Mulholland Drive

Rating:
Summary: Lynch proves that he is a master of visual poetry.
Review: "Mulholland Drive" is a remarkable movie in roughly every way possible. I was impressed when I first saw the movie, but after a couple more viewing, I truly began to appreciate what Lynch has created. I love David Lynch for both his good and his bad films, mostly because he won't compromise. I have yet to see him make a mainstream movie in a bid for cash. "Mulholland Drive" is another one of his many bizarre and semi-coherent movies, and this time, it's a really, really good one.

The plot centers on the relationship between two women, Rita, who has amnesia after an attempt on her life, and Betty, who came to Hollywood bright eyed and bushy tailed to be a star. The pair spend a good chunk of the movie playing detective and sneaking around Nancy Drew style in order to try to uncover Rita's identity. About 3/4 through the movie, that entire approach is scrapped, and the rest of the movie is a lot of seemingly random scenes and actions. I'll deal with the plot later on in greater detail.

The acting is fabulous, especially Naomi Watts, going from bubbly pert blonde starlett to emotionally unstable and possessive green-eyed monster (in the Shakespearean sense, not literally). The rest of the cast holds up their ends of the bargain with skill as well, with not a poor performance in the cast.

The music and sound are phenomenal. Lynch is a director who truly understands the subtle nuances of sound in a movie, and he uses that understanding to weild a mastery over this movie's soundtrack that is crucial to the movie itself. The standout in the sound category (coupled with visuals) is the amazing scene in the "Silencio," a bizarre theater that the women visit. The scene marks the point where the movie truly stops making sense in the traditional fashion, but it also marks the point where Lynch expertly and poetically works our emotions. The climax of the Silencio scene (I won't give any details, because it's so amazing) never fails to move me in a way that I have rarely experienced before. I am filled with an overpowering sense of hopelessness and impotence every time the singer . . . well, you know. This is due in no small part to the absolutely gorgeous rendition of "Crying" that the audience is treated to in this scene. Couples with the surreal visuals, this scene alone is worth the ticket price.

Now on to the direction. In case you haven't noticed by now, I love what Lynch does with this film. He effectively combines scenes of comedy, horror, surrealism, drama, sex, and poetry into a single knockout punch of a product. He knows subtlety, and is more subtle in this particular film than most people realize.

I'll now go back to the plot. There are two ways to view this film. The first is as the cinematic manifestation of a bizarre and incomprehensible nightmare that affects you in many ways, but you can't figure out why. It could very well be "that really weird dream you had last night" in cinematic form. You could also try to find the puzzle and solution in the movie, and there are possibilities. If you don't want to spoil the movie, skip to the conclusion now. If you think of the first 3/4 of the movie as Diane's fantasy and dream of her relationship with Camilla, it starts to take shape. This is not to say that the first 3/4 are a dream, that's far too simple. Diane (who is the real character, along with Camilla, Betty and Rita are made up) is driven insane with jealousy and rage by the structure of Hollywood and her lost love with Camilla. Notice how many objects and characters in the last 1/4 of the movie make appearances earlier in her fantasy. Most of the characters are recognizable, but just passing through are "Aunt Ruth," "The Cowboy," and "Camilla". Perhaps Diane created this fantasy to convince herself that she was a good person who did not just pay for the hit on her lover. So what about the key and the box? There is no rational explanation for the key and the box. All we know is that the key was on the table indicating that Camilla was now dead (check the dialogue later with the hitman). The most obvious (and most probable) interpretation is that it's Pandora's Box. Notice that the movie makes it's final turn down the path of darkness when the box is opened. When the box is opened, the illusion is shattered. "It is all a recording."

I wait with baded breath for Lynch's next film. I hope he keeps making stuff like this and "Blue Velvet".

Rating:
Summary: One Of The Worst Movies I Have Seend
Review: Sorry to say but after watching this movie. The longer the movie went on the more my eyes wanted to shut.

