Adrian-32

"Magnolia" is by far the most audacious film to come around in quite a while. It seems to have total indifference towards unwritten rules which have been followed by most movie makers for a long, long time. Some of the film's sequences are almost startling, as they were likely to have been conceived with zero regards towards rationality or plausibility. Does it's towering ambition for itself work? Not always. But does it leave an impression? Yes. The film's quality does fluctuate a bit. Sometimes, it seems absurd and totally blown out of proportion. At other times, it emerges as masterpieces, radiating with moments of truth and power. At first, I didn't find myself enjoying the film. It took it's sweet time trying to lay out the different stories, and establishing their loose connections to one another. There was a heavy air of pretention around it, like it was screaming for attention. It was also a bit tedious and uninvolving. But as the film progressed, it became interesting, focusing on it's wide array of characters and illuminating their shared emotions of of despair and remorse. It soon became clear to me that this was a story of lost souls trying to find a sense of redemption in their lives, and who are all, coincidentally, intertwined with each other somehow. The film lapsed into self-indulgence once in a while (the simultaneous singing, the contrived speeches), but salvaged itself again with compelling drama. But if there's one thing that doesn't falter, it's the performances. Tom Cruise is especially good, finally proving to the world that he's an actor, not just an entertainer. As I said, "Magnolia" does a lot of daring things, and that is apparent when the film reaches the climax. Something astoundingly strange happens, and you'll either love it or hate it. By the end some stories get wrapped up too neatly, while others are left unresolved. In all, "Magnolia" is a film definitely worth watching. It does it's share of flaws, but it's innovative sense of boldness is something to be admired.

"Girl, Interrupted" does not cover a lot of new territory. You can call it a female version of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" as both films deal with the issue of mental insanity, and are shown from and insider's perspective of how it's really like, and the way society reacts towards people who are institutions. So, this is not a film that breaks new ground, but it is still an interesting one. Flawed, yes, mainly due to it's unfocused plot and lack of emphasis on some situations, but overall the film is worth watching. It's a candid look at the 60's, as people who did not know where they were going, or did not have a solid plan, would be deemed crazy. The protagonist, played well by Winona Ryder, is sort of like a lost adolescent who finds herself indifferent towards life, and ends up being locked up, only to realise that sometimes it's the world who causes people to lash out, not themselves. We are taken into her long journey inside a mental hospital, introducing us to a handful of "loonies" who are both heartbreaking and hilarious to watch. Angelina Jolie steals the show playing a wild sociopath who befriends Ryder during her stay, it's affecting to know that she was actually a real person. Brittany Murphy is also a standout, her character is profoundly tragic, I don't think she will get out her my head anytime soon. The story moves at a decent pace, and has many memorable moments, but for some reason, loses it's edge during the climax, resorting to melodrama in order to evoke emotions. But despite it's weaknesses, "Girl, Interrupted" is still a thoughtful study of a young woman's discovery of hope during a time of despair.

"GO" is like one long, hazy descent into the night world of drugs, violence, strip joints and pure delirium. It's structure is different for sure, but it also mirror's the one of "Pulp Fiction". In fact, this movie owes a lot of credit towards Quentin Tarantino's masterpiece, both have that same energy and verve, and both seem to have that joltingly unconventional take on peoples lives and how they can intertwine. There is a lot of surreal moments in this movie, including a look into a guy's bizarre head trip when he's standing in a supermarket. It's biggest strength comes from it's momentum, it never seems to snap out of it's speedy state, almost like a music video. Ok, so it's events are a bit implausible, but no matter how pessmistic you are, the film just pulls you in and makes you feel every ounce of fun (or fear) the characters are experiencing. The performances are pretty strong, I never though Katie Holmes could actually be edgy, even with a role like this one, but Sarah Polley was definitely the stand out. So, what's exactly wrong with "GO"? The answer it pretty simple, it's just not powerful enough. Although it's fun, it's also pretty mild, there could of been "oomph", and the results would of been truly impressive. It's still worth watching though, if you're looking for a wild ride, this is it.