Hey folks, a mustang riding, space jockey from way back, Dave Bowman contacted me (Harry) via our mutual monoliths. It's strange... though the black slab emits strange atonal sounds, in the center of my brain I hear... feel the message clearly. And the message is that FELICIA'S JOURNEY is good. NOW... if only Aritisan would bring it to Austin (via AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL) I could check it out and let you good folks in on the nitty gritty. Atom Egoyan is an acquired taste that I didn't have till about 4 years ago... and ever since I can't get enough of his... strange departure from the regular world of the cinema. And thank god for that.
Harry-
Felicia's Journey is quite possibly the best film I've seen this year . . . It's a toss up between it and EWS . . .
Anyway, I was going to write in before, but I didn't really feel inclined to until now. I had to get my thoughts together, and look back on it. I was able to see Egoyan's new film about three weeks ago here in Dallas. I have a great friend that works at the Inwood, Dallas' coolest art house, she told me than she was going to screen the film because they happened to have the print on hand for a press screening (it was to be sent back to Artisan soon thereafter). I'd have to say that I reacted stronger to this film than to The Sweet Hereafter- which I of course loved. But I was uncontrollably spellbound by this film in a way that I haven't been since Exotica. I wrote up a mini review that I sent out to friends . . . I will include it here-
Atom Egoyan, director of Exotica and The Sweet Hereafter, brings us another masterpiece- Felicia's Journey. In short the film is about a young Irish girl who travels to England to find the father of her as yet unborn child . . . instead she finds the always helpful Bob Hoskins. Who as the movie rolls on is revealed to be a maniacal man bent on keeping Felicia under his spell. Hoskins is amazing and deserves an Oscar nod. Ellaine Cassidy, as the innocent Felicia, immediately brings the audience in with her stunning beauty and subtle perormance. Felicia's Journey had me wanting to leave the theater screaming- but at the same time I absolutely couldn't move. This is a bleak and disturbing film that gets you with a marvelous opening shot, and doesn't let you go until the final credit roll. This is one of my favorite films of this year. Four Stars (out of four).
While I wrote that a while ago, I wanted to wait until now to write you . . . It's been three weeks, and it still feels like I saw it last night. It has that much staying power. I have one word to describe it's affect both in the theater and post-viewing- "riveting".
For you readers out there, if Egoyan is already your favorite living filmmaker, this one will put him on the map.
Review logged by Dave Bowman, enroute to Jupiter aboard Discovery One.
"Just what do yout think your doing Dave?"
