Tuesday 21 August 2012

21/08/12 "Damsels in Distress"

Ben Reid recommended movie of the day! Though not his best work, Whit Stillman ("Metropolitan") presents his first film in almost 14 years as being not only his oddest and most philosophically light, but also perhaps his most risky. This film has more mass appeal than his previous films, which means it will also raise a lot of eyebrows with its narcissistic leads and final dance number. It is easy to pass "Damsels in Distress" off as a quirky chick flick, yet it is actually another interesting entry into Stillman's series of manneristic comedies signified by their dry humour and cultural awareness that went on to inspire directors like Wes Anderson ("Rushmore," "Moonrise Kingdom"). Stillman tackles middle age religions, depression, and soap in ways that normal films do not. "Damsels in Distress" often feels like a late companion piece to "The Last Days of Disco," continuing to explore generational trendsetting, female sexual roles, and social disguises. This is one of the better films to be released this year so far while being one of the more original.

1 comment: