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Don’t Look Up (Netflix)

276 replies

Cornettoninja · 25/12/2021 13:21

I watched this last night and can’t stop mulling it over.

It’s received mixed reviews but I loved it. Apparently it was written before the pandemic and was originally an allegory about global warming but they made edits based on recent times during the pandemic. Some of it hits quite close to home tbh.

OP posts:
MsTSwift · 27/12/2021 13:29

I really liked that and could totally relate 😁

doubleshotcappuccino · 27/12/2021 16:28

Just finished watching this - loved it. Refreshingly different and makes you think - brilliant

Riverlee · 27/12/2021 16:56

@bellamountain

I enjoyed the film, hasn't Tamwar done well for himself! Feel sad Matthew Perry had his scene cut.

I could see the message straight off.

I said the same to DH regarding Tamwar!
Riverlee · 27/12/2021 17:01

Watching it now. Tbh, finding it a bit long and tedious, although well acted. I’m finding I’m dipping in and out if it.

Riverlee · 27/12/2021 17:02

Not finding it funny though.

Newgirls · 27/12/2021 17:18

[quote Cornettoninja]@MarshaBradyo according to Wikipedia the screenplay was written 2018/19, Netflix deal was signed in 2019 and production started in 2020.

I believe there were a number of edits made post Netflix deal to reflect recent experience of the pandemic (I think DiCaprio contributed once he was on board) but the main screenplay was completed pre-pandemic.[/quote]
Pandemics and covids have been predicted for years. I reckon the writer meant it to be about pretty much anything that scientists have been trying to warn us about

TeloMere · 27/12/2021 17:19

ComDummings
It was OK but the parallels to climate change kind of irritated me. If you want to make a climate change film then do that, if that makes sense? Don’t disguise it (badly) as a comet.

Perhaps the idea was to attract a wider audience than they'd get if it was a straightforward film about climate change.

Newgirls · 27/12/2021 17:21

@noblegiraffe

I liked the bit where Cate Blanchett’s character casually mentions she has three masters degrees and is clearly highly accomplished yet her role is to look glamorous and ditzy and just perve over the hunky astronomer instead of seriously questioning him.

I felt very stressed watching it as it felt very close to home and have been unsettled by it since. The message that trusting big business to solve planetary threats instead of scientists and governments will end in disaster because their primary focus will be the profit that can be made from it is pretty thought-provoking.

Mark Rylance being asked whether his plan was peer reviewed and not answering was a stark contrast to the demands at the start of the film that the astronomers’ calculations be checked over and over by the best scientists from the best universities before being taken seriously.

Yes so true about the cate blanchet character. We do value tv personalities over the super clever. Reminded me of the amazing mathmetician women who present countdown. Nothing against them doing it - just shows how we value entertainment above so much else
YourVagesty · 27/12/2021 18:41

It was OK but the parallels to climate change kind of irritated me. If you want to make a climate change film then do that, if that makes sense? Don’t disguise it (badly) as a comet.

Um, why exactly?

Allegories have been around in the arts forever. They enrich media (generally) and bring wider audiences to certain topics.

ComDummings · 27/12/2021 18:54

@YourVagesty

It was OK but the parallels to climate change kind of irritated me. If you want to make a climate change film then do that, if that makes sense? Don’t disguise it (badly) as a comet.

Um, why exactly?

Allegories have been around in the arts forever. They enrich media (generally) and bring wider audiences to certain topics.

I think this particular film just felt a bit preachy to me. I can see why some people liked it but I just found it annoying.
Summersdreaming · 27/12/2021 19:17

I switched it off after the Jennifer Lawrence working in the grocery store scene. I didn't find it funny or clever and the characters were annoying. Quite suprised as I like the actors and the directors other films.

whenwillthemadnessend · 27/12/2021 21:18

Watching this now and it's tremendous

I was enjoying it and wanting them
All dead and not really caring but towards the end it hits you that this is climate change and this is us.

Kind of makes sense as Leonard's is so involved

Blowing my mind.

bantuknots73 · 27/12/2021 21:21

Just finished it and I liked the film tbh. Always love Jonah Hill so that was a bonus. The ending was great and I like how the whole film was lighthearted. Not your typical end of the world film so to say

whenwillthemadnessend · 27/12/2021 22:35

"It's not just American media or government, it's worldwide. None of the world leaders are prepared to spend the money, so climate change won't be halted. By the time most people realise, it will be too late."

This with
Bells on

That's the point of the movie

Can't believe some viewers missed it.

NFLwidow · 27/12/2021 22:50

Love Jonah hill but Christ I thought it was awful. Get the premise but it’s it was too long and Leo (forgot his character name) cheating on his wife was unnecessary. He was quite a relatable and decent character until that bit.

Riverlee · 28/12/2021 09:15

I wouldn’t have known it was about climate change until I read this thread.

Stellaris22 · 28/12/2021 14:46

I can't remember the last time I just watched a film or to show, as in just watched without switching to my phone.

We thought it was fantastic, utterly depressing in the parallels to real life, but mesmerising.

I found the cheating a bit unnecessary, but other than that a great film.

The characters were all really well played and the message well put across.

TeloMere · 28/12/2021 17:12

I'm wondering why the critics reviews are all bad. It's almost as if they are trying to put us off watching it.

Stellaris22 · 28/12/2021 17:15

I definitely think there's an underlying reason why critics are being negative about it, the Guardian hated it.

wakeuphw · 28/12/2021 17:16

I didn't expect to enjoy it, but there were some funny moments and the last few minutes definitely made the film for me. It was very well done.

Stellaris22 · 28/12/2021 17:25

A lot of it was just very close to home, which made it even more depressing. The nastiness online towards Jennifer Lawrence's character, polarising politically, putting profit before safety (the refusal to adhere to peer reviewed science). Plus the part where they said the tech company was purposefully allowing poorer countries to be hit for the sake of profit.

It was very well made IMO and definitely needs to be watched.

Newgirls · 28/12/2021 17:47

Critics seem to be out of step with most people. Seems like most people loved it on my social media

TeloMere · 28/12/2021 17:59

Stellaris22
I definitely think there's an underlying reason why critics are being negative about it, the Guardian hated it.

Perhaps the media have taken offence at the way they're portrayed in the film...and the bad reviews are a way of saying DON'T LOOK UP (ie. don't watch the film)*

Stellaris22 · 28/12/2021 18:07

Oh that's definitely a major part of it. Media is purposefully made to come across very badly in the film, for good reason.

Medievalist · 28/12/2021 19:13

We all really enjoyed. I was amazed that the Guardian gave it such a poor review.

The Guardian also gave the Power of the Dog an excellent review and declared it best film of 2021. We thought that was dreadful!