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Quadra values via taste?
Taste like, "Mmm... Yes, this film is quite excellent," not taste like, "Mmm... Yes, this corn is quite excellent."
I'm going to post my four favorite films and a reason why I like them. Do you see a pattern?
All That Jazz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rv4IvjaC78
It's rare that a film empowers its viewers to both laugh and cry at death.
Short Term 12
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8QxAYxNRgs
The fantastic, deeply human, cast of kids and teens emotionally reaffirms my similar experiences.
The Shining
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Cb3ik6zP2I
It's so intense that I dig my nails into my skin as I'm watching.
Black Swan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jaI1XOB-bs
The movie uses cinematography to communicate the unspeakable elements of humanity.
Do you think taste can be indicative of Quadra? Do you spot a pattern in my tastes?
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Emotional intensity, communicating abstractions - this vaguely sounds Beta NF. It would be easier if you went into more depth about why you like them.
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Sure! I get a little embarrassed sharing my movie opinions with others; I worry about sounding pretentious. The words can't express the pure experience of the films in the same way that it would be difficult to express the entirety of experiencing breakfast or playing a board game. I can only do my best to translate.
Short Term 12 and The Shining are both films that play into a mythologization of my life experiences. The Shining plays out an arc that plenty of young men and mothers are familiar with: an abusive father using his power to hurt his family. The son and mother both care about each other and want to protect one another, but feel powerless to do so. The Shining takes this concept, that I lived through, and exaggerates it to an extreme. Kubrick's talents take that exaggeration and cinematically executes perfectly. Watching these movies pushes me to explore old emotions and remind me that I won.
Black Swan and All That Jazz use meta-constructs to tell painfully human stories. Both films are about artists who push themselves for their passions; the directors use their art as a parallel for the director's own experiences of making films. Both end with the artist being dead as the movie itself "dies." Black Swan and All That Jazz bring their audiences in through the quality of their craftsmanship and use that attention to discuss their biggest fear of all.
The Shining and Black Swan are films that wallow in their darkness and intensity. However, unlike many films, this darkness and intensity are earned. The characters are multi-dimensional or relatable. The films establish clear stakes for those well crafted characters. The directors are using the darkness and intensity to communicate thematic elements. Because these elements are earned they can be enjoyed without wasted attention on general terribleness. I, for example, can't enjoy the dark and gritty Batman vs. Superman movie because the characters are boring and the movie looks ugly and the darkness is there for no reason.
All That Jazz and Short Term 12 represent a different aspect. Instead of diving deeper and deeper into the darkness they act on more of a sine wave. While both movies have their depressing moments these moments are broken up by humor and lightness. The scene I posted from All That Jazz is a perfect example. We take a break from our main character's inevitable death to enjoy a delightful dance number that communicates our character's personality and style in the most fun way possible. These movies remind me that while the dark is very real, so is the light.
I should also mention the acting. Each film has an incredible lead that make the film shine. It's rare that I take specific notice in an actor's skill, but I especially appreciate Nicholson's subtle creepiness and Portman's performance of her character's persona and shadow.