Limbo

ono · July 11, 2003, 04:54:08 PM

Anyone seen this? I know a few here have. I just caught it on DVD. It's the first John Sayles film I've seen, which only makes me want to see more of his stuff. It's totally unique in its structure, and its ending was, IMO, perfect. For the first hour, it channels Altman's Short Cuts in its tone, and the dialogue drives the film as something memorable that I've never seen before. I kept marveling at how poetic it was, and how this very well could be one of the best films I've ever seen.

Throwing convention out the window, though, in the second hour Sayles takes a different route. The film starts to plod along, but the moments here are still just as touching, as the change of venue allows the three principle characters to deal with each other in a way their conventional environments wouldn't allow them to. While the change is welcome, it also detracts from the original flow of the film. This poetic quality continues, albeit in a different form. I still love the film, love the ending, and feel it's one of the best I've seen in a while. Makes me love the films of 1999 even more (next up for me, Mike Leigh's Topsy-Turvy, which I've also heard great things about). But I thought there was something missing in the second half of the film -- that poeticalness -- that was pervasive in the first half, that slowed the film down, preventing it from being truly great. ***½/**** (8/10)

RegularKarate · July 11, 2003, 05:16:32 PM

I saw this movie thinking it was about my favorite party game...

Seriously though, I love Sales and this one's pretty fucking good... I could kind of predict the only thing that really happened in the movie though. Not that it matters in this one.

Spoilers...

I like how the end fits the title so perfectly, it's almost a joke

ono · July 11, 2003, 05:22:59 PM

I know exactly what you mean. I came in to this movie not knowing much about it; only that it was set in Alaska, and that the ending was a source of frustration for a lot of people. As the movie progressed, I guessed to myself what I thought the ending was going to be, and had a really hearty laugh when I was right. And I'm not knocking that it was predictable (well, by me). That was part of its charm. It was beautiful.

Alexandro · July 11, 2003, 05:34:46 PM

I went to this film with a friend and he completely hated it, he wa smad....but I liked it a lot...in fact I gave it 4 stars on my list...th eperformances are top notch...

a couple of other john sayles movies that rocks are LONE STAR and MEN WITH GUNS

MacGuffin · July 11, 2003, 05:36:46 PM

Definitely one of Sayles's best. I remember a collective groan of frustration from the audience at the ending when I saw it in theaters. But if they just thought about it, either way, they were to be a family together and that's what the point of the film was.

Check out more Sayles's work, especially "City Of Hope" and "Lone Star".

MacGuffin · August 05, 2003, 02:31:06 AM

Hannah Reunites with Sayles in Silver City
Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Daryl Hannah, who stars in helmer John Sayles upcoming Casa de los Babys, will reteam with the director on his next project, Silver City.

The movie is described as a political drama/murder mystery that tells the story of a small town in Colorado and the events leading up to a local election. Among those events is the discovery of a man's body in a local lake and the mystery surrounding his death.

Hannah will play a wild girl named Wendy. The film, written by Sayles, will start shooting next month.

Pubrick · August 05, 2003, 06:42:45 AM

so what's with daryl hannah's comeback?

is it a tarantino thing or was it the polish bros. one of them must hav made her get her ish together.

jasper_window · August 05, 2003, 08:14:50 AM

Quote from: OnomatopoeiaAnyone seen this? I know a few here have. I just caught it on DVD.

I loved this film too. I want the dvd and will probably buy it, but did you happen to check out the commentary? Or does anyone know how it is?