'Dream Scenario' Made Me Uncomfortable

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[@SwellStuff483]

I had literally no idea Michael Cera was in this until I saw it, so when he showed up it was like a jumpscare

[@lizzielabelle]

And Josh Richards ???? Like oh

[@rpandya97]

Cousin Greg was the biggest jump scare towards the end of

[@matthueloose7172]

Woah, did you not see the trailer?

[@MoonWalkerTexsRanger]

Top 10 biggest jumpscares in cinema history: 1. Micheal Cera

[@berzzz4418]

MAJOR SPOILERS: I think the ending was the most powerful moment. The wife explains her fantasy earlier in bed in the film but we never see it lived out. Paul is a character who seems to want these big things but can't take the initiative to pursue them or establish himself. The ending looks at Paul sort of breaking these things down. At the end of the film, he doesn't even seem to care much about even getting his book published. He just wants to be with his family. He's kind of pushed his wife and kids to the side by simply being so in his head with these ideas of grandeur. The ending served the purpose of him finally taking the initiative to be more emotionally present with his family, especially his wife, where he has the line "I wish this was real." I thought it played back into the limbo Paul is stuck in, where he knows what he wants but cannot put in the work to achieve it. This ending is bittersweet because its him finally being there and honest with his wife (he lies earlier about confronting the woman who "stole" his idea because he was ashamed that he showed himself as a loser.) At the same time, we also see that he probably won't be able to make the change. Because even this great fantasy and moment is just a dream. He realizes who he wants to be there for and inspire isn't the masses, but his wife and family. He wants to take initiative and be there for them. But he's stuck in an almost fantasy world and it's hard to say whether he will ever take the initiative in real life.

[@empirefarts]

Brilliant

[@lindabalinda7887]

exactly how I felt. I cried and felt it was very powerful and did tie together paul never being able to live up to who he really wants to be. It was his last chance with his wife (or in his mind at least), he knew things could go differently, yet he couldnt bring himself to make the change and just reach out. He will forever live in a passive way, never living up to who he could be in his and in everyone elses minds. You expressed it much better than I could!

[@damurfam]

couldn’t have said it better, the dream bracelet thingy was the worst part of the movie, but I understand they probably wanted to explain how Paul finally was able to enter his wife’s dream and fulfill her fantasy. The ending was so funny and sad at the same time, it perfectly encapsulates the whole movie.

[@ltdrmg]

@@lindabalinda7887I’m glad to know I wasn’t the only one who cried. I appreciated how the ending led up to it and you knew exactly what was coming. It was predictable in the best way because when it happens it’s so powerful. I didn’t just cry because of the emotional weight though, I thought it was literally just so beautiful. It reminded me of my love for cinema because it made the most absurd sequence utterly heartbreaking and beautiful. I loved it.

[@Michael-cv5wk]

I agree with almost all of this but my interpretation differs about it being a moment of honesty.. yes it was honest in its expression of his longing, but he was only willing to confront that in a dream. He is perpetually unwilling to own his actions, and even in a sad and beautiful display of how badly he wants to be with his wife again, he can only express that using this silly, cynical method of intruding on her dream. It's beautiful and touching and sad, but it's also kind of pathetic.

[@JeekayTenn]

I viewed this film as a critique on those who want to achieve something but do not put in any effort for it, and having an overnight celebrity is great for that premise.

[@sambaron137]

I think it was also a criticism of taking for granted the things you have, and not feeling like the good things in your life are enough, leading to sacrificing those things in exchange for fame/greatness

[@NealKlein]

This and the reply from @sambaron137 are excellent points I hadn't considered.

[@Not_So_Slim_Shady]

I like that reading

[@goseemekah]

@@sambaron137Now this is good!!!

[@quax6625]

@@sambaron137 interesting. I think it's about people who are falsly imprisoned/sentenced because he never did anything yet they all think he did something and are mad at him. This fear in the people is building up over the course of the movie and even his own family is having trust isssues. They start blaming him for things and when he does just one little thing wrong everyone goes "yup, thats it, this proves everything".

[@DrLeePercussion]

I think it's about " Have you ever dreamt this man" posters that use to go around. if so they did a good job on making it creepy as hell.

[@wishes_._]

Yep pretty much.

[@MadSaez103]

Anytime Ari Asters involved lol

[@lindabalinda7887]

hah, i had the same thought. I have a feeling that was part of the inspiration

[@sikedarling]

The concept of a meme was definitely one of the themes of this movie. I didn't know about this particular meme, though. That makes sense.

[@zacktheshrimpist7055]

Yeah the meme was actually mentioned in the movie. They compared Paul’s situation to “an old internet meme”

[@benjamingentile1660]

I think the almost getting laid moment was important. It’s foreshadowed in his class. He asks his class why you would want to stand out from the heard unlike a zebra and one of his students says, “to get laid.” It’s also just true that if you can get some amount of notoriety there will be an impressionable young woman that will try to sleep with you. Him somehow failing to get laid in the middle of the scene is absolutely what’s so funny. Kind of like how not even a magical rock could save Adam Sandler’s character in Uncut Gems, not even literally being in this woman’s sex dreams can help this character get laid.

[@prozacdick]

dude has a literal wife in the movie lol

[@skkrtskkrt-5210]

I thought later on in the movie she would accuse him of something, or secretly record it and then use it against him for fame or financial gain, definitely didn't expect the outcome of that scene lol

[@KenS_Music]

I believe it was "To find a mate."

[@catbear6183]

I'm glad you thought it was funny but for me this scene was so uncomfortable i had to skip like a minute forward lmao this and i think the scene at the end where he crushes a womans finger

[@4kach24]

​@@catbear6183I honestly thought it was another dream,it was so surreal and painful to watch But then I realised that it couldn't be a dream, because it was supposed to be a climax moment

[@ThePonderer]

I took this movie as primarily being about the subconscious damage we can do to ourselves and those around us when we bottle our feelings and wants and don’t make any proactive choices in life. Paul is basically a passenger in his own life, and it’s as he continues to refuse any responsibility or decision making that the dreams become nightmares to reflect his buried vices. He’s only able to enter someone’s dream and actually *do* something positive when he actually hunkers down and makes a *decision.*

[@alexjohnson6192]

That's definitely the direction I thought it was going in. His frustration at his passivity in the dreams of others, which then turned to violence, was really interesting and I wish they had fleshed that out a little more instead of spending so much time on the cancel culture aspect, which I just found to be distracting.

