If you liked "Winter's Bone" you would probably like "Snow Angels".

[elocs]

I just received Snow Angels in the mail today. I ordered it because it starred Kate Beckinsale and I've very much enjoyed her in other films such as Serendipity, Underworld, and Van Helsing so I thought this would be a safe bet. But then I read the reviews where, like Winter's Bone people seemed to either love the movie or hate it.




Snow Angels
2007R 107 minutes

Based on Stewart O'Nan's novel, this indie drama from writer-director David Gordon Green intertwines parallel stories about teenager Arthur Parkinson (Michael Angarano) and the broken family of his former baby-sitter, Annie Marchand (Kate Beckinsale). Once the object of Arthur's boyhood infatuation, small-town waitress Annie heads down a fateful path after enduring a stormy relationship with her estranged spouse (Sam Rockwell).

Cast:
Kate Beckinsale, Sam Rockwell, Griffin Dunne, Michael Angarano, Olivia Thirby, Nicky Katt, Amy Sedaris, Jeanetta Arnette, Lita Llewellyn, Connor Paolo
Director:
David Gordon Green
Genres:
Drama, Indie Dramas, Dramas Based on Contemporary Literature, Dramas Based on the Book, Warner Home Video
This movie is:
Dark, Romantic, Understated
Format:
DVD

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The ones that did not like the film caught my attention: "Kate Beckinsale had a very complex roll that made her completely unlovable to the viewer..." (bummer, I watch her to be lovable);

"The overall feel of the movie, however, is a downer. I found I had to watch a feel good movie afterwards just so that I would go to sleep feeling so down." (that's a big strike against it in my book);

"Lying, cheating, manipulative people who have a tragedy befall them, in the midst of a messed up existence anyway, made this a tedious view." (well, who could resist that in a movie?);

"Sad, terribly sad - not a movie to watch if you are already depressed unless you think seeing worse will help." (this from a person who gave the movie 4 stars);

"The misery index on this one was off the charts.";

"Yow. Super depressing. Nice Winter scenes. Some things are just too sad to portray, you know?"


OK, I get it already. I watch movies to be entertained or uplifted or inspired. I lead real life and I see the news and if I want bleak, gritty, and depressing I can find it there or in very many documentaries. That's just my personal choice. I don't buy the notion that just because a movie is dark and gritty and has no good ending that somehow makes it deep and superb film making.

So I'm going to take Snow Angels out of its envelope and put it in the return envelope, sending it back unwatched. I think in the future before I put a movie in my queue I'll read the reviews if I don't know about the film.

[cbayer]

1. Yikes - I like dark, but this sounds OTT. I thought Winter's Bone had many redeeming values -

I thought it was a strong pro-woman film and had some redemptive message.

Think I will skip this one, though.

Thanks!

:hi:

[elocs]

2. It's a bummer when you're trusting an actor, actress, or director that you've liked before.

There was certainly nothing in either the picture or the synopsis of Snow Angels that indicated it would be so bleak.

Winter's Bone was way too depressingly gritty for me. I didn't feel good about anything during the movie and I kept wondering where in this country were there people like that who were so clannish and cheerless. I did read reviews from people from the South who believed the movie had a lot of stereotypes in it.

[Inchworm]

3. I don't really remember the movie

And it isn't on instant for a refresh.

I gave it 3 stars. To me that means overall it was ok for me. It also may mean it rocked but the ending sucked. I can never tell. Three to me is not worth watching, but it isn't like a total waste of time ;)

:toast:

sidenote: I was going to list a few that I watched which received 3 stars by me and looked up my history on netflix, but am embarrassed to list lol. I did look though... there weren't that many of them. Guessing you didn't make too bad a decision sending it back ;)

[elocs]

5. I'd bet that in the hundreds of movies I have watched on Netflix I've only rated a few.

I am not disputing that movies that are dark, gritty, or whose subject matter is depressing cannot be well made and with good performances, but there is enough of that for me in real life, the news, or in documentaries and I watch movies to be entertained, not to feel bad after having viewed them.

On the flip side of that there are comedies which many think are great and funny and I simply think are stupid and I'm not going to waste my time on stupid because I see enough of that in real life as well.

[Omaha Steve]

4. Winter's Bone should have gotten more attention from the academy

We loved it.

[madrchsod]

6. thanks---winter bone was one of the best movies i`ve seen in years

i know people like them and that movie was spot on.