THANK YOU! While I didn't hate it, I also do NOT understand the obsession with this film. I did totally think the performances were amazing but... that's where my enjoyment ends. I thought the story was horrendous... WHY are we, the audience, being asked to have sympathy for a drug lord responsible for killing hundreds of people just because she is trans and seeking redemption? And WHY is this story being told through disjointed musical numbers that don't propel the plot? I don't agree with everything you've said here but I am SO over the glowing reviews of this film...
Yeah, I'm all for having a nuanced discussion on the film - there may be certain elements that just didn't quite "work" for me. Still, I can't understand the broad audience love for this one. There are too many pretty crucial aspects, from tone, to motivation, to an array of technicals that seem disjointed.
Good review, I saw it yesterday and I fully agree. The fact that you need to be apologetic and careful says a lot about the super sensitive and somewhat loyal to the theme audience (that might hate you) for having Your experience of the film. Keep up the good work!
I truly enjoyed this film, maybe is the Mexican in me who make me love it. I understand is not the best movie out there but is not bad at all. Pretty decent film worth watching.
Much appreciated! Hey - most folks so far seem to love it, so there's clearly "something" here. There were just far too many (pretty crucial) areas that were flawed for me.
Sing Sing is the BEST MOVIE of the year and deserves nominations in most categories. The movie was shot on 16 mm film, in 19 days, with a very small crew. The DP, Pat Scola should be nominated for an Oscar for cinematography because the visual look, the lighting, the film choice, all created the naturalistic atmosphere to tell the story. Accompanied with Bryce Dessner's score that sells the beautiful scenes and intimate facial expressions. And kudos to the director, Greg Kwedar, who allowed dialogue to be ad-libbed at times, which created the emotional essence throughout the film that tugs at your heart. The cast deserves best ensemble because 90% of the cast are the formerly incarcerated men that participated in the RTA theater program while in Sing Sing and that authenticity shines. And what can you say about Coleman Domingo.... he deserves the Oscar this year, his performance is perfectly understated, and he allows the other men to shine because this is their story. Well Done!! Also, Clarence Maclin and Paul Raci both deserve best supporting nominations. Their performances tie the strings that pull the film to its brilliance. Best movie overall in a very long time and well worth the emotional journey.
The depiction of Mexico isnt bad. As a Mexican i am not mad at it. The acting itself is good. The story is at least interesting, what gets me is having Zoe be Dominican and no very clearly indicate that she is and is now living in Mexico and working there as a lawyer and it isnt dawning on anyone that is what is happening. There are black people in mexico she could have played a true mexican, by getting the accent right , but i feel like this movie did not make the efford to cast any mexicans as the main characters or give the actors the time to sound and feel mexican. Selena is supposed to be a mexican american women that still cannot speak spanish fluently even after living in mexico for years, just give the girl more time to get it right. The lady playing Epifania is the only mexican actress in the cast and she does an amazing job. I think from the mexican audience she is the only that makes sense in this story. Everything else feels fake. Like a soap opera by way France. The other issue i have with it is that the main character is one of the most violent man turn trans women. The trans part is not the issue, the issue is that i am supposed to believe that a men that has inflicted so much violence and death and was probably one creating many of the death and missing of my country has a sudden chance of heart and now wants to help people find their missing death. The story just didnt give me enough to belive the change. Just didnt.
I almost liken a viewer's lack of enjoyment to the film to not being able to properly pronounce the N in Zaldana as "nya" but that would be too hokey, noticeably contrived. But like how telling it is that many people say it wrong indicates how the film is really specific to a culture -- and its filmic language. If you're exposed to mostly Hollywood films with a more uniform tone, you will not enjoy the film; it requires a viewer that is more adventurous -- even more European in its taste for such a film. I'm glad the musical and dancing parts are even intentionally unpolished, almost an afterthought, because the director knows the story' is more important to tell while the singing and dancing are just there to hammer home a point.. I agree with the critics on this one. It's a good film with outstanding performances, but not a standout. I'd rate it a 7.5 out of 10. If you are more familiar with European cinema, watch it. It's a French director's deconstruction of the Mexican telenovela (again, most Westerners would not be familiar with it). It's like a combo of Pedro Aldomovar movie (The Skin I Live comes to mins ) and Sicario. Highly creative. Why hasn't anyone thought of this ingenious approach? Audiard knows the staid old-age biopic bores people, so he has come up with a highly imaginative film.
