Bangletom
A moody, three-quarter-sketched genre document somewhere between The X-Files, The Twilight Zone, The Mothman Prophecies and (surprisingly) a heartwarming Lifetime fictioner, writer-director James Lay's Dreamland is a spooky, open-ended, alien-tinged quasi-thriller that makes the most of its desolate landscapes. Shot in deep shades of blue by cinematographer Jonathan Hale, the movie is an old school, filmic exercise in the elongation of apprehension. When filmmaker Robert Rodriguez talked, in Rebel without a Crew, his tome about the making of El Mariachi, about making a list of one's assets, and then using those to help shape the narrative of a movie, he could very well have been talking about a movie like this, so spare and streamlined are its moves and payoffs.There's also an admirable, rewarding slow-play of details to match the low-key stakes of the story. if you can take character-rooted nuance in your sci-fi, there's some genuine enjoyment to be found here.
cdd171812
I have to say this is the worst movie that I have ever watched in my life, I cannot believe that I wasted $10 at blockbuster ; this movie should be burned and who ever thought of it has issues. Who ever actually spent money to make this movie was insane =D This movie has TERRIBLE actors and some of the scenes make absolutely no sense. Well, the whole movie doesn't make sense. Also the part where those "men" come into the diner ( department of national securities )that happened to be the worst part of the film. How dare they say Frank Sinatra's name in vain? Also, what is up with those glasses? When the guy and girl are in the car and she "drinks" water, you can totally tell that she isn't even drinking! Also, what is up with the freaky dinner guy. And everyone knows that you don't stab tires, you slash them.
leighbradley
I never comment on a film, but I have to say that this was one of the worst films that I have ever seen. I feel it was made by a beginner film student and not to put down talented film students, but this was horrible! I did not buy the lead actress and felt I was in acting class with her while she was on film. Her decisions were very safe and I feel she was mimicking other actresses in films and not acting and making her own decisions. The direction was very confusing and the sound was louder than the actors themselves. The end may have made a little more sense if there was someone narrating the events and not a song. I love Patsy Cline but she her songs appear quite frequently in films. Maybe the song selection could have been a little more original. The song "crazy" was such a cliché. As I said before I never comment on films and have seen my share of good and bad, but this was the worst. Sorry.
scareynoot
Some love this movie, some hate it, It happens these days when the ambitions of a filmmaker soar above the crap that Hollywood poops out. Clever writer/director James Lay leaves little time for bathroom breaks with quick glimpses of clues delivered in intentionally vague clouds of mystery that reveal the duality of the characters. Lay makes a good run at low budget Aronofsky/Lynch mood and style along with a mixture of witty and sarcastic dialog. Jackie Kreisler, raw in a good way, offers something transient to her character Meagan. Shane Elliot seemed flake boyfriend Dylan, surprisingly shifts halfway thru the film becoming a spooky creep with subtle glances. Jonathan Breck as Blake the Bartender offers up the most convincing character role as tobacco spitting man of mystery himself.Like a dog chasing its tail into infinity, Lay leads the viewer through a confusing dream state of seemed bizarre random events leaving the less than savvy viewers thinking "whats it all mean?" and "I don't get it, so it must not make sense" but like trying to assemble a 10,000 piece puzzle of a white cloud, it becomes clear Lay has sent you down a rabbit hole with a million tunnels into the infinite allowing the open minded artist in us to see that all is possible, there is just choices. Although the many who need the illusion of structure will reject this film, for the others of us who embrace artistic risk and reject one dimensional thinking Dreamland offers inspiration.
AD
