Land
Reviews
Manuel São Bento
If you enjoy reading my Spoiler-Free reviews, please follow my blog @ https://www.msbreviews.com Who doesn’t appreciate Robin Wright’s career as an actress? Every time I see her name attached to a film, I can’t help but feel excited about it. So, obviously, any movie with her would be one of my most anticipated films of Sundance. However, the main reason why I was highly expecting Land wasn’t due to her acting credit, but because this is her feature directorial debut. Her performance didn’t disappoint me, though, much on the contrary. Wright continues to prove her talent time and time again, delivering an incredibly captivating interpretation of a character who demonstrates that perseverance and the will to live can work as a healing method in the worst of times. An extraordinary character-study written by Jesse Chatham and Erin Dignam. However, it’s her role as the director that surprises me the most. Her vision is clearly depicted through sumptuous cinematography (Bobby Bukowski) and an original score (Ben Sollee, Time For Three) that becomes part of the narrative. In fact, I dare write that without its music, Land would lack that special element to elevate everything as a whole. Well, to be fair, the Rockies hold landscapes so jaw-dropping and awe-inspiring that I would sincerely enjoy just staring at this movie for its sceneries. It’s one of the best-looking films I’ve seen in the last few years, and that’s a key component because story-wise, there isn’t much action or impactful events going - except for the last couple of revelatory minutes - which might become tiresome for some viewers. It’s a bit odd how usually, I don’t see great replay value in this type of movies, but I genuinely want to revisit this one for its visuals and score. I can’t end this review without praising Demián Bichir, who offers a performance as remarkable as Wright’s. Absolutely phenomenal. Land is an outstanding feature directorial debut from Robin Wright, who also delivers one of my favorite performances of hers. An incredibly inspirational film that relies on its unforgettable visuals and an extremely engaging score to present me with one of my favorite movies of this year’s Sundance. Without the shadow of a doubt, it’s one of the most gorgeously shot films I’ve seen in quite a long time. Every single scene is filled with an awe-inspiring landscape in the background that took me to the beautiful snowy mountains in such an emotional manner. Thank you, Bobby Bukowski, for your jaw-dropping cinematography, but it’s Ben Sollee and Time For Three’s score that elevate the overall picture in a way that without their music, the storytelling would suffer tremendously. Demián Bichir also deserves as much praise as Wright when it comes to their acting displays. Jesse Chatham and Erin Dignam’s screenplay isn’t groundbreaking, but Land breaks my personal tendency of feeling that this type of movie lacks replay value. I’ll rewatch this sooner or later, and I recommend everyone to do the same. Rating: A-
Louisa Moore - Screen Zealots
The unforgiving conditions that accompany the jaw-dropping beauty of nature set the stage for “Land,” the directorial debut from actor Robin Wright. Wright stars in the film as Edee, a woman who can no longer live in the world she’s always known after a tragedy shakes up her entire reason for being. Suicidal and heartbroken, Edee withdraws from the life she once knew, abandoning it all and heading to a secluded cabin in the mountains. With no survival training, she soon finds herself with little food and no means of communication. When the end seems near, a good samaritan hunter (Demián Bichir) comes to her rescue and is able to save her in the nick of time. The film reads like a meditation on grief and the nature of isolation, with an unhurried pace that lingers over gorgeous scenery of mountains and streams. Much of the first half of the film consists of a lot of staring off into space with handsome, snow-covered backdrops. You feel as if you’re right there with Edee, especially when her sadness takes over. There isn’t much story here, and Wright reveals just enough to preserve the mystery. The film’s pacing may still feel too slow for some, but there’s a purpose. The survival story develops into one of friendship, as the man helps Edee find the human connection that she’s been missing. He teaches her how to hunt and live off the land, which saves her life in more than one way. The pair find strength in each other, and Edee begins to live again. The burden is overwhelmingly on Wright to turn in a powerful performance since she carries the majority of the film, and she succeeds. She portrays Edee with a quiet determination and rugged grace that is both inspiring and heartbreaking, and she has a terrific chemistry with Bichir. “Land” is a poignant story of both isolation and companionship, taking audiences along on one woman’s journey to discover how to live again.
Movie Recommendation
Higuita: The Way of the Scorpion2023-11-02From humble origins to soccer legend, this documentary captures the rise of Colombia’s René Higuita, from iconic career to personal controversies.More...
Murder in Paradise1990-01-19A stressed-out, big-city cop seeks refuge in Hawaii, only to become embroiled in a serial murder case that appears to be identical to his last case in New York City.More...
Sesinde Aşk Var2019-08-16Ruzgar is a new cool boy in the school.Deniz is the girl who he heard in the cellphone,singing.Then they fall in love with each other. Selin is Deniz's bestie will support them but,their love relationship is gonna be complicated.More...
