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Thread: Uncut Gems

  1. #1
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    Uncut Gems

    The plot follows Howard Ratner, a jeweler and gambling addict in New York City's diamond district who gets in over his head with loan sharks and must retrieve an expensive gem he purchased in order to pay off his debts.


    I watched a lot of movies at the theater this year and this a contender for my fav. It felt like a 2 hour anxiety attack. Looking forward to re watching when it comes to Netflix this month. Sandler does an amazing job. I've been on the Safdie Bros bandwagon since Good Time. I love their style. it's gritty almost guerrilla like but highly stylized. And i enjoy their use of non actors. Their stuff sort of reminds me of Harmony Korine if his movies weren't terrible.







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    I read about and watched the trailer for this and was intrigued. It didn't look like a turd whatsoever like most of Sandler's schlock from this decade. Great to hear it's worth checking out.

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    This looked good from the trailer they played before Joker, I don't really go to movies in the theater (prior to Joker, the last movie I went to was Batman v Superman, and before that was Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) so I'm glad it's coming to Netflix.

    Much like Jim Carey, I don't care for Sandler's comedy, but I think he excells at drama (like alot of comedians, they understand timing better than most)

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    I saw this with my brother, and we both enjoyed it. This and Reign Over Me are definitely my favorites of Adam's dramatic roles.

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    I give Sandler the benefit of the doubt and don't think he's as poison to movies as some maybe rightfully do. And when something like this comes along I really feel justified in that because it shows there is talent behind what others see as garbage. I don't think I'm being too hyperbolic here, but this isn't just good movie acting, his character is somehow channeling the manic, insensitive and compulsive time we are living in now.

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    Was incredibly excited for this film after seeing Good Time and it did not disappoint (although I didn't quite love it as much as Good Time). It's a shame that Sandler wants to shackle himself to lame Netflix comedies just so he can hang out with his actor friends and go on vacations (he's admitted as much), because he's shown that he can do a lot if he actually makes the effort.

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    Had no idea what this was, but saw it topping a lot of "best movies" lists of 2019, so decided to give it a shot tonight. It really actually a really good movie.
    Sandler was absolutely fantastic. It started out kind of slow, wasn't sure where it was going, but once it gets good, it doesn't let up.
    Once I got invested in the world, I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. You generally feel the anxiety going through the characters minds as you watch the film.
    I found my heart racing a few times in anticipation with what was going to happen next.

    A review I watched on YouTube sums it up with this line: "2 hours of people yelling at each other" I'd say that's a pretty accurate description, lol.

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    2nd favorite movie of the year after Parasite. An absolutely perfect film. Sandler is acting his ASS off. Oscar worthy stuff. Edge of your seat almost the entire time. Found myself yelling/groaning/saying OH MY GOD at his Howard Ratner character every time he would just double down on his addiction instead of making the prudent decision after something positive happens to him.

    A fantastic NYC film. Captures the intersection of hip hop, pro sports, urban culture (NYC specifically), jewelry & gambling so well. A real insight into a world many know little about. If you saw this already, think back on the Weeknd club scene. Shooting that correctly is a such a delicate thing. You know fucking stupid that could have looked? Or KG's entourage rolling through the jewelry store too. But they captured it so well. Read this:

    https://nylon.com/uncut-gems-costume-design-weeknd


    Nevermind how real Sandler's smarmy/NYC Jewish/Diamond District world was shown. Anyone who knows Diamond District/Conservative/Orthodox Jewish folks from here can attest to the specific type of Jewish culture & people in the film. Personally I've known & had some bad experiences with people like him, his family & his cohorts, and I thought they really nailed that too.

    Julia Fox....good lord. Total hottie. Google image search for some fun. You're welcome. And what a great first performance! Loved how her character ends up alot deeper than you think when they first show her in his bed.

    Random thought just popped in...how delightfully tacky was his apartment?!?

