Film discussion: A Ghost Story

August 29, 2017
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The movie, which stars Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara, is just what it says, a ghost story. But rather than being a Poltergeist-style supernatural thriller, the film is about a ghost who sticks around after its death and watches the lives of those left behind in the living world. And watches. And watches.

I’ve been looking forward to this movie for months, but if I read the signs correctly (and I think I do), it’s going to be a quiet, contemplative, moody piece that will wrap most people up in something like a trance state … and leave others wondering what the heck is going on.

The warning signs are all on display in the reviews, most of which mix a little warning in with their praise. When a reviewer (who loved the movie) says “It’s an offbeat narrative, and it demands patience,” you know you’re being given a heads-up that you’re not going into Guardians of the Galaxy II territory. And another reviewer notes that “It exists in an eerie cinematic in-between, and is completely unlike anything else you’ll see this year,” I take the description to heart.

My bet is that A Ghost Story is what I call a Takeoff Movie, which is one that you need to be on board with as it takes off, because if you don’t achieve liftoff right away, you’re probably not going to enjoy the flight.

I have a soft spot in my heart for quiet movies that deal in mood more than incident, so I’m really ready for this. And I hope you’ll come along for the ride, and, even more importantly, for the discussion afterward. If you meet a movie about loss halfway, it can be a powerful experience.

With summer quietly deflating around our chilly shoulders, I’m also looking forward to September, which will include the cinematic all-you-can-eat festival of Telluride by the Sea on September 15–17. As a warm-up to that feast we will be discussing The Big Sick (which I’ve actually seen, and loved) on September 12. And as a cool-down we will be talking about The Midwife on September 26.

I hope to be seeing you tonight and frequently in September.