Anyone see "Last Days" yet?

[Aguirre]

Hi, just wondering if anyone has seen the new Gus Van Sant film "Last Days" yet? It's opening today in Kansas City, but I think it's been released in a few other cities a few weeks ago. I'm looking forward to seeing this obviously, but I'm feeling a bit weird about this. I mean, it's basically about Kurt Cobain's last days and knowing up front that it's going to bring up all those feelings I had when I first learned that he was gone. I am hesitant to say that I idolized him, but I definitely connected to his music and respected some of his values about music. We truly lost someone special, even if he was fucked up. “Last Days” getting some good reviews. Ebert liked it and gave it four stars. Gus Van Sant I think is a hit or miss director. I liked his film “Elephant”; it haunted me for days after I saw it. But his film, “Gerry”, was unwatchable. Worst film I ever saw. I’m hopeful that “Last Days” is more ‘Elephant’ than ‘Gerry’. Never the less, Gus is a daring filmmaker, I give much props for that. I'll be seeing this tonight!

[motorcyclemptiness]

I hear that it flat out sucks.

"Drugstore Cowboy" was good.

[Molly]

i havent heard any reviews of it yet. i'll probably end up seeing it eventually. i sure fucking hope its not like elephant. that was a terrible movie.

[Aguirre]

Well, I'm back to review my thoughts and rather important opinions of the new film "Last Days" by gay director Gus Van Sant. Ok first off, it has been a few days after I have seen this, just to let it sink in. This movie was interesting and maddening at the same time. The film contains many long scenes (where on the surface) nothing is really happening. Example such as the character Blake (aka Kurt) walked around the house mumbling to himself, 20 min. of the film. Blake cooking mac and cheese, 7 min. Blake fixing a bowl of coco puffs, 8 min. It’s the type of film where if you have been breed on MTV, it must want to make you shoot your own brains out. It's maddening slow. But if you’re the type where the action is mostly in your own head as you watch this film then it truly becomes a great film.

I started to pickup some very subtle things that I'm sure most people would miss if they get impatient with this film. Like why would Blake put a sticky note on the refrigerator that says 'the gun is in the closet'? It got me thinking about his mind set. And sure enough, he pours himself a bowl of coco puffs and then put the box of cereal into the refrigerator, instead of the milk. That was just one example. Other example is when a salesman shows up and wants to talk to Blake about placing an ad in the phone book for a motorcycle shop. Blake invites the person in and mumbles to himself, clearly on something. But the oddness of the scene reminded me of something I might find in a David Lynch film. The salesman didn't seem to take notice of the fact that Blake was wearing a girl's dress or the fact that he kept nodding off while listening to him talk. That scene was great, sad and funny at the same time. Blake desperately needed someone to open their eyes and see that he needed some help, but the salesman only was interested in selling ads. The film is filled with scenes like this. Band mates routinely run into him but pay no mind to him. One girl sees that Blake has passed out and was blocking a door. She simply propped him up to the side and left him.

There are two scenes in the film that if you are a Nirvana fan will make you smile. One is where Blake records a few seconds of music on a loop on one guitar and then goes again on another guitar. The music slowly builds and builds as he loops screams and symbols crashing. Then we he gets on the drums, it turns into a full on jam. It was very rocking and intense and was my favorite scene. The whole shot is pulled back and actually takes place outside the house, but we can see inside though a window. The other great scene is at the very end when Blake just picks up a guitar and plays very softly and quietly. We can't make out what he is singing, but we can sense this is the end. Emotion builds for the last time. The music gets very loud his voice clear.."it a long lonely journey from death to birth". Bam! It hits you hard. The audience I saw it with, there were a few gasps. I even got a little misty eyed. The strings on the guitar snapped, but he kept going. Awesome performance.

The ending was very poetic. We never do see the act. But we all remember the famous picture of Kurt's sneaker though the window. The last few scenes were all shot from the viewpoint of that photograph. There was a little misplaced humor, at the end when the cops pickup the body to place it on the stretcher only to drop it again. But again it the type of thing that would have been right at home in a David Lynch film so I didn’t mind it.

Depending on your state of mind you’ll either love it or hate just like Gus’s previous works. If you’re a fan of Nirvana, it’s worth seeing but be mindful it was NOT a glamorous film at all. I was extremely depressed when I viewed the film and I enjoyed it immensely.

Aguirre out.

[vaya con dios]

Van Sant can suck it. I was only ever into Drugstore Cowboy, and that's mostly because of Matt fucking Dillon.

[Aguirre]

There is a lot of hate for Gus on this board. Uwe Bol I can understand hating, but hating a director just for being different or trying something new, that's kinda low imho. Anyway, if you don't like his films, why do you waste your time telling us that you hate them? I guess so we can be wowed by your insight, which to be honest is rather sad and pathetic. 'Van Sant can suck it' Loser.

[vaya con dios]

If you can state for me even one thing, let alone three, that can be considered original, I'll be wowed indeed.

Every one of his films make me feel like I'm harboring a pack of thumbtacks under my scrotum, shooting pain into the back of my brain with a pain that screams out, "what the HELL AM I DOING".

He wants to remake Psycho again. PSYCHO. Do you have a reply to this?!