So, went to see “Killers of the Flower Moon” with a friend. Executive summary: It’s fucking AMAZING. I liked everything about the movie. They totally recreated the period. It’s just incredible the kind of big crowd scene can be done now, with digital cameras. The way the story is told. Unlike the book, which focused on Tom White, the white cop who solved the case, the story is told through the marriage of Ernest and Molly Burkhart, so it tells the story of the Osage.DiCaprio is great as Ernest. I haven’t seen DeNiro this good in a long time. Everybody in it has worked together for so long they totally trust each other.
In 2017, Scorsese was ready with a screenplay in which the main character was Tom White, the (white) investigator who comes in and solves the mystery of the murders. Then the Osag asked him to come and visit them, and asked him to include them into the story and told him they'd do anything to help. He agreed and went back to work, had the screenplay by late 2019, but COVID intervened. The delay was good because they worked over the script some more. Now it focuses on the relationship of Ernest and Molly, and in so doing tells the story of the Osage.
Also, nearly everyone on the project has worked with Scorsese on at least 3-4 other projects other than Jesse Plemons, so they all know and trust each other.
Fortuitous, thank you Covid. I watched 1900 in several sittings (at home) and it was hard to take. Fortunately, I don't require Pollyanna. I hope this one is amply rewarded.
I'll say this: I lived in Las Vegas during what Casino depicts. The real-life mobster on whom DeNiro's character is based personally fired my father from his job. I worked at a newspaper whose publisher helped him skim money. I have trouble watching because I know all that (and that the film rogers Harry Reid, who is not the politician they depicted). The point of which is to say, with all that, I know it's brilliant film-making. Scorsese is an authentic genius.
and don't want to try. Two of my bros qualify. One bro took his family to NY years ago, parked and looked around, and back to NC. Hasn't been out of state since. A breathing fossil, sad to say
I agree. A great movie. Real contender for Best Picture. DeNiro was amazingly convincing, and DiCaprio made you forget he was Leonardo. At the end I felt quite spent. Really puts you through the ringer.
The audience I was with was very muted at the end. No one talked. And they got out of that theater as fast as their feet would carry them. The community of guilt was palpable.
We were lucky - nice big theater with stadium seating, sat 1/3 of the way up in the exact middle, and there were two other couples a ways away in the whole place for the weekday afternoon. I would hope the audience felt a "community of guilt."
You have almost convinced me not to wait until "Killers of the Flower Moon" comes out on streaming -- due to my being thoroughly daunted by its 3.5 hour length!
You and everyone else. Since it's well known that the plumbing's the first thing to go with old houses and people, I carefully didn't drink anything after three hours before showtime and made certain to make a "pit stop." It's a movie that deserves to be seen on a big screen. If you have a big screen TV, that will almost do, but the big screen is really where this was designed to be seen. You can see every penny of the $200 million that got spent on this.
Have been planning to see it and took note of a report that Scorsese hired a harmonica player to come up with a piece of music "that sounds like greed." That's an artistic detail if ever there were one. Thanks for confirming my suspicions about the quality of the film.
Even guilt is preferable compared to the grief and anguish I've been suffering these past few days!! Can't wait to experience this movie! Thanks for the tip! xx's
Thanks for the reviews. The movies sound like time well spent.
I was interested to see how they handle “Killers”, since I was pretty familiar with the historical back story. Note it really got rolling about the time of the Greenwood massacre in Tulsa and in roughly the same place.
Go midweek in the day. Given the movie's length, an that its key demographic is us, most people are waiting to stream it so they can hit pause for the bathroom break. Don't drink any liquid for a couple hours before you go. You know what they say about old houses - the plumbing's the first thing that goes. :-)
It's also only in theaters to the end of the month - it might have gone longer, but the lack of a big audience will have an effect. There were only six other people in the theater when we saw it yesterday. You'll get your pick of seats.
I was happy to see quite a few people in the theater when I went to see it on Tuesday evening. But I wish Scorsese had bowed to reality and put a brief intermission in the film! It's already heard to get people to choose a theater over their living room; requiring heroic levels of bladder control in order to watch it on a big screen only makes that challenge worse. (I loved the film, though, and and am hoping to see it again on an IMAX screen later this week!)
Thanks muchly for this, Tom - the Bride and I have had this on our watch list since we heard about it..... Always nice to have a "professional" opinion to support our decision.....
This is welcome news Tom after living in a movie wasteland for quite awhile.
Yes! I was amazed at all the trailers I saw and told myself I wanted to go see each one.
That’s a miracle in itself. Some must have been started during the Covid years?
Movie production started up in 2021 after the vaccine became available.
They started ready to go for such a complicated project. Seems fast to me.
In 2017, Scorsese was ready with a screenplay in which the main character was Tom White, the (white) investigator who comes in and solves the mystery of the murders. Then the Osag asked him to come and visit them, and asked him to include them into the story and told him they'd do anything to help. He agreed and went back to work, had the screenplay by late 2019, but COVID intervened. The delay was good because they worked over the script some more. Now it focuses on the relationship of Ernest and Molly, and in so doing tells the story of the Osage.
