32 lines
2.8 KiB
Plaintext
32 lines
2.8 KiB
Plaintext
i've always been told that there are two things in life that are unavoidable - death and taxes .
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oddly , i've never given much thought to either of the two .
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maybe if i did , at least i'd stop getting collection notices from uncle sam .
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yes , let me make a resolution to devote myself to better record keeping , hold on to all my receipts , and to do what it takes to have the satisfaction that my returns are mistake-free and will keep me from incurring penalties .
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it seems that the issue of death may not be so different , at least envisioned here in this film .
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as this tender love story goes , if you do good things and have a clear conscience when you die , you ascend to a place of great peace and beauty .
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the dreams , wishes , and fantasies that you had when you were alive come true .
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for those who die with a burdened soul , however , they wind up in that other place .
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chris and annie ( a winsome robin williams and a radiant annabella sciorra ) seem like the perfect couple that deserve all that heaven has to offer .
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their love for each other is strong and their bond is undeniable .
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but tragic events eventually tear apart the fabric of annie's happiness .
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and when chris dies after a terrible car accident , she commits suicide - a tortured soul who blames herself .
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despair is perhaps the greatest sin , and she will wallow in her guilt throughout eternity .
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chris , on the other hand , has made it to heaven , and upon learning of annie's fate , he journeys to hell to find her and to try to free her from her nightmare .
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this film brims with imagination , containing a lush imagery that shows the arcadia that is heaven and the bitterness and frightfulness that is hell .
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it seems that heaven and hell could very well be a product of our fantasies or nightmares .
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it's shape and look is as infinite as our imagination .
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as chris explores his new fantastic world and discovers things both amazing and wondrous , he also begins to learn more about himself .
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certain questions baffle him at first .
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why does his home in heaven ooze with paint ?
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what is the significance of the asian stewardess ?
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why does he have an all-too-willing guide ( cuba gooding , jr . ) to help him find annie ?
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but as he slowly begins to realize the answers , it makes him stronger and gives him a greater chance to save annie .
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" dreams " is both visually and tellingly beautiful .
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alas , i have one regret .
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the movie did well to gather more and more emotional speed , but the denouement was curiously unsatisfying .
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it seemed as if it was racing to some kind of great finish , but its intensity seemed to wane in its final moments .
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however , your eyes will still well up with tears and you'll find lots to savor .
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the storytelling is purposeful and well constructed .
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the journey is imaginative .
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and i was surprised by how much i enjoyed this film .
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