Reviews

Beautiful documentary, offering a fascinating glimpse of life at a Buddhist monastery for nuns, Yarchen. Amazing scenery, lovely scenes of convent life and devotion. I'm so happy and grateful DC Filmfest included this documentary.

Way too long. Great acting, and is fun to see the locations. But the writing seems to be based on very questionable values. Why would anyone feel an ounce of sympathy for Anna? She's clearly a sociopath who would throw over anyone if it were to her advantage. Why the vendetta against the Rachel character, who did absolutely nothing wrong? Also the writing is ageist. The three "Scriberia" writers (who selflessly help Vivian research and write the story for months) are all totally interchangeable - not given any dimension as complete individuals who might have worthwhile perspectives and personalities. They're just the old people.

This is a feel-good romantic comedy that is truly funny in places. Luke B is quite appealing and so is Emma Roberta actually. Christin Chenowith is always great. I found the Sloan character kind of annoying. She's a young woman but when it comes to romance and relationships, she acts like a kindergartener, "ick, boys." And why is she unable to drive? But anyway I do recommend it if you want a cute romantic movie.

Other reviewers have explained the problems. I'll just add that the dialogue was very badly written, and it was laughable how often Justin Theroux and Pierce Brosnan gave each other uptight bro hugs with the clapping-on-shoulder action. Trust me, save yourself from this offensive garbage. As another said, I wish I had bleach for my brain after enduring this grotesque movie. Really wish I hadn't watched it.

The Revenant has a gripping story, gorgeous cinematography, fascinating depictions of time and place, and a spiritual dimension I appreciated and associate with the director. What I liked most:

* the story arc -- lots of involving and suspenseful scenes within a larger story that is part survival drama part revenge tale.

* the "grit and grim" -- did you ever see a movie about someone in a harsh time and place, and find yourself working to overlook an actor's coiffed hair or capped teeth? Or a cottage room, for example, that just seems a bit too picturesque? This ain't a problem here. The harshness of this world, which includes lots of grizzled men surviving in the freezing wilderness, is unrelenting.

* the spiritual dimension -- nature is "red in tooth and claw" but Inarritu gives time to its majesty too. That is to say, the God in this movie is pretty fearsome but is also there in the wind and trees and mountain vistas. (Note the film's main bad guy at one point quotes his father describing God as a squirrel he shot and ate. Maybe the ultimate sin is not recognizing the beauty and awesomeness of the world as it was given to us?) The humans in the movie do all sorts of terrible things to each other and to animals, but the fur trapper Glass (Decaprio) also embodies extraordinary human strength in the face of adversity. His strength comes from his loved ones -- namely the whisperings in the wind of his wife, her spirit and her philosophies, as well as his love for his son. There is a beautiful scene in which Glass dreams of his beloved son, hugs him within the ruins of a missionary church, some of its frescoes still intact. In keeping with the balance of beauty/goodness and ugliness/violence/death, the frescoes depict Spanish colonial soldiers torturing indigenous peoples.

* the "equal time": I'm old and grew up watching traditional cowboy and Indian movies. So I appreciate this film's care in creating complex characters and motivations on all sides, even the "Rees" (Arikara tribe)] when they attack Glass and his fellow trappers at the beginning of the movie.

Those were my favorite elements but there is lots more to appreciate, especially the fine acting. If you can handle very intense movies, by all means see this one. And if you haven't, I also recommend Biutiful by Inarritu.