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This movie just feels so real and natural in its approach, which is something Linklater continues to surprise us with to this day. I like how you almost jump into the conversations with these two characters, nodding and shaking your head in line with whatever is being said. Now when the movie is missing action and major turning points for the characters, it is the actual monologues and interactions between Jessie and Celine, which makes this movie interesting and also what we ultimately judge the movie on. I would like to point out that the opening minutes, the listening booth, and the phone scene are clear stand outs here, in my opinion. But of course, there are going to be conversations you feel less interested in and some you absolutely love, which is also why the so-called “dull parts” comes in the form of which subject you are personally interested in the most. However, I think the film does a fine job at keeping things going at a smooth pace, so that we don’t feel stuck in a loop of letters formed to words formed to sentences. It all feels natural and with the help of two talented actors Linklater pulls this one home in grand style. But what is even better about having a romance feeling this real, is how I can finally sit down and watch a romantic movie, where I don’t have to persistently point at the screen and tell the two “lovebirds” to move out of the pouring rain and continue their kissing under the roof right next them… I’m also free of any bare-chested beach-shots of Ethan Hawke running in slow motion with his sunglasses and surfboard… Wait a minute, is this even a romantic film after all?
If this is really a romantic picture, then where is the canons of colored glitter; ready to explode whenever the film becomes a tad too boring? Where is the enormous point of no return, where the characters are left without hope or love in sight? Where is that ending, which brings back the hope we thought was forever lost and the couple lives happy forever after? Of course I don’t want to sound like I’m saying Linklater has completely revolutionized the genre, since some of the best romances in cinema history also relied heavily on a quitter setting, containing two characters and their ever-interesting emotional connection; with films like ‘Casablanca’ for example. But Linklater’s style is still so special and completely his own, that I wouldn’t ever say he leans towards anybody else in the business. ‘Before Sunrise’ may be a hard film to get through if you aren’t one hundred percent committed to it, but if you are then the minutes are going to fly by!
You could continue to criticize this film for everything it is doing differently from other movies of its genre, but I find it hard to see why you shouldn’t at least try to welcome such a warm change, to what has become a cold climatic state for modern romantic films; a genre, basically running on recycled trash, which is definitely great for the “movie environment” and the deep pockets of the studios, but seeing some true originality within this genre should be accepted with open arms in my opinion. Not only should Linklater be hailed for being brave on all sorts of aspects, but he should definitely also be clapped past the finish line when pulling home a 100-minute movie, which is essentially one giant dull part, if I were to put it all in black and white here. This previous statement is not meant as a critique what so ever, though you could say its strong aspects are also its weak ones, since all this movie has to keep the audience intrigued is two people talking to each other. There are no major turning points throughout; there are no third gender creating a love triangle; there is no cheesy beginning or epic ending. It is just two people running into each other, feeling some type of connection and choose to just go with it; and I choose to happily go along…
MovieMeditation presents...
— Retro Review —
B E F O R E
S U N R I S E
directed by Richard Linklater
______________________________________________
If there's any kind of magic in this world it must be in the attempt
of understanding someone, sharing something...
______________________________________________
Introductory essay — escape to realism
‘Before Sunrise’ is a warm and welcome break from the never ending “non-fun films” in the form of “rom-com ho-hum”, which is constantly spreading like an unstoppable plague, wiping out all intellect and rationality left in the human mind. I have a hard time digesting these dull romantic movies, because I usually don’t take my cheese with extra cheese, neither do I add cream and sugar if my taste buds tell me what I’m already eating is sweet enough on its own. I obviously understand the movie medium in the form of pure escapism, which, in this discussion, frequently translates to “women running wild for nearest theater screening of next Nicholas Sparks adaption”. Why? Because their own love life has suddenly hit rock bottom or whatever pathetic excuse needed to sit down and blow through three packs of kleenex in under two hours.
