Change Your Image
yourgoddess08
Reviews
Robinson in Space (1997)
a film for someone who wants to hate film
Truly a disgrace to the film industry. I am disappointed to have seen it, and I consider it to be the worst film I have ever viewed. Yes, I have also seen Transformers.
Patrick Keiller's "Robinson in Space" is more or less a dully narrated, almost stream of consciousness, that could have come from a novel. A novel, as it were, written in journal form of one man's trek across England with his friend, Robinson. No characters are presented, no actors, nothing of particular interest other than simple, usually stationary, shots of landscape, buildings, and a few leaves. Usually, a connection can be made between the shot presented and the narrator's words, although this is not always the case. I have forgotten the plot, if there ever was one, as well as the ending, or why the narrator and Robinson were ever in England to begin with. I am afraid the point has lost me entirely, and the film seemed painfully long. The occasional panning shot was much like a breath of fresh air to a drowning man, and the film as a whole has given me a new appreciation for watching grass grow. In this respect, I thank the director deeply. I am told that the film reflects on the industrial state of England and the decline of employment. For the sake of those represented, I hope a better film has been made in their defense.
Save yourself the effort, and if anyone offers you this film, throw it back at them - hard.
Pelican Blood (2010)
Pelican Blood -- wait until the end to make up your mind
I saw this film at the Edinburgh Film Festival where you never know quite what to expect -- super "artsy"? Too deep? Too much sex? A missed attempt at mainstream? I can see where a lot of people would be turned off by this film from the start if they are unable to cope with themes of suicide and the less than common, however prominent in this film, hobby of birdwatching. However, keep your pants on, let the cleverly moving soundtrack embrace you, and the story will undoubtedly penetrate your shell and shatter any misconceptions you might have of what a "suicide" film is. At its core, and it only becomes apparent at the very end of this film, it is not a film about suicide, but about passion ... life ... and second chances. "Pelican Blood" is beautifully shot and pieced together to take its viewer through the entire messy roller-coaster our Nikko experiences, and is a breath of fresh air at the end of it. Excellent performance by Harry Treadway, marvelous cinematography, buy the soundtrack.