Nine Lives | Elpidia Carrillo, Aomawa Baker

Nine Lives | Elpidia Carrillo, Aomawa Baker | superb journey through subtle interconnections

DVDs:

Nine Lives

	Nine Lives Elpidia Carrillo, Aomawa Baker Sony Pictures, 2006 average customer review:based on 40 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

A moving exploration of the individual experiences of nine women as told through nine single unbroken takes. As characters from one story reappear in supporting roles in others Rodrigo Garcia interweaves a grand tapestry of universal resonance that hinges on performances from an incredible ensemble. By depicting nine different characters at emotional crossroads NINE LIVES examines how we so often find ourselves captive in relationships both past and present.System Requirements:Running Time: 112 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA Rating: R UPC: 043396134218 Manufacturer No: 13421

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I'll give it five stars..

Definitely ! It's about nine women, nine important moments, glimpses...This movie is very clever in a way that you don't especially see the end of every story, why ? Because it's about life, relationships or family...don't expect finals,it could be 12 minutes of your life, and it looks so realistic, so human, things people live or go through. What I really liked in this movie is that every actor, famous or not, doesn't look/sound like an actor..It could be you, it could be me. I still have a weird aftertaste after seeing this movie...

superb journey through subtle interconnections

This is not a coherent novelistic film with a linear story line, but a kind of intersection of lives through people who have some contact. The acting is absolutely wonderful and believable, bringing raw emotion in the way that only film can. It is like a long tapas meal with multiple friends dropping by to share, enjoyable yet sometimes disagreeable. There are so many allusions unexplained, which the viewer can try to connect - it just begs for reviewing. I loved every minute of it and felt deeply moved by the realism. I also barely noticed the technique of a continuous shot for each segment, which means it succeeds unobtrusively.

Warmly recommended.

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Nine of the Best Movies You've Never Seen

What a remarkable oversight we've got here! Imagine if somebody walked up to you and said, "Hey, I just saw this incredible movie! It's about 9 different women, each with their own short story that lasts about 10 minutes. Oh, and each story is told in a single camera shot."

The premise alone was enough for me to check out NINE LIVES, a captivating collection of short dramas with an even more impressive cast. But as neat a concept as this film is, I was instantly hooked from the opening footsteps and expressions of an incarcerated mother. Think of a movie shot very similar to Hitchock's ROPE, except that instead of convenient reel changes after 10 minutes, writer-director Rodrigo Garcia utilitzes incredible techniques and transitions. Garcia has worked on various HBO series, most notably IN TREATMENT. In that show, Garcia again used a similar real-time format to shoot the 30-minute therapy sessions. Like him or not, Garcia has mastered photography and pacing.

The casting is perfect. Each story focuses on a woman struggling with various aspoects of her life. They could be as simple as a mother and daughter having a picnic at a graveyard, or as complicated as woman attending the funeral with a former lover. Then again, those examples are only simple at the outset. You have no idea how each story is going to play out; they remain powerful even after repeat viewings. My personal favorite (and probably most people's, too) is Diana's.

Robin Wright Penn and Jason Isaacs should've won Oscars for their uniterrupted, unedited work. Diana is a pregnant mother just grocery shopping, when she unexpectedly encounters Damian, her former lover. Watching these two actors convey their buried feelings is an absolute joy. Anyone can perform a single emotion, but Isaacs and Wright Penn can deliver multiple subtleties that command encores. This particular segment is some of the finest acting you'll ever see, and I encourage any drama professor to take a good look at it.

I think Diana's story is my favorite because I've experienced some of those conflicts, myself. But the true genius of NINE LIVES is that it will reach audiences on various levels. Any story compilation like this is going to by its very construction. To me, it is both the greatest strength and weakness of Rodrigo Garcia's otherwise-perfect film. Frankly, one or two stories just didn't do much for me. I knew I was watching terrific performances and crafty camerawork, but I didn't know what to take from a couple of Garcia's tales. It's frustrating to watch a 10-minute long scene, with no reprieve - if you're not hooked, you'll just have to wait until Garcia's gone onto the next chapter.

But my confusion could also be a strength to Rodrigo Garcia's genius. Every one of the NINE LIVES is unique and compelling in their own way. Each moviegoer will have his/her own way of relating to the diverse lot of protagonists. Even if your experience isn't the same as mine, NINE LIVES will reach you in ways you've never imagined.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

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