MovieChat Forums > Tideland (2006) Discussion > Not sure what to think

Not sure what to think


I just watched this. As a long-time Gilliam fan (most of his films are among my top 20 favourites), I still found this one hard to watch. It certainly had his trademark zany and wild qualities. That being said though, I wasn't really sure what was going on here, either artistically or otherwise. I see the attempt to make it a sort of modern Alice in Wonderland, with the girl metaphorically "going down the rabbit hole" after her life around her crumbles due to her junkie parents. But other than that, it seemed to me like basically two hours of a little girl wandering around. She did a great job, and it certainly attests to the power of childrens' imaginations, but I think in comparison to Gilliam's other films, this one is definitely "sub par" for me. Anyway, I will still have to give it another shot some day in the future and see if I feel the same, but I have to say this one left me scratching my head. I didn't really enjoy it, I didn't really dislike it, and I didn't really know what to make of it. Basically, I was left with a sort of bewilderment, and am not even sure what I think of it. It definitely didn't keep me hooked the way his other films do (on several occasions I found my mind wandering off), but it still had some very dark and interesting quality to it. Anyone else feel the same?

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If you watch the movies in a detached way you will never ever enjoy Tideland. I am the type of person that puts herself in the character's shoes at any movie. It's just a thing I do. If you would do this when you watch Tideland it would take you on such a wonderful journey. I can honestly say this movie was the most beautiful and haunting experience I ever had. The gruesomeness is not something that should take your attention. It is there so you can see how the girl transforms it to a fairy tale. She goes through some shocking events and meets some pretty *beep* up people but her imagination finds the beauty and mystery in all this. At the end, after the train wreck we have such a wonderful conclusion, she is a child again, when that woman holds her and decides to take care of her. I honestly recommend you to watch it again with different eyes, this movie really is a gem.

"Hollywood is run by small-minded people who like chopping the legs off creative people" T.Gilliam

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That is a very interesting take on the movie, thank you. I will definitely watch it again with that in mind. I particularly like your point about the ending and her becoming a child again. Thanks for taking the time to reply.

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I hope you'll find the experience amazing next time you watch it. It is one of the few movies that cross some boundaries and make you think and feel different. I myself found my inner child in Jeliza-Rose, I totally understood her world.
It is definitely in my top 3 movies.

"Hollywood is run by small-minded people who like chopping the legs off creative people" T.Gilliam

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I'm curious what are the other two movies?

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