It's All About Love (2003)

I loved "The Celebration" and was very disappointed when I saw this at Sundance. In brief, this suffers from the same delusion as "Eyes Wide Shut": namely that implication = meaning. There is implied tension, implied sexuality and an implied conspiracy, none of which are delved into, and a barrage of imagery that is neither satisfactorily abstract nor clearly explicated. Joaquin Phoenix is too passive to be much of a lead and Claire Danes, while beautiful, lacks depth. The picture IS gorgeous, and kudos to the DP and design team.

Fmovies: Before I went to see this film, I had read a lot of reviews that said that it wasn't good; it lacked a properly fleshed-out story, it was too superficial. After I saw it, I could understand why the reviewers felt like this, but I wholeheartedly disagree with them. This film isn't supposed to be a credible social drama with a probable storyline and believable characters. The nature of this film is light, almost ethereal. From start to finish this is a fairytale, an intangible voyage through events and interactions with one overshadowing theme: It's all about love. I was reminded, when I saw this film, of the stories of Oscar Wilde, they too possess an immaterial, poignant view of the fleeting nature of love (or happiness for that matter). The air of the film is amplified immensely by the beautiful images and the hauntingly sweet music by Zbiegniew Preisner (who has composed the music for many of Kieslowskis films). Especially the huge panoramas in connections with the planes are some of the most beautiful images I have ever seen on film. The film's use of close-ups takes a little getting used to, but is very effective at communicating the characters' emotions. Among the actors, I was especially impressed by Sean Penn, who provides a sort of philosophical voice-over to the entire film. Also Joaquin Phoenix was a positive surprise, he was much more toned down than I have seen him before. The cast that make up the tiny community around the main character Elena is eminently selected, with a wide range of memorable characters. The actors are some of the best supporting actors around. Thomas Vinterberg has made a film that is decidedly different from "Festen", but in my opinion almost as good. I can't wait to see what his next project will be.

This is probably one of the very few XXI c movies to really comprehend our times. Its not the theme i stress on, nor the apocaliptic world implied in the script and imagery. But the knowledge of composition that is so impeccably designed that tends to be considered a cliché, or, more often (see the other reviews) a stupid story. Its not about the story (nor any love) as the film simplifies dozens of historical paradigms and succeeds to offer a form for that altogether with a set of images highly organized and extremely fragile. This is not a film to be comprehended, but sensed. Therefore its no miracle it is so poor rated. It will always be, as people generally feel the need either to be fascinated or to get a message from the movie they watch. A very beautiful movie and also, a very lonely movie inside its own beauty.

It's All About Love fmovies. Reading the plot of the movie and watching some wonderful scenes in addition to knowing that Preisner is making the score and Sean Penn is in it , i was so much intrigued to watch this film ; what a pity and what a waste of so much potential by the director . It all begins quite interesting , but soon enough you realize that the director tries so hard to prove nothing, Hitchcock, Lynch, Trier, all mixed up . It's not lyrical but tries to be , it's not poetic but tries to be , it's not a thriller but tries to be , it's not a love story but tries to be ; in vain .

I went to see this film just a week ago as it has just been given a limited release in the U.K. I didn't have high hopes for the film due to the poor reviews. However when I saw it I was pleasently surprised by the great cinematography and the quirky storyline. This is by far one of the best films I have seen so far this year. 8/10

criminally underrated

Some movies are well done, come are excellently directed, but there's another kind of movies, the beautiful movies. the second Vinterberg's are one of this kind of movies that don't make you think, just make you feel. i think this is a beautiful movie and you have to see it without any thought in your mind, just enjoy the great cinematography, the great scenes and a very blue movie. Just check it out and be prepared to feel and feel very nice! maybe it's a misunderstood film, because of the entire plot are "absurd" in some moments, but, i say again, that you don't need to think about the pictures on screen, you need to feel the cold of the movie, the cold in the hearths, the cold in the room, i mean its a film to enjoy no to think.