Movie Club ~ Our Season 6 movie to review ~ What Dreams May Come!

[dollhouse]

I finally watched and here is my review, breathe123 on .. What Dreams May Come...

First off what a visually stunning movie like a live action watercolored painting that came to life and for the time of the movie was made it must have been one of the first to use that technique for movies and these are the kinds of Robin Williams movies I loved him in the most, the heartfelt dramas much over the over the top comedies.

Wow they really skipped over the first meeting to being married with older kids in the start of this, sort of wish they gave us a little more of the beginning of their lives together at the start but I guess that is what flashbacks are used for later on.

Then Poof their kids are killed and again Poof ...another large time gap of four years and then 3 deaths in first 13 -15 mins...no scratch that 4... the dog died too.

I liked how calming Cuba's voice was when talking to Christy, obviously to help him with his transition in passing over and that is afterlife looks like his wife's paintings is beautiful and him and her still being close and connected even after death. Makes me wish my afterlife would be similar, with pets I loved and all.
I enjoyed how what she painted in her real life..showed up in his afterlife...ie the purple tree that appeared from her new painting.

"We are seeing what we choose to see" ... that quote is so true! ... in death as in life.

I also enjoyed as said by Leona we paint our own worlds, to some who fear death that thought would give many a lot of comfort. Obviously not spoil for others watching this is the point of who I realized Leona was when showing the flashback.

That was the first time I cried watching the movie... Not sure about others who viewed thsi curious what was their first tear up? and made it obvious again who Albert was but I wasn't sure why he still couldn't see him for who he was yet.

I do not believe suicides go to hell at all... heaven is where the souls who are loving and good go, how you die doesn't make a difference... Good go to heaven, bad go to hell.

Visual of using basically her red sailed boat imagery to sail to hell to get her back was lovely and liked the placement of flashbacks which was my com plaint earlier on in the movie about editing out all their life together before his kids are killed and himself.

Since her first attempt after the children died he should have known after losing him she would have tried harder to end her life for good once she lost him, they would be no failures on that attempt. I think if it was me and I lost my children and the man I always loved, I would kill myself too. I would feel life doesn't want me happy, so why live in it.

I wouldn't want to try again... I would be content to stay and be with my loved ones in a dreamlike world we created and felt happy within... but the next life concept is interesting but I don't want it.

It was a nice movie about death and loss and trying to keep what you had when alive still as present and meaningful to you in death and the acting was top notch too, along with the soundtrack.

[TheEvilJester]

I know what you mean about wishing we could see more of their life BEFORE their after life. I kind of think, though, that this movie was more about the after life more so than it was their life before. They needed to show us a little of their life before so we connected to the characters. Otherwise, the adventures in the after life wouldn't have meant as much. But, as this movie was more about the after life than it was about their lives before, they only showed just enough of their lives to establish the characters. I think it worked for what it was, but I do definitely see what you mean.

I also think you very much echo exactly my feelings on suicide and the after life. After all, it isn't like she's somebody who just flat out gave up and refused to even fight. It isn't like she was a spoiled brat emo teen who killed herself because mommy and daddy wouldn't buy her a car. She lost BOTH her children.... when they were still children at that..... and she eventually got through that. She did so mostly because of the help of the man she loved..... and then he's taken from her as well. How could anybody not understand that being the final straw for her? How could anybody not understand that being too much pain for one human being to endure? How could anybody not understand that making somebody feel like horrible pain and loss is just their life, and how could anybody not then understand them being unwilling to continue to put themselves through that kind of suffering? So, that's why I have never personally liked the idea that suicide victims go to Hell.

True, as the movie points out, they are still taking a human life. But, they are taking a life that is their own. They are not taking anybody else's. True, they are upsetting the natural balance. But, they do so not maliciously but because it feels to them like the most humane, compassionate thing they can do because they feel they endure too much pain to go on. Why would somebody who suffers so terribly in life deserve to then suffer in the afterlife as well?

To each his own, though. I can certainly understand why some may subscribe to that belief, I just don't personally. I can especially understand that from somebody who has lost a loved one to suicide. Often times, as the loved ones of the person, it can be hard not to feel betrayed. It can be hard not to feel that they gave up, that they didn't care enough about those around them to not do something that would hurt them all so terribly. I can understand that feeling.... but rarely do suicide victims end their own lives because they DIDN'T think it out. They end it even though they know it will hurt some people.... but they end it because THEIR hurt in life is too much to bear anymore. So, rarely is it true that they don't care the effect it will have on others. They DO care, it is just that their hurt is so much that it outweighs anything else. Hence why I personally feel, in their after life, they deserve compassion, not punishment. Not when their life was already punishment enough.

But, again, that is just me. I don't begrudge anybody who feels differently.

