BookBuffBob
Joined Feb 2007
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Reviews6
BookBuffBob's rating
The last ten minutes of this movie may be the creepiest ten minutes of any movie in at least two decades. That being said, ten minutes doesn't make a 99 minute movie a good film. The story was predictable and poorly told, and the first hour and twenty minutes were repetitive and truly boring. I read somewhere that people were walking out of the film because it was so scary, but that's not the case at all. People walked out of the film because it takes much too long to provide any sort of entertainment. I feel sorry for the people who lasted an hour and left, only to miss a very good payoff. I can't recommend spending the $10-$15 to see this film, but once you've sat through that first excruciatingly boring hour, you really need to stay and see the payoff.
I wish the filmmakers would have found a writer who could have build a story and the characters so that the payoff left the audience feeling like they saw a great film, rather than feeling like "it's about time". Sure, if you are one to be scared by films, the ending will creep you out. But if you are looking for a lasting horror experience coming from a well made and scary 99 minute horror film, you will be disappointed. In my opinion, the ending was good enough to make me glad I didn't leave, but overall I wish I had seen something else. The sum of the experience is negative. This was a missed opportunity.
I wish the filmmakers would have found a writer who could have build a story and the characters so that the payoff left the audience feeling like they saw a great film, rather than feeling like "it's about time". Sure, if you are one to be scared by films, the ending will creep you out. But if you are looking for a lasting horror experience coming from a well made and scary 99 minute horror film, you will be disappointed. In my opinion, the ending was good enough to make me glad I didn't leave, but overall I wish I had seen something else. The sum of the experience is negative. This was a missed opportunity.
In "Pi" Aronofsky dealt with the subject of the mathematics of the universe, and he touched on the theory that a higher understanding of this math reveals God, and in turn reveals everything about God's creations. The idea was based in part on the Judeo-Christian philosophies and religion, more specifically in the patterns of the Torah and Hebrew language.
In "The Fountain", Aronofsky actually deals with very similar subjects, such as those of the creation of the world, and reaching a higher level of enlightenment. In this film, instead, the ideas and concepts are rooted in eastern religion and philosophy. In fact, having a familiarity with eastern religions would go a long way in understanding this film. An open mind would help a lot too.
If you are looking for a straight forward film with a traditionally defined chronology, or a film that can be easily understood without much thought, this film isn't the one. (I don't say that out of pretentiousness. Sometimes you just want simple entertainment. My statement was not a judgement.) But, if you are looking for a film to ponder and discuss, or if you have interest in eastern philosophy or in the theories of the Mayan's higher level of enlightenment, this film is a lovely interpretation of some of those ideas.
I've read some of the theories about this film on this site. In order to understand this film we can't try and follow a character as much as we must follow energy and life force ... or parts thereof. We also have to let go of our understanding of time and realize that past and future aren't necessarily exclusive if the meaning of time is changed or if the time line is no less easily maneuvered than a roadway. We must also realize that the film is just based on a philosophy, a metaphysical theory, even if it's a powerful one. A concrete understanding of the philosophy (for lack of a better word) can only come with a higher level of enlightenment, if that exists for us in this world. The Fountain is just a very good effort in bringing the ideas to film.
Film, of course, is limited to stimulating our senses of sight and hearing. The film touches on ideas that are to be understood with higher levels of senses. I think that Aronofsky did as well a job as could be done to help us visually follow something that is not visual. He's definitely a bright, knowledgeable and open minded filmmaker.
In "The Fountain", Aronofsky actually deals with very similar subjects, such as those of the creation of the world, and reaching a higher level of enlightenment. In this film, instead, the ideas and concepts are rooted in eastern religion and philosophy. In fact, having a familiarity with eastern religions would go a long way in understanding this film. An open mind would help a lot too.
If you are looking for a straight forward film with a traditionally defined chronology, or a film that can be easily understood without much thought, this film isn't the one. (I don't say that out of pretentiousness. Sometimes you just want simple entertainment. My statement was not a judgement.) But, if you are looking for a film to ponder and discuss, or if you have interest in eastern philosophy or in the theories of the Mayan's higher level of enlightenment, this film is a lovely interpretation of some of those ideas.
