wolcottalexander

I wish they made more movies like Field of Dreams. I think anyone can appreciate it, but this one is truly special for many men of a certain age. It is a layered and complex and powerful film. Very emotional. People can pull out the pieces that resonate with them and their own life.

I found it to be about the second chances that are impossible, but we all wish we had. The chance to relive moments from earlier in our lives with the wisdom we gained in our later years. Or the chance to right a wrong with someone who isn't here anymore and be redeemed for our shortcomings. The chance to show our parents the appreciation they deserved when they needed it most.

Of course we don't get those chances in real life. But I think Field of Dreams is also about what you can do going forward with the wisdom gained from that realization. Somewhat lost in the story of a man who dreams of reconciliation with his dead father is the story of a man who chooses to do something incredible and transform his life. He isn't afraid of what everyone else thinks of him for doing what he believes in and in time he makes believers of them too.

The score is wonderful and enhances the emotional experience of the film without being sappy or overdone, a fine line to walk. The cast is excellent. Just an all around magical film. There aren't many like it. And as a son and as a father it really touched me on a lot of different levels. If you are an adult man who would be uncomfortable if seen crying during a movie, I recommend you watch this one alone.

Beautiful visuals. Great score and sound effects. Good story. Good stunts and special effects. Very entertaining. Strong ending. Smooth and consistent. Tom Cruise brings star power and credibility to the project and is his usual self. Andrea Riseborough really shines and does a wonderful job as Victoria. Every scene she is in is just terrific. Olga Kurylenko's character didn't do it for me though.

If you're looking for purist-level sci-fi you may be a little let down in spots as Oblivion certainly drifts off into "mass market appeal" mode in a few major scenes that I don't think really needed to be there to tell the story properly but overall this is one that most sci-fi fans will enjoy and it will also satisfy a lot of viewers who don't normally go for this genre.

But I don't watch or review student films, I streamed this on a service I pay for. So 4 stars for this one and that's probably generous. I assume/hope all of the actors were unpaid friends and family of the director. Production value is several notches below a typical History Channel documentary.

Clever-ish idea and cute-ish format and it has its moments where it all works. But ultimately it is predictable and the "mockumentary" playbook executed on a student film budget just gets tiring after a while. The casting and acting are all really bad (within the context of a professionally made film) and obviously amateur/hobby level which kinds of takes you out of it. Most of them were just way too young to be credible.

But assuming this was made by students with virtually no budget or experience, it is really cool.