[@ThePonderer]

@@alexjohnson6192 yeah, the movie is *excellent* when it’s doing pointed character study, and very very trite when it’s doing social satire.

[@Levi-rc8kh]

​@alexjohnson6192 What about it was distracting to you? Paul's frustrations about his passiveness and the cancel culture aspects go hand in hand. Without exploration on the latter, there'd be no stakes to the conflict and thus little reason why Paul would be so urgent as to actively going out of his way in fixing this problem.

[@alexjohnson6192]

@@Levi-rc8kh There were already stakes in the first two minutes of the movie when Paul was upset over how he appeared in his daughter's dream. Discovering and wanting to fix a discrepancy in how you see yourself and how your loved ones might see you is a viable conflict in itself.

[@Levi-rc8kh]

@@alexjohnson6192 I mean... maybe? But at least in the case of Paul's daughter, he and her mother have far more control over what their individual child thinks, and the dreams could be very easily explained as just an odd fantasy, with Paul showing up there cause, yknow... he's her father. And people you know tend to oddly show up in dreams. The stakes would be mild and lead to a way too short film at best, be made completely nonsensical at worst. In the case of the cancel culture plotline, it's a massive public population of people having clearly supernatural dreams about Paul, with Paul not really able to influence any of these strangers' confirmation biases with his limited level of knowledge on the strange phenomenon. His passiveness actually has consequences because of the plotline, thus making us understand why he's so urgent in trying to resolve it.

[@tyronecriss23]

I went in blind, just saw it was A24 and Nic. Was really surprised, it’s like those mid budget films we’ve been missing. The movie made me sad, it’s like that story of the guy who everyone told him he’s going to jail so he does. Like how others perception of you can actively change you into their perceptions.

[@JimChristopherGovea]

Kristoffer Borglis short films will make you feel uncomfortable too! I'm just so happy to see him go from "music video" short films to making a movie under A24 and with Nick Cage as the lead role, it's so inspiring!

[@originaozz]

This video made me realize Nicolas Cage movies are the perfect fit for Karsten. Would love a Ranked video for his career.

[@AdamSoucyDrums]

I would too but OH MY GOD would that be an undertaking to put together 😅

[@originaozz]

@@AdamSoucyDrumslol true! I guess maybe top 20 iconic ones (the good and the wild). Nic Cage's been giving since the 80s.😂

[@RandomCrewPotatoSoup]

ranking every live action Nic Cage performance that sits above a 6 on IMDb would help narrow down his 116 films

[@harrysmith5340]

The visual of Nic Cage casually walking through the uni while an earthquake happens might just be shot of the year

[@ciaralee2529]

The sequence where he's in your ones apartment made me want to run out of the cinema screaming, it was so awkward!!

[@mickyd8127]

Irish slang

[@geoffrygo]

Pretty good breakdown of the movie, albeit very focused on one singular aspect of it (cancel culture) as opposed to it's intensely deep themes of "mediocrity" and "renown," the binary win/lose situation for an intellectual. The opening scenes of the film were all in place to let you know that he's a mediocre man, who doesn't defend himself, who wants to succeed but has no idea how to flex what he knows best (and ironically he doesn't even know, as his first lecture is nothing but biological theory, which has been disproven, being presented as fact).

[@tatehildyard5332]

I would actually argue all of that is really important for establishing his character and how he acts when everything comes crashing down. He is a deeply mediocre man with no real sense of power, authority or control over his role in life and as in denial as he seems at first, he kind of knows it. When the dream things start happening, that’s why he leans into the media stuff so hard and why he says, “I don’t know. I’m special I guess.”. It’s the first taste of authority/respect he’s ever been given, he finally feels important and like he has control over his place in the world so when things start to turn on him, he doubles down and clings tighter and tighter to that sense of control. It establishes deep down what he wants so when it turns on him, his internal struggle is being able to let that go.

[@micahbablitz-li9qt]

i think this movie is more about the corrupting power of social media then it is about cancel culture. I don't consider Paul a loser either and its weird that a lot of reviewers are describing him like that, hes actually a very accomplished academic with a great family and a 15 year marriage. I don't think he wants to be famous so much as he wants to be moderately recognized in his field for his contributions. i think a big point the movie is trying to make is that under constant scrutiny in the wrong circumstances we would all come off as losers

[@GratefulDave93]

I feel like the critique of cancel culture added further nuance by showing how easily those who are “canceled” can pivot to the right and capture a new, larger audience

[@black_foresst]

"Listen, I don't know if you want to hear this right now, but I think I can get you on with Tucker Carlson" absolutely killed me. Loved this movie from start to finish. And Nicholas Cage can seriously act

[@drewcollier4498]

i kinda took this movie as an analogy for how we, the public, interpret celebrities online. just like how everyone percieves nicholas cage in their dreams, we percieve celebrities through the internet. both channels aren't necessarily "real", nicholas cage doesn't ACTUALLY go around murdering people and celebrities only post a version of themself they want you to see. its based on these fake perceptions where we generate our ideas of how we think these celebrities are. we think we know celebrities when really they're someone differently entirely, like how everyone is afraid of nick after they experience something bad with him even though its not real and he's a nice person. i also think the sex scene shows the opposite side where instead of being afraid, the woman expects nicholas cage to be this ferocious sex animal because thats what she experienced in her dream, when in reality he doesn't know what to do and ends up cumming as soon as his pants are unzipped. idk thats how i took it.

[@the_nows]

This video has 0 analysis of the movie. It's just a summary with some opinions.

