Forget Me Not

Directed by Alexander Holt & Lance Roehrig, Quicksilver Films, 2010

Starring: Tobias Menzies, Genevieve O'Reilly and Gemma Jones

Genre: Romance

Question: Do you believe you can fall in love with someone in 24 hours? I do, or maybe I have just seen too many movies. Either way, I think it can happen and Forget Me Not may show you how.

A typical Sunday afternoon in my house involves laundry. One thing I detest so I have to balance it out with something I love. Do I have to tell you what that is? I grabbed my laptop and headed towards the back of my home - a sanctuary from the rest of the house but also where the laundry room is located. First load in, headphones on and I hit play on Netflix Instant Play queue with Forget Me Not.


I didn't know anything about this film except what IMDb said about it in its summary:

"Love Happens. When you least expect it. Forget Me Not is a moving, modern day love story set over twenty-four hours against a stunning London backdrop."

London?! YAY!! I lived in London for a short time and miss it nearly every single day so anything that has "a stunning London backdrop" in it, count me in. Plus, I had just completed watching a foreign mafia film that I did not like and not sure why, so a romance was the best genre to counteract the effects of the other. And it did.

The movie starts off in a London pub with a musician singing and strumming his guitar. The female bartender serves up drinks to the locals watching him out of the corner of her eye or when she has a break from serving the drunk in front of her. His melancholy tune permeates the surroundings but you are too busy waiting for what comes next to take notice. His gig soon ends; he goes home and takes a bath. Then he starts to do something that makes your heart tighten, especially if you have ever been in that state of mind. He tries again but realizes he requires a drink first. Back to the pub. Okay, I am giving a play by play of the movie - I am stopping that now.

At this point you are completely lost as to what is going on, and you desire to find the answers to all your "whys?" But in the back of your mind you really don't want to find out. Luckily the story then has you following the bartender and the musician as they walk through London on their way to a party after an unforeseen run-in with one of the pub patrons. During the course of this walk the two strangers begin to talk and share stories about each other. This is where I really started to drift head, or heart, first into the story...and then...buzzz...pause film...damn, laundry! Second load in. Play.

Where was I? Oh yeah, the strangers continue on through the night walking through the streets of London, revealing stories about themselves that you might not think they would. However, it seems so comfortable that you don't question it. Yet something is held back by both. Understandably. What would make any two people, complete strangers, open up and share personal stories? That is hard to say but perhaps when you are lonely, scared or unable to recall a happy time, a stranger might be the best person to open up to. And they might just surprise you with being the right person for what you need.

Okay, I am giving way too much away on this one. What is wrong with me? Perhaps it's the laundry...anyway.

Dawn soon arrives and a trip to visit someone starts to bring the story closer to its climax. A revelation from one/a reminder to another surfaces, but as the audience member you are still in the dark. Where the love story goes from here was expected but then one stranger finally reveals all about themselves. And in one of the hardest but most understandable speeches it all made sense - the beginning, the middle and the finally, the conclusion. Two people who didn't know each other yesterday, and might not remember later, fall in love because they always have today.

So if you are in the mood for a decent romance - check out Forget Me Not. 


My favorite thing: That I didn't even notice I was doing laundry.

My least favorite thing: That I don't have plans to visit London anytime soon.

Rating: R
Length: 93 minutes

Review: 7 out of 10




Click on film poster for film:
 

Love

Directed (and written) by William Eubank, Angles and Airwaves, 2011. Starring Gunner Wright, Bradley Horne and Corey Richardson.

Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi

Question: How many of you like or prefer to be alone? However, I should ask, can you feel love when you don't have contact with others?

I am still trying to collect myself because I just finished watching a movie called, Love. I downloaded it from ITunes almost a month ago for my trip to LA but never watched it. There was only a day or two left on the rental; I had time to kill so I hit play. For the last 90 minutes I was mesmerized by this film - absolutely mesmerized.

The description of Love by some other viewers prompted me to make it my first ever downloaded film. I usually don't read other reviews on movies (I know, a bit hypocritical) but something about what others said made me want to watch this movie. I am now sorry it took me this long to finally see it. Also, I really wish I could have seen this in the theatre. Visually, this was a stunning portrayal of the human spirit and the need for connection to others.

Love started off with one of the most brilliant speeches I have heard on-screen in a long time. The first line alone grabbed my attention. Although I was confused watching the first few minutes, because the story is about an astronaut abandoned in space, it opened with a Civil War battle scene. What the scene was about or why it was in this movie, I won't say because it is the heart of the movie's message. Pay close attention to every word in this film.

This film took on a deeply personal and a philosophical theme that, once it was all over, brought tears to my eyes. In fact, I sat there, at my laptop, headphones still in listening to the final music and watching the credits. I was almost paralyzed with overwhelming emotions. Why? Go back to my question - do you like to be alone? I do prefer to be alone but it is my choice. What would happen to you, your mental faculties if you, however, were forced to be alone without any human connection ever again? It is unimaginable but Love just showed what can happen but with the simplest ray of hope at the end. It was that message that affected me so much.

A brief synopsis: Captain Lee Miller, an astronaut, is alone in an International Space Station and for reasons Ground Control won't divulge, communications stop and he is left, abandoned, out in space. The film shows his slow decline into madness (or was it acceptance?). No more details about this one because it is a relatively slow, non-overindulged detail film that delves into the fragile state of loneliness.

Gunner Wright plays the astronaut and it could have been an extremely boring film if it weren't for his performance. It is very hard to portray such an intense theme when the actor doesn't really have another actor to act/react with during the scenes. However, I believe the audience is slowly drawn into becoming a connection and there in lies the meaning of it all. Brilliant!

This was the directorial debut of William Eubank and I personally can't wait for his next film.

Love

My favorite thing: The message at the very end.

My least favorite thing: Can't really think of anything at the moment. Maybe that more people don't know about this film yet.

Rating: Unrated
Length: 86 minutes


Review: 9 out of 10