"Stupid babies need the most attention." Anyone? Answer will be at the bottom.
Well, going into Tideland I knew of two things. 1. Roeper hated it. 2. Terry Gilliam made it. That's about it. It was recommended to me by a fellow movie fan when I asked for a fantasy recommendation. And I have to say the circle of recommendations has stopped with me, unless someone asks me "Do you know of any strange, weird fantasy tales?" Then and only then will I say "You bet your fat-ass."
When the DVD began Terry gave a well-thought out introduction to the film that really got me eager. "Some of you will hate it, some of you will love it and some of you won't know what to think." Obviously I'm praying I'm going to love it, since I enjoy most of Gilliam's work. But unfortunately I did not fall for it. But on the other hand I did not hate it and it did leave me thinking a little bit.
Tideland's a story about a little girl with a a chemical imbalance thanks in part to her rock n' roll druggy parents. It's never said she's slow, or messed up. But the average little girl isn't always in this type of fairy-tale, make-believe land. Anyways, father and daughter both hit the road after mama kicks the bucket, and head off to Papa's childhood home. The house is abandoned, dusty, messy, and just plain old dilapidated...and it fits this duo's lifestyle perfectly. Papa (played very well by Jeff Bridges) is a ex-rocker, still drugging it up with the love and support of his innocent young daughter Jeliza-Rose, also played very well by Jodelle Ferland, who was the little girl in Silent Hill. What follows is a child-like perspective of what the incredibly imaginative Jeliza is experiencing and how she interacts with other bizarre characters. If she's not talking to other weird characters you're just following Jeliza around, listening to her discuss her situations with her fellow friends, who are old doll-heads that she can place on her fingers.
Tideland is a well done movie that succeeds in showing us a strange world through the eyes of a strange little girl. Sure, it's interesting to hear see how a little girl can deal with such grown-up situations, but for me, I just didn't really care about what was going on. It's what I'd come to expect from this type of situation. A little girl growing up in a crazy life, then meets another crazy life....okay then. I do have to admit the situations she's finds herself in are mildly interesting and entertaining, but it all seemed a little obvious and predictable. A couple examples: Mystique and the hole, all squirrel scenes, the monster shark ending. Overall the movie for me was good, not great. It's not the most entertaining flick in the world, but it was intelligently made and left this viewer wondering what he saw...and why it was made. Just these questions alone gives me answers I'm looking for. I enjoy seeing movies that are different and unique, and this is definitely one of them. 7 outta 10
Simpsons episode where the Flanders take the kids after social services take the kids away from Homer and Marge. Classic.
Well, going into Tideland I knew of two things. 1. Roeper hated it. 2. Terry Gilliam made it. That's about it. It was recommended to me by a fellow movie fan when I asked for a fantasy recommendation. And I have to say the circle of recommendations has stopped with me, unless someone asks me "Do you know of any strange, weird fantasy tales?" Then and only then will I say "You bet your fat-ass."
When the DVD began Terry gave a well-thought out introduction to the film that really got me eager. "Some of you will hate it, some of you will love it and some of you won't know what to think." Obviously I'm praying I'm going to love it, since I enjoy most of Gilliam's work. But unfortunately I did not fall for it. But on the other hand I did not hate it and it did leave me thinking a little bit.
Tideland's a story about a little girl with a a chemical imbalance thanks in part to her rock n' roll druggy parents. It's never said she's slow, or messed up. But the average little girl isn't always in this type of fairy-tale, make-believe land. Anyways, father and daughter both hit the road after mama kicks the bucket, and head off to Papa's childhood home. The house is abandoned, dusty, messy, and just plain old dilapidated...and it fits this duo's lifestyle perfectly. Papa (played very well by Jeff Bridges) is a ex-rocker, still drugging it up with the love and support of his innocent young daughter Jeliza-Rose, also played very well by Jodelle Ferland, who was the little girl in Silent Hill. What follows is a child-like perspective of what the incredibly imaginative Jeliza is experiencing and how she interacts with other bizarre characters. If she's not talking to other weird characters you're just following Jeliza around, listening to her discuss her situations with her fellow friends, who are old doll-heads that she can place on her fingers.
Tideland is a well done movie that succeeds in showing us a strange world through the eyes of a strange little girl. Sure, it's interesting to hear see how a little girl can deal with such grown-up situations, but for me, I just didn't really care about what was going on. It's what I'd come to expect from this type of situation. A little girl growing up in a crazy life, then meets another crazy life....okay then. I do have to admit the situations she's finds herself in are mildly interesting and entertaining, but it all seemed a little obvious and predictable. A couple examples: Mystique and the hole, all squirrel scenes, the monster shark ending. Overall the movie for me was good, not great. It's not the most entertaining flick in the world, but it was intelligently made and left this viewer wondering what he saw...and why it was made. Just these questions alone gives me answers I'm looking for. I enjoy seeing movies that are different and unique, and this is definitely one of them. 7 outta 10
Simpsons episode where the Flanders take the kids after social services take the kids away from Homer and Marge. Classic.