I recently watched We Are What We Are... what a beautiful film! The storyline is like We Have Always Lived in the Castle meets Ric Burns' the Donner Party, equal parts gruesome and gorgeous. But the atmosphere is what got me: it perfectly captures the sublime verdant beauty of late Spring, and the Gothic qualities of of rural America. While it takes place in Upstate New York, it reminded me so very much of Vermont, too, with the otherworldly quality of the green landscape when it's cloaked in rain, and the way the golden hour 1970s trailerpark/ramshackle Victorian buildings are smeared thinly over the weird ancient Colonial world. There are lots of gorgeous shots framed by windows, windshields, and branches, giving viewers a veiled, voyeuristic look into the sisters' insular world. Finally, the soundtrack is magical, featuring old-time country and blues.
So nice to see a post from you Dakota!
ReplyDeleteAww, thanks!! I don't think I will ever blog regularly again, but now and then there are special & inspiring things I simply must share :)
DeleteDon't stop now, I've just caught up!
DeleteI watched this a few weeks ago. It was gorgeous to watch, but I'm not sure I loved the ending.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree! The ending felt kind of cheap, and really jarring after the slow, subtle pace that had been building up before hand. If I were a film critic, I'd have to dock a star for that. But I enjoyed the visuals so much, I can overlook it :)
DeleteI think I remember hearing something about this film a while back, but I never made a point to watch it. It looks stunning, and I'm always looking for good stuff on netflix. Have you seen Stoker? Just from the screen shots, it reminds me a bit of this.
ReplyDeleteYes, in mood & style it's got a v. similar vibe to Stoker, only with a more run-down rural element that to me makes it stronger! I think it's worth a watch for the beautiful gloomy atmosphere.
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