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View Full Version : The Florida Project (Sean Baker)



Spinal
10-24-2017, 10:11 PM
http://i1152.photobucket.com/albums/p485/joelharmonpdx/TheFloridaProject-quadposter_zps0bmkd7v8.jpg

IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5649144/)

Spinal
10-24-2017, 10:14 PM
On FB, I was talking about how this reminded me of a Vittorio De Sica film, where an ordinary protagonist is caught in a situation where they are slipping away due to a lack of social support. Excellent performances all around. Beautiful cinematography. One of the year's best.

number8
10-24-2017, 10:30 PM
Yeah, isn't it great? Sean Baker is one of my fav directors right now. I love that he's now made three films in a row about sex work and each one is so different from the last, showing the variety of the perspective and the richness of it that is still largely unexplored in films.

Spinal
10-24-2017, 10:42 PM
I was absolutely floored to learn that Bria Vinaite had never acted before. And I'm still not sure how they captured some of that stuff with the kids that feels so honest. That speaks to an extraordinary director. I'll have to catch up on the rest of his work.

Skitch
10-24-2017, 11:32 PM
I didn't realize he made Starlet (which I still have to see). Tangerine, while not exactly my cup of tea, was still gripping all through the run time. My biggest gripe was, as usual, characters make decisions I didn't like. Still a checklist film. Especially because (correct me if memory serves me wrong) it was shot entirely on an iPhone.

Trailer for TFP looks great.

Spinal
10-24-2017, 11:45 PM
Especially because (correct me if memory serves me wrong) it was shot entirely on an iPhone.


Just one (key) scene, I believe.

Skitch
10-25-2017, 12:05 AM
Just one (key) scene, I believe.

Damn the internet.

Ivan Drago
10-25-2017, 03:39 AM
I was absolutely floored to learn that Bria Vinaite had never acted before. And I'm still not sure how they captured some of that stuff with the kids that feels so honest. That speaks to an extraordinary director. I'll have to catch up on the rest of his work.

Yeah, in the last five minutes I kept asking myself, "How do you direct a little girl to get THAT emotional of a performance?"

This was an emotional rollercoaster for me with a lot to process. I'll have more developed thoughts after I see it for a second time.

number8
10-25-2017, 04:21 AM
Just one (key) scene, I believe.

Are you talking about this movie? Skitch is referring to Tangerine, which was shot entirely on an iPhone 5S.

number8
10-25-2017, 04:30 AM
I was absolutely floored to learn that Bria Vinaite had never acted before. And I'm still not sure how they captured some of that stuff with the kids that feels so honest. That speaks to an extraordinary director. I'll have to catch up on the rest of his work.

This is why he's one of my favorite filmmakers right now. Baker's entire filmography are films with first time actors. The co-lead of Starlet was an 85 year old woman who'd never acted before that they just saw working out in a YMCA. The stars of Tangerine were actual trans sex workers that Baker found by visiting the LGBT center in LA. All of their performances were extraordinary.

Spinal
10-25-2017, 04:35 AM
Are you talking about this movie? Skitch is referring to Tangerine, which was shot entirely on an iPhone 5S.

I was. Maybe I misunderstood his post.

baby doll
10-25-2017, 05:45 PM
This is pretty incredible, though I'm not sure I agree with all the reviewers touting Dafoe's performance as some kind of career peak; I suspect that people are responding more to seeing him portray a character who is unimpeachably virtuous for once instead of a creep.

Spinal
10-25-2017, 05:53 PM
Agreed that it's a strange performance to single out. Dafoe is solid, as usual. Maybe it's also because he's one of the only recognizable faces in an exceptional ensemble.

number8
10-25-2017, 06:12 PM
I suspect that people are responding more to seeing him portray a character who is unimpeachably virtuous for once instead of a creep.

These people clearly did not watch John Wick.

Pop Trash
10-28-2017, 05:59 AM
These people clearly did not watch John Wick.

Or Platoon...or The Last Temptation of Christ...or...

