The optical illusion of the thaumatrope is classic of the origin of cinema. Both films take it from the history of optical illusions, which is more or less how cinema works.
:D
Florence Pugh is a nurse called in by a small Irish community in 1859 as part of an effort to corroborate a miracle in The Wonder, a period piece that states its theme as being about stories. The stories we tell ourselves to restructure our narrative, the stories we tell others to avoid the truth, the stories our cultures and faiths are built on, how we will relate our stories and those of others, and with what agenda, and of course, the film itself is telling a story and asking us to go along with it and perhaps question it too. The drama, opposing science and faith - facts and the believed facts of metaphysics, is there a miracle or are we witness to zealotry turned to abuse? - in the case of a girl who miraculously survives months without eating was strong (and initially ambiguous) enough to work by itself, without any directorial tricks, so I question that odd opening sequence and the few bits and bobs that flow from it. I absolutely do not think it was necessary to put the audience in a questioning sort of mood, nor did it do anything with its play on reality vs. artifice except undermine the story it is telling. Fortunately, there's very little of it, and the acting, locations, questions, carry us through.
What a letdown. This movie had no big twist or anything mind-bending like I was expecting. Just a pretty standard story, and not even a good one at that. Bland at its best...
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darkjoc13
acoltismypassport:The optical illusion of the thaumatrope is classic of the origin of cinema. Both films take it from the history of optical illusions, which is more or less how cinema works.
:D
acoltismypassport
That optical illusion scene with the bird/cage image was lifted straight out of Sleepy Hollow. Not sure how I feel about that.Siskoid
Florence Pugh is a nurse called in by a small Irish community in 1859 as part of an effort to corroborate a miracle in The Wonder, a period piece that states its theme as being about stories. The stories we tell ourselves to restructure our narrative, the stories we tell others to avoid the truth, the stories our cultures and faiths are built on, how we will relate our stories and those of others, and with what agenda, and of course, the film itself is telling a story and asking us to go along with it and perhaps question it too. The drama, opposing science and faith - facts and the believed facts of metaphysics, is there a miracle or are we witness to zealotry turned to abuse? - in the case of a girl who miraculously survives months without eating was strong (and initially ambiguous) enough to work by itself, without any directorial tricks, so I question that odd opening sequence and the few bits and bobs that flow from it. I absolutely do not think it was necessary to put the audience in a questioning sort of mood, nor did it do anything with its play on reality vs. artifice except undermine the story it is telling. Fortunately, there's very little of it, and the acting, locations, questions, carry us through.cm06mrs
Outrageously good.ryano1076
What a letdown. This movie had no big twist or anything mind-bending like I was expecting. Just a pretty standard story, and not even a good one at that. Bland at its best...