The Endless is a film about people being toyed with by a playful God-like entity who sticks them into time loops, forcing them to live the same moments, over and over and over again. Ironically, the film is actually about change. Over the course of the events of the film, we see how the dynamic of the two main characters, the brothers Justin and Aaron, change and evolve, despite the theme of the film being the idea of being “stuck in a loop” or living the same events over and over again. Overall, the film’s strongest suit lies in its characters, their relationships, and seeing how they develop as a result of the oddities.

In the first few scenes, we are shown the power dynamic between the two main characters, Justin and his younger brother, Aaron. The former seems to have control over the decisions that they collectively make as a family. This is evidenced by their no longer being associated with the community, as Justin wanted to leave despite his younger brother’s opposition. Being a younger brother myself, I understand this power dynamic all-too-well. This dynamic is even enforced subtly. Early on, Justin would repeatedly state that the community was a cult, while Aaron would vehemently argue against this belief. This framed the dynamic as less about Justin being the wiser sibling and Aaron being the dumber one, but more about Justin wanting to be in control, ironically seeming more immature in the process.

Justin’s lust for control is well-highlighted throughout the course of the film. In addition to wanting to be the shot-caller when it came to decisions that he and Aaron had to make together, Justin is inherently defiant of the enigmatic entity that controls the camp and its surrounding areas. We see how Justin is disgruntled when he loses against the entity in “The Struggle” which is literally a tug-of-war between the participant and the entity, showing how prideful he is. Furthermore, he is so hell-bent on leaving the camp, and becomes even more so when he finds out about the time loops. His desire for control is just as much about himself as it is about other people. We understand that Justin wants to live his own life, and not have to bow down to other people, even if one of those happens to be an all-powerful, time-twisting entity. Ironically, by not being stuck in a time-loop, he loses control of his life by subjecting himself to the uncertainty that is reality. By not knowing what will happen next in his life, he has to fear death since he won’t be brought back after a reset.

I do like that eventually, Justin learns how to give-up his control out of love for his brother. Up to this point, I haven’t really talked much about Aaron because I honestly don’t find him as interesting as Justin as a character. To me, he lacks any free will of his own and constantly has to beg to Justin in order to get his way, even for just a little bit. This is evidenced by how he has to repeatedly ask Justin for just another day at the camp when he could simply leave his older brother’s company and stay with the community, where he believes he will be happy, for good. Back to Justin, it eventually comes to the point where he has to leave the camp or he will be stuck in another reset. Aaron, though, insists on staying. Once Justin realizes that his younger brother won’t change his decision, he concedes, and as a result, Aaron decides it’s time to leave as well. I really liked this scene, and the scenes that followed, because it showcased how Aaron earned his older brother’s respect. He asks to drive, then Justin lets him. He checks the fuel gauge, then Justin says that he should handle it. It feels as if the entity’s time loop was not the only loop that the brothers escaped, but they also escaped the loop of their previous power dynamic into something entirely new.

Overall, I didn’t enjoy the film on my initial viewing. However, after discussing and reflecting on the characters, I found the film to be incredibly deep and worthy of appreciation.

I was really hooked on Futureless Things. In my opinion, there was never a dull moment in all its dullness, and I’m not sure why. I feel like it was because it put a twist on the experience of convenience store workers which, as people on the other side, we don’t really think much about. I feel like the purpose of its title is to emphasize the general notion towards these types of workers. That they won’t being getting anywhere in life and that in the eyes of the customers and upper management, they are just objects with function.

I like how it dives deep into the density of what the experience is like working at a convenience store. It focuses on the human aspect and how even within its walls, relationships are built, people are hurt, people can be ethical or unethical and there is an effect on society outside. And a society or a community of sorts is also formed inside when employees get to work with someone.

I feel like it’s trying to show how these workers are not seen as human anymore with the interactions customers have with them. It shows when for example the mom and her child refuses to mind the employee trying to be hospitable to them or when the agent tags the owner’s dead body with a “seized property” note. They stomach so much shit which to us, individually,  is just an ordinary everyday purchase at you local convenience store.

I liked how the film was made. The film explored different points of view which I feel was very relevant in making it a successful film. What was surprising to me was that there was only one setting. I think that this was the first film I had ever watched with that nature. I really felt as if I was confined in their with them, and it’s nice to think that so much can happen in such a small setting.

A lot of things were confusing to me though. Like the recurring clock scene and the second run of the two guys conversing about military training and waiting for 21 months but that time there was a robbery. What was the purpose of that? I’m sure there was a meaning behind it, but I can’t seem to form my own understanding. I also didn’t get the whole girl with the box scene. She was really creepy and all of a sudden the guy just got trapped in the box and the girl carried him out of the store. I don’t know if these had anything to do with the whole purpose of the film, or if it has a purpose at all, but I feel like its inclusion made it all the more interesting!

I feel like the film was trying to send a message and to make viewers realize something. All in all, it was a great film! I also really ship all those couples even if the scenes lasted only a few minutes, and that philo guy really made me cringe.