Idioteque Stalker
10-30-2017, 09:16 PM
This was totally heartbreaking but, like Tangerine, has a really unique loving tone that feels very therapeutic. Whole cast is great--am I sensing Dafoe backlash in this thread? Movie would've been a lot harder to get through with about anyone else in that role. Also, he's clearly not a saint. At least when it comes to birthdays Halley was the better parent.

TGM
11-07-2017, 04:22 PM
Not sure how I feel about that overly-abrupt ending, but otherwise, this was phenomenal.

Ezee E
11-08-2017, 02:00 AM
Loved the heck out of this, and it's way of introducing elements to a story that eventually lead to a subplot. Reminded me of Fish Tank.

Dafoe's recognition is fine, although as mentioned, it seems mostly because he's the only recognizable name of the group. But, hey, if that's what it takes to get the movie seen, then more power to it. There's not enough movies like this.

Stay Puft
11-08-2017, 04:22 PM
There's a scene where Moonee is on the bed watching TV, and I couldn't figure out what the show was but it looked really familiar (something with puppets), so I sat during the credits to find out and yeah it was Greg the Bunny, like what a random blast from the past. So when I got home I had to google it because now I'm thinking about it and oh wait these are actually the guys who did Greg the Bunny!?!?! Mind blown. That was the most random, unexpected connection imaginable.

Hell of a film, though. One of the year's best, for sure. Really excited to see Sean Baker's other films now.

Henry Gale
12-10-2017, 12:53 AM
I loved this lots.

It's hard for me to really know how to approach it to talk about, because it is a pretty tremendous piece of work that feels so distinctive that it feels like it's occupying spaces in my brain more as a series of childhood memories I never had, a trip to Florida I took that I'm just got back from and don't have enough distance from, and a weirdly detailed and perfectly recall-able dream. But by golly, it's a movie. One that we all get to experience, talk about, and even return to. And it's one of the best ones in years.


There's a scene where Moonee is on the bed watching TV, and I couldn't figure out what the show was but it looked really familiar (something with puppets), so I sat during the credits to find out and yeah it was Greg the Bunny, like what a random blast from the past. So when I got home I had to google it because now I'm thinking about it and oh wait these are actually the guys who did Greg the Bunny!?!?! Mind blown. That was the most random, unexpected connection imaginable.

Wait WHAAAAATTT.

I absolutely recognized that it was Greg the Bunny but had no idea the connection was that Baker created it. I just thought it worked perfectly as the sort of thing that an unaware parent would put on the TV because it appeared to be something for kids that's actually not for them at all. Wonder Showzen or most Adult Swim animation would've also worked on the screens in this respect.

I guess I've been a fan of his for way longer than I thought.

Dead & Messed Up
12-21-2017, 02:30 AM
Not a hundo on how I feel about the final moments; that'll take some processing.

But otherwise, yeah, gotta cop to everyone else, this is some peak 2017-ing. I didn't realize the lead wasn't an actress. Figured maybe some sort of indie journeywoman. Because, Jesus, absolutely perfect work. There's a self-contained sequence here with an old man that's as suspenseful as anything in a movie like Dunkirk (in its own deeply worrying way). And Dafoe was fantastic. His burnished humanism was carried so carefully throughout the film. But he also doesn't stand out or punch above his belt. He gives the film exactly what the role and character requires. Worn-out decency. Kids crushed it, too, not just in those final moments (my God, those tears), but in the small moments of joy and humdrum inanities of being young and having nothing to do. "What're you breaking?" "A wall." "...good luck." Spinal's comparison to Vittorio de Sica is sharp.

Spinal
01-08-2018, 04:56 PM
Agreed that it's a strange performance to single out. Dafoe is solid, as usual. Maybe it's also because he's one of the only recognizable faces in an exceptional ensemble.

After seeing this again yesterday, I think I may have underestimated Dafoe's contribution. He is absolutely perfect in each moment, ranging from compassion to frustration to anger. Man, I love this movie.

Mal
02-26-2018, 12:21 AM
Eh its good but I think both Tangerine and Starlet had better slice-of-life takes of forgotten, ignored human subjects (Starlet is probably my favorite by Baker). I wouldn't mind watching an entire film about Willem Dafoe's character and all the crap he has to deal with.

