Monday, July 24, 2017

(Probably endless) list of things I love about Logan, part 2

By s. Monday, July 24, 2017 , ,
(Part 1 - here)


74. Logan noticing one of the bad guys and doing this. Oh, good. You're invisible now.


75..The desperation on Logan's face. He left. Charles and Laura are in danger. He needs to save them.


76. The casino hallway scene. It's amazing. It so unique and so well done. You can see the dust coming off the walls as Logan is pulling his claws out of them.  That incredible rage and determination on his face. I remember thinking I've never seen anything like this when I was watching it for the first time.


77. The first time Logan puts his claws through the man's head. We saw Logan kill people countless times before but we never saw it up close, so slowly. It's incredible.


78. Laura and Logan working together to save Charles.


79. Laura taking Charles's hand.


80. Patrick Stewart's acting is incredible throughout the movie but this moment is so affecting. He has no control over his powers. He is a good person. He is hugely remorseful over losing control and hurting strangers.



81. So many things here. I have tremendous respect for the movie for doing the smartest thing a movie can do - leave things to the imagination. There were plans to actually open the film with the depiction of who died during the 'incident' but fortunately they were scrapped. Now we don't know who exactly died and what happened but more importantly that event would have taken away from the intimacy of the film. It's not about others, it's about those characters we are watching. But here in this scene as there is talk on the radio about it, Logan turns to Charles, sees Charles is sleeping, but he turns the radio off anyways. He has been shielding Charles from the knowledge all this time. His friends died, people close to him and he has to take care of the man responsible for it - even though it wasn't his fault. It only adds to what an incredible person Logan truly is.


82. There's that charming relationship again


83. And the potty mouth hits again. I love the frustration in Logan's voice. It's such a natural, wonderful delivery. Jackman really becomes this character in every moment he is on screen.


84. Charles' meaningful monologue about Laura being like a lioness. We already saw it - her taking care of him and protecting him, I'd like to think she is helping him not just because Laura knows Charles, who has been communicating with her, but because she is a genuinely good person who would help those weaker than her, like her father did so many times.


85. The line that encapsulates the entire film so very brilliantly used in film's both trailers.


86. Charles calming down the horses is the most serene - and at this point such needed - moment in the movie. According to Mangold's commentary there were actual riders on horses - in blue leotards, removed from the shot in post production.


87. This just cracks me up every time.


88.  On one hand you want them to have a moment of peace. On another you can sense there is gonna be such a price to pay. But at this point, first time we have been watching it, we had no idea that price will be so awful.


89.How red the sky is before slaughter.


90. Those parenting skills again. Also only few lines here were scripted. The scene was improvised by the actors, especially that moment with Charles and Logan talking about the school.


91. And smile number 4. The most wonderful one.


92.Laura watching Logan care for Charles


93. My favorite lines in the movie. The small consolation being before Logan goes he will feel it.


94. This is contradicted by the deleted scene that was supposed to happen sooner than this one in the movie (where Logan tells a cop that Laura doesn't speak) but I stick to my interpretation - look at Logan's reaction when Munson asks him about Laura being a mute. It's like he is only just realizing it.. She didn't need to say anything. He knows what she has been through.


95 There was no reason for Logan to take off his clothes but I am so glad that it happened. Also it's a nice call back to Logan always wearing ridiculous number of layers. There's no need. No, really. There is NO need.


96. The shotgun breaking. I am such a polite movie goer. I never let out a sound other than laughter. But here I just went....OHHH. Also this is yet another scene where Logan just cannot help himself and has to help someone else.


97. This fucking scene. I said it countless times before and I will say it again - if there was justice Patrick Stewart would be winning every single Best Supporting Actor award next Awards season.


98. The second collective gasp of horror in the cinema.


99. Logan and X-24 facing off. Mangold's decision to make this character an antagonist was a brilliant one. This is soulless Wolverine. And what makes Logan such compelling, beautiful character is everything he felt, everything he has been through. Everything that shaped him into who he is. Love, pain, joy, loss. He is facing himself and all that he would be without all those people he met on his journey and his experiences - a soulless, killing machine.


100. Once again Logan's priority is Charles.


101. The look on Logan face when he realizes it's too late. This entire sequence is basically a long series of moments where Hugh Jackman breaks people's hearts just with the expression on his face.


102. Probably the most heartbreaking line in years. His only friend is hurt and Logan simply hopes he knows he wasn't the one who hurt him.


103. The way Holbrook delivers that line. Hilarious.


104. That scene...and I think given the last word of Charles being this one, Logan sees that this is the end. The elusive dream, the idea he came up with to keep going. It's gone. It's all gone.


105. No one in this movie has been more mistreated than Caliban who was alone with his pain the entire time. And yet still he goes down heroic.


