Before Sunset
|
List Price: Our Price: $2.48 You Save: $17.48 (88%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $1.35 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of Before Sunset
Movie Review: Glowing Sunset
Summary: 5 Stars
Before Sunset isn't only the underrated and hidden gem of Richard Linklater but also that of 2004. The simple reason is that this has to be one of the best movies of this year.
The movie depended very much on Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy and their compelling chemistry is unmistakable. From the time they left the book store till the time they ended in Celine's apartment, it's 90 minutes of witty conversation that covered a wide range of topics from books to environmental issues to politics to love and life. There was never a dull moment because there's so much realism and bittersweetness in the recounting of that fateful night 9 years ago. And it's this night that had caused two long-lost people separated by time and distance to rediscover the love they had always had for each other despite the changes to their lives in those 9 years.
Julie Delpy puts up a good job as Celine whose love life had never been smooth but still held deep love for her one night companion 9 years ago from which her memory could never erase. Her display of emotions are spectacular, culminating in the scene where she emulates the late Nina Simone's moves while Ethan Hawke was watching her. Her heartfelt rendition of the original song Waltz for a Night must have been the highlight of the entire movie.
Ethan Hawke has displayed much maturity since Sunrise and playes a guy trapped in a loveless marriage whose yearning for Celine is so strong. When he cast his eyes on Celine, it's almost as if he had said so much to her when no words were even spoken. It's that look that transcends time and space.
In the end, the movie isn't your typical romantic story but achieves its aim to touch one deep inside and ask oneself if one had ever known love like that. It doesn't matter how long one might have known someone but it's really the power of the being connected to someone wherever the person is that makes the difference.
It's about re-living and -capturing that moment that will potentially fulfill an unended desire, knowing that without this person, your life will never be whole. That's what love should really be, perhaps. And yes, all these achieved without any sex.
Do yourself a favor and watch this movie. Not just once. Each viewing yields a different interpretation.
Movie Review: Sunrise...sunset...
Summary: 5 Stars
I spent part of the afternoon out at the theatre, watching Mission: Impossible III...but I'm not here to write about that, or about getting a new battery in my watch, or about picking up the chicken and green onions and mushrooms that are now baking away in the oven.
Instead, I'm going to write about Before Sunset, a film that was released a couple of years ago, as a sequel of sorts to the previous Before Sunrise. The original film was released in 1995, and told the tale of an American college boy (Jesse, played by Ethan Hawke) and a French college girl (Celine, played by Julie Delpy), who meet on a train in Europe and spend a romantic night together in Vienna.
So, Before Sunset does not pick up exactly where we left off last time. Instead, nine years have passed, and Celine has tracked down Jesse in Paris, where he's appearing at Shakespeare and Company for a book-signing. Jesse has been touring Europe, promoting his new book, which is, in fact, based somewhat on that previous romantic night together. Finished with the book-signing, Jesse and Celine go to a cafe, walk the streets and gardens of Paris, and take a short cruise up the Seine. All the while, they are talking about how they lost contact with each other, lost loves, how their lives have changed in the nine years, and those things in life, big and snall, that matter to them. Hawke and Delpy pull their roles off perfectly: a little more jaded, but still thoughtful and conversation-oriented.
The film is shot as if it were really in real-time...no real scene breaks punctuate the story, just changes in scenery. So, instead, we can take pleasure of observing the 80-minute conversation between two people who should clearly be together, and only the vagarities of circumstance have kept them apart. This is very different than most films you see. Back in the mid-90s, when I first watched Before Sunrise, that film had some meaning for me, as it represented the kind of romance and relationship I was seeking. Now, with this film, I see things nicely book-ended, and I see a mirror of the type of relationship I actually have...one in which thoughtful conversation is important.
And, it was nice to see Paris again.
So, check it out if you have a chance!
Movie Review: Romantic sequel reunites lovers
Summary: 5 Stars
Richard Linklater's films contain some of the best dialogue I've ever heard on screen (e.g. Dazed and Confused, Waking Life), and this is one of his best. Unlike most sequels, this one is actually as good as the original, Before Sunrise, which is an accomplishment in itself. Both of these films capture an intense connection between two people that is romantic, intellectual and life-altering. Before Sunrise is about two young people, Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy), who meet and fall in love aboard a train in Europe. After spending one very intense day together, they part and promise to meet later in Vienna. That film ends with the future of their relationship left uncertain. Now, nine years later, Before Sunset brings them back together. Jesse has written a book based on their encounter, and Celine shows up at his book signing in Paris. They walk around the city and discuss everything from politics to religion to their love lives.
