50 replies to this topic

[Peter T Chattaway]

This film finally comes to Canada in April, and a couple nights ago I took in a preview screening for "ministry leaders".

It's interesting, how I respected the film on the one hand for going deeper than a mere anti-abortion tract (indeed, the main character's motivations seem to have very little to do with the abortion issue itself), yet on the other hand the promotional videos that were played before and after the film both emphasized that at least 10 pre-born lives have been saved as a result of this movie. I completely and totally respect and admire the lead actor's anecdote about the baby that was named after him -- that would be a very moving experience, indeed -- yet it is striking to me how the "sales pitch" seems to have little to do with the content of the film itself and more to do with things that take place OUTSIDE the film. Based on merely watching the film, I would not assume that the film has an "agenda", yet watching the promotional material, "agenda" is almost all I see.

Also interesting is how things have changed since the film premiered at the Toronto film festival in 2006. Back then, it might have seemed like a unique offering, a rare pro-life landmark in a secular-hedonist Hollywood landscape. But between the film's festival premiere and its return to Canada two years later, we have seen films like Knocked Up and Juno (and, for those who keep their ear to the arthouse ground, 4 Months 3 Weeks and 2 Days) have a MUCH bigger impact on the cultural discussion surrounding abortion etc. So now, if that's the only reason you'd have for making or watching the film, Bella seems kind of redundant. (I don't think it IS the only reason, but if it's your main selling point...)

FWIW, my favorite actors were the ones who played the main character's father and younger brother. They felt like characters to me; with almost everyone else, I could sort of sense the actor behind the character, to one degree or another. But those family members felt pretty natural.

[Greg Wright]

Boy. I'm glad I stayed away from this thread until actually seeing the film. I'd have been hopelessly biased by the silly things that the director has said.

I enjoyed it. Excellently done small film with really great character performances. I'd love to see more from these actors, and from the director.

[Peter T Chattaway]

Greg, just wondering, where did you see it? The film finally opened in Canada just one week ago, and I thought its American run had come to an end some months back. Were you just on this side of the border?

[Greg Wright]

Greg, just wondering, where did you see it? The film finally opened in Canada just one week ago, and I thought its American run had come to an end some months back. Were you just on this side of the border?

Got sent a screener to prep for an interview in conjunction with the DVD release.

[CrimsonLine]

I just saw Bella, and liked it quite a lot. The main actress was excellent, and the story was moving and felt real. Characters were well-established, and the ending felt right for these characters. I guess I'd agree that the beach scene was a bit much, but I'd also agree that the lead actress sold it completely.

Powerful, and nourishing.

[Persona]

Bella reduced me to a blubbering mess. Sometimes a boy just needs to cry.

And I'll agree with Greg that I'm glad I stayed away from the thread until after I saw the DVD, because had I seen all of that I probably wouldn't have bothered with the film, which I thought was a very rewarding experience.

The stat I want to see is the stat I'll never see. Forget box office money and small screens and how much money it made as a rental. The stat I want to see is people that have children that loved it compared with people that have children that wrote it off compared to people that don't have children that loved it compared to people that don't have children that wrote it off.

Because there were several points at which in my experience, all I could think about was my 5 year-old girl.

On another area I would have really liked at least some dialogue of where Nina was, for years, while Jose raised her child.

And yes. That is the biggest flaw in the story itself. Somehow this was a mistake. We get to the end and all the sudden it's like, "Well where've you been for the last five years?" So in the midst of all this lingering, raw emotion and hope, there's this tiny little gnawing doubt that you can really be satisfied with the outcome. I mean, he adopts the kid and Nina splits for five years? Whaaaa? It's obvious he loves her, why didn't they get hitched?

Powerful, and nourishing.

Powerful yes, but... If your seven course meal is missing the dessert, it ain't no seven course meal.

[CrimsonLine]

Powerful, and nourishing.

Powerful yes, but... If your seven course meal is missing the dessert, it ain't no seven course meal.

Ah, but when you're starving, a six-course meal hits the spot, dessert or no.

[Persona]

Powerful, and nourishing.

Powerful yes, but... If your seven course meal is missing the dessert, it ain't no seven course meal.

Ah, but when you're starving, a six-course meal hits the spot, dessert or no.

Agreed. And I see fewer movies these days, so my last two -- both different takes on abortion, btw -- (4,3,2 was last week) -- have been extremely delightful.

Because when you're seeing less, a dud reeks even more.

Edited by stef, 19 July 2008 - 08:25 PM.

[Peter T Chattaway]

European Dreams nabs 'Bella'
MADRID — New Spanish distrib-producer European Dreams Factory has taken key European territory rights to Alejandro Monteverde's “Bella.” . . .
The deal, inked with California-based sales agent Inferno Ent., allows EDF to negotiate "Bella" rights with local distribs in France, Germany and the U.K. French- and German-speaking Europe, Scandinavia outside Iceland, Ireland, Poland, Greece and Turkey are also included in the deal. . . .
Variety, January 20

[Bill Moore]

I'm also glad I missed out on all the behind-the-scenes kerfuffle over this movie (both pro- and con-). My wife and I watched it for the first time last night, and were deeply moved. It was one of those rare shared experiences for us, where we find ourselves thinking about it through the night, and talking about it the next day.

It makes me wonder what to think about film criticism in general. A critic says Bella was "plodding" and had "story flaws." I don't know what to do with that. In our experience the story moved along at a good pace for the subject matter. Does everything have to be jump cuts and frenetic camera work? Was it "predictable"? I don't know... there were some things I saw coming, but others that I did not. More importantly, I felt drawn into these character's lives, without a name-brand celeb around to pull me out of the moment.

For me the ending was near-perfect. Yes, I want to know where Nina was for five years. I want to know what Jose's family thought about his decision. I want to know how he worked out living arrangements. What happened to the little girl's mother? Did she ever find peace? I could go on and on, but my point is that in an age where many many movies end with "everyone learns a lesson" and all the loose ends are tied up in a bow, I thought this ending was a refreshing change.

This movie was a pro-choice, pro-abortion, pro-life, pro-adoption battleground? Dang, and here I was thinking it was a drama about broken people finding a way through friendship, love, and self-sacrifice to some measure of healing. In more clumsy hands, this story would have been told with eros being the source of healing. The climactic scene would have been one of "lovemaking" on the beach, in the light if their lanterns, as Jose and Nina found solace in sexual union. Instead, while eros may indeed be present at some level between them, they appear to understand that something more important is going on.

OK... so it didn't "work" for some people. "Different strokes..." and all that, I guess. But I sure don't know what to do with it. How can someone not recognize goodness when they see it? (And here I don't mean technical goodness - I'm not knowledgeable enough about the craft to spot flaws in camera work, acting, color direction, plot construction, or beard glue. I suppose Bella was rife with that sort of problem...)

[Christian]

Saw it. Liked it. Was very moved by the ending, atlhough I sort of put the pieces together beforehand -- not quite all the way, though, which may account for some of the emotional impact of the conclusion.

The two leads are very good.

Reading back over my comments is baffling, now that I've sat through, and enjoyed, the movie. I recommended it to a few co-workers earlier today.