tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929352816561809263.post7498251929933237816..comments2023-10-24T01:19:24.492-04:00Comments on Little Worlds : "Go ahead! Communicate with my dead mother!" - Clint Eastwood's HereafterRichard Bellamyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12397053921647421425noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929352816561809263.post-62068094630551458742010-11-01T08:11:18.736-04:002010-11-01T08:11:18.736-04:00Jason, thanks. Yes, I agree that this movie fails ...Jason, thanks. Yes, I agree that this movie fails to fully realize anything, especially in its laughable final meeting between George and Marie in Covent Gardens. They might just as well have run toward each in slow motion!Richard Bellamyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12397053921647421425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929352816561809263.post-85821905794552771142010-10-31T23:05:10.518-04:002010-10-31T23:05:10.518-04:00Your praise for Damon is right on. It's incred...Your praise for Damon is right on. It's incredible how compelling this film can be in the too brief moments that Damon is on screen. Otherwise, ugh.<br /><br /><em>it is clear that Eastwood has chosen a sensitive and thought-provoking topic to explore in a film that should come off as grave and cerebral, but instead achieves a few touching moments within a whole that is mostly silly...</em><br /><br />I don't know what Eastwood has chosen. I'm not sure he even knows what the film is about. It's about the afterlife, and then it isn't. It's about dealing with the loss of someone you love, and then it isn't. It's about the torment of seeing into the hereafter, and then it isn't. I don't mean to imply that this film has to be one thing and not others, but it at least has to fully realize <em>something</em>.Jason Bellamyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18150199580478147196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929352816561809263.post-39448405598664744402010-10-26T15:49:30.339-04:002010-10-26T15:49:30.339-04:00Ha Hokahey! Well, I will make one confession, tho...Ha Hokahey! Well, I will make one confession, though in large measure I rarely nod off at any film. (My wife alas is another story) We saw thew film late on Sunday night after a particularly active day which included an early morning screening of an Ozu film in Manhattan and some serious walking. I wasn't in the most attentive mood, but I can't say my opinion would have changed much if I saw it in the morning.<br /><br />I like Steven's contention there! Ha!Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929352816561809263.post-38384100886682440842010-10-25T17:55:19.448-04:002010-10-25T17:55:19.448-04:00Sam - It's great that we solved the problem so...Sam - It's great that we solved the problem so that you can post comments! They are most welcome!<br /><br />Even though I accepted the film as a silly venture, I did not start to nod off to sleep. Instead, I was kind of gripped, anticipating a dramatic payoff when all characters converged at the end, but as Steven puts it so well above, <i>We went through all of this to find out that George and Marie both needed a date?</i> What a disappointment!Richard Bellamyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12397053921647421425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929352816561809263.post-19298880485279498492010-10-25T01:41:56.580-04:002010-10-25T01:41:56.580-04:00Well, both Lucille and I fought hard to stay awake...Well, both Lucille and I fought hard to stay awake. This was ponderous, ludicrous and almost unwatchable after the first 40 minutes or so. After the spectacular opening tidal wave sequence the film tried its best to enter the Guiness World Book of Records as the world's "dullest" film. Damon showed up late, but was still largely ineffectual.<br /><br />You've nailed it as far as I'm concerned, and I particularly like this:<br /><br /> "Knowing that my mother, 88, wonders and worries about what death has in store for her – even though she has been a faithful Catholic all her life – it is clear that Eastwood has chosen a sensitive and thought-provoking topic to explore in a film that should come off as grave and cerebral, but instead achieves a few touching moments within a whole that is mostly silly."Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929352816561809263.post-58344539711868510482010-10-24T17:00:22.107-04:002010-10-24T17:00:22.107-04:00Thanks, Sam. I was disappointed with Gran Torino, ...Thanks, Sam. I was disappointed with <i>Gran Torino</i>, <i>Invictus</i> was pleasant and enjoyable, and I didn't hold high hopes for this one, but I'll give any filmmaker a chance. Tell me what you think.Richard Bellamyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12397053921647421425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929352816561809263.post-47063662804342583862010-10-24T09:40:32.490-04:002010-10-24T09:40:32.490-04:00Most interesting, but I'll hold back anything ...Most interesting, but I'll hold back anything further untilI see this film later today at my local Edgewater multiplex. I will say that I've soured on Eastwood as of late (couldn't take INVICTUS and GRAN TORINO) but I'll see what happens. Your views appear to be dead-on, sight unseen though. I'll be back.Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929352816561809263.post-70855626699416392162010-10-23T16:17:31.127-04:002010-10-23T16:17:31.127-04:00You're right, Steven. There were interesting q...You're right, Steven. There were interesting questions to explore in a profound way - but that never happened. Might as well have stuck with a sci-fi treatment of the afterlife - like <i>Brainstorm</i>.<br />SPOILER -<br />And what does that say about George's lack of risk-taking when he uses his talent to foresee them kissing BEFORE he gets up and goes over to her. Don't want to get rebuffed! He might as well have looked ahead to see if they end up in bed.Richard Bellamyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12397053921647421425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929352816561809263.post-85004343554874590462010-10-23T14:41:57.012-04:002010-10-23T14:41:57.012-04:00What bothers me most about the movie is that it ra...What bothers me most about the movie is that it raises all these questions about the afterlife and then drops them altogether just so the story can connect these three characters in the most random ways. The ending made me think that, apparently, many people died in a tsunami and a bombing just so a very morbid "Sleepless in Seattle" scenario could play out. We went through all of this to find out that George and Marie both needed a date?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05571206086671634525noreply@blogger.com