    A24 is selling actual KMH merch in the next few days:

    https://www.reddit.com/r/A24/comment...rch_next_week/

    and A24 did a pop up of the KMH jewelry store in the heart of the Diamond District a few weeks ago:

    https://magazine.promomarketing.com/article/a24-really-went-all-out-for-pop-up-shop-promoting-adam-sandlers-new-movie-uncut-gems/

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    the merch is live on A24's site...Furbee pendant instantly sold out i imagine.

    https://shop.a24films.com/

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    This movie did a good job at keeping me on the edge of my seat, I think my wife and I were holding our breath a few times!!!

    I will watch this again so that I can better analyse whats going on, I think there are several connections and morals to be found, not to mention some of the irony.




    Quote Originally Posted by bobbie solo View Post
    ... Found myself yelling/groaning/saying OH MY GOD at his Howard Ratner character every time he would just double down on his addiction instead of making the prudent decision after something positive happens to him.

    I know right? Like seriously!!!! He really does have several good things going for him, if he could just get past his mental health issues.

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    halfway through Good Time, the Safdie brothers prior film. As said, if you like the style of Uncut Gems, you will def. like Good Time.

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    Quote Originally Posted by bobbie solo View Post
    halfway through Good Time, the Safdie brothers prior film. As said, if you like the style of Uncut Gems, you will def. like Good Time.
    I still have not seen Uncut Gems, but I loved Good Time. I have not posted my favorite movies of the last decade yet, but I was thinking about putting Good Time on it. It is just non-stop claustrophobic tension. I also like Oneohtrix Point Never and both scores. The Iggy Pop/OPN song that ends Good Time is perfect and heartbreaking and finally brings some relief.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Alpha 60 View Post
    I still have not seen Uncut Gems, but I loved Good Time. I have not posted my favorite movies of the last decade yet, but I was thinking about putting Good Time on it. It is just non-stop claustrophobic tension...
    See Uncut Gems. The Safdie Bros. do tension extremely well.

    ----------------------------

    I can't believe they get to slap "Netflix Original" on this overseas. Hopefully, we'll see a 4K physical release, even though that's not the norm for A24. There was specific mention of an HDR upgrade on a recent podcast, which sounds like what was done for the Midsommar digital release.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jon View Post
    I can't believe they get to slap "Netflix Original" on this overseas.
    I'm almost positive this has to do with Sandler's deal with them, and the fact that A24 has a deal with Amazon Prime for their movies after the theatrical window is closed, at least in the USA (not sure internationally).

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    Sandler got hosed

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    Yes he certainly did. I saw everyone nominated for Best Actor except Two Popes. Banderas was very good, but Sandler was better. And Leo isn't deserving of a nom for Once Upon A Time imo. Brad Pitt was though.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jon View Post
    See Uncut Gems. The Safdie Bros. do tension extremely well.
    Agreed. If you think Good Time has nonstop tension, that ain't nothing compared to Uncut Gems.

  20. #20
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    Region A/1 Blu-ray / DVD / Digital release through Lionsgate, March 10, 2020:

    https://www.amazon.com/Uncut-Gems-Bl...=ATVPDKIKX0DER

    The price has been weird on Amazon, so buyer beware. It was $39.XX yesterday, down to $30 today. I don't know how digital copies work for Lionsgate releases (resolution-wise), but the (separate) 4K digital purchase is $25 at the moment.

  21. #21
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    Wait long enough and by the end of the year it'll be down to 15 or less, maybe not regularly but prices for these go way down eventually, especially during the holidays.

    Interesting that Lionsgate didn't deem this worthy of a 4K release considering it raked in a lot of box office for a film with such a limited release.

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    Quote Originally Posted by onthewall2983 View Post
    Interesting that Lionsgate didn't deem this worthy of a 4K release considering it raked in a lot of box office for a film with such a limited release.
    Unless I'm missing something:

    #1 = Lady Bird ($48.9M domestic)
    #2 = Uncut Gems ($47.7M domestic)
    #3 = Hereditary ($44M domestic)

  23. #23
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    I mean a limited release compared to the films that usually get 4K releases, from the major studios.

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    hilarious.

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    $20 pre order on Amazon right now, hella cheap!

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    What a punch to the gut this film was. Loved it!