[@christianwatson4337]

I think the movies isn’t so much about specifically cancel culture but about how in some part out reputations aren’t entirely in our hands. This could mean being memefied on the internet or scapegoated or canceled or having masses react out of proportion to you. But it’s also something that happens in daily life. Not being taken seriously or being turned in to a caricature of yourself or even being overly praised and turned into an icon. It can also be systemic when it comes to being stereotyped or infantilized. I myself have experienced some of these examples on some level. Sometimes people want their perception to be different from reality. But only if it serves them. And while the main character doesn’t necessarily deserve to be known as a writer if he hasn’t written anything, he definitely does deserve to be seen as human. To have someone extend the empathy to truly known him. The good and the bad.

[@sikedarling]

It reminded me of something a college professor of mine once said in a lecture: "You don't accept people as they are; you accept people as you want them to be."

[@jakem3043]

If we remember, Paul has felt unappreciated and unrecognized by his peers. Notice how the people that never dreamt of him were people that were close to Paul or at least had a significant connection with him. His wife, boss, eldest daughter (I know just wait), previous friend/colleague never dreamt of him. This could be interpreted as Paul seeking validation/recognition in the wrong people as he ends up in the dreams of people he has little connection with. Which comes to his youngest daughter. Perhaps he ended up in her dream because they have a poor relationship. Maybe he’s been absent from her life (most likely because he’s been trying to pursue his dream of getting published) The people that didn’t dream of Paul were accepting of the reality of him. Once he started becoming a nuisance they urged him to resolve it even though Paul didn’t feel he was at fault. What’s interesting is this plot could be thought as a foreshadowing to a what if scenario where Paul was successful in publishing his book. Would he be able to manage the pressures of fame or would he crumble to the same fate? This movie also seems to make an emphasis on psychology. It’s widely theorized that what we dream about is manifested by deeper feelings. Perhaps this whole movie is Paul’s dream (I mean the film was even shot like a dreamscape) and we are all watching him in it because that’s how his subconscious feels. (I know this is stretch but I was intrigued by the cinematography used). That aside, it seems Paul’s insecurity is what doomed his dream of getting the recognition he felt he deserved. As he was receiving attention, he would bask in it. He would accept it despite his wife, eldest daughter, and boss alerting him to the potential danger as a consequence. He was so deeply insecure that the attention he received felt deserved and therefore couldn’t fathom himself being at fault. This is evident when Paul refused to take himself out of the spotlight and neglect apologizing for the nightmares. And despite Paul’s valid point that he doesn’t feel he’s responsible, the movie still ends with him losing everything. But he didn’t lose without trying, Paul posted a selfishly engraved and disingenuous apology, blew up at some students, threw his breakfast at the diner customer, and accidentally broke a woman’s finger. All could have been avoided had he listened to those who cared about him. Regardless or not if you feel Paul is at fault, it is clear Paul was too insecure in himself and unappreciative of what he has and it lead to losing his home, job, and marriage. By the end of film, Paul is dreaming of his wife wishing to be with her as he now finally understands what he lost sight of. The movie doesn’t just tell people be careful what you wish (dream) for but it reminds people that we are often times living the dream without even realizing it. It’s not coincidental that both Paul and his wife dream about eachother once they lose each other. In a highly consumptive society which even the film touches on, we want what we can’t have which blinds us to everything we need around us.

[@amberjulia123]

I thought the ending was beautiful! The entire movie was showcasing how important it is for humans to feel a part of the herd and how desperate we can become when we don’t feel accepted by society. It was also about how, at the same time, we want to stand out from the herd and be spotlighted by society for something special. We are like the Zebras in that sense. We want to use our stripes strategically to both blend in…and stand out. So the whole movie is saying over and over again “We are just like the Zebras”….and then the ending swoops in as says “but we are also very different from the Zebras”. Bc deep down, what we REALLY want and what we ACTUALLY need (psychologically and emotionally) isn’t to be accepted by or pedestaled by “the herd” or society at large, but to be truly LOVED by our spouse and our children…our family…only those who most intimately know us. That’s actually all that matters in our case. At the end of the film, Paul is still ostracized by society and yet…he’s accepted this fate and doesn’t even care. He has accepted his Freddy K persona…his basement relegated public life…he has accepted that he will never be known for his PHD or his intelligence…he has accepted that people will never want to be associated with him…he has accepted his life of hiding. ALL he needs, and all he desires, in order to feel whole again and fulfilled and content - is the love and acceptance of just 3 people…his wife and his 2 daughters. Not the love and acceptance of the internet, of the U.S., of his fellow academics, or of society at large - as he spent the entire movie believing to be true. No. Just those 3 members of his family is all he needs in order to feel safe and to feel proud and to feel a sense of belonging. It was only the ending that finally revealed this to be the actual truth of it all. ❤

[@unknownyoutuber3422]

I honestly didn’t expect this movie to be that thought provoking for me. I like that this movie has an interesting way of really touching on the culture of social media nowadays with how Paul goes from being idolized (in a weird way) by society, giving his appearance in people’s dreams, to then being essentially shunned from the world around him and his life falling apart. That turn I feel really showcases how toxic social media can be and how often a 180 like that can happen when it comes to how the world views you based off of what other people say about you. Everyone assumed Paul was this horrible person based off of their own dreams and ran with that which is what a lot of people on social media do too. They jump on the bandwagon of the side that gives them the most positive rep and attention which then influences others to tag along. It turns into a month long trend that’s forgotten about for the most part and then the next thing turn into a trend. What happened to Paul was pretty much the showcasing of that toxic cycle imo where his life was changed in such a drastic way at such a fast pace, he didn’t know what to do or how to react. The “enemy” is really the victim.

[@MisshapenDeformity]

The Michael Cera thing is so true, his role in This is the End had me dyin

[@chiefchimp2789]

Not everyone had dreams about him but an unusually large portion of the population did. I do agree that the film ends in a way that feels unsatisfied. The last 20 mins or so dragged on and felt unsure of how/ where to end.

