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MovieMeditation presents...
HIS FILM DIARY 2015
total movie count ........... current day count
199 .......................... 211
__________________________
June 7th
—— 2014 ——
S T I L L
A L I C E
—— drama ——
EXTENDED REVIEW
Ironically enough, this film centered on Alzheimer’s disease,
was ultimately a forgettable experience for me
It is one of those films, which attempts to portray a long lasting element, but shamefully chooses to fast-forward through most of it, thereby highlighting every highpoint, but leaving out the smaller and more impactful moments... It is a shame, because the subtle scenes that made it into the film, are all great. But with that said, without someone like Julianne Moore to be in the center of these scenes, it wouldn’t have been nearly as great. This film makes many wrong moves, like banally blurring out the entire background, while the lead character is left in the front with few things to play with. Though this is mostly meant in a metaphorical sense, I do understand the literal purpose of this, trying to create disorientation and make Alice's mind present itself through visuals, but it just feels forced and overused to me. It feels like they have tried to create a strong center core to the film, being Alice, and then left everything else around her generally incomplete. The other characters are merely insignificant additions, like, say, the page numbers in a book. You understand why they are there, and they help you realize where you are in the story, but it doesn’t add anything to the actual context. Unfortunately for this story, though, not even the context is interesting. The story is in desperate need of some weight and substance, other than its lead character… Because, when you try to dig deep down within the story, it doesn’t really give you much back… by the end of it all, it’s just Alice, not much more…
I wish this film felt like something more than bland bait for the Oscar board, but I simply can’t deny that I view this movie as merely worthy of my time. The story is told fairly predictable, the script focuses on the factual rather than the emotional and the atmosphere within it feels cold, isolated and impersonal. And it isn’t one of those movies either, which can be described as depressingly good, nor do you ever feel emotionally invested in enough of what is going on throughout the film. The only element here, which truly works, is Julianne Moore in the lead role as Alice. The other actors and actresses are all fine, but because the script is so surfaced and sterile they are never able to really let themselves go. Not even Julianne Moore is given much material in the first place, if you really think about it, but thankfully she has a lot of screen time and amazing acting abilities to give a stunning performance. I don’t think this story has a lot going for it on its own, but with Julianne Moore you are at least invested in some shape or form. I will say, that in the film, there is a fair amount of potential to be spotted, but without Moore, there is little to be fulfilled.
With all that said though, I do love how the film wants to raise awareness towards Alzheimer’s disease, which is obviously a great thing to do. But unfortunately, the awareness is only a current cure to the otherwise bad side effects of this movie, since the strong moments pass by like small individual impulses – powerful but ultimately forgettable impulses. I connected the most with the really sudden scenes of truly depressing measures; those that wasn’t just by the books; those that couldn’t be read within the script; those of which came from nothing but phenomenal acting. Julianne Moore wasn’t even crying her heart out through the entire film or anything of that matter, yet her performance is extremely powerful. It was the raw emotion, which came from her empty appearance and the subtle yet distinctive gestures, that made this performance anything but forgettable. It is definitely Julianne Moore who carries every little fragment of this film; every little concept or idea. Throughout the film, she has a constant look of emptiness in her face, like the person inside is no longer present. A look of confusion and despair, like her brain and body just don’t talk to each other anymore. A sense of her body trying to cover up the mess, made by her mind, which results in uncomfortable situations of a smart woman trying to understand simple things. And It is frighteningly effective.
This reminds me, that I loved the first sign we ever saw of the disease approaching. She was doing this presentation in front of a class, when suddenly she stopped for moment, glanced out into the room, until she continued shortly after like nothing had happened. Obvious but subtle. I personally think it worked well. But when the disease finally begins to leave its marks, the script gets filled with wise words of wisdom, spoken with a scientific touch rather than an emotional one. I know both the husband and wife are smart and intelligent human beings, but I’m not interested in the facts, I’m interested in the fiction because that is what I’m watching. I want to see the tools of moviemaking being worked like magic. This is not a film based on a true story, I don’t need the formal facts, nor do I need the cold hands of a doctor leading me through the mind of this individual. So when the person is finally left alone to walk her own ways, that is exactly where we connect with the character. When Alice has a hard time getting through life at the simplest of grounds, that is where we notice the struggle and understand the pain.
The simple things – like knowing your way around your own house or identifying your closest family and friends – those will hit you like a brick, because you couldn’t even imagine not being capable of doing such simple things yourself… and watching Alice blaming herself for these things will hit you hard, while seeing others blaming Alice for it will hit you even harder… This does sometimes hint at something more than “just Alice”… like there is a slight growth within other characters, or like the story actually seems to show a small sign of progress... But when you try to dig deep down within the story, it doesn’t really give you much back… by the end of it all, it’s still Alice, not much more.
