BEFORE: Well, just like that, I may have another gig. I went on an interview for the company that runs concessions at Brooklyn Nets games, and they need a bunch of people to work for the upcoming NBA season. I love when companies hire in big waves, when there are a lot of positions open - so far this summer whenever I've applied for single openings, nothing has happened as a result. The last time I got hired for anything was when movie theaters were re-opening after the pandemic, and they needed a whole lot of vaccinated people to staff back up, I got not one but TWO gigs that way. Right now I can't seem to get hired for movie theater management jobs because I don't have much concessions experience, so let me take a few months and get some. More news on this soon, I hope, but I could be working shifts by October at the earliest.
Warren Christie carries over from "Apollo 18".
THE PLOT: In the aftermath of an unfathomable event, a woman finds herself unable to stay connected to the world and retreats to the wilds of the Rockies. After a local hunter brings her back from the brink of death, she must find a way to live again.
AFTER: This movie tonight is trying very hard to make me sad - thanks for harshing my mellow, "Land" - but I'm going to keep on keepin' on, because I've got a new job coming my way, I think, and also I joined Instagram for the first time! OK, admittedly I've been lurking there for years on my boss's account, but maybe it's time to put myself out there and tell the world who I am! Umm, besides my movie blog and my X/Twitter account, but the tweets there are mostly just links to the blog, and also limericks on the almost-daily. Really, what more is there to life? OK, photos of my beers and food - don't eat it till you tweet it! My first IG post was me eating a ginormous deli sandwich from 2010, the only food challenge I ever won - it would be hilarious if I just never posted again, and that photo was like the only thing on my account, right?
But enough about social media, this film is about disconnecting, a woman drops out of society and buys some land on a mountain top in Wyoming. Yeah, that should do it - we don't know WHY she's dropped out of society at first, that comes much later, but clearly there's been some tragedy in her life, either a divorce or a death or maybe a job loss. But no, she's got money to buy the land and the cabin so probably one of the first two. Really, who among us hasn't felt that urge at some point in our lives to just drop out of the rat race, chuck it all and go live in Wyoming or Alaska or Canada, someplace that really represents the middle of nowhere, but you can still get access to groceries or medical care if you need it. Let's be real, after all, if you moved to the middle of the desert with no town around for hundreds of miles, who can you call if there's an emergency of some kind? You'd be dead by the time someone reaches you.
Edee has trouble with chopping firewood, though, and hunting seems to be a no-go for her (hmm, that may be relevant to her backstory) even fishing is off the table when she learns that she's no good at it. Then a big black bear pays her a visit and eats all her food while she's hiding in the outhouse - so she may not be cut out for living off the grid. Alone with her thoughts and disheartened by her lack of survival skills, she considers shooting herself but remembers that she promised her sister she would not hurt herself, no matter what.
When a snowstorm knocks part of her metal roof off, she gets injured trying to fix it, Miguel, a passing hunter and his nurse friend find her and help her recover. When Edee refuses to go to the hospital, Miguel stays and cooks for her, chops firewood and restocks her cabin. He also teaches her how to trap small animals and skin them for food, ironically spending time with her so that she can have the life of solitude that she wants. They share a bit about their backstories, him more than her, she really wants to keep that private. Then Miguel says he's got to go away for a while, without getting into too much detail either, but he leaves behind his dog to keep an eye on her - and come on, also kind of giving her something to live for. The healing power of caring for another living thing can't ever replace her loss, but it's something.
After a few months go by, she finally digs out the old photos and has a good cry, then ventures into town to see if she can learn what happened to Miguel. No spoilers here, but really it's a very simple story on the surface, and you know, still waters run deep and all that.
Directed by Robin Wright
Also starring Robin Wright (last seen in "Damsel"), Demian Bichir (last seen in "Dom Hemingway"), Sarah Dawn Pledge, Kim Dickens (last seen in "Great Expectations"), Finlay Wojtak-Hissong, Brad Leland (last seen in "Deepwater Horizon"), Dave Trimble (last seen in "Forsaken"), Rikki-Lyn Ward, Mia McDonald, Barb Mitchell, Dennis Corrie, Valerie Planche (last seen in "The Claim"), Laura Yenga, Vattanak Khun
RATING: 4 out of 10 blisters from chopping wood
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