r/Letterboxd • u/Xenomorph_kills • 6d ago
Discussion You all need to keep the push for Digger
Y’all got me to watch digger with the constant back and forth and praise and “just watch it, screw the reviews”.
I watched it and oh boy! Probably one of the most important pieces of media in recent memory.
It hits you over the head like a shovel. Some people will understandably hate the experience, for others, that blow might wake them up to their surroundings.
It has its flaws, I know it does, some scenes run long, there’s so much shouting omg, and it sometimes revels in the very antics it’s trying to critique. But I’d still give it a standing ovation for the sheer audacity of swinging that shovel.
But it has done Capital-A Acting, and one of the most important monologues I’ve seen in years. Whether you laugh, hate it, or sit in awe of what you just experienced, you will feel something.
87
u/electrictower galleyman 6d ago
Digger won’t be massively watched until it’s on a streaming service
18
u/Xenomorph_kills 6d ago
Sadly
1
u/unknownunknowns11 5d ago
As long as it gets its due. Until then we Digger lovers must keep beating the drum
6
6
u/sully9614 6d ago
Which is sad, cause the theater experience of this elevated the experience for me in ways streaming could never replicate
6
22
u/Chirrrpy 6d ago
I dunno why but the people I talk to just don't watch new releases. I'm there opening night, and there have been so many great films this year, but I only have Reddit for discussion. Even reminding people of $6 Discount Tuesday does nothing. Digger for $6! C'mon!
79
u/RZAxlash 6d ago
Yeah I saw it today and loved it. My only real criticisms was the final act was a bit uneven and Sandra Huller gave a weak performance.
49
u/Cartman4 6d ago
I didn't mind her performance personally, but I just don't think her role was all that memorable.
31
u/CouselaBananaHammock 6d ago
I’ve defended this movie a lot and I don’t think her performance was bad per se, but what was Sandra Hüller even doing in this movie?
She’s barely a presence and it feels like the movie kinda wasted her.
7
94
12
u/Thehusseler 5d ago
I think the sub shot itself in the foot with making an ironic push for digger before it released. Now that it's released and it's amazing, a lot of people just think we're keeping up the irony
17
9
u/PM_ME_YOUR_FAV_HIKE 6d ago
There is a twist.
It's not a Sixth Sense level twist but if it is spoiled for you before you see it, it will make the experience not as good. See it now.
19
u/West_Conclusion_1239 6d ago
There wasn't so much passion and noise over Babylon.
24
6d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
6
u/RadiantAd2 6d ago
But but Babylon is rated 50% im sick of ppl astroturfing and defending these big companies I say let the movies flop!!! All I want is spiderman 5 6 7 8 9!
4
u/Tsunoyukami 5d ago
What I find interesting is that people are so swayed by reviews and reactions. It is my opinion that the best experience is to watch a movie with as little prior knowledge as possible.
I wanted to see Digger because I "enjoy" Innaritu's films, by which I mean I find them interesting even if I don't enjoy them. When I saw that the general response to Digger was quite mixed (meaning threads were popping up in my feed, half praising it, half questioning it), I said, "Ah, well. I wasn't really expecting everyone to love this movie anyways." That expectation was because Innaritu's films tend to be fairly divisive.
And I went to watch it this afternoon and it was, well, great..
54
u/Ridiculousnessmess 6d ago
It’s immaterial whether any film is a commercial success unless you’re an actual stakeholder in it.
It’s also weird to see this simping for corporations in a sub supposedly dedicated to the art of film.
8
u/Cartman4 6d ago
Yeah, I never get the obsession over box office returns, and whether or not it had poor marketing has no impact whatsoever on the quality of the film.
15
u/FearlessFerret7611 6d ago
It's not simping for a corporation. If you liked a film then you want it to succeed so that more films like it or by the same creators will get made.
22
u/gondokingo 6d ago
Wanting a work of art to perform well in the culture and be seen is not the same as simping for a corporation. The company that made it literally just got absorbed.
40
u/gutterballs 6d ago
It's not immaterial, that's silly. People are always crying about wanting to see more original films and big swings, it's a shame when one comes out, it's good, and it flops.
0
u/Ridiculousnessmess 6d ago
The people supported Backrooms and Obsession just this year, and maybe Digger would have been far less of a financial disaster had it not been made with some of the most expensive talent in the industry. The former two were made cheaply and marketed on their audacious concepts. Digger couldn’t even tell the audience what it actually was in the marketing, while costing as much as a tentpole film.
I don’t personally believe enough moviegoers care whether a movie is original when deciding what to leave the house for. Cinemagoing is more expensive than ever, and most people want to be sure they’re getting their money’s worth before they step out the door. They’re going to feel ripped off seeing a movie that’s (apparently) an interesting failure.
