Indie Film Promoted By Commercialists

When watching the trailer for The Life Before Her Eyes, I originally didn't think the movie looked that great. It didn't get good reviews and Evan Rachel Wood was being her typical typecast character. However, I changed my tune when I watched it online. And I was blown away. I couldn't believe that this film, which I thought was going to be a commercialist melodrama, was going to be such an emotional ride. I don't know why I have such a emotional connection to the film, I've never, thankfully, experienced a school shooting. But there was some connection somewhere.

The film is definitely an Indie movie. It revolves more around the characters and their emotions and how it relates to the story, instead of the story overpowering the characters. This film was not made for the masses, because I don't think everyone will get or understand this. From my research, women generally like this film more than men. Which is understandable, because it takes place from a woman's pov.

The only problem I have with its promotion is that.... there is none! It was made into a generic trailer full of commercialism. Other than that, no TV commercials, no magazine or newspaper ads, nothing. The studio must have realized that they could not promote an Indie film in this way. Really at first glance it seems like there is nothing special about this film, but it shows more of a real reality than a Hollywood reality.

Imaginative, impetuous and wild Diana (Evan Rachel Wood) can't wait for her adult life to begin. Whiling away the final days of high school in the lush springtime, Diana tests her limits with sex and drugs as her more conservative friend Maureen (Eva Amurri) watches with concern. But Diana's aura of invincibility is shattered when a senseless act of violence erupts at school, forever changing the lives of the two best friends.

Fifteen years later, a grown Diana (Uma Thurman) is still trying to come to terms with the traumatic events of that fateful day.

On the surface, the adult Diana has made a picture perfect life for herself. She’s still living in the sleepy Connecticut suburb she grew up in with her husband Paul, a professor at the local college. Her beautiful young daughter, Emma, is smart and creative, and possesses a fiercely independent streak reminiscent of her mother. But all is not well—as the anniversary of her adolescent trauma approaches, the darkness that Diana has tried to escape closes in. Meanwhile, her husband has become increasingly absent, her daughter has taken to hiding from teachers, and worst of all, Diana's own grip on reality is starting to falter.

Moving seamlessly through both stages of Diana's evolution, THE LIFE BEFORE HER EYES delves deep into the crossroads that we all face -- where a simple decision can change the course of everything to come, and where a lifetime can be encapsulated in a single moment.

The film is developing a following over the internet, and receiving a good general buzz and praise from these people. It was rated on an average of a 7.2/10 on IMDb by "normal people" instead of critics.

There are so few movies that quench my emotional needs or leave such an impact. Wood who is playing the bad girl, yet again, gave a stellar performance. She is showing more emotion in her facial expressions and not letting them overpower her performance. Uma Thurman was also excellent. (I'm talking about her a lot lately). Her acting was all emotion. She has proved once again that she can act and she can blend into any role thrown at her.

Take my advice and when you get the chance watch The Life Before Her Eyes. It is definitely a film worth experiencing. The ending will leave you speechless.

Across the Universe and Down the Toilet

I recently watched Across the Universe, the musical dedicated to all of the Beatles' songs. Now, last years when I first saw previews for the film, I was interested in seeing it. Granted, musicals are gold in Hollywood right now. However, that does not make it a great film.

I was extremely disappointed by the film. Across the Universe relies more on its visual effects which ultimately overshadow the message of the movie. There was absolutely no character development at all. They were all one big cliched 1960s, hippie stereotype. And there was absolutely no chemistry between leads Evan Rachel Wood and Jim Sturgess. The film seemed to be more structured around the songs. They must have been thinking how do we get to the next song?

Now I am very much interested in avant-garde and new age film making, but this film is just a new level in commercialism. Across the Universe would have been better if made into a Broadway play instead of a Hollywood movie. Besides it did not do anything for any of the actors' careers. It tried to change Wood's image making her the radical war activist instead of the rebellious and promiscuous bad girl.

Overall, the film really just made me think this was Rent during the Vietnam War. And not to mention, the film is extremely slow and uneventful. It was just one big Beatles stupor throughout the entire movie. The best time to watch this movie is if you were either stoned or sloshed.