[@4kach24]

Honestly,for me the ending was unexpected There were moments in the second half of the film when I thought that it was going to be the end, but I didn't realise soon enough that this exact sequence would be one

[@jlpsaxophonist6119]

I thought it had a hidden, VERY uncomfortable, undertone of "if I have an opinion, maybe political or social, that is different than a friends, is having that opinion HARMFUL to them, even if its just a thought?". A very interesting study in thoughts (portrayed as dreams) and "cancel culture", fame, etc

[@alexandergorbachev4088]

Might go even further - is there harm in thinking of hurting people if you really never act on it? Is the thinking itself a harmful act?

[@jhntrjns]

I think everyone should read the Canceling of the American Mind and its predecessor “The Coddling of the American Mind” I think the film nailed cancel culture’s ideology rooted in fragility versus anti fragility, college safetyism and tribalism. The film even roots itself into the cbt therapy paradigm, all solutions from the book. Not saying that Kristoffer read it before but the similarities are uncanny.

[@grahamd8356]

That's why I don't have political or social opinions they cause too much division and polarity

[@Phoenixash-delfuego]

Interesting comment, although the people that had the dreams had dreams that were based on their own thoughts not his and when their dreams (or thoughts) became violent their own thoughts lead to them acting in an abusive way towards cage's character while still maintaining they were the victims, so wouldn't it be more on the nose if we were talking about how your own thoughts or I should say your own actions resulting from those thoughts can be harmful to others even when you perceive yourself to be the victim? The students didn't feel safe because of their own thoughts so they defaced his car then filmed his response to justify why they were acting the way they were instead of dealing with their own issues themselves. The man that spat in his food hadn't even spoken to him before or heard any of his opinions (as far as the film showed) so his actions were also based on his own thoughts (or dreams) and those of the mob in the diner........just a thought.

[@sikedarling]

Stop, lol. Your thoughts are making me think. 😭 Now I'm wondering if there was a reference to the concept of sin (e.g., our thoughts being as bad as our actions).

[@SamuelMcIntosh]

Feel the exact same! So so strong and funny, just didn’t stick the landing for me but it speaks to the quality of the rest of the film that you’re sort of willing to forgive it.

[@FreshTillDeath56]

I can't wait to go to the theater and form my own opinions of the film.

[@bigoltits1880]

I'd say that this movie is an allegory for when artists sell out. Paul's phenomenon can be seen as artistic talent. He captures mass attention with it, but his "art" is not 100% living up to his egotistic expectations (he wants to be more proactive inside people's dreams). So when he meets that one woman who DOES have dreams where he's not "doing nothing", he leans into that by acting out the dream irl. This act corrupts his "art" because he's twisting his art to placate his narcissistic ego. And this is when the nightmares begin. Paul also tries to capitalize on his dream phenomenon in his dealings with that marketing agency, just like artists sell their talent for money irl. At the end of the movie, Paul has completely sold out. And he has ended up inventing an entirely new medium of "art" - an ads-driven industry that has become corrupted with capitalism. In real life, advertisements and capitalism have ruined many a medium of art. But in the final scene, we see that there is some hope for Paul, because he's also trying to use his "art" to win back his wife - this is not a corruption at all, so it's a positively hopeful note to end on. So yeah, this movie is about artists who sell out and/or turn their art into industry/a shrine to their narcissism

[@Billy_Beane]

I like what you said about the film not knowing what to do with how we are to feel about Paul at the end of the movie. I felt bad for Paul, I felt he handled some things poorly as a character despite most of everything happening to him being out of his control, however. Sort of noticing a trend w films tied to Ari Aster since Midsommar or atleast, Beau is Afraid... They seem like they dont really know where to go after the falling action .

[@lb2696]

Disagree.

[@Joecbg100]

When his film flips on it's head, it is intense as all hell. I did enjoy the discovery of Cage's....power over dreams and the hilarious almost meta take it uses, it could even just explore A24 as a brand. When it turns, it becomes great, using their love of horror and the unknown to it's fullest making Cage the victim and the monster. I love this film

[@kylewithacamera]

karsten keeps getting to all these good movies so fast and I’m racing to catch up (this one, saltburn, napoleon, priscella).

[@kylewithacamera]

i did see saltburn tho, i liked it

[@SpookLuc]

lmao the last scene is the best thing i've seen all year, i think only your succ session opinions are good, my b sir

[@adamsigala9175]

It’s interesting that everyone is talking about this film as a message on cancel culture. I think sure, maybe that is part of it, but I kinda saw it more as a cautionary tale about narcissism. Throughout the whole film we see this insecure man desperate to be respected and loved, but unwilling to truly respect and love those around him. He repeatedly ignores people’s wishes, crosses boundaries, cheats on his wife, and fails to empathize with people that he could potentially hurt (even if nondirectly). We don’t ever see him take accountability for his actions or the terrible mark that he is leaving on the world, and it’s continuously made clear that he only cares about his feelings and reputation. It’s clear that he lacks the empathy to care about how other people feel and how he affects other people, as he constantly sees himself as the victim of society, when in reality he is a victim to his own actions and consequences.

[@complicatedshoesproductions]

Borgli is quietly becoming a fantastic satirist. He lampoons modernity with that "dream influencers" portion of the film and if you've seen "Sick of Myself" or any of his shorts, there is always a little jab at it. I can see why Ari Aster's production company gravitated to him.

[@minutemaniicures3986]

I’ve been watching a bunch of A24 movies the last few days and I’m so glad you mentioned the thing about the endings! Like these movies are so good then they have the most bland and meaningless endings and I was starting to wonder if I just wasn’t getting it 😂

[@FreshTillDeath56]

Everything Everywhere All at Once has an excellent ending.

[@i_no_scoped_kennedy5857]

​@@FreshTillDeath56everything everywhere all at once is perfect

[@FreshTillDeath56]

@i_no_scoped_kennedy5857 It's a remarkable film, and the director's commentary alone was worth the purchase of the 4K disc. You really appreciate all of the things that wouldn't be picked up on first watch, and how certain things make more sense to chinese audiences.

