The Lost City of Z (James Gray)

[Ivan Drago]

There's a lot in this movie. Part Heart of Darkness, part WWI movie, part British Empire colonialism conquest, part father-son story, part women's liberation. Even at 140 minutes, this film feels like it should a 200+ epic from yesteryear. There's a lot left undiscovered in the jungle and on the WWI battlefield. I would love to see how long Gray's original cut is. What is in there is wonderful stuff.

I went in thinking it was more of a psychological thriller with Fawcett going mad with obsession (I didn't watch any trailers), but this movie completely blew away my expectations with its commitment to naturalistic performances from its cast, phenomenal editing, and an ethereal tone especially toward the end, which is unique for an epic. I'm also ready to declare James Gray the master of composing a final shot. This is only going to get better with time.

[Stay Puft]

I'm also ready to declare James Gray the master of composing a final shot.

I thought the closing shot in The Immigrant was sort of awkward and poorly composited, but I'll agree that he executes very well here.

The entire ending sequence, starting with the capture, is breathtaking. The [

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nonlinear montage with Fawcett raising his hand in the air, the dinner scene, the shots of Fawcett in the corner as his wife gives birth, the poem, and that final exchange, I love you dad, I love you son, to finally being carried away toward the lights (torches? fires?) in the distance across the river...

] just... wow. I was speechless. I felt my soul stirring, the whole weight of existence. "A man's reach should always exceed his grasp."

There was a lot of little things that bothered me along the way, to the point that I want to believe there's a longer cut that irons out some of the wrinkles (many having to do with the hurried nature of some sequences, a lack of development on some important story elements). This is a big, sprawling film, and like Wats suggests, there's so many ideas fighting for screen time that they don't all necessarily hit their mark. But James Gray has nevertheless worked some crazy magic here, and I'd say this is probably his greatest achievement to date (I would only pause at this point because maybe, maybe I still prefer Two Lovers). It's such an elegant and monumental piece of filmmaking. By the end, I was thoroughly overwhelmed by the immense experience of it all, and found myself sitting in the theatre in a stunned awe.

I loved it, and I can't stop thinking about it.