I agree with you: most "indie" films take fewer risks than great movies of the past. I disagree, though, that Eggers represents an exception to this rule insofar as he strives to make "classic" films and then does so. I found Nosferatu so painfully disappointing; it's a product of almost no ambition beyond a boringly reverential and ultimately conservative desire to recreate a historical object. I wound up editing a 30-minute version of the film that I hope highlights the daring and profound core of the project and jettisons the rest. If you're curious, you can find that here: https://kenbaumann.substack.com/p/nos
Indie movies are something I favor in theory, but in fact they often fall short. Such is life (and art); like everything else, they are subject to Sturgeon's Law.
I do want to put in a good word for Kelly Reichardt, whom you didn't mention; I've enjoyed several of her films. All dog lovers should see "Wendy and Lucy."
I was very happy to see *Train Dreams* in a theater. I do love that Malick lyricism when I see it. Also, you're not wrong about prettiness, sanded edges, empty conventions, risk aversion, cliché. Your review reads like one that Richard Brody might have written, in fact: you have the same distaste for films that have a horror of getting their hands dirty. Perhaps you do offer a hint or two in this direction, but it'd be interesting to read how you would have filmed a story of this kind. You're handed Johnson's novella and asked to make a film of it: give an example or two of how *Train Dreams* would have looked in your version.
"You know," she said, "the words for its tricks and the things you tell it to do."
"Just say some of the words, Glad." It was dark and he wanted to keep hearing her voice.
"Well, fetch, and come, and sit, and lay, and roll over. Whatever it knows to do, it knows the words."
In the dark he felt his daughter's eyes turned on him like a cornered brute's. It was only his thoughts tricking him, but it poured something cold down his spine. He shuddered and pulled the quilt up to his neck.
All of his life Robert Grainier was able to recall this very moment on this very night.
Yes, I largely agree with your review of Train Dreams. I suppose I could say it was an exercise in despair for an era of despair, but not much else can be said for it. As you noted, there were more interesting characters whose stories I yearned to hear - "Dynamite Man" and "Forest Ranger Lady" - that somehow got drowned in the "toilet flush" of despair that permeated this film. Like you, I wonder about the film's intention, beyond portraying a bleak, empty life that mirrors our current bleak times.
Train Dreams was ... fine. But it was only just fine! Aggressively, middlingly ffffine. It's funny to talk about it as though it were hugely ambitious in its pretention though. I mean.. it WAS ambitious in that way! But it also barely developed any plot or characters or .. y'know.. a story about anything. In that way it was maddeningly timid and inconsequential. It was fine.
Are we still using the word “middlebrow”? We are, I guess. Anyway, I read about half of this “review” until it was obvious that the author was just using it as an excuse to engage in snotty highbrow masturbation.
Such a sad, jaded review. Seems like writer showed up with this critique of the culture and tarred and feathered the moving film that got in his way. Train Dreams may not be Malick, but it’s well worth seeing.
Lyricism is so over-played in indie films. It overwhelmingly comes across as phony to fit grand emotions into short, unambitious packages of ordinary characters.
By the time I got to the middle of this review, I found myself wondering if you might hate David Lowry (and particularly A Ghost Story) as much as I do, and then he showed up. What do you consider his excellent movies? I was prepared to love The Green Knight and even found that disappointing.
Thank you for this, Sam.
I agree with you: most "indie" films take fewer risks than great movies of the past. I disagree, though, that Eggers represents an exception to this rule insofar as he strives to make "classic" films and then does so. I found Nosferatu so painfully disappointing; it's a product of almost no ambition beyond a boringly reverential and ultimately conservative desire to recreate a historical object. I wound up editing a 30-minute version of the film that I hope highlights the daring and profound core of the project and jettisons the rest. If you're curious, you can find that here: https://kenbaumann.substack.com/p/nos
I haven't seen "Nosferatu," but I found "The Northman" crude and offputting, with some cartoonish visual effects.
Indie movies are something I favor in theory, but in fact they often fall short. Such is life (and art); like everything else, they are subject to Sturgeon's Law.
I do want to put in a good word for Kelly Reichardt, whom you didn't mention; I've enjoyed several of her films. All dog lovers should see "Wendy and Lucy."
I liked the movie. But I did not demand that it carry the weight of the future of film as art on its shoulders.
I was very happy to see *Train Dreams* in a theater. I do love that Malick lyricism when I see it. Also, you're not wrong about prettiness, sanded edges, empty conventions, risk aversion, cliché. Your review reads like one that Richard Brody might have written, in fact: you have the same distaste for films that have a horror of getting their hands dirty. Perhaps you do offer a hint or two in this direction, but it'd be interesting to read how you would have filmed a story of this kind. You're handed Johnson's novella and asked to make a film of it: give an example or two of how *Train Dreams* would have looked in your version.
"How many words, Gladys?"
"You know," she said, "the words for its tricks and the things you tell it to do."
"Just say some of the words, Glad." It was dark and he wanted to keep hearing her voice.
"Well, fetch, and come, and sit, and lay, and roll over. Whatever it knows to do, it knows the words."
In the dark he felt his daughter's eyes turned on him like a cornered brute's. It was only his thoughts tricking him, but it poured something cold down his spine. He shuddered and pulled the quilt up to his neck.
All of his life Robert Grainier was able to recall this very moment on this very night.
Yes, I largely agree with your review of Train Dreams. I suppose I could say it was an exercise in despair for an era of despair, but not much else can be said for it. As you noted, there were more interesting characters whose stories I yearned to hear - "Dynamite Man" and "Forest Ranger Lady" - that somehow got drowned in the "toilet flush" of despair that permeated this film. Like you, I wonder about the film's intention, beyond portraying a bleak, empty life that mirrors our current bleak times.
Wow, your commenters are irritated, Mr. Jennings.
I appreciate the challenge to demand formal quality from any artistic medium. But that can't happen without viewers who know how to appreciate it.
Train Dreams was ... fine. But it was only just fine! Aggressively, middlingly ffffine. It's funny to talk about it as though it were hugely ambitious in its pretention though. I mean.. it WAS ambitious in that way! But it also barely developed any plot or characters or .. y'know.. a story about anything. In that way it was maddeningly timid and inconsequential. It was fine.
Are we still using the word “middlebrow”? We are, I guess. Anyway, I read about half of this “review” until it was obvious that the author was just using it as an excuse to engage in snotty highbrow masturbation.
Such a sad, jaded review. Seems like writer showed up with this critique of the culture and tarred and feathered the moving film that got in his way. Train Dreams may not be Malick, but it’s well worth seeing.
Lyricism is so over-played in indie films. It overwhelmingly comes across as phony to fit grand emotions into short, unambitious packages of ordinary characters.
By the time I got to the middle of this review, I found myself wondering if you might hate David Lowry (and particularly A Ghost Story) as much as I do, and then he showed up. What do you consider his excellent movies? I was prepared to love The Green Knight and even found that disappointing.