[@pumitriii6160]

Which a24 movies have you watched that don't have good endings?? I just watched Aftersun and that had maybe the best ending I've seen in a movie

[@kaylahdavis5205]

@@FreshTillDeath56well that’s the best movie ever

[@dhruvsubramanain2117]

Watching it tonight! So excited!

[@johng.3740]

I once spoke to a person on a conference call who claimed that he experienced product placement....in his dreams....for real....if I remember correctly it was a Mercedes Benz. Is that the future? If it is possible to manipulate dreams artificially.....then eventually even our dreams will be sponsored, a new field for exploration. Will it be possible to program our dreams? Or dream with others connected by the internet....common dreams.....you might meet people in your dreams you have never met in your life and yet they exist.

[@thelastchannelonyoutube]

I read the movie as a sort of allegory for internet celebrity, specifically when older people or the less “tech savvy” become famous, but they don’t know how exactly to handle it. Paul’s relationship to the dreams mirrors a lot of behavior I see from older people reacting to internet culture. Paul wants to take advantage of his new fame, but he doesn’t understand how the “medium” of dreams works, so when the dreams start going awry, he doesn’t know how to handle it and instead writes of the people affected without even considering finding a way to control it (even though as shown in the end, there is a way to control what happens in the dreams). I also think the fact that the dreams started without Paul’s awareness mirrors the way the internet can make people famous in seemingly random ways, in many cases without the original person’s consent.

[@veggy4985]

I like how the movie doesn’t care to explain cause/source of the drama, but relentlessly focuses on the personal, familial and social aftereffects

[@GregorBarclay]

That one scene you’re talking about might be the most I’ve laughed in a decade.

[@worthplayingfor2197]

Which scene in particular

[@indigosnow_]

Def had its moments. Fumbled the bag in it's messaging imo. Funny and worth a watch tho for sure

[@TheCinemaDetective]

I made my own explainer video about Dream Scenario. The film is dreamlike for a reason, the whole movie is probably best understood as a dream, and the dreams are dreams within a dream. I don't see it primarily as a movie about cancel culture, that was just a minor theme, it' s about how individual minds contribute to a collective psyche, similar to a 'swarm intelligence' or the hive mind. This movie delves into the gap between our perception of others and their true nature, using the character Paul Matthews to explore this disconnect. The relationships between Paul and his friends and family are just as important as the relationships between Paul that the people that dream about him. Lastly, it's a Jungian exploration of the collective unconscious and how we understand others and ourselves. The Paul that shows up in other people's dream is his Jungian shadow archetype.

[@xXcharliegoonerXx]

Looovvvveeedddd this film! But then I also loved Beau Is Afraid so 👀

[@SAINTNIKOLAS_]

Same

[@kurtisbanks7655]

When he is doing nothing in those dreams its showing how he puts off things he wants to accomplish feeling like hes not important

[@PersonaPrime]

Given what happens to his character in this movie, I am genuinely shocked this didn't end with him killing himself in his dream and actually dying. Also, the weird dreams turned into nightmares the moment he tried to reenact one of those dreams and he failed horribly. It was also the moment, where he went from being passive to being more assertive. I think that's what triggered the dreams to turn into nightmares. I did like the satire about how he got cancelled, but then a company made a product that let "influencers" invade the dreams of people and it was just accepted. Shows how social media these days has gotten out of control and users (especially on Twitter) act like judge jury and executioner.

[@halafradrimx]

I like how this guy downplays the personal destruction of someone (this movie's protagonist) completely saying sorta like "Meh cancel culture is no big deal you probably deserved it". Even though these events happened and still happen to this day.

[@hyperstarkage3618]

One man’s dream can ultimately become their nightmare

[@kurtisbanks7655]

What ever you feel positive or negative thoughts you can sometimes subconsciously affect other peoples minds without intention

[@daytrip_films]

I really don't think the movie should be read as just mainly being about "cancel culture". I read an article talking about how it was more intended to be like an allegory for internet virality, which looking back at the plot makes a whole of sense. Like how so many people think "going viral" seems like a blessing, when it usually ends up being a curse, and how you really can't control the narrative and how people are going to receive you once it's out of your hands. But also I think it demonstrates how the people we choose to send up into internet glory are often just flawed people who may ultimately let it all go to their head and then fuck up their whole life. And yeah originally I was disappointed that they went in the direction of making him icky and even more pathetic by the end of the film, but in retrospect it adds a level of realism and nuance to the topic that actually feels warranted. Not that internet fame itself necessarily makes people do bad things, but more that sudden fame and influence can often really quickly reveal the worst in people

[@evan15001d]

I saw it yesterday, loved it!

[@4kach24]

I like how everybody has a different perspective on portrayed themes

[@jn7388]

I would have had so much more fun with the humour and specifically the “CHEQUE PLEASE!” and him pretending to chug the wine jokes, but my theatre experience was just bad. There were like 10 other people and the most they laughed, which might I add was not even that much, was at the two fart jokes. I know I would have rated it higher had it not been for that atmosphere. I seemed to be the only one chuck-chuck-chuckling at Nicolas!

[@hammedburger9861]

Same, I actually laughed so hard I felt like I was annoying the other people in the theater. I loved its humor overall.

[@maxpowers802]

I enjoyed the movie but I thought the message was disappointingly straightforward. I took it as a commentary on the internet / social media making celebrities out of normal people. Nick Cage's character suffers very mundane character flaws, which was okay because he no one paid much attention to him and he lacked the opportunity to act on his worst impulses. The sudden spotlight seems positive, but really just exposes the worst parts of him. The attention turns and before long he's being punished for things he didn't even do. "Most normal people can't handle the scrutiny of standing out from the herd, even if they might dream of fame." Then there's the whole thing about businesses trying to monetize internet fame / produce it artificially.

[@alexjohnson6192]

I'm surprised people aren't more put off by this movie's stance on cancel culture, which is confused at best, considering how it turns the initially fun premise into little more than an unconvincing argument for that stance. I had so much fun with the first half of the movie but it completely falls apart towards the end.