I mean, even a majority of people on this planet still vacuum the ticket sales for the next Transformers movie, and do so to such an extent, that getting an “action fix” should be categorized as any other addiction and as a rising epidemic in our society. Well, at least Transformers fans are people in need of serious help, or a minimum of cinematic guidance, or maybe just some humble comfort for their incurable disorder of extremely bad taste. Not even simple healthy hygiene can do any wonders here… Well, come on, you know I’m just fooling around here, we all have our individual guilty pleasures, each functioning as a cure for something that needs solving – whether it being the ‘soggy break-up’ disc, the ‘hangovers hell’ disc, the ‘I was fired’ disc or the ‘no one loves me’ disc – we all have them, and throw them in the disc player whenever the world has run dry on answers.
The point of all the above is, we are all a shared society when being momentarily in the mood for dodging day-to-day life by the help of cinema. But most of the times, we just don’t go for that new Lars von Trier movie because the term “depressingly good” doesn’t sound like the right type of movie medication, when your girlfriend or boyfriend just broke up with you five hours ago… And taking a huge U-turn here – quickly returning to reality – there are also times when we are tired of filmic formulas and pathetic portrayals of a fantasy world painted to look real. We know it is a hollow facade, but we accept it, because guilty pleasures can be great fun. But such films will never come near those moments where a movie suddenly breaks off the screen and begins to blow into our own world – that, ladies and gentlemen, is the truest form of fairy dust! That right there, is precisely when you remember why you watch movies…
______________________________________________
Review — long live Linklater
There are many things ‘Before Sunrise’ seems to be doing right, but I particularly love how Linklater leaves his characters with a room to breathe and be creative, basically allowing their every-day thoughts and feelings to come naturally, instead of falsely messing around with all the external elements in a desperate attempt to ignite our heart, by persistently drowning it in sappy surrealism. Linklater perhaps fills up his characters with some dialogue leaning towards pseudo-intellectual realism, but try to imagine how boring this film would be without it? Just imagine if Jessie and Celine wasn’t these philosophically-dressed human beings, not expressing themselves this openly about what is and what isn’t. I don’t know about you, but I would probably get up and leave after twenty minutes of talking about favorite hobbies, friends, family, nationality, and not to forget, the god damned weather forecast. Linklater has found the right balance within these characters, trusting the actors with his vision and having the patience to show love as it happens; choosing to unfold these characters and their feelings toward each other at such a quiet and yet comfortable pace, simply makes it possible for the audience to truly care and understand. — Retro Review —
B E F O R E
S U N R I S E
directed by Richard Linklater
______________________________________________
If there's any kind of magic in this world it must be in the attempt
of understanding someone, sharing something...
______________________________________________
Introductory essay — escape to realism
‘Before Sunrise’ is a warm and welcome break from the never ending “non-fun films” in the form of “rom-com ho-hum”, which is constantly spreading like an unstoppable plague, wiping out all intellect and rationality left in the human mind. I have a hard time digesting these dull romantic movies, because I usually don’t take my cheese with extra cheese, neither do I add cream and sugar if my taste buds tell me what I’m already eating is sweet enough on its own. I obviously understand the movie medium in the form of pure escapism, which, in this discussion, frequently translates to “women running wild for nearest theater screening of next Nicholas Sparks adaption”. Why? Because their own love life has suddenly hit rock bottom or whatever pathetic excuse needed to sit down and blow through three packs of kleenex in under two hours.
I mean, even a majority of people on this planet still vacuum the ticket sales for the next Transformers movie, and do so to such an extent, that getting an “action fix” should be categorized as any other addiction and as a rising epidemic in our society. Well, at least Transformers fans are people in need of serious help, or a minimum of cinematic guidance, or maybe just some humble comfort for their incurable disorder of extremely bad taste. Not even simple healthy hygiene can do any wonders here… Well, come on, you know I’m just fooling around here, we all have our individual guilty pleasures, each functioning as a cure for something that needs solving – whether it being the ‘soggy break-up’ disc, the ‘hangovers hell’ disc, the ‘I was fired’ disc or the ‘no one loves me’ disc – we all have them, and throw them in the disc player whenever the world has run dry on answers.
