Am I Missing Something?

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

A gem to be savored. Tenderly atmospheric. An indie movie that is wordlessly beautiful. Surrealism echos throughout. Few films have the power to unlock a dimension that is beyond our grasp but this movie touches a realm that resides in us all. Change is a most profound thing. Death mirrors life in its own inevitable way. Don't be baffled or bewildered, angels are among us, just not quite where you might imagine. Some are orphans, stranded here through no fault of their own, who yearn for a place called home. There are 31 flavors of symbolism hidden here, and they are all to be found in frostbitten Montana in the year 1955. Quote from the movie: "Depends on how you look at it ...halfway to heaven or halfway to hell." Esoteric, offbeat, meditative. A movie that invites repeated viewings which offers many revelations.

Basic premise: Dam is built which is about to flood the town of Northfork. Everyone is evacuated except for the "die hards". In come a group attempting to evacuate the remainder - attempt to persuade them to leave.Well it sounded interesting enough on the back of the DVD box so I rented it.A more bizarre film populated with the weirdest characters I haven't seen. And the pace - it was just so turgidly slow. If it was supposed to be languid it wasn't, it was terminal. An hour and 20 minutes I watched in silence as more and more strange, and frankly inexplicable things happened in front of me.To be honest after that point I just got bored....it was just so slow.The washed out colour, the strange soundtrack with it's languid and slow orchestral pieces mixed with radio jazz from the 40s.And the characters...I keep coming back to these strange characters...the "Cup of Tea" character living in a house with a very near sighted...well I didn't know what to make of him, some sort of robot perhaps...with interchangeable hands...and strange guy with a suitcase and a lady with a wig.It was all so...well bizarre...I couldn't make heads or tails of it...and normally I'm the kind of guy who enjoys mystery and unusual characters.The DVD also said "A cross between Twin Peaks and Six Feet Under" - well if you couldn't get to grips with Twin Peaks then avoid this film.In one sequence, the boy runs from a swing to a house after seeing some strange creature on stilts...the creature reminded me of one seen in Jim Henson's "The Dark Crystal" I honestly couldn't take any more after and hour and 20 minutes...perhaps I should have tried to stick it until the end but an hour and twenty minutes seemed like an eternity and I gave up.Two stars - might have been 3 if cinematography had been better, desolate landscape notwithstanding.

Sometimes, I fall in love with movies as a result of the films they remind me of and not because of any inherent brilliance in the movie at hand. Take Northfork for instance, which calls to mind (for me) Wings of Desire, the Straight Story, moments of Bunuel, and Godardian dialogue. In other words, the film reminds me of moments (or entire films) that have great meaning for me. The imagery is certainly derived from Dali and Bunuel and the characters have a Lynchian appeal. The angels are straight Wenders, sort of, and "What you talking about Willis?" reminds me the advice in Pierrot to "Put a tiger in your tank," though referring to Diff'rent Strokes seems an ironic (and none to subtle jab) in the audience's side and not the satiric barb Godard meant by quoting an Exxon commercial.The story involves G-men sent straight from American International Pictures lot of the 1940s to a Montana wasteland to evacuate stragglers in the soon-to-be submerged town of Northfork. It's intercut with the possible fever-dreams of a terminally ill child that play host to a series of adventures involving despondent angels. The plot is elliptical and symbolic and full of esoteric turns of phrase. It's pretentious and reminds me of a movie I wrote during my freshman year of college influenced, as I was, by European existentialism and Beckett. It's not a terrible thing and is, in fact, refreshing in a way, but it is an obvious attempt at artistry that wears its influences like badges. With some more time and maturity, the Polish brothers, who wrote and directed this film, will create something of startling originality I am sure. Anyway, but back to my first point: I loved this film the first time I watched it, as it is gorgeous to look at (nice staging and wonderful cinematography), and I was reminded of some of my favorite movies. However, the second time around, I found it annoying. Here was this gorgeous looking movie fraught with some real emotion (the abandoned, dying child) and brimming with sublime performances (neither Nolte nor Woods have had parts this great in years), and the Polish brothers had to go and mar it all with their irony and quirkiness. It reminded me, in a way, of a Lynch film infused with the whimsy and winking of a Wes Anderson film. It left a bad taste in my mouth, in other words. Does this review sound overly negative? It shouldn't; there is a lot to admire about this film and a lot to despise. It's not a masterpiece but it shows some talent and points to the fact that these Polish boys might make something of themselves one day. It is pretentious and confusing (in the worst way possibly--its confounding nature apparently lacks a point), but it is immensely enchanting. The lyrical beauty of the cinematography and the languid style of storytelling lull you into a hypnotized state from which you don't arise until the film's end. That's quite an accomplishment. Now, if only the Polishes could move beyond sophomoric attempts at humor (really, the Diff'rent Strokes reference is just silly and not particularly witty).

Michael Polish's hypnotic "Northfork" is a film that will stay in one's memory for quite a long time. This exquisitely crafted movie that Michael and Mark Polish wrote, is visually one of the best things that came out last year from the world of independent films. The movie is splendidly photographed by M. David Mullen, with a haunting score by Stuart Matthewman.If you haven't seen the film, perhaps you should stop reading here.The idea to set the film in Montana was a great coup for the Polish brothers. Never has the majestic views of the country and mountains been so vividly captured as in "Northfork". We don't need any color! The beauty is in the dark tones of the film that enhances the story of the desolation in this remote outpost.At the center of the story is Irwin, the sick child under the care of the mysterious Father Harlan. This boy is seen in his bed where the kind priest is administering the medicine for his body. But is he really there at all? We watch him interacting with the odd group that we first encounter around the cemetery. There are two freshly open graves. Will one of them be for Irwin? At the same time, another plot line plays parallel to this first theme. We see the six men in black that have come to the area in order to remove from the area as many people as they can. This will be the bed for the man made lake that will be created. Their reward is one acre and a half of lake front property if they move a certain amount of people.The third story line centers on the mystical group composed by Flower Hercules, Cup of Tea, Cod and Happy. They are following a possibility of a link to an angel that has been injured in this area. When Irwin meets them at the cemetery, he offers to help, only if they take him away at least a thousand miles from here. We watch as the quartet examine the feathers the boy has placed among the pages of his bible. Could Irwin be that angel? The closing sequence show us all parties leaving Northfork in different directions. The men in black riding their automobiles, perhaps going home to enjoy the newly acquired properties given to them as a reward. The mystical group is seen boarding a plane and taking off for a higher place. We also realize that the child in Father Harlan, in spite of the medicines and the care he received from the saintly figure, has died.Michael Polish got one of the best ensemble acting from all the principals. Nick Nolte, as Father Harlan turns a low key performance in his portrayal of this kind man. James Woods, as Walter, one of the men working for the developer, does a fine job. The biggest surprise is Duel Farmer, who makes an excellent impression as Irwin. This child actor, with the right guidance, shows great promise.The mystical group is brilliantly acted by Daryl Hannah, Robin Sachs, Ben Foster and Anthony Edwards, the man with the funny spectacles. Peter Coyote, Mark Polish, Ben Foster, and the rest of the cast are flawless under Mr. Polish direction.The beauty of the film relies in its simplicity. Mr. Polish's vision will haunt one's memory. The images of Montana, as perhaps an unreal landscape is one of the best things in American films in quite a while.