106. This badass scene.


107. I rarely wince during movies but here I was mortified and could barely look at the screen.


108. I should not be perving during this moment but mother of God whenever I watch this film, I do.


109. The single most harrowing moment in the movie. And in any other movie the guy pointing the gun at the hero would change his mind and lower the weapon. But not here. Logan was ready to die. He thought he deserved it. And then there were no bullets left. But he was so ready to go....


110. ...but then...there is Laura...


111. Laura's reaction to Charles' death. The entire sequence has been one stab into the heart after another.


112. Those shots of Laura and Logan on the road. Grieving, exhausted, silent. Just driving away because there is nothing else to do.


113. Laura taking Logan's hand and Logan violently yanking it away. This only makes the next time Laura takes his hand and he holds it so tight so much more emotional and beautiful.


114. For me Best Actor race has been over for over 4 months now. Y'all playing for seconds out there. This right here is the most the film moved me. It's an insanely emotional scene and the finest scene of Jackman's whole career.


115. The fist time I was watching this I was crying hysterically during funeral scene but then this happened and I was laughing out loud through tears. No other movie ever did something like this to me.


116. When Logan wakes up those things above him are yellow and blue - the color of the iconic Wolverine's outfit in the comics.


117. This is the most beautiful man I ever seen. I repeat - the most beautiful man I've ever seen.


118. The entire scene with the doctor is amazing but yet again I must ask - why didn't he stitch that wound? It's so ridiculous.


119. The genuine kindness of this guy. He really wants to help. One of the most cruel things about this movie is that life keeps throwing Logan life rafts - that girl in the limo that  would give him some joy, this doctor who could at least attempt to cure him. But he just floats knowing that whenever he hopes for better, people die.


120. I love that we don't see exactly how Laura got Logan to the doctor. There was no way to show it realistically if she dragged him to the car. We don't need to see it. Just like Logan all we know is that she saved him.



121. This is my single favorite scene in the movie. Jackman's comedy skills are amazing. The way he initially says 'yeah' not noticing anything different and then complete disbelief and outrage flow through him makes me laugh out loud whenever I watch this. It's the single greatest 'what the fuck?' I've ever heard.

122. What Laura actually says is - Why do you want me to talk to you if you're always insulting me, yelling at me, if you try to leave me behind?

123. The remarkable thing here is that this scene was also the audition for the character of Laura - Millie Bobby Brown from Strange Things also auditioned and got to act out the scene with Hugh - during MTV Movie Awards when she won for her part in the popular series you could see Hugh being very happy for her - well, yes, he knows the girl, he got to yell horrible things at her during that audition. The footage of Dafne's audition is included in terrific Making Logan documentary on Blu Ray. While Hugh is a very sweet person, he is also a huge guy and in this scene he is swearing and yelling which for any young girl would be terrifying. Dafne was completely unfazed by this.

124. My favorite behind the scenes story about Logan is how they have been shooting this scene for 40 minutes and afterwards Hugh, whose daughter Ava is close in age to Dafne Keen, felt absolutely terrible and went over to Dafne's mother to apologize. And she said 'ow, don't worry! She just called you a c*** in Spanish'.


125. The way Laura's face lights up when Logan says 'Eden'.


126. The way he looks like hell and the earnestness with which he delivers that line. It'a amazing. He does want to help her. He wants to take her there. But he is so broken he just doesn't know how to pull himself together enough to do that.


127. When Laura's argument fails, she resorts to violence. Again, like father like daughter.


128. The composition of this shot - you can clearly see his tattoo and those innocent kids on the photo. It's startling and so effective.


129.  During this moment in the commentary Mangold talks about how after the trailer for the film dropped people started sending him footage from the game The Last of Us, telling him how similar it is to Logan. Mangold reveals that he never played the game before actually getting these messages. I never played the game either so I cannot contribute here much other than that apparently this film almost plays out like a loose adaptation of it.


130. Logan's ridiculous chivalry. Also the make up department really deserves all the awards. He looks absolutely terrible in this scene.


131. This shot we all fell in love with as soon as we saw it in the trailer.


132. This shot. Especially in Noir version. I have spoken about James Mangold doing so much for Hugh's fangirls over the years - he made Kate and Leopold where Jackman plays a count travelling in time, being a wonderful gentleman and riding a white horse, he also made The Wolverine where he cuts up a tree with an axe while wearing a tank top for absolutely no reason whatsoever and now he made Logan. You could hear a pin drop in the cinema and cut the sexual tension with the knife when all that was on the screen was the close up of this man's face and all that was in the speakers was his breathing. In. so. many. scenes. Third time this happened I just looked around to see the look on women' faces. Let me just say - I was on a date there - no one had a good date watching this movie. If you weren't in love with that man walking in the cinema, you were walking out.


133. The moment when we realize that Eden is real. We have seen nothing but the evidence to the contrary throughout the film. But here it is.


134. The kids rescuing Logan. It's funny how many times it's either Laura or someone else having to step in to help the Wolverine. And they do. He still has so many people he can turn to.