I've read some of the theories about this film on this site. In order to understand this film we can't try and follow a character as much as we must follow energy and life force ... or parts thereof. We also have to let go of our understanding of time and realize that past and future aren't necessarily exclusive if the meaning of time is changed or if the time line is no less easily maneuvered than a roadway. We must also realize that the film is just based on a philosophy, a metaphysical theory, even if it's a powerful one. A concrete understanding of the philosophy (for lack of a better word) can only come with a higher level of enlightenment, if that exists for us in this world. The Fountain is just a very good effort in bringing the ideas to film.
Film, of course, is limited to stimulating our senses of sight and hearing. The film touches on ideas that are to be understood with higher levels of senses. I think that Aronofsky did as well a job as could be done to help us visually follow something that is not visual. He's definitely a bright, knowledgeable and open minded filmmaker.
Okay, so now I've seen The Abandoned. It was the last of the Horror Fest films that I wanted to see.
I wondered why this film, above the others, was able to obtain individual theatrical release. Now I understand why ... to a point. The film had a premise that was a bit more high concept and complex than the others. In fact, it had a couple of high concept premises. A few even. And that was the problem.
The film tried to deal with the concept of dopplegangers (though incorrectly), the concept of inevitability and the similar but more supernatural concept of destiny. The problem is that these concept are often in conflict with one another in this film. In fact, rules are often set up and then broken, and the reason for the whole tale is nullified by the OTHER reason.
I won't say too much because I don't want to use the spoiler warning. However, it seems that the reason for our resolution was inevitability in one explanation, then based on a combination of timing and a chance contact in another. And no, they don't work together. In fact, there is reason to believe that we've been involved in a never ending circle AND reason to believe that the story must end each time. If you see the film you'll understand.
And for those who would like to say that this contradiction is the point, it's really not. It's really just messy storytelling in which the writer didn't completely follow through with one concept, and used the other to try to add more color. Instead, it made the whole movie a non-story.
I can forgive some amount of messy storytelling in a horror film if I'm entertained. That was the most disappointing thing about this film. Until we get to the payoff, which wasn't very well thought out, we are taken along on the most boring journey of any of the Horror Fest films. I'm not one who needs action or explosions, but I do need some interesting building of story. Two people slowly walking around a "ghost town", happening upon a piece of the puzzle every fifteen minutes is not suspenseful, it's just boring.
This film had potential. The storytellers were definitely thinking above the others in the Fest. Still, they didn't chose one story line and set of rules, and they didn't give us anything interesting to see or feel until the very end. Actually, if the payoff had been more well put together, I may have been able to forgive a bit of the boredom. I can't forgive both.
The performances and cinematography were good, but when you are bored through most of a film, they don't really make an impression. I wanted to enjoy this one, but I nearly fell asleep.
I wondered why this film, above the others, was able to obtain individual theatrical release. Now I understand why ... to a point. The film had a premise that was a bit more high concept and complex than the others. In fact, it had a couple of high concept premises. A few even. And that was the problem.
The film tried to deal with the concept of dopplegangers (though incorrectly), the concept of inevitability and the similar but more supernatural concept of destiny. The problem is that these concept are often in conflict with one another in this film. In fact, rules are often set up and then broken, and the reason for the whole tale is nullified by the OTHER reason.
I won't say too much because I don't want to use the spoiler warning. However, it seems that the reason for our resolution was inevitability in one explanation, then based on a combination of timing and a chance contact in another. And no, they don't work together. In fact, there is reason to believe that we've been involved in a never ending circle AND reason to believe that the story must end each time. If you see the film you'll understand.
And for those who would like to say that this contradiction is the point, it's really not. It's really just messy storytelling in which the writer didn't completely follow through with one concept, and used the other to try to add more color. Instead, it made the whole movie a non-story.
I can forgive some amount of messy storytelling in a horror film if I'm entertained. That was the most disappointing thing about this film. Until we get to the payoff, which wasn't very well thought out, we are taken along on the most boring journey of any of the Horror Fest films. I'm not one who needs action or explosions, but I do need some interesting building of story. Two people slowly walking around a "ghost town", happening upon a piece of the puzzle every fifteen minutes is not suspenseful, it's just boring.
This film had potential. The storytellers were definitely thinking above the others in the Fest. Still, they didn't chose one story line and set of rules, and they didn't give us anything interesting to see or feel until the very end. Actually, if the payoff had been more well put together, I may have been able to forgive a bit of the boredom. I can't forgive both.
The performances and cinematography were good, but when you are bored through most of a film, they don't really make an impression. I wanted to enjoy this one, but I nearly fell asleep.