Rock Bottom Riser2021-09-09From the earliest voyagers who navigated by starlight to the discovery of habitable planets by astronomers, Rock Bottom Riser examines the all-encompassing encounters of an island world at sea. As lava continues to flow from the earth’s core on the island of Hawaii—posing an imminent danger—a crisis mounts. Astronomers plan to build the world’s largest telescope on Hawaii’s most sacred and revered mountain, Mauna Kea. Based on ancient Polynesian navigation, the arrival of Christian missionaries, and the observatory’s ability to capture the origins of the universe, Rock Bottom Riser surveys the influence of settler colonialism, the search for intelligent life, and the discovery of new worlds as we peer into our own planet’s existence.More...
Fit for Christmas2022-12-04A Christmas-obsessed fitness instructor begins a holiday romance with a mysterious businessman. The new relationship soon complicates his plans to turn a beleaguered community center into a financially profitable resort.More...
Beneath the Shadow2019-12-07From coworkers to close friends, Konno and Hiasa drift apart. When Hiasa goes missing, Konno must face what he didn’t say in time.More...
Net Result1945-01-01A woman makes stockings out of old hat netting. (British Pathé)More...
The Turning Point2021-12-02A slacker who does his best to avoid confrontation strikes up an unlikely friendship with a dangerous thug who suddenly forces his way into his life.More...
The War Below2021-09-10During World War I, a group of British miners are recruited to tunnel underneath no man's land and set bombs from below the German front in hopes of breaking the deadly stalemate of the Battle of Messines.More...
My Daughter's Killer2022-07-12A father fights for decades to bring his daughter's killer to justice in France and Germany before taking extreme measures.More...
Human Animals2020-12-12The harmony of a seemingly idyllic neighborhood is disrupted when a dog attacks a young girl.More...
Land and Shade2015-05-18Alfonso is an old farmer who has returned home to tend to his son, who is gravely ill. He rediscovers his old house, where the woman who was once his wife still lives, with his daughter-in-law and grandson. The landscape that awaits him resembles a wasteland. Vast sugar cane plantations surround the house, producing perpetual clouds of ash. 17 years after abandoning them, Alfonso tries to fit back in and save his family.More...
King of Devil's Island2010-12-16Norwegian winter, 1915. On the island Bastøy, outside Oslo, a group of young boys aged 11 to 18, are held in an institution for delinquent youth, notorious for its sadistic regime. One day a new boy, Erling, arrives, determined to escape from the island. After a tragic incident, he ends up leading the boys in a violent uprising. When the boys manage to take over the island, 150 soldiers are sent in to restore order.More...
Kardec2019-05-16The story of Allan Kardec, from his days as an educator to his contribution to the spiritist codification.More...
The Channel2023-07-14After their bank heist goes wrong, a desperate criminal, his out-of-control brother, and their motley crew of ex-marines must escape New Orleans, United States.More...
Jakob's Wife2021-04-16After a chance encounter with "The Master", Anne discovers bite marks on her neck, a new sense of power, and an appetite to live bigger and bolder than ever.More...
Loverboy1989-04-28Randy Bodek works as a pizza delivery boy at Señor Pizza to make a few extra bucks. Some customers are special, though: When the order is for a pizza with extra anchovies, it means the female customers are looking for some loving. But, as Randy soon learns, life as a professional gigolo can get pretty complicated.More...
Gigi & Nate2022-09-02A young man with a bright future suffers a near-fatal accident and recreates his new life with the help of an unlikely animal friend.More...
The United States vs. Billie Holiday2021-03-31Billie Holiday spent much of her career being adored by fans. In the 1940s, the government targeted Holiday in a growing effort to racialize the war on drugs, ultimately aiming to stop her from singing her controversial ballad, "Strange Fruit."More...
Jennifer Eight1992-11-06John Berlin, a big-city cop from LA moves to a small-town police force and immediately finds himself investigating a murder. Using theories rejected by his colleagues, Berlin meets a young blind woman named Helena, whom he is attracted to. Meanwhile, a serial killer is on the loose—and only John knows it.More...
Similar Movies
Groundhog Day
1993-02-11A narcissistic TV weatherman, along with his attractive-but-distant producer, and his mawkish cameraman, is sent to report on Groundhog Day in the small town of Punxsutawney, where he finds himself repeating the same day over and over.Brokeback Mountain
2005-10-22In 1960s Wyoming, two men develop a strong emotional and sexual relationship that endures as a lifelong connection complicating their lives as they get married and start families of their own.Crouching Tiger, Hidd...