Some odd points here, but I'm glad you enjoyed it! Of course, you are completely correct on the pronunciation. Oddly, Zoe herself has pronounced it "incorrectly" for most of her career when introducing herself (and only in the last two years used the tilde in her credits), but that's probably attributable to the Americanization of cinema, the pressures of Hollywood, etc. I will aim to do a better job. That being said, I would hardly agree that this film requires a more "adventurous" viewer or someone more well-versed in European cinema. The fact it placed second in voting for People's Choice suggests the opposite. This same "general audience" would tend to struggle with most "European" cinema (eg. French New Wave). I also don't see The Skin I Live In and Sicario as the best examples of films that Westerners would not be familiar with (within this context). Both projects are extremely well-known and come from two fairly high-profile directors (and watching The Skin I Live happens to be one of my fondest in-theatre memories, coincidentally). Again, I'm so happy you enjoyed it - just not sure I agree with the exact rationale.
THANK YOU! While I didn't hate it, I also do NOT understand the obsession with this film. I did totally think the performances were amazing but... that's where my enjoyment ends. I thought the story was horrendous... WHY are we, the audience, being asked to have sympathy for a drug lord responsible for killing hundreds of people just because she is trans and seeking redemption? And WHY is this story being told through disjointed musical numbers that don't propel the plot? I don't agree with everything you've said here but I am SO over the glowing reviews of this film...
Yeah, I'm all for having a nuanced discussion on the film - there may be certain elements that just didn't quite "work" for me. Still, I can't understand the broad audience love for this one. There are too many pretty crucial aspects, from tone, to motivation, to an array of technicals that seem disjointed.
@@culturalresponse2447 I mean... It was the runner up for People's Choice Award.
@@culturalresponse2447 I was at the 2nd screening at TIFF and I can assure you the crowd absolutely loved it.
@@culturalresponse2447 I was in the 2nd TIFF screening and I can assure you... the crowd loved it.
Good review, I saw it yesterday and I fully agree. The fact that you need to be apologetic and careful says a lot about the super sensitive and somewhat loyal to the theme audience (that might hate you) for having Your experience of the film.
Keep up the good work!
@@sebastianberntsson783 cheers!
The 'La Vaginoplastia' part was one of the cringiest things I've ever seen 😭
I truly enjoyed this film, maybe is the Mexican in me who make me love it. I understand is not the best movie out there but is not bad at all. Pretty decent film worth watching.
I'm glad it resonated with you!
Awesome review as usual! I'm looking forward to seeing myself, but I appreciate how thorough you go here.
Much appreciated! Hey - most folks so far seem to love it, so there's clearly "something" here. There were just far too many (pretty crucial) areas that were flawed for me.
Sing Sing is the BEST MOVIE of the year and deserves nominations in most categories. The movie was shot on 16 mm film, in 19 days, with a very small crew. The DP, Pat Scola should be nominated for an Oscar for cinematography because the visual look, the lighting, the film choice, all created the naturalistic atmosphere to tell the story. Accompanied with Bryce Dessner's score that sells the beautiful scenes and intimate facial expressions. And kudos to the director, Greg Kwedar, who allowed dialogue to be ad-libbed at times, which created the emotional essence throughout the film that tugs at your heart. The cast deserves best ensemble because 90% of the cast are the formerly incarcerated men that participated in the RTA theater program while in Sing Sing and that authenticity shines. And what can you say about Coleman Domingo.... he deserves the Oscar this year, his performance is perfectly understated, and he allows the other men to shine because this is their story. Well Done!! Also, Clarence Maclin and Paul Raci both deserve best supporting nominations. Their performances tie the strings that pull the film to its brilliance. Best movie overall in a very long time and well worth the emotional journey.
