MUBI

(Originally written July 11, 2008)

This is one of the most engrossing films I’ve ever seen (and one of the most difficult to follow). Guy Maddin’s latest film is a sort of dream, full of scattered thoughts and memories about the hometown of the filmmaker. As the character in the film is on a train to leave his hometown, he finds that his memories make him unable to escape. The movie combines reenacted personal memories, historical anecdotes about Winnipeg and surrealistic imagery. The line between fiction and fantasy is blurred, and what results is a hypnotic portrait of a place that is deeply personal, nostalgic and often bittersweet. The strength of the movie is not content but rather the ability of images and sound to evoke emotions. Although I think I’ll need to revisit this film at some point to completely absorb all it has to offer, this movie is one of the few films I can say I truly “experienced.”

This is his most interesting films primarily the mother characters he so trys to re-create in his stories, they seem to be the center of his story in this “Me” trilogy he’s been making. Its more sinister in a way because of the realistic conversation and the ability for Maddin’s mother in WINNEPEG to basicaly read her childrens minds insted of using a telescope in “BRAIN”. Maddins films are incredible, see all of his work now!