Reviews

Two set of parents meet in an Episcopal church to have a conversation that might change their lives.

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Chari910
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Reviews

Post by Chari910 » Fri Jan 29, 2021 10:17 am

From Rotten Tomatoes

https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/ar ... -festival/

Why we want to see it: A tragic but important footnote to the current state of the world is that, due to pandemic-related quarantine orders, there have been no school shootings in the United States for the first time in decades. Mass, which will feel familiar to those who watched We Need to Talk about Kevin, focuses on the parents of not just the perpetrator but also those of the victims of a mass school shooting, setting up the chance for powerful Oscar-worthy performances from leads Jason Issacs and Ann Dowd.

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Hilary the Touched
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Re: Reviews

Post by Hilary the Touched » Fri Jan 29, 2021 10:47 am

From Entertainment Weekly https://ew.com/movies/film-festivals/ma ... e-preview/:
"We all of us transported ourselves for a couple of weeks into this place of grief and rage and pain and hope and resolution and all the other colors in between," the actor recalls. "Then we came out of it — like blinking into the sunlight."

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thunder
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Re: Reviews

Post by thunder » Sat Jan 30, 2021 7:35 pm

Most of the reviews are quite good, and all the actors get praise:
Beware of spoilers!
This is an exceptional ensemble from Birney’s defensive posture to Isaacs’ slow-boiling angst, Plimpton’s emotional breakdown and Dowd’s tentative compassion. Wow. This is acting at its finest in a movie that will have you riveted.
https://deadline.com/2021/01/mass-movie ... 234683917/
It’s anchored by four never-better actors, digging into their haunted characters, avoiding histrionics and instead showing us the constancy of grief, always there
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/j ... n-sundance
Isaacs is unexpected casting for Jay, who's strong yet sensitive, with no trace of malice; watching him break as he voices his own needs, quite distinct from Gail's, is extremely moving.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ ... dance-2021
Jason Isaacs and Ann Dowd lead a tiny but absorbingly honest film about the conversations that Americans can't have.
https://www.indiewire.com/2021/01/mass- ... 234611489/
...while Isaacs delivers a career-best
https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/mas ... 88.article
We think we can predict how righteous anger and/or guilt will guide these characters, but Isaacs, Dowd, Birney, and especially Plimpton find unexpected grace notes and understated moments of humanity
https://www.thewrap.com/mass-film-revie ... on-isaacs/

The last one was a bit "glass is half-empty"

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thunder
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Re: Reviews

Post by thunder » Sat Jan 30, 2021 7:39 pm

Isaacs, Plimpton and Dowd all put forth career-best work here,
https://motionstatereview.com/2021/01/30/mass-2021/
the way that Isaacs delivers this scene you start to believe this is real
https://musiccitydrivein.com/2021/01/30 ... view-mass/

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Re: Reviews

Post by Chari910 » Sat Jan 30, 2021 8:02 pm

Wow, great job assembling them here for us, thunder. Thank you so much and hop you get to see it soon.

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thunder
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Re: Reviews

Post by thunder » Sun Jan 31, 2021 4:00 am

I hope so too. Here are more reviews:
script allowing his four superb actors to find and flesh out their characters, so it feels like we’re watching people, not merely a situation
https://theplaylist.net/mass-sundance-review-20210130/
Kranz has assembled four never-better actors who completely sink into their character’s psychological mind-frames which keeps the film utterly gripping, even when you want to step away from such emotional abuse.
https://www.theaureview.com/watch/sunda ... o-be-seen/

A good review fro Variety too, they are usually not that positive. :hands
Kranz has drawn forceful performances from all four actors. Plimpton shows you how the bitter, wrathful sting of recrimination can take over a gentle soul, and Isaacs seems to be ritually lacerating himself with a fury he can’t let go of
https://variety.com/2021/film/reviews/m ... 234896551/
Considering the fact that this film is basically just four people sitting at a table together discussing the events of a few years back, and that it is this incredible a film, is a testament to not only the writing, but also to the cast.
https://mamasgeeky.com/2021/01/sundance ... -mass.html
Jason Isaacs started out as the calm, supportive husband and as the film progressed, the anger his character felt finally began to unleash. I’ve only seen Isaacs perform as iconic villain Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter films, so it was refreshing to see him in this new, different role.
https://geekgals.co/2021/01/30/sundance ... mass-film/

EDIT:
one more:
what an absolute joy it is to watch these four performers––so often prized bit players––be given so much to chew on. Not one of them pulls a punch or misses a mark.
https://thefilmstage.com/sundance-revie ... thinkable/

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Re: Reviews

Post by Anniemouse » Sun Jan 31, 2021 6:09 am

Wow, this is amazing I am so pleased that this is getting such a positive response.

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thunder
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Re: Reviews

Post by thunder » Sun Jan 31, 2021 8:50 am

One more:
the actors are literally on fire. Ann Dowd will just break your heart. She and Isaacs, in opposite couples, are emotional wrecks. Birney and Plimpton are maybe more methodical, but they are equally devastated and devastating. The casting directors really deserve awards for assembling this foursome. They give a masterclass from which everyone could learn something.
https://www.showbiz411.com/2021/01/31/s ... son-isaacs

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Marie
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Re: Reviews

Post by Marie » Sun Jan 31, 2021 8:53 pm

After I finished watching I knew I had seen something special.

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Anniemouse
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Re: Reviews

Post by Anniemouse » Mon Feb 01, 2021 5:35 am

Does anyone know how it is going to be given a wider release. For some reason I could not join the virtual premier.

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Marie
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Re: Reviews

Post by Marie » Mon Feb 01, 2021 4:45 pm

The deals are usually made at Sundance (or shortly after). No announcement of any deals have come yet. So unknown how or if it will get distribution. (But I suspect it will get a deal!)

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thunder
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Re: Reviews

Post by thunder » Tue Oct 05, 2021 8:42 am

A lot of new reviews are coming out before the US cinema release:

Most of them are really good. Some of them are a little spoilery... so beware.

https://www.theilluminerdi.com/2021/10/ ... ct-matter/
https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2021 ... w-article/
https://yourmoneygeek.com/review-mass/
https://weliveentertainment.com/welivef ... ilms-2021/
https://musiccitydrivein.com/2021/10/04 ... sterpiece/

There are probably plenty more too... :D

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Anniemouse
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Re: Reviews

Post by Anniemouse » Tue Oct 05, 2021 10:27 am

This is is just wonderful and I agree many more to come.

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thunder
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Re: Reviews

Post by thunder » Wed Oct 06, 2021 8:28 am

I think this review was more of an analysis, but it was interesting to read it:
https://observer.com/2021/10/mass-revie ... -festival/

:D

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thunder
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Re: Reviews

Post by thunder » Wed Oct 06, 2021 4:14 pm


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