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Watching [REDACTED], I couldn't help but think of Sofia Coppola's Somewhere. Both films start with vehicles going around in circles. Both films plod along with very little dialogue as we experience the central male character dealing with a bit of a personal crisis. Unfortunately, I partly say this to explain that there's no reason I necessarily should dislike this film (since I liked Somewhere a lot) but I did anyway.At about 90 minutes, down nearly a half-hour from its premier, the film has the story to justify a 30 minute short film. I think it could be a really interesting short film, contemplating the emotional state of [REDACTED] after [REDACTED]. But it's just too padded out or at least undercooked as an idea at this length. The film vaguely hints at certain ideas, but I can't seem to put them together into anything coherent. It almost resists analysis.I know many people are willing to give a large benefit of the doubt when it comes to intentional choices. The choice of an often grainy or blurry look to the film is certainly intentional and one presumes the largely inaudible, mumbling dialogue is also intentional. But intentional or not, it is bad. It takes one out of the film. Added on top of the other qualms, it is just too much to tolerate.
Brown Bunny
I keep watching this movie! I hit play while doing dishes, or sitting at my desk, or working on projects. I can't get enough of [CAST] Yeah, they're all here, performing song after song, while being held together by the slightest of plot strings. But, who cares about plot when I get to see [ACTOR] pounding on the ivories and hear [ACTOR] fit in 1,984 taps in a four minute, eight second song. If you're like me and don't want to do the math, that's eight per second (tapping information courtesy of film historian Sylvia Stoddard). [MISSING PART OF REVIEW TO BE FILLED IN LATER IF NECESSARY] There's no stopping this film either, because I know what's coming up at the end and it's a dance to outdo all dances. [DANCERS] risk life and limb (well at least limb) to dazzle and induce cringing, as they defy gravity and anatomy in their stellar performance.