[@daRealB-Rex]

i think the ending is great. It’s a great allegory for what happens when someone believes a certain way but is automatically vilified for it and shunned from society

[@alexjohnson6192]

@@daRealB-Rex That allegory didn't work for me because the people 'canceling' him knew literally nothing about what he believed, nor did they think they did. He didn't do or say something controversial; people didn't want him around because they were having weird and terrifying experiences centered on an image that looked like him, which was nobody's fault.

[@Levi-rc8kh]

In what way is it "unconvincing" to you, lol? I'd say the film makes a pretty interesting case for how traditionalist everymen tend to get unnecessarily vilified by societies who take their somewhat understandable discomforts with them and the phenomenon they're associated with way too far, exploring the insecurites caused by fear of limited knowledge.

[@alexjohnson6192]

@@Levi-rc8kh Like I said in my reply above, the problem is that Cage's character didn't do anything at all before he was cancelled. He is first and foremost a helpless victim. Having terrifying vivid nightmares about someone every night is not analogous to having a disproportionately negative opinion about them over something they did or said.

[@Levi-rc8kh]

@alexjohnson6192 And do you think most victims of cancel culture do or say anything of real impact before they're canceled? Lol. Like I said, there are people who tend to take their insecurities and fears about someone potentially doing something to them and blow them far out of proportion to the point of demonizing the other person involved. And imagine that in the case of a supernatural phenomenon where literally no one has any idea of why this one specific person is suddenly showing up in so many different strangers' dreams and trying to kill them there. People understandably don't know how else to explain it, and thus take the dreams as a sign of what this man is truly like and capable of under the pleasant platitudes.

[@geekgroupie42]

this movie is like Tár's brother and Beau is Afraid's cousin

[@YarrBr0]

Funny? This was the creepiest, most unsettling movie I saw all year. Not to mention tragic. I felt for the people who were essentially traumatized by Paul Matthews. Not that they were right to humiliate him, but I could see why they found him so unsettling. Also, CBT is not done in a group like that, and exposure therapy does not take place over the course of a single meeting

[@worthplayingfor2197]

I found it so crazy the jump from talking about him, to showing the picture, to having him walk into the room and start talking. I like to imagine that the exposure therapy took place over the course of several lessons, as anything else would be pretty egregious

[@pierotola8884]

The film is about cancel culture and the sad sad era we are living in at the moment. This film should be rather called "Nightmare scenario". It's about a time in history when you cannot even be in charge of your own life anymore because consequences of all you say or do (even trying to apologise for stuff that does not require apologies) are determined by how a bunch of millennial/gen z braindead chickenshits who are afraid of their own shadow will react to it. A bunch of people that hardly ever read a book in their miserable lives but still wants to teach you what's bad or good. This film is also a clear metaphor of nowadays internet community: people that 30 yrs ago wouldn't have dared to share their useless and stupid opinions knowing that no one would care and would consider them for what they are (clowns) are now are given a voice in the ultimate circus of the freaks. What's really scary though is that their voices now matter. Also the ending is horrible, because no matter what rehabilitating campaign/healing of scars will follow (Paul gets a settlement and seems be able to restart his life), the damage these puppets have done will remain (he loses his family in this witch-hunt)

[@alan_galan]

Nic’s lumpy photoshopped dome on the thumbnail is wild lmao

[@itsmr.allmyfriendsaredead4800]

I feel like this movie was about a boring man, and then he became the most interesting man social media, and killing an ego and it’s all about being a dream

[@garfieldboi524]

Spoiler While I won’t negate the film does dip its toes into some “anti cancel culture” territory, it’s not the main focus. I thought the film primarily explores Paul Matthews’ psyche and that the external environment reflected his inner turmoil. It’s about how an ordinary , passive dude discovers what it’s like to be extraordinary. He didn’t enjoy the virality coming from the dreams: he mainly cared about his book getting published. Otherwise, he loved his wife and his kids and his regular life. No one saw him as a villain until he almost had sex with Dylan Gelula’s character. From there he slowly lost everything, down to his family. So while cancel culture and virality were discussed, I believe it’s all an absurd metaphor for guilt, neuroses. How we all have the power to change our lives, for better and for worse. Paul’s whole thing was being passive and loyal, and it wasn’t until he cheated that things went awry. The relationship Paul has with his wife and kids is the story’s emotional core, and that’s why the ending works so well for me. It actually had me shedding a few tears. That being said, the beauty of art is we all walk away with different interpretations, and it sparks a lot of great discussions. I enjoy hearing what you have to say, can’t wait for the next review!

[@Ic3h0rnEt14]

SPOILERS: I think I understand the zebra symbolism. He asks about why the zebra's coat looks the way it does. It helps them blend into a herd, but also makes them stand out on their own. One benefit of standing out is mating (almost sleeping with the young girl). One drawback is you're more vulnerable to predators (getting cancelled). The whole movie he is trying to stand out but realizes by the end that he's safer blending in with the herd (being with his family).

[@MartyD]

just saw it. so good!

[@ronzombie6541]

'All that we see or seem, is but a dream within a dream!' EAP

[@benjamintillema3572]

I agree that the film is more nuanced than some other films that fall into the "cancel culture/angry mob" genre, but it still shares some questionable tropes from those lesser films: - Muddying the waters when it comes to the main characters culpability, either by making it ambiguous if they are guilty or not, never showing the alleged transgressions so they never feel real to the audience, or by implying or straight up saying that the accusations are made up, overblown, or simply in the victims' heads 4:25 - Treating the people angry at the main character as a monolith of emotionally driven fools who do not care about evidence or truth. The only characters who are allowed to have nuanced opinions and reactions know the protagonist personally (friends, family, significant other) but they usually turn their back on the protagonist for selfish reasons by the end of it and never offer any real support. We never hear any of Paul's students defend him, even the ones who never experienced a nightmare end up boycotting the class, everyone's first reaction to the nightmares is to blame Paul for them and avoid him no matter what and yet aren't afraid to confront him about it for some reason. Overall the objective is to make the accused as sympathetic as possible by making them endure endless misery over some vague bad thing we never properly grapple with. The accusers and anyone who sides with them, on the other hand, are depicted as irrational and unsympathetic, whipped into a unrelenting, blind fury over something vague that we never grapple with. This is normally done in the name of nuance but in reality its depicting the scenario in as black and white terms as possible.

