take shelter (2011). directed by jeff nichols.

this has got to be one of the better movies made this year, though not in the same category as drive (2011) which was more about style than theme. there's nothing wrong with that, movies can be whatever they want to be. a well done movie is not about theme or any particular topic - it's about good execution. take shelter (2011) goes beyond style alone - this movie confronts you with such layered story telling and subtleties that it doesn't need special effects to create tension and suspense. great acting from micheal shannon and jessica chastain, they have got to be my current two favourite actors and i see more good movies coming from them. i like the cinematography by adam stone that presents ohio as a quiet rural place, but not as peaceful as it seems to be. something dangerous is lurking underneath the summer wind blowing the trees. 

the story tackles many issues without confusing the audience, it fact it unites the various elements that by the time the movie ends, the story achieves perfect harmony. shannon is a young husband and father afflicted by visions of apocalyptic storms and mysterious people attacking him and his family. he begins to get very anxious about it as he regularly hallucinates and loses the ability to sleep - all this while trying to hold down a job, pay for his home and car mortgages and find treatment for his deaf daughter. you can feel why this guy is seeing things - while he could be genuinely on the verge of schizophrenia, he has many things on his plate that could make anyone unable to sleep. i like shannon's portrayal of the the ordinary man losing his mind - his anxiety is real and heartfelt as he tries to cope with seeing the unreal while trying to be a responsible father and husband, all at the same time. chastain as shannon's wife provides a good pairing of a couple in love and committed to each other, she is ethereal without being bland, strong without being overpowering, supportive without being dependent. she is the reason why shannon feels he has to get through his difficulties despite all odds. he is strong because of her. this story is about many things - financial worries in times of economic uncertainties and downsizing, the constant enviromental threat (which is a real risk in many countries, such as america and indonesia) and what it means to be committed in a marriage. 

it is about facing good times, as well as real or imagined bad times, together.  this film is must watch, alas it is not widely distributed in the US, i doubt it will be shown in other countries. that's a shame, really. i had to walk 2 miles in order to find a cinema in denver that showed the movies, and it was worth every step i took (disclaimer: i don't have a car here because i am attending a conference, and cabs are expensive. it was a good exercise, i was restless and needed to discard excess energy).