Change Your Image
e_robertg
Reviews
Birth (2004)
A brilliant glance on death and the what-if
This movie was a masterpiece in every way. I initially left with a sour taste in my mouth after viewing the ending. I then watched the movie again and caught some of the more subtle cues, words and actions happening in this movie.
The Kubrickian opening scene was beautifully shot and evoked this powerful sense of a journey about to unfold. There are several scenes where Nicole Kidman delivers quite possibly the most powerful performance she has ever delivered and without the use of her voice. She pulls this off so well and it gives a good sense of what the rest of her performance has in store. An unsung hero in this film is the young child actor Cameron Bright. His performance was equally as astonishing. He was able to convey the adult mind intermixed with the mental faculties of a child. This Mr. Reincarnation was accurate down to the smallest details of how his actions should be as an adult while also displaying how his vehicle was still that of a child's. He was conflicted and equally abound with thought as Anna, Nicole Kidman's character. The duality was shown towards the end specifically when they were both shown taking portraits.
The musical score by Alexandre Desplat blends so extremely well with this movie and conveys even more powerfully those scenes where voice is not available to convey each of the actor's unheard emotions. The opening shot is one of the best examples of how well it completes the movie.
I believe you'll have to have an observant eye and an open mind to fully appreciate this film. The ending may seem unfulfilling or open ended but in a sense it is quite conclusive. The ending does leave enough room to view it in different ways however.
In short, I recommend this film to those who can fully appreciate films that make you think and which offer a beautiful composition of both music, images and story.
Virgin (2003)
A lighthearted easy going semi-coherent journey through the birth canal of a lesbian
This is one movie that should have been aborted at its earliest trimester. I specifically found the uncomfortable lesbian scene, the half conscious acting, the inane babble of Robin Wright Penn in the bonus features, the overly long commentary of the actresses and the pleasantly random sequence of nudity from the local crazy woman and Baptist church congregation that culminated into an all nude action circle jerk specifically pleasing. I must mention the bonus material once again. If you find yourself nauseous from the opening shots, I recommend you go to the bonus footage and watch as the director tries to explain this maddening concoction. I mean seriously I was left speechless. My mind couldn't grasp that I was actually viewing something such as what lay on my television screen (you'll see what I mean towards the end of the Virgin Voices section). Other than that kids, I recommend this flick if you're currently wearing thick framed glasses, clutching a Starbucks latte, wearing a thrift store special and no deodorant.