Tag Archives: alexander payne

Movie Review: Downsizing

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downsizing-posterHere’s a tiny review: this movie sucks.

For a movie about downsizing, Downsizing‘s glacially paced and two and a half hour runtime leave you wondering, “What was that?” It’s not a comedy — never funny — and if a drama doesn’t really stir any feelings one way or the other.

You think you know what this movie is about? You have no idea. If you’ve seen the trailers, you know Matt Damon (and a host of other people) shrink themselves to go live in a fabulous planned community where, because you’re so small, your dollar stretches farther.

Yeah, that’s not what this is at all. The entire impetus for downsizing is to save humanity from overpopulation, climate change, scarce resources, etc. But, of course, it gets used in different ways across the world.

Despots and warlords use it as an alternative to ethnic cleansing to get rid of certain populations. And, of course, in America, we turn it into a way for a normal working guy (like Damon) to live an upper-middle class bourgeoisie lifestyle. Once there, he finds an underclass still working there to prop up the rich and goes about trying to help them?

This could’ve been a movie about classism, but it fails miserably at that. There are glimpses of attempts to make small people second class citizens, but they never go anywhere.

It could’ve been a movie about environmentalism, but it fails equally as miserably at that– turning its environmentalist characters into punchlines and doomsday culters. Speaking of punchlines, the film is also filled with too many “we’re small and things are big!” gags.

downsizing saltines

It’s not funny.

downsizing vodka

Here either.

DOWNSIZING

Even Christoph Waltz can’t act his way into being amused by this “giant rose” gag.

Not since mother! earlier this year has an otherwise talented filmmaker made such an incomprehensible mess. I hate every character in this movie. I hate everything about this movie. And its two and a half hour runtime feels almost doubly as long. It’s all very sad, because with more focus, this might have been something worth watching.

Don’t waste your time or money on this.

0 out of 5

Film Deal for Clowes’ WILSON! Fox Searchlight, Alexander Payne! On Sale!

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Official Press ReleasePreviews

DEADLINE.COM ANNOUNCES FILM DEAL FOR CLOWES’ WILSON!

ALEXANDER PAYNE, FOX SEARCHLIGHT, RAIMI’S STARS ROAD ATTACHED!

As announced yesterday on deadline.com, WILSON, Daniel Clowes’ critically acclaimed and New York Times bestselling original graphic novel, has secured a film deal at Fox Searchlight with Alexander Payne attached, for more information read the complete story here. To celebrate the news, which is D+Q’s first book in its 20 year history to go into development, WILSON is on sale for 30% off at Drawn & Quarterly!

If this doesn’t convince you to pick up the book, check out what the critics have to say:

“Though we may all have favorite Clowes creations, from the dim superhero auteur Dan Pussey to the disaffected adolescents Enid and Rebecca of Ghost World, the Wilson of Wilson vies with his past triumphs and takes a bold leap beyond them.”–Sam Lipsyte, THE NEW YORK TIMES

“In this darkly hilarious story of death, prostitution, and kidnapping, the Ghost World cartoonist dissects the pathetic life of an all-American asshole using a series of expertly crafted one-page comic strips.”–Timothy Hodler, DETAILS

“Funny, touching, absurd and dramatic, Clowes’ tale of the life of Wilson is a triumph.”–Richard Pachter, MIAMI HERALD

“This is a book about life’s passages and disappointments, and will be most appreciated by those who know something of quiet desperation.”–Michael Dirda, WASHINGTON POST

“Daniel Clowes’s Wilson is a loser, a bully and a world-class blabbermouth. He’s also unforgettable.”–Brad Mackay, THE GLOBE & MAIL

“Clowes gives us ample reasons to delve into his newest graphic novel: incisive dialogue, subtle commentary on social ills and a true flair for comic book style storytelling.”–Robert Pincus, SAN DIEGO TRIBUNE

“{WILSON} deftly portray{s} death and parenthood without sentiment or schmaltz.”–Jason Chen, GQ

“{WILSON} is a breath of fresh bitterness.”–Scott Timberg, LOS ANGELES TIMES

“Clowes wants to immortalise the brief candles of humankind. While Wilson’s statements may be mono-dimensional, Clowes counterpoints them and gives them nuance through the visual details.”–Michael Faber, THE GUARDIAN, UK

“To read Wilson is to grapple with some bleak truths about ourselves. We are self-involved, ungenerous, even cruel. And in creating this mordant portrait of a jerk in full flower, Clowes reminds us that we are something else, as well: laughable. Lord keep Daniel Clowes safe, and making comics, and far from Zoloft.”–Glen Weldon, NPR

“Deceptively simple yet always poignant, the images never fail to captivate, pulling us into a world in which we glimpse the starkness and beauty of everyday life.”–John McMurtie, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

“WILSON is as funny and trenchant as anything else {Clowes has} worked on, and just as brutal.”–Sam Thielman, NEWSDAY

“Clowes’s visual finesse makes a terrific backdrop for Wilson’s uncomfortably familiar face.”–Max Winter, BOSTON GLOBE

“Wilson is a sharp strike right to the sweet spot of the brain where great comics are enjoyed.”–Tom Spurgeon, COMICS REPORTER

“Clowes (Ghost World) takes his particular brand of misanthropic misery to new levels of brilliance in this book… another beautifully drawn slice of piercing social commentary.”–PUBLISHERS WEEKLY