Limbo
by John Sayles
List Price:
Our Price: $4.65
You Save: $5.30 (53%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $2.28 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD details
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD details
Actor: David Strathairn, Herm?nio Ramos, Kris Kristofferson, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Vanessa MartinezDirector: John Sayles
Brand: STRATHAIRN,DAVID
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround; English (Subtitled)
Format: AC-3, Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 127 minutes
DVD Release Date: 1999-11-23
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Sony Pictures
DVD Reviews of Limbo
DVD Review: Brilliant multifaceted commentary on the power of Story
Summary: 5 Stars
This film is going to upset many of its viewers. Most people go into a movie with some expectation that it's going to get set up in the first few minutes to tell a certain kind of story, and stick with it. Exceptions might occur in some "art" movies - but this doesn't seem very artsy - or a thriller; there's nothing thriller-like here at all in fact - until halfway through, when it all changes 180 degrees.
Donna (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) is a 40ish struggling singer playing a small coastal city in Alaska. At the beginning of the film she's playing at an outdoor wedding and she happens to break up with her boyfriend, a member of the band she's singing with, and needs a ride home which she gets from Joe Gastineau (David Strathairn) a somewhat older man who works for the lesbian couple that own the house where the wedding takes place. The low-key Joe and the more aggressive Donna form an uneasy friendship, that uneasily leads to a romance complicated by the fact that Donna's introverted teen-aged daughter Noelle (Vanessa Martinez) also has a crush on Joe, who she sometimes works with.
So this is a low-key drama about working-class people struggling and finding love in a remote town, right? There are several scenes set in a bar where Donna finds work after leaving her band, lots of dialogue about how tough the fishing is, how rough things are now that a canning plant has closed down - there are a couple of brief shots of the factory, cleaning up for a last time. We have Kris Kristofferson playing his typical menacing but charming adversary in the background, involved some way in Joe's questionable past; a sort of love-triangle, a difficult mother-daughter relationship, and the uneasy situation he finds himself in when his much-younger half-brother Bobby (Casey Siemaszko) shows up needing help with a little job...
At this point, as Joe and Donna and Noelle accompany Bobby on a boat trip to a remote island, the uneasiness starts to build - what exactly is Bobby up to? Why is he upset that Joe is bringing the two women along - but unwilling to tell him not to? On their first night, anchored in a small bay, we find the answer to these questions but they bring on more problems that carry through to the end of the film. Soon Joe, Donna and Noelle are stranded on the island, fending off starvation, cold -- and the possibility of murder. The low-key family/romantic drama has become a frightening survival-thriller with no easy or positive outcome in sight.
So we have one kind of film that quickly and surprisingly changes into another kind, but what is really remarkable about "Limbo" is that there's a third film lurking beneath the surface from the first moments to the last, that really makes itself known only near the very end - unless you're sharper at noticing what's going on beneath the pretty blunt and sometimes stereotypical dialogue and characters than I was on a first go-round. "Limbo" is about the very nature of storytelling, in all its forms - lying, exaggeration, the tricks that memories play, the stories we're told that end up being lies, and the lies we tell ourselves. In an old abandoned shack on the island, Noelle finds a hundred-year old diary, and reads from it every night for the couple of weeks the trio are stranded. The diary recounts hardships and privations, and joys at the wonder of nature; it also carries sometimes-subtle reflections of Noelle's feelings about her mother, reflected back when Noelle is informed that the stories she was told about her biological father have all been false. The revelations in the last few minutes, when we think about what they have to say about the characters we are watching now, on this little island, say just as much to us about the conversations and flashes of earlier histories that we've heard throughout the film, and we begin to question where and with whom real truth ever lies - and whether it matters as much as the stories we choose to tell, and the ways in which we embellish those truths, for good or ill.
I have some problems with "Limbo" that I tend to have with a lot of Sayles' films - many of the characters seem to be...characters; much of the dialogue is wooden and sounds written; many of the little touches he throws in (Noelle being vegan and her penchant for self-mutilation) seem obvious and generic. But the central performances are all so excellent (particularly Martinez, whose career seems to have alas gone nowhere), and the ending so elegant and so miraculous in its achievement of wrapping everything into a grand and beautiful inquiry into the power of myth-making and storytelling, that I can largely forgive the faults. Overall, a brilliant film with one of the very best endings I've ever seen, and I think perhaps the director's best film to date.
