Hinter dem Horizont

I love this movie because it is truly romantic- it shows that love does not just happen in an instant, or at first glance, but is something that you have to commit to and work at. It's not just 'boys meets girl, stuff happens, they get married and live happily ever after' - Annie and Chris have to deal with real adversity and issues, which are shown through numerous flashbacks throughout the film. (ie- Chris being embarrassed to dance, teaching his daughter about death)

You're not supposed to watch this film for the visual effects. They're great, but they're not the point. If you have a short attention span, and are expecting action thrown at you every five seconds, then go watch something else, and don't complain that this film is boring.

This film was very simple and very human. If you want inspiration that REAL love exists (and not that stupid teen movie crap), then I highly recommend it.

If there's one thing that What Dreams May Come has is a vivid imagination. Maybe some readings into Dante's Inferno might have given the writers some ideas as a start. But this goes way beyond.

I remember years ago at a Science Fiction convention Peter Davison said that one nice thing about being the Doctor in Doctor Who was that you could create your character from scratch. Since we've got no reports on the afterlife one can the imagination soar in creating it. Soar it does and at times the creation threatens to overwhelm the cast, but it never does.

Robin Williams doctor and Annabella Sciorra artist seen fated to be mated and are. They raise two children, but both are killed in a car crash devastating the parents both try to move on. Then Williams is killed in a car crash.

At that point the film shifts to the afterlife as Williams starts to get used to the territory. Cuba Gooding appears as a kind of mentor/guide for him. The place looks like paradise, but paradise will not be complete without the family reunited.

The afterlife does have its rules and Williams has to make quite the journey to accomplish his goal. Williams, Sciorra, and Gooding give impeccable performances and the sets are just breathtaking.

If it isn't this is what heaven should be.

To hell with the critics and the cynics. I absolutely love this movie - it's in my top ten (or maybe even top five) list of favorite movies (I saw it at least 3 times in the theater and own it on DVD). I have to admit, I'm one of those non- (almost anti-) elitist, "I don't know art, but I know what I like" type people. I also truly love positive, upbeat movies with happy endings. Not to say that "realistic" movies aren't also great, but there is room for everything in the moviemaking genre. Isn't there enough depressing "realism" on the evening news to satisfy even the most jaded cynic?

I can't say exactly what it is that strikes me about this movie. The incredible color-saturated visuals and special effects certainly help. The acting talents of Robin Williams and Max Von Sydow help. And I loved the story. Emotionally manipulative it may be, but this is one of those films where I WANTED to be manipulated, where I willingly participated. Apparently some people resented it, but I was sobbing through much the movie, and glad to be doing so. Laugh if you please, say whatever you want... this movie touches my heart.

"Deep" it isn't, not terribly. On a metaphysical level, it goes only slightly beyond new-age kitsch. Very few of the afterlife scenes and concepts agree with the spiritual outlook of any known religion. But I don't care. Again, if a movie touches my heart in just the right place, I can forgive it almost anything. This one did. 9/10.

I'd never watched this film when it was released. It's taken me 20 years to finally watch it, and though film-making has advanced technologically in terms of CGI in that time - it still looks stunning ! It's a slow burning story and there's not much joy and laughs - but the sense of love and family and resoluteness still lingered way after the film ended. It's concept of Heaven and Hell is way beyond conventional film directors. It's a labour of love which at the end is faith affirming and yet shows up all our human flaws and vulnerability in all their glory. Great direction - good acting and an incredible journey that will stay in your mind .

All right, the critics who have panned this film do have a point. This movie is muddled and not a heck of a lot happens in it. It's oversweet, and somewhat unsatisfying -- sort of like eating cotton candy for two hours.

But even with these serious flaws (and they are serious flaws), this is a beautiful film. It's a stunning work of art. The visuals are absolutely amazing, the use of colors is genius, and the Kamen score brilliant. This is a clearly a case where style triumphs over substance.

A number of critics have complained that the dialogue was wooden. I think this is due in part to our desensitivation to underplayed dialogue by DiCaprio-esque actors who insist on screaming all their lines. "I love you," isn't good enough. These days, it has to be "I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!" screamed with heart-wrenching anguish while ripping open their T-Shirts in the rain. Here Williams, Sciorra (sp?), Gooding, and Von Sydow actually *deliver* their lines with a restraint that is refreshing to see. There certainly is emotion in them, and seemingly genuine at that, but it's a subtle delivery and one that can easily be missed by today's audiences if expectations aren't carefully set.

I guess their are two types of filmgoers: those who love schmaltz and those who don't. If you don't love schmaltz, you'll be intensely bored with this film. If you *do* love schmaltz, you'll be blown away and bored in about equal measure.