Elephant

ELEPHANT (2003) - Oct. 15, 2004
A hauntingly brilliant film. It is after watching a movie like this that I feel stupid for giving a silly movie like Cellular, or even Shaun of the Dead, four stars. This is a four star movie. Brilliantly directed by Gus Van Sant, the movie is about a day in the life of a high school. It does not have much of a plot, nor does it need one. With his flowing camera, which is almost always in motion, Van Sant establishes an almost dream-like tone. The camera lingers on seemingly inconsequential moments: a boy taking pictures, a football game being played, a roll of film being developed. These moments are perfect in establishing a certain mood and tone. The film does not give us the sort of characters we would expect -- Van Sant's choice to use non-actors seems iffy at first, but as the movie progresses it becomes more and more clear how perfect these kids are in the roles. Sure, the performances are not without their flaws, but it almost doesn't matter; they all seem like real people, not characters in a movie. At the end, when the violence erupts, it is devastating. These last moments of the film are so powerful because of the mood so effectively established earlier on. The dream-like tone has been pierced by sudden, shocking violence. The film almost reminds me of 2001 in its pace and tone. This is the type of movie that stays with you long after it is done. A truly, truly excellent film, the type of which I so rarely see. ****