River's ASIB Review (spoilers)

[River 121,657]

18 minutes ago, MrA said:

Acting is the hardest element for me to judge in a movie lmao, I only get impressed when I see really good or terrible acting. I didn't notice anything about her facial expressions. I did cringe at some point when she sings Shallow for Jackson but that's because she was making these Joanne faces and gestures that have always struck me as kind of fake lmao. Like she's trying so hard to say "I get it man, we're both so italian and hardcore and tough and serious" 

LOL yeah the parking scene was so cringy

[Glamourpuss 29,062]

Spoiler...

I don't understand how so many people fail to understand the hanging scene. But Im a big fan of not spoon feeding the script to the audience. I like how they expect you to understand by noticing his staggered walk and belt in his hand. 

It really must be naivety of the young audience. I have been in a dark place in the past and can recognise the signs of depression and suicide immediately. 

I agree with what you said about pacing and not actually seeing the star being born. However I like that they didn't focus too much on that because it might have been hard to differentiate between Ally and Gaga and I think the less reminders that Gaga is Ally, the better because I've seen so many fans say they couldn't switch off from the fact it's Gaga on the screen. I think we can fill in the gaps of how her star was born and it's not really relevant to the story. The main point of the story is the toxic love they have. Ally becoming a pop star is just the catalyst to set off the chain of events that happen. 

 

[youandi 2,110]

I loved the film but do have a few issues.

I definitely don't think the film was too long, but the pacing in paces felt off, but I can't decide if it was deliberate or not. I think the film wasn't too long, more that some parts (not scenes) were too long, whilst others weren't long enough. It felt like we felt so long on their initial meeting (which was good) but then the bulk of their relationship flew by and it felt like we just had to take it as a given that Ally had found herself and her voice on stage with Jackson. That part seem to go by like a very short supercut, and then the part where Ally becomes popstar level famous seems to drag weirdly, before getting to the grittier last quarter of the film. 

Like @PussyGlam I don't believe in films spoon feeding the audience, it should usually be about ones own interpretation, and more importantly, it should be 'show not tell' when necessary to avoid awkward exposition where audiences should understand what's happening anyway. However, I can't decide whether we were meant to think that Ally eventually lost her way within the music industry, just to become a money machine, or whether we were meant to respect her for making it. From WDYDT it felt like the film was willing me to not like her as much as I did in the first half, which feels obvious, but then her redemption towards the end felt weirdly rushed until she sings at the end and has brown hair again. 

Again, I guess it's really down to your own interpretation but I don't know if parts just didn't click with me or whether I was too focused on loving it so much that some bits didn't quite feel right. My biggest thing is that I would have liked to see more of their relationship to make the tears at the end worth it (unless it was meant to feel like a supercut?) and would have liked them to have not made Ally seem quite as shallow musically/fame wise from SNL onwards. I really want to see it again to see how I feel on second viewing

Spoiler

MAJOR POSITIVES

I thought the actual editing (not pacing) was great and married with the cinematography, the film was visually stunning. So many gorgeous shots but the ones that stick out to me the most was the lower angle shot of Jackson and Ally from the stageside near the end of Shallow, the police lights at the house (So simple but was shot so well, visually it looked like something out of a David Lynch film, kinda weird/creepy looking but so sad) and the final shot of Ally's face during I'll Never Love Again, just stunning. 

The songs were incredible, I really feel like Diggin' My Grave should have been included (who knows, maybe an extended edition one day) and Before I Cry at the Grammy's or something might have been a nice indicator that she hadn't changed too much. 

Finally just a little thing, the 'A Star Is Born' title card at the start looked so 'classic' like it was pulled from old hollywood, half of me wishes they had played with that kinda style a little more but it would have probably have been compared to La La Land too much. 

 

 

[PerfectGUY 7,822]

2 hours ago, River said:

my husband had to ask me later "so he's dead right?" it was confusing.. if I didn't read spoilers I probably would ask the same thing.. it's THE important scene of the movie but was poorly delivered to the audience.

This. I knew the end but I couldn't tell if he was dead yet or not  At the both times I went to see the movie, everyone in the cinema was chatting saying either : is he dead ??? did he hang himself ?? no, he overdosed !!! wait, no he just came back home ! no, I think he's dead ! no he forgot something in the house ! 

It was truly a mess  They could've make this scene way more clear in my opinion

Also I needed to see Ally getting paparrazied, asked pictures by fans...  Like at the beginning with Jackson but later in the film for Ally.

I would have replace WDYDT with The Cure and not release The Cure in 2017, could've been iconic

And then also put an emotional snippet of that post-wedding Is That Alright? performance ...

But I loved the film and thought Gaga's acting was so natural !!!

[monster4life231 4,304]

I went to see the film with two family members (who were previously not Gaga fans) so I valued their opinions. None of us knew any spoilers, and all three of us understood that he had killed himself. Personally, I thought it was pretty simple to understand, and it made us so emotional. Secondly, we all thought that Gaga and Bradley did such great acting with raw emotion and passion which was good to see. I think they both deserve an Oscar in my opinion. The music was amazing, and the whole film was great. I think the only "flaw" is that Ally's rise isn't explicitly shown, she kind of just suddenly becomes famous, but I don't think that this took away from the plot and whole experience of the film at all. Overall, I think it was close to perfect, and my two family members also agree, and are now Gaga fans (and Bradley too!). Loved the whole experience of the film as it has had a lasting impact on me.  I was not disappointed at all following all the lead up and excitement towards the film.

[NIGHTCRAWLER 6,985]

I agree with a lot but your opinion on her acting. I thought she was outstanding and that was definitely Oscar worthy 

[Neal 768]

Her acting was definitely Oscar worthy. 

The thing about this fanbase is we know Gaga too much, like her little nuances which makes it more difficult for us to see her blend in the role. There’s a reason critics are hailing her acting, it’s because they haven’t watched every performance of her from the beginning.

[Ada 1,665]

3 hours ago, PussyGlam said:

Spoiler...

I don't understand how so many people fail to understand the hanging scene. But Im a big fan of not spoon feeding the script to the audience. I like how they expect you to understand by noticing his staggered walk and belt in his hand. 

It really must be naivety of the young audience. I have been in a dark place in the past and can recognise the signs of depression and suicide immediately. 

I agree with what you said about pacing and not actually seeing the star being born. However I like that they didn't focus too much on that because it might have been hard to differentiate between Ally and Gaga and I think the less reminders that Gaga is Ally, the better because I've seen so many fans say they couldn't switch off from the fact it's Gaga on the screen. I think we can fill in the gaps of how her star was born and it's not really relevant to the story. The main point of the story is the toxic love they have. Ally becoming a pop star is just the catalyst to set off the chain of events that happen. 

 

I think maybe they didn't pay attention to the scene where he talks about his experience as a boy, or they didn't understand what he was saying (understandable tbh). It's almost painfully obvious when you see the belt if you got that previous scene right.