Sunday
Aug062023
First & Last 027
Sunday, August 6, 2023 at 11:00AM Can you guess the movie from its first and last shot?
The answer (once you scroll down) is after the jump...
It's Immortals (2011) currently streaming on Hulu. The super-powered mythological epic was a minor hit in its year but seems largely forgotten today. What do you make of Tarsem Singh's strangely staccato career of visually bold but sometimes otherwise questionable films. He was one of those majorly successful music video directors (like David Fincher before him) who transferred to auteur cinema aterwards. Which of his films -- The Cell (2000), The Fall (2006), Immortals (2011), Mirror Mirror (2012), Self/less (2015) --have you seen?
tagged first and last
first and last
Reader Comments (7)
It really is a strange career. I have no memory of this movie, forgot he made Mirror Mirror.
I wasn't into The Cell - but I understand why so many adore it. His inventiveness means there will always be some excitement when a new project is announced.
The films of Tarsem Singh I haven't seen is this one and Mirror Mirror as I don't have interest in either of those films.
I'm one of those who love the spectacle of The Cell. Horror movies should be so beautiful to behold.
I saw the top pic and thought "that kinda looks like The Cell but those aren't JLo's eyes." LOL -- guess I can tell his style.
I reviewed this film when it was released and was genuinely floored that it turned out to be some sort of swords and sandals masterwork—a muscly arthouse film shoehorned into the popcorn mainstream. Fields of warriors morph into frescoes a la the Sistine Chapel, Mickey Rourke’s armor reads like custom Schiaparelli, and Henry Cavill has never been so utterly outshined by his surroundings (though he was certainly pretty, too). I absolutely adore the unbound fearlessness of Tarsem, and while Mirror Mirror was a massive miss, I wish people other than Lady Gaga were picking up the phone and dialing 911 to get this artist back to work.
I would have known this one from either shot. Tarsem's films are so beautifully and precisely constructed. I'll watch Immortals whenever it's on, for the look of it if nothing else. And The Fall is one of my favorite films of all time. Heck, I even enjoy Mirror Mirror which I take it is rare), apart from that cringe-y musical number over the end credits. Have never watched Self/less given the scathing reviews but perhaps I should give it a try sometime.
They need to make another movie like this one, one of the greatest god mapquest driving directions movies in my opinion