Online Series: CUTIES netflix

[Jumptheshark]

One of the more controversial movies out there right now and after watching the movie--I have to ask

are people passing judgement based purely on a 1 minute preview or have they watch the actual movie

the movie is not what you think it is about in the preview

I do not think anyone pissed off with this movie has actaully watched it

Click to read more...

 

[kihei]

The movie is certainly controversial and I can understand some people's visceral opposition to the film. However, I think the movie is worth seeing. I believe the director is trying to shock people (and go to extremes to do it) into a conversation about why some young teenage girls seem to find hookers and their lifestyles as attractive role models. It is a movie that poses a lot of difficult questions on a lot of different levels about how an adolescent concept of female sexuality could arrive at this point and about the factors that share responsibility in this happening.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Both sides seemed a bit off on this one to me. The coming of age story in an over sexualized world for young girls is an absolute story that should be told, and it's an absolute issue in society. That being said, there are many things in the movie that are big issues. Like, why would you zoom in on an 11 year old's butt like it's a music video?

This is exactly like 13 Reasons Why, when experts were worried about it glorifying suicide. If Netflix wants to take on these types of projects, they need to be much more careful IMO.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Both sides seemed a bit off on this one to me. The coming of age story in an over sexualized world for young girls is an absolute story that should be told, and it's an absolute issue in society. That being said, there are many things in the movie that are big issues. Like, why would you zoom in on an 11 year old's butt like it's a music video?

This is exactly like 13 Reasons Why, when experts were worried about it glorifying suicide. If Netflix wants to take on these types of projects, they need to be much more careful IMO.

I could quote myself on this from the movie thread, but I don't think conservative people change their minds so that would be a waste of time. I'll just add: why Netflix? They have nothing to do with the making of this film.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I could quote myself on this from the movie thread, but I don't think conservative people change their minds so that would be a waste of time. I'll just add: why Netflix? They have nothing to do with the making of this film.

They platformed it.

Why are you assuming my views. My first sentence said both were off in the reaction to the film. You really don't want to discuss it?

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

They platformed it.

Why are you assuming my views. My first sentence said both were off in the reaction to the film. You really don't want to discuss it?

I already did:

Mignonnes (Cuties - Doucouré, 2020) - I wanted to see what the fuss was about with the cancel-Netflix bullshit and, no surprise, people are stupid. This is a great film that hits a lot of bullseyes about a young girl struggling between a tradition that is too rigid and a host culture that is too permissive, and who ends up going too far. I've worked with that young girl many times, one was even named Aminata and was from Senegal. The film lacks in subtelty at parts, loses some steam in the end, and is still a little too moralizing, but struck me right on the chin a few times. It curently sits at 1.9/10 on IMDB, people are useless. 8.5/10

Why is that? I don't get it. I'm also pretty sure that most of the people who say this film is "horrible" are those who have refused to watch it based on some self-awarded virtue. I mean, if you think seeing young girls dancing might trouble you to the point of reshaping your morals or bring you to commit reprehensible acts, please don't watch it, otherwise it's actually a very good film with pretty clear intention and point.

Funny what wider distribution can do. Nominated as the best film at the Berlin film festival, winner of the best director at Sundance, this was supposed to be one of those films the general public don't see much but that keeps an overall positive reputation. Now it got in the hands of prude people not used to more sensible or confrontational art and shit hit the fan.

I'm really not sure A) is valid either. People who have their heads buried so far in the sand (or up their asses) to be aware that the sexualization of young girls is something to be concerned about will not appreciate this film and will probably ask for Netflix to be cancelled. I think it's a film for C) people on both sides of the spectrum who tend to blame the other one, as a slap in the face or wake up call regarding their own participation to the problem. I thought the shot with the two outfits laying on the bed side by side (the traditional dress for the wedding and the slutty dance costum) lacked a little in subtelty, but it's really to the point: they are both part of the problem making Aminata isolated between realities that keep her from having a childhood. The last shot, where she goes back to being a child, is beautiful, but another slap in the face: it might just be fantasy (she's flying off).

Agree on all fronts. As the young girl is clearly shown doing the split between two cultures, I think Doucouré also goes that far to better underline the extremes of the flip side too: her father taking a second wife, and her having to learn to comply like her mother to what it is to be a woman, something the holier-than-thou crowd won't dare criticize in fear of being caught judging a foreign culture.

