Seeking Wellness: Suffering Through Four Movements – Film Reel Reviews

I’m not even sure what to say about this one. – Will

‘Seeking Wellness’ is a collection of four interconnected conceptual video vignettes, exploring ideas related to victimization, recovery and empathy. Each contains a calculated progression or regression of specific visual motifs. – IMDB.com

Written and Directed by – Daniel Schneidkraut

Starring – Eric Steil, Libby Fiegl, Nicholas Ryan, Paul von Stoetzel, Chris Bakke, Charles Hubbell, Piper Sigel-Bruse, Aidan Sigel-Bruse, Tina Sigel, Brian Hesser, Bethany Ford, Kamela Koehler, Raymond P. Whalen, Crist Ballas, Todd Bruse

I had to use the IMDB description for this flick because I just have no idea how to put the film in words. Actually, I don’t really comprehend that above description either and that pretty much sums up the entire movie. I like a movie that makes you think but I don’t usually enjoy a film that is supposed to have a point that I have to figure out. I don’t want to explore the hidden subconscious of my deep-rooted fears of abandonment and my role in society as it relates to the guy who stands on the corner in that hot dog costume for the local burger joint. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that the movie sucks, it’s just that I’m not a fan of the whole art project idea. There’s lots of symbolism throughout this one and the entire concept of the movie is way over my head. I’m just a regular guy who likes watching movies and I’m certainly no film scholar.

Even though the overall idea may be lost on me, I did really enjoy 2 of the 4 short segments that make up this film and found 1 of the remaining shorts to be entertaining. I wouldn’t want to give anything away because the film isn’t all that bad so why ruin the fun of it. The 2 that I enjoyed were the first one and the final one, although the final one is really the third one. Does that even make sense? Alright, the four movements are numbered but shown out of sequence. It fits with the style of the film and makes sense so don’t even worry about it. The standout piece is easily the first one. It’s shot from the point of view of security cameras in a burn unit as two criminals break in and lay waste to everything and everyone inside. There’s no dialogue and it’s like your watching from the security desk as the cameras switch from one to the next every 10 or 15 seconds. It’s very brutal and shocking and I love the concept of the security camera done right.

A shot from my second favorite piece about a man who deals with his sadness in a very strange way.

The second piece of the film is well done but is so completely out there that I couldn’t take it seriously. It’s about a father at home on Christmas with his children, showing them slides of family and relating a story, and some of his own problems, that the kids don’t need to hear. The problem I had with this one is that the situation is very realistic but completely absurd at the same time. The father is divorced and I can assure you that no person in their right mind would leave their kids at his house and it took me right out of the story. There’s also a moment of some seriously depraved suggestion that sends chills up your spine. Unfortunately the scene is so over the top that I just couldn’t get into it.

The third segment, which is shown last actually, was also quite good. It concerns a man who has broken up with his girlfriend and decides that suicide isn’t really the answer although it’s a great starting point. He views suicide as a means to get someone you love to realize how much you meant to them but once you’re dead you don’t get to enjoy the love of that person again. Instead of committing suicide he decides to give himself cancer so he can be with the woman of his dreams again while she nurses him on his deathbed. The end result will be the same but he’ll be able to spend a few more moments with his love.

Some moments can get a little bloody in this one.

The reason that segment is shown last is because the fourth short is actually the lead in to the third one. Man, I’m getting lost just thinking about this now! So, the fourth short is students presenting their final project and one students project is a video of her following the man in the final short. Don’t ask me to remember what her project was about exactly because the title was so long that I zoned out for a moment. I also wasn’t held very much by the short as it was just a lot of talking heads while some very odd, experimental video played in the background.

The ending is really fucking out there and involves a lot of stuff that should be able to gross out even the most strong-willed of viewers. I certainly won’t be eating my lunch until I watch some fluffy cat videos first. I would have enjoyed this one a little more if it hadn’t been the one that seemed the most artsy. There just seemed like too much hidden meaning and symbolism there for my taste, although the amount of blood and gore was great! HAHA! If you can check this one out then I would recommend it. It’s an interesting flick even if it’s a little much for my tiny brain to try to grasp.

Under the marquee – Will