I fell in love with this movie and the master behind it, David Lynch.

Rating: 10/10 (19 July 2010)

I'm used to seeing different movies. I have prior to this never seen a David Lynch movie though I've heard quite a bit about Blue Velvet and Mullholland Drive for sure. I rented Mullholland Drive because of Naomi Watts, an actress I admire greatly. The first time I watched the movie, it played as a straight up tale of an aspiring actress mostly, if jumbled and what I thought was blah oddball blah /messy at times. Like I say I have never watched a Lynch movie before.
Since I had the movie on rental I decided to make the most of it and give it another go. I have now become obsessed with it. You see I went along with the movie, I went with the flow.
At the moment I am in love with Betty's storyline but the movie has a lot more going on. It will take me time and a re watch, oh what a hard life, of Adam's (played by Justin Theroux) interactions with the producers and with The Cowboy. I also still don't have a clue about the two dudes laughing one minute in an office, and quite a different story the next. And much has been made of the kiss scene. To me, it's not that big a deal, I would say more sad than titillating, and even though I enjoy titillating, it's not the thing that sticks in my mind about Mullholland Drive. Sad that people talk about that over a brutal shooting in a movie.
I had read some time ago the different interpretations of Mullholland Drive. The movie is haunting not because of the interpretations but because of the Winkies diner scene and the ending. And now, I see something else that gives me creeps in such a way I fell in love with Naomi Watts for being able to convey something through one look, the power of mental strength. Wanting something so bad. I will say no more!
I don't know if I follow the interpretations religiously but I do know that I am grateful for putting in a DVD in that requires all of me to pay attention. A movie has been made that isn't mindless entertainment or lazy in any way. I LOVE David Lynch for truly creating something and for introducing me to a world of a movie that is so different to the ones I know and love. I'm a lay person when it comes to all things "Lynchian." I can't define yet what Lynch does that makes him different to the other greats, directors like Peter Weir, Antoine Fuqua, but if you know their work you can understand what I mean.
After I watched the movie for the second time, I got the strangest dreams. What's real? I read a criticism of Lynch's work, that if his characters had any soul he wouldn't have to create oddball or quirky. I had been watching movies before Mullholland Drive all about the souls and characters, I am now thinking there is more so called quirk and odd ball in this world than deep, meaningful events, our ideas are deep and meaningful but strange, strange things happen and whilst Mullholland Drive is not quite just about strange things happening, it's a movie that you give your own meaning to. If you need to do that.
This movie inspires me. I want to see all of David Lynch's work and I can't get the song, I Have Told Every Star out of my head. "A poisonous ode to Hollywood." I like that but it's not the be all and end all statement for this beautiful, intelligent and mysterious movie. A class above.