Too much of everything

Absolutely Fantastic

A Major Disappointment

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

I'm a great fan of Todd Haynes' work and I'm so happy for him. Third time at Cannes with such a beautifful, bizzare and unic movie. How to come to terms with the world when there is so much pain? How to find a meaning in death of your parents? or in their absence? How to see your injured memory as a museum of wonders? Millicent Simmonds is amazing and such a beautiful and sad cameo of Michelle Williams.

Unbelievably dull. Turned it off. Don't bother. Nothing positive to say. Save your time and money.

This story has so much potential. I loved "Hugo," by the same writer. The parallel time periods and similarities in the stories of the 2 children could have been wonderful if the movie contained some cleverly written exposition.This film was so dimly lit I could hardly see it, even when it was supposedly a normally lit space. The written notes on paper were not readable and they would have probably given me a clue about the plot. It is ultimately about a newly orphaned child, a worthy subject. However, it is unclear who the boy is staying with in the beginning, unclear whether the adult women is a neighbor, a foster mother, or a friend's mother. It is unclear why the 1927 female lead leaves her home to see an actress. There are notes back and forth I couldn't read. Why is the bookseller significant? Who is he? Is he merely a device to introduce the grandmother? How did the boy get the name of this bookshop? It was hard to see the book he was looking at, so maybe there was a clue there?Why a museum setting? What will happen to the boy? Will he get lost in the fake city? Is the fake city better than his sad life? Are we to get from this that real life is too hard and we should escape in fantasy? The grandmother leaves home and never goes back. She gets incorporated into a museum. Is that the boy's fate?

This seemed to have good reviews, but not for a good reason. Although it seemed it might be a bit of a magical fantasy, it's just a very very slow-moving and highly predictable story. I kept waiting and hoping for something to actually happen. It didn't. Don't waste your time on this movie. The only good news - there's no sex, violence, or vulgarity. It's good for kids who you want to stay still for 2 hours. But if you waste your time watching this, just remember you'll never get the time back.