On the road of experience I'm trying to find my own way Sometimes I wish that I could fly away When I think that I'm moving Suddenly things stand still I'm afraid 'cause I think they always will
And I'm looking for space And to find out who I am And I'm looking to know and understand It's a sweet, sweet dream Sometimes I'm almost there Sometimes I fly like an eagle And sometimes I'm deep in despair
-Looking For Space, John Denver
There are so many themes worth talking about in this movie, and i'm going to skip most of them. Military service effects on mental health, Religion, and consumerism are all present here, but i don't feel terribly qualified to talk about that. I really want to talk about the main theme, and how it affects our home boy Roy. I am of course talking about isolation.
As far as movie characters go, Roy is the closest to how I feel. Roy frequently talks about his sense of isolation, and how talking to people is a performance for him. Nothing gets a rise out of him anymore, and he keeps pushing away people he loves. He has anger in him, and tends to self-destruct. Not only that, he lives in a world where talking openly about your feelings has major consequences. He is constantly monitored, and has no outlet for all his feelings. He has been bottling it up for years, and this movie shows us him finally breaking. For me, this movie feels extremely personal and familiar, and that's definitely a large part of why I enjoyed it so much.
Of course the beautiful direction and setting are just as much a part of that. Almost every setting in this movie is down right beautiful. Buildings are all shot uniquely with great color pallets, and the shots of space are stunning. This movie also manages to have several action scenes with almost no music/sound. Silence works a lot better for intense scenes than any blaring score could, and this movie knows it. Even though the marketing may have fooled you into thinking this would be an action adventure type movie, it's a lot more of a slow meditation on isolation. This movie gives you lots of time to think things over, and it is definitely one of my favorite movies.
10/10
maybe i should add a song to these? could be fun right? why not i will do that from now on.
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