Hey, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab.
Nice that Leonides was able to cover both of the upcoming Linklater films. I regret not catching TAPE at Sundance, and am looking forward to it soon. And the idea that I’m about to get a chance to see WAKING LIFE again... bliss, I tell you. Bliss.
Hey Moriarty, Leonides from Boston here.
Last night I was able to see a screening of WAKING LIFE and even speak with Linklater afterwards. I noticed that Copone posted a review of TAPE and since I saw that at the Boston Film Festival a few weeks ago, I thought I might add my voice to that as well. As always, I will attempt to keep the reviews as spoiler-free as possible.
Okay, now to the goods:
TAPE
TAPE stars the acting talent of Ethan Hawke, Robert Sean Leonard (Neil from THE DEAD POETS SOCIETY), and Uma Thurman. And when I say this film "stars" their acting talent, I mean that literally. The entire 86 minutes of this film take place in one shabby hotel room in Michigan, and most of the time only Ethan Hawk and Robert Sean Leonard are present, Uma only shows up about 30 minutes before the end of the movie.
The premise of the film is rather simple: Vince (Ethan Hawke) meets up with his old high school buddy Johnny (Robert Sean Leonard), who has come back home to show his new movie at a film festival. Vince is a deadbeat; selling and using drugs, never amounting to his dreams. Johnny appears to be the exact opposite. He's doing something he loves, and achieving success.
Vince has a secret, though, that he hopes to use to bring down his friend. The movie is centered around this secret and the complications that spring from it.
Because TAPE takes place in one location it really is a character study in the extreme. Linklater once again shows his ability to make characters seem so REAL. Everything from their dialog to their actions seem very unscripted; since Linklater chose to film this on Digital Video (at times handheld) it also almost gives us the feeling of watching a reality T.V. program.
This is a perfect role for Ethan Hawke. He played his very complicated character with bravado, and allowed his multifaceted personality to seamlessly float to the surface. Vince goes through various stages through the film, and we constantly find our feelings towards him altering. This ever-changing character landscape is what allowed the film to remain interesting despite its apparent lack of variety.
Robert Sean Leonard was simply excellent in this role. I checked the all-knowing IMDb, and he has apparently been in many films since THE DEAD POETS SOCIETY (which he was great in), unfortunately I've seen none of them. Just like THE DEAD POETS SOCIETY, though, he impressed me with the sense of honesty that he brings to his characters. When watching him, I just get a sense of "rightness" -- yes, this IS how the character should be acting. Johnny might be identified as the protagonist in this film, and I can say that Leonard carried the role very well.
Although Uma Thurman's time is shorter than the two other players, I can honestly say that she made a huge impression on the story. I'll admit that I did not even KNOW it was Uma at first... she looked, I'm not sure... "mature" might be the right roll. He character is pretty much the focus of conversation between Johnny and Vince for the first hour of the film, so her final arrival is thought to be the climax to the whole endeavor, instead it turns out to be the crescendo.
The entire film was - though extraordinarily simple - extremely well done. The lack of locations, special effects, and other "distractants" allowed our minds to focus entirely upon the motivations of these characters. This film had certain echoes of DAZED AND CONFUSED and even SLACKERS, but ultimately the little motel room in Michigan gained its own universe. A thoroughly engaging film that I would recommend to everyone.
WAKING LIFE
Alright, so we've heard lots of praise about WAKING LIFE. I'd read some of the reviews about it before I went and saw it last night, and I was, frankly, expecting something really great. But that's not what I got. What I got was brilliance.
That's right, folks, I called this film brilliant. Trust me, that's a rarity. This was simply the best cinematic experience I've had in a really, really long time. The last time I remember this feeling was when I was is sitting, watching the end credits of AMERICAN BEAUTY. But this film surpassed even that.
I find it very difficult to describe this film, so I'm not going to try very hard. It's essentially the journey of a young man through his dreamscape. When did the journey start? When does the journey end? These are all left up to our individual interpretations. But that's not even REALLY what the film is about.
What is the film REALLY about? You'll get all sorts of different answers from different people. I asked Linklater himself at a Q&A after the screening, and he told me that there was no one real "point" he wanted to drive home to the audience. It was about whatever we wanted, and interpreted in any manner which we desired -- just like a dream.
In fact, that might be the best way to describe the experience of watching this movie: it was like being immersed in a waking dream. The animation and all-around look of the film was simply amazing, and like nothing ever done in cinema before. Beautiful, vibrant, fluid, stunning... it's essentially a moving painting. Combine this with the sheer artistry (indeed, Linklater called it a huge "art project") and I was faced with a great cinematic experience.
However, I must warn you now that this film is not for everyone. Some will walk out of this film dazed and confused (ha ha ha), while others will walk out in a state of reverie. I'm not sure if it is dependent upon your intelligence or simply with your fascination of things beyond our own static "reality." I don't consider myself a super-egghead or anything, but the ideas presented in the film were so engaging and intriguing that I felt as if I was on a philosophical high the whole T ride home.
At times the film seemed to drag JUST a bit, but I hasten to add that I wouldn't have wanted one scene or conversation cut out -- all were equally fantastic. This was simply one of the best films I have seen in years. Period. End of story.
Richard Linklater is an all-around good guy. Really engaging and smart (though a bit shy, I think). After the first 30 minutes of the Q&A session the theater guys whispered to him, "Maybe you should stop now?" He ignored them and went on for another 40 minutes. This story has been brewing in his head for over 20 years, and I think I'm a better human being for having seen it.
-Leonides
It’s funny... trying to describe WAKING LIFE to someone before they see just doesn’t seem to work. It’s one of those films that you don’t just watch, you experience. And it’s an experience I know I can’t wait to have again.
"Moriarty" out.
