Ever so rarely are we given the opportunity to experience with our own eyes something possessing true beauty and wonder. Scenes From the Suburbs is exactly that, but also so much more. For a world craving sentimentalism as our own it's becoming increasingly complicated to experience events that touch us on the most personal level, mostly because films and other art forms are more and more built to be enjoyed by all, leaving behind those experiments that are minimalist in scale but truly grand in feeling. Spike Jonze sees this trend and seeks to provide us with something beautiful, something more than just a film or even an experience. He gives us, together with the ever so fantastic Arcade Fire, a short but powerful moment of indescribable emotions and nuanced conceptions of nostalgia, war, growth, friendship and the world.
... View Morebut i liked the album more. The actors in the film didn't sound like the singers on the album so it wasn't really the same experience. Plus the actors were much younger than Win, Will, Regine, Richard, Sarah and Jeremy. Tim also. The movie was too long for my taste but my dad thought it was OK. My dad is also younger than Win, Will, Regine, Richard, Saraj and Jeremy. Tim is about the same age. The music in the film was really good because it was made by Win, Will, Regine, Richard, Sarah and Jeremy and Tim. The scene where one of the boys meets the girl is exciting because it reminds me of a personal experience. I thought the ending was confusing but that might me because I didn't watch the beginning. I'm pretty sure Will Smith wasn't in the film. What do you guys think? Private message me if I'm wrong! :D The directing was good. I also enjoyed the music by Win and Will and Regina and Jerry and Sara and Rick and Timothy. (When I say Will I don't mean Will Smith. I'm 92% sure he wasn't in the film.) But
... View MoreThis film reminds me of my childhood growing up in the suburbs, and the music is from one of my favorite albums. I think both of these qualities are required to get anything out of this picture.The images of the houses rolling by, airplanes overhead, and neighborhood kids playing made-up games under an overpass evoke memories of simpler times. This is the theme of both the album and the film: the loss of purity. It's a nostalgia film.It is a genuinely different movie. For those of us somewhat jaded by the Hollywood-franchising-machine, this may be the refreshing respite you were looking for. The deeper subtext of the character's relationships gets lost beneath the fantasy concept. But its short length is its greatest strength. It says what it wants to and rolls the credits. But even then, if you do not care about the album it is based on, it would do you no good to watch this movie.
... View MoreOn first viewing, I found the style and the pace of the piece to be a barrier, and the apparent ambiguity a bit of a let own. For example, due to the deliberate narrative direction, getting to know the characters in the time and context we spend with them is pretty difficult.However, watching accompanying the music video to "The Suburbs" fills in some, but not all, of the blanks, as it shows some parts of the story from a different perspective. I then couldn't wait to get to watch this film again. The second viewing, aided by an additional few moments of insight, that the main protagonist does not have, makes whole thing click together and become very rewarding. The questions that remain unanswered, that on initial viewing would appear massive, ultimately have no real relevance to the main story at all.A great enigma that, once revealed, leaves a satisfied feeling.
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