SMR 208: A Star Is Born

2 Comments

1. 

   SANDLERAGONY

   11/01/2018 at 5:55 PM

   A Star Is Born’s first trailer is obvious Oscar bait, but it was annoying Oscar bait made for a pretenious movie made for white people. I was flat-out going to avoid this, until, I heard about the performance of one Lady Gaga. She was awesome. I loved her performance was carried by her either singing or acting. She definitely getting an Oscar nomination, for sure. Bradley Cooper is real good here, but I’m a bigger fan of his direction of this movie. Nice character shots, lighting, even live concert direction gives this movie a live feel. Quite impressive for his first time behind the camera. This is a great film & I wasn’t expecting it to be; however, I do agree with you, Rod, that the movie does go a little too far trying to be real, namely, that scene, where Cooper’s character is peeing on-stage as Gaga’s character is accepting an award & the patriarchy is evident. That should’ve been better handled, tbh. That being said, I still enjoyed it.

   Log in to Reply
2. 

   brooklynshoebabe

   10/11/2018 at 10:48 PM

   Thank you for reviewing this movie. I give it a 4. I really liked it and I went into with a chip on my shoulder of “you ain’t gonna make me cry.” And I didn’t throughout the whole movie at key moments where there was a “cry” cue. I was in a crowded theater filled with mostly women and we didn’t cry at those cues, but at the end….OMG. All of us started sniffling and tearing up at the same time, and then we all giggled in unison because it’s like we got suckered into crying. I didn’t mind. I am a crier.

   I’ve also never seen any of the previous iterations of this movie. I’ve seen clips as a kid, but I had no emotional connections and I didn’t even plan on seeing this version on the big screen. After the 30th time of seeing the trailer, I moved up to a maybe but it was the MTR network review that really sealed the deal. (If you haven’t heard the review, you should listen because it was so funny.)

   The concert scenes were filmed at actually concerts. Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga did sang live on the side of the stages of major acts but was unmic-ed. Bradley Cooper also studied for 18 months on how to play the guitar, studied Sam Elliott’s cadence and twang to mimic being his brother, and drew on his on addiction. Bradley Cooper was so fucking believable that when I saw a recent interview were her spoke in his regular Northeastern voice, I got pissed off. lol. A lot of work went into the film and it shows. It came off realistic. Even the big argument between Ally and Jackson seemed like a real fight and not scripted. Lots of stuttering and looking for a perfect comeback.

   Like you, Rod, I thought the suicide was a cop out death. I was expecting a more celebrity train wreck death like he died of an accidental overdose, but he did have to die. Ally did give a hint during an argument with her Dad that she was used to toxic relationships, like perhaps her dad had been a drunk at one time or her mom. Also, I see and understand all the problems you had with the movie, but I still thought it was good. It was Oscar-baity and I am all for giving it Oscars.

   Thanks for viewing it.

   SIncerely,
   Brooklynshoebabe
   Sorry for writing so much. I’ve just been waiting to talk to somebody about this movie.

   Log in to Reply