Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??

Am I Missing Something?

Absolutely Fantastic

VS is a fantastic debut film from Sofia Copella. 'Air' deserve an immediate mention for what they added through the soundtrack.'Crazy' is the easiest way to describe the girls actions.Not having read the 'book' but only having watching the film...I garner from the movie that the tragedy is from 'christian America' and 'middle-class America' (much like most of those of similar ilk) is in not understanding either their children, or, social changes on the whole.This film is probably more relevant than ever.I imagine Sofia succeeded with her debut, in part, because it meant something to her...And, I imagine the stresses of being 'young' and trying to hold an 'identity' that 'may' go against those of your parents is stronger than ever... and, that is the crux of the film - identity, in the face of those who demand you to be in likeness of themselves... sometimes, that's a contradiction too far, and the stresses too harsh.Stylistically, a film that I will watch again. Thematically, I cannot understand the rationality of ALL girls wanting to commit suicide... In reality (despite the oppression) it's more likely they'd take drugs etc

The first time I watched this movie a couple of years ago, I wasn't too impressed with it. I've seen it several more times since and it's not a bad movie; its more than watchable, but left more questions than answers in the end.I'll leave the cinematography reviews to others who know more about that subject.**** SPOILER ALERT **** In the end, my feelings at the end of this movie were mixed. Now I love a movie with an ending that leaves the viewer to ponder the whats and whys of a character or their actions.However, this movie isn't a suspense so these questions, I feel, are pretty crucial to the plot.The first and biggest questions to me is: WHY oh why do the girls signal for the boys across the street to come over, say they are going for a car ride and end up all killing themselves either before or while the boys are waiting for them to get ready. What is the point in that??? It's not like the boys found their bodies and alerted anyone. They ran away.Another question is the fact that Lux is having sex with multiple men and boys on the roof of her house. Why the roof? Wouldn't her parents hear something on the roof and possibly inspect what it could be? Why not in the guy's car down the street or in the basement or, well, anywhere but the roof?I realize this is taken from the novel (that I haven't read), but surely I can't be the only one with these questions. There are others but I'll leave it at that.

After 5 films now, it's clear that Sofia Coppola is a formalist first and foremost, but it's still a little alarming how thoroughly she was able to adapt the tone of the book's prose to the screen, especially as a first time director. The melancholy and mystery of Eugenides' words absolutely permeates every frame, complemented perfectly by the fantastic period detail: 1970s, suburban America, an idyllic homestead as any, filtered through a fever-dream haze. As per usual, the soundtrack choices are spot on. Filled with classics from the 60s and 70s, and a splash of modern and ethereal additions by Air; the music is essential, and expertly paired with the gorgeous images. I don't know if there's ever been a more fitting introduction to a character than Trip Fontaine walking down the halls of his school to the guitar wails of Heart's "Magic Man".I love how the narrator is never specified beyond being one of the boys. They, as a collective, share an experience, and then they share it with us. Even though we see more of them than their book counterparts (perhaps due to Coppola relating more with them than Eugenides did) the girls remain mysterious, elusive, and the boy's obsession with them is transferred to the audience. We watch and wonder, forming assumptions based on brief glimpses behind the curtain. Of course, we never come to understand them (because when have teenage boys understood girls?), but we make assumptions anyways because it's human nature. Surely the parents are at fault? But what about their peers? What about the media they consume? It's left deliberately vague and mysterious, and the desire to unravel and understand is certainly a reason for the continued relevance of both book and movie.While the book was languid, the mundane turned extraordinary through expertly designed sentences; I often overlooked the sharp, black humor in favor of the mysterious beauty. The movie, to my great delight, is full of tiny moments – often provided by the actors, professionals of the highest order – where the smallest gesture or a look can bring the largest laugh. James Woods in particular gives a fantastic performance, all awkward positioning and uncertain conversation.By the time the movie ends, it feels as if we've witnessed and experienced these events alongside our group of boys, the way that stories we've heard in our lives over and over seem to become our own memories. The aimlessness of the narrative feels like a group recollecting a series of events years later, unsure of the order in which the stories should be told. Like the character's memories, some stories linger in my mind, while others fade and are forgotten. Moments like dancing to "Come Sail Away" at the homecoming, or discovering the girl's bodies are forever burned into my cinematic mind. It's a pretty great achievement for Coppola and her team (and I think it's her warmest and prettiest looking movie too, credit to Edward Lachman where it's due).

The movie brought high school movie sub-genre to a weird spot as it places the high school life backgrounds and all the complexities surrounding it facing the contrast element of death and loss and coping with them. The movie goes curiously with it's opening and builds its story casually after-wards. The time frame background permits the story to exhibit cultural practices that may be deemed strange by people nowadays. Yet these weird practices gives a great way for the story to development into it's unpredictable ending. The acting overall is surprisingly good. James Woods and Kathleen Turner did their parts well in acting out as the parents. This movie sure was a showcase to display then young talents such as Kirsten Dunst, Josh Hartnett, Hayden Christensen and even Leslie Hayman. Cameos and smaller parts by Michael Pare and Danny DeVito nicely add some flavor to the movie as a whole.