DVD Review: Danger is inside and outside but not really human
Summary: 4 Stars
A strange little film about the frontier that has always fascinated Americans: the sea, nature, the winter, and many other things that come along when you are isolated and lost in the big vast chasm this natural wilderness may look like along the coast of the state of Washington. To give come depth to the story, the film builds on the characters. A mother, singer by profession, drifter by family life, and her daughter, lost and unstructured by that life of no stability since any man has to be abandoned as fast as possible. Then the film throws in her/their legs a divorced middle aged man who was a fisherman but isn't anymore, who would like to have a peaceful life but cannot avoid being dragged into some shadowy and shady business by a half brother of his. Then the rest is details. The scenery is beautiful though not overused. The weather is chilly and we can feel it perfectly well. The anxiety, the fear, the panic now and then are perfectly present and lively. The daughter what's more is fantasizing some kind of diary left behind by some previous runaway abandoned escapee of some sort. The film though tries to stick to the rhythm of that life when it is stranded like this in no place nowhere and it is rather slow, maybe too slow. But apart from that it is a film you have to let yourself slip into without any resistance, including to the accent of this northern region of the US, somewhere between Seattle and Vancouver.
Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne, University Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, CEGID
DVD Review: Another John Sayles Gem
Summary: 5 Stars
God love and protect John Sayles. Not because he hits every ball out of the park, because he clearly doesn't; but because he never lets his few strikeouts compel him to try to hit a five-run homer the next time out. In an era marked by increasingly degraded and degrading notions of "entertainment" and "storytelling" - for pity's sake, as I write this, grown adults are waxing rhapsodic over a movie about a costumed billionaire-vigilante (!!) - Sayles understands that great drama is about the people we meet every day; the places we live in and how they shape us; the things that change, and the things that remain; and above all, about the human heart in conflict with itself. In LIMBO, he takes risks with his zig-zagging narrative most filmmakers simply aren't capable of, and reaps rewards of such profundity, and richness of feeling, that most audiences are too conditioned by junk-culture to recognize, let alone appreciate them. Some viewers have felt betrayed by LIMBO's seismic shifts in tone and direction, and the elliptical ending, but even that sense of betrayal speaks to how utterly absorbing and moving his handling of his Alaska-set story is, and how unblinking his observations of his characters. (You can only feel "betrayed" if you're deeply invested in the story that's been presented, after all.) Sayles' screenplay, like his direction, is so completely free of artifice as to seem transparent - his "heroes" and "villains" are separated only by their degrees of vulnerability and weakness under pressure - and his small cast of actors are working at the height of their gifts. David Straithairn, always underrated, has never been better, and young Vanessa Martinez is a quiet revelation. You won't forget these characters, or this movie, regardless of how the ending affects you. And though you hate to jinx his thus-far phenomenal career with red-carpet hullabaloo, maybe it's time to make it official and coronate John Sayles as the greatest moviemaker of our time. He may not need or want the crown, but Hollywood certainly needs to made to cry uncle and acknowledge it. DVD Review: Powerful and emotional movie
Summary: 5 Stars
Some have dissed the ending, finding it unsatisfying, but in my opinion, that's exactly what John Sayles wanted to accomplish with this ending, IMO.
The people gave in to the situation and accepted their fate, good or bad.
As many critics have pointed out, tension without resolution was built up and up throughout the movie. They claim that this was the mark of an incompetent director. I disagree.
I believe that Sayers wanted to convey the feelings (frustration, resignation, hopeful/hopeless, etc.) of being in limbo to the audience. At least to me, he succeeded. The lack of resolution made for a much more powerful and emotional ending.
Sayers could have made this movie an "action packed thriller" but did not. It must have been at least somewhat tempting to Sayers; given the box office appeal of "action packed thrillers" which probably would have made a lot more money.
DVD Review: Well-acted character driven drama (loved the ending)
Summary: 5 Stars
I just saw this again (3rd or 4th time) after finding it on HBO. I once owned the videotape until I upgraded.
David Strathairn as Joe Gastineau is laconic, stoic, but still emotional. His character truly comes alive as a man you can understand. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as Donna De Angelo captures the essence of her aging-bar-crooning character and the interaction between her, her teen daughter Noelle (deftly played by Vanessa Martinez), and Gastineau was developed to draw your interest. Throw in a few twists and one of the best endings and you have a treat for people who appreciate dramatic, character driven works. But if you seek a formulaic, cookie-cutter flick, go elsewhere.
Also, anyone who has visited Southeast Alaska will recognize and appreciate the scenic vistas providing the backdrop. I grew up in Juneau and recognized many shots. One can see similar work in Insomnia (2002 with Al Pacino Robin Williams) and Into the Wild (2007 with Emile Hirsch), but this film has a superior story.
In closing, as my friend KLMVP would say, any song that ends with Bruce Springsteen's "Lift Me Up" is a great movie.