I get that, I am really not a fan of films that go for social matters for the sake of it. I thought there was more to it here, but as said before, I came in with a strong bias. I don't think the girls look dumb and goofy, though they certainly are, they are really valid portraits and I see them with a lot of empathy. I agree though that the film shouldn't really be shocking to anyone who hasn't been asleep for the last 15 years, but it's always easier to deny the problem and "blame it on Marilyn" (as Eminem said).

I think she (the director) was clearly rubbing it in because she knew it would cause malaise (unease?). As I said before, I think it's also a facilitator in showing the extreme ways of the counterpart to all this: the rigid traditions of the family. It's easier to shook people and get a reaction with sexualized young girls and close-ups of their bottoms than with cultural traditions (that might be just as harmful), and I think that's where the film is brilliant: in showing how she gets to do the grand écart between two opposing cultural paths that ask of her the same thing, to put aside and lose her childhood.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I already did:

Ok, so you don't want a discussion. Just come in here, assume I'm a conservative, say I'm wrong and incapable of changing my mind, and completely misunderstand why I included Netflix, where I wasn't even hinting at cancelling them like I'm sure you assume I believe.

 

[Jussi]

Both sides seemed a bit off on this one to me. The coming of age story in an over sexualized world for young girls is an absolute story that should be told, and it's an absolute issue in society. That being said, there are many things in the movie that are big issues. Like, why would you zoom in on an 11 year old's butt like it's a music video?

This is exactly like 13 Reasons Why, when experts were worried about it glorifying suicide. If Netflix wants to take on these types of projects, they need to be much more careful IMO.

To make you feel uncomfortable because that's the kind of videos these girls watch and are popular and the society is ok with that. Society that allows this is target of criticism.

 

[bleedblue1223]

To make you feel uncomfortable because that's the kind of videos these girls watch and are popular and the society is ok with that. Society that allows this is target of criticism.

You don't have to do that to make it uncomfortable though. Zooming in on the butt and not zooming in on the butt doesn't change anything IMO.

To me the film was correct in wanting to criticize parts of society for this stuff, but it took it too far at times. At least we agree that society is wrong in this. I've seen takes out there where they didn't agree with that conclusion though, that's why I say the other side was completely wrong.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Then why are the zooms (really don't think there was any zooming in) and close-ups being discussed?

They don't change anything in the sense that they are just unnecessary. The actions being displayed were already showing how society is unacceptable in how it sexualizes children, it doesn't need to zoom in on their butts to make that point.

 

[bleedblue1223]

What's called a "casting sauvage" is when the casting team (all women in this case) go towards the possible candidates (in this case, meeting them when they got out of school, or at the mall, etc.). So of course the "met with" a lot of girls. I'm pretty sure they didn't have 700 girls coming in for dance auditions (and even if they did, it certainly didn't include the twerking scene).

The director (a woman) made sure that the girls and their parents were followed by a psy (a woman) through the whole process. Who are we calling pedos exactly?

So, women can't be pedos or exploit girls? That's like saying to solve racist policing, we should have all black cops, problem solved.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

I was curious and tried to find out what were the auditions (not that I really care myself) and found this article, written by a journalist that followed the production over a year.

Parmi les jeunes filles auditionnées ce jour-là, il y a Ilanah, petite blonde de 12 ans. Guidée avec bienveillance par Maïmouna, elle va devoir jouer plusieurs situations : se mettre en colère parce qu’on l’accuse d’avoir volé de l’argent, être triste, car ses parents ne s’occupent pas d’elle, improviser une chorégraphie de hip-hop et de modern jazz. Le tout devant une petite caméra.​

(Cinéma : Un an sur le tournage du film “Mignonnes”, de Maïmouna Doucouré)

So basically, the girls had to do three things:
1) being mad because they've been accused of stealing
2) being sad because their parents don't care about them
3) improvize a hip-hop / modern jazz choreography

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

So, women can't be pedos or exploit girls? That's like saying to solve racist policing, we should have all black cops, problem solved.

Are you just pushing forward on that argument or really suggesting that the problem with the shooting of this film is female pedophilia? Just want to check the depth were sinking to here.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Are you just pushing forward on that argument or really suggesting that the problem with the shooting of this film is female pedophilia? Just want to check the depth were sinking to here.

