It was inevitable, but it still sucks. How many people were gonna see an apocalyptic thriller based on a Nobel Prize-winning allegoric work of apparent genius starring Julianne Moore that received, at best, very middling reviews, anyway? Stupid general public and their love of chihuahuas. Only $2 million, though? It definitely doesn't deserve that. Neither does it deserve people laughing at the most inappropriate times while they're watching it. At least that.So, yeah, I actually saw it... *gasp* ...and I loved it. *GASP!* I haven't read the book (because books are evil), but I felt it really worked as a film. It is perhaps the bleakest thing ever, even if it gets optimistic towards the end, but it's so amazing. It was more of an experience than a film to me, to be honest. The subject matter and many individual scenes were so terrifyingly uncomfortable to watch that I couldn't help from loving it. Society crumbles and people suffer! Yay! I have issues. I will admit that the screenplay was distressingly mediocre and it was probably not adapted in the best or most appropriate ways, but Fernando Meirelles' visceral directorial hand and the BRILLIANT cinematography make up for it tenfold. He's so beautifully bold with his films. To add to all the depressing goodness, Julianne Moore gave an incredibly committed and engrossing performance that easily ranks among her best. It'll most likely end up as one of the best of the year, too. Alice Braga is also very notable, strangely. I just really loved her for some reason.
I guess I made that into a bit of a review? Whee. It was hard putting my thoughts into words, and I definitely won't be seeing it again in theaters to double-check them, LOL. But I'm very glad to have contributed to it's pathetic gross at all, though! I'll be sure to tell my grandchildren how I was one of the only people who saw this future cult masterpiece in its original release who didn't roar like an idiotic hyena every time somebody knocked into something. Yes, I'm bitter. Ugh, people.*
So, did anyone else out there see it this weekend? I'm seriously asking.
* - Wow, this got snobby quickly.
Also:
VD Grade: ★★★★ (out of five)
4 comments:
Well, like you said, it's not as if it was ever going to be the type of movie that would ever pack an audience in. It's still sad that it made such a puny amount.
I didn't get the chance to see it this weekend (I, instead, went home to see my parents...the things you do for family) but I think I'm going to go on Tuesday. I can't wait!
I hope you at least like it, James!
read the book! book was good!
it has been alleged that the aforementioned chihuahuas movie was "sooooo good" that it made an idiotic friend of mine or two cry. this makes me want to shoot myself.
p.s. bitter is good.
Yeah, I saw it, it's one of the best movies of the year so far. And you're so right about Julianne Moore, another brilliant, breathtaking, incredibly subtle performance. Wow. What an underrated performance and what a strong, underrated film. I read the book and I think that it was adapted incredibly thruthfuly... stunning visuals, great performances, powerful scenes... It deserves some awards but it won't get them.
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