#151517 #FuturelessThings

Trainspotting was a very wild take on the idea of “choosing life.” I was surprised to see so much of Ewan McGregor in class, especially in the roles he played in these films. Soooo far away from the more widely known Obiwan and Christopher Robin characters. It was really weird for me, which at this point did not surprise me so much because of all the films we’ve had prior to this one haha, but it was especially because it tackled drug-use. I’ve always been against the whole idea of using drugs illegally or  outside of prescription for health reasons and it kinda turns you into this whole new person. That kinda made me uneasy but there were a lot of interesting elements in the film. I was able to check out some reviews as well which helped deepen my appreciation for it!

I really liked how in the group, they all had there own thing or like they had their very own personal brand. Like for me, Mark was the most lost amongst all the characters. We get to see his point of view on things and this kinda emphasizes that. For example, when they found out that the baby died, he was speechless and he didn’t know how to feel about the whole situation but he had know he was definitely feeling some form of sympathy. Their other group member was also the crazy one for example. A lot of time was actually spent on moments when he’d go berserk just like when someone accidentally spilled beer on his coat at some bar.

I found that the whole idea of community was very evident throughout the film, and how it affects one’s habits. Ideally they were moving toward rehabilitation and quitting heroin, but when one relapses, they all do. I can somehow relate to that with smoking because I used to be a chainsmoker, and my intentions to quit are sometimes short-lived because my friends would start doing it again and would start inviting me to join them. It proved to be very difficult.

I watched and read a couple of reviews on it and one person mentioned the incorporation if one of the Beatles albums, sgt. Pepper’s Loneley Heart’s Club Band. He talked about how some scenes were matched to some of the art that the Beatles had and were also aligned to some of their songs. Personally, I like the song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. It was trippy as hell and it I guess it does fit the theme of the movie.

I also heard that the writer, John Hodge, actually wrote the script based on his real-life experiences. Some scenes which I found very odd were actually based on something real. Like when the group stole the television set from the home for the aged which was very random. Apparently, there were real accounts of the happening. All in all, the film was very interesting. Although I didn’t appreciate the subject matter that much, it’s nice seeing Ewan McGregor playing such uncommon roles.

#151517 #Trainspotting

Repo man was a really weird film, and to be honest, I did not get the point of it at all. Unlike the other films we’ve watched, it does have a clear story line though. Like it doesn’t jump to different scenes that don’t really speak to each other, but nevertheless, it was still pretty hard to understand. Like I get that the main character was not happy with his life, and he finally found some form of purpose, though he seems like the type of guy who’s too proud to admit it, in being a Repo Man.

One thing I noticed about the film is that the main character was a little too comfortable entering the car in the end. At the end of the film, the Chevy Malibu had risen into space due to its contents. The crazy guy invites Otto over to come with him, and he decides calmly just drop everything to leave. I feel like it says a lot about how his character is as a person. He seems to not care for a lot of things very much, and to not care about anyone else but himself.

I think this all lines up with what kind of characters or people Otto is with. For example, Bud is like his mentor of sorts in the realm of repo men, and throughout the whole film he would teach him all these different things and pretty much takes him under his wing. I kinda feel for him especially since Otto’s relationships aren’t exactly the best, like his parents were represented as those who don’t really care much about their son’s whereabouts or just about their son in general. It was shown in the scene when Otto comes home to his parents sth their eye glued to the TV. I guess I expected his relationship with Bud to grow and for it to be a father and son type of relationship, but at the end of it all, Otto just lets all that go, and neither of them really feel any heavy emotional burden.

Same goes for Otto’s medyo girlfriend. Although it was quite obvious that she didn’t have much feeling for him in the start, this grew throughout the film. Otto on the other hand, seemed to treat her as merely an object, and he really had his sights set on the chevy.

My favorite part I guess would be when teo of Otto’s friends kinda had a serious moment in the car when the guy was talking about possible having kids one day or being in a relationship. That was probably the most genuine scene I found in the film. It was so random, but personally it’s hard to forget.

All in all, it seemed as if it was hard to get connected to any of the characters in any deep level. As we talked about in our class discussions, they were all pretty terrible people which made the whole film weird for me, BUT it was still pretty good!

#151517 #RepoMan

The film The Endless shows just how to create a film on a limited budget without compromising its overall quality. It perfectly shows how sometimes, minimalism can be more. It is the kind of film that does not need to rely on special effects and visuals since the characters themselves can effectively tell the narrative. The use of an unsettling picture of Southern California’s landscape also helped set the tone of the entire film.

It starts out as very ordinary as the two brothers Aaron and Justin decide to revisit their old camp, Camp Arcadia after watching a video tape from a previous fellow camp member and maybe escape their mundane, routinary lifestyles of cleaning houses for a living and subsisting on ramen noodles.The brothers exhibit a kind of contrast in personality as Justin, the older brother, appears to be more hesitant towards the practices of the cult such as trying to have a tug-of-war with an object that is suspended from the sky. The younger brother, Aaron on the other hand, willingly accepted the cult and even considered it a place he would want to permanently live in since the air is clean, the food is healthy and living is relatively easier than their life in the city. Throughout the film, I kept wondering how Aaron was so gullible that he would just blindly accept and follow whatever the other members were doing. 

