frozenpinky

It's a well acted movie with a great story told in a non-linear fashion. The "hit and miss" between the two main characters trying to find each other is like mental gymnastics for the viewer. It becomes almost stressful! All that frustration for the characters and the viewer could have been solved if either party simply had a mobile phone (which they did, but only at inconvenient times)

Unfaithful is a 9.5 out of 10. This is a 6.5 out of ten. So I’m rounding up to 7. It had all the Adrian Lyne beats, but not as strong of a story. Maybe it was supposed to be a satire?

A perfectly made movie - Go watch Happy Death Day or Escape Room or some other generic horror genre film from the 2000-2010s if you wanna have crappy taste :)

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Libs are becoming unhinged over this movie, comparing it to a **** propaganda film. They spout typical liberal nonsense, as if **** snipers are the same as American snipers. Libs are too intolerant and uncritical to understand that distinctions make a difference. There is nothing propaganda about this movie. It shows multiple views of the war and follows one man's attempt to do his job and struggle with the personal consequences of war. There is no sugar coating the issues. People who dismiss it as such have not seen it, or, they see it through tainted lenses--intent preceding content. When it's a liberal themed film, they call it "wonderful, powerful, insightful, important, brave, revealing, speaking truth to power", and all the rest. When it's a conservative film, or perceived as such, it's mindless, goose-stepping propaganda. Ridiculous. This movie is great!

Who is this R. Kurt Osenlund of Slant Magazine that writes, "Steven Spielberg's LINCOLN film may further the heroism so associated with its subject, and favor a liberal viewpoint that leers down at the Confederates, but it's no bleeding-heart glamorization." ? Who says conservatives were in favor of the Confederates? Lincoln was a conservative Republican, and most of the Confederates were Southern Democrats. People don't seem to realize that it's Republicans who were and still are the true "liberals": those in favor of liberty, freedom, and self-determinism (the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness) for all people. The movie is good, though. Just ignore Slant Magazine.

Don't go into this hoping it's an action flick. This is not a "Hero" or "House of Flying Daggers" martial arts/Wuxia flick. And just because it's a "war movie" doesn't mean it has to be non-stop action. Saving Private Ryan is mostly drama with an under current of action, and so is this. If you want action, watch a Michael Bay movie or a Jason Stathom flick. This is a Zhang Yimou movie (Curse of the Golden Flower, The Road ****) so it's going to mostly be about drama, as it should. It's a film about the relationship between an American mortician (Christian Bale), teenage Chinese school girls, and Chinese prostitutes learning to respect one another during the Japanese invasion of China, and it's done so in a beautiful sort of melodramatic way. Hiding in a church, we take a journey with the characters as they get to know one another under stressful, war-time tension. I was surprised when learning that Christian Bale would be play the American mortician, but he seemed to be more believable than I expected. It's worth a viewing, especially if you're a fan of Zhang Yimou's work.

One of those dialog heavy films that, if you enjoy conversation in film the way I do, you'll enjoy. It's not something that demands repeat viewings like a Lynch, Kubrick or Leigh film, but it'll hold your attention just for the fact that you will want to see what happens next... and how it will end. It's fun to watch Caine and Law try to "one-up" each other, as the film is pretty much a game or contest. It is almost one of those "day-in-the-life" movies (but actually takes place over two separate days). Good acting, great first and second act but, semi-weak third act. Not bad, not great.

Your On Demand Cable Guide may categorize this as a "horror film". Mine did. But, it's not, and I'm thankful. It's a suspense film, aka, a thriller. This is kidnap story done sans the clichés, meaning, it's done slow and methodically, like peeling back the layers of an onion. A married couple working through some issues pick up a hitchhiker and the movie ensues. The hitchhiker isn't working alone, and his isnt too stable either. One minute he's compassionate, the next minute he's ruthless. Is he going to find "faith"? Is he going to reject mercy? You never know if he and his partner in crime are going to "turn a new leaf" and become "the good guys" or if they're going to follow the traditional knife-wielding route and be killers. The score compliments the vibe here well, and the length of the movie is just right. Any longer would run the risk of filler. It's worth a rent, but I think that's all one can do as I don't see it available on Blu-ray anywhere.

I actually really liked this film. I like it because it stays with you after it has ended (like Eyes Wide Shut, Mulholland ****). Although it has nudity throughout, it's not erotic nudity. It's got an almost "cold, sterile" vibe riding alongside in the passenger seat. There's plenty of questions to ask yourself when watching (**** meaning behind the character "Birdman"... **** "Lack of Kissing"... **** "Will You Marry Me?"... **** ****) There's definitely multiple hidden narratives or meanings that this film operates on and it's definitely trying to examine the objectification of females, and what constitutes as a sexualized image or the nature of sexual aggression. It's also notably showing the parallel of being asleep through her entire life (seemingly not being fazed by anything) and to finally "wake up" at the finale... hence a play on the title.

Feast or famine is the deal here, there's no in-between. It's a love or hate movie. To sum up this movie, Tree of Life is a 138 min screen saver. Just because something looks good doesnt translate to being a good movie, good story, or good concept.