Dream Scenario

First, I recommend going into Dream Scenario knowing as little as possible about the movie. Avoid trailers, even synopses (maybe even this review). Discovering the premise is as enjoyable as the rest of the movie. But even after being amused by this unique and creative premise, it didn't seem like there was anywhere else for this idea to go. But there's no reason to worry. The directions it takes are just as creative as the premise. Even though it's very different, this gave me Eternal Sunshine vibes, especially with how original it feels. The humor is fairly dry, which I normally don't like. But it made me laugh a decent amount, usually loudly. And there are a few moments that hit hard. Nick Cage. Oh Nick Cage. I watch all his movies. Most are bad, but Dream scenario is part of the resurgence (along with Massive Talent). And even though most people just want to see his hilarious freakouts, here he reminds us that he is one of the most talented actors out there. I haven't forgotten. I would love to see it more often. (1 viewing, 12/22/2023)

I was told that this movie is a comedy. Critics said that it was hilarious and that it gave them many roaring belly laughs throughout the film. I was in the mood for a comedy, so I decided to take their advice and see this film. I was ready too, after all I love me some Nic Cage. The film starts out interestingly enough. I was interested in the characters and the premise and was eager to see where it was all going to go, but as the movie went on, I started to realize that nothing funny was happening and the questions started to leap out into my thoughts. "This is a comedy", I thought? NO, as the movie progressed, I learned that indeed, this is NOT a comedy. I don't know what this movie is, but I know it's not funny. In fact, it's kind of horrifying. Nic's character essentially does nothing wrong, and he has his entire life fall apart and is treated horribly by everyone because of some dreams they had, and the ending is just plain depressing. I felt lied to and cheated by dishonest critics after seeing this movie, so it gets a 1/10. If I hadn't been lied to and went in knowing what this movie actually is, it might have gotten a better score. After all, the actors did a great job. It's shot really well, and it did keep me engaged, but why the dishonesty? Why lie to get people in the seats? It doesn't make any sense to me.

To call 'Dream Scenario' an unusual film, would be an understatement. It starts off like a pleasant dream, and ends up a nightmare - from a viewing experience. The film starts with Paul's daughter having a dream of him where he just stands there doing nothing during strange occurrences. When Paul and his wife Janet goes to the theater and bump into Paul's old girlfriend from before he was married, she says she's been thinking about him a lot lately because he appears in her dreams - just standing there or walking by. Then, more people start having dreams about him - so many in fact that he makes the news, and become a celebrity in the process. With fame comes many new challenges, and Paul's life literally turns into a nightmare. He meets Molly, who works for an advertising company, and together they try to re-enact one of his dreams, which was unconvincing and awkward, to say the least. After an interesting start, the film significantly slows down during the second act. It was never boring, but the pacing was just too slow. And then came that sudden - dare I say - stupid ending. There is no explanation or solution to the events in this film, and this - to me - renders the movie pointless. Yes, there were interesting moments, and the visual effects are effective, but despite all this - and a good performance by Nicolas Cage - the final act completely ruins the film for me. The final act became depressing and weird, and not really fun to watch. The idea behind 'Dream Sequence' was interesting, but in the end it amounts to nothing...

source: Dream Scenario

Giving this an 7/10 rating Oddball film, another for Nicolas Cage, who produces this one too, plays a college professor, who for some strange reason pops up in peoples dreams, and not in a helpful way either. What starts off as weird, soon becomes disturbing and the moves into the good and evil of social media, corporations, the need too be recognised, self worth, mental health, technology and the abuse of trust and power. This all happens in this movie, with Cage as the driving force. Cage totally look unrecognisable as the professor, bald head, gruff beard, funny walk, he really goes for it. And has too. Everyone else is collateral damage and the enemy. It's a cleaver film on what is going on in the world and media right now, spun into this strange world, which I would not want to a part off, but we are, like it or not. Mixed bag on this one, it's good, but will divide everyone, and people will see things differently, which is the point.

After the first half hour of this movie, i thought it was going somewhere amazing, it was funny and clever and nic cage is just really good in the mane role. But i don't think it did nt he 2nd half of the movie, it kind of faded out, and missed such a massive oppotunity. It's still a good movie, but it completely went in a different direction in the last half hour than i thought it would. Which was just such a shame. Such a missed oppotunity in my book, but still worth a watch. When the dreams turn darker i think there was such a great set up for a better last half hour or so. Shame. Worth watching but didn't reach it's potential.

