Does anyone remember that movie with Jennifer Lopez and Vincent D'Onofrio, called THE CELL?

Well, I do. I remember its stunning visuals, especially those scenes wherein Jennifer Lopez's character "goes inside" Vincent D'Onofrio's character's psyche.

Anyway, back to 2008, and the director who directed THE CELL, Tarsem Singh, comes up with another visually stunning masterpiece (okay, masterpiece would be a bit of an exaggeration, because the film cannot really be classified as an ouvre d'art, but I will explain momentarily), THE FALL. I just realized writing that just now, that Singh seems to find himself involved in movies with an article and a word (i.e. THE _____), with the third one of such, THE UNFORGETTABLE, to be released in 2011. THE FALL is about the relationship between an injured stuntman and an immigrant child with a broken arm. It is set in 1920's Los Angeles during the advent of movies/talkies.

The film, which is aptly-titled, shows different types of "falls", which ranges from physical (the stuntman falling from a bridge, the child falling from an orange tree) to figurative (the characters falling in and out of love, for example). These are interwoven in the film through the stuntman's narrative of an "epic tale" to the child, which is actually a device to manipulate her into doing something for him. It can also be somewhat considered as an homage to those unsung heroes of the movie industry, the stuntpeople, who take so many risks to entertain the masses. But, that is a minor theme. So, because I don't want to spoil it for anyone who wants to see the film, I will end the synopsis by saying that the movie tries to use a variety of methods to communicate some life lessons, such as those that relate to human interactions and such, although it fails to do that to a certain extent due to poor screenwriting (the dialogue in some parts truly sucked - there were times when I thought that Singh did not fully think his dialogue through. Instead, I think he used the storyboard to its full extent and used it to structure his film). Well, you decide.

So, you might think that I did not like the movie. Au contraire! THE FALL actually has several positive aspects; the biggest one being the cinematography. Breathtaking! The truth is, throughout the film, I was constantly mesmerized by the impressive camera shots, panning and the scenery. It could possibly be considered as a tourism video for India and other parts of Asia - it made me want to visit India, especially Jodhpur . The costumes were by acclaimed Japanese designer, Eiko Ishioka, who is credited for her work in THE CELL & BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA, among others. Her work, juxtaposed against the amazing scenery in the film, contributed to the film's palatability. Another positive thing about the movie is the lead actor, Juilliard-trained Lee Pace, is very, very easy on the eyes. Hmmm...gorgeous! And, he's actually a pretty good actor, considering some of the lines he had to say.

So, I guess that reading what I've written so far, one would come to the conclusion that I did not like the film. That is not the absolute truth. Honestly, I would go so far as to say that THE FALL is one of the best movies I've seen so far this year. I would probably even buy the DVD, for the same reason I buy my DVD's: it moved me. The film, I think, should be seen by those who love going to museums to look at works of art, or those who notices those simple, yet beautiful things in life, like the intricate patterns that grease and water make after a rainy day, etc. In short, I think that if you are someone who appreciates beauty, you should definitely see it. I mean, Roger Ebert gave it 4 out of 4 stars.

For those who are vaguely intrigued, here's something for you:

Btw, one of my favorite scenes involves an elephant swimming in the ocean.

By Angela Torregoza