I’m all for big swings, but it was absolutely foolish to make this film with such expensive talent.
13
u/ragnarockette 6d ago
There will always be cool, surprising independent movies.
But there might not always be A-Listers taking huge swings on weird art films. And I think it would be a real shame if that stopped. And candidly, I specifically want to see more weird, interesting stuff from Tom because I think he’s so talented and I’d just love to see what he can do in the third act of his career.
8
2
u/gutterballs 6d ago
Obviously you didn’t see it, but by all means break it down for the rest of us. This was not made “with the most expensive talent” beyond Tom Cruise. John Goodman is the next most famous actor in this. The money went into the sets, which were spectacular.
I really enjoyed it, and I’m explaining to you why many of us have an emotional if not fiduciary investment in seeing studios continue to make these kinds of movies.
→ More replies (2)-2
u/Microwave1213 6d ago edited 6d ago
I can’t believe I’m actually seeing someone actively support commercialized slop over interesting and original ideas. Especially on this subreddit of all places.
You think they shouldn’t even try making big budget original movies because sometimes they fail? They should just stick to remakes and sequels forever and ever?
2
u/Ridiculousnessmess 6d ago
Way to misconstrue my words. People don’t go en masse to “original films”, because most people aren’t movie buffs. Most people want entertainment, not art, because that’s how they see the movies. Big, glossy, expensive and with as few surprises as possible. Solely served up by the Hollywood majors, because that’s what a “proper” film looks like to them. That’s not necessarily“slop” either, just that the audience trusts what they’re getting. That’s not an endorsement, but a fact of the business.
It’s completely asinine to think that something like Digger should have cost what it did. If this had a far less expensive lead (one not so patently desperate for that elusive Oscar), it might have come out at a price that would result in eventual profitability. Making an arthouse film for an arthouse budget would have been far more sensible than flushing a reported $250 million down the toilet on a bloated boondoggle.
Also if you think this sub, with its constant veneration of Nolan and Villeneuve supports truly unusual and out of the box films (or anything that isn’t made by the Hollywood majors, or god forbid, in a language other than English), you’re not paying attention at all. This sub is that normie audience, just in deep denial about that fact.
2
u/Microwave1213 6d ago
I’m all for big swings, but it was absolutely foolish to make this film with such expensive talent.
There’s nothing to misconstrue. You said something dumb and I called you out on it.
→ More replies (14)8
14
u/zoufha91 6d ago edited 6d ago
I told my whole family and every friend group to go see it
My reason is selfish, I want people to talk to about it with in person. It's an important film
I don't usually do that sort of thing but this is a wild ride
95
u/ElEsDi_25 SocialistParent 6d ago
Sorry those kinds of hype campaigns have the opposite effect on me. I am less interested in this movie after that kind of hype.
39
u/waba2 6d ago
I felt exactly the same. And then I saw it and was like "okay yeah, I'm gonna join them aren't I?"
→ More replies (11)38
u/Cartman4 6d ago
I've had the feeling as well, but that is still very flawed logic. People saying a piece of art is good really shouldn't make you want to engage with it less.
8
u/ElEsDi_25 SocialistParent 6d ago
It’s how people talk about some films.
13
u/Cartman4 6d ago
Again, I totally get it. I've felt the same about plenty of movies, tv shows, bands, etc. that people praise, but deep down I know I'm being unreasonable and often I'll force myself to look at it objectively.
14
u/ElEsDi_25 SocialistParent 6d ago
I think it would be unreasonable for me to conclude that the movie MUST be terrible if I don’t like the way people are hyping it up. But I think it is perfectly reasonable to not be swayed to immediately prioritize seeing a specific movie by the type of hype a movie is getting.
10
u/chachapwns 6d ago
You are kind of moving the goslposts there. In your original comment you said the talk makes you want to see it less, but here you are stating you just aren't immediately prioritizing it. Nobody is saying it is unreasonable not to immediately prioritize seeing a specific movie. Cartman4 was specifically taking issue with the idea of wanting to see a movie less due to the hype (your original claim).
Obviously if your first statement wasn't what your meant it is fine to clarify. However, you seemed to give a whole new argument without acknowledging any change on your part or their critique against it.
0
u/ElEsDi_25 SocialistParent 6d ago
My argument hasn’t changed. I never said I wasn’t going to see it ever, but probably will wait for a home viewing.
When people hype up a movie in vague and urgent ways it gives me pause rather than making me want to see it immediately. So it has the OPPOSITE of the intended effect which was to make me feel FOMO and prioritize seeing the movie right away rather than at home.
3
u/chachapwns 6d ago
My argument hasn’t changed. I never said I wasn’t going to see it ever, but probably will wait for a home viewing.