Also, nearly everyone on the project has worked with Scorsese on at least 3-4 other projects other than Jesse Plemons, so they all know and trust each other.
Fortuitous, thank you Covid. I watched 1900 in several sittings (at home) and it was hard to take. Fortunately, I don't require Pollyanna. I hope this one is amply rewarded.
I'll say this: I lived in Las Vegas during what Casino depicts. The real-life mobster on whom DeNiro's character is based personally fired my father from his job. I worked at a newspaper whose publisher helped him skim money. I have trouble watching because I know all that (and that the film rogers Harry Reid, who is not the politician they depicted). The point of which is to say, with all that, I know it's brilliant film-making. Scorsese is an authentic genius.
Wow, upsetting. And why???
The Right Wingers will hate it because it makes any thinking white person feel "not so good" about how Indigenous Americans have been treated by us.
I haven't been proud of a lot in our history for much of my life. When I make mistakes, I try to learn from them. Too bad America can't do the same.
Remember that the only thing "exceptional" about America is the exceptional stupidity. 50% of those polled can't find any country on a world map.
and don't want to try. Two of my bros qualify. One bro took his family to NY years ago, parked and looked around, and back to NC. Hasn't been out of state since. A breathing fossil, sad to say
When I read DiCaprio and DiNero would be in"Killers of the Flower Moon", I knew it would be a hit. The book was wonderful and filled with the
life and history of the Osage.
I am glad they stuck more with the important, central
characters in the movie. So
glad you enjoyed it Tom
and gave heads up on the
2 trailers.
I agree. A great movie. Real contender for Best Picture. DeNiro was amazingly convincing, and DiCaprio made you forget he was Leonardo. At the end I felt quite spent. Really puts you through the ringer.
The audience I was with was very muted at the end. No one talked. And they got out of that theater as fast as their feet would carry them. The community of guilt was palpable.
We were lucky - nice big theater with stadium seating, sat 1/3 of the way up in the exact middle, and there were two other couples a ways away in the whole place for the weekday afternoon. I would hope the audience felt a "community of guilt."
Good, wonder if the realization hit other than their feet. We have been so Lone Rangerd and Tontoed
Thanks for the hot tips Tom. Two great trailers is worth going just for that.
I’d like to see Napoleon just to see the military uniforms and the battle sequences…such a colorful period in military history.
It's definitely all there.
You have almost convinced me not to wait until "Killers of the Flower Moon" comes out on streaming -- due to my being thoroughly daunted by its 3.5 hour length!
You and everyone else. Since it's well known that the plumbing's the first thing to go with old houses and people, I carefully didn't drink anything after three hours before showtime and made certain to make a "pit stop." It's a movie that deserves to be seen on a big screen. If you have a big screen TV, that will almost do, but the big screen is really where this was designed to be seen. You can see every penny of the $200 million that got spent on this.
At least "Lawrence of Arabia" has a intermission................
Ha! Good to know, and thanks for the strategy.
Have been planning to see it and took note of a report that Scorsese hired a harmonica player to come up with a piece of music "that sounds like greed." That's an artistic detail if ever there were one. Thanks for confirming my suspicions about the quality of the film.
You can definitely see where they spent $200 million. I think Jacqueline West is going to get a fifth Oscar nomination for her costume work.
Even guilt is preferable compared to the grief and anguish I've been suffering these past few days!! Can't wait to experience this movie! Thanks for the tip! xx's
Thanks for the reviews. The movies sound like time well spent.
I was interested to see how they handle “Killers”, since I was pretty familiar with the historical back story. Note it really got rolling about the time of the Greenwood massacre in Tulsa and in roughly the same place.
The Greenwood massacre and the KKK make an appearance.
Thank you. Knowing your background and critical standards this is excellent review. Looking forward to seeing it.
Go midweek in the day. Given the movie's length, an that its key demographic is us, most people are waiting to stream it so they can hit pause for the bathroom break. Don't drink any liquid for a couple hours before you go. You know what they say about old houses - the plumbing's the first thing that goes. :-)
It's also only in theaters to the end of the month - it might have gone longer, but the lack of a big audience will have an effect. There were only six other people in the theater when we saw it yesterday. You'll get your pick of seats.
I was happy to see quite a few people in the theater when I went to see it on Tuesday evening. But I wish Scorsese had bowed to reality and put a brief intermission in the film! It's already heard to get people to choose a theater over their living room; requiring heroic levels of bladder control in order to watch it on a big screen only makes that challenge worse. (I loved the film, though, and and am hoping to see it again on an IMAX screen later this week!)
Thank you.
Thanks muchly for this, Tom - the Bride and I have had this on our watch list since we heard about it..... Always nice to have a "professional" opinion to support our decision.....