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bakofalltrades wrote:I think the cover art is rather beautiful. I perceive meaning in the increasing levels of fading/transparency from Binoche to Stewart to Moretz, and in the placement of Stewart between Binoche and Moretz. If they were, in fact, contractually obligated to use the actors' images, I'm pleased with how they've incorporated them.

I agree. I know that the "floating heads" is overused with film posters (that was one very common complaint found at Facebook) but it was definitely an interesting play on it for the reasons you stated.

I am also a sucker for vistas =]

I have to say that I even liked the more traditional floating heads cover with the three of them, but Criterion did a good job turning that concept on it's head.

I liked the film a lot. The performances are intense but not to the degree of becoming overbearing. The environment helps a bit in this regard. If it were taking place in a more urban environment it would likely feel more claustrophobic. Even all the stuff in the train has that feeling, in part because you can see so much outside it.

It was really jarring to watch something shot on film that is in large part about the circus of modern celebrity culture, and the growing dependence on technology. But in a good way because it gives it all some perspective that I might have taken much more for granted had it been shot digitally.

Do I hear an audio error on my Blu-ray at 17:43? Makes the dialogue at that moment sound weirdly glitched.

Recently saw COSM for the first time. Excellent - this is another masterpiece by Olivier Assayas.

I liked the themes exploring: what it means to be famous; how an actress/actor can really lose themselves in a role to the detriment of their mental health; and how an aging actress can begin to find herself "obsolete" in a sense - due to all of the younger & more attractive up-and-coming actresses out there.

My favorite scene in the film

Spoiler

was at the very end, when you saw the close-up of Maria's face, and she smiled....after being told by that young, bearded director that he didn't think much of the younger actress (Mortez) - (and after Maria had a difference of opinion with Moretz re: how a particular scene should be done).