Pedaços de uma Vida

I found this film tedious and slow. A boy admits himself into a research facility for terminal patients. He isn't terminal, but is part of an experiment to conquer cancer by removing the brain's memory of the disease. He spends most of his time interacting with the other patients and trying to remember his past. This was just another dull and tepid film in a long line of flimsy tear jerkers.

Really, there isnt much to say about this one. So why say anything at all? I don't know. What I do know is that I felt nothing for this film. It contained an incredibly awkward kissing scene between Elijah and Rachel Leigh Cook. I had to look away. I still don't understand why their characters felt so passionately about one another. This kiss seemingly came out of nowhere. Boom. I cannot comprehend why people like Janeane G. and Elijah W. would sign on to it. Perhaps the script changed mid-shoot, or the script looked like a good idea on paper. For some reason I don't want to assign blame to anyone but the writer and director. Correct me if I am wrong, but I am pretty sure this is the third movie with Elijah Wood in it that involves a) a junkyard and b) building something from that junkyard (see The War and Radio Flyer for further examples of this). Perhaps his character also jumps on or off a bicycle mid-pedal too (cf. Deep Impact, Radio Flyer, Flipper). Why have I seen so many EW movies? I have deep respect for Frodo. But I have to say, I wouldnt even rent this one.

The Bumblebee Flies Anyway was certainly a drama. People die, sad things happen, and the viewer is blown away by the stunning storytelling. That's what it's supposed to be, right? And was it, in this case? Sort of. Major plot points came and went without much surprise from me. But I still found it interesting and entertaining. The title comes from the fact that bumblebees are actually too big for their wings, and shouldn't be able to fly, but they do. The acting was fine, but it's funny to see that Elijah Wood did better than Janeane Garofolo. The script was similarly passable. Soundtrack: Pretty good, and sometimes quite effective.

On the plus side, some awesome questions are asked, and that's what makes this so powerful. I can't go into detail without giving away the plot. Overall, it's not a waste of time, but there are probably better movies out there. I'd recommend it for people who like to ponder philosophically.

It was a flat movie that didn't take the opportunity to tell a very deep and emotional story. It was too short. However I love Elijah Wood in any movie, so that was a plus. He needs to learn how to kiss on film. I also liked Rachael Leigh Cook. A good match for Lij. Hope they do other movies together.

I found the title to this little known classic while scanning through Elijah Wood's filmography. It was, in fact, the title that jumped out at me the most. I decided I had to see it. After searching through two different rental places in my area I finally found it. I must admit I didn't know what to expect. There were many aspects of the film which intrigued me. Most of all I loved the fact that for 75% of the film you're very unclear as to what Elijah Wood's character is experiencing. This actually mirrors his character's whole role in this film. Both viewer and character are confused and disoriented, thrown into a strange world where dying and terminally ill children are the only company. This brings a unique bond between audience and Barney Snow (Wood) because we are forced to experience his incomprehension. I thought that the acting in this film was on target. Everyone from Elijah Wood to Jeffrey Force was just brilliant. Both Joe Perrino and Elijah Wood have the most expressive eyes and they utilize this gift to really tug the viewer's heart. Though some parts of this film came across a little on the cheesy side, I really found it spectacularly done and completely captivating.