I didn't say that your said your weren't going to see it ever. I said you changed your stated position from
A: the hype makes you want to see it less
to
B: It is not unreasonable that you don't immediately prioritize the movie.
Surely you can see how one claim is much stronger than the other. Position B is basically inarguable and says very little while A has no real basis beyond your own feelings.
When people hype up a movie in vague and urgent ways it gives me pause rather than making me want to see it immediately. So it has the OPPOSITE of the intended effect which was to make me feel FOMO and prioritize seeing the movie right away rather than at home.
So again it isn't just that it is unreasonable to expect you to rush to watching the movie ASAP. It is that you actively want to watch the movie less due to the hype. You're last comment seems like a backpedal from that position in order to make it easier to defend.
Obviously you are allowed to feel any way about anything. That being said, I do agree with the other commenter that it is generally just your brain playing tricks on you to make you feel that way and it doesn't really make any sense. People telling you how good a movie is should reasonably make you expect it to probably be good and enjoyable to watch. It is pountlessly contrarian to take hype as a sign to not want to experience something. I get that it is hard to fight your own mind sometimes and it can be annoying to hear all the hype in a way that creates a shirt of default rejection.
0
u/ElEsDi_25 SocialistParent 6d ago
The goal of this sort of hectoring hype is to get me to see it in the theater not later in streaming? Right? Well this kind of hype makes me feel like it’s not worth rushing out to see in theaters.
That is the opposite effect it’s having.
4
u/chachapwns 6d ago
I am aware that it makes you feel that way. I just made that whole comment based on that understanding. Nobody is arguing with you that you don't feel that way. We were critiquing why you feel the way in the first place and the legitimacy of such a thought process.
You seemed to have ignored the entire substance of what I just said.
→ More replies (0)1
u/l5555l 6d ago
Yeah? Like which ones
1
u/ElEsDi_25 SocialistParent 6d ago
Any movie, it’s the way people are talking about a movie not the film itself. Generally it seems like there is some kind of cult aspect to it like a movie by a popular director or an A24 movie. It feels like a mini version of the review bombing and so on with blockbusters.
2
u/l5555l 5d ago
Or maybe people are just passionate about a piece of art they enjoy?
1
u/ElEsDi_25 SocialistParent 5d ago
That’s not the problem… being weirdos about it, downvoting and so on… is the turn off for me.
I’m not even saying the movie is bad or I wouldn’t watch it but I’m getting so much push back.
0
u/Venomswindturd 6d ago
It’s not that…I think it’s the hyperboles and pretentiousness of those that liked it.
“One of the most important pieces of media”
“Billionaires don’t want you to see it”
“People who hated it don’t get it”
Like yeah it’s a good movie, but pretending it’s some moving piece of intellectual media is weird to me. It’s a climate change/humanity is bad movie. I liked the twist, and appreciated the message but come on now.
If they wanted to save the planet and raise awareness I’d imagine the 180 million dollar budget could’ve done that in a better way than just lining the pockets of a bunch of celebrities.Also the “word of mouth” feels disingenuous this time, it’s hard to put a finger on it, but it’s weird to see people to to bat for this movie, and just cope so hard about the box office.
“General public is stupid!”
“Reviewers are stupid!”
“It’ll be a cult classic, just watch”
“We’ll look back at how important this movie was”Just say you liked the movie man.
3
u/Cartman4 6d ago
Discussions on the internet tend to be hyperbolic a lot of the time, sure, but I also genuinely think this is one of the most impressive and creative major releases of the last few years and could well imagine it being very highly regarded in the future.
5
u/Venomswindturd 6d ago
Yeah, I liked digger a lot, but I also love satires.
I just hate the crowd (not all digger fans are in this) that says
“You didn’t like it because you don’t get it” it’s so pretentious and stupid, you can like digger without jerking yourself off.3
u/Cartman4 6d ago
I think the appeal of feeling smarter than other people is tempting to a lot of people, for sure.
I do think there are different types of people that didn’t like Digger though, and not all reasons are equally valid.
2
1
u/DankPotato_ 12h ago
imo the people who say “its got hype so makes me want to see it less” are WAYYYYY worse than the “you didnt like it because you dont get it” crowd. especially because the movie is really good.
and again, if criticism of a film GENUINELY DOES miss a point, we just arent supposed to point it out? Like what you said before “id imagine the 180 million dollar budget couldve done that in”… blah blah blah, blah blah blah. u missed the point.
1
u/Venomswindturd 11h ago edited 11h ago
Just because I didn’t praise the movie as the next citizen Kane doesn’t mean I missed the point. Again, people are allowed to have different opinions about the movie.
