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I had the same problem with this movie - not much to say.
It wasn't bad, but as You said disappionting a little bit.
It wasn't bad, but as You said disappionting a little bit.
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"A film has to be a dialogue, not a monologue — a dialogue to provoke in the viewer his own thoughts, his own feelings. And if a film is a dialogue, then it’s a good film; if it’s not a dialogue, it’s a bad film."
"A film has to be a dialogue, not a monologue — a dialogue to provoke in the viewer his own thoughts, his own feelings. And if a film is a dialogue, then it’s a good film; if it’s not a dialogue, it’s a bad film."
- Michael "Gloomy Old Fart" Haneke
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I actually would consider it a bad movie, but I still can see somewhat why people would like it.
It's quite old and we have seen so many movies, which were made after Deep Cover, that this one isn't impressive to us, I guess.
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The Return
12 years after a father leaves(abandons?) his family he returns and reconnects with his two sons. The boys and their father go on a sort of road trip to go fishing on an Island. The movie is told through the perspective of the boys towards their father. The story foregoes character development instead playing with a level ambiguity. We don't really ever get a grasp on the father.
The cinematography is top notch, it's a visually impressive film even if the surroundings are fairly cheap. And really that was my biggest issue with the film, it feels very cheap and low budget. I wish the filmmakers spent more time building a realistic life for those boys before shuttling them off for 2/3rds of the movie.
I also found the story somewhat predictable, and while it is haunting and atmospheric I do wish their was more to the story. It's really difficult for me to fall in love with a movie like this when I've seen so many 2-3 people in the woods type stories over the years.
I liked how the film spoke to the universal themes of tension between fathers and sons and I enjoyed watching it as a whole. But I doubt it will stick with me five years from now.
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I watched Bottle Rocket tonight and I felt as I do with so many Wes Anderson films that while I appreciated the quirkiness and individuality and found some of it occasionally funny, I didn't completely 'get it'. It certainly seemed longer than its 88 minutes as there was no real pace to it. The young Wilsons were good.
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Thanks for posting your review Siddon
The Return
.....the surroundings are fairly cheap. And really that was my biggest issue with the film, it feels very cheap and low budget.
Did anyone else who's seen The Return, feel this way about it?
The Return
.....the surroundings are fairly cheap. And really that was my biggest issue with the film, it feels very cheap and low budget.
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Thanks for posting your review Siddon Did anyone else who's seen The Return, feel this way about it?
Did anyone else who's seen The Return, feel this way about it?
The Return was filmed on and around Lake Ladoga and the Gulf of Finland. The budget of the film remains a secret, though in an interview the director and the producer hinted that it was well below $500,000. The director also mentioned that the producers made their money back even before it was screened at the Venice Film Festival. The film premiered in Russia on 16 October 2003, with the worldwide premiere taking place on 31 October 2003.
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Thanks for posting that. But the director doesn't say he thinks his film looks cheap, he says he shot it on a small budget. Two different things.
I thought every set location in the movie looked fantastic, and that's probably because it was all real on location stuff so that the buildings were realistic as they weren't sets at all but the real thing.
I thought every set location in the movie looked fantastic, and that's probably because it was all real on location stuff so that the buildings were realistic as they weren't sets at all but the real thing.
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Thanks for posting that. But the director doesn't say he thinks his film looks cheap, he says he shot it on a small budget. Two different things.
I thought every set location in the movie looked fantastic, and that's probably because it was all real on location stuff so that the buildings were realistic as they weren't sets at all but the real thing.
I thought every set location in the movie looked fantastic, and that's probably because it was all real on location stuff so that the buildings were realistic as they weren't sets at all but the real thing.
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Thanks for posting your review Siddon Did anyone else who's seen The Return, feel this way about it?
Did anyone else who's seen The Return, feel this way about it?
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Sophie's choice
Young writer Stingo moves to NY to make a big career. He stays in the house, where leaves an eccentric cuople Sophie and Nathan. She is Polish jude, who survived from Auschwitz and emigrated to United States, where have met Nathan. They have a quite extraordinary relationship - can't live without themself and can't live together. One time Nathan is charming and caring, other time volatile and brutal.
Sophia and Nathan become friends of Stingo, who desires Sophie secretly.
I was curious about Polish accent of Sophie and I have to admit, Meryl Streep is versatile talented. Not enough she had to play speaking English with Polish accent, but she used in the movie tree languages: Polish, German and French. I supose I and many of my friends speak English very similar and I agree with Sophie, who said that in English is to many words
Speaking of references to Poland, flashbacks from Sophies life were connected with Cracow, where I live currently and I was glad seeing a few Polish actors in the movie.
