Two Unique Views

Wes Anderson and David Lynch. Two very different directors with two very different visions. Last night I went out and saw Darjeeling Limited, the latest from Anderson. And, tonight I watched Inland Empire from Lynch on DVD.

First, Darjeeling Limited. I have to start by saying I love Wes Anderson. Rushmore is definitely one of my 10 absolute favorite movies ever. I completely get Anderson's humor and his odd perception of reality. There's a lot to like about Darjeeling. The scenery is beautiful. India is used to great effect and the second the movie starts you know from the way the scenery is framed that this is a Wes Anderson movie. I enjoyed the three leads and the way their relationships flowed through the movie. Adrien Brody was a nice addition to the usual stable of actors. There are plenty of funny bits, always with a darker, sadder bit underneath.

But. I ended up feeling about this movie the same way I felt about The Royal Tennenbaums (sp). I liked it, but I didn't love it. For TRT, it probably had a lot to do with my general dislike of all things Gwyneth Paltrow (sp). For this movie, it has to do with a rather uneven pace. The first part drags and when the "big moment" happens it almost feels like a slap in the face. I would say if you're a fan of Wes' you should definitely check it out, but if you are unsure you may want to wait and rent it.

Now, on to Lynch. I'm still feeling confused. To me, Lynch uses the equivalent of chaos theory when he directs a film. He sees and understands the patterns, but the rest of us may not make all the connections. His films are surreal, but I don't think they are surreal because he doesn't know what he wants. They are surreal because he knows precisely what he wants. The rest of us just have to try and keep up. Laura Dern is freakin' amazing in this. Her character(s) anchor the film. No matter how out there it seems to get, she keeps her performance honest which gives us something to hang onto. I thought with 5 minutes left I'd figured out what Inland Empire was about. With two minutes left, I thought I have no idea what it's about. Then during the credit sequence I got even more confused. Still, I made it through all 3 hours (you heard me) and enjoyed the experience, regardless of how numb my butt and mind were.

Couple of quick things to mention:

Saw the trailer for The Diving Bell and The Butterfly and it looked amazing. Laura strongly recommends the book it is based on and I strongly recommend the cinematographer and director.

Also, the movie I adored from this past summer, Once, is coming out on DVD--Dec. 18 I believe. Scroll back several pages to read my review then go rent or buy this sucker. It was beautiful.

Hopefully after the holiday meeting I will be going to see Lars and The Real Girl. I'll keep you posted.