__________________________
HIS FILM DIARY 2015
total movie count ........... current day count
199 .......................... 211
__________________________
June 7th
—— 2014 ——
S T I L L
A L I C E
—— drama ——
EXTENDED REVIEW
Ironically enough, this film centered on Alzheimer’s disease,
was ultimately a forgettable experience for me
It is one of those films, which attempts to portray a long lasting element, but shamefully chooses to fast-forward through most of it, thereby highlighting every highpoint, but leaving out the smaller and more impactful moments... It is a shame, because the subtle scenes that made it into the film, are all great. But with that said, without someone like Julianne Moore to be in the center of these scenes, it wouldn’t have been nearly as great. This film makes many wrong moves, like banally blurring out the entire background, while the lead character is left in the front with few things to play with. Though this is mostly meant in a metaphorical sense, I do understand the literal purpose of this, trying to create disorientation and make Alice's mind present itself through visuals, but it just feels forced and overused to me. It feels like they have tried to create a strong center core to the film, being Alice, and then left everything else around her generally incomplete. The other characters are merely insignificant additions, like, say, the page numbers in a book. You understand why they are there, and they help you realize where you are in the story, but it doesn’t add anything to the actual context. Unfortunately for this story, though, not even the context is interesting. The story is in desperate need of some weight and substance, other than its lead character… Because, when you try to dig deep down within the story, it doesn’t really give you much back… by the end of it all, it’s just Alice, not much more…
I wish this film felt like something more than bland bait for the Oscar board, but I simply can’t deny that I view this movie as merely worthy of my time. The story is told fairly predictable, the script focuses on the factual rather than the emotional and the atmosphere within it feels cold, isolated and impersonal. And it isn’t one of those movies either, which can be described as depressingly good, nor do you ever feel emotionally invested in enough of what is going on throughout the film. The only element here, which truly works, is Julianne Moore in the lead role as Alice. The other actors and actresses are all fine, but because the script is so surfaced and sterile they are never able to really let themselves go. Not even Julianne Moore is given much material in the first place, if you really think about it, but thankfully she has a lot of screen time and amazing acting abilities to give a stunning performance. I don’t think this story has a lot going for it on its own, but with Julianne Moore you are at least invested in some shape or form. I will say, that in the film, there is a fair amount of potential to be spotted, but without Moore, there is little to be fulfilled.
With all that said though, I do love how the film wants to raise awareness towards Alzheimer’s disease, which is obviously a great thing to do. But unfortunately, the awareness is only a current cure to the otherwise bad side effects of this movie, since the strong moments pass by like small individual impulses – powerful but ultimately forgettable impulses. I connected the most with the really sudden scenes of truly depressing measures; those that wasn’t just by the books; those that couldn’t be read within the script; those of which came from nothing but phenomenal acting. Julianne Moore wasn’t even crying her heart out through the entire film or anything of that matter, yet her performance is extremely powerful. It was the raw emotion, which came from her empty appearance and the subtle yet distinctive gestures, that made this performance anything but forgettable. It is definitely Julianne Moore who carries every little fragment of this film; every little concept or idea. Throughout the film, she has a constant look of emptiness in her face, like the person inside is no longer present. A look of confusion and despair, like her brain and body just don’t talk to each other anymore. A sense of her body trying to cover up the mess, made by her mind, which results in uncomfortable situations of a smart woman trying to understand simple things. And It is frighteningly effective.
This reminds me, that I loved the first sign we ever saw of the disease approaching. She was doing this presentation in front of a class, when suddenly she stopped for moment, glanced out into the room, until she continued shortly after like nothing had happened. Obvious but subtle. I personally think it worked well. But when the disease finally begins to leave its marks, the script gets filled with wise words of wisdom, spoken with a scientific touch rather than an emotional one. I know both the husband and wife are smart and intelligent human beings, but I’m not interested in the facts, I’m interested in the fiction because that is what I’m watching. I want to see the tools of moviemaking being worked like magic. This is not a film based on a true story, I don’t need the formal facts, nor do I need the cold hands of a doctor leading me through the mind of this individual. So when the person is finally left alone to walk her own ways, that is exactly where we connect with the character. When Alice has a hard time getting through life at the simplest of grounds, that is where we notice the struggle and understand the pain.
The simple things – like knowing your way around your own house or identifying your closest family and friends – those will hit you like a brick, because you couldn’t even imagine not being capable of doing such simple things yourself… and watching Alice blaming herself for these things will hit you hard, while seeing others blaming Alice for it will hit you even harder… This does sometimes hint at something more than “just Alice”… like there is a slight growth within other characters, or like the story actually seems to show a small sign of progress... But when you try to dig deep down within the story, it doesn’t really give you much back… by the end of it all, it’s still Alice, not much more.
__________________________