2000-07-06Two warriors in pursuit of a stolen sword and a notorious fugitive are led to an impetuous, physically-skilled, teenage nobleman's daughter, who is at a crossroads in her life.Nanook of the North
1922-06-11This pioneering documentary film depicts the lives of the indigenous Inuit people of Canada's northern Quebec region. Although the production contains some fictional elements, it vividly shows how its resourceful subjects survive in such a harsh climate, revealing how they construct their igloo homes and find food by hunting and fishing. The film also captures the beautiful, if unforgiving, frozen landscape of the Great White North, far removed from conventional civilization.Short Cuts
1993-10-01Many loosely connected characters cross paths in this film, based on the stories of Raymond Carver. Waitress Doreen Piggot accidentally runs into a boy with her car. Soon after walking away, the child lapses into a coma. While at the hospital, the boy's grandfather tells his son, Howard, about his past affairs. Meanwhile, a baker starts harassing the family when they fail to pick up the boy's birthday cake.Fargo
1996-03-08Jerry, a small-town Minnesota car salesman is bursting at the seams with debt... but he's got a plan. He's going to hire two thugs to kidnap his wife in a scheme to collect a hefty ransom from his wealthy father-in-law. It's going to be a snap and nobody's going to get hurt... until people start dying. Enter Police Chief Marge, a coffee-drinking, parka-wearing - and extremely pregnant - investigator who'll stop at nothing to get her man. And if you think her small-time investigative skills will give the crooks a run for their ransom... you betcha!The Apartment
1960-06-21Bud Baxter is a minor clerk in a huge New York insurance company, until he discovers a quick way to climb the corporate ladder. He lends out his apartment to the executives as a place to take their mistresses. Although he often has to deal with the aftermath of their visits, one night he's left with a major problem to solve.A River Runs Through ...
1992-10-09The Maclean brothers, Paul and Norman, live a relatively idyllic life in rural Montana, spending much of their time fly fishing. The sons of a minister, the boys eventually part company when Norman moves east to attend college, leaving his rebellious brother to find trouble back home. When Norman finally returns, the siblings resume their fishing outings, and assess where they've been and where they're going.The Jungle Book
1994-12-23Raised by wild animals since childhood, Mowgli is drawn away from the jungle by the beautiful Kitty. But Mowgli must eventually face corrupt Capt. Boone, who wants both Kitty's hand and the treasures of Monkey City – a place only Mowgli can find.Lone Wolf
1972-07-12The film follows a young boy named Ranko who discovers a large German Shepherd in the mountains, a remnant of the recent war. After freeing the dog from a trap, Ranko befriends the animal and, based on an inscription on its collar, names him Hund. However, the local villagers mistake the dog for a dangerous wolf, a "lone wolf," and resolve to kill it. Fearing for his new companion's safety, Ranko secretly brings food to Hund in the mountains. In a turn of events, the dog saves Ranko from a real wolf attack. The villagers, convinced that this "lone wolf" is responsible for killing sheep, organize a hunt. In a climactic moment, Ranko manages to save his loyal friend from the hunting party, solidifying their bond.Kendra and Beth
2021-10-01A dark comedy about the only female employee in the warehouse of a sausage company who forms an unlikely bond with a stranger that throws both their lives into disarray, leaving them forever changed.Ten Canoes
2006-06-29A story within a story within a story. In Australia's Northern Territory, an Aboriginal narrator tells a story about his ancestors on a goose hunt. A youngster on the hunt is being tempted to adultery with his elder brother's wife, so an elder tells him a story from the mythical past about how evil can slip in and cause havoc unless prevented by virtue according to customary tribal law.Romulus, My Father
2007-05-31The story of Romulus, his beautiful wife, Christina, and their struggle in the face of great adversity to bring up their son, Raimond. It is a story of impossible love that ultimately celebrates the unbreakable bond between father and son.Beast
2018-04-18A troubled woman living in an isolated community finds herself pulled between the control of her oppressive family and the allure of a secretive outsider suspected of a series of brutal murders.Wind Chill
2007-04-27Two college students share a ride home for the holidays. When they break down on a deserted stretch of road, they're preyed upon by the ghosts of people who have died there.Nokkethadhoorathu Kan...
1984-10-26Kunjoonjamma Thomas is a widow living in the village all by herself. People always make fun of her because she is grumpy and depressed due to the deaths of her husband and her only child. Children irritate her by ringing her door bell and running away. One day, her granddaughter Girly, who she had never met, visits her. Initially, Kunjoonjamma does not like Girly, but they soon become close to each other.The Fallow Deer
1959-01-01During a day of deer hunting, Karaca Ali Aga (Talat Gözbak) finds a girl wandering around, and immediately falls in love with her. Some time later, when Aga goes back to marry her, he instructs his men to eliminate the obstacle, namely Halil (Yilmaz Güney)...Saints and Soldiers
2003-09-11Five American soldiers fighting in Europe during World War II struggle to return to Allied territory after being separated from U.S. forces during the historic Malmedy Massacre.Gorillas in the Mist
1988-09-23The story of Dian Fossey, a scientist who came to Africa to study the vanishing mountain gorillas, and later fought to protect them.Deadly Game
1982-09-03A hunting party arrives at a lodge in the Tatra mountains in Slovakia, where one woman in the party had “accidentally” shot and killed her first husband some time ago.