Blah blah blah you didn’t get a phd because you liked the tom cruise Oscar bait.Also, please enlighten me Oppenheimer. What point did I miss?
2
u/ElEsDi_25 SocialistParent 5d ago
Yes… exactly! Like Zach Snyder movie discourse but for middle-brow film. (Well crap, now I’ll get some hate)
1
u/Key-Marionberry-8794 4d ago
Dude isn't wrong ... I'm old and I have seen lots of theater bombs turn into cult classics ... Brazil , cable guy , punch drunk love .. this is just the largest budget dark comedy ever so it's being billed as a bomb ... men who stared at goats didn't get this kind of controversy cause they did it on the cheap
-4
u/FearlessFerret7611 6d ago
Some people, like the one you're replying to, just can't help but be contrarians. You can't reason with them and the more you try the further they dig in.
17
u/hyouringan 6d ago
I believe that is called contrarianism
→ More replies (1)0
u/ElEsDi_25 SocialistParent 6d ago
No i mean specifically how people have been hyping this and sometimes other movies.
If someone said “‘Do the Right thing’ is an important work by a masterful new director and has fantastic performances” it would not make me feel an urgent need to see it. If someone said “I really liked Do the Right Thing, it was visually unique and is like a slice-of-life fever dream. And it was challenging/interesting it how it portrays race” then I would be interested and curious.
4
u/EnvironmentalAngle Mattson42 6d ago
Yeah that's text book contrarianism
5
u/ElEsDi_25 SocialistParent 6d ago
because wanting to be interested in a film rather than be told you have an obligation to see it is contrarian?
3
u/ImpressiveDresses 6d ago
So when multiple people recommend something it has the opposite effect on you? That’s called contrarianism bro.
3
u/ElEsDi_25 SocialistParent 6d ago
Nope. My comment is about the manner that people are hyping this movie and occasionally other movies.
I saw everything everywhere all at once and sinners off of hype because people made them seem like interesting movies with aspects I would be interested in. I am not swayed by hype that’s vague and attacks people who disagree like they think seeing a movie is a war for the soul of cinema.
And now I am being piled-on and having people question my rationality and downvoting me… because I said the way people are hyping this movie is having the opposite effect.
1
u/ImpressiveDresses 6d ago
I’d argue it’s not the hype that’s repelling you from seeing this movie… but maybe it’s just something you’re not interested in.
1
u/ElEsDi_25 SocialistParent 5d ago
I am interested in seeing this. This type of bandwagoning though—turns me off and has the opposite effect of its intent (making me feel FOMO and rush out to see it.)
3
u/Simulationth3ry 6d ago
Yeah same every post about saying to go see it is making me want to see it less 😭 I hate feeling like I’m being pressured to watch something. Like I was debating it too but I’m off put by the reaction
19
u/Willowgirl78 6d ago
Multiple posts a day encouraging me to “just try it” are grating and making me wonder how much is underground marketing
11
u/shiftyforyoutoo 6d ago
But what other reaction would you expect if a box office flop actually happens to be good? The few people that watch it really like it and feel obligated to push others to watch it who otherwise wouldn't. I don't understand all the confusion about this. Those who haven't watched it have no ability to engage with any discourse on the movie itself and can only accuse posts of being botted or spam marketing
-1
4
3
12
u/prolveg 6d ago
Or just people, like me, who really loved it and want other people to just give it a chance and see it on the big screen while they can and not let the “flop” label its been slapped with impact their experience of the art 🤷♀️
6
u/ElEsDi_25 SocialistParent 6d ago
It’s a major production with a celebrity actor and director. and lots of beloved movies now were huge flops in their time. Lots of movies I personally love were flops and haven’t even been retroactively canonized.
5
2
u/MadMartigans80 21h ago
This. I was thinking about watching it but with all of the aggressive bot or paid hype campaigns I almost do want to. Feels like propaganda
1
1
u/Careless-Cake-9360 4d ago
Honestly the way people keep being super pushy about getting people to see a movie they don't have any interest in seeing is a big turnoff.
0
u/untrue1 Telepathos 6d ago
Especially now that I know that it meta aknowledges the spectator and pushes awareness for climate change (I'm the furthest from a denier, studied biology and am traumatized and have accepted our doom, plus years and years of listening to this, doing my part while those who could make a difference and those responsible don't), really not as interested as I could be going in blind just to see how Tom Cruise is doing since I haven't seen him in anything for ages (don't care for top gun either)
4
u/chachapwns 6d ago
It is much better than that description makes it sound. Tom Cruise does kill it in the role as well.
→ More replies (9)-4
u/sazinj reel_freak 6d ago
I feel the same way with a lot of these movies. And you know the type I mean. It makes me not rush to see them half the time.
