misty_77 Reviews

Wild (I) (2014)

How wild we are

[10/10 · 23 January 2015]

Leaving the cinema after seeing this film I felt dismantled. I'd seen something beautiful, something that resonated deeply, something that maybe even had the power to transform.

I've never done heroin. I've never slept around. I've never cheated on my spouse. But like Strayed I have felt the loss of a parent very deeply, and I am close to losing the other. Grief does strange things to you. I don't think I've seen a finer depiction of the guilt, self-loathing and depression that can accompany the loss of a loved one than you will see in this film.

The film's strength lies in its editing. The flashbacks are handled with such a deft touch - brilliantly segueing into the past from the thoughts Cheryl has and the challenges she faces on the PCT. I think many of us will have gone on long hikes to try to grapple with all the noise in our head, so I found this process authentic.

Predictably, this movie seems to have attracted its fair share of haters. A movie like this will never entertain viewers who need a lot of action to maintain their interest. The pace is slow. I can also understand that if you haven't had the right set of life experiences yet it may be hard to get behind Cheryl and be part of her journey. Some people will simply not understand the process of being healed by nature. Is that maybe an introvert thing? But I have difficulty understanding the need to label the main character a "skank" and to to denigrate the movie on this basis. Women make mistakes too, and it was so refreshing to see a depiction of a woman making some bad choices and then seeking redemption (even if - ultimately - such redemption was of itself perhaps illusory).

I think this is a beautiful film with a beautiful message. Put yourself in the way of beauty.

Melancholia (2011)

Powerful and meaningful if you've been there

[10/10 · 13 February 2012]

There's a serious polarity in the reviews for this film,and I'm not surprised. If you've ever suffered depression this bleak movie will hit hard, and you'll pick up on all of the subtle messages it sends out. It's done so well it can't be anything other than achingly familiar. The despondency, and the frustration the sufferer feels at their own despondency, in particular, is well conveyed.

Unfortunately I think a large chunk of the people who've seen this film (and there aren't many who have, sadly) went to it expecting a slightly arty apocalypse movie. It's not a smarter Deep Impact. The (blue) planet Melancholia is just a metaphor for depression. Unrelenting and irresistible, Melancholia has the main character in its thrall.

For those who don't "get" this movie, no it's not a pretentious, pseudo intellectual flick. Rather it's a well crafted take on the fine detail of a subject matter that you have been fortunate enough to not have had to understand. Long may that be the case.

The Quiet (2005)

All I wanted was to be invisible...

[9/10 · 29 January 2008]

This was the perfect film for a bleak afternoon. Dark and moody, with well fleshed out characters and a premise that was simultaneously gripping and unsettling, it reminded me a lot of American Beauty.

Neither of the lead characters in this film are particularly likable, or drawn entirely sympathetically. Both girls are deeply flawed, yet we root for them anyway because they are young and their flaws are the product of circumstances outside of their control.

It's beautifully shot, explores unusual themes, and the writing really cuts through. The dialogue is brave, sometimes so brutal as to be squirm-inducing.

The soundtrack also deserves special mention. It is exquisite.

Nina's Heavenly Delights (2006)

A little too light and fluffy?

[6/10 · 20 December 2007]

This is a very forgettable film. It's so fluffy it very nearly became unbearable to me, and I have a very high tolerance for fluffy, trust me! There are two things it does well, however. The photography of the cooking, which is luscious, and the strong sense of chemistry between the two leading ladies.

Apart from that it felt limp and poorly constructed. The direction, I think, was the key problem.

The characters weren't fleshed out much at all, there was little sense of history, little sense of cohesion. It felt like it suffered from jumping narrative. There were a number of scenes where I wasn't quite sure what was going on, everything was so vague. What was Lisa's background? Why did she assume control of her father's interest in the restaurant? Was she not giving up a job of some kind to suddenly become Nina's kitchen hand? Or was it all done on the weekends? Why was the brother hiding his marriage, the explanation was odd...why didn't Lisa confide in Nina earlier about her situation with Kary? There was just so much that I felt we had to imply into events ourselves...

Ultimately, it's a fairy tale, as long as you go in expecting that, rather than expecting a realistic romance, then you should find this film moderately enjoyable.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)

Rubbish

[2/10 · 1 February 2006]

Violent, boring, pointless, predictable...Two hours of my life I'll never be able to get back.

I really can't believe how high this film is rated on IMDb. There are so many better movies a long way below it.

The acting is poor, particularly from Brad Pitt. Angelina Jolie does her best, but the script (what there is of it) is so dreadful, what more could she do?

Violence for the sake of violence just isn't good entertainment. The ending was also a massive let down.

Don't waste your time with this one, presuming you have an IQ above 100 it's not for you...

My Summer of Love (2004)

Overrated

[5/10 · 30 August 2005]

I was surprised to see how well received this film is in other IMDb posts. I was quite disappointed by it.

The camera work, whilst adding to the 'artistic' feel of the movie, annoyed me. As did one of the main characters - Mona - whose constant smoking, irritating voice, and general air of unkemptness was a major frustration. To me the two girls just seemed so different that a friendship, little own a brief love affair, seemed difficult to swallow. The feeling of inevitability one gets that Mona is going to be poorly treated by Tamsin made the whole experience very painful to watch.

Which is not to say the movie isn't well acted. Outstanding performances from the three leads make it film worth watching. But the script and cinematography let it down.

The Real Cancun (2003)

Bad, but not that bad.

[5/10 · 15 February 2004]

The Real Cancun is more of fly-on-the-wall social experiment than a movie. As such many will find it exceptionally boring - particularly those who aren't in their teens or early twenties. It's the sort of movie one can get up and leave for 10 minutes, come back, and not feel as if you've missed much.

It is, however, mildly entertaining. If you're into sex, sex and more sex that is. And very pretty to look at. There are some beautiful shots of Cancun.

One of the central characters - Alan - drove me nuts with his dumb obsession with seeing "boobies". If he's such a clean-cut,non-drinking geeky kinda guy why was he such an insensitive sleaze in this film? The whole "look here's a puny geek who comes of age and is accepted as a cool guy by the end of the movie" thing didn't go down to well if for no other reason than Alan really wasn't that much of a geek to start with!

5/10 - *background* entertainment at best