[Exeter19]

i decided to drag the gf into watching this with me and discussing it, makes it go by when you have another to watch with especially if it is a more emotional movie and not what i am used to watching personally. i do like a few of william's movies but all i thought while watching this was about him killing himself and wondered while he was deciding whether to take his life or not did he think about this movie he had made many years before.

it went directly into the losses and right into his afterlife journey i wasn't expecting that to happen as soon as it did. the scope of the movie was on the grander side and helped create the fantasy of an afterlife. i wondered why he couldn't see his children right away, especially his son who met him upon arrival. he knew and accepted he was dead so i wondered why, the same his wife couldn't see him when he found her in hell, that i could understand a little more than why he couldn't.

i felt for both william's character and that of his wife in the movie and it felt realistic to how a rl couple who react. the only wtf for me outside of why he couldn't see it was his kids, or know it was his kids was them finally getting her out of hell and back in the fantasy afterlife with himself and the two kids and then him and her decided to go back and try again. all that effort to get them together and they decide to go back and live and "hopefully" meet again. the meeting as kids again was kind of gimmicky to me, i am sure some would appreciate that but even though it shows they met again it doesn't mean their life won't end in the same fate. maybe she will die through an accident, he will kill himself, maybe one child will drive drunk and be killed another in a mass accident ( commuter train, bus, plane) the cynic in me thinks this.

overall i enjoyed the movie for robin william's performance and the visuals they gave us of what heaven might be and could be from our own memories and hopes.

[Jffs24]

Still haven't sat down to watch it yet but I did look at a trailer of it and it looks great from what little it showed. Depressing to think Robin killed himself when you watch it but I guess even a funny man can't tolerate life. Next time I log in here I'll have probably watched and written a review for this so keep an eye out.

[TheEvilJester]

Yeah, I agree with you on the idea of him not being able to see his kids for who they were. I guess they did kind of explain that, though, but I agree it was a bit strange. I think, firstly, he didn't recognize them simply because they didn't appear to him in their own form. They appeared in the forms they'd chosen in Heaven. So, him still being new to the idea of having arrived in the after life, and still not fully accepting it, he just took things at face value. He didn't see his son, he was the young version of the doctor he knew in life because that is the form he saw.

He wasn't yet ready to fully grasp the concept of the after life. The idea that your body isn't what makes you "You." That, in any form, or even in NO form, you are still you. I think the other thing I personally found a little weird about that is why did his children feel the need to try to force him into this realization? Why appear to him in another form and try to just force him to figure it out? I mean, I could see wanting him to learn that lesson about your body not being you, about the form you take not changing who you are..... but wouldn't that have been as easily achieved by appearing in the forms they did.... then changing into the form from their life so he'd recognize them and being like "Hey, Dad! Check it out! Pretty groovy, huh?" LOL!

Of course, then it wouldn't have made for as powerful a scene. So, I get why they did it. You can't always expect movies to be completely logical. Though, a lot of times it can be almost as fun pointing out the flaws in logic as it is talking about the things you liked about the movie. LOL!

I also agree with you about your thoughts on them deciding to go back and be reborn to try again. In fact, I said as much in my super long review. You pretty much echo all the same thoughts in my head. What if they go back and don't find each other again? What if they go back only to suffer just as badly in life? Hell, what if they go back and suffer even worse? They'd reached the ultimate goal. Eternal happiness together with those they love. Why risk that, no matter how certain you are that you'd find each other again?

Not to mention, it opens so many interesting and confounding questions. For example, how does that work when they get back to Heaven? Like, who do they consider their "parents" in Heaven? The parents they had in their original lives? The parents they had in their new lives? Both? What about if they also have kids in their new life? You can just imagine how things could get really confusing in a case where the same soul lived out two different lives.

Opens up a lot of interesting questions that perhaps we can speculate here if anybody has their own thoughts.

[breathe123]

Can't sleep ~ got up & decided to post my review of the movie.

What a gorgeous fully colorful film about not only IMO death, loss but also about true love & possible soul mates.

I think as depressing as the content is, it is also uplifting & promising to those who have or believe in true love/soulmates. I mean you don't want your one true love to commit suicide because they can be without you, but to know someone loves you just that much hits the heartstrings really hard, least for me. :]

~ Movie was inspiring and romantic in a lot of ways. Very creative too, in how it played with color & art.

My favorite character was that of ~ Albert ( his son in disguise as his angel when he enters his version of heaven) like mentioned by I think Jester & Exeter ( up there^^^) I hated that he couldn't recognize his own kiddies & it took extra long for him to know Albert was actually his own son. It made me sad not for him but sad for his son :[ I also liked his favorite teacher, was it? was his guide into hell.

I loved how heaven looked, wasn't that impressed with how hell was, except for having to walk on peoples heads that was interesting.

