Inland Empire (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

Great movie by the master D Lynch. Criterion Editions make greatness even better, if possible.

haha,this film really pissed off quite a few people so i've heard.i saw it at the oak street cinema in mpls with friends in march and was very satisfied while they were not.it's funny too,because the folks who fancied themselves "artsy" were the first to dismiss it as "too long,too over-the-top,and too meaningless."(i admit to keeping the abstract nature of it a secret from them all so i wouldn't have to go alone though.)anyways,to the film itself:formalism+surrealism=the best experimental neo-noir experience i've had in many a moon!simply because of how long it is(3+ hours)i even found myself droning in a trance at some points--BUT--this works to the film's advantage(with the dvd format at least)because you'll be able to stop it at basically any point you because tired of it,start it up a few hours/days later,and not "miss" anything.if there is a "random play" option on most dvd players it would totally work to suffle the chapters and still be able to not make sense of it or find abstract meaning(that is,if david gives us chapers on the dvd which he normally doesn't.)i'll try to wrap this up now as simply as possible:inland empire is unmistakable a david lynch film(fits the auteur's overe quite nicely),it's mainly dark with character's finding a sickness inside themselves and thier surroundings,it's like mulholland drive as a mosaic--suffled beyond recognition,it pays homage to various films(rear window,sunset boulevard,etc),and i can only assume that it was as fun and interesting for lynch to create as it was for me as a viewer to watch.as per usual,the asthetics and chirascirro are top-notch!can't wait to see what david has in store for us on the dvd!*edit:10/24/07The dvd:I finally got around to watching the extras disc last week.This dvd set has so much to offer;thanks Mr. Lynch for adding so much into it.The biggest thing that I noticed was that the film has half the power that it did on the big sceen when translated through my 17-inch Toshiba at home.My system speakers didn't honor the sounds too well eathier,but hey,I suppose that proves that Inland Empire has another power to it.I wasn't disapointed with the film itself after seeing it for the second time,but I wished that my toys could have held up their part of the bargain better.It's interesting to think that a film which was shot on dv looks its best when shown on a large screen!The extras were very cool and it was interesting(and a shock) to see that Mr. Lynch isn't the "24/7 hunkey-dorey boy scout" which so many people pigeonhole him into.He's a normal guy with a fully-developed imagination!I never knew about quinoa before seeing this and I'll be getting much more protien via this rich grain!Haven't tried it yet but it looks good."More things that happened" was fun,and I can see why the scenes didn't make the final film,but they stand on their own just fine.I should also mention that I had no problems at all with the dvd freezing on me,or anything else mentioned by others.My copy seems to work fine.With that said,I think that INLAND EMPIRE is still the imaginative masterpeice I claimed it was after seeing it at the Oak Street Cinema.Hollywood can't make their junk movies with "junk" dv,but smart film-makers can get around the problems of digital video to create amazing films for a relatively low cost.I'd rather view a smart film with a few minor visual quirks than be forced to sit through conventional factory movies made by dunces--even if they happen to be shot on high-def.The art of film reverts back to the grainy place it was born;how fitting and awesome!And no David,I won't be putting it on my effing phone.

After his death I watched many of his movies. In reading Wikipedia, which it took for me to appreciate this, this was made long term for months or years with him using a hand held camera and often supplying the scripts in the morning. With one of his players Justin Theroux and of course Laura Dern they were naturals for piecing the puzzle together. It is complicated but worth hanging in there. I bought it and glad I did. It has his own style for sure in this one. Enjoy! You won’t be disappointed and for sure fasten your safety belt.

This has become my favorite David Lynch film. It showed me how to enjoy the journey of an experience rather than needing a concrete story that is entirely explained by the end.Of course my opinion is subjective, as anyone’s is. But like life where you are the casual observer of strangers on your day to day. You don’t know their whole stories, but you witness them and form opinions about them anyway. This is like that but at a more intimate level of observation.I felt a range of emotions and opinions watching this, and by the end, when I found myself thoroughly enjoying the final musical number of the credits: I realized at some point I let go of my expectations of narrative and took the moments as they came. I’m glad, and better for it, I think.In retrospect, this movie helped me be more open to the works of David Lynch I had seen prior to Inland Empire. The films I had seen while still in the mindset of needing a visual narrative to be told in a specific way with anticipated information fulfilled by the end.Let go of expectations and take in one step of the journey at a time.

I like to think of Inland Empire (2006) as a conglomerate of ingredients from all of David Lynch's previous 9 feature length films. Of course, the word is "surreal." In this 3 hour movie that's shot in standard definition digital, we're taken for a wild ride of surrealism, mystery, confusion, paranoia, and all out wonderment. Yes, in typical Lynch fashion, the plot can be hard to follow, but that's okay, because you will reach the point when you forget about trying to follow it closely, and instead enjoy something unlike anything you will ever see. I see similarities with Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, and especially Mulholland Dr. This is one of those films where the plot is replaced with interesting people/creatures/situations. Laura Dern shines in this film, and gives probably her best performance as an actress. Of course, this got little recognition, because Inland Empire was a very limited release movie. I strangely found myself enjoying every minute of this film, even when the slow parts got even slower, because the atmosphere was brooding and mysterious, and the acting superb. The old saying, "it's so bad that it's good" just might apply to this movie; I want to emphasize the "bad" being a strange and surreal plot that doesn't cater to the mainstream. Consider my analogy as seen through the eyes of a mainstream viewer who eventually "gets on board" with the pure art that is depicted by Lynch. I think this review is getting a little weird, so I think I'll stop! Inland Empire is essential viewing, and a modern masterpiece from the master of the surreal.