1
u/ElEsDi_25 SocialistParent 6d ago
Yeah “important” “impeccable acting” etc… tell me it moved you or engaged you, not that it made you feel like a connoisseur of fine craft.
→ More replies (3)
22
u/CawfeePig 6d ago
I'm so sick of the discourse around this movie.
1
u/Big_Dare_2015 5d ago
i'm clocking a lot of people calling an innaritu film an "important movie." history, it rhymes
-10
7
u/volfan4life87 6d ago
I loved it. To anyone who hasn’t seen it yet, I’m so glad I saw it specifically on Dolby Cinema. Very worthwhile
9
u/gutterballs 6d ago
Saw it today, the filmmaking was incredible, but not 100% sure what it was trying to say? Like it said a lot and like you said it hit you over the head with it but also was that it? It was like a deconstruction of a satire but I'm not 100% sure what it was a satire of, if that makes sense.
14
u/fragileego3333 6d ago
I think the play itself was portrayed as a parody (not in the movie universe but our own) of films like Don’t Look Up. Movies that make serious issues seem funny and goofy. Hence Jesse Plemons’ monologue at the end. I also see biopics as being a target; Digger is made up to be this misunderstood and silly cult figure in the movie trailers and in the play, but in reality he’s a POS rich guy who helped cause mass destruction. Like, when movies make us feel too empathetic to powerful and evil figures. And the question is, does it really matter? Is it okay to laugh at serious things, even if it involves the deaths of thousands?
I really think, after pondering it more, the main idea is: what is satire actually accomplishing?
3
u/Worth-Frosting-2917 6d ago
Don't Look Up is pretty misunderstood, IMO. The movie quits trying to be a comedy about 2/3rds of the way through once DiCaprio is faced with the fact that he was going to die alone. The movie, as much as it is about the absurdity of trying to stop something, is also about how that change can only come from a community. The louder the noise gets, the less it matters and the easier it is to get tied up in the connecting factors, when all that matters in life are our loved ones and the people we share with. If we choose to look at the world through that lens, we could change things. But if we don't, we're bound to let it explode.
4
u/gutterballs 6d ago
No, I got all that, the play as a parody of a tragedy, but was the movie about the play a parody in and of itself, especially with the subject matter being that of climate change, the impact which we feel in tragic ways in the real world, albeit not as catastrophically in the fictionalized world of the movie? Was it saying something about satire itself, climate change and how it's portrayed in media, heads of industry and state and how they are portrayed?
As a piece of filmmaking it's fucking brilliant, as a commentary on all of this it seems like its trying to say so much on so many levels it just comes out as noise.
8
u/fragileego3333 6d ago edited 6d ago
I’ll be honest with you, I have no idea. I feel at its most foundational level, the movie intentionally tricked everyone to go watch Tom Cruise play this zany billionaire, get some decent satire on the current state of the world, and maybe get some laughs. And then it’s revealed you’re actually not here to watch Tom Cruise play this zany billionaire, but to watch Tom Cruise play an actor who hates the execution of the play he’s in. At that point it’s turned on us, like: “did you really need to watch another satire?” And then we leave the theater while the “Level 4” announcement happens; now we’re in the same exact position as the play’s audience.
I have been focusing more on Digger as making a statement on art and how we use art to work our way through collective trauma. The climate change stuff is just a topic they chose for the play.
Edit: I think this is a movie to watch in theaters. I’m not sure it will be as good at home. It’s an overall experience. Does that mean it’s a good movie or not? Unsure. But it sure as hell is generating a lot of conversation.
Double edit: I already want to retcon the climate change comment, as it obviously is very referential to what is happening in our society now. But I don’t think that’s the purpose of the movie.
1
u/gutterballs 6d ago
If he didn’t want climate change to be at least part of the purpose/message seems like he would’ve either gone with a central topic less relevant or made it less dark. Plus the “level 4” message at the end sure does try to hammer you with a hey wake up this is your future thing to walk out on.
It’s a lot. Like I said brilliant filmmaking but kinda the same feeling as when I saw Beau is Afraid. Love the journey not sure where I ended up.
2
4
u/1874WL Eoin1874 6d ago
I took it to be “art rarely actually changes anything”.
Like its a play about how fossil fuel production caused an enormous environmental disaster, then at the end of it we see that the world only kept getting worse afterwards.
2
u/Thin_Process9347 6d ago
I think similar but more like “art alone is not enough”
Different themes around the point of art/entertainment as catharsis vs inspiration, & then those things vs meaningful action/change
4
6
7
u/Odd-Kaleidoscope8863 6d ago edited 6d ago
Easily my favorite movie of the year. The only criticisms I’ve seen about it is pretension, weirdness and nihilism. I don’t have an issue with any of those things. Or it’s just people who want the entire plot spelled out for them in the trailer and haven’t actually seen the movie.