~ I like dollhouse cried a few weepy tears through this film too. It makes you think about what if.. as in ~ what if I lost the man I loved too, & makes you more connected to what the movie is saying to us, makes me take notice of it more. I enjoyed the movie, would give it a 8/10. I also liked the ending, reincarnation storyline. Those kids were adorable & makes you root that this time around things go better for Chris & Annie.

[TheEvilJester]

It's funny. I always get so into discussing our movies that I forget to actually RATE them. It didn't even occur to me, breathe, until you did. LOL! I think I'd basically agree with your 8/10. It wasn't a GREAT movie, but it was really good.

I also do agree with your take on their version of Hell. What I DID like was the idea that Hell can also be different for each person. But, I would have loved to see them have to explore more of Hell to find her. I would have liked to see them going through the different circles of Hell and see some of the fire and brimstone that we often imagine when we think of Hell. Though, I do think the Hell she was in definitely would be her Hell, so that I didn't mind. I just feel like he managed to find her way too quickly and we didn't get enough of a chance to explore Hell.

I also can't help but chuckle thinking I am such a goofy idiot I'd probably make Hell even worse for the people stuck in the ground. LOL! I'd stand around going "What the Hell are you doing here?" "Man, you guys! It's hot as Hell in here." "I tell you, getting here was really Hell." LOL! I do love a good pun..... and I love a bad pun even more.

[dollhouse]

I could have went for an even longer movie just to get more before story or I just back story about them before kids and life with the kids before they were killed and even Annie and Chris's life together before he was killed not only through brief flashbacks so if movie was an extra 30 mins I wouldn't be mad about it.

I forgot to rate as well... I'd go a 7/10.

Would have enjoyed like TheEvilJester said ^^ about more of his journey in hell.

Who was your favorite character, [MENTION=42177]pcmaster[/MENTION], [MENTION=78034]breathe123[/MENTION], [MENTION=71386]TheEvilJester[/MENTION] and [MENTION=70896]Exeter19[/MENTION]... ( members who've reviewed so far!..) Mine was Albert.

[pcmaster]

I would rate 6/7 because most if the movie was dark and raw- like unpolished and depressive.

Black guy was pretty good. But RB was the best actor. That moment when he lost his mind in hell but thanks to wife who was sane now he got it back. How his eyes changed, it seemed so real.

Anyway RB really was carrying this movie.

[Exeter19]

on dollhouse's question which character i liked the most - i'd say chris's for the fact he was a good man, always trying to right by people, his wife, kids, patients and even strangers ( which killed him) and through it all he remained positive and never gave up. character traits i admire.

i'd rate the flick a 8 as well. if it had of went into more in his afterlife i would have given it a 8. there was a lot more we could have been shown.

[dollhouse]

Thanks guys for answering... i re read breathe's post and in hers she says Albert was her favorite as well.. wonder if anyone liked Annie's character.. I found something distant about her, compared to the kids and Chris's a character..maybe because she was a suicide and they died all because of another by accidents...curious if others have an opinion on this.

[TheEvilJester]

You know, it's funny now that you ask, but when I am reflecting back on it now, I sort of feel like we didn't really get to know Annie quite enough. It's funny because she was basically like the second most important character in the movie, but I just don't feel like we got the same connection with her. I think Exeter really hit the nail on the head with Chris, Robin Williams's character. We get to see how good of a man he was. How selfless he was. How much he truly cares. It makes you love the character.

With his wife, we really didn't get to see a whole lot of who she was. What little we did get to see was only her at her worst. I mean, it wasn't like she was nasty or a bad person. She was just extremely sad give everything that happened to her. So, it isn't like I found it made you dislike her character..... but I don't think it really gave us as much chance to connect with her. So, I do kind of agree the movie could have stood to be a little longer, or otherwise to maybe shorten some stuff to make more room for character development like that.

Still, overall a good movie in my personal opinion.

[megvoh]

[MENTION=71386]TheEvilJester[/MENTION]
I read up on the movie and checked out a trailer for it and I think perhaps this particular movie theme isn't for me atm. But if either breathe123 or yourself can keep the movie thread for this open with bumps etcs. I can come back in and give my review probaby past the review cut off dates. Thanks and sorry to all.

[TheEvilJester]

No need to apologize at all, Meg. I do think, given the subject matter, that you may want to save this movie for later. Sorry about that. :-( If you want to watch it later you certainly still can, but I think we could all more than understand that.

[Exeter19]

[MENTION=78654]dollhouse[/MENTION] - i liked the actress playing annie but in thinking back on her portrayal it was a bit cold but maybe they wanted her to play it that way. imo she should have been likable the same way robin's character was but the movie was a vehicle for robin not her so the one they want you feeling for routing for i guess is him, she's sort of an afterthought in some ways to if or how we think or care about her, they want us remembering him mostly. she was a more fragile soul compared to him.