Federico Fellini's Satyricon and Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey are two of my favorite films. I don't mind abstract imagery, or long films with slow pacing. David Lynch's Mulholland Drive also ranks very high on my favorite films list. Cryptic story telling is exciting to be apart of as long as there are enough clues given throughout the film to allow a clear interpretation.
I wasn't bothered by Inland Empire because it was abstract, long, or cryptic. Inland Empire didn't work for me because it was ALL of these things to the second power. If it was shorter in length, it probably would have been easier for me to digest the cryptic and abstract imagery. If the story was told in a more direct way, the length probably wouldn't have become an issue. I found myself drifting far too often during this film. And when I tried to watch it again, I still couldn't get through it without thinking about something else. Inland Empire didn't give me any entry points, so my mind was left outside looking in, and free to wander to other places during the last 2 hours.
David Lynch is one of my favorite directors. I have enjoyed most of the work he has done, including Eraserhead. But I felt Inland Empire was far too sporadic, even for my taste. I give it a 6/10 for its moments of inspired creativity, and for the guts Lynch had to make a film that is probably one of the most experimental I've ever seen.
I wasn't bothered by Inland Empire because it was abstract, long, or cryptic. Inland Empire didn't work for me because it was ALL of these things to the second power. If it was shorter in length, it probably would have been easier for me to digest the cryptic and abstract imagery. If the story was told in a more direct way, the length probably wouldn't have become an issue. I found myself drifting far too often during this film. And when I tried to watch it again, I still couldn't get through it without thinking about something else. Inland Empire didn't give me any entry points, so my mind was left outside looking in, and free to wander to other places during the last 2 hours.
David Lynch is one of my favorite directors. I have enjoyed most of the work he has done, including Eraserhead. But I felt Inland Empire was far too sporadic, even for my taste. I give it a 6/10 for its moments of inspired creativity, and for the guts Lynch had to make a film that is probably one of the most experimental I've ever seen.