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Monday, February 11, 2013

36th Annual Portland International Film Festival

Beyond the Hills - Cristian Mungiu

I went to the 36th Annual Portland International Film Festival to see this story which was based on a real-life case of supposed demonic possession. The lead actresses Cristina Flutur and Cosmina Stratan received the best actress prize at the Cannes Film Festival and their performances were very well done; however, the film was 150 minutes and I think it could have been done in 90 minutes. 150 minutes is just tooooooooo long for me to sit and watch most any film. In fact it's the reason I haven't gone to the new Lord of the Rings show - yet.

I can't stand sitting still that long. But aside from the length of the film, I was also hoping to be sitting on the edge of my seat...at least a few times during the show. I wasn't. This was a slow moving drama that was more about strict religious dogma than demonic possession.

Cristina Flutur was a strong-willed young woman who cursed at the priest because she was frustrated that her girlfriend would not leave the monastery, where she was training to become a nun, and return with her to Germany.

If everyone who got frustrated with religion and priests and then swore were demonically possessed, it would leave very few non-possessed  people in this country.

So, overall I thought the film was interesting...the acting well-done, but the film was too slow and long for me.

3 comments:

Kelly Polark said...

You see so many movies! And how cool that you saw one at a festival.
But that does seem very loooooong!

The Happy Whisk said...

This was well-written and you made me laugh at the end.

Great stuff.

PS: I don't mind sitting that long at home, but it's gotta be a real real good movie for me to sit in the movie house.

Kimbra Kasch said...

KP: I love going to see movies...no maybe it's really the popcorn and candy that I LOVE ;D

THW: It's sooooo true. Who doesn't get frustrated...? And it's a rare movie that's worth that much time :D