Inland Empire

"Unpleasant on basically every level. But I think that’s the point…? Digital pixelation and blurriness, harsh lighting, occasionally de-saturated shots, jump scares, a nearly incoherent plot held together by a Polish folktale (?), incredible close up shots of Laura Dern, long silences for no clear reason, a sleep-paralysis dreamlike sensation. I keep coming back to Lynch’s films for some inexplicable reason. I don’t enjoy the aesthetics, the uneasiness I feel while watching, or the stories. They always feel like a slog to get through. I can barely stay awake. But yet I keep coming back to these cinematic fever dreams hoping to find something special. Will I one day have the pleasure of watching David Lynch movie with a linear narrative and a clear, digestible theme? Stay tuned to find out."

"?/?⭐ I'd only recommend this to those who are familiar with the landscape or who have never seen a movie in their life. Plot and cohesive story are ghosts, coming through here and there, but not for very long. It's a strange terrain filled with riddles covering the ground like rocks on a mountain hike. When you reach the mountain-top chances are you probably won't know how you got there, and may have the sneakiest suspicion that you were there all along. We don't look at nature or listen to an orchestral music composition and ask what they mean. Questions that ask what you are bringing to it or what you are feeling are key to connecting to this film. I consider myself fortunate to take in this work that allows me to engage with my intuition and imagination so that I have the freedom to take away from it what makes sense to me and requires little justification as to why it isn't that way for you. I viewed it as an exercise in directing actors to touch on common (and not so common) notions and experiences with very little to no continuity or reason. One big rhythmic unfolding of events, fractured like a kaleidoscope nightmare, where the image changes with the movement of perspective. In a weird way I think the movie is more about that than it is any story or plot thread. It seems to focus on an actress played by Laura Dern, but it could be "the woman in trouble" archetype remembering herself as many different women. The performances are good, but mainly because David Lynch knew how to cut them to fit whatever world this is. Even understanding traditional performance quality is at the mercy of interpretating what this movie is for you, though I do think Laura Dern is flawless here. Leave your need for conclusive understanding at the door; it isn't welcome on this odyssey of cinema. INLAND EMPIRE is an enigma in your nervous system evoking a felt state that is akin to beauty or awe, but not exactly the same as those states. A perfect companion to MULHOLLAND DRIVE."

"It’s the weakest lynch movie I’ve seen so far."

"Is it horror? I don't know... But it is terrifying"