Review of The Dance of Reality (2013) by Jon H — 28 Jun 2014

I had to see the movie twice in order to really articulate a review, I think. On the first thing, I was dazzled by Jodorowsky's artistry, and his outpouring of humanity. His deft sense of humor and the sense that he's willing to go anywhere no matter how strange or outlandish if the story demands it are so admirable. But the thing that is most impressive is that he is able to control all the tools at his command so well. There's nothing here that feels indulgent. Every strange moment or odd choice feels like it's in the service of what he's trying to relate, and so even the oddest of things feel strangely grounded and not odd at all. At least not in the context of this beautiful and strange collision of memory and story and film.

The first time through, I did feel like the section where we follow Jaime through his ordeals felt a bit slow and less interesting. The second time I watched it, I liked these parts much better because I knew to expect them. And there are really some lovely moments in there, although my interest was really more in what was going on with Jodorowsky's younger self.

There is one moment in particular that had me nearly in tears both times I saw it. Where Jodorowsky's younger self is standing on a rocky outcropping, trying to make an important decision, and his older self appears. You'll know it when you see it, and it's such a beautiful moment.