I was surprised also by Kevin Kline, who played Nathan very well. He showed sensitivity of his character and his impulsivity. I'm really impressed.
But the biggest impression made on me the final backflash scene, when Sophies had to choose one of hers child. I remember when I was discussing about this moral dilemma on ethics lessons and I was convinced she should choose one of them, because thanks to this she could save one child. Few opponents argued she shouldn't point any. And You know what? So many years after this discussion and after watching this scene, I would agree with them.
Sophia and Nathan become friends of Stingo, who desires Sophie secretly.
I was curious about Polish accent of Sophie and I have to admit, Meryl Streep is versatile talented. Not enough she had to play speaking English with Polish accent, but she used in the movie tree languages: Polish, German and French. I supose I and many of my friends speak English very similar and I agree with Sophie, who said that in English is to many words
Speaking of references to Poland, flashbacks from Sophies life were connected with Cracow, where I live currently and I was glad seeing a few Polish actors in the movie.
I was surprised also by Kevin Kline, who played Nathan very well. He showed sensitivity of his character and his impulsivity. I'm really impressed.
But the biggest impression made on me the final backflash scene, when Sophies had to choose one of hers child. I remember when I was discussing about this moral dilemma on ethics lessons and I was convinced she should choose one of them, because thanks to this she could save one child. Few opponents argued she shouldn't point any. And You know what? So many years after this discussion and after watching this scene, I would agree with them.
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Thanks for posting your review on Sophie's Choice. It sounds like you liked it? Was it better than the book you partially read?
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"The Return" was filmed on and around Lake Ladoga and the Gulf of Finland.
I never thought for a second that the movie looked cheap, in fact, I would praise it for the complete opposite, for utilising its budget in the best way possible.
I never thought for a second that the movie looked cheap, in fact, I would praise it for the complete opposite, for utilising its budget in the best way possible.
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Well their is a difference between cinematography and art direction. The film is a great exercise in photography but take the opening shots for instance.
The home doesn't look like a real home, in most settings it just has a bed with blank walls, or a kitchen table with blank walls, you see no other furniture in the house, no photos the family lives in this strange place which was likely an industrial park.
When the boys are running around you see the lake is constantly in the background, they are just running in circles to give the illusion of a town
The home doesn't look like a real home, in most settings it just has a bed with blank walls, or a kitchen table with blank walls, you see no other furniture in the house, no photos the family lives in this strange place which was likely an industrial park.
When the boys are running around you see the lake is constantly in the background, they are just running in circles to give the illusion of a town
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The home doesn't look like a real home, in most settings it just has a bed with blank walls, or a kitchen table with blank walls, you see no other furniture in the house, no photos the family lives in this strange place which was likely an industrial park.
When the boys are running around you see the lake is constantly in the background, they are just running in circles to give the illusion of a town
To be honest, the film looks like 10 million dollars to me
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Yes, I liked it. I was curious what will happen next.
I didn't want to add a comparison the movie with the book in previous post.
The movie was better than book, IMO. I don't know, if You remember the scene where Stingo wants to move out from NY to the farm. In the movie he speaks about it in one sentense. In the book is whole story about this fram - Stingo gets the letter from his father, in which he wrote his friend died and left him a farm, but he can't live there, so it would be great opportunity for Stingo to have a peaceful place to write a novel etc. It's nothing important for main story for me. And there are many such add-on. Needlessly
I didn't want to add a comparison the movie with the book in previous post.
The movie was better than book, IMO. I don't know, if You remember the scene where Stingo wants to move out from NY to the farm. In the movie he speaks about it in one sentense. In the book is whole story about this fram - Stingo gets the letter from his father, in which he wrote his friend died and left him a farm, but he can't live there, so it would be great opportunity for Stingo to have a peaceful place to write a novel etc. It's nothing important for main story for me. And there are many such add-on. Needlessly
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Thanks for explaining Ms M. Yes I can understand what you are saying about Stingo in the book having two many side stories. I never read the book but in the movie I thought Stingo was the least interesting of the three main characters, so I'm glad we didn't have to have another half hour in the movie about him moving to his families farm
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Hey Virgins! There's another Hof just starting, so I thought I'd tell you about. It's The Women Directors Hall of Fame hosted by Camo. I'm a member there and Siddon also just joined. If interested click on that link and check it out
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