Review of Take Shelter (2011) by Jim W — 25 May 2012

It's been roughly a year or more since i've done a movie review on facebook.....probably because I haven't been compelled in a while to do so. Take shelter is the first movie i've seen in a while that baffles me simply because I loved it.....and I was greatly disappointed by it.

Take shelter is essentially this year's black swan, only.....a little more real.....sort of. Instead of another movie about someone who is just plain going crazy and doesnt even realize their craziness, this movie features a man who is going crazy and is well aware of it, but can't do anything but just let it consume him.

I also give this movie a lot of credit for being the only film i've ever seen that accurately captures the feeling of lucid dreams. That's right, even a movie like inception doesn't hold a candle to the authenticity of the atmosphere of the dream world in this film.

This film contains so many amazing shots and scenes and Michael shannon is easily the best actor of the year, with a scene that will be, in my opinion, on par with the likes of, "I drink your milkshake!".

Now, the thing that dissapointed me, the ending. I won't give it away or spoil anything but let's just say the movie goes on 10 minutes too long, and I easily thought of at least 3 other great ways the movie could have ended. The path it ultimately takes, leaves you with a kind of......."oh" feeling, and then there's not much room for interpretation or discussion. It also, in a way, negates the entire film, therefore, destroying the premise and its purpose. It's sad because i'm giving this movie a 4 1/2 not as a whole, but for its separate pieces. On the whole, it's more of a 3.5, but its all so great up until the end. Oh well.

Nonetheless, it is one of this year's best films (if not the best......if it weren't for that damn ending...ughhhh).