Rating:
Summary: Lynch's message
Review: SPOLIER ALERTS:
I thought Club Silencio and the words of the master of ceremonies is a reminder to us all (and the characters) that our lives and the world and our beings are NOTHING. [In the beginning was the word, before that _silence_; the Word (as in the Bible) may be a dream or a shared illusion of sentient beings who don't know they aren't sentient and don't know they don't exist.] At best we are the dreams of a higher dimensional creature or a kid (God) in a 24 dimensional reality, playing on a "computer" virtual reality game. "It's all recorded" and the emphasis on AUDITIONS means our lives have been scripted and our particular lives have been assigned to us by a casting director. Lynch has excelled at emptieness, meaninglessness, dead bodies or body parts (much of Mulholland drive seems to have a faint sound in the background of insects consuming a dead body), and the random cruelty of nature; but has offered the only cure for this as: _a Kierkegaardian leap of faith_: The characters in Blue Velvet believe in the bluebirds in a world where they see more insects than birds; Twin Peak's Dale Cooper believe in the enthusiasm of being a human being who loves "a great cup of coffee" and a slice of pie "that's worth a stop." He stands tall and smiles and Likes people in a world partly filled with corpses and human suffering and madness; Wild at Heart has 1) a Good Witch from Wizard of Oz and 2) the singing of Elvis songs which elevates the characters (who aren't too bright) to a "nifty" level of experience that is high above the blood on the marble floor where the head was bashed. Lynch is best at showing us the reality of meaninglessness, insects devouring our dead bodies in the future, the non-understandableness of life, existential angst, angst from physical and mental wounds, agony without much ectasy. He is LESS able to make the Leap of faith real. He portrays existence so well. The Leap of faith aspect seems forced. Maybe he's TRYING to believe in faith and is trying to sell the idea to himself. Well, I may be up in my armpits in a quicksand of diseased manure and my nightmares may seem to be coming true, and my body may rot and be food for insects in the future, and I may lose my persona and/or ego again, but, trust me, we are in the Platonian shadow world of 2 or 3 dimensions. At death we will unfold into our 24 dimensional selves. I love you all.

Rating:
Summary: an amazing movie
Review: I just got done watching David Lynch's " Mulholland Drive" and it was a simply breathtaking film. Not since Donnie Darko have I seen a film such well written and acted. The directing by Lynch is beautiful, making this movie seem like a dream at times. The plot is very confusing so im not going to explain it, just go out and rent it for yourself. Needless to say this is my first Lynch film, and it was a great experience. I wish i would have discovered him sooner..
Rated R for Violence, Disturbing images, Language, and Strong sexualtiy/nudity

Rating:
Summary: Lynch mob
Review: I've got kind of a love/hate thing with David Lynch movies. I've seen all of his movies numerous times, but I admit, with every movie like this he puts out, I'm stumped the 1st time watching it. Once I get it, I think "another one of these??? argh!!". But I can't help myself. I love his work, even if it makes me want to slap him silly for creating ludicrous puzzles out of simple plots (which is an artform in and of itself he's mastered). To anyone else who still can't quite figure it out, the biggest clues to what this movie is REALLY about, I won't provide a spoiler here, just offer a few clues.

1. Pay attention to the camera closing in on the red pillow at the opening credits

2. Notice what happens immediatley after Rita opens the blue box

3. Notice the distinct differences in the charachters before the blue box is opened, and after (most notably, the director)