The scenes following their arrival perfectly build-up what they would eventually discover in their cult. There were multiple moons in the sky, cult members seemed to not have aged a day, flocks of birds were circling around a certain area, the daylight flickers to full-on night are just a few of the weird elements that gave an atmosphere of mystery and illusiveness in Camp Arcadia. Justin mentioned to Aaron that male cult members undergo a mandatory castration, however, what they were about to find out is much worse — that everyone in the camp committed suicide 10 years ago and is trapped in an infinite time loop of varying lengths. The film was dark to say the least with the concept of a UFO cult. The fact that the monster was not seen throughout the entire film shows how scary it is. The ambiguity of it all leaves so much room for questions like is it possible to escape from the time loop and how can it be done? 

Despite the filmmakers intentions to make the viewers engrossed and mind-boggled by the occurrences in the camp, it also tackles the issues of cults and sibling rivalry since both Aaron and Justin initially had opposing views on their cult. Through working together to discover the truth and explanation behind the weird things they saw or experienced like the man in the tent stuck in a five second loop who kept trying to kill himself, they realized at that certain point, they only have each other. The film also talks about free will and how it can easily be taken from us.

I love Sorry To Bother You. For once in this class, I didn’t feel the need to look deeply into the film to understand it as it was a film that, though still niche, was meant for a more general audience. It’s an enjoyable film that pokes fun at a lot of the things in contemporary society like internet memes, abstract art, and societal norms while also tackling bigger issues such as racism and capitalism. Furthermore, it has a diverse cast of characters that really appeal to a wide array of audiences, not just because of their racial differences, but also because of their personalities and motivations. Finally, what I liked most about the film was its writing. This movie is, despite its heavy social commentary, is a movie that was made to make people life and by all means it did through clever writing, pop-culture references, shock factor, and sometimes a combination of these things. Watching this film was an amazing experience that made me leave CSR feeling like every box on my “What makes a film good” list was checked.

First, it is a film that really allows itself to thrive in its era while still having timeless themes. As the film was released in 2018, it throws a bone to the people of the era with jokes about the internet, game shows, and the much beloved Terry Crews. Despite this, I can still see it being relevant in years like 2040 because of how constant the things it talks about are, particularly capitalism and its alienating effect on the lower class. The film clearly shows how people are willing to do bad things or support greedy business practices in order to promote their own personal self-interest. It also shows that motivations for doing bad things. For example, we were shown how Cassius’ uncle was struggling due to debt, and when Cassius gave him his paycheck after accepting his new position as a power caller, we saw how his uncle celebrated and thanked him. There will always be people who believe that more money is better, but not only for themselves but also for their families and the people they care about.

The diverse cast of characters is also something to write home about. The film represents various people of color taking up important roles, which is always something nice to see. However, we also see that they’re all fleshed out and have their own personalities. Squeeze and Detroit just want to fight for what’s right, Sal wants to be there for his best friend, while Cassius has to debate whether to keep his honor while remaining poor or get rich, at the cost of his morality. It’s also interesting to see how these characters all interact with each other. Detroit and Cassius start off loving each other, but then as the latter gets absorbed in his work, which the former does not approve of, their relationship starts to deteriorate, which reflects to real life.

What I really love about the film is its writing. The film’s jokes hit more often than they miss, but what’s interesting is just how deep these jokes run. For example, the whole rap scene was funny because of its shock factor. However, the joke runs deeper than that. It is a commentary on how the privileged, “white” people view those beneath them and their culture as modes of entertainment instead of what they truly are: the struggles of the underprivileged. This is just one example of how deep the writing in this movie is.

Overall, I enjoyed the film and it really made me question the ethics of the capitalist system, how it affects people, and the motivations and drives of those who spearhead it; something I’d have never thought of saying after watching a comedy.

I really liked the concept behind Velvet Goldmine. Not a lot of films tackle the subject matter, and I think it was even a bigger risk back then in 1998 given the more prevalent close-mindedness of people back then (I’m not sure though haha).

Although it was a fictional work, it did a good job representing or talking about the complications with the LGBTQ community. It also derived some of its elements from other real-life entities such as David Bowie just based off of the music and the costume designs. They were very Bowie-esque. I also read somewhere that the disclaimer from the film matches the one from one of Bowie’s album.

I personally enjoy film biographies. It always interests me how a certain person got to where he or she is now. I know that some parts of it are over-dramaticized but I feel like the essence remains in spite of that. The film had the same feel, and although it was fictional, it served as a representation of other musicians or other real people because the problems that were encountered there are not uncommon in the real world.

I really appreciated that we watched a film about music. Music is a big passion of mine, and I believe that it’s the perfect way to express oneself. I really enjoyed the scenes when they would actually be singing. I really liked the scene when Ewan McGregor’s character was singing on stage with the jar (?) of glitter and the disapproving crowd. I have great respect for those performers who can just keep doing what they feel they do best in spite of the on-the-spot criticism and judgment that they get. To me it’s a way also to stand up for one’s beliefs. I have yet to be able to be more confident myself but it’s stuff like those that really help build myself up!