Melancholia meets 21 Grams.
A confronting drama, complete with Lars von Trier handheld shots, that works to reach the core of a character's plight no matter how shaky things may get. It even shares some characteristics with the von Trier film released the same year.
Brit Marling's performance gives what's necessary for such a character driven story, which prevents this from feeling like a sci-fi movie with a character element tacked on. However, there are moments where William Mapother ruins…
James Duval said he decided to take this role in part because he could relate to all of the characters. I agree, all of the characters feel real and each vignette feels like a way to expand on their individuality and the unity of the group.
As with the rest of the Teen Apocalypse Trilogy, a feeling of impending doom seeps into the sun-soaked LA scenes, in the form of looming advertisements, crazed pedestrians, and the intrusive intertitles. These elements…
Beautiful cinematography and scenery compliment a simple premise with a vast scope. Worth it to watch for the visuals alone, but the story is emotional and well developed to depict the struggle of its characters finding a purpose in their isolation. Despite the runtime and time jumps the story stays centered and conveys the nature of the two boys' relationship, rarely straying from their bond, making for a unique depiction of the type of silent unity between the two.
As a musical kind of underwhelming, the second half where the dramatic elements shine through shows this would have worked better as a stylized drama rather than a musical. Visually striking, with powerful images that bolster Celie’s inner conflict and desire and dramatic lighting that gets the repressed feelings of the characters across visually.
Where it falls short is the sort of awkward combination of intense drama and musical levity, where the musical segments feel shoehorned into an otherwise already…