In most romantic movies, the dialogue consists of clever or funny words that the characters use to seduce each other and the audience. In this film, however, like its predecessor, these people actually have ideas about life, society and other things that stray beyond the scope of most popular entertainment. This will make the film tedious to some. Yet Before Sunset rises above the limits of some dialogue-centered films, which often come across as stage plays. The variety of issues that Jesse and Celine discuss, the way their moods shift, and the scenic background provided by the city combine to create a depth that prevents the film from being simply "talky." More importantly, the actors do a superb job in building emotional tension as the conversation slips gradually from general topics into the characters' intense feelings for each another, which they are at first reluctant to reveal. Before Sunset has a focus that is very specific regarding two people but also very insightful about universal concerns. Both Hawke and Delpy give extremely natural performances; they, along with Linklater, are credited with writing the screenplay, which I suspect was partly improvised. I especially liked the ending, which is both perfect and avoids being a cliche, no small feat in a romance.
Movie Review: A Radiant Stroll Through Paris and Memory
Summary: 5 Stars
BEFORE SUNSET is essentially a two-character conversation that speaks to the durability of ephemeral liaisons: moments of relationships no matter the length can impact lives in amazing ways. It is to the credit of Writers Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke that the impressions of the film BEFORE SUNRISE made nine years ago made such a lasting impact on these fine artists that they were able to create this 'sequel' in a way that speaks to each of us about events and memorable past moments.
Jessie (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) met in Vienna nine years ago and had a brief but romantic evening, ending with a pledge to meet again in a few months to recapture their night of love. Circumstances prevented that reunion, yet nine years later Jessie, now on a tour publicizing his latest novel (one which uses his encounter with Celine as the core for his story) meets Celine again and having only a few hours before his plane leaves for New York (around sunset), the two stroll Paris, pause in a cafe, and eventually go to Celine's Parisian apartment where Celine is invoked to sing one of her songs that in her way recalls the affair of nine years ago. Through all of this we learn how each life has changed and grown and how that 'before sunrise' moment altered each character's worldview. And we never know if Jessie meets his plane!
The extraordinary aspect of this film is the script, written in a manner that seems like the entire film is based on extemporaneous conversation. Unforced, unfettered by traditional love story telling methods, this film relies wholly upon the interaction of two very fine actors. The cinematography is seamless giving the feeling that the afternoon stroll and conversation was filmed in one sustained shoot.
The DVD is greatly enhanced by a conversation - with Richard Linklater who brings the whole film into focus, with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy quietly demonstrating the depth of their talent both as actors, as conceptualizers, and as writers. This is a thinking person's film, but that is not to say it is not a beautifully romantic film. It is as rare a treasure as, say, 'My Dinner with Andre'. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, December 2004.
Movie Review: Sunrise/Sunset: a perfect day at the movies
Summary: 5 Stars
Can you think of another film and sequel that are as uniformly excellent? I sure can't. "Before Sunrise" and "Before Sunset" are each jewels in their own right.
I saw "Before Sunrise" when it came out in 1995 and fell head over heels. Some films become instant favorites but lose their luster after repeated viewings through the years -- it's natural for our response to change as we age and evolve. But with true movie classics, our affection only grows. "Before Sunrise" is one of those. It has remained among my favorite films these past nine years, and subsequent viewings have brought just as much, if not more, delight and wonder.
Unfortunately, I've been less than thrilled with Richard Linklater's subsequent films -- particularly "Waking Life," which I thought was pretentious and annoying (despite animated cameos by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy).
So, I approached "Before Sunset" with both trepidation and excitement. Amazingly, the sequel is just as enjoyable and satisfying as the first. The tone is somewhat different, as you would expect because of the characters' greater maturity and share of disappointments. The performances, script and direction remain perfect.
These are the most European American films I can think of, and yes, that's a compliment. (Sometimes, you almost expect to see subtitles.) They are particularly reminiscent of Eric Rohmer's films in that they rely on real-time effects and lengthy conversations to tap into what it means to be human and connect with others. And in fact, if you love the "Before" movies and you don't mind subtitles, you might want to also check out Rohmer films like "Boyfriends and Girlfriends" and "Summer."
The "Before Sunrise" and "Before Sunset" DVDs have excellent picture quality. There are no extras to speak of, except for a short behind-the-scenes documentary on the "Before Sunset" DVD. At first, I was disappointed, but then I realized that adding a commentary or deleted scenes to either film might only risk taking away some of the magic. Both movies stand on their own. They are, in my opinion, the most perfectly realized romantic films in American movie history, bar none.