A DREAM...CAPTURED on FILM!

Rating: 9/10 (14 May 2002)

In the last 10 or so years, there have only been a handful of flicks that have actually "gotten to me" and "made me think" (Usually, I am the guy who calls people NERDS when they spout off such "cliches"...but man, I gotta tell ya, this film has BLOWN ME AWAY) I have seen it 3 times now. The first time, I dozed off twice, but went back to see what I missed (in fairness to the flick)It was fairly interesting, but I was kinda bored. The ending annoyed me. But yet, this film "stayed with me" for a week. I went here to Imdb to read others' opinions, and found that maybe I was shortchanging this film (like I did at first with Memento) and didnt WANT to like it, cause it was CHALLENGING me to THINK. (I know, another cliche phrase) I rented it again and sat thru it with somewhat of an idea of what was going on. By the time the scene where the diva is singing "Crying" in Spanish, I was enraptured by this movie. By the ending, I was BLOWN AWAY. The third time I seen it, I was STILL noticing nuances in Namoi Watts' "Becky"/Diane charactor. The fact that this girl didnt get nominated for an Academy Award is a TRAVESTY of the HIGHEST ORDER. I think I witnessed one of the single greatest peformances of an actress in the last decade! Generally, I am not into ANYTHING "surreal"...but what David Lynch has accomplished here is downright ERRIE! He has captured the way we/I DREAM on film! The way we "interpose" people, places, names, etc....and yet when we awake and try to explain what seemed so LOGICAL in our dream, is now just an incoherant BABBLE to our waking brain. BUT...I can honestly state that what makes this film a MASTERPIECE to behold, is that he (Lynch) is able to make what we have just seen, 98% explainable....when was the last time we awoke from a dream and were able to explain 50% in a logical manner? This film is a bittersweet, tragic and sad tale of broken dreams, broken hearts...and broken minds. Symbolic without being pretentious....CHOKE ON THAT INGMAR BERGMAN! Is Mulholland Drive the BEST film I have ever seen? No....but its up there...it IS however, the MOST FASCINATING piece of filmmaking ever committed to celluoid...and I remain STUNNED. Thank you Mr. Lynch.