135. Logan immediately asking where Laura is upon waking up and telling the kids not to wake her up when he sees she is asleep. The progression of the characters and his relationship with Laura is simply lovely and so believable. In two hours time they go from strangers to two people who care about each other. Who understand each other. They really become a father and daughter right in front of us.


Part 3 - next Wednesday

20 comments:

  1. #81, leaving things to the imagination was one of my favourites as well. at first I felt like a noob, like "omg did I miss that somewhere?" but as you say, they handled it perfectly. no in-your-face-death drama but that undefined sadness clings to your heart even more. looking forward to part 3, yay!

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    1. Thank you! Yeah so many people thought they missed something in previous moments and were surprised to find out that this was never shown. One of the best decisions ever, so smart and so fitting to the tone of the movie.

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  2. Another great post. Just looking at these stills, it's so clear how dedicated Hugh was to this film. His physical transformation is so admirable.

    "Chuck." (waves hand). Hahahhah

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    1. Thank you! Yeah he said he trained the hardest to this one and it was hours to do the make up. I wonder how they made his eyeballs so yellow and bloodshot. Fascinating stuff but Making Logan didn't really offer any insight here other than just shots of him eating chicken and broccoli all the time, that poor guy.

      The fact he calls him that is just so hilarious :P

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  3. What a phenomenal film with phenomenal performances by Jackman and Stewart. Of the shots in this post, the one of Caliban is probably my fave. So much emotion and devotion written on his face at that moment.

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    1. That was such a tragic character. I discuss deleted scenes in next one and they are actually even more heartbreaking when it comes to Caliban :/

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  4. Fucking #76 FTW!! Seriously, I love this movie. Re-watched it for the first time since the theater last week. It actually got better somehow.

    Love that you're just straight going for it with these posts! But I wouldn't expect anything less.

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    1. They just happen :) I'm trying to first do the ones where I already know what to say, sometimes it takes me 10 minutes to write a review sometimes 2 weeks. This here is effortless other than adding the images etc.

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  5. This blog series of yours almost makes me wanna revisit some of my own favorite films and go step by step in depth with why I love every single thing about them. Also makes me really wanna revisit Logan again. Such an incredible film, and god damn if this shit goes ignored this awards season.

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    1. Oh don't worry. If that happens I will launch a hate campaign against the Academy the world has not seen yet lol :P

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  6. You covered pretty much my favorite parts of the film in this post and also my biggest pet peeve - Eden. North Dakota does not fucking look like that lol.

    #80 always gets me. Sad old men always break me and Charles was so helpless in that scene. I felt awful.

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    1. It was such an emotional moment, Charles was so helpless throughout and seeing Logan's utter devotion for him really made their scenes both heartbreaking and heartwarming

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  7. I love Logan's relationship with Charles in this one. I don't read movie news (honestly, my movie news mainly comes from your rambling fridays, and sorry I don't comment as much!) prior to watching the movie (skipped all reviews for this one as well as to not spoil myself) but I said that I was going to be pissed if they kill Charles. I was, but I wasn't expecting how they would go with it, as well as the scenes afterwards. I was surprised and saddened, and internally crying.

    Looking forward for part 3!

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    1. Well I am glad to read there is at least something useful coming from RFs :)

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  8. Another awesome breakdown sati.

    I think I might watch this for a fifth time :D

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  9. My goodness your devotion is admirable.

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  10. Well. I cried. Again. Which is not surprising since it's Logan related and I'm still not over it.

    Also got a great post idea inspired by one of these points and these lists and I will dedicate it partially to you and then to Hugh and Mangold. Seems fitting.

    There are so many great little moments in this film when I read your lists because I actually remember all these moments. I've seen this movie twice, yes, but I've seen The Martian twice and I don't know if I remember everything from there. But for Logan, which in a way is a very subdued movie, there are a lot of quiet moments and a lot of small moments, that deliver so much meaning beyond what is said, that it's just, beautiful.

    I recently watched a video where it was discussed that what a great script is like. A great script doesn't tell you everything. It doesn't lay out A, B, and then C, because life isn't like that and a great movie script is a reflection of life (in its all form or tiny form) and it shouldn't tell us all the information. That scene where the radio is playing, and the news is on the background, I almost missed it during that first time I saw it because I didn't have my glasses so I didn't read the subtitles (which I rarely read anyway) and I wasn't paying attention to what was being said on the radio. But to use such a tiny moment to tell such a big part of a much larger story, brilliant. A great script right there. All the awards!

    Can't wait to read part 3 and cry again!

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    1. Awesome, can't wait for your post! Yes it's only fitting we share the credit :)

      Yes the script is so wonderful! It's so layered each time you can find something new in it. I haven't even began working on part 3, it's supposed to be up tomorrow but damn it's the saddest 20 minutes of the movie :/

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