Watched Free Solo last night at home with DH. Even knowing the outcome, I just couldn’t watch him ascend El Cap solo. I listened to it, but with my fear of heights, I just didn’t want the images to make their way into my nightmares.
I’m glad he survived it, but I fully expect to hear of his death at any time from undertaking another extremely dangerous stunt. He clearly needs the adrenaline/danger/excitement these attempts provide him, for whatever reason-to fill a void, to make him feel alive, to get validation of some kind. You can only push the envelope so far before your luck runs out. I feel for the people who love and care about him, especially the girlfriend.
So many good movies to see! I feel way behind. Just saw Bohemian Rhapsody. Did anyone feel the whole “star” trajectory was a little formulaic? Is there ever the possibility of showing the rise to fame without the inevitable crash and burn redemption cycle through the restorative power of music? Probably not. It’s like a boxing movie. You can’t stray from the accepted path. Nobody wants to see the Rolling Stones for example simply enjoying their fame and wealth.
Previews were: The Hustle with Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson. Does AH play unlikable characters or is she herself an unlikable character? Love Rebel Wilson.
Other preview: Breakthrough. I think it’s the first overtly Christian-themed movie I’ve ever seen on the big screen. Fox 2000 Pictures was the producer. It’ll be interesting to see how it does.
@Nrdsb4 - I used to feel exactly like you did about people who did Base jumping or free soloing. It was really interesting watching the movie last night. I saw how juiced he gets from climbing and he obviously understands the risks. It kind of changed my attitude about it. The scene where he is talking with his girlfriend and he admits that he can’t compromise for a longer possible lifespan.
I do not understand his obsession at all, but I give him credit for being honest. He has this passion that 99% of us would say is crazy but if it makes him happy I don’t know that I would urge him to get a “real job” and live a life that he may find suffocating.
I was also fascinated by the dynamics in his family - and I wonder how much of a role they played in making him a climber.
How is Free Solo different from the extreme climbing movies we saw as kids? Or was that just me, my area? We used to get explorer type films in school. Climbing a big mountain, a two month paddle up an isolated river, African adventurers, etc.
Free soloing is done without any ropes, harnesses or other gear…The movie documents a 4 hour free solo of El Capitan. It’s incredible to see the preparation required, choreographing of the route (using ropes/harnesses), and the lack of adequate hand/foot holds up El Capitan…which is a pretty smooth piece of granite, at least along many places along the route Alex Honnold, the climber, chose. The smallest of slips could lead to a fall which would be fatal, as there are no ropes or harnesses to stop the climber from falling.
I saw the movie in the fall and posted up thread then…but IMO this is one of the greatest athletic achievements ever.
@Nrdsb4 - sorry, I think I was extrapolating from your post about what had been in my head. Personally I had always thought that sports/hobbies like that were kind of selfish (and I guess you could say they are) and that the person should not be doing such risky stuff when they have loved ones who worry about them. I personally shifted my thinking. I think I really projected my opinions on to your post. My apologies.
My lingering issue with the movie is the motivation and role of the producers of the movie. It unnerves me that they could have been filming his death, reminding me of people on Facebook encouraging people to be self destructive.
Don’t misunderstand me, I thoroughly am in awe of Alex gift, amazing me, like downhill racers, 80 miles an hour on skis doesn’t allow much room for errror, as Lindsay Vonn proves. Or, the surfers who surf the biggest waves off Portugal. Grand Prix race car drivers are another unique breed.
And, again that those producers didn’t mention Alex first at the oscars even saying it would have been boring with Sanni is horrendous.
I saw “Mary, Queen of Scots” over the weekend on Amazon Prime. And while I know movies are not known for historical accuracy, the casting of black actors to play English aristocrats was so historically inaccurate that I found it laughable. One of the “four Marys”, Mary Queen of Scots, ladies in waiting was played by a black woman. The English ambassador to Scotland was played by a black man.
There were a few black people in Tudor England but they were servants or musicians. One of Queen Elizabeth’s ladies in waiting was played by an Asian actress. There were no Chinese in England at that time.
The movie was historically inaccurate in several other respects, the foremost being that Mary and Elizabeth never met.
The movie had many other flaws and wasn’t a very good portrayal of the dynamics of the dynastic and religious tensions.
Not her most eloquent moment, but I expect the producer was not happy with what she said either…most likely just the nerves of having just won an oscar…lots of award winners have botched up their speeches.
I have had mixed feelings about the whole thing. But I don’t think they encouraged him to do this. They repeatedly talked about how they didn’t want their presence to affect him and they strategized continuously about how to film without being a player in the whole affair. I personally don’t think that was a realistic goal; he aborted his first attempt, specifically referencing “being watched” as at least one of the factors.
The cameramen were all very stressed by the prospect of witnessing and potentially filming the moment of a tragedy. Some of them seemed depressed and very anxious about it. Not enough to withdraw from the project, obviously, yet they did seem to care about this young man. Of course I’m talking about the photographers; I think we saw only one of the producers on camera.
It gave me chills when someone referred to Alex as “the only surviving free solo climber.”
On DVD over the weekend, we watched Leave No Trace. It’s a film from last year directed by Debra Granik, who also directed Winter’s Bone, a fabulous movie that really jumpstarted the career of Jennifer Lawrence. Leave No Trace is almost as fabulous (not quite) and really ought to jumpstart the career of the actress playing the central character, Thomasin McKenzie. From New Zealand no less, but you would never know that unless you see her in an interview.
It belongs to a somewhat specialized genre it turns out I love: Parents on the lam with their children. Running On Empty, Captain Fantastic. The Americans is a first cousin. Anyway, this story involves a traumatized vet and his blossoming teen daughter who are living illegally in a wilderness park in Portland OR. They are discovered, captured, and treated with great empathy and care by social service professionals, who try to get them integrated into society on something close to their own terms. The daughter finds she sort of likes it, the father can’t cope. Eventually, some plot developments down the line, they come to the inevitable crossroads. It’s very affecting, very underplayed by everyone. Most of the minor characters seem to be real people playing themselves. Beautiful filming of rural and wilderness environments, and some of Portland, too.
I can’t imagine why someone this skilled as a director has only managed to make three films in a 30-year career.
Saw Alita. Similar to Ready Player One. It was good but guessing the box office suffered because a major character dies but we all know they get revived in the sci fi genre. Think Sigourney Weaver in Aliens and Avengers: Infinity War.
My daughter and I saw “Arctic” last weekend. A survival story (fictional, I think), with a tiny cast and very little dialogue. Exciting! Intense! And very good. Not a single ‘checking my phone to see what time it is’ moment in that theater. Probably not for everyone – but if you liked the Robert Redford film “All Is Lost”, you’ll love this one.