REVIEW: The Way Back [2010]

“Nature is your jailer and she has no mercy” I have never seen classic, 70s Peter Weir such as Picnic at Hanging Rock. I haven’t even seen 80s Weir for that matter. The few I have had the opportunity to catch, however—The Truman Show, Dead Poets Society, Master and Commander—all enthralled, making me realize this director wasn’t one to take lightly. So, amidst all the praise going around this year for the young upstarts and the youngish stalwarts, it’s easy to forget the 66-year old is not only still working,…

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REVIEW: àž„àžžàž‡àžšàžžàžàžĄàž”àžŁàž°àž„àž¶àžàžŠàžČàž•àžŽ [Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives] [2010]

“I’ll find my way back to help you” I think there is a major cultural divide for me watching the Palme D’or winning Thai film àž„àžžàž‡àžšàžžàžàžĄàž”àžŁàž°àž„àž¶àžàžŠàžČàž•àžŽ [Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives] from writer/director Apichatpong Weerasethakul. There is such spirituality to its display of Boonmee’s (Thanapat Saisaymar) final days that I can’t begin to comprehend in my Americanism. Between watching his memories as a cow or a catfish in previous lives and the absolute believability that people can either move on towards heaven or stay as ghosts, I…

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