

So much nay. The only way this could be acceptable is if it were redesigned as the sequel to A Very Brady Sequel.

[elixir]

melville is just a playboy operator type

[Melville]

melville is just a playboy operator type
But with none of the playboy operator skills, unfortunately.

[Pop Trash]

Yea I guess I'll go ahead and give this a yay. I'm not the biggest Stillman fan but it's so damn charming and funny it's kind of hard to dislike.

Basically how I felt too. I was hoping it would go in a more clear cut direction. It's like Stillman got bored with anything resembling plot or character arc and just created a series of vignettes after the halfway mark. It's a trifle but a mostly charming trifle.

Huge assist from Greta Gerwig who seems born to make Stillman's stylized arch dialogue believable the way Samuel L. Jackson can do the same for Tarantino.