Before Sunrise / Before Sunset (2 Disc Box Set) [1995]

Customer Reviews:

A bargain not to be missed!.......2008-03-13

To have both of these films on offer for under a fiver is a real bargain! Whilst I know there are those who find the premise of the movies lacking credibility, I found them to be charming and the performance of Julie Delpy in both films is an absolute treat! There was some disquiet at the ending of the second movie, but the optimists will believe that the couple were about to embark on a journey of discovery.

For two films that consist basically of intense dialogue between 2 characters, your attention is held throughout and this is a tremendous achievement. The films are nicely photographed with Vienna and Paris (in particular) making pleasant back drops. A great advert for small independent movies and I'd recommend this set to anyone to watch.

The perfect movies for Generation X.......2008-01-14

These movies are perfect for anyone who grew up in the 80's and faced adulthood in the 90's. Almost anyone from that generation will identify with these characters. Jesse and Celine are what all of us from that time were about. I first saw "Before Sunrise" when it was originally released and immediately fell in love with it. I rode the coaster of emotions that the film brings and sat there hoping that Jesse and Celine would ride off into the sunset together. When they didn't, I waited almost a decade for the sequel. This movie also immediately draws you into the lives of the two characters. You learn that after 9 years, neither has ever forgotten a moment of that night they spent in Vienna. That the night they spent has completely impacted and affected their lives in ways they never realized until they meet up again in Paris. They spend that day much like that night, learning and rediscovering things about each other. Jesse writes a book in hopes of seeing Celine again. Much to his dismay, it works. And as the story progresses, you can see that he wishes that they had met up in Vienna on the six month anniversary of that night, because his life may have taken a very different and much more fulfilling turn. And it occurs to Celine in the midst of a melt down that Jesse is the reason why her love life has been so disappointing. She had compared all her former boyfriends and relationships to her night in Vienna. These movies are heart wrenching, hopeful, thoughtful and well worth the time spent to watch them. Particularly if you are "thirtysomething".

Worst two movies.......2007-10-11

These two movies are among the worst I have ever seen. I lost like three hours of my life, that I could have been doing something useful. But I read reviews when the second movie was released, and it said they were so fantastic and bla bla bla. I wouldn't recommend these movies to anybody, just if anybody wanted to see anything really boring and not worth the money.

Now my fave movies of all time :).......2007-10-09

This film is so beautiful. Those people who say it isn't good haven't lived. I'll try and expain.

The movie takes a theme that (as far as I know it) has never before been put on film. Some of us who are lucky enough have been in the situation that these two young people have found themselves in will love this film. I'll ask you a simple question have you ever been on a train journey, or gone on holiday or went to a festival or theme park or anything and met someone who lived quite a long way away so any kind of relationship would prove impossible, but at the same time you had some sort of connection with that person. You felt that they understood you and you understood them. Maybe you had a kiss or shared some intimate moment (or just wished you had), and you knew that you were in love (or could easily be), but were perhaps too scared to say anything to that person? Then, you can't shake the memory of that person, you know deep down that you'll never see them again, that the situation would have been impossible? Even now, years later you still think about that person?

Well if you've ever been in that situation this movie is most definitely for you. This is exactly that! The scene in the record store, which at first makes you feel uncomfortable to watch, eventually seduces you (well it did me), it was just how it is, when you are trying to get a good look at a girl but you don't want her to notice you looking and both of you are sneaking peeks at each other. You just know that this is the moment they fell in love, the way he sighs just says it all. They wander around visiting places, just ordinary mundane places, but these places will live on forever in the hearts of these two. Surely most of you can relate to this? You must know a place that when you were young you maybe had your first kiss there, it could be a park bench or even against a pub wall. That dirty pub wall can conjour up the memories of the past can't it? Although to any other onlooker its just a dirty pub wall, but to you its something else.

Apart from this, the movie doesn't have any sort of plot, just two people wandering around, discussing life issues, how they view the world etc.

The follow up movie (before Sunset) is the icing on the cake. A much shorter movie, but it shows how one missed opportunity can change people's lives. In 'Before Sunrise' the girl is perhaps the more spiritual of the two, more of a 'glass half full' girl, and he is quite cynical about everything. However in 'Before Sunset', you just know that both of them led very different lives since that day they met, she has become the more cynical, less spiritual person, whereas he has became much less cynical and much more spiritual. He at least tried (you'll understand when you watch it), and I think that, as in life, if you try to hold on to romantic notions and actually make an effort with those that you love, then life gives you rewards, not big financial rewards, but definitely spiritual rewards. I did feel that these two had almost certainly 'missed their chance', as I felt that she is maybe lost in her cynicsm and that he had 'outgrown' her. If these two were in a relationship I wouldn't give it long before he wandered off, as her life had become vacuuos and I don't think that someone as spiritual and deep feeling as the man would tolerate living the kind of life that she now has to offer. It'd be good if Mr Linklater would do another follow up, as there are still so many unanswered questions. I'd love it if they got together and she mellowed, and maybe re-found her old self. I just hope he didn't fall into her world of trying to 'save the planet'. I always find that the kind of people who are stong environmentalists lead such intolerable lives that they maybe deep down realise that they can't save themselves, so they'll try and save the planet instead! I just find the conversations they have are boring and pointless. Whereas the more spiritual of us realise that it just doesn't matter. The human race will be wiped out, does it matter? It might be for the best if were all wiped out and leave the planet to the creatures that deserve to live on it.

Anyway, these are very good movies :)

A Perfect On-Screen Partnership!.......2006-10-24

The first time I saw Before Sunrise I enjoyed it immensely! The second time I saw this movie I loved it! The third time I saw this movie I adored it!
The chemistry and acting in this movie from Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke is so realistic and undeniably believable. The basic simple plot leaves many to believe it is a pointless film, these people are wrong. If anything, this movie proves that special effects, hollywood stars and whitty lines are not needed to make a movie memorable!

Before Sunset, I have to admit the first time I saw this I disliked it immensely and I tried to wipe it from my memory so it would not ruin Before Sunrise which has become my favourite movie of all time, however a couple of months ago I dared to watch it again and to my enjoyment. This time I saw the inspirational work of Richard Linklater come out once more as I grew to love the sequel.

If you want a nice peaceful night in I would choose these movies over any!

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