Arizona Dream (1991)

Director: Emir Kusturica
Writer: David Atkins and Emir Kusturica
Review Post Date: 30.10.2002
Starring:
Johnny Depp, Vincent Gallo, Faye Dunaway, Lili Taylor ,Jerry Lewis...

Reviewed by Your Casual Reviewer

Again here goes review of something from the old times …When people were people, che was more lil’ and majority of schoolgirls weren’t lesbians.

Dreams are like water, colourless and dangerous, Arizona is like.. don’t know what it’s like.

This perhaps one of the only movies I heard the soundtrack of before seeing the movie, n’ rating the soundtrack itself I would have to give it the five sheeps but I was here for what the music represented and when the movie began hell no didn’t know what to expect, I sure expected something different, but “what this different will focus on?” I kept asking myself watching the Snow Indians (Mongolians’n’chyukchi ..I rather Indians, snowed ones) and their dogs on screen with the credits slowly appearing..The music and a red balloon slowly taking off…

For I have only caught this movie one time it’s beyond me to get all of it’s depth even tho from the first view I sure realized there’s such , personal jokes , dreams and tribute to friends.. I just wish could watch it few more times to make the right connections which weren’t on the surface , but was on the surface n’ wha I dag lil’ under it was sure stunning enough to enjoy and appreciate.

Johnny Depp’s role in this movie is of the coolest he took , very much resembles the naïve role he had in Dead Man ,Edward Scissorhands and the other cool roles such this in Ed Wood and the very interesting Thriller I used to underestimate Nick of Time.

Axel is torn between two women and a vengeful fish. The mother he stalks but deep inside it’s the daughter he wants, love, egoism perhaps and the ignorance of truth and wishes following dreams is what this movie about .. Just like real life.

Another important performance is the role of Vincent Gallo who gets into his silly role with a very serious approach and I just wish I could remember what he done in Buffalo 66 because remember it was very good anyway think he takes the spotlight when he’s on screen.

Both the Female actresses give la great performance too and only thing I was not too comfortable with is the role of Jerry Lewis I caught so many cheese flicks of his on TV and gotta say em old flicks weren’t mixed bag , anytime he smiles makes me shit me pants o’ fear n’ shame n’ goofy lameness .. His performance here sure superior to anything of his I seen before but I wish it was more like the character he had in Funny Bones (1995), ohh and almost forgot the fish .. The fish follows our hero and is sabotaging his attempts to build a flying machine all well textured modeled n’ lighted a 3d fish of dreams with two eyes on left side it’s ya see.

Usually I tend to avoid analyzing but there’s no lead character in this movie who’s not suicidal deep at heart even the most stable egoistic one is wishing to die in a suicidal way reminding me of Dr.Gonzo’s bathtub experience and electronic device plugged into wall , strangely the element that repeats itself in some of my favorite movies.

The film got a great appeal and feel to it visually and with the wonderful soundtrack from Goran Bregovic not to mention Iggy Pop's Greatness in it  ,and the sets ogo the sets ! and camera works wanto see more !.

This is the second film I seen from Emir Kusturica the other being Black Cat White Cat, the Yugoslavian director isn’t sticking to one national theme and is there to find the different and the funny , he makes the films I want to see and from what I seen could Make David Lynch suck his toe , well at least for alil’ cuz Kusturica got sense of humor of my liking.

In many circles this movie would’ve got 5 sheeps, and I wish I could be in those but I can’t. And I am Jealous this for I’ll have to give it 4 stars only.

Rated:
4 sheeps sacrifice for yee
The Fish doesn't things ,The Fish is Mute , Expressionless , the Fish doesn't thinks because the fish knows , eveything ...