MadMan
03-02-2018, 06:07 PM
There's a scene where Moonee is on the bed watching TV, and I couldn't figure out what the show was but it looked really familiar (something with puppets), so I sat during the credits to find out and yeah it was Greg the Bunny, like what a random blast from the past. So when I got home I had to google it because now I'm thinking about it and oh wait these are actually the guys who did Greg the Bunny!?!?! Mind blown. That was the most random, unexpected connection imaginable.

Hell of a film, though. One of the year's best, for sure. Really excited to see Sean Baker's other films now.

Wow. As evidenced by that short lived TV shows thread I did years ago I love Greg The Bunny.

Dafoe was excellent in this. The man can flat out act, but I thought everyone knew that already. The others were great, too. Incredibly sad movie, that is for sure, and I was very moved by the ending.

dreamdead
03-04-2018, 11:51 PM
Really found this one quite affecting; the subject matter is smartly handled--it doesn't preach about what these parents did prior to getting here nor about what awaits them afterwards, but it's just rooted in their present moment. It's quietly humane throughout, even when Halley is showing nothing but her worst behaviors.

I wish the film had cut to black right when Moonee visited Jancey at the end--the switch in film style and antirealism feels too disruptive for a film that elsewhere greatly benefits from its naturalism. Still, it's a clear reminder that Baker is a thoughtful director, and that this one makes me want to revisit Starlet.

Dukefrukem
03-11-2018, 12:28 PM
I'm not really understanding the praise for Bria Vinaite here. It was clear from MY viewing that she was not an experienced actor. And after seeing her Instagram page, she's essentially just being herself reciting mono-tone lines. Is this the first time ever someone turned instagram into a viable career? Laughed a lot at some of the kids lines: "The man who lives in here gets arrested a lot" But I echo Dreamdead's thoughts- affecting is a good word choice to describe this. I hate watching movies centered around this theme, it becomes depressing as fuck, but I can appreciate the craft. I wish I had seen this before the Matchies, would have nominated for best editing which is probably the film's strengths.

Edit: Sorta related- I made plans to go down to Florida for the Star Wars park opening next year. Let's hope they keep that 2019 opening date.

Yxklyx
04-01-2018, 06:30 AM
I loved this! Reminded me a bit of I Like It Like That from '94. Different stories but both were refreshing in the same manner.

Pop Trash
04-26-2018, 05:39 AM
I'm not really understanding the praise for Bria Vinaite here. It was clear from MY viewing that she was not an experienced actor. And after seeing her Instagram page, she's essentially just being herself reciting mono-tone lines.

Yeah, seriously. I found both her character and acting to be cringey as hell. Pretty sure I've seen porn actresses give better performances (not that I uhhh watch porn or anything heh...heh).

Yxklyx
04-28-2018, 07:33 AM
I'm not really understanding the praise for Bria Vinaite here. It was clear from MY viewing that she was not an experienced actor. And after seeing her Instagram page, she's essentially just being herself reciting mono-tone lines.....

So what? She reminds me of Holly Woodlawn's performance in Trash.

Grouchy
09-10-2018, 08:52 PM
Well, this was great. Baker is a director to watch. His uncanny knack for extracting performances out of non-actors does remind me of De Sica, although in Vittorio's films the protagonists are usually only victims where in Baker's work they actively cause their own downfalls.

I loved the idea of the fantasy ending as a sharp contrast to the rest of the film.

Dukefrukem
09-10-2018, 09:25 PM
So what? She reminds me of Holly Woodlawn's performance in Trash.

Well because that's not acting and everyone was saying what a good job she did. Do people come into your house and say you do such a good job eating dinner? Or wiping your ass?

Kirby Avondale
09-18-2018, 11:03 PM
Well because that's not acting and everyone was saying what a good job she did. Do people come into your house and say you do such a good job eating dinner? Or wiping your ass?
My impression is that most people plopped into random circumstance and asked to just play themselves will probably come off as a poor copy and won't manage to hold the scene together. I think she did well for what the character and the movie demanded.