Reviews

As a tradition for at least the last ten years, the TV version of 5h20min, has been my go-to Christmas movie (never seen the theatrical version, never will). Well known, Bergman is loved by many, but hated by a lot more, due to his maybe too personal or maybe too little entertaining movies.

Yet depth and life perspective to the core, are shown in its purest matter.

This movies does not just focus on the two young children who loses their father in a early age, but also their big family of higher class. Bergman indulge into all layers of the classes in society, giving everyone time and place to show they point of life and view. Death is a central element here, as in life, the same can be said about love, and love-sickness, jealousy, hatred, falseness, lies, and might-abuse. Bergman self, grew up in a very strict youth with his bishop father, giving real spice to the religious power-surge in the film. Yet also, the unknown, the unspeakable, the mysterious world of spirits and the above, which we can not prove, understand or control is givin a big part in the latter part of the movie, which gives the story another layer, rather unexpected but, also freshness and a lot of confusion if you seek to nail down all answers. Simply timeless pure gold.

I watched this movie in my local theatre, only me and another random person which left after nearly two hours. The stories of the latter Malick movies are without doubt toned down in both lingualistic script but, also in terms of what you as a viewer are given in terms of context. Thus on A Hidden Life, the story is not such a floating experience, in terms its in reach of grasping, yet understandable as it is understable. The turbulence of the war, pinned together with impeccable the nature of Austria, showing hints of absurd mentally frustration along with cinematograpic excellence. Your mindset gets into the main character and his wife, and you feel with them, yet you can also see feel there is some other paths to be taken, but instead of exploting this tension, it kind of falls into its own trap, squeazing everything down into a box, making the 3 hours somewhat undisfactional. Malick has a unique way of making his movies, but his more "productive" sequal of his career is not as firm and to-the-point as it once was.