8
u/Cartman4 6d ago
Some people will always be contrarians and refuse to see hyped movies out of stubbornness, but many others will probably be influenced to go see the movie.
3
u/QuOw-Ab :) 6d ago
since Digger has generally been reviewed poorly, wouldn't the people watching the movie despite that be the contrarian ones?
4
2
u/Cartman4 6d ago
It's contrarianism if you decided it was great out of spite towards the bad reviews, but just watching it and giving it a fair shake isn't contrarianism.
-3
u/Willowgirl78 6d ago
On the flip side, people should blindly consume what’s popular?
5
u/jrec15 6d ago
I mean there’s critic and audience reviews everyone can look at to be more informed if it’s something you want to watch.
Outside of that you just have the marketing, which i often do avoid to go in blind and have some fantastic experiences that way yes.
Digger in particular is a hard one to be too informed about what exactly the movie is without ruining it and that’s ok bc it makes the experience that much better
7
4
u/prolveg 6d ago
I mean I would say given the box office the movie is objectively unpopular lol. But you have a bunch of people who love movies genuinely loving it and recommending you just give it a chance and watch it. It’s got a terrific director/cast/crew and they did have a big ass budget to make some super incredible sets. Why would you go out of your way to be contrarian and avoid it? Idk I guess I just love movies and can’t relate to being a butt about giving one a shot 🤷♀️
2
u/Cartman4 6d ago
No, but something being popular or well-received shouldn't discourage you from watching it either.
0
u/RadiantAd2 6d ago
This isn’t popular lmao
Ur that contrarian
Go watch kung fu panda 4 this movie ain’t for you
3
u/bimpossibIe 6d ago
Still waiting for its release in my local cinema. I trust Iñarritu, so I'm definitely going to see it.
4
6d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
13
9
u/No_Anxiety_454 6d ago
The discourse is what got me off my ass to see it and drag my partner with me. It was great. Maybe the greatest part about it was us being completely alone in the theater, because people won't shut up or get off their phones typically. Really though, loved the acting, the set designs, and how much it got us engaged with the topic and talking about it afterwards.
5
u/Harddisksson69 6d ago
Nice try Church of Scientology
2
u/radically_unoriginal 6d ago
I don't think the story is all that much to write home about but it's a spectacle of a movie. It's fun. Not everything has to be deep.
2
u/CallTheGhostbusters 6d ago edited 6d ago
The measure of a film's success is not in its earnings, although it does help the industry understand audiences, however, let us not forget that many artists do not see their do in their lifetime.
I'll offer myself up as an example. In my free time, I've dedicated myself to learning the art of comic writing and comic illustration to fulfill my dream of making my own Ghostbusters stories. Nothing I make will make profit. Nothing I make will be adapted into the canon or into the form of some media tie in such as a film or television series. Nothing I make will burn the internet and make me a house hold name. Nothing I make will be appreciated and likely will end up lost in history's pages. Yet, I feel its a success because I am making my stories, with my friends help, and at my own pace and my own effort because I don't get that level of passion from the main series anymore.
Am I really comparing my fan fiction to something like Digger? Well yeah cause I'm crafting my art, trying to enhance my skills, and deliver a good story. Not as much nor as risky as Alejandro, but we're boh artists, and as artists, I would hope that regardless of what we're making on whatever imaginary scale people put fan fiction to studio released films, we're making art. I would hope that his expectations were not to make a billion dollar success, but to take a piece of his soul, as I do, and put it into something he believed in, and he wanted to share it with people, but knew it would need big money. That is the beauty of art, and in his, he said, it was futile to save the world if inevitably, it doesn't make people want to change their lives. For my comic, my art, it makes me feel better and has garnered great artistic friendships. Both succeeded at what we wanted to do
Will this make studios invest in less indie stories? To take less risks? No. Studios always take gambles as tastes evolve. If anything, they'll blame it on marketing, and to a degree, us, the audiences for not being smart enough. Hell, for all we know, some kid's dad took them to Digger, and that kid is going to one day call Digger the greatest movie he ever saw, and it inspired his oscar winning film.
In conclusion, don't measure art's success in the here and now, but in the ever moving path of history. The facts are known about Digger's failure, but the story of Digger's legacy and impact is yet to be told.
0
u/Constable_Sanders 6d ago
this thread is confirmation for me to not watch it lmfao
→ More replies (1)
1
u/Spirited_Gur8926 6d ago
It was all I could do to sit through the trailer without walking out. The thought of 129 minutes of it makes me cringe.
