joythirstpop

This movie won't shake your world necessarily, but it does explore necessary-to-life meaningful themes. It's not super high budget, a thrill ride, a romance, a comedy, or anything it like that. It is probably most realistic in terms of things that real people might actually experience, which might turn people off who would prefer primarily to be entertained or excited by movies (maybe to escape real life instead of examining it? but, we all need that sometimes). It also has a lot of kind of interesting from-the-ground Portland vibes without romanticizing it or purposefully exploring it in any way, which for me I appreciate more than can be said for the vibe I get from some other Pac NW movies (or "Portlandia").

This movie actually has some meaning and feeling put into it, and isn't at all overly or overtly infected with the now declining or completely dead trend of what was once hipster-dom. And, being that this movie came out when it did, it would've been very easy for it to have been made like that, and it most likely would have had much more attention or success. Instead, the people who made this movie chose to make something more honest, and I think that's cool and commendable.

I will be honest, I mainly watched it because it had James Mercer in it (though Brownstein is alright too), and I love the Shins. Never heard of this movie except by accident surfing IMDB. Considering that, this movie could have been a whole hell of a lot worse. So, as a pleasant surprise, I will remember it positively.

I feel like its overall rating is unfair and may turn away people who may otherwise enjoy it. So, don't be afraid to give it a chance, if you can find a way to watch it!

I can see how this movie might not be meaningful to some folks. That is alright.

It outlines pretty well the process of moving from addiction to freedom, from running from your pain to facing it and figuring out how to heal and go on living with hope for the future.

Addiction is rampant in our society whether you would like to admit it or not. You might not be an alcoholic, but chances are you are someone addicted to SOMEthing that helps you escape your pain and bad feelings when they become unbearable. Whether that's being addicted to technology, porn, drugs, alcohol, sex, shopping, or just addicted to negative habits of your mind- everybody uses something to buffer out their feelings.

As someone who has gone through and out of addiction, and still struggles with coping with the pain of living and making it all make sense sometimes - and also as someone who enjoys Gus Van Sant, Joaquin Phoenix, and Jack Black - this movie hit home.

Also interesting to realize that Joaquin Phoenix was once an alcoholic himself and went through the same process of getting clean and figuring his life out - you can tell by his acting that there is real experience there and it's not contrived. Real feelings coming from a real person, not contrived.

There's only a small amount of cheese, but it's bearable, because the sincerity shines through brighter.

Great acting, great perspective, great story.

It is strange that this idea could put a bad taste into someones mouth- that it is OUR responsibility to save the world - pretty much the opposite message of "sola fide" - the doctrine introduced by the Lutheran church that it is only through faith in the divinity of Jesus alone and not through works we achieve "salvation". Centuries of self-identified "Christians" with no real love of peace, truth or compassion at the helm of the West and look where it has gotten us... millions of Christians await Christ's return yet make no serious effort to live by Christ's teachings. That is the sore thumb and the tragedy of many of the efforts of modern evangelists

Ironically, a movie that is supposed to be about Mary Magdalene is the best cinematic telling of the Jesus story that I have seen - it takes care to communicate understandably how Jesus's real teachings could become skewed by disciples who had their own ideas about the way they thought things should be, or would prefer them to be. They helped create in their folly a system of belief which removes personal responsibility and promotes complacent self righteousness in apathy which seems so common today.

The message of personal responsibility is so crucial in these times when it feels like the world is speeding ever so quickly towards irreversible change - where that change is directed is up to us and if we are all sitting on our thumbs we may neglect our own responsibility and contributions in the matter. That someone could be made angry or put off by this idea seems incomprehensible to me