Missydparker
Beautiful! I realize not everyone will enjoy this, but if you can look at filmography as an art piece this movie is fantastic! This movie drew me in from the very beginning and I couldn't stop watching it. I hate to admit that I rarely watch a subtitled movie without numerous recommendations, but this one had me hooked. The cinematography was alluring and the plot kept me anticipating-something! It's very lifelike and the meek annoying character grew on me quickly. I started to empathize the exact moment that she mentioned empathy for a pathetic person. The insecurity of Alice and her growth as a character and woman is in sync! I cant wait to watch it with my husband and get his take on it. Watch it!
johno-21
This was among my four highest favorites of the 36 films I saw at this years Palm Springs International Film Festival. This film won the Directing Award and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize, both in the World Cinema-Dramatic category at last years Sundance Film Festival. It's an amazing film for a feature film sophomore release by writer/director Anna Melikyan. This is the story of Alisa (Anastasiya Dontsova as little girl Alisa and Mariya Shalayeva as young woman Alisa) who grows up in a seaside fishing village with her mother (Mariya Sokova) and her grandmother (Albina Yevtushevskaya). Alisa is the product of very brief affair between her mother and a sailor. The sailor returns to his ship and the seas and out of their lives forever and Alisa longs for the return of the father she never knew. Alisa also longs to be a ballerina but when she is denied she takes a vow of silence to never speak again. This results in her being sent to a special needs school where she excels and develops what she believes is the power to make certain wishes come true. As an adult she heads to Moscow where she saves a handsome and wealthy burnt out real estate salesman from suicide. Now she must compete for his affection. Beautiful photography from cinematographer Oleg Kirichenko and art direction from Ulyna Ryabova with an excellent original music score from Igor Vdovin who all like director Melikyan are relatively new to feature film-making. Great casting with superb acting performances especially from Shalayeva as the older Alisa, who at 25 when this was filmed doesn't look nearly that old, and from the equally charming Dontsova as the younger Alisa. This film is a dramatic comedy with a lot of comedy blended with fable-like fantasy and color. This is quirky, bright, fun, smart, imaginative and innovative story and storytelling. There are a couple of dark scenes, one stunning and numbing scene in particular through great film-making where you anticipate what may happen but when it does happen it's not what you expected at all. This is a great film and I would recommend it and give it a 10 out of 10.
sweetlilcolleen
Absolutely loved this film. I have not laughed to the point of gut-splitting pain in a long time.While being one of the funniest and most beautifully films I have seen recently, the film was a poignant commentary on life particularly in Moscow, and less particularly in every other part of the world where advertisements, commerce, and socialization processes force collective humanity into a mold. I found it moving and incredibly enjoyable. This little girl makes her own definitions for beauty, her own temperamental luck, and her own guidelines for love. We experience her dreams, feel her emotions, and watch her young life bloom. Until a statistical tragedy takes its toll. Such is life.
Vjacheslav Anisimov (kajfash)
This film is one more must see Film! I saw trailer few month before and realized that it could be a good film. So it started from 22 Nov in the Ukraine's cinema. This film type is Drama but there are lot of fun issues and new ideas. I was impressed as Mariya Shalayeva play Alisa and as you can see from awards list she won 'Best Actress' award at Sochi. I'm skeptic to the Russian films but this is one more film after which I had impression for the next 2 days. I want to write about this now! It exceed my expectations! I recommend this film for any people ages except children's! And I'm waiting next films from Mariya Shalayeva and Anna Melikyan. I hope they will be great too!
AD