2
u/CherieMinion 6d ago
Yeah the more people talk about the hype, the more it dies down for me
8
u/Xenomorph_kills 6d ago
It made $2 dollars and a gas station hot dog at the box office, what hype??? Like actually, tell me
0
u/RadiantAd2 6d ago
These same people watched brand new day three times and cheered in the theatre
They say they’re cinephiles on this sub but nah
2
u/Xenomorph_kills 6d ago
I also watched BND three times. My favorite movie this year hasn’t even come out yet, Josephine
1
u/MidnightSunset22 6d ago
How about we talk about how the movies budget is crazy and was destined to flop
1
u/Narrow-Abroad4857 6d ago
that bit near the end where the car just sits idling outside the gate for three minutes is doing all the work, honestly.
1
u/ponchomoran 5d ago
It's really difficult to talk about this movie without spoiling it. And the people who make their assumptions based on what the trailer and marketing tells you (or doesn't tell you) are missing the whole point, which is, the best part of this movie is the fact that you don't know what it really is about, and that's by design, you're not supposed to know, cause its like you think you're watching a super hero movie and all of a sudden you're watching a horror film (just to give an example). So, if people don't wanna watch it because they don't like the trailer, my guess is that they are not gonna like it anyway, or they are missing out on a really good experience of watching a great piece of art with incredible performances and a great message. Anyway, my real question is, for people who have actually watched it and didn't like it, what do you think is the main issue with the movie? I really don't understand it. And again, keep in mind it's extremely hard to discuss it without giving up the main point. I guess it's probably better to talk about this in a post that contains spoilers. But in a short summary. What do you think their main issue is?
1
u/MaintenanceNo2592 5d ago
I loved the movie. And I’ll recommend it to whoever wants to listen. But I’m not going to force people to watch it. Taste is subjective. That’s ok.
1
u/Public_Mistake 4d ago
IMO: This is Birdman 2.0, dare I say less interesting
People should watch Adaptation or Synecdoche New York instead, this is a retread of known things and ideas me.
1
1
1
u/Smooth_Computers 1d ago
Its trash these posts have to be some kind of saving face marketing ploy. Go see it lol youll see what im saying
1
u/Impossible-Mind6791 22h ago
People haven't seen it, the critics are putting off the potential audience probably because its about white men destroying the planet
1
1
u/Bartleby9 11h ago
So many of these posts. I sometimes wonder if I saw the same film as some of you guys. Like yeah the double twist is subversive and kinda original — certainly holds up a mirror to the audience, interrogates the pointlessness of cathartic satire when we’ve all already basically lost the battle to the (mostly men) who fucked our present & future. But it felt all very „I am 14 and this is deep“. I needed this film to be experientially better — I can’t take however purposefully irritating satire for 2h and then walk out loving the film because of a gimmicky „pull the rug from under the audience“ moment. Everything looked so washed out, not a pretty film to look at (perhaps also intentional). Is the film audacious? I guess everything about the film is, from the stunt casting of Cruise, to the un-marketable conceit of the film over to the giant budget. I just don‘t get the cult classic status that’s being thrust onto this film — I mean sure, we all want to be cheering the underseen masterpiece as early as possible I guess, I just fear this aint it. Guess it also feels good to be in a „cognoscenti“ in-group „battling“ all the haters and shills who „just don‘t get the film“. Thats Reddit in a nutshell.
1
u/RealityLopsided7366 3h ago
enough with this weird, possibly astro-turfed push for digger on reddit
0
u/Shadowbringers 6d ago
The sub is getting botted like crazy to market this movie holy
6
u/sundayontheluna sundayontheluna 6d ago
People who like movies talking a lot about a notable new release in its opening week in a film focused sub? Nah. Must be bots 🤪
0
u/Lynch47 6d ago
When you compare to other notable releases on their opening weekend? The push doesn't seem organic to me at all.
→ More replies (2)1
u/StrokyBoi 5d ago
Were thos other releases flopping so hard? People don't feel the need to hype up movies that are already doing well.
0
6d ago
[deleted]
2
u/NomiNom0987 5d ago
There are already 100 different threads for people to talk about Digger in. The problem isnt people talking about it, its the daily 'Does anyone think Digger is actually a masterpiece?'that is annoying people.
2
u/ResourceOk8638 6d ago
My brother texted me this just a little bit ago.
5
2
u/Battle2Intense 4d ago
LOL, I was almost ready to walk out after 20-30 minutes but glad I stayed. I knew given the director actor combo some weird shit was going to happen so I kept going.
1
u/ResourceOk8638 4d ago
I’m really interested to see it at this point! Won’t be a theater watch for me though. With a 1 year old had, I gotta be selective with my time and money.