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    I assume most people had no idea how much visual effects went into this, just like me. Alot more than you may think. Great article about all of it...I recommend clicking the link at the bottom though b/c you get some great set pictures that explain things alot better than just the text:

    The plot, gritty aesthetic, and camera work in the Safdie brothers’ critically-acclaimed film — Uncut Gems (starring Adam Sandler at his best) — can be stress-inducing. Luckily, for the team at Mechanism Digital, handling the visual effects was not. The New-York based CGI/VFX/Animation studio, known for its work on indie films (Hereditary, Luce, Waves) and episodics (HBO’s Righteous Gemstones, Netflix’s Russian Doll, and Showtime’s The Affair) turned to Mocha Pro’s powerful planar tracking and rotoscoping tools on over 100 shots in the film.

    The team takes a two-prong approach to tackling projects. Artists use Mocha with After Effects for motion graphics-based projects, while Blackmagic Design’s Fusion Studio is favored on more complex visual effects shots. “Fusion has some pretty good trackers and After Effects has always had built-in tracker functionality but ever since Mocha Pro became the standard, our artists default to Mocha first,” says Lucien Harriot, President & VFX Supervisor. “Now that Mocha Pro can be used in both, our artists are able to share tracking and roto data between software applications so larger projects can leverage an assembly line of artists (separate tracking, roto, and comp artists) and not have to worry about which software the final comp will be done in. Mocha Pro makes it easy for people to work on different aspects of the same shot to speed up the process. It’s very effective.”

    Harriot entered Uncut Gem’s pipeline early on as the Visual Effects Supervisor to tackle complex effects shots in pre-planning. In one particularly nerve-wracking scene, Adam Sandler’s character, Howard Ratner, dangles outside a building high above Manhattan’s 47th street/Diamond District. Mechanism built a digital set extension to add to the art department’s physical set piece (pictured above). The team also shot background plates of all the exteriors on 47th street which can be seen from inside the window. (Read Harriot’s detailed account here) “On-set and shooting plates were fairly relaxed for the VFX teams, but once we got into finishing, the schedule got tight,” notes Harriot. “Completing more than 100 VFX shots between conform and color correct only left us a few weeks.”

    Mocha was used on almost every shot in the film. The team would often use one track to guide dozens or more roto layers. This system became especially handy in a shot where a row of Citibikes (which hadn’t been invented yet in the film’s world) can be seen in the background. Mechanism needed to figure out how to remove them. Rotoscoping and building the crowd’s legs between the bike spokes wasn’t possible due to the budget. Instead, the team decided to composite in a few more construction barricades.“We were able to establish a track throughout the highly-dynamic handheld shot by tracking, linking, and combining different objects that were visible at different times in the shot,” states Harriot. “This was helpful to track in the roadblocks and guide the 40-50 roto layers of people, cars, light poles, etc. Mocha was also very valuable in terms of getting fast garbage masks to mock up effects for compers, while roto artists spent their time only doing roto on things that were necessary.”

    Adapting to unexpected challenges whether they are budgetary or creative is par for the course when you’re a visual effect artist — and Mechanism relishes it. “Everyone (from directors to the audience) want to see something nobody has ever seen before,” ends Harriot. “We are always trying to come up with answers to expensive problems for filmmakers. When we are able to accomplish the same look on screen for a fraction of the cost, it’s a great feeling.”


    https://borisfx.com/customer-stories...ocha-tracking/

    Last edited by bobbie solo; 03-31-2020 at 04:23 PM.

  29. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by bobbie solo View Post
    I assume most people had no idea how much visual effects went into this. Alot more than you may think. Great article about all of it...I recommend clicking the link at the bottom though b/c you get some great set pictures that explain things alot better than just the text:



    https://borisfx.com/customer-stories...ocha-tracking/
    [/FONT][/COLOR]
    [/I][/I][/I][/I][/I][/I][/I]
    Holy shit. I love invisible CGI in movies. David Fincher does it all the time. BorisFX always makes badass stuff. I've only recently begun using Blackmagic Fusion through the free version of DaVinci Resolve, and, yes, its motion trackers are pretty damn good for a free NLE; however, I'm sure its combination with the latest Mocha is killer.

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    Got my copy a week or so ago and finally watched it, and wow, top notch film. Once it gets going, it doesn't let up till the end.

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