Sombras da Vida

"A Ghost Story" haunts its way into my 7/10 rating, and I must admit, I liked it. Casey Affleck's minimalist yet poignant performance under a sheet is surprisingly affecting, creating an ethereal presence that lingers long after the film ends. The deliberate film editing, characterized by long takes and slow pacing, allows the audience to immerse themselves in the film's meditative atmosphere. Its strength lies in its exploration of time, mortality, and the afterlife, offering a unique and introspective take on the supernatural genre. Daniel Hart's haunting score adds to the film's melancholic beauty, and the cinematography, often framed in a square aspect ratio, gives a sense of isolation and eternity. "A Ghost Story" is a thought-provoking and quietly moving experience, reminding us that even in death, our presence can endure, and my liking for it is as enduring as the ghost's silent watch over time.

This is not a film to watch with a big bowl of popcorn snuggled up looking for something to entertain you on a Tuesday night. It's probably best that you know what you're getting yourself into...

It's a film that challenges you to empathize with a faceless, voiceless entity that you only get to know briefly. It weaponizes boredom and hazy, cold cinematography to put the viewer in a similar situation as the titular ghost. You are a distant, helpless observer to a world that relentlessly moves forward without you. Characters come and go without much introduction or resolution, and all you can do is watch as time goes on... and on... and on...

A Ghost Story is intentionally divisive, but if you immerse yourself in its bold and and chilling atmosphere, you will experience a film that is deeply moving and sticks with you for a long, long time.

Alright. I confess. I am an emotional person. After seeing the Plugged In review for this film, I cautiously threw this movie in on a slow, Saturday night. I assumed that it was going to be much like the movie "Ghost," and that it would be good, but not overly amazing. I was so wrong.

Not only did this movie make me cry for most of its duration, but it literally made me sob so hard that I was afraid of waking up the rest of my family is I cried in my bedroom at 11:45 at night. The film just hits so close to home. Time is the enemy of everyone. There's no going back, and there's no stopping it either. People pass, relationships end, romances form and then break apart. Nothing, at least in our physical world, ever stays the same. This movie beautifully illustrates this in a way that most American audiences don't seem to be understanding, which is why I am writing this review.

This movie deserves so much more recognition that it currently has; especially on this site. While this is by no means an action-packed or on-the-edge-of-your-seat film, the pure amount of artistry and raw, unadulterated emotion found in it makes stand out in my mind as one of the best films I have ever seen.

It's so simple. So astronomically simple; and that's what makes it so magical. Whether it be the haunting image of a wrecked car or the heavily-spoken about scene depicting a woman eating an entire pie for over five minutes, every single shot is filmed with so much emotion, it makes you want to pause the film and reflect on every minute the story has to offer. Everything has a purpose in this film. It all ties together in this beautiful, haunting tragedy mixed with a love song.

I know I'm just a kid. Yes, I may be only seventeen. But I beg you, if the reviews for this film on this site are making you think twice about seeing this, just listen to what I have to say and watch it. No, it's not for everyone. If you're looking for a horror movie or a blood-splattered motion pic, skip this one over. But if you're deeper than that, and you actually want to experience something you won't forget, throw yourself into this one.

It's sad to see that this beautiful masterpiece of American cinema is being so overlooked.

I am surprised at how emotional this movie was. I fully expected this to be slow and it was so as it started off I wasn't angry but I was getting bored, anyone who has seen it can admit that the pie eating scene is a tad too long. However as the movie progresses it becomes better or even great in places, it is slow but it explores the passing of time and mortality in such a magnificent way that it makes the viewer think and reflect on their own life and what it means. As I said in the title this movie would go really well with Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, especially the song Time. The story of the movie is very simple but effective and the length of it is perfect. The movie is an unexpected gem because even though people have recommended this I did not expect it to be one of the most resonant movies of 2017 for me and one that would make feel so sad and thoughtful.

Imagine a joke that takes 90 minutes to tell, you never get to hear the actual punchline, and part of the point is how long and incredibly boring it is to get there - yet it makes sense at the end, and in some strange way seems fulfilling. If this sounds like your cuppa joe, you might like this flick. I'm glad I watched it, but wouldn't watch it again, and can't recommend it.