Watch Dreamland

Dreamland is a highly stylized and unique movie directed by Bruce McDonald. It follows the journey of a musician named Johnny, played by Stephen McHattie, who has largely given up on life and is now living off his memories of the past. One of these memories includes a past love named Beverly, played by Juliette Lewis. However, his memories begin to blur into his reality when he becomes convinced that she is still alive and set out on a quest to find her.

The movie takes place in a desolate, barren desert landscape mixed in with an urban area. This juxtaposition of rugged naturalness and man-made structures gives the film a haunting and surreal atmosphere. The film is shot beautifully, often with close-up shots of the characters, which helps to draw you into the character's world.

Another compelling aspect of Dreamland is its soundtrack, which is an integral part of the movie. The music is haunting, and it blends perfectly with the film's overall mood. The soundtrack not only highlights the emotional weight of the film but also contributes to its unique and highly stylized atmosphere.

Henry Rollins also has a supporting role in the film. He plays Hercules, who fits into the film's themes of memory and past glories. Hercules is a former wrestler who has been living off his past victories and notoriety. As with Johnny, his memories and present-life begin to blend and blur into one another.

One of the most impressive elements of Dreamland is how the film blends genres. The movie balances a character-driven drama with elements of surrealism and even noir. It features themes of love, loss, nostalgia, and the nature of reality. This makes for a highly unique and absorbing experience.

The movie focuses primarily on Johnny's journey, but it also gives us glimpses into Beverly's life. Like Johnny's, her story is one of lost hopes and dreams. While their relationship was brief and may have been one-sided, Beverly's memory lives on with Johnny. The film's motifs of memory and nostalgia are used to explore the characters' past and how this influences their present.

Throughout the film, Johnny's mental state becomes increasingly unraveled, leading to a climactic moment where reality and memory become one. Although the plot may be somewhat disjointed at times, it never detracts from the overall experience of the film. Instead, this helps to enhance the trippy, dream-like atmosphere of the story.

In conclusion, Dreamland is an intriguing and compelling movie that takes you on a journey into the darkened mind of a man who has lost everything. It is a film that expertly blends genres, plays with the ideas of memory and past, and explores the haunting human experiences of loss and nostalgia. With exceptional performances from its leads and a visually stunning style, Dreamland is an unforgettable film that resonates long after viewing.

Dreamland is a 2019 horror movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 32 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 4.7 and a MetaScore of 50.