Movies
I didn't quite know what to expect, but this film turned out to be pretty interesting. At its core Distant Voices, Still Lives is a hardened social drama, but its unique presentation sets it apart from its peers. It's still quite dark and sullen, but it's a lot less dependent on its narrative and its suffering characters. The film follows the lives of a working-class family in Liverpool during the 40s and 50s. There isn't really a straight narrative, though there are two separate parts of which the first deals with the father of the family, the second with his kids. We see small vignettes that, after a while, start to paint a more complete picture. I don't really care for the setting, nor do I have a lot of affinity with the time period, but the presentation pulled me in and kept me engaged. Stark framing and a strong focus on music make for harrowing scenes, though Davies leaves plenty of room for lighter moments, so it's not all doom and gloom. I did get a little tired of the many songs and once I got a firm handle on the presentation things got a little less interesting, but overall a worthy arthouse classic.Read all
Music matters. The Long Day Closes could've been a pretty atmospheric, impressive film, but the soundtrack is an absolute hindrance. Now, I appreciate it when a director makes bold choices with the score, but it just didn't work for me. For that, the selection was simply too bland and predictable. A man remembers the days growing up in Liverpool. His family gave him all the love he needed, but still, he struggled with the rigid Catholic upbringing in school and the passionate feelings for other men he was developing. As all kids know, puberty is a confusing time with ups and downs. The cinematography is on point and there are several scenes that stood out because of the lighting and colors, but you need a good score to go along with that, and that's where the film stumbles. The performances are solid too, sadly I didn't care as much for the setting or the drama. It's a shame the film doesn't fulfill its potential.Read all