Land of Dreams

source: Land of Dreams

Ok, i admit it, i lasted only 25 minutes before i gave up on this mess, but this movie is so bad i couldn't watch another minute of it. Look, if you gonna make a movie, at least try to give me reasons to stay and watch it till you start unraveling your deep, meaningful and though provoking scenario that is supposed to amaze me..or something. Well, it's simply nothing for me. 25 minutes in and nothing, I mean absolutely nothing happened...not even a decent sentence or conversation. Oh ffs, come on...! Since I am not a movie director, or a screen writer, or whatever, I do not know what the heck happens in their meeting rooms, but I know this: this movies fails so bad at every turn it has given me digestion problems. Stay away from it.

A stunning surrealist film written by Jean-Claude Carriere about a young immigrant woman's search for identity in America. The visuals are beautifully dreamy and Sheila Vand's strong performance is supported by a terrific Matt Dillon and impressive portrayals by Isabella Rossellini, Christoper McDonald, Anna Gunn, William Moseley, and Robin Bartlett. The film will linger in your mind long after you've left the theater.

Land of Dreams is a wild ride, it doesn't take itself too seriously, and it's beautiful to look at. It will make you think and doesn't spoon feed the answers which is a plus for free thinkers.

I just loved this film. Much like a dream, it stays with you long after you leave it. The acting was phenomenal, the cinematography heartbreaking, and the message sublime. I see some comments have criticized this film for departing from a traditional narrative, but, that is exactly what I loved about it. This film shows you rather than tells you. It takes you, like Virgil, down the path. But it never tells you what the experience is, it leaves you free to have your own connection to the story and its meaning. That is J. C. Carrière's style and Neshat/Azari stayed true to this master writer's Mise-en-scène by allowing the audience to use their sense of wonder and imagination to draw conclusions. This film is a much needed departure from the cookie cutter virtue signaling nonsense coming from Hollywood and Indie cinema these days. Cant wait to see it again.

The production could be much better with even a lower budget. I can just feel that there are some sloppiness here and there. Also, the solo part of the leading actress is too straightforward.

This is a great example of how you can engage an audience without giving the whole plot away in the first 10 minutes. The Directors feed you just enough info to keep you glued to the characters as they develop and expose their motivations, their strengths, and their flaws. The film is fueled with great performances by Sheila Vand, Matt Dillon and William Moseley as 3 very different people looking for very different answers only to stumble into a world where the answers you were searching for may not exist. It's a complex satire that demands you pay close attention to the characters. The reward is a rich complex film that will stay with you a long time.

This is an arthouse movie that only gets bad reviews because people don't get the style. Being arthouse is not a saving grace and it doesn't excuse a badly made movie. This does not fall in this category. The style is clear and consistent. The storytelling is unique but not random. Look forward to an intriguing journey into the quirkiness of a semi-dystopian but still charming and uplifting movie. The acting appears wooden only as a stylistic choice. It is not. The characters are complex and immaculately portrayed. While there is a level of political commentary, it does not dominate. This is a movie about identity, self-awareness and sticking to one's own reality, regardless of the "reality" the status quo tries to push on you. Oh, and full of beautiful imagery in New Mexico.

Shirin Neshat is a celebrated visual artist famous for her multi-media installations at MOMA and elsewhere. Her visual hand is everywhere in this visually stunning film realizing a script by the great late surrealist, Jean-Claude Carrière (with Shoja Ansari). True to her other films, NeshaL resists providing easy and pat interpretations of her visual images or the storyline of the film. The visual settings of the film echo the title--Land of Dreams--with floating representations, starkly engaging characterizations, and varying contrastive landscapes. Sheila Vand is the accomplished "dreamer" and dream collector at the center of the film achieving multiple characterizations in a nuanced performance. Matt Dillon and Isabella. Rossellini add polished star power to the film. Mohammad. Ghaffari stands out and is immediately arresting as a mystical guide in a commune that may or may not be real. This is a film that should be seen more than once to plumb the depths of the emotional symbolism that is at the center of all dreams.

Shirin Neshat's Land of Dreams is a beautiful, witty, and fun journey of an Iranian immigrant in America, in a land where dreams and reality blend magically. The outstanding performance of Sheila Vand, Isabella Rossellini, and Matt Dillon, makes a perfect combination with Neshat's distinct and artistic way of storytelling. It is a beautifully crafted film with stunning visuals. I strongly recommend it!