[@dollarsaurus01]

This seems like a bit of an extreme and grasping-for-straws-for-reasons to-take-offense analysis. I don’t know how anyone could watch the movie and not understand that Paul brings his downfall on himself. The movie is pretty clear about that and that he isn’t purely an innocent victim. Also, your argument that the students are portrayed as simply an angry woke mob is completely untrue. We see plenty of normal and otherwise positive interactions between him and the students and they are portrayed simply as normal college kids. It isn’t until Paul’s egotistical need for attention and poor decisions leads to the nightmares that they turn on him. Just because the film is willing to examine and critique oversensitivity and safe spaces on college campuses, doesn’t mean that the film is inherently invalidating the students’ feelings. Once Paul has a nightmare of his own, he realizes that the issue isn’t as black and white as he thought, and that his students’ feelings still matter even if he hasn’t technically done anything in real life.

[@nerd26373]

We appreciate how well you've articulated your own insights on this matter. Keep working hard.

[@ShirDeutch]

Dragon Drop Technology sounds dope!

[@duncanralston5112]

Cage is absolutely in on the joke. This was the best comedy he's done since Unbearable Weight. Looks like you read it the way I did, although the "bad thing" also did partly seem like he was just playing along, like he was doing with everything. And he thought his wife might have been cheating on him.

[@michaelm.sinclair3205]

When dreams become reality, the dreams become nightmares.

[@RandomCrewPotatoSoup]

finally got around to seeing this movie and it might just be slightly funnier than Beau is Afraid.

[@sikedarling]

The brief mention of a "simulation" and "psychosis" threw me off a bit. I think he might've imagined the whole thing. This movie definetly has the potential to take you down a rabbit-hole if you allow it to. In that respect, it gave me Joker (2019) vibes. On the surface though, I think it's about incorrectly holding people you don't know accountable for things which they aren't responsible (e.g., cancelling someone famous for something they supposedly did according to a bias media source). Noone's perception of you is accurate, not even your own, and free will is an illusion. I don't know. I want to stop thinking about this now, lol. It was definitely an interesting movie. It forced me to exert a lot of mental effort.

[@musicmashups]

I think Dream Scenario is about facing adversity, and how your reaction to adversity is more important than whatever you did to cause it. Paul doesn't technically do anything wrong to all these people who have nightmares about him, but he responds like a petulant child, refusing to accept responsibility and becoming angry and bitter. It's only by the end of the film that he recognizes the ways in which he could have been a better person through it all, though by this point it's perhaps too little too late. Dream Scenario is a cautionary tale: being in a scenario like Paul's, where sudden fame and resulting cancel culture comes at your like a freight train, is scary, but your character in those moments will set the stage for your future.

[@Mr_Case_Time]

My wife and I watched this last night and thought it was ok. I have to admit that I’ve never even considered laughing so hard at a perfectly fart sound though. Holy crap.

[@CHMgamemedic777]

Funny that the ending Is one of my favorite parts of the movie!

[@kurtisbanks7655]

The title Dream scenario is a clue about the movie itself his dream scenario was to publish his book but he didn't because he procrastinated which makes him feel he's not important when he does follow his dreams it goes in a different direction his ex steals his idea and his idea gets changed He wanted to show his wife he loves her but he doesn't show how much he loves her until the ending which is too late for him

[@jeffnordin108]

I told my wife this movie was basically Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis, but in modern times. I also think Schenectady tracks here.

[@Gravecoyote]

My general interpretation was that he longed so badly for recognition that when the opportunity arose, he jumped at the chance the exploit the whole dream thing for his own gain. What's interesting to me is that they don't show Paul really struggling much like, financially he's doing fine and he has a well paying and decently well respected job, his longing for recognition is mostly just for his own self-fulfilment. But once the "dream scenario" no longer served his purpose, then he began to see a problem with it, but by that time it was too late, his mark on the world had already been made, just not in the way he ever wanted or intended, a mark that would eventually cause a split between him and his wife and kids, the only people that truly mattered, and by the end he sort of comes to realize that being so public about the whole dream scenario might not have been such a good idea. But, it was too late, and he's left alone with nothing but the technology he inadvertently created, the money he received from essentially selling out, and none of the fulfillment he originally sought out. He makes one last attempt to reconnect to his wife, finally giving her a dream about him that she wanted, but it was too little too late and he's left with nothing but all the money and fame he could've asked for, none of it mattering anymore.

[@bettycrocker6692]

The past tense of the verb "to cast" is "cast", not "casted".

[@NameInsertedHere]

Will you be roasting viewers letterboxd top fours again before the new year?

[@rottensquid]

I think you completely misunderstood this film, Karsten, if you think it missed the landing. It was incredibly insightful and spot-on from start to finish.

[@gremlintoastt0088]

I think the ending is decent imo because it shows an alternative ending that isn’t happy and really shows how badly the consequences can be. The way it did try to make sense out of it well, now that I saw it, I can get around why it wasn’t good for you in that aspect. It was meh because how would that fit in if it was never explain how and why Paul could enter dreams and I really wished it explored more of that. With the cancel culture thing, I was skeptical at first because it was about professor being accused of doing something bad and that it was made up but I dont have knowledge for that one much, but I really appreciate how the film tackles it. Though What struck me with Paul as a character that got me to the middle ground and went to why I didn’t feel entirely right with the cancel culture it was more of how Paul handled it and I won’t get over that one phrase that made me feel a little bit icky was how he had his attitude towards people feeling this way when coming to terms with it, is one of the realer things that people who are being cancelled feel that makes them unlikable

[@cccliv]

I don’t remember my dreams well, so i don’t really get this.

