Valley of the Gods

In keeping it as short and as I can, I would say this is a film that juxtapositions with mathematical synchronicity held magnificently together by all actors and staff involved. The film is a masterpiece that expresses exactly what it wants you to understand and exactly what it wants to show you. Great performances all around, and a selfless production throughout...

Sex with a rock. Not sex with The Rock, just A rock. A Navajo native awkwardly makes love to a mountain top, in what may symbolizes a connection with the land? Guessing is the number one activity in this absolutely bizarre sensual feast of a movie.

Owning a Terrence Malik Stanley Kubrik David Lynch surrealistic bent, complete with stunning cinematography, a sweet soundtrack, dedicated yet stunted acting, and puzzling tangents, "Valley of the Gods" is deliciously perfect for mushroom season. It also features Keir Dullea (you know who you are).

All through his varied screen career, John Malkovich has always been best when bad, and here he gets to flex his wicked muscle. As the world's richest dude and eccentric oddball, he gets to play tennis inside his palatial manor on a marble floor, catapult a rolls royce off a cliff, and mummy wrap a bunch of dogs. Or is it deer? Some kinda animal. Whatever the case, Malkovich musta had hisself a helluva time shooting this thing.

There is some semblance of a plot that involves a struggling writer, the prospect of a uranium mine, sacred Native ground, and a wacky dude playing god, but it exists merely to pose way more questions than answers. Do stay for the jaw dropping ending, which tries to wrap this crazy mess in some kind of circular fashion, if that is possible. It is not. But wow, what a heckuva swing!

Audacious to say the least, "Valley of the Gods" is an impressionistic head scratcher, and in the days of lazy cookie cutter flicks, that may not be such a bad thing.

• hipCRANK

I was utterly engaged by every second of it as well.

Most people seem to overthink this; the first 3 minutes tells you exactly what is happening- a grieving man goes into the desert to write.

Think Terry Gilliam.

There you go.

Not for everyone.

Next time, I'll scare up some gummies and a glass of wine. Of course I'll watch it again.

Its pretty confusing and jumps about a bit, but here is what I think its about. Its an arthouse lesson on the uselessness & meaninglessness of modern Western life, as compared with a more spiritual existence lived(or suposedly) by the original inhabitants of America, with a bit of gratuitous arty opulance thrown in. Does it hit any of its marks - NO Is it worth a watch? put it on if you are doing something else and want background visuals. Music - 2/10 Camera work - 5/10 Acting - 4/10

Not bad, not memorable either. "Art nuveao" cinematography, form over substance. Like a splash of paint on a canvas that's supposed to mean whatever the viewer wants. Well acted and directed at times, clumsy at other. A better soundtrack would have helped such a project, but worth a watch.