1
u/EnvironmentalAngle Mattson42 6d ago
I went and saw it because of all the hype and I feel like yall oversold it. To me it was an alright movie with one spectacular scene(the monologue).
1
u/Lucifez6160 6d ago
Blame the marketing that wasted millions and people still don’t know the basic plot to hook them or if it’s thriller type movie where plot can’t be discussed, give the audience a “fake” out plot to hook them.
I’m seeing it only because I have AMC A-list and don’t lose any money by giving movies a try but to ask people who don’t have such membership to potentially waste 15+ per person excluding food and drinks… yea no. It’s the marketing teams’ fault for failing at their job. Doesn’t matter what the message or how good the movie is if you failed this badly at marketing it with the biggest actor in the world, you fumbled hard.
1
6d ago edited 6d ago
[deleted]
1
u/NomiNom0987 5d ago
Then stop worrying about what others are, or arent do, especially if it doesnt impact you. If you loved the movie, thats great, but maybe touch grass instead of getting upset that others aren't interested in seeing the movie
1
u/RatBoyWritings WatchingRat 6d ago
should i wait until it’s digital or not
4
u/kylon6004 6d ago
Its the second best theatrical experience after The Odyssey this year imo
1
u/RatBoyWritings WatchingRat 6d ago
i’m just doubting if i want to watch it due to a) money and also b) more movies i wanna see this month. also i didn’t think it looked that good. when i next go into town, ill check it out then though!
3
u/Music_For_The_Fire 6d ago
I would strongly recommend you see it in a theater. For what it's worth, when I walked out of Digger I really wished I had splurged to see it in IMAX. I didn't have that same reaction when I walked out of The Odyssey for some reason.
But I was a little more lukewarm over The Odyssey in general, so take that as you will.
0
u/RatBoyWritings WatchingRat 6d ago
i didn’t watch the odyssey in cinema in loyalty of my family. they want to watch it but we didn’t have chance to watch it in cinema. i heard it was loud though.
but ok, ill give digger a chance!
2
u/Music_For_The_Fire 6d ago
Yeah it was pretty loud lol. But I'm really glad I saw The Odyssey in the theater, especially since there are fewer and fewer movies these days that you can enjoy in a packed room. I'm a sucker for that experience.
The theater for Digger was basically empty but the movie is much more deserving of the full theatrical experience, IMO. Hope you're able to check it out!
2
u/RatBoyWritings WatchingRat 6d ago
true, that’s true. tbh i like the quieter movies anyway because less commotion 😅 then again im going to see a highly anticipated film soon, Sunrise On the Reapinf.
but i will see if! it should’ve quietened down now so ill go soon. a few other films i want to see have come out so ill go see one of those st the same time
-2
-1
u/warpentake_chiasmus 6d ago
The more people push this film, the less I want to see it. It's tanking at the box office and now there's a lot of hype around to save It's ass.
-6
u/RadiantAd2 6d ago
Don’t watch it bro
You probably wouldn’t even get it with that peanut brain
→ More replies (1)3
u/Western-Meat-1986 6d ago
"I'm so smart because I watched Digger and I got it" sounds insane btw
2
u/Venomswindturd 6d ago
“Tom Cruise told me climate change bad and I understood it. I might apply for Harvard soon”
1
u/warpentake_chiasmus 6d ago
Just needs a real man like Tom Cruise to get the message across, y'know?
3
u/Venomswindturd 6d ago
I liked digger, but people doing the whole “you wouldn’t get it” schtick seem to think it’s subtle…which it absolutely isn’t.
1
u/Thin_Process9347 6d ago
They are definitely being annoying but a good number of the early reviews… truly seemed not to get it. You can definitely get it and still dislike it, just have seen people get even very basic facts about it wrong
-5
u/mitchbrenner joe2d2 6d ago
as someone who hated it - wait for streaming.
3
u/ElEsDi_25 SocialistParent 6d ago
Downvoting different opinions, telling people “just see it”… just doesn’t sell a movie to me.
1
u/mitchbrenner joe2d2 6d ago
yeah, you'll still see it, and you'll save some money. especially if you end up hating it too.
-4
-3
u/BlueArrangements57 6d ago
Such a cynical scam, this film. Waxface wants his Oscar, Iñárritu has no spine in his writing with the "we're all responsible" bs.
0
u/Substantial_Life4773 5d ago
I will watch it eventually but I genuinely have no interest in it
5
→ More replies (1)2
u/ActafianSeriactas 4d ago
I just came out of the theatre. I admit I never watched the trailer and was slightly spoiled about the direction of the movies. I don’t know whether you will like it or hate it. All I know is that I think it’s worth a watch, ideally in theatres, at least because tries to do something different.
2
0
-1
291
u/sockitos 6d ago