4h44 Dernier jour sur Terre

The ecologically devastated world will end at 4:44 h of the next day. In New York, the fifty and something year-old Cisco (Willem Dafoe) and his younger wife Skye (Shanyn Leigh) spend their last day together in their apartment, waiting for the coming doomsday.

"4:44 Last Day on Earth" is a boring and dramatic movie by Abel Ferrara disclosing the last day on Earth of a couple of lovers in New York. The movie seems to be sponsored by the Skype with many calls from their apartment using this software. The uninteresting plot is basically a filmed storyline with the usual use of religious images by Ferrara and nothing else. My vote is three.

Title (Brazil): "4:44 - O Fim do Mundo" ("4:44 - Last Day on Earth")

New York's bad boy Director is back with another artsy, avant-Garde, personal picture that is surely nothing if not a cranky creation aimed against the mainstream and the Hollywood system. An ultra-low budget display for all the film-school and frustrated filmmakers to show them how to get it done without corporate backing and studio sucking up.

In this film he takes on, no less, the end of the world with a nod to Al Gore, the Dalai Lama, and Buddhism, and other peace-nick people. A left wing shout out to sensitive souls who might just have seen it all coming.

The movie has some beautiful cinematography (not usually one of the Director's traits) and the small cast is on the mark and it makes for a meditation on the madness of our times. There are some indulgences that are unnecessary and distracting (long close ups of sex) that adds nothing and subtracts somewhat, although it fits the theme: loss of lovely things. But overall it is a thoughtful and timely thesis that is an understated, overwhelming passion play. The passion for what is about to be no more.

OK so the flick is far from perfect but it does make you think. The main characters are not the types you would invite to dinner. The female artist is totally absorbed in her painting even though the end is soon to come. She only takes a break for sex, Chineese takeout or, to consult with Mom after a spat with her much older boyfriend. The boyfriend at least makes an effort to connect with family and friends as the clock winds down to zero hour.It is very gritty from the scenes in the couple's loft to the city streets. Made for interesting conversation between my wife and me afterwords. Worth a look on a rainy day.

4:44 The Last Day on Earth is an existential film by director Abel Ferrara that made me wish he went back to making those video nasties that earned him notoriety in the first place.

The film focuses on a couple in love on the last day of earth just before the planet is about to be destroyed by cosmic radiation. Cisco (Willem Dafoe) is an actor, his wife Skye (Shanyn Leigh) is an artist. They are rather benign about the world coming to an end and accepted their fate which incidentally so has many other people in the planet hence the lack of worldwide panic.

Cisco and Skye make love, they argue, talk to other loved ones, she still paints and they are generally bewildered

Interspersed throughout the film are news clips of reporters, commentators and celebrities who contemplate what the end of the world will be like such as Al Gore and the Dalai Lama.

The film is tedious, grim and empty.

4:44 Last Day on Earth (2011)

** (out of 4)

Abel Ferrara's look at the final day on Earth centers on an actor (Willem Dafoe) and his painter girlfriend (Shanyn Leigh) as both of them have different emotions on the big day. 4:44 LAST DAY ON EARTH isn't a complete success but it's not the disaster that some people made it out to be. It's pretty strange that with so many stories that could be told about the final day, director Ferrara took a rather bland couple to make a film about. These people basically have sex, talk, paint, fight and try to come to terms with dying. None of this stuff is all that extraordinary and it doesn't even seem like Ferrara wanted to do anything too outrageous. For the most part the film is pretty simple from start to finish and it's quite laid back as well. Those expecting something crazy from the controversial director aren't going to find it here, although we are treated to one rather graphic sex scene. The performances for the most part are extremely good with Dafoe stealing the film but this here isn't anything new. The actor is so calm, cool and collective in the part that the character becomes quite memorable even though he isn't given much to do in the story. Leigh is also good in her part as is Natasha Lyonne and Paul Hipp in their small roles. 4:44 LAST DAY ON EARTH is far from bad but at the same time the entire picture just has a bland feel to it. Fans of the director or Dafoe might want to check it out but others should probably stay away.