The point of all the above is, we are all a shared society when being momentarily in the mood for dodging day-to-day life by the help of cinema. But most of the times, we just don’t go for that new Lars von Trier movie because the term “depressingly good” doesn’t sound like the right type of movie medication, when your girlfriend or boyfriend just broke up with you five hours ago… And taking a huge U-turn here – quickly returning to reality – there are also times when we are tired of filmic formulas and pathetic portrayals of a fantasy world painted to look real. We know it is a hollow facade, but we accept it, because guilty pleasures can be great fun. But such films will never come near those moments where a movie suddenly breaks off the screen and begins to blow into our own world – that, ladies and gentlemen, is the truest form of fairy dust! That right there, is precisely when you remember why you watch movies…
______________________________________________
Review — long live Linklater
This movie just feels so real and natural in its approach, which is something Linklater continues to surprise us with to this day. I like how you almost jump into the conversations with these two characters, nodding and shaking your head in line with whatever is being said. Now when the movie is missing action and major turning points for the characters, it is the actual monologues and interactions between Jessie and Celine, which makes this movie interesting and also what we ultimately judge the movie on. I would like to point out that the opening minutes, the listening booth, and the phone scene are clear stand outs here, in my opinion. But of course, there are going to be conversations you feel less interested in and some you absolutely love, which is also why the so-called “dull parts” comes in the form of which subject you are personally interested in the most. However, I think the film does a fine job at keeping things going at a smooth pace, so that we don’t feel stuck in a loop of letters formed to words formed to sentences. It all feels natural and with the help of two talented actors Linklater pulls this one home in grand style. But what is even better about having a romance feeling this real, is how I can finally sit down and watch a romantic movie, where I don’t have to persistently point at the screen and tell the two “lovebirds” to move out of the pouring rain and continue their kissing under the roof right next them… I’m also free of any bare-chested beach-shots of Ethan Hawke running in slow motion with his sunglasses and surfboard… Wait a minute, is this even a romantic film after all?
If this is really a romantic picture, then where is the canons of colored glitter; ready to explode whenever the film becomes a tad too boring? Where is the enormous point of no return, where the characters are left without hope or love in sight? Where is that ending, which brings back the hope we thought was forever lost and the couple lives happy forever after? Of course I don’t want to sound like I’m saying Linklater has completely revolutionized the genre, since some of the best romances in cinema history also relied heavily on a quitter setting, containing two characters and their ever-interesting emotional connection; with films like ‘Casablanca’ for example. But Linklater’s style is still so special and completely his own, that I wouldn’t ever say he leans towards anybody else in the business. ‘Before Sunrise’ may be a hard film to get through if you aren’t one hundred percent committed to it, but if you are then the minutes are going to fly by!
You could continue to criticize this film for everything it is doing differently from other movies of its genre, but I find it hard to see why you shouldn’t at least try to welcome such a warm change, to what has become a cold climatic state for modern romantic films; a genre, basically running on recycled trash, which is definitely great for the “movie environment” and the deep pockets of the studios, but seeing some true originality within this genre should be accepted with open arms in my opinion. Not only should Linklater be hailed for being brave on all sorts of aspects, but he should definitely also be clapped past the finish line when pulling home a 100-minute movie, which is essentially one giant dull part, if I were to put it all in black and white here. This previous statement is not meant as a critique what so ever, though you could say its strong aspects are also its weak ones, since all this movie has to keep the audience intrigued is two people talking to each other. There are no major turning points throughout; there are no third gender creating a love triangle; there is no cheesy beginning or epic ending. It is just two people running into each other, feeling some type of connection and choose to just go with it; and I choose to happily go along…
-
______________________________________________
This review became much longer than it should have been so I thought it was fitting to post it in this thread instead. I also did the introductory piece out of nowhere, and the words just seemed to glide along. I actually said way back when, that this thread would also be for essays and other fun write-ups, but I never got around to doing any. Maybe this will give me some kind of drive to continue to do something a bit different. I hope you find the introduction amusing and exciting and of course I hope you enjoy the review as well!
- MM
______________________________________________
This review became much longer than it should have been so I thought it was fitting to post it in this thread instead. I also did the introductory piece out of nowhere, and the words just seemed to glide along. I actually said way back when, that this thread would also be for essays and other fun write-ups, but I never got around to doing any. Maybe this will give me some kind of drive to continue to do something a bit different. I hope you find the introduction amusing and exciting and of course I hope you enjoy the review as well!
- MM