4. The very last scene at the end of the movie.

Rating:
Summary: DREAMS ARE NOT LOGIC
Review: I seen this in a half empty theatre and bought the rather skimpy DVD.I loved it and I consider it one of the best films.I see alot of
people have their interpetations of this unique film.WOW! Some 800 responses.I tried to 'solve' this myself.I now think Mr. Lynch didn't want to spell the story out.IT'S a fools game.People just look silly and trite trying to explain a dream.Look at a piece of art and there a million different responses.Everybody is both right and wrong in their answer.I believe there being no Lynch commentary track speaks volumes.A Mystery is only a mystery when we don't know what the mona lisa smile signifies.A stunning and hypnotic film gazing experience.This film has many wonderful and brillant small scenes.My only gripe is this film should of had
story chapters.I loved REQUIEM OF A DREAM also.Try to watch this
film in the spirit of KUBRICK'S 2001.If you must read people's opinions remember a dream is silly cuz it's illogical.Kudos to DAVID LYNCH for not spelling it out.This film was not greeted by
the american film industry kindly.It's easy to see why.I love so many scenes in this film.The photography,the music score, the faces of actors,the humorious diologue..etc.It reminds me the first time I seen a Fellini film.IT'S A FILM TO TAKE IN YOUR SENSES.GET IT AND ENJOY!

Rating:
Summary: A Revelation
Review: Even if you don't understand it, Mulholland Drive is an intriguing, gripping, beautiful movie. I should know. I sat through it twice - and enjoyed it - without really knowing what is going on and why - especially when the film seems to change. Now I finally understand the basic plot, I must say that Mulholland Drive is nothing less than a revelation in modern cinema, soaring straight into my list of top 10 movies ever. I'm not going to give anything away here, but I will say that there is a meaning with exactly everything that happens, and the clues are there. If you still can't figure it out, do what I did. Find a web site that explains the plot and imagery and then go back and watch the movie again. You'll be glad you did.

Rating:
Summary: Obviously, Lynch was doing SOMETHING right...
Review: Any film that creates this much activity with people taking their time to write on-line reviews (over 800 on Amazon, over 1200 on IMDB) will have many folks at opposite ends of the rating scale. To survive with 4 and 8 star ratings, respectively, says a lot for the staying power of the film. My rankings? A 5 for Amazon and a 9 for IMDB. What David Lynch has created is an engrossing 2 hour and 27 minute cinematic experience that I was sorry to see come to a close. Any film that leaves as many indelible images in my mind as this one, will always get my support. (The scene in the Club Silencio featuring a Spanish version of Roy Orbison's 'Crying' is inspired film-making. The scene at 'The Corral' was just plain spooky, and the hit-man in Adam Kesher's house was hilarious.) I'm not going to get into the arguments about "what did this scene mean?" or "this one didn't go anywhere", mainly because it's fruitless. You either get it or you don't. To be fair, this film made much more sense the second time around. That I wanted to watch it a second time says something about Lynch's ability to entertain even if you're lost somewhere in the story. Yes, I know I used the terms 'entertain' and 'Lynch' in the same sentence, but it was intentional. I wasn't dreaming. Honest. (Watch the film as a rental first, because it's not everyone's cup of tea. That's what I did. THEN I put it on my "Wish List.") Thank you, Mr. Lynch. You are now officially forgiven for 'Dune.'

Rating:
Summary: David Lynch's best film
Review: If you have not seen the movie and plan to or possibly might see it then do not read this review because I will spoil it for you unless you want to know ahead of time what the plot is of this rather confusing but unique and startling film.
When I first saw this film I had no idea what was going on especially at the end of the film. Then when seeing it a second time I realized that the movie is about Diane having a dream that she is Betty and the girl she contracted to be murdered,Camilla, is named Rita and is an amnesiac. I would like to see a sequel to this movie because it is my feeling that since we never see Camilla's death that she escaped the contract that Diane paid for. The other thing that I would like to see is a version of this movie in which everything in is chronological order so that the movie doesnt have to be viewed several times to get it straight as to what happened before the dream and what happened after the dream. In any event not since the movie Rosemary's Baby has a film been made which incorporates fantasy and reality in such an ingenious way. I also felt sorry for Diane and why she wanted to kill her exlover Camilla was understandable as was her wish fufillment dream that takes up most of the movie. Of course there may be people who disagree with my interpretation of the movie or will disagree with making any modifications to the form of the movie.

Rating:
Summary: SMOKING REEFER
Review: THIS MOVIE ONLY MAKES SENSE IF YOU ARE SMOKING REEFER!