Description of Limbo
Traumatized by a boat accident at sea many years before, Joe Gastineau has given up his hopes for a life beyond the odd jobs he takes to support himself. That quickly changes when Donna DeAngelo, bar singer and nomad, and her troubled teen-age daughter, NGenre: Feature Film-Drama
Rating: R
Release Date: 1-MAR-2005
Media Type: DVD
There are three unforgettable characters in John Sayles's contemporary adventure-drama set in Alaska. They are never seen but live only in a frontier diary found by teenager Noelle De?Angelo (Vanessa Martinez). The life of the diary's narrator is much like everything in this movie: hanging in limbo. The first half of the film focuses on why men and woman turn to Alaska, a land still ripe with opportunity. A small town is at a crossroads, with its pulp mill and canning factory closed and new investors seeing different directions in which to take the area (one even boasts the state is the ultimate theme park). A local (Sayles regular David Strathairn) is just escaping his past, taking up commercial fishing again. He attracts a traveling nightclub singer (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio in her best role in years) who struggles daily with her daughter Noelle. Like any good theme park, Limbo presents the threesome with an unexpected adventure. In the wilderness, the three relative strangers learn more about themselves than was ever possible in town. Sayles's usual craftsmanship creates a singular blend of drama and suspense with an ending designed to ruffle feathers. Not as accessible as his breakthrough hit Lone Star, Limbo is nevertheless a hearty film from one of America's best storytellers. --Doug Thomas
General DVDs
DVD Video
- Action & Adventure
- African American Cinema
- Animation
- Anime & Manga
- Art House & International
- Classics
- Comedy
- Cult Movies
- Documentary
- Drama
- Educational
- Fitness & Yoga
- Gay & Lesbian
- Horror
- Kids & Family
- Military & War
- Music Video & Concerts
- Musicals & Performing Arts
- Mystery & Suspense
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Special Interests
- Sports
- Television
- Westerns
Bestsellers in General DVDs
Twilight (Two-Disc Special Edition)Universal; Release date: 2009-03-21; DVD
Best price: $15.88
Price in other shops:
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Full-Screen Edition)Release date: 2009-12-08; DVD
Best price: $9.99
Price in other shops:
Lost: The Complete Fifth SeasonRelease date: 2009-12-08; DVD
Best price: $36.99
Price in other shops:
The Proposal (Single Disc Widescreen)BUENA VISTA HOME VIDEO; Release date: 2009-10-13; DVD
Best price: $8.99
Price in other shops:
![Angels & Demons [Blu-ray] Image](/images/Angels-Demons-Blu-ray-B002O5M4SU-X.jpg)
Angels & Demons [Blu-ray]SONY PICTURES HOME ENT; Release date: 2009-11-24; DVD
Best price: $18.90
Price in other shops:
Four ChristmasesNEW LINE HOME VIDEO; Release date: 2009-11-24; DVD
Best price: $12.66
Price in other shops:
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Two-Disc Limited Special Edition + Digital Copy)Warner Brothers; Release date: 2009-12-08; DVD
Best price: $19.99
Price in other shops:
Julie & JuliaRelease date: 2009-12-08; DVD
Best price: $9.99
Price in other shops:
Angels & Demons (Single-Disc Theatrical Edition)SONY PICTURES HOME ENT; Release date: 2009-11-24; DVD
Best price: $11.99
Price in other shops:
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Widescreen Edition)Warner Brothers; Release date: 2009-12-08; DVD
Best price: $9.99
Price in other shops:
Similar DVDs, VHS Video, Audio CDs
Casa de los BabysHANNAH,DARYL; Release date: 2004-04-13; DVD
Best price: $0.99
Price in other shops:
Blue CarDisney; Release date: 2003-10-14; DVD
Best price: $5.07
Price in other shops:
The Secret of Roan InishSONY PICTURES HOME ENT; Release date: 2000-07-25; DVD
Best price: $7.22
Price in other shops:
Baby It's YouLEGEND FILMS, INC.; Release date: 2008-07-01; DVD
Best price: $7.36
Price in other shops:
Sunshine StateRelease date: 2002-11-19; DVD
Best price: $3.65
Price in other shops:
SpeakeasySTRATHAIRN,DAVID; Release date: 2005-01-04; DVD
Best price: $3.67
Price in other shops:
Silver CitySONY PICTURES HOME ENT; Release date: 2005-01-11; DVD
Best price: $0.01
Price in other shops:
HoneydripperUNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOME ENTERTAIN.; Release date: 2008-06-24; DVD
Best price: $6.99
Price in other shops:
Passion FishMCDONNELL,MARY; Release date: 1999-03-30; DVD
Best price: $8.25
Price in other shops:
Lone StarTurner; Release date: 1999-12-21; DVD
Best price: $5.79
Price in other shops: