nerrdrage

Somehow I managed to miss Lost Highway in my viewing of the oeuvre of David Lynch. This is a good movie of his to watch last, because if you're used to his style, most importantly, the irrelevance of logical explanations, you will enjoy it a lot more.

Some of Lynch's works are more straightforward, like Elephant Man. But Lost Highway is on the far end of his wilder, stranger range, like Eraserhead, Mulholland Drive and Twin Peaks.

All the Lynchian elements are in place: the modern noir feel, the red curtain (representing a transition to another reality?), the dopplegangers, the dream logic, the twisted sexuality, the deliberately stilted and corny characters and dialogue, the short, creepy guy (not a dwarf this time but close) who is key to everything in some obscure way.

If you love this stuff, watch this movie. If you've tried and just can't get into it, skip it.

The impact of the director's talent is very obvious in this movie. In the hands of a a less adept director than Soderbergh, this could have been disposable fluff instead of a cut above the usual action flick.

The plotline breezes right along quick enough that you don't really notice how much of it is cobbled together from other action stories like Prison Break, or based on a whole lot of conveniences and contrivances, like a justice system that magically cooperates with the bank robbers' plans or a prison system that is just corrupt enough to finesse things for them unwittingly.

Worth seeing, especially for Daniel Craig's performance. He continues to be surprising in his talent and range.

The show started off pretty good, distinct from TWD by showing the downfall of civilization. The sojourn on the boat and the visit to the Channel Islands was good too.

But then it all started to sink into the same problems that sunk TWD. Stupid characters who continue to survive zombie attacks despite all logic.

People behaving crazy in ways I don't really buy. Would survivors actually decide the dead aren't really dead in defiance of all evidence? They did this schtick on TWD too but at least then, there was some talk about coming up with a cure.

Chris turning murderous or whatever is going on - don't buy it either. They haven't bothered to give the kid a personality so that's what they do with him. Alicia doesn't have a personality either.

TWD had instantly engaging character but this show only has a few, which makes those deficiencies all the more glaring.