Dream Scenario

Dream Scenario is a nightmare scenario. I LOVE Nick Cage BUT this is bad, very bad. Poor dialog, standard scene shots, BAD acting all around, bad directing. Awful story telling, underestimates the audience intellect. There must have been a big payday for Nick to do this one. The usual side characters that talk like no one in real life. The dialog is routine and dull, the setups are boring and typical and the storytelling is a long slow disaster. It doesnt even seem like Nick is trying too hard with this character. Pathetic boring trash from the indie market that will leave you saying "Huh?????"

It was an Outstanding Film 👏 Things I Loved - 1. The Way they Present The Plotline itself within the Film, is So Intriguing and so Well Done. It's presented as "Well this is Strange, I wonder what and how this is going to Pan out". Such an Excellent Feel. 👌 2. Moreover, the Plotline Unravels at such a PERFECT Pace. 3. Moreover again, Nicholas Cages Performance lends Brilliantly to the actual Plot Itself. The way he Plays His Character as a Naive, Out of touch type Adds to the Premise even Further. It was an Excellent Performance that Services the Plot so well. 4. The "Sex Dream Fart Reenactment and Climax" scene had some of the Audience Members in the Screening Hilariously and Silently "Breathy Cackling". Me myself, I was in tears at how Hilarious that scene was, wiping my eyes and trying to pull myself together as it went on. It is one of the Most Well Calibrated comedic Moments I've ever Witnessed. 😂 5. Towards the Final Act, I loved how it just kept Going on, and I thought to myself "I wonder what the resolution to this film will be"? 6. The Ending was PERFECT. 👌and the Ending was Beautiful 😥 Overall, an Outstanding Film, Excellently Put Together and a Brilliant Performance by Nicholas Cage.

Paul Matthews (Nic Cage) is a schlub professor who everyone overlooks. He has two daughters who function as accessories that describe his such mundane world. His wife Janet (Julianne Nicholson) loves him and appreciates him, but sometimes appears to be an enabler to his own neurosis. When one day people start to tell him that he appears in their dream. Complete strangers. This conceit is a remarkable absurd moment that rockets him into a roller coaster of fame, acceptance and eventual downfall. If you were to put this in context of society, you could say the social media influencers who go viral and inevitably create haters. These are the most dangerous people. At times, it's frustrating to deal with Paul. Since he constantly pitches a book he never intends to write. To a lot of "creators" this is painful to watch. A person so devoid of ambition he requires others to antagonize him into action. He relies on victimhood in a sense. And hasn't concluded how unfair life is. This miraculous event shoots him into a world he is unfamiliar with. Where people now "see" him. Which he believes will give him the validation he craves. But it backfires when he doesn't do all the right things (the things we would do with this level of fame). The failure of this film is that it does require him to constantly be a punching bag. While a person with common sense would bend to the masses for a specific reason, Paul tends to do the opposite because the plot wants it to happen. This needs to happen for the story to spiral on him. There is no reason for his stubborn behavior. But this could just be a behavioral thing we are suppose to see as a character flaw. To the viewer, it could be REALLY frustrating. The tone of the film is very much like "Eternal Sunshine Of A Spotless Mind" Not necessarily the story, but the tone. It is quirky and sometimes laugh out loud funny. Thought I'd never say that. His adventures are silly but fascinating. A smarter socially wiser man would slingshot the fame into something more. Many people who struggle in life would take the Sprite endorsement. In the end, it happens regardless of his efforts. Or lack of. The last part of the movie is a bit rushed. It has very little to do with him and more to do with us as a society. We take a bizarre event and monetize it. We fall for the stupidity of technology. And so forth. It taps into the delusion of getting rich through attention seeking. That part falls a little short. In a longer film, perhaps this would be integrated smoother. This is, in my opinion, Nic Cage's best role. I go back into his filmography and haven't seen anything that required him this level of heavy lifting. It's impressive that he embodies Paul without having his normal wild Cage-ism which I am grateful for. His career is very eclectic but somehow this film fits him like a well tailored suit. A must watch of 2023.