[@tannerhiltbrand26]

Tár-ception

[@MrDnice617]

For me, the underlying meaning was somewhat focusing on cancel culture. Paul was made to feel responsible for the feelings of others, although he quite literally has nothing to do with others' feelings.

[@morenicginiusthegreat4227]

I’m 99% sure the entire film is Paul’s dream, and it’s all a manifestation of his insecurities.

[@angelesquivel4895]

it actually made me so uncomfortable and was one of the worse viewing experiences I’ve had and it wasn’t that scary idk😭😭.

[@mummeii]

6:10 my thoughts exactly. Although solid and it definitely worked, the film did not need that “explanatory third act. It worked for me though because it hit points that black mirror often does. It would’ve been stronger without it though

[@alonzosoto4363]

I wouldn’t say it’s making up the things cancel culture does in people’s heads. More that there are 2 sides to celebrities/ influencers. The version that is viewed in the public eye and their true selves. And sometimes it may seem like those people have little to no control over how they may be perceived with how sensitive people can be and them blaming this scape goat for dumping their trauma on. Also I didn’t really mind the ending because in the end all he dreamed for was a normal life not realizing the negatives that come with the fame. Also in relation to the girl fantasizing over him, not realizing that celebrities are just people at the end of the day and we tend to hold this false dreamlike version of them that is sure to not align with their true selves.

[@vicmikey]

SPOILERS: If I’m understanding your read of the timeline correctly, you seem to suggest that the incident with the principal of the school takes place before the nightmares start, but in fact the nightmares had already been going on for quite some time (which is why he wasn’t allowed at the play) He does nothing questionable at all before the nightmares start, although maybe the film subtly suggests that his rage at reading the article about his former colleague who “stole” his ideas may have caused them. Maybe.

[@awcomedy593]

Well he tried to cheat on his wife

[@vicmikey]

@@awcomedy593 fair point, although he (very memorably) didn’t succeed

[@noahbetancourt651]

​@@awcomedy593I was confused about that too, but I completely forgot about that part, appreciate it

[@marcomarterer7232]

It´s a surreal drama. I gave me some smurks maybe two laughs but it´s not a comedy. To me the movie is about a man ill fitted to achieve more, though he wishes to and should be satisfied. And after a glimpse of success, the whole world turns on him drowning him in injustice till he´s lost everything.

[@chubeatle]

"not gonna spoil the film" procedes to talk about all the major plot points, just say its a spoiler review lol

[@adithyasj5840]

I fuckiing hated this movie. It's needlessly cynical and depressing. Everyone is mean to Paul for absolutely no reason. His only sin is being boring. While mainstream economists want you to believe that humans are selfish rational beings, this movie wants you to believe that we're completely irrational emotional beings. Neither are true. We're a confusing mess somewhere in the middle according to every respectable neuroscientist and anthropologist. We're rational and irrational, empathetic and selfish. It would've been intersting to see some of the discourse about Paul online because I am absolutely sure that people will defend someone in Paul's position. Even his wife and kids did not show a shred of empathy towards him. I can sit through any kind of gruesome violence in a film. I can tolerate extremely sad films. What I cannot tolerate is a film with an unnecessarily grim outlook towards humanity. Every charachter was one dimensional. As usual, Nicholas Cage was brilliant. What a waste of Nicholas Cage and a somehwhat interesting premise. They had the opportunity to turn this into a psychedelic trip into the human mind but they had to make it about something so trivial.

[@astrotravellin]

what was that at 6:47?

[@Silentkittey]

This film definitely hits hard on a lot of things and I enjoyed it so much. The cancel culture now and days. The only thing I wanted just a bit more was them going further into how these dreams felt like for everyone who felt their actions were justified on how they were treating this man they don't even know or meeting him for the first time during the nightmares. But I guess that's just people in general and that was the point. People say one thing and they think they're saint towards others or that they're decent people... Learning after 30 years we're just all scumbags. It's beyond true it's scary people who hate others truly do hate themselves.

[@Alfred_Leonhart]

It’s honestly a surreal retelling of the Icarus myth. Dude flew close to the sun and got burned. He wanted fame and recognition but couldn’t handle the consequences.

[@Not_So_Slim_Shady]

I sadly do think it applies to the getting lost in other issues thing from the beginning of the vid. It kind of felt like it tried to make some statement about cancel culture towards the middle but it never really took a real stance on either side of the issue. Like one second it's making fun of it and one second it seems to endorse it. It was still well made and NC was amazing so I liked it.

[@seventyseven5140]

he really just says "i loved that one super funny moment" and "the trope at the end is overdone" and all this vague stuff to not give spoilers but i still have almost no idea what he is talking about having seen the movie. cant you do a short spoiler section?

[@lauraanne5175]

I didnt go into this thinking it was a comedy. I have watched it 3 times, still dont think of it as a comedy .

[@JustChadC]

It’s not a neatly packaged movie that doesn’t not know how to stick the landing. Either go full bleak or turn around.

[@Lori-lp6uc]

If you need an extraordinary actor to play an extraordinary character, get Nic Cage...or John Malkovich😂

[@Robert-rw5lm]

Saw this film on HBO Max. Yeah i agree this movie is both gpod and made me feel uncomfortable too

[@knaz7468]

The channel TheCinemaDetective did a pretty solid review of this movie. Definitely not about cancel culture. Surprised you didn't like the ending, it had a nice twist where the thing he spent many nights trying to do still failed and he ended "borrowing" his wife's fantasy. (I'm being vague on purpose)

[@CanadaMath]

I always thought that Nicholas Cage was highly over-rated and just a product of nepotism (Coppola family). Also I always felt that his Oscar win for Leaving Las Vegas was because of nepotism since that move was just terrible. Well . . . Leaving Las Vegas is a masterpiece compared to this ridiculous nonsense called 'Dream Scenario'. Hollywood is making the worst movies these past few years, and I am confused as to why? What happened? Usually it is because of affirmative action, diversity, political correctness etc. But this movie does not have any of that, so then what was the reason this project was even made?