Wednesday, April 19, 2006

#6 (Film in Review 2005)

Someone up there does not want this list to reach #1. Two days ago, I underwent what will now go down in history as one of the worst experiences of my life - around midnight, I started feeling incredibly queasy and dizzy. I ran to the washroom, and I did not emerge for what seemed like an eternity. I spent seven hours of hell throwing up every last particle of food or drop of liquid from my body. People, I could go into the specifics, but I don't think you're dying to know them. Suffice it to say, I wasted the entire night either desperately clutching onto the toilet seat or sprawled over the bathroom mat in between dry heaves. I was so pathetically weak by morning - and I couldn't have any solids or drinks because my body absolutely rejected them. A trip to the doctor's revealed that I have a bad seasonal flu that's making the circles, and that I'll be out of commission for four (!) days! That's not good, because I have exams to study for, but at the moment, I'm feeling much better. I've graduated to the "push the liquids" stage, so I am surrounded by fruit juices of all varieties. And the fact that I can actually sit at the computer for sustained periods of time is comforting (Gravol really does the trick). Anyways, on with the show!

What always surprises me about Miranda July's Me and You and Everyone We Know (#6) is how hysterically funny it is. What I remember most vividly about my experience watching this film is gripping the sides of my seat, my body convulsing from childish giggles, all the while attempting to suppress my loud gasps for air from being heard across the cinema hall. This tale of alienation and unlikely connection in the modern age never crosses the line from pleasantly quirky to hubristically self-indulgent, as so many indie movies of this type do. Furthermore, it avoids the same kind of coincidental, cathartic serendipity that ensemble cast pictures like Crash and Magnolia engage in, always respecting audience members to make the big connections for themselves. Miranda July, taking on the roles of writer, director and actor, proves herself to be a truly phenomenal, gifted artist, blending a variety of different mediums to explore this fascinating web of complex relationships. The film is not as fresh in my mind as it should be, considering I saw the film back in August, so a repeat is definitely in order. But I have no doubt calling it one of the year's must-see pictures and certainly one of the most accomplished debuts I've ever seen from a director.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yikes, I've done the flu thing too during finals week--one of the worst experiences of my life. Anyway, I hope you recover ASAP.

Well, it looks like we're quickly diverging. This is two in a row now that I didn't really like at all. Though I certainly liked it better than the really, really banal CAPOTE, I found ME AND YOU... interesting solely on an intellectual level, but even that quickly faded.

My friends I saw it with, however, loved it, and still do. So maybe it's just me.

Glenn Dunks said...

Yay, back on track. Love this movie.

However, i do not love the flu.

I am one of those types that always get sick so you have my sympathy.

Javier Aldabalde said...

Oh, that's terrible! (The severe case of flu, I mean). As for the film, I haven't seen this yet but I want to.

Anyways take care!! My whole family seems to be sick these days as well (except me. Me gets sick like twice a decade. Evilness helps, probably ;)

Nick M. said...

Your sickness = Bad.

The film being higher on the list than I expected = Good.

Feel better, and keep on enjoying those unique flicks.