You're campaigning more for Sing Sing than A24 at this point!
NGL gona watch this only for my lady selena gomez
@@AliceChishi-dx1iu I can't fault you there! I do hope you enjoy it.
Aw, thanks, saw it won eu film awards but nope, I can skip this one
Ur looking kinda cute in this video
Oh, I'm blushing.
I think he always looks cute
@@berkcansevgi2714 oh, double blush
I'm trying to watch it and it's just not enjoyable ..to me.
The depiction of Mexico isnt bad. As a Mexican i am not mad at it. The acting itself is good. The story is at least interesting, what gets me is having Zoe be Dominican and no very clearly indicate that she is and is now living in Mexico and working there as a lawyer and it isnt dawning on anyone that is what is happening. There are black people in mexico she could have played a true mexican, by getting the accent right , but i feel like this movie did not make the efford to cast any mexicans as the main characters or give the actors the time to sound and feel mexican. Selena is supposed to be a mexican american women that still cannot speak spanish fluently even after living in mexico for years, just give the girl more time to get it right. The lady playing Epifania is the only mexican actress in the cast and she does an amazing job. I think from the mexican audience she is the only that makes sense in this story. Everything else feels fake. Like a soap opera by way France.
The other issue i have with it is that the main character is one of the most violent man turn trans women. The trans part is not the issue, the issue is that i am supposed to believe that a men that has inflicted so much violence and death and was probably one creating many of the death and missing of my country has a sudden chance of heart and now wants to help people find their missing death. The story just didnt give me enough to belive the change. Just didnt.
I almost liken a viewer's lack of enjoyment to the film to not being able to properly pronounce the N in Zaldana as "nya" but that would be too hokey, noticeably contrived. But like how telling it is that many people say it wrong indicates how the film is really specific to a culture -- and its filmic language. If you're exposed to mostly Hollywood films with a more uniform tone, you will not enjoy the film; it requires a viewer that is more adventurous -- even more European in its taste for such a film. I'm glad the musical and dancing parts are even intentionally unpolished, almost an afterthought, because the director knows the story' is more important to tell while the singing and dancing are just there to hammer home a point.. I agree with the critics on this one. It's a good film with outstanding performances, but not a standout. I'd rate it a 7.5 out of 10. If you are more familiar with European cinema, watch it. It's a French director's deconstruction of the Mexican telenovela (again, most Westerners would not be familiar with it). It's like a combo of Pedro Aldomovar movie (The Skin I Live comes to mins ) and Sicario. Highly creative. Why hasn't anyone thought of this ingenious approach? Audiard knows the staid old-age biopic bores people, so he has come up with a highly imaginative film.
Some odd points here, but I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Of course, you are completely correct on the pronunciation. Oddly, Zoe herself has pronounced it "incorrectly" for most of her career when introducing herself (and only in the last two years used the tilde in her credits), but that's probably attributable to the Americanization of cinema, the pressures of Hollywood, etc. I will aim to do a better job.
That being said, I would hardly agree that this film requires a more "adventurous" viewer or someone more well-versed in European cinema. The fact it placed second in voting for People's Choice suggests the opposite. This same "general audience" would tend to struggle with most "European" cinema (eg. French New Wave).
I also don't see The Skin I Live In and Sicario as the best examples of films that Westerners would not be familiar with (within this context). Both projects are extremely well-known and come from two fairly high-profile directors (and watching The Skin I Live happens to be one of my fondest in-theatre memories, coincidentally).
Again, I'm so happy you enjoyed it - just not sure I agree with the exact rationale.