You called someone out for saying hundreds of girls, yet hundreds did audition, but you say it's ok because women did the auditioning...

 

[bleedblue1223]

I was curious and tried to find out what were the auditions (not that I really care myself) and found this article, written by a journalist that followed the production over a year.

Parmi les jeunes filles auditionnées ce jour-là, il y a Ilanah, petite blonde de 12 ans. Guidée avec bienveillance par Maïmouna, elle va devoir jouer plusieurs situations : se mettre en colère parce qu’on l’accuse d’avoir volé de l’argent, être triste, car ses parents ne s’occupent pas d’elle, improviser une chorégraphie de hip-hop et de modern jazz. Le tout devant une petite caméra.​

(Cinéma : Un an sur le tournage du film “Mignonnes”, de Maïmouna Doucouré)

So basically, the girls had to do three things:
1) being mad because they've been accused of stealing
2) being sad because their parents don't care about them
3) improvize a hip-hop / modern jazz choreography

Now imagine what a modern hip-hop choreography looks like. Now imagine how many of them went with twerking or some variation of sexualized dancing.

 

[holy]

You called someone out for saying hundreds of girls, yet hundreds did audition, but you say it's ok because women did the auditioning...

Not to mention this guy clearly was around too.

French Producer Zangro on Sundance Entry 'Cuties,' Upcoming Project - Variety

6 month process, doesn’t sound like they just pulled up to a school. Everyone involved using this weird hippy dippy bullshit language makes it so much creepier too.

And lol at this guy acting like women don’t groom kids. What the hell kind of world do you live in? The mention of her crying causing the kids to cry sounds like an unhealthy emotional attachment in something that is supposed to be a professional setting.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Look the greater issue is that we have a group in our society that is trying to normalize what they call MAPs, minor attracted person. A youtuber by MrGirl had some really disturbing takes on Cuties. And it's not just Cuties, TikTok for example is serving this stuff to those people on a silver platter. That's why I absolutely agree with what the intended message was, it just went about it in a horrible way IMO.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

You called someone out for saying hundreds of girls, yet hundreds did audition, but you say it's ok because women did the auditioning...

Oh no no no, sorry when he said hundreds of girls, I thought he was talking about the auditions in the film . So yeah, hundreds of girls were considered by an all female team, to play the 5 main parts of the movie. Of those, I don't think more than the 5 who were actually casted had to go through the twerking scene (I could be wrong, but I can't find anything suggesting I am).

I'm just asking who are we talking about now? Who's the mad pedophiles who planned this? I thought he was talking about the spectators (which is what most people who attack this film do), but if not, who?

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Not to mention this guy clearly was around too.

He indeed talks like he was... I guess he's taking the fall then.
(I just read 5-6 French articles on the casting process and he was never mentionned - they might be hiding something... )

 

[holy]

He indeed talks like he was... I guess he's taking the fall then.
(I just read 5-6 French articles on the casting process and he was never mentionned - they might be hiding something... )

Taking the fall for what? No one’s accusing the film makers of being pedophiles themselves, just out of touch idiots.

Of course the French articles don’t mention it. Pffft...French. English - 1, French - 0

 

[Nemesis Prime]

This movie should have never seen the light of day. Glad there's still some decent folk out there who think it's f***ed up.

Netflix indicted in Texas for ‘lewd’ depictions of girls in ‘Cuties’

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Like the movie really isn't that good at all but the people losing their heads over this are morons. There's been way more shocking in recent years.

 

[member 51464]

Like the movie really isn't that good at all but the people losing their heads over this are morons. There's been way more shocking in recent years.

Such as? I may just be out of the loop, but I feel like there have not been many scandalous films out the last few years.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Such as? I may just be out of the loop, but I feel like there have not been many scandalous films out the last few years.

I'd have to dig in but I remember some teenaged series + movies being far more graphic. I found Cuties weird and not particularly effective but it's not really graphic. It's cringy (both purposefully and sometimes sheerly due to lack of talent from the filmmakers) more than anything else.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

I'd have to dig in but I remember some teenaged series + movies being far more graphic. I found Cuties weird and not particularly effective but it's not really graphic. It's cringy (both purposefully and sometimes sheerly due to lack of talent from the filmmakers) more than anything else.

I'd love to have a better understanding of your take on this (as I thought the film was very efficient) - here's probably not the place though.