The Vessel (2016)

Terrance Malick produced this film about a town mourning it's dead ten years after a tsunami crashed into the village and sweeping all the children out to sea. Ten years on the actions of one young man seems to send a spark through the town and possibly set it on the road to being able to live again

Brooding mediation on life, death and the space in between THE VESSEL is a gorgeous film to look at . Filmed in the narrow confines of the village, its rooms, streets and tiny courtyards the film feels as if we are locked in a coffin.  The town is as trapped in life as the bodies of the their loved ones are in death. Its a cleverly handled conceit that you on't really be aware of until you realize that until the town and the people start trying to live that the close in walls fall away  and the world stretches out around them.

To be honest this is a film I admire more than I like. I do like the film but the plot  about Leo and the parish priest trying to kick start the town is full of way too many meaningful silences. Things are a tad to mystical for me, especially when the film stays close to realistic.  It doesn't make it a bad film, more it takes what should have been a great film and turned it into a good one.

A small little golden nugget of a film that is the perfect answer to the big budget prestige pieces that are currently hitting cinemas.

The film is opening Friday in theaters in both a Spanish Language version